# American Idol (Top 11) 3/23/2011



## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Motown week .. who's going to bring it?


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

The ones who killed it: Lauren, Jacob, James, Naima (great dance sequence!), Pia, Stefano (the judges were WAY off-base with him--see below). Just OK: Haley, Thia. Bottom Feeders: Casey, Paul, Scotty.

Casey's strangulated "soul" voice and painfully forced, robotic expressions are really starting to grate. Yes, he's a talented "musician", but he way overthinks everything, there's no naturalism, warmth or flow to his Devo-like performances.

Paul...can't even sing remotely in tune. His croaking whisper voice is so weak you can barely hear it over the band. Horrible horrible horrible.

Scotty just sang another loping, lazy good ol boy boring Travis Tritt song-styling, it just happened to have come from Detroit and it sounded hideous by way of dated Nashville. Weak.

Thia's pretty but non-projecting voice sounded overwhelmed by the up-tempo band track. She fades fast when she leaves her ballad sweet spot. 

Haley was just zero sum, break even. She desperately needs to kill it next week.

If you're wondering why the judges seem to be missing a lot of stuff and ending up a sycophantic bunch of Yes Men, remember they're victims of the PA system, the echo in the room, and they're 60' away from the performer. We at home get perfect audio, perfect close-ups of the singers, and can focus on the actual performance. The judges see and hear very different stuff than us and have a ton of distractions. They're so out of it this year I pay no attention to them. They just all agree they love everybody all the time. Major snoozefest.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Maruuk said:


> [...] If you're wondering why the judges seem to be missing a lot of stuff and ending up a sycophantic bunch of Yes Men, remember they're victims of the PA system, the echo in the room, and they're 60' away from the performer. We at home get perfect audio, perfect close-ups of the singers, and can focus on the actual performance. The judges see and hear very different stuff than us and have a ton of distractions. *They're so out of it this year I pay no attention to them.* They just all agree they love everybody all the time. Major snoozefest.


+1. E.g., in spite of the judge's praise, I thought Haley and Pia were train wrecks last night, at least watching them live in NY. Perhaps the West Coast feeds were remixed prior to airing.

I thought Lauren won the night. Hadn't been crazy about her up to this point, but she did a great job with that song, IMHO.

And if Haley _doesn't _get the lowest amount of votes this week, I think the judges should save whoever does.


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## Holydoc (Feb 18, 2008)

I guess my take was a little different. 

I have Thia as the worst last night for not only forgetting her words, but also letting the band swallow her up.

I had Jacob as the best last night. He was the only one that I thought FELT the song.

Others I had at the bottom were Stefano, Haley, and Scotty.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Jacob Lusk crushed it!


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

So how many of you noticed that Thia forgot the words (when she did, not when she said she did)? I did  .. Actually, I thought she covered it exceptionally well and since for the most part she did well I forgot that fact rather quickly.

I am a bit surprised that none of the Judges caught it .. or at least they didn't call her out on it.


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Things are getting back on track now, thankfully. Enjoyed the show last night and thought that most of the contestants did a very good job.

My bottom four is the same as Holydoc's;

Thia actually sang pretty well, but she gets swallowed up by the stage and the band. Can't let that happen week after week on A.I. and expect to hang around for long. Didn't even notice her forgetting words but that's probably b/c I couldn't hear her very well.

Stefano isn't wearing well on me at all. Do I think he "felt" the song? Yes. But did anyone else? The judges were right; He's not connecting, except maybe with teenage girls. It's top drawer karaoke, but artistically vacant. As I said last week, like a puppy jumping up and down on your feet and legs; Cute at first, then not so cute, then just plain annoying. :grin:

Haley did her growling thing. There were some good things in there but it didn't stand out and wasn't memorable, at least for me. Definitely didn't do herself any favor with the after stage comments about how much the judges loved her. 
Time is probably up for Haley tonight and the judges won't save.

Scotty was entertaining, but not in a way one wants to be entertaining. It was a funny mess. He was like a caricature of himself, and the foray into Motown only served to highlight his eccentric stage persona and visual distractions. Worst of night, but at least he did something unique, even if uniquely bad.

Paul was the worst of the best, or the best of the worst. Thank goodness he had something to hold (a guitar) with his free hand so we weren't treated to another night of the staggering drunk with the flailing arm. So much better than last week. Not being sick helped I'm sure. Effectively put his spin on a Motown hit. Lives to sing another week.

Lauren, an excellent job. Strong vocals and the confidence is back. She is going to be something very special in a few years.

Casey, very good vocally, but needs to be careful. If he doesn't take himself seriously, how does he expect the rest of us to take him seriously?

James, another good outing. He has the best on-stage presentation of anyone this season. He's also got the vocals to back it up. Personality could come and bite him in the behind though. Can he shake that, _and_ the Adam Lambert II label?

Naima, leaps and bounds better than last week. Second best on-stage presentation. Good singing too. A very impressive outing. This should keep her in the game for now.

Pia, sang well again. Gorgeous in her black gown. Stood there like a potted plant on stage yet again. Let's face it, that's Pia. If the judges expect her to all of sudden start jumping around the stage, like James or Naima, they are going to be badly disappointed. She is a stationary ballad singer, period. Probably good enough for a career in Vegas in front of an older crowd, but it is hard to imagine a two-hour set in front of anyone else. 
Still, Pia is Pia, and that's ok with me... for now....

Oh, how could I forget Jacob! Jacob also topped last week by a mile. Not sure which I remember more vividly though, Jacob's singing, or Jennifer begging for more afterward.  If Jacob can learn to control his instrument, like he did for the most part last night, then he can have a big career. As I've said many times before, it is much better to have too much and need to rein it in, than to have too little and need more. Jacob is so unique and so musically gifted it's scary. Always fun to see and hear what comes next.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

Yeah, the lyric collapse definitely puts Thia in the bottom 3. You can't be doing that even ONCE at this level. She has an entire WEEK to focus one one song.

+1 on the Haley growl--feels forced and phony.

Wow, amazed that somebody didn't like Pia. I mean, I can't stand her personally, she's totally Miss Perfect Plastic, but heck she has an awesome set of pipes and showed em off last night. It wasn't a dance song, it was a ballad, you wouldn't expect her to move around. But in general, she does have a stick up her aspect ratio and when she does move on stage it's very fake and Vegas-ey. She learned all that in the $75k-a-year NYC performing arts school she goes to. YUCK. Glee begone.

Did you notice Scotty's "Motown Moves" up there? A riot. He looked like a spastic marionette.

Jacob is very comfortable in gospel, that's what he grew up in. He just better hope next week isn't Tiny Tim week or something!

Ever since they stopped judging, the "judges" have made themselves increasingly irrelevant by simply becoming a trio of sappy cheerleaders. I pine for the days of Simon who actually had the stones to be a truthteller at this stage and slap some of these half-steppers around when they deserved it. They didn't even nail Thia for blowing the lyrics! RU kidding me? And they never nail anybody for not stepping out of their sweet spot that way they used to in previous years. It's like the judges are these kids' parents fawning over them. And this buttkissing routine over Paul who literally cannot sing. He has to talk half his lyrics! Pathetic.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Haley's a great singer. I do know why everyone doesn't like her, though. She moves on the stage like she's in a bar or a small club. She's not doing the "big time" thing. I'm sure this is because of how she grew up (musically), but I'm sure it's why you guys are giving her a hard time. The notes she sings are very solid, but AI is much more than just your singing ability.

Which brings me to Scotty .. the folks @ DBSTalk may not like Scotty, but wow .. he's EXACTLY what America wants. It doesn't matter if he's exactly the same mold as Travis Tritt (who is much older than him, BTW). Country sells and sells big. Heck, I don't even like country but I can tell this kid is going to go a long, long way. He's probably going to win it all.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Pia - Beautiful voice and range. Does NOT come across as Karen did.

Jacob - Took the night.

Naima - Biggest comeback of the night.

Phia - Lost the lyrics - Bye-bye.

James - Grandstanding is more important to him. Good voice, but I ain't buying anything he sells.

Casey - Been there, done that. Getting a bit tired of the Wolfman approach.

Lauren - Liked her and the number.

Stefano - Ran the ball in the wrong direction.

Haley - Not as good as "Blue", but that's not her fault.

Scotty - Looked like and amateur - Oh. Wait. He is.

Paul - When he plays the guitar, he's anchored and we only get a half-performance.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Missed Karen last night... 

My thoughts:

*CASEY:* Eeh... pretty boring... shame too, as it was a great song.

*THIA:* Not as technically perfect as her usual performances, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

*JACOB:* The first performance Jacob has ever done that didn't make me want to fast forward past it. Great performance!

*LAUREN:* Between last week and this week, it's great to see her making a comeback. I like her, and I like her voice, and she did well again.

*STEFANO:* THE HORROR!! THE HORROR!!! I like Stefano, but that performance was HORRIBLE. As much as I like Stefano, that might send him home... at the very least, I would think it will send him to the bottom three. 

*HALEY:* Pretty good at the end, but she's done far better. It will be interesting to see if she makes it til next week. Oh yeah, she might have done better if she wasn't trying to keep from falling over in those heels...

*SCOTTY:* Outside of Josh Turner songs, Scotty does nothing for me. It's nothing against Country music, as a GOOD MAJORITY of my music collection is Country, but he just doesn't do anything for me. Last night was no different...

*PIA:* PERFECT... as always! AWESOME!

*PAUL:* Fell in love with his voice early on in the competition, but hate his performances since he took the big stage (outside of his Rod Stewart cover). Last night was no different... better than his worst, but nowhere NEAR his best performances.

*NAIMA:* One of the best performances of the night... not for her vocal accomplishments, but rather that it marked a turning point for her after TWO horrendous weeks, and the amount of fun had by those watching it. GREAT performance...

*JAMES:* Not his best performance, but another great week nonetheless.

*WINNERS OF THE NIGHT:* Jacob, Lauren, Pia, Naima, James
*LOSERS OF THE NIGHT:* Stefano, Scotty, Paul

For those wondering, my favorites (in the competition) are/were:

Pia
Lauren (tied)
James (tied)
Karen
Thia
Stefano

~Alan


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

See, we'd make great judges. We disagree on a lot and would make great entertainment. Certainly better than what they've got! Is anybody as cute as JLO?


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

"Maruuk" said:


> See, we'd make great judges. We disagree on a lot and would make great entertainment. Certainly better than what they've got! Is anybody as cute as JLO?


We'd certainly make great entertainment, but I'm actually quite happy with the judges this year. I've disagreed with Randy on quite a few occasions, but overall, I've found them to be pretty accurate.

I do think they give a few contestants too hard of a time (Thia, Pia, etc.) when they are too easy on others (Paul, Scotty, Casey, Jacob), etc... but that's pretty much par for the course for Idol... no matter who is doing the judging...

~Alan


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

CRAZY NIGHT!

I LOVED Marc's statements...


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Wow! Best results show in a long, long time.


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

Spoiler



I'm really surprised they used the save tonight, I'd figure they would save it for later on. Sorry to say, but I really don't care for Casey. BTW, my recording got cut off, so I've added 5 minutes to the series link.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

What a weird ending! They had to bleep out half the show!


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Casey dropped the F-bomb, inter alia.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

TheRatPatrol said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I'm really surprised they used the save tonight, I'd figure they would save it for later on. Sorry to say, but I really don't care for Casey. BTW, my recording got cut off, so I've added 5 minutes to the series link.


Dang it, I couldn't resist. :lol: I just read the spoiler before I had a chance to watch the show.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

When do spoiler blocks expire? 24 hours after?


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

I hope last night's results show was the beginning of a trend. We got some super-dooper guest stars!!! I'm pretty sure we'll be dissapointed with some future themed nights.

While I think _Casey's_ reaction to the "save" was genuine, stopping the "sing for your life" in mid-song was, IMO, contrived. And that now leads me to suspect that more than just the producers and Ryan know the final score before it is announced.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Maruuk said:


> When do spoiler blocks expire? 24 hours after?


I don't think they do, Maruuk.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

What I mean is, when can folks talk about a show without spoiler blocks? I thought it was after both coasts had aired it. Or is there a 24 hour grace period for timeshifters?


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Maruuk said:


> What I mean is, when can folks talk about a show without spoiler blocks? I thought it was after both coasts had aired it. Or is there a 24 hour grace period for timeshifters?


This may help: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=108397


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

"In the case of a reality/competition show, the official thread can and will contain information about who was "voted off." Be forewarned, if you don't want to know who leaves, don't read the thread."

So if I read this correctly, there's no need for spoiler blocks in this thread, and no need to withhold any outcome info at any time.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

That's right. At this point, spoil away.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

Well Casey's total breakdown was kind of touching. Made me like him a little more. But I still think he's Will Ferrell scamming us all.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Maruuk said:


> Well Casey's total breakdown was kind of touching. Made me like him a little more. But I still think he's Will Ferrell scamming us all.


It seemed very legit because of the shaking. It's hard to fake that.

Did you guys notice who was first to be RIGHT there behind Casey as the show wound down? The camera wh*re James.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

He's actually more like Will Ferrell when he's trying to sing.

It's kind of already coming down to Pia and Lauren. Don't see anybody else seriously challenging them.

But that said, it's a nightmare for Fox. Pia's already playing to the middle-aged Celine lounge-ballad crowd and Lauren's headed straight for the middle-aged Gretchen Wilson ******* "gal" lifestyle audience. When all Fox really wants is another Ke$ha or Katy Perry or Beyonce.

But I doubt the stilted, MOR-oriented format of this show even COULD produce such artists.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm telling you guys .. Scotty is the one. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, he's gonna win. He's likable, looks decent (probably the girls find him cute) and he's got a good deep voice. He's the one.


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## Holydoc (Feb 18, 2008)

Doug Brott said:


> I'm telling you guys .. Scotty is the one. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, he's gonna win. He's likable, looks decent (probably the girls find him cute) and he's got a good deep voice. He's the one.


I am going to have to disagree. His Howdy Doody/Mad Magazine looks and one-trick pony singing will be his undoing. Makes a nice stand-in for Randy Travis, but we already have a Randy Travis.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> I'm telling you guys .. Scotty is the one. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, he's gonna win. He's likable, looks decent (probably the girls find him cute) and he's got a good deep voice. He's the one.


Scotty will be successful. However, not sure he'll win AI.

I think this year is all James. My second choice, Thia.

A great results show too. Best in a long time!


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Thia was in the bottom 3 this week, but that may be due to her flub (and announcement of said flub). But yeah, between the performance and results shows, she showed off her pipes. Still needs growth, but she also just turned 16, so it's only going to go up from here. If she puts together a string of strong performances (she might), then she will be one to watch out for. She also has that likability factor ..

James won't win .. He lacks the likability because too many people are flat out annoyed by his twitches. Whether they are real or not, it's not a plus and it will cost him votes.

As for results shows .. The two best ever have been this year .. Also, this week, in general had a lot of good singers. We're now picking on little stuff whereas this point last year we were still looking for the beef.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> Thia was in the bottom 3 this week, but that may be due to her flub (and announcement of said flub). But yeah, between the performance and results shows, she showed off her pipes. Still needs growth, but she also just turned 16, so it's only going to go up from here. If she puts together a string of strong performances (she might), then she will be one to watch out for. She also has that likability factor ..
> 
> James won't win .. He lacks the likability because *too many people are flat out annoyed by his twitches*. Whether they are real or not, it's not a plus and it will cost him votes.
> 
> As for results shows .. The two best ever have been this year .. Also, this week, in general had a lot of good singers. We're now picking on little stuff whereas this point last year we were still looking for the beef.


I hope that is not true. That would be sad. You may be right about the likability. I hope it's not due to his ticks.

He has a great voice, and unbelievable control.

I'm just glad this year is good. My wife was ready to write-off the show. She is now hooked again.

On a side note, Steven Tyler is so cool. I hope he sings this season.


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

James already won. 

Perhaps not American Idol, but he is a winner in my little world.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

James was a tool even before AI. Where's all his "ticks" and stuff in this video? http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/20/james...syndrome-whores-woman-songs-video-contestant/


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

Hutchinshouse said:


> I hope that is not true. That would be sad. You may be right about the likability. I hope it's not due to his ticks.
> 
> He has a great voice, and unbelievable control.
> 
> ...





barryb said:


> James already won.
> 
> Perhaps not American Idol, but he is a winner in my little world.


I agree, he has great stage presence and knows how to entertain the audience. Even if he doesn't win he'll still get some sort of record deal, like Adam Lambert did, he's sort of like Adam in a way.

Yeah Hutch, Steven Tyler is cool. I think the 3 judges this year have really good chemistry with each other.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

James will end up as a kind of a straight Adam Lambert, a loser but will get some kind of record deal. His voice is overrated. Those high screams are very grating and artificial, not exciting like Adam's are.

Thia needs to get back to a song that can show off the deep resonance and emotional quality of her voice.

Scotty's one trick pony is to ape a basso-retro country vocal style that went out of fashion over ten years ago. He can't ride that pony far.

Pia & Lauren. Once Jacob gets yanked out of his gospel safety zone, his extreme feminine body language (it borders on an SNL parody) and sloppy vocals (pitch/inability to build a cohesive performance) will drag him down. I mean, this ain't American Gospel.

One more robotic Devo-like manic rant-song from Casey and he's done. The bugging eyes and forced, strangulated soul-rasp get old real fast.

Haley better get a great song this week, or it's gonna be her and Casey at the guillotine.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Maruuk said:


> Scotty's one trick pony is to ape a basso-retro country vocal style that went out of fashion over ten years ago. He can't ride that pony far.


Agree that he's a one trick, but it's more of a stallion (voter wise) than a pony. Wasn't it you that said stick to your niche? He's doing that and winning. It will take him far in this competition and will do him well after the competition. This kid will be rich.



> Pia & Lauren. Once Jacob gets yanked out of his gospel safety zone, his extreme feminine body language (it borders on an SNL parody) and sloppy vocals (pitch/inability to build a cohesive performance) will drag him down. I mean, this ain't American Gospel.


OK .. that was funny .. and accurate .. "it borders on an SNL parody". The Judges fawn all over Jacob and he does have some incredible moments. However, there are moments of his that I think are really, really bad. _Alone _was a good example of that. Some absolutely great parts bookended by crap. The crap won that week and it showed.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> James was a tool even before AI. Where's all his "ticks" and stuff in this video? http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/20/james...syndrome-whores-woman-songs-video-contestant/


You're really going to go there?

So you're thinking he is faking it? :lol: :nono2:

Perhaps he was on medication at the time of the video. Also, just a tad more pressure being on AI.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Hutchinshouse said:


> You're really going to go there?
> 
> So you're thinking he is faking it? :lol: :nono2:
> 
> Perhaps he was on medication at the time of the video. Also, just a tad more pressure being on AI.


I never said he's faking. I think he's milking and exaggerating his condition. There's a lot of people who feel the same way and think his Asperger's is questionable, as well.

What about the content? Did you watch the video? He tries to portray being a honest and respectful man/husband. I guess he was young & naive at the time?


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

I don't think the judges should have used the "save".

_James _won't win it, I don't think. IMHO, he's more interested in posing for the cameras than he is in singing abilities. The moniker of "Camera Wh*re" fits him nicely. Sooner than later, the little girly teenyboppers will see him for what he is and send him home. Plus, like it or not, he has a lot of competition in _Jacob, Pia_ and_ Haley _- all of whom are capable of hitting some pretty high notes. His health? I don't care. He's good enough to compete. I'll leave it at that. 

_Casey_ was an early favorite of mine. Not any more, really. His persistent growl singing and wolfman looks have already peaked with me. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, his breakdown of the other night was genuine IMO, stopping the performance was not. That part looked and felt contrived. I do thank him, however, for the wonderful ballad while playing the double bass during auditions ... he proved that he doesn't have to growl and yell. The fact that he now chooses to use them almost exclusively also confirms to me that this is a thought-out move on his part - a disastrous one, I think. Hence him losing my "vote". 

I've never liked _Scotty_, and the more I hear him, the more he convinces me that this is not a competition he's going to win. This _Randy Travis _understudy seems to think that he has a chance to win while he country-izes every song he sings. Bottom line for me is he is obsolete-in-style. But, teenyboppers have been known to crown even the most unlikely of winners, so I guess he has a shot.

I'm not into _Lauren_, sorry. I like her, but I'm not glued to the tube every time she performs. She's too easily forgettable. To me, this sweet girl is highly overrated. I'm sure her song selections are mostly to blame, 'cause the pipes are definitely there. 

_Jacob_ just needs to keep delivering songs like he did on _Motown_ week. He has more range than almost anyone there - now all he needs to do is to control it. When_ Elton John _week comes, we'll see if he can deliver.

_Paul_ (one of my favorites) really screwed-the-pooch on his last song. You'd think that some of the coaches there would see that adding an instrument to his act was a big, big mistake. One of _Paul's_ signature abilities is his prancing and dancing while on stage. Anything that stands in the way of that robs him of that facility. I hope they've learned a lesson. Hope he come out sans-baggage next week.

_Pia_ is my choice to win it. I was enthralled with her delivery of_ "All by Myself"_ a few weeks ago. She has the range and her song selection has been wonderful of late. I don't care if they're all ballads. If that's the style she wants to win with, more power to her. I've heard or read some criticisms of this approach, but I like it. I'm rooting for her.

_Haley_ is perhaps the most provocative of any contestant there. She intentionally uses her good looks and her sexy eyes to complement her performances. Go back to her performance of _"Blue". _I loved it! If _Pia _doesn't win, I hope _Haley_ does.

I like _Naima's _background story more than I like her singing. She's got nice pipes, but her song selections make her very forgettable. The one scene that sticks with me is the one where she's dancing an _African_ jig to an _American_ song - what was that all about?

_Phia _and _Stefano_ are almost history - they are to me. I've already crossed them off my list of possible winners (_Andrew Garcia _comes to mind&#8230; wonder why?). 

_Stefano_ failed to deliver with _"Hello_" because he failed to grasp the emotion of the lyrics. You don't butcher a _Lionel Richie_ love song and get away with it.

_Thia's_ performances to-date have been forgettable and have only served to tell me when it's ok to go to the bathroom. I think she's a bit too young. I don't agree that _"Heat Wave"_ was the up-tempo number _Jlo_ had in mind.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Yeah, the save was wasted.

"wolfman looks" :lol: Good one Henry.


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## HDJulie (Aug 10, 2008)

I was glad they used the save. First, because I think Casey showed a lot of potential in Hollywood & if he can go back to that style of singing he might be able to get farther. Second, because I don't think anyone else there is any more deserving of the save. There are some who may be better singers but for me, all of them are talented -- vastly more talented than most of the contestants last year. For sure, there are only three or four who could conceivably win & Casey is not one of them, but they are not any more talented than he is overall. Which leads to third, because at this point the group is all talented enough that the save could be applicable to any of them. I think both Ashton & Karen were slightly less talented than the remaining 11 but could argue for the save for any of the those remaining 11 & so I'm glad it is now out of the way. And finally, because it led to a great results show & allows all of them to go on the tour. 

I was so happy for Naima that she made the tour. I don't think she will last much longer & she may not have a career in music but she will make some good money on tour & I'm sure that will be a big help for her family.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

HDJulie said:


> I was glad they used the save. First, because I think Casey showed a lot of potential in Hollywood & if he can go back to that style of singing he might be able to get farther. *Second, because I don't think anyone else there is any more deserving of the save [...]*


[...] except Haley, IMHO. That's why I thought prior to the results that if Haley _didn't _get the lowest amount of votes, the judges would save the person who did.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

HDJulie said:


> I was glad they used the save. First, because I think Casey showed a lot of potential in Hollywood & if he can go back to that style of singing he might be able to get farther. Second, because I don't think anyone else there is any more deserving of the save. There are some who may be better singers but for me, all of them are talented -- vastly more talented than most of the contestants last year. For sure, there are only three or four who could conceivably win & Casey is not one of them, but they are not any more talented than he is overall. Which leads to third, because at this point the group is all talented enough that the save could be applicable to any of them. I think both Ashton & Karen were slightly less talented than the remaining 11 but could argue for the save for any of the those remaining 11 & so I'm glad it is now out of the way. And finally, because it led to a great results show & allows all of them to go on the tour.
> 
> I was so happy for Naima that she made the tour. I don't think she will last much longer & she may not have a career in music but she will make some good money on tour & I'm sure that will be a big help for her family.


This is a very talented group of singers. Better than anything we've seen in a long time. Even when this season's crop was at 24, they were better. Which, of course means that our individual preferences in singers will be jolted almost every week.

I still think that the "save" was wasted because I don't think our friend _Casey_ will be around for long. Personally, I would have waited for a _Haley_ or_ Jacob_ or _Pia_ to pull the trigger on the "save".

I saw _Casey_ (during auditions) wow the judges (and me). The problem now is that he is reverting to the same tactic that _Andrew Garcia_ used last year, and we all know what happened to him.

Yeah, any good fortune that goes _Naima'_s way is welcomed. I do like the girl. My problem with her is that I pity her more.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

Casey peaked at the stand-up bass fiddle song. He needs to get back to that.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Maruuk said:


> Casey peaked at the stand-up bass fiddle song. He needs to get back to that.


Agree ... but if the audience tags him as a carbon copy of _Andrew Garcia_, he may not get the chance to even consider changing back. :nono2:


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

Oh ya, I remember him! Simon called him "boring"...


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Casey is very talented. Is he the next American “Idol”? No chance at all.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

That's him, _Maruuk._ During auditions for that season, he sang _Paula's_ _"Straight Up"_ in a style all its own. He deeply impressed the judges, who weeks later expressed frustration over his subsequent song choices and his refusal to reprise that particular song in competition.

It was reported that he dismissed the judge's concerns. He was voted off shortly thereafter. I don't know how he did on the Idol Tour.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

I suspect we saw the final three this week already, as those presented in the *first* "trio" of *safe* candidates.

Casey has his own style that may appear to some folks, but he's not finalist material.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> I suspect we saw the final three this week already, as those presented in the *first* "trio" of *safe* candidates.
> 
> *Casey has his own style that may appear to some folks, but he's not finalist material.*


You're right, but IMO it's of his own doing.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

He's got that crazy Jim Morrison bug-eyed glare thing going on, without the looks to back it up. Try to imagine that face on an album cover.

The only question left is: can any of the guys hang in there with Pia and Lauren?

But. If they did something hip and forced everybody into say, an Alt/Rock week, or some punky genre requiring street cred, Pia and Lauren could evaporate faster than dew in hell.

But as long as they keep everybody in this AOR, Adult Contemporary Shmaltz Pablum, the Plasticville Duo will rule.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Well, I am a few days late but I did watch. I would like to be full of constructive criticism but all I can say is... people, learn your craft! I don't know why the judges were so reticent to point out that at least half of those young people were out of tune! Is that just not important anymore since you can fix it with software? 

To me, singing in tune is a basic skill that should override any choice of style.


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Apart from all the fun in last Thursday's wild results show, one interesting aspect was the brief segment with Marc Anthony where the Idol producers basically made a public admission that there was a serious problem in the last few shows where the contestants could not hear themselves well enough on stage when singing with the band.

Of course, if true, this would help explain why the last few shows were so fraught with "pitchy" issues and other disconnects in the sound balance.
Obviously if you can't hear yourself singing, or there are other imbalances, then there will be problems. It was pointed out to us that the contestants now have the option of using one or two earpieces which are designed to "fix" the problem(s). The segment ended with Marc Anthony saying something to the effect of 'Ok, then, no more B.S. excuses!"

By evidence of what was heard on Wednesday night, this seems like a plausible explanation to me. The performances were so much better!
 Plus, the improvement was across the board, not just one or two contestants singing better. The one exception, Stefano, was exceptional in his interpretation and lack of connection (to the song and audience), not because of vocal shortcomings. The other exception, Scotty, was way outside his musical comfort zone, and the problems there were also not vocal/technical.

All of the others, in my opinion, either did at least as well as in the previous week (Pia, James, Haley, Casey), or improved dramatically (Naima, Alaina, Paul, Jacob, and Thia). I've added Thia to this latter group after re-listening to the performances. She actually sang with some passion and spontaneity, and I liked that additional spark from her. If she hadn't mentioned the little word flub I doubt anyone would've noticed. I know I wouldn't have (it was hardly noticeable even when watching/listening for it on playback).

So, an explanation was offered, and I'm happy to say, I'm buying it  and looking forward to even better singing to come. Everyone regaining their health probably helped too.

I still think that this is a very talented group of singers across the board now. Some of them still need to expand their bag of musical tricks. Casey, Scotty, Jacob, Thia, and Pia, in particular, seem limited by genre (Scotty, Jacob), or approach (Casey, Pia). Scotty and Jacob have ventured outside of their comfort zones (MoTown and "Alone") rewarded only by comical smash-ups, fun to watch but not helping them in the competition (to say the least!). Pia, Thia, and Casey risk becoming one-trick ponies, though Pia is wearing much better than Casey, and Thia seems to be making progress now (fingers crossed).

Casey also had his first serious vocal "fail" in last Wednesday's show. At the very end of his song he tried growling up to his higher register and didn't make it. It was a jarring shortfall and produced some very ugly straining and squawk.


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

I agree that Casey does have an Andrew Garcia problem, a.k.a. the 'one trick pony' problem. I keep expecting him to grow beyond the growling, howling, and mugging for the camera 'schtick', but he never does. 

Putting on my psychiatrist hat , my guess is that Casey is used to assuming a musical persona, the one that we've all seen and are tiring of now, and that he's very un-used to revealing his inner self through his music. It's probably very uncomfortable for him to take down that wall of talented schtick that he puts between himself and the audience, and thus he avoids doing so. Or maybe he can't take it down, or that the closest he comes to it is when he is solo with his string bass. Either way, the path he's on now won't get him much further. One thing American Idol does, for better and worse, is strip contestants down to their very core and expose every strength and weakness that they have, both musically and personally. It must be an absolute grinder to experience that process, but it usually does bring to the fore some top talent when all is said and sung. 

If Casey has any chance left, it would be to choose something like "Your Song" this week; something personal, vulnerable, and without antics. Strip it down and sing it straight with heartfelt but subdued musical sensibility. If he does that then I can imagine him scoring a big breakthrough which would make people take a second, serious look at who he is and what he is capable of. Do I think this will happen? No. Do I hope this will happen? Yes. We kept waiting for Andrew Garcia to try something different too, and he never could, or did, before people got tired of him. Unfortunately, Casey is following the A.G. model for now. Not a good idea. 

I hope that Elton John himself consults with the kids this week. That would be fun to watch.


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

Well they're back to their old Barry Manilow/Neil Sedaka/Paul Anka dinosaur tricks again with this Elton John crap. How is Elton John in any conceivable way relevant to current pop music???

Why has Idol steadfastly resisted any weeks dedicated to what's actually ON THE RADIO?

O god, more Candle in the Wind, Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shmaltz. What's next week...Eddie Fisher week???


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

Maruuk said:


> Well they're back to their old Barry Manilow/Neil Sedaka/Paul Anka dinosaur tricks again with this Elton John crap. How is Elton John in any conceivable way relevant to current pop music???
> 
> Why has Idol steadfastly resisted any weeks dedicated to what's actually ON THE RADIO?
> 
> O god, more Candle in the Wind, Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shmaltz. What's next week...Eddie Fisher week???


I thought they were doing away with these theme weeks?


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

The sound quality of the show has been suffering since the Top 13 eps started. I hope they've ironed out the bugs. I agree that the "pitchie"- _ness_ was being caused by a network problem and not a singer problem.

I thought that mentoring by guest mentors (hence a theme week) had been eliminate too, _TheRatPatrol._ Isn't that the reason they have _Jimmy & Co._ this year?


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Maruuk said:


> Why has Idol steadfastly resisted any weeks dedicated to what's actually ON THE RADIO?


 Probably because only a very small minority of their audience is familiar with and/or has any interest in what's on the radio today. Thus, ratings suicide if they go there.



> O god, more Candle in the Wind, Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shmaltz. What's next week...Eddie Fisher week???


American Idol is about singing hit songs which are (still) familiar to -- and loved by -- the most people possible. Motown falls into that category, so do The Beatles, so does Elton John, Stevie Wonder, et al. Eddie Fisher doesn't. Neither does contemporary radio.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

I absolutely hate Pia Toscano. She's a poor imitation of somebody else I hate - Celine Dion.

Puuuuuke!


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Doug Brott said:


> I'm telling you guys .. Scotty is the one. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, he's gonna win. He's likable, looks decent (probably the girls find him cute) and he's got a good deep voice. He's the one.


No... he's not... :lol:



Doug Brott said:


> James won't win .. He lacks the likability because too many people are flat out annoyed by his twitches. Whether they are real or not, it's not a plus and it will cost him votes.


Ironically, during auditions and Hollywood week (etc.), most people I talked too didn't care for him. His constant sobbing, and they felt his "screaming" was too over-the-top. Since that point, he's garnered quite a few fans in my neck of the woods.

I'm not saying he's going to win, but I _expect_ him to be in the top 3 at least.



Doug Brott said:


> As for results shows .. The two best ever have been this year .. Also, this week, in general had a lot of good singers. We're now picking on little stuff whereas this point last year we were still looking for the beef.


I disagree... I found "the beef" quite early last year. Was it the best year? No, but I still found it to be engaging nonetheless...



Henry said:


> _Paul_ (one of my favorites) really screwed-the-pooch on his last song. You'd think that some of the coaches there would see that adding an instrument to his act was a big, big mistake. One of _Paul's_ signature *abilities* is his prancing and dancing while on stage. Anything that stands in the way of that robs him of that facility. I hope they've learned a lesson. Hope he come out sans-baggage next week.


That's an ability?! :eek2:

While I'm more focused on Paul's drastic downward spiral (I mean, how awesome was "Blackbird" I keep asking myself every time he gets up to sing and dance), most people I know focus on his dancing, and say that it makes them cringe every time he dances... even going so far as to compare him to Taylor Hicks... which is not meant as a compliment.



Henry said:


> _Pia_ is my choice to win it. I was enthralled with her delivery of_ "All by Myself"_ a few weeks ago. She has the range and her song selection has been wonderful of late. I don't care if they're all ballads. If that's the style she wants to win with, more power to her. I've heard or read some criticisms of this approach, but I like it. I'm rooting for her.


LOVE HER... everyone I know loves her. 



Henry said:


> _Haley_ is perhaps the most provocative of any contestant there. She intentionally uses her good looks and her sexy eyes to complement her performances. Go back to her performance of _"Blue". _I loved it! If _Pia _doesn't win, I hope _Haley_ does.


Haley won't win... she doesn't stand a chance.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed "Blue" (and remembered Steven Tyler was a big fan of the song before Haley started singing it), Haley is capable of much better. I'd be interested in hearing her sing an Adele song...



Henry said:


> I like _Naima's _background story more than I like her singing. She's got nice pipes, but her song selections make her very forgettable. The one scene that sticks with me is the one where she's dancing an _African_ jig to an _American_ song - what was that all about?


When done improperly, Naima's dancing is an out of place distraction that takes away from her ability to sing, but last week it was AWESOME! 



Henry said:


> _Stefano_ failed to deliver with _"Hello_" because he failed to grasp the emotion of the lyrics. You don't butcher a _Lionel Richie_ love song and get away with it.


Yep! I like Stefano, but that was horrible...



Henry said:


> _Thia's_ performances to-date have been forgettable and have only served to tell me when it's ok to go to the bathroom. I think she's a bit too young. I don't agree that _"Heat Wave"_ was the up-tempo number _Jlo_ had in mind.


Far from forgettable to me...



HDJulie said:


> I was glad they used the save. First, because I think Casey showed a lot of potential in Hollywood & if he can go back to that style of singing he might be able to get farther. *Second, because I don't think anyone else there is any more deserving of the save.* There are some who may be better singers but for me, all of them are talented -- vastly more talented than most of the contestants last year. For sure, there are only three or four who could conceivably win & Casey is not one of them, but they are not any more talented than he is overall. Which leads to third, because at this point the group is all talented enough that the save could be applicable to any of them. *I think both Ashton & Karen were slightly less talented than the remaining 11* but could argue for the save for any of the those remaining 11 & so I'm glad it is now out of the way. And finally, because it led to a great results show & allows all of them to go on the tour.


The "save" was created in Season Six due to the "early" exit of Chris Daughtry in Season Five. The Season Five finale SHOULD have been Daughtry/McPhee duking it out, but instead featured a Hicks/McPhee finale. There are some "stars" in this group, but Casey isn't one of them, so by using the save now this early in the game, it leaves them open to another potential upset.

That being said, them saving Casey was predictable. Everyone I knew said that Stefano would be going home, but Casey would be saved.

Yeah, I disagree with the second statement I bolded above too. There are several people I would have sent home before Karen and Ashton...



Maruuk said:


> He's got that crazy Jim Morrison bug-eyed glare thing going on, without the looks to back it up. Try to imagine that face on an album cover.


Personally, I like albums with artwork or interesting photography...



Maruuk said:


> The only question left is: can any of the guys hang in there with Pia and Lauren?


James can...



Maruuk said:


> But. If they did something hip and forced everybody into say, an Alt/Rock week, or some punky genre requiring street cred, Pia and Lauren could evaporate faster than dew in hell.
> 
> But as long as they keep everybody in this AOR, Adult Contemporary Shmaltz Pablum, the Plasticville Duo will rule.


I disagree once more.

Pia can sing anything... and Lauren has actually done some of her best work with Rock music... beating the heck out of her Shania/Reba performances. In fact, the only Country song she actually nailed (IMHO) was her performance of Lady Antebellum's "American Honey" during her audition.



peak_reception said:


> Apart from all the fun in last Thursday's wild results show, one interesting aspect was the brief segment with Marc Anthony where the Idol producers basically made a public admission that there was a serious problem in the last few shows where the contestants could not hear themselves well enough on stage when singing with the band.
> 
> Of course, if true, this would help explain why the last few shows were so fraught with "pitchy" issues and other disconnects in the sound balance.
> Obviously if you can't hear yourself singing, or there are other imbalances, then there will be problems. It was pointed out to us that the contestants now have the option of using one or two earpieces which are designed to "fix" the problem(s). The segment ended with Marc Anthony saying something to the effect of 'Ok, then, no more B.S. excuses!"
> ...


The sound has been horrible at times this year... I'm hoping that whenever Marc worked with the contestants, they focused on the issues with the sound as well.

I disagree with your statement regarding Pia being limited by genre... and somewhat with your statement regarding Thia, though I do at least partially see your point in regards to her...



Maruuk said:


> Well they're back to their old Barry Manilow/Neil Sedaka/Paul Anka dinosaur tricks again with this Elton John crap. How is Elton John in any conceivable way relevant to current pop music???


:eek2:

!rolling



Maruuk said:


> Why has Idol steadfastly resisted any weeks dedicated to what's actually ON THE RADIO?


I was listening to "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" on the radio yesterday coming home from work...



Maruuk said:


> O god, more Candle in the Wind, Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shmaltz. What's next week...Eddie Fisher week???


peak_reception stated it quite well... Elton John and The Beatles are responsible for some of the greatest songs in history, and the Idol contestants should be so lucky as to have even a single song stand the test of time as well as their songs...

~Alan


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Alan Gordon said:


> [... ...] That's an ability?! :eek2: [... ...]


Yeah. Weird ain't it? :sure:


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Good post Alan. I stand corrected on my assertion that Pia is limited by "genre." I should've said that her performance "style" is a limitation that many people are questioning, where she just stands there like a 'potted plant' with the pageant arm slowly rising and falling with the music.

When compared to the physical fireworks that James or Naima create onstage, Pia's style can certainly come across as old-fashioned or boring to some. Not so much for me though, because although it's true that she does just stand there and sang, it's also true that she stands *and delivers* the goods each and every week. That's more than can be accurately claimed for just about any other contestant this year except for maybe James.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

peak_reception said:


> Good post Alan. I stand corrected on my assertion that Pia is limited by "genre." I should've said that her performance "style" is a limitation that many people are questioning, where she just stands there like a 'potted plant' with the pageant arm slowly rising and falling with the music.
> 
> When compared to the physical fireworks that James or Naima create onstage, Pia's style can certainly come across as old-fashioned or boring to some. Not so much for me though, because although it's true that she does just stand there and sang, it's also true that she stands *and delivers* the goods each and every week. That's more than can be accurately claimed for just about any other contestant this year except for maybe James.


+1


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Alan Gordon said:


> I was listening to "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" on the radio yesterday coming home from work... ~Alan


Maruuk wasn't talking about "Oldies" stations 

^ just kidding  Give me Oldies or 'Soft Rock' any day over the crap that's being peddled (for the most part) by contemporary "artists." (not including Indie/Folk/some others).


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Henry said:


> Yeah. Weird ain't it? :sure:


If Paul's dancing is considered an ability... I guess I can now list dancing as one of my abilities!  



peak_reception said:


> Good post Alan. I stand corrected on my assertion that Pia is limited by "genre." I should've said that her performance "style" is a limitation that many people are questioning, where she just stands there like a 'potted plant' with the pageant arm slowly rising and falling with the music.
> 
> When compared to the physical fireworks that James or Naima create onstage, Pia's style can certainly come across as old-fashioned or boring to some. Not so much for me though, because although it's true that she does just stand there and sang, it's also true that she stands *and delivers* the goods each and every week. That's more than can be accurately claimed for just about any other contestant this year except for maybe James.


Yeah... I'm not in the group that requires singing and dancing for me to enjoy a performance... it's all in whether they bring it or not.

_Some_ singers need the added "physical fireworks" to overcompensate for their lack of vocal prowess, lack of stage presence, or lack of ability to bring the audience into the performance...

...and some just use it as another layer to their performance, but it's not required. Pia doesn't require it... 



peak_reception said:


> Maruuk wasn't talking about "Oldies" stations
> 
> ^ just kidding  Give me Oldies or 'Soft Rock' any day over the crap that's being peddled (for the most part) by contemporary "artists." (not including Indie/Folk/some others).


This isn't exactly an "Oldies" station... "Misery" by Maroon 5 was playing on the way to work this morning, and John Mayer and Leona Lewis was among the group of artists played yesterday.

I have a wide range of musical taste... from Classical to Heavy Metal, from Adult Contemporary to Rap, from Country (old and new) to Rock, etc... and I enjoy a large amount of today's music by many of today's contemporary artists.

When one listens to oldies (something I do quite often), one is usually listening to a collection of music that has stood the test of time... people have a tendency to forget that there was crappy music in the past as well. On the other end of the spectrum, we have those (cough cough) who fail to recognize the part about how "GOOD" music stands the test of time...

~Alan


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Alan Gordon said:


> If Paul's dancing is considered an ability... I guess I can now list dancing as one of my abilities!


Did you take lessons from _Naima_? :lol:

_Paul's_ movement on-stage is part of his schtick. When he doesn't do it, you miss it. That's like_ James_ ending a song without your crystal shattering or your ears hurting.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Paul's dancing reminds me of Seinfeld's The Little Kicks episode where Elaine dances.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Henry said:


> Did you take lessons from _Naima_? :lol:


I'm probably better than Naima's "Umbrella" performance if it wasn't for the lack of energy, but not as good as her performance last week... I am better than Paul though... 



Henry said:


> _Paul's_ movement on-stage is part of his schtick. When he doesn't do it, you miss it.


I get that it's his schtick... heck, I've explained the same thing regarding his style of dress to people... but nobody I know misses it when it's gone... in fact, everybody I know keeps hoping it will leave and never come back! 



Henry said:


> That's like_ James_ ending a song without your crystal shattering or your ears hurting.


For the last few weeks, my ears have been quite pleased after his performances! 



sigma1914 said:


> Paul's dancing reminds me of Seinfeld's The Little Kicks episode where Elaine dances.


You are not alone... 

~Alan


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

I loved that moment when Marc Anthony was asked about JLO's off-base comments towards one of the singers and he kind of icily glares towards her and says, "Well I couldn't disagree more with that. I don't believe that's the case at all."

Then somebody said something about JLO being a motormouth and he goes, "That's the truest comment I've heard here today!"

I like this guy, why isn't HE one of the judges?


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

My comments are in green:



Alan Gordon said:


> I'm probably better than Naima's "Umbrella" performance if it wasn't for the lack of energy, but not as good as her performance last week... I am better than Paul though...
> 
> Oh, I dunno. Maybe better ... but not cooler. But we can disagree.
> 
> ...


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Maruuk said:


> I like this guy, why isn't HE one of the judges?


No chesticles???


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Henry said:


> (...) I agree that the "pitchie"- _ness_ was being caused by a network problem and not a singer problem.


So why were there still so many sour notes in the past week? Still adapting to the "in-ears?"

I should probably give up, crank the Glenn Miller and sit on my lawn ushering kids away. :lol:


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

You compare this year's intonation (pitch) with last year's at this stage, no contest. The only guy really consistently out now is Paul. He doesn't even sing half his notes, he "talks" them.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Maruuk said:


> I loved that moment when Marc Anthony was asked about JLO's off-base comments towards one of the singers and he kind of icily glares towards her and says, "Well I couldn't disagree more with that. I don't believe that's the case at all."


It was to either Pia or Thia... regarding their reliance on ballads...



Maruuk said:


> Then somebody said something about JLO being a motormouth and he goes, "That's the truest comment I've heard here today!"
> 
> I like this guy, why isn't HE one of the judges?





Henry said:


> No chesticles???


That might explain J.Lo and Randy, but what about Steven?! 

~Alan


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> So why were there still so many sour notes in the past week? Still adapting to the "in-ears?"


 Please be more specific. There was one bad spot at the end of Casey's performance (not having to do with pitch, but rather a failed shift to his upper register). What else did you hear? By whom?


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Henry said:


> Oh, I dunno. Maybe better ... but not cooler. But we can disagree.


The problem with Paul is that I like him. I've disliked every performance of his since he covered Rod Stewart, but I remember when Paul was one of my favorite of the male contestants... and someone I expected to go far in this competition.

His "shtick" doesn't bother me that much (unlike many people I know), but I'd much rather see him focusing LESS on his shtick and more on his vocals...

However... yes, I have no problem with agreeing to disagree. 



Henry said:


> It can't be his high notes ... maybe it's his camera-hogging antics when Ryan is trying to give the voting phone numbers. But we can disagree here, too.


I've only noticed him "hogging" the camera one time (last week?), and I thought that was just him having fun due to being pumped up by his performance... but again, I have no problem agreeing to disagree...

~Alan


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## peak_reception (Feb 10, 2008)

Maruuk said:


> You compare this year's intonation (pitch) with last year's at this stage, no contest. The only guy really consistently out now is Paul. He doesn't even sing half his notes, he "talks" them.


I've seen a report elsewhere which said that a node was found on Paul's throat shortly before the competition began, and that he decided to go onto the show anyway and take care of it / look into it, later. Not sure if there is any truth to this but it would explain some of the difficulties he seems to be having (more than having the flu one week explains). I hope it's just a rumor. Competing on A.I. is not more important than his health. Same goes for Casey if he is continuing to have serious stomach issues.

Paul can go back to Nashville, get his (possible) node removed, rest and recover, then put out a fabulous *studio* record with fabulous Kendra Chantelle (to include "Bye Bye Blackbird" ).

The big stage is not where Paul shines, to say the least, but I do continue to believe that he is very talented in his singer/songwriter/coffee house niche, sans "dancing." :grin:


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Stuart Sweet said:


> So why were there still so many sour notes in the past week? Still adapting to the "in-ears?"
> 
> I should probably give up, crank the Glenn Miller and sit on my lawn ushering kids away. :lol:


Stuart... I really didn't hear any sour notes... certainly not many anyway.

I too am curious as to any specifics you can offer?

~Alan


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## Maruuk (Dec 5, 2007)

You know, Paul does have this nuclear option. He does have a very quirky, raspy voice that could definitely sing a hit because of its uniqueness. If he could find a way to sing something original, or very unusual with a cool beat or something, he could blow folks away since you could sort of hear it on the radio as a commercial record. But it would have to be something off the wall that really tees up his quiet little rasp.

I mean, if he just tries to sing Rocket Man or Benny & the Jets this week he's toast.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> So why were there still so many sour notes in the past week? Still adapting to the "in-ears?"
> 
> I should probably give up, crank the Glenn Miller and sit on my lawn ushering kids away. :lol:


I love Miller ... can I get an invite when you listen to him? ... got my own lawnchair.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Alan Gordon said:


> [...] I've only noticed him "hogging" the camera one time (last week?), and I thought that was just him having fun due to being pumped up by his performance... but again, I have no problem agreeing to disagree...


You might want to pay a little more attention. I'm pretty sure he'll do it again.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Maruuk said:


> You know, Paul does have this nuclear option. He does have a very quirky, raspy voice that could definitely sing a hit because of its uniqueness. If he could find a way to sing something original, or very unusual with a cool beat or something, he could blow folks away since you could sort of hear it on the radio as a commercial record. But it would have to be something off the wall that really tees up his quiet little rasp.
> 
> I mean, if he just tries to sing Rocket Man or Benny & the Jets this week he's toast.


If that week's format allows it, I wouldn't be surprised if he sings "Hallelujah" at some point in the near future. His voice lends itself to that type of song, IMHO, and if history is any guide, singing it usually buys the singer at least another week.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

[_Deleted by author_]


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

I delete my previous post where I speculate on Paul's upcoming song selection... the second song was not an Elton song ... it belonged to The Beatles.

Sorry.


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