American Idol March 30/31

Wow, tonight was pretty bad. I expected a great night after hearing that it was Motown but what a letdown. I can't believe they brought guest judges agian this year. Once again, where's Lisa Leuschner amid some of this dreck?

Here's my rankings:

1. George: The only one who captured the Motown style properly.
2. Jasmine: Great improvement from last week.
3. Fantasia: Very consistent.
4. Latoya: Not her best but so much better than some of the others.
5. Amy: Good, but not great.
6. Diana: Great voice but she's like a robot on stage. Everything seems so rehearsed, right down to her reactions to the judges critiques.
7. Jennifer: Just ok, the song seemed like it wasn't going anywhere.
8. Camille: I think she needs another couple of years to mature into a better singer.
9. JPL: He's so out of his league. That was not Motown, it was just foolishness.
10. John Stevens: Worst performance of the season. Even the crowd, who usually boo when a judge gives a bad review, were quiet.

I think the bottom 3 will be Latoya(only because she performed early), Camille, and John Stevens, with Camille going home.

Just got home and am watching on tape. IMO The Funk Brothers were the stars of the show. Two of my all time favorite songs but what a difference....John Stevens was awful...sorry but David Ruffin is rolling over in his grave. It should be illegal to do that to My Girl, Smoky should sue. George OTOH, did a good job with Ain't Too Proud To Beg with even a few Ruffin theatrics thrown in, LOL. Jennifer seemed to be yelling instead of singing and sounded more like Martha Reeves much later in her career after her voice had left the building. I was so disappointed with tonight's show. I wonder what The Funk Brothers were thinking during this?

Just finished........man, what a thrill to be able so sing backed up by the "Funk Brothers"......I didn't think the singing was that bad, except for the two "Brother's Grim", (Sorry Toni, I know you're fans of the two Johns)

1. George...my top vote getter for tonight...he is so darned thrilled to be on that stage, I get a kick out of watching him.
2. Jasmine.....Wow, what a set of vocal cords....raise your hand if you think she should be cast as Michelle if they ever make a movie about her life......
3.LaToya...she was right on the money, and the one I think has the most natural talent...
4. Fantasia.....I'm really warming up to her, but I definitely think she should get a 1 tenth deduction for finishing her song two seconds past her music.....
5. Dianne.......Good performance, I think she's projecting towards the audience more.........

.........and the rest...........42

Wheee! Ashford & Simpson in the house! Nick is still wearing the spaceman cape from 1982! Like most guest judges, however, they couldn't bring themselves to say anything remotely negative.

My rankings:

1. Fantasia "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" is one of those songs that has been covered by everyone, from Creedence Clearwater Revival to punk band the Slits to those damned claymation California Grapes. Fantasia's performance of this song could be released as a single and it would feel fresh, contemporary, and I think it would sell. Was disappointed in the "yeah, yeahs" at the end, but I think she just got carried away with herself - didn't detract from the rest of the performance for me.

--gap--

2-3. LaToya and Jasmine Jasmine has never been a favorite of mine, so I was surprised by how much I liked this performance. LaToya has been my favorite all along, and I thought this was a great performance - plus she was channeling Trenyce with the "pretty cat" hairdo! I thought this was a great, measured rendition.

4. George I kept wondering why he had that towel with him. Voice sounded great for this song, and I lurve me some George Huff - the above ladies just wowed me a little more.

--big gap--

5. JP Lewis Did he get a perm?!? I know his hair his curly, but it seemed more, um, styled tonight. Kinda average white boy rendition, not bad, not great, but I just like him.

6. Jennifer Vocally, she would place higher, and she gets big points for being the first one to really bring a Motown feel, but this was the first time that her facial expressions really got to me. Plus, she danced around like she didn't know what to do.

7. Amy I thought this would be a great song for her - it was in her range, she looked like she was having fun, etc. But she sounded tinny to me, and I don't think she should sing to live music, which doesn't bode well for a singer (tho it could be argued that it's not an obstacle for a pop star, since they lip synch and/or sing to backing tracks so much anyway :lol. And those last notes - she should absolutely know better at this stage of the competition. :sheesh:

8.Diana That performance belongs at a state fair.

--enormous gap--

9.Camille Hey, Camille inherited Leah's '80s wardrobe! You know it's bad when Paula slips up and calls you Carmen. I don't see Camille getting any better, and I hope she's the one who goes tomorrow, just because I think John should get a shot at Big Band next week...

10. John ...and the Big Band week should be his swan song, because I don't see him getting any better within the structure of this competition either. Very likeable guy, very much in over his head.

guinevere

I don't think Latoya should be bottom 3, I just wouldn't be surprised to see her there because she performed early, and voters have a tendency to forget about early performances.

Mike, I agree. I'm not so sure that the three in the bottom, except the one that's saying "bye-bye", are necessarily the least of the vote-getters. Sometimes I think they like to shake the people up a bit, but LaToya in the bottom......shouldn't happen....42

John Stevens.... send him packing for the love of god this guy is horrible and I don't see him getting any better. I would enjoy the show so much more if I didn't have to sit through him every week :\

I didn't think the singing was that bad, except for the two "Brother's Grim", (Sorry Toni, I know you're fans of the two Johns)

Click to expand...

Actually while John sucked... I thought JPL rocked last night LOL


ok here's how I saw it (warning: I have a head cold so yeah I'm congested LOL)

(in order of apperance... I hope LOL)
1. Camille -- horrible... she seems to be getting worse... I really like her though. She seems like a sweet girl... she's just really scared on stage LOL

2. JPL -- He has an interesting and pleasant tone in his voice that sets him apart from the rest of the group... it was a safe performance though and I think he should have chosen a different song.

3. Latoya -- She sounded exactly like the original recording, which is nice, but it isn't unique enough for me.

4. Amy -- It was fun, I think it was one of the better ones that night, but still safe.

5. John -- Ok positives first, at least he sang the song I suggested! However he was totally under pitch and yikes. After all the glowing things Michael Bublé said about John on Ryan's show you'd think the kid would hold true. Still, everyone is allowed an off night, and he got his. I voted for him for 2 hours straight anyway because he's proven that he has the potential. So what if he can't sing motown! LOL

6. Diana(?) -- I thought JPL could have done this better. Anyone else wishing Viktor Petrenko was in the background skating his program? LOL

7. Jenny K Hudson (?) -- Didn't like it... so much so I can't remember what she sang, but it was a weak performance.

8. Jasmine -- Way better than last week, still not the best.

9. Fantasia -- I think her booty jiggle last night was so UNclassy that she's really starting to prove herself correct about Simon not knowing class... because Fantasia, IMHO, is anything but classy. She's on the verge of just trashy diva, and hollywood has way too many of those.

10. George -- dad and I agree they saved the best for last. Way to go HUFF! My best friend, Erin is in love and plans to marry him LOL

How they rank
1. George
--huge gap--
2. JPL
3. Amy
4. Diana
5. Jasmine
--big gap--
6. Latoya
7. John
8. Fantasia -- her personality makes her not likeable to me
9. Jennifer
10. Camille

bottom three:
John , Jennifer, Camille with Camille going home...

I wasn't "wowed" by anyone last night and put them in this order:

Jasmine--she's my favorite so I put her first because of that and because no one else knocked my socks off
LaToya--good job
Fantasia--possibly the best of the night but I don't like her personality/attitude so refuse to put her first
Diana--I like her voice quite a bit but agreed with Simon that her performance was kind of high-schoolish....I know she's young, but she's on a national tv show trying to choose an idol, she needs to glam it up just a tiny bit
George--he's just so darned likeable!
Jennifer--decent
Amy--I LOVE her voice but she seems weak in her performances, the music often drowns her out
JPL--he did okay
Camille--I don't understand what others see in her, she's wearing thin on me
Jon S.--sorry, but he was awful last night.

Camille Velasco "For Once in My Life": Awful. Off key for much of the song, no power behind any part of it. She sounded out of breath. Her voice cracked on the last high note on "once." Paula said this was her best performance. Camille was having fun, but the singing was awful. Randy and Simon were right. Simon's comment, "You just didn't raise the bar" hit the nail.

***Rgal Alert! Now you're going to have to explain why Camille has a lot of natural talent, because I just don't hear, see, or feel it--and I like her. She's not like JPL or others who I just didn't like. But she's sounded extremely weak to me every time.

JPL "This Old Heart of Mine": The first two weeks I could do the eyes-closed thing with JPL and he sounds good, but tonight his pitch was all over the place. His voice may not be able to withstand all the singing. Needs techniques for saving his voice. Simon is right that it's time in the competition for people to start shining. Randy's standing O for Simon and Simon's standing O for himself, ROFL.

LaToya London "Ooh, Baby Baby": She really caressed that song and I loved it. She went from soft and tender to strong and powerful at all the right places. Great control, great voice, good feeling. The dress didn't look too great. Randy said she started rough, but I disagree. I liked the cool beginning. "You sounded great, you controlled yourself well, but it looks like you've got a cat on your head." ROFL!

Amy Adams "Dancin' in the Streets": This was a great song for her voice, all mid-range. But she didn't do anything interesting in it, unless you call that last dog howl note interesting A missed opportunity for her. Simon hit it on the nose re it was safe. Jay Leno?

John Stevens "My Girl": His worst performance yet. Not one note was on key. Nothing remotely interesting about it. His natural performance style started out strong and now seems to be getting weaker by the weak. Another missed opportunity. Simon's word "abysmal" hit the nail.

Jennifer Hudson "Heat Wave": I was really impressed with her doing this song. Last year Kim Locke sang "Heat Wave" and she never once got the right notes on "heart" in the phrase "burnin' in my heart." It made me realize how difficult this song is. I tried singing it and I couldn't get it. I'll go with Simon: "Entertaining, manic, mad, but good."

Jasmine Trias "You're All I Need to Get By": Really strong comeback after last week's weak performance. A little off in places, but that girl had a lot of "Mo" in her "Motown." Great soul, great personality, great at making it her own. Simon was correct in that she brought back what people love about her.

Diana DeGarma "Do You Love Me Now?": This was the most superficial she's been yet. She pumps those lungs like a dancer doing nothing but high kicks. Paula said "You can blow, you can blow" as a compliment. ITA with Simon is that you could see that in any high school in the US. It's a real shame too because I think at 16, she's just doing what gets her positive reinforcement. I don't think any of her music teachers have been strong enough to tell her she's superficial.

Somebody in a musical position of authority needs to say, "Diana, you've got an incredible gift and you're squandering it. You can either be like the Rockettes and do high kicks all your life or you can be like Mikhail Baryshinikov or Martha Graham and use your vocal gifts to express the truth about yourself. Not the 'Hi, I'm young and perky!' truth, but all the deep, convoluted, sometimes frightening, light and dark truth. Sing a song without one power note that comes from so deep in your heart that your audience will be truly moved."

Fantasia Barrino "I Heard It Through the Grapevine": She blew everyone else completely off the stage. She was technically perfect, played with the song, made it her own, her interraction with the band seemed completely natural, and was a tower of charisma. I'll borrow Simon's word: Superb.

George Huff "Ain't Too Proud to Beg": Okay, this week I closed my eyes before George ever got on stage and...I liked him! For one thing, I think this song was perfect for him and for another he did a great job with it. Before, I couldn't hear what was unique about his voice, but tonight I did. Hearing him go from those deep bass tones to high almost falsetto notes was just great. I thought Simon's apology was very classy.

My rankings:
1. Fantasia
2. George
3. Jasmine
4. Latoya
5. Jennifer
Next place, tie between:
6. Diana
6. Amy
Diana is indeed the equivalent of a cliche beauty pageant contestant. Every song is like she's saying, "I believe in world peace and ending hunger." But she does have pipes. Amy is more real, but she did nothing the least bit interesting with her song.
8. Camille
9. JPL
10. John Stevens--Mike, ITA with "Worst performance of the season."

I say the bottom three tonight will be Camille, John Stevens, and Amy Adams--though I would have JPL instead of Amy, but his fan base is too big, and obviously stupid. I hope John Stevens gets voted off, he's getting progressively worse, but I think it's going to be Camille because John Stevens also has a big fan base. The only reason I hope Diana stays another couple of weeks is so Simon can really spell it out for her and then we can see if it makes any difference.


Toni,
Re Simon, I think the guy is great, the only one of the judges who tells the contestants what they need to hear--usually. Also, this week he did say something about someone being out of tune, so either he was playing around with the Biography people when he said he can't tell when someone is off key or not or else it was edited in such a way that they cut out his further elaboration on that point. Don't know if he should be producing records or focusing his talents on marketing, but he's chosen to produce. I prefer producers like Phil Spector who can put Tina Turner together with his idea of what "River Deep, Mountain High" could be with his arrangement and "wall of sound." It wasn't a hit when it first came out, but I think that's because it was ahead of its time, since it eventually became a classic.

When I said I thought we were starting to see cracks in Simon's ability to pick out "winners," it was because I was disappointed in how he seemed to settle for so many flat out bad performances. I wondered if he had even become bored with AI. But this week I felt like "Now that's the Simon we know and love!" Whatever it was, including perhaps it being just me, he was in fine form last night and ITA with all his comments. As long as he sets the AI winners and runner-ups with a good freshman and the very difficult strong sophomore CD, then they have the leverage to go onto other producers, depending on the contracts.
Rgirl

Simon has always said he doesn't get into the show until it's time for the final ten to come out and shine...

not only that but I think he has the same problem I do... these people DON'T add up to the ones they had last year. Yes they are talented... but they don't have the same interactive qualities that the group last year did... aside from George Huff most people feel disconnected from the singers... and that's a turn off. We want an underdog to root for, we have George... but we also want a teddy bear, a hottie, etc etc etc who can all sing and perform... we're not getting that here this year... and I am worried that America is getting bored with this show... I hope not, it's a great show...

this year there are a lot of really young singers, and Simon has been very vocal about what he thinks of young superstars(it's their youth let them be kids THEN let them try out to be a superstar... ) I think that's why he is rooting more for 'Tasia and Latoya... not sure why he likes John(ie the youngest in the competition)... maybe he feels sorry for him... or maybe it's cuz JOhn's g'parents are cool(I loved that comment from Si last night)

I just watch it and although I have no problem with who got voted off, about the other two in the bottom three I was once again convinced that America CANNOT HEAR!!!


Toni,
I agree with you about Simon not getting into the competition until it gets to the final 10, but I don't agree that there are fewer people to root for with this group. I mean, if JPL isn't an underdog I don't know what is. One thing that is different, and this may be part of what your saying, is the fact that this group is so heavily female. I think the majority of hardcore AI fans are women, so the lack of male singers may be affecting the *vibe* of the show.

Speaking of early rounds, I'm curious about something. You've had the John Stevens wallpaper as part of your posts since he first made the final 12, IIRC. At that point, we'd only heard any of the AIers sing one song. What was it about him that made you such a fan of his so early on? Just curious.
Rgirl

This post contains a spoiler....
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*


WHAT is America thinking when they vote?????
I was very surprised and disgusted with the bottom 3 and that Amy went home....she may not be the best, but she's certainly better than 2 or 3 of the others left.......

SPOILER

















Yikes, I can't believe that Amy got sent home over JP, John or Diana. None of them had any soul in their Motown performances. The late, great Paul Williams (The Temptations) once said that their music was about trying to sell a little sex appeal. IMO that's what is missing with some of this group. ITA with Toni that the hottie factor is in short supply.

Piel

Wow Piel......it hasn't aired here yet but I am shocked to say the least........who else was in the bottom three........was it indeed J.P. and Camille........??? 42

I think there are hotties in this group, just no male hotties.

DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THE BOTTOM 3 AND WHO GOT VOTED OFF FOR THIS WEEK.

S

P

O

I

L

E

R





Did you notice how the camera kept focusing on John Stevens's face. He had to have known he got a major gift not being in the bottom three or voted off.

And I gotta say, Mike79 called it right. Jennifer Hudson was B3, in fact B2. I think there's something about her that people just don't like. Beats the hell out of me since I thought she was great last night, FAR, FAR better than what Kim Locke did with "Heat Wave" last season. Also, all in B3 were female. I think AI's female fan base is keeping a couple of guys on who should have been gone before Amy. OTOH, I don't think Amy would have gone that far on the show. I hope she pursues country and does very well.

But LATOYA! What the hell is up with that? I know, I know. It's what Simon said, "Let America vote, live with the consequences."

Next week, the comments from the judges should be interesting.
Rgirl

Oh no Show it was Jennifer and LaToya, can you believe it?

I can't believe that LaToya was in the bottom three.....over Camille.........no way!!!! I hope this vote system isn't (cough)rigged(cough)...........42