Not a very strong night for our contestants. The real contenders are separating themselves from the rest of the pack. Based on last night's absolute train-wreck performance, I have to think that Scott will be getting his walking papers tonight. But it's risky to downplay the power of the sympathy vote he gets, so perhaps that leaves Lil or Anoop in danger.
Onward.
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Danny Gokey - "Stand By Me"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
It was good, but more and more it seems like he kind of does the same thing every week. Namely, he relies on a big, emotional finish to his performances to leave the impression that the entire thing was praiseworthy. He's always good, but really hasn't had a knockout performance to date. As I say every week, this formula works fine for him because he's such a popular contestant, but, on merit, he looks a bit less impressive with each passing week since there are fewer vastly inferior singers left in the field.
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Kris Allen - "All She Wants To Do Is Dance"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
Very mediocre performance tonight, especially vocally. He'd just been starting to change my mind, but this catapulted me back to my previous opinion that he's terribly overrated. Last week I thought maybe I could come around on him if he continued to show up with interesting arrangements that suit his average voice. But tonight he stumbled in every respect. I don't think one disappointing performance is enough to sink him, but this definitely was a step backward.
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Lil Rounds - "What's Love Got To Do With It"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
The judges were pretty spot on with their comments. She's a good singer, but she hasn't been impressive, and she certainly hasn't had any memorable performances. And I think that's just what it boils down to. She's good, but she doesn't know how to grasp at being great. It would be one thing if she tried something overly ambitious and had it go up in flames. At least then we'd know for sure that she has nothing more to offer than a series of pretty good performances. But the longer she decides to play it safe, the more certain we become that what once appeared "safe" is really just her best.
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Anoop Desai - "True Colors"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 50
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
He needs to keep things slowed down. He's a very good singer, but not a high-energy singer. This was smart, in that he went back to the kinds of performances that brought him back from the dead in the first place. But if this is the only kind of song he can nail, that's only going to keep him around for another week or two. If he played the piano or guitar, I think he could be a serious contender. His possesses a much better voice than Kris, Matt, and of course Scott. But whereas they can make a real impression by singing pretty well while also playing an instrument, Anoop is stuck strolling around the stage in low-energy performances. In the end, it means he's pretty one dimensional. I won't close the door on him entirely until he tries one more mid-to-high tempo song, but when he does, I don't think he'll pull it off.
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Scott MacIntyre - "The Search Is Over"
Vocal ability: 35
Consistency: 45
Versatility: 40
Star power: 40
Song choice: 40
A disaster. Cheesy and uncomfortable with absolutely abysmal vocals. I don't really want to spend much time writing about it. If you saw it, there's really nothing I need to add. The most perplexing thing about Scott continues to be the restraint the judges show when critiquing him. This would have looked bad in a high school talent show. Again, I wonder what the producers had to promise Simon to keep him from letting loose on this guy.
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Allison Iraheta - "I Can't Make You Love Me"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 70
Versatility: 65
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
She's the second-best singer in this competition, with nearly as much talent and none of the propensity for irritating theatricality of Adam. She's been good every week, and excellent on a number of occasions. Looking forward, it doesn't seem likely that she'll be able to keep us from an Adam vs. Danny final, mostly because she's already made two Bottom 3 appearances. But I won't count her out just yet, because I suspect she's working her way up people's lists as a second or third choice. And as the field shrinks, that kind of general support will matter as people's first choices gradually disappear. If she makes the top 5, which she absolutely deserves, then it will be time to really take her seriously.
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Matt Giraud - "Part Time Lovers"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
Umm, I guess because they were running out of time and didn't have enough time to let people boo if the judges said anything semi-negative. This just wasn't that good. Certainly not "absolutely incredible" as Kara described it. I guess he sort of got the Anoop treatment in that the judges hated what he did last week so much, that made it too easy to say nice things this week. There was one especially hideous note in there, but the rest was neither particularly good or bad.
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Adam Lambert - "Mad World"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 70
Versatility: 70
Star power: 65
Song choice: 65
A standing ovation from Simon. Since I'm new this season, I'm not sure if that's ever happened before, but I'm going to guess that it hasn't. This was excellent, though I would say not quite as excellent as "Tracks Of My Tears" from a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure that's partly because that was the first time Adam decided to pull back, strip a song down, and just sing it to death. This was very similar, so there wasn't the same kind of shock and surprise at this performance. But, that said, it was haunting and beautiful, even if he did once again get the benefit of moodier stage lighting than anyone else. He remains the best.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Top 8 Power Rankings
The field shrinks a bit more, and outside of Scott everyone remaining has some potential to do something impressive on any given night. Here's how I think they stand in the public's mind.
Smooth Sailing
1. Danny Gokey
2. Adam Lambert
3. Kris Allen
Treading Water
4. Lil Rounds
5. Scott MacIntyre
6. Allison Iraheta
Drowning
7. Matt Giraud
8. Anoop Desai
It pains me to put Scott above Allison, but his popularity/sympathy vote coupled with what truly was his best performance yet last week puts him in relatively safe territory for the time being. Eventually the similarity and monotony of his performances will catch up with him, but it hasn't yet.
I think Allison would be in fine shape if the judges had actually addressed her good performance instead of just taking shots at her outfit, but at this point it is what it is, and she landed in the bottom three. However, I think the raw deal she got last week will be noted, and I expect positive comments will be bestowed upon her next week in order to make amends.
Smooth Sailing
1. Danny Gokey
2. Adam Lambert
3. Kris Allen
Treading Water
4. Lil Rounds
5. Scott MacIntyre
6. Allison Iraheta
Drowning
7. Matt Giraud
8. Anoop Desai
It pains me to put Scott above Allison, but his popularity/sympathy vote coupled with what truly was his best performance yet last week puts him in relatively safe territory for the time being. Eventually the similarity and monotony of his performances will catch up with him, but it hasn't yet.
I think Allison would be in fine shape if the judges had actually addressed her good performance instead of just taking shots at her outfit, but at this point it is what it is, and she landed in the bottom three. However, I think the raw deal she got last week will be noted, and I expect positive comments will be bestowed upon her next week in order to make amends.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Morning After
The full analysis is just below, but here's the quick ranking of last night's performances.
I have to believe that Megan is getting sent home tonight. I also won't be surprised to see Allison in the bottom three again, even though she doesn't remotely deserve it. There's even a part of me that's nervous about Allison getting sent home tonight, or at least needing a save to keep her going.
1) Kris Allen - Rather stunning.
2) Adam Lambert - Singing the best counts for a lot.
3) Danny Gokey - Emotional, just like he likes it.
4) Allison Iraheta - She's really, really good.
5) Scott MacIntyre - More "smart" than "good."
6) Lil Rounds - On cruise control, but that's getting risky.
7) Matt Giraud - Could be another tense results show.
8) Anoop Desai - Crashes back to earth.
9) Megan Joy - Vastly inferior.
I have to believe that Megan is getting sent home tonight. I also won't be surprised to see Allison in the bottom three again, even though she doesn't remotely deserve it. There's even a part of me that's nervous about Allison getting sent home tonight, or at least needing a save to keep her going.
1) Kris Allen - Rather stunning.
2) Adam Lambert - Singing the best counts for a lot.
3) Danny Gokey - Emotional, just like he likes it.
4) Allison Iraheta - She's really, really good.
5) Scott MacIntyre - More "smart" than "good."
6) Lil Rounds - On cruise control, but that's getting risky.
7) Matt Giraud - Could be another tense results show.
8) Anoop Desai - Crashes back to earth.
9) Megan Joy - Vastly inferior.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Top 9 - iTunes Top Downloads... or something.
Here's the analysis you crave.
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Anoop Desai - "Caught Up"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 50
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
This just isn't the kind of performance you can afford to turn in when you're leading off the show. Anoop sounded pretty good, but it lacked energy. It's hard to go first, and Anoop had openly accepted the challenge to amp things back up a bit, but he dropped the ball here. It probably won't doom him, but the best he can hope for is that he gets by and this performance is quickly forgotten. He missed an opportunity here, however, to show that the "Beat It" disaster was a fluke and that he does indeed possess some versatility. It's looking more and more like he can only really succeed with the ballads.
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Megan Joy - "Turn Your Lights Down Low"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 40
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 40
Kara nailed it. For the first time her voice actually annoyed me. I've said before that her voice isn't great, but that I like it. This is the first time I didn't even like her on her own terms. It's hard to see this not going down as the worst performance of the night, and likewise she seems ticketed for another visit to the bottom three. With Sarver gone, Megan looks like the next obvious choice to get the boot, but I'm not ready to commit to that just yet.
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Danny Gokey - "What Hurts The Most"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
This wasn't nearly as good as the judges would have you believe. It was good, and it's the kind of song choice and performance that make his fans flip head-over-heels for him, but it wasn't show stopping. I'll even agree that it was his best of the finals so far, but wasn't as good as "Hero" from the semifinals. I guess maybe that's too far in the past to matter much at this point, but that's where I think he set the bar for himself, and this wasn't quite on par. Doesn't really matter, though, as he's safe as can be.
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Allison Iraheta - "Don't Speak"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 65
Versatility: 60
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
Why was all the discussion about her clothes? She's basically been dressing like this all season. Was it a little bit wackier than her previous outfits? Sure, I guess so. But no one took even a moment to comment on the strength of her performance, which once again was really good. It was the kind of commentary that makes you want to break your television, because you can just imagine the lack of attention paid to her singing causes people to think it was worse than it was, and poof, Allison will be in trouble again. I think she's great, but the treatment she got tonight makes me nervous for her on the results show. This was just unfair.
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Scott MacIntyre- "Just The Way You Are"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 55
This was his best of the season, though that's not really saying much. And with all the hubbub about Allison's look just a few minutes ago, why not spend the entire time talking about Scott's goofy new 'do and silly leather jacket. His look is more of a departure from the norm than Allison's. And look, now they've got me writing about nothing but appearances one week after I decided to strike that category from my rankings altogether because it just doesn't matter all that much. Or at least it shouldn't. Anyway, this was good for Scott. He did what he does best very well tonight. It's still not impressive, but it'll get him through to next week.
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Matt Giraud - "You Found Me"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
Tonight just keeps getting stranger. There was nothing great about this, but I was surprised by how unanimously the judges panned it. In fairness, I'm not familiar with the original version of the song he sang, so maybe it was, in fact, too "sound-alike." If so, then that's a fair criticism. But, even so, I thought they were harsher on him than even a derivative performance would warrant. After visiting the bottom three last week, surprising as that was, this isn't a good development for Matt. He might be headed back there once again.
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Lil Rounds - "I Surrender"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
Well, at least we have a bit of a return to normalcy. This was pretty good, though we got the expected "too serious" comments from the panel. But at least they recognized the singing itself as being good, and they refrained from commenting on her outfit and hair (which didn't fit her at all, by the way). As the weeks go by, though, I'm less and less optimistic about Lil's chances in the competition. She's a good singer, but every week I'm waiting for a true breakthrough performance from her, and it just hasn't come. Though she's vastly superior to Megan, I think I've about reached a similar point with Lil where I just think this is all she has to offer. Good stuff, but nothing show-stopping.
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Adam Lambert - "Play That Funky Music"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 65
Star power: 65
Song choice: 55
As always, he's the most interesting, and he's the only one who truly seems interested in doing anything with any real degree of difficulty or risk. There was a return to some of the hair-metal shriekiness of previous weeks -- a bit too much for my taste, in fact. Once he goes up there once or twice, we get it, and don't need to hear it four more times. So, that aspect will keep the haters hating and lovers loving. This was my least favorite performance of his so far, but after the past two weeks, it wasn't surprising to see him revert to form a little bit. Still, it's the best of the night so far.
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Kris Allen - "Ain't No Sunshine"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 60
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
Well, damn, that was really good. This is the first time I've liked Kris this season, and I think he actually just gave the performance of the night. It's always hard to follow Adam, but Kris had the perfect change-of-pace song ready to go. Something more upbeat would have been overshadowed, but this was very nuanced and intelligent. Definitely his best of the season, and the first time his actual on-stage performance made me really pay attention and take him seriously. Until now, he hadn't had any shaky performances, but I also didn't think he'd had any truly great ones. This one was great.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Anoop Desai - "Caught Up"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 50
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
This just isn't the kind of performance you can afford to turn in when you're leading off the show. Anoop sounded pretty good, but it lacked energy. It's hard to go first, and Anoop had openly accepted the challenge to amp things back up a bit, but he dropped the ball here. It probably won't doom him, but the best he can hope for is that he gets by and this performance is quickly forgotten. He missed an opportunity here, however, to show that the "Beat It" disaster was a fluke and that he does indeed possess some versatility. It's looking more and more like he can only really succeed with the ballads.
____________________________________________
Megan Joy - "Turn Your Lights Down Low"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 40
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 40
Kara nailed it. For the first time her voice actually annoyed me. I've said before that her voice isn't great, but that I like it. This is the first time I didn't even like her on her own terms. It's hard to see this not going down as the worst performance of the night, and likewise she seems ticketed for another visit to the bottom three. With Sarver gone, Megan looks like the next obvious choice to get the boot, but I'm not ready to commit to that just yet.
____________________________________________
Danny Gokey - "What Hurts The Most"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
This wasn't nearly as good as the judges would have you believe. It was good, and it's the kind of song choice and performance that make his fans flip head-over-heels for him, but it wasn't show stopping. I'll even agree that it was his best of the finals so far, but wasn't as good as "Hero" from the semifinals. I guess maybe that's too far in the past to matter much at this point, but that's where I think he set the bar for himself, and this wasn't quite on par. Doesn't really matter, though, as he's safe as can be.
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Allison Iraheta - "Don't Speak"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 65
Versatility: 60
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
Why was all the discussion about her clothes? She's basically been dressing like this all season. Was it a little bit wackier than her previous outfits? Sure, I guess so. But no one took even a moment to comment on the strength of her performance, which once again was really good. It was the kind of commentary that makes you want to break your television, because you can just imagine the lack of attention paid to her singing causes people to think it was worse than it was, and poof, Allison will be in trouble again. I think she's great, but the treatment she got tonight makes me nervous for her on the results show. This was just unfair.
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Scott MacIntyre- "Just The Way You Are"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 55
This was his best of the season, though that's not really saying much. And with all the hubbub about Allison's look just a few minutes ago, why not spend the entire time talking about Scott's goofy new 'do and silly leather jacket. His look is more of a departure from the norm than Allison's. And look, now they've got me writing about nothing but appearances one week after I decided to strike that category from my rankings altogether because it just doesn't matter all that much. Or at least it shouldn't. Anyway, this was good for Scott. He did what he does best very well tonight. It's still not impressive, but it'll get him through to next week.
____________________________________________
Matt Giraud - "You Found Me"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
Tonight just keeps getting stranger. There was nothing great about this, but I was surprised by how unanimously the judges panned it. In fairness, I'm not familiar with the original version of the song he sang, so maybe it was, in fact, too "sound-alike." If so, then that's a fair criticism. But, even so, I thought they were harsher on him than even a derivative performance would warrant. After visiting the bottom three last week, surprising as that was, this isn't a good development for Matt. He might be headed back there once again.
____________________________________________
Lil Rounds - "I Surrender"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
Well, at least we have a bit of a return to normalcy. This was pretty good, though we got the expected "too serious" comments from the panel. But at least they recognized the singing itself as being good, and they refrained from commenting on her outfit and hair (which didn't fit her at all, by the way). As the weeks go by, though, I'm less and less optimistic about Lil's chances in the competition. She's a good singer, but every week I'm waiting for a true breakthrough performance from her, and it just hasn't come. Though she's vastly superior to Megan, I think I've about reached a similar point with Lil where I just think this is all she has to offer. Good stuff, but nothing show-stopping.
____________________________________________
Adam Lambert - "Play That Funky Music"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 65
Star power: 65
Song choice: 55
As always, he's the most interesting, and he's the only one who truly seems interested in doing anything with any real degree of difficulty or risk. There was a return to some of the hair-metal shriekiness of previous weeks -- a bit too much for my taste, in fact. Once he goes up there once or twice, we get it, and don't need to hear it four more times. So, that aspect will keep the haters hating and lovers loving. This was my least favorite performance of his so far, but after the past two weeks, it wasn't surprising to see him revert to form a little bit. Still, it's the best of the night so far.
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Kris Allen - "Ain't No Sunshine"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 60
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
Well, damn, that was really good. This is the first time I've liked Kris this season, and I think he actually just gave the performance of the night. It's always hard to follow Adam, but Kris had the perfect change-of-pace song ready to go. Something more upbeat would have been overshadowed, but this was very nuanced and intelligent. Definitely his best of the season, and the first time his actual on-stage performance made me really pay attention and take him seriously. Until now, he hadn't had any shaky performances, but I also didn't think he'd had any truly great ones. This one was great.
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Friday, March 27, 2009
Top 9 Power Rankings
As expected, Michael Sarver will grace us no longer with his, well, whatever he brought to the table.
Here's how I see the remaining nine stacking up, for now...
The Favorite
1. Adam Lambert - Too good not to be #1.
The Contenders
2. Danny Gokey - Safest bet to make the final two.
3. Kris Allen - I hate doing this, but he's steady and popular.
4. Allison Iraheta - Best of the ladies.
Contending To Contend
5. Anoop Desai - If he can bring some energy back next week...
Outside Looking In
6. Lil Rounds - Slipping a bit, but certainly not out of it.
7. Matt Giraud - He was good, but a Bottom 3 visit sure ain't.
Danger! Danger!
8. Megan Joy - I've heard she's pretty.
9. Scott MacIntyre - It's time to go.
Here's how I see the remaining nine stacking up, for now...
The Favorite
1. Adam Lambert - Too good not to be #1.
The Contenders
2. Danny Gokey - Safest bet to make the final two.
3. Kris Allen - I hate doing this, but he's steady and popular.
4. Allison Iraheta - Best of the ladies.
Contending To Contend
5. Anoop Desai - If he can bring some energy back next week...
Outside Looking In
6. Lil Rounds - Slipping a bit, but certainly not out of it.
7. Matt Giraud - He was good, but a Bottom 3 visit sure ain't.
Danger! Danger!
8. Megan Joy - I've heard she's pretty.
9. Scott MacIntyre - It's time to go.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Morning After
The detailed analysis is here, but here's my short-and-sweet rundown of who hit and who missed last night.
1) Adam Lambert - Rather stunning.
2) Allison Iraheta - Brings it every week.
3) Danny Gokey - Steady as always.
4) Matt Giraud - Danny's still the better singer.
5) Anoop Desai - Comeback complete, now must step it up.
6) Lil Rounds - Disappointing, but she'll survive.
7) Kris Allen - Can't sing with the six above.
8) Michael Sarver - Seems the judges want him gone.
9) Megan Joy - Won't be long now.
10) Scott MacIntyre - Worst singer in a singing contest.
1) Adam Lambert - Rather stunning.
2) Allison Iraheta - Brings it every week.
3) Danny Gokey - Steady as always.
4) Matt Giraud - Danny's still the better singer.
5) Anoop Desai - Comeback complete, now must step it up.
6) Lil Rounds - Disappointing, but she'll survive.
7) Kris Allen - Can't sing with the six above.
8) Michael Sarver - Seems the judges want him gone.
9) Megan Joy - Won't be long now.
10) Scott MacIntyre - Worst singer in a singing contest.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Top 10 - Motown
Here's your Top 10, glorious and inglorious alike.
Here's my previous analysis of the Top 11 and Top 13 in case you'd like to compare my notes.
Oh, and here's what I thought would happen tonight.
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Matt Giraud - "Let's Get It On"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Smart to get up from piano when he did. Still don't love his "false" like the judges say they do, but, he's pretty good. It was a modest change of pace from what we'd been getting from him in the previous weeks. It was nothing that radically changed what I think about him, but it was different enough that I stayed interested. He wasn't as good tonight as I thought he might be, but he was still solid. At the same time, though the judges have started talking him up a bit, I'm still not convinced he has anything more than this to offer.
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Kris Allen - "How Sweet It Is"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 50
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
Good on stage. Simon was right when he said Kris is having "a nice competition." He is. People like him, he's been pretty consistent, so it makes sense that he's popular and still in it. I've really tried to listen to him with fresh ears a number of times now, though, and I still just don't think he's nearly as good as a number of other people. I was lukewarm on Matt in much the same way for a while, but whereas Matt has begun to change my mind just a bit, Kris hasn't been able to do that.
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Scott MacIntyre - "You Can't Hurry Love"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 45
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 45
He did nothing to make me reconsider anything I've written previously, so I won't spend time repeating myself. It wasn't good, and unlike Simon and Randy curiously suggesting otherwise, he just can't do any better. He's the weakest contestant by far.
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Megan Joy - "For Once In My Life"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 40
Versatility: 40
Star power: 50
Song choice: 45
Vocally, she's very limited. I kind of liked it as a performance, but as an alleged showcase of talent it wasn't good. Yes, the camera loves her, but that's not going to be enough anymore. She probably has another week in her, since Michael has to be the likely loser tomorrow night. But she's clearly running on fumes, and was never ever really running on much more.
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Anoop Desai - "Ooh Baby Baby"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 50
Star power: 50
Song choice: 60
Anoop can effing sing. He's only shown that he can master ballads thus far after coming back from the Michael Jackson disaster, so he'll have to do more going forward. But this was excellent once again. The problem is that the energy and personality people like about him gets lost when he sings these kinds of songs, and you have to wonder if he'll be able to strike the right balance of pep and technical performance. Randy openly encouraged him to crank it back up, and I agree he needs to do that to seriously contend. But, after "Beat It," call me skeptical that he can pull it all off in the same performance. I'd like to be wrong, though.
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Michael Sarver - "Ain't Too Proud Too Beg"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Versatility: 50
Star power: 45
Song choice: 50
Harsh, harsh words from the judges. I think he's a decent singer and don't believe it was as bad as they said. But, having already been in the bottom two last week, plus a so-so effort this week plus the brutal comments, this likely spells the end of Michael's run on the show. Not much else to say. This was probably his last time on the Idol stage.
____________________________________________
Lil Rounds - "Heatwave"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
Was a little shouty at points, but she can really sing. Basically, the trouble she had tonight, and that the judges pointed out, is the same kind of trouble that Anoop ran into with "Beat It" (I'm not trying to mention that performance fifty times tonight, it's just happening). It's hard to sing a nearly flawless song when you're also trying to really a performer, too. I mean, when you go see a concert, you don't demand perfect vocals at the expense of general entertainment. I think Lil can really own a stage. She owned it tonight and still sang very well, which I think is something that every contestant needs to do now and then. Singing really well most of the time is most important, but you also want to show some star power. At this stage, she's still good enough to go high-energy and skimp on the technical stuff a little bit and still get by.
____________________________________________
Adam Lambert - "Tracks Of My Tears"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 65
Versatility: 70
Star power: 70
Song choice: 65
Let me get right to the heart of it and just say that Adam is operating on higher intellectual and artistic plane than the other competitors. I hesitate to toss around the word "artist" about people who, though good singers, are still only up there singing other people's songs. But tonight I think he crossed that line for me. He doesn't need this show anymore, and truthfully I hope he doesn't win, just so he can avoid being beholden to too many Idol interests once it's all over. I don't know what kind of music he wants to make, but it's becoming more apparent each week that he can do whatever he wants. He can just do things vocally and interpretively that no one else can. Lots of people hated "Ring of Fire" from last week, but the cold hard truth is that no one else on the show could even have considered doing something so radical. They're stuck thinking in Idol terms, while he's beyond them thinking in artistic terms. Tonight he entirely reinvented his appearance, persona, and style, all while delivering by far the best song of the night. It's one thing to be brave enough to try such a thing, but something wholly more impressive to pull it off so convincingly and effortlessly. I could go on, but I think the point has been made.
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Danny Gokey - "Get Ready"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 60
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Sure, good, and following just about any other singer it might have even seemed very good. But he drew the unlucky number tonight and had to follow the best performance of the season thus far. He fell prey to the same criticism Lil did, in that his vocals were compromised by the energy he put into the performance. Again, I think that's kind of a cheap shot. Of course you sing worse when you're trucking around a stage. But no one wants to watch someone who sings well but stays rooted in one place like a tree. Heck, even Adam's first two performances had some "shouty" moments, despite the overwhelming praise from the judges. So, personally, I'm not going to be too tough on anyone in that respect. But, that said, while he may still be the favorite to win because his style is more accessible than Adam's, he's not in the same class as a singer.
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Allison Iraheta - "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
I'm very glad my bad feeling about her tonight was completely proven wrong. Hopefully she's in no danger come tomorrow night, because I'm starting to think she's the second-best contestant this season. She hasn't made the leap to "artist" territory that Adam did tonight, but I think if there's anyone else this season who can do it, it's Allison. Though she's clearly quite precocious, her only being 16 will probably still preclude her from pulling off something like Adam did tonight. Her voice is also something of an acquired taste, I think, but it's undeniably good. There are other good singers, but Allison and Adam are the only ones who have moments on stage that make you feel like you're watching their concert, not a television show.
Here's my previous analysis of the Top 11 and Top 13 in case you'd like to compare my notes.
Oh, and here's what I thought would happen tonight.
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Matt Giraud - "Let's Get It On"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Smart to get up from piano when he did. Still don't love his "false" like the judges say they do, but, he's pretty good. It was a modest change of pace from what we'd been getting from him in the previous weeks. It was nothing that radically changed what I think about him, but it was different enough that I stayed interested. He wasn't as good tonight as I thought he might be, but he was still solid. At the same time, though the judges have started talking him up a bit, I'm still not convinced he has anything more than this to offer.
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Kris Allen - "How Sweet It Is"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 50
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
Good on stage. Simon was right when he said Kris is having "a nice competition." He is. People like him, he's been pretty consistent, so it makes sense that he's popular and still in it. I've really tried to listen to him with fresh ears a number of times now, though, and I still just don't think he's nearly as good as a number of other people. I was lukewarm on Matt in much the same way for a while, but whereas Matt has begun to change my mind just a bit, Kris hasn't been able to do that.
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Scott MacIntyre - "You Can't Hurry Love"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 45
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 45
He did nothing to make me reconsider anything I've written previously, so I won't spend time repeating myself. It wasn't good, and unlike Simon and Randy curiously suggesting otherwise, he just can't do any better. He's the weakest contestant by far.
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Megan Joy - "For Once In My Life"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 40
Versatility: 40
Star power: 50
Song choice: 45
Vocally, she's very limited. I kind of liked it as a performance, but as an alleged showcase of talent it wasn't good. Yes, the camera loves her, but that's not going to be enough anymore. She probably has another week in her, since Michael has to be the likely loser tomorrow night. But she's clearly running on fumes, and was never ever really running on much more.
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Anoop Desai - "Ooh Baby Baby"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Versatility: 50
Star power: 50
Song choice: 60
Anoop can effing sing. He's only shown that he can master ballads thus far after coming back from the Michael Jackson disaster, so he'll have to do more going forward. But this was excellent once again. The problem is that the energy and personality people like about him gets lost when he sings these kinds of songs, and you have to wonder if he'll be able to strike the right balance of pep and technical performance. Randy openly encouraged him to crank it back up, and I agree he needs to do that to seriously contend. But, after "Beat It," call me skeptical that he can pull it all off in the same performance. I'd like to be wrong, though.
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Michael Sarver - "Ain't Too Proud Too Beg"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Versatility: 50
Star power: 45
Song choice: 50
Harsh, harsh words from the judges. I think he's a decent singer and don't believe it was as bad as they said. But, having already been in the bottom two last week, plus a so-so effort this week plus the brutal comments, this likely spells the end of Michael's run on the show. Not much else to say. This was probably his last time on the Idol stage.
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Lil Rounds - "Heatwave"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Versatility: 55
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
Was a little shouty at points, but she can really sing. Basically, the trouble she had tonight, and that the judges pointed out, is the same kind of trouble that Anoop ran into with "Beat It" (I'm not trying to mention that performance fifty times tonight, it's just happening). It's hard to sing a nearly flawless song when you're also trying to really a performer, too. I mean, when you go see a concert, you don't demand perfect vocals at the expense of general entertainment. I think Lil can really own a stage. She owned it tonight and still sang very well, which I think is something that every contestant needs to do now and then. Singing really well most of the time is most important, but you also want to show some star power. At this stage, she's still good enough to go high-energy and skimp on the technical stuff a little bit and still get by.
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Adam Lambert - "Tracks Of My Tears"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 65
Versatility: 70
Star power: 70
Song choice: 65
Let me get right to the heart of it and just say that Adam is operating on higher intellectual and artistic plane than the other competitors. I hesitate to toss around the word "artist" about people who, though good singers, are still only up there singing other people's songs. But tonight I think he crossed that line for me. He doesn't need this show anymore, and truthfully I hope he doesn't win, just so he can avoid being beholden to too many Idol interests once it's all over. I don't know what kind of music he wants to make, but it's becoming more apparent each week that he can do whatever he wants. He can just do things vocally and interpretively that no one else can. Lots of people hated "Ring of Fire" from last week, but the cold hard truth is that no one else on the show could even have considered doing something so radical. They're stuck thinking in Idol terms, while he's beyond them thinking in artistic terms. Tonight he entirely reinvented his appearance, persona, and style, all while delivering by far the best song of the night. It's one thing to be brave enough to try such a thing, but something wholly more impressive to pull it off so convincingly and effortlessly. I could go on, but I think the point has been made.
____________________________________________
Danny Gokey - "Get Ready"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 60
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Sure, good, and following just about any other singer it might have even seemed very good. But he drew the unlucky number tonight and had to follow the best performance of the season thus far. He fell prey to the same criticism Lil did, in that his vocals were compromised by the energy he put into the performance. Again, I think that's kind of a cheap shot. Of course you sing worse when you're trucking around a stage. But no one wants to watch someone who sings well but stays rooted in one place like a tree. Heck, even Adam's first two performances had some "shouty" moments, despite the overwhelming praise from the judges. So, personally, I'm not going to be too tough on anyone in that respect. But, that said, while he may still be the favorite to win because his style is more accessible than Adam's, he's not in the same class as a singer.
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Allison Iraheta - "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
I'm very glad my bad feeling about her tonight was completely proven wrong. Hopefully she's in no danger come tomorrow night, because I'm starting to think she's the second-best contestant this season. She hasn't made the leap to "artist" territory that Adam did tonight, but I think if there's anyone else this season who can do it, it's Allison. Though she's clearly quite precocious, her only being 16 will probably still preclude her from pulling off something like Adam did tonight. Her voice is also something of an acquired taste, I think, but it's undeniably good. There are other good singers, but Allison and Adam are the only ones who have moments on stage that make you feel like you're watching their concert, not a television show.
Fearless Forecast: Motown
Just like last week, here's my gut feeling about how tonight's performances shape up, best to worst.
1) Lil Rounds - Home field advantage.
2) Danny Gokey - In his comfort zone, as well.
3) Matt Giraud - Could be a turning point for him.
4) Anoop Desai - Good, but not as good as last week.
5) Adam Lambert - God only knows.
6) Michael Sarver - One more pretty good one?
7) Kris Allen - Expect nice comments regardless.
8) Allison Iraheta - I'm afraid she stumbles.
9) Megan Joy - There's a chance she'll look good.
10) Scott MacIntyre - Please fail. Please fail.
We'll see.
1) Lil Rounds - Home field advantage.
2) Danny Gokey - In his comfort zone, as well.
3) Matt Giraud - Could be a turning point for him.
4) Anoop Desai - Good, but not as good as last week.
5) Adam Lambert - God only knows.
6) Michael Sarver - One more pretty good one?
7) Kris Allen - Expect nice comments regardless.
8) Allison Iraheta - I'm afraid she stumbles.
9) Megan Joy - There's a chance she'll look good.
10) Scott MacIntyre - Please fail. Please fail.
We'll see.
Top 11 Stuido Recording Reviews
A little late, seeing as how it's Top 10 day. But, I'll post this anyway.
I love the studios because you see what each person can do when they have a chance to build a song through its natural progression. The often forced 0-60 nature of the live performances can come off awkward at times simply because of the time constraints.
Surely many will take issue with my high ranking of Adam's decidedly un-country recording, but I just think it's fantastic.
So here's my take, with an occasional comment thrown in.
1) Anoop Desai
2) Adam Lambert
3) Allison Iraheta
4) Matt Giraud -- Really liked this. I could come around on him.
5) Alexis Grace -- Had been looking forward to more of these from her...
6) Lil Rounds
7) Danny Gokey
8) Kris Allen -- He's okay, but I just do not get the intense love for him. In his comfort zone, fine, his voice is nice. But he has limited range, doesn't hit his high notes, and is thoroughly unspectacular. I relistened to his live performance a few times, and went into this with an open mind, too. Maybe I was just missing something. But I'm really not. He's unspectacular. I obviously need to account for the fact that many people like him, but he is not a great singer.
9) Megan Joy -- Quirky in a good way? Yes. Particularly good? Not really.
10) Michael Sarver
11) Scott MacIntyre
I love the studios because you see what each person can do when they have a chance to build a song through its natural progression. The often forced 0-60 nature of the live performances can come off awkward at times simply because of the time constraints.
Surely many will take issue with my high ranking of Adam's decidedly un-country recording, but I just think it's fantastic.
So here's my take, with an occasional comment thrown in.
1) Anoop Desai
2) Adam Lambert
3) Allison Iraheta
4) Matt Giraud -- Really liked this. I could come around on him.
5) Alexis Grace -- Had been looking forward to more of these from her...
6) Lil Rounds
7) Danny Gokey
8) Kris Allen -- He's okay, but I just do not get the intense love for him. In his comfort zone, fine, his voice is nice. But he has limited range, doesn't hit his high notes, and is thoroughly unspectacular. I relistened to his live performance a few times, and went into this with an open mind, too. Maybe I was just missing something. But I'm really not. He's unspectacular. I obviously need to account for the fact that many people like him, but he is not a great singer.
9) Megan Joy -- Quirky in a good way? Yes. Particularly good? Not really.
10) Michael Sarver
11) Scott MacIntyre
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Blindsided...
...but there's some comfort in knowing I wasn't the only one? Because really, without the aide of Dial Idol predictions, who would have seen that coming? Alexis had been great, was liked by judges and viewers, and was a perfectly likeable personality at this stage.
And so my Idol education continues. Weird, extremely disappointing things happen, and there's nothing you can do about it. Except vote more. And I think maybe that's the best explanation for what happened this week. Alexis' rendition of Jolene wasn't all that great, but you can see from her other scores that she'd been very well received. She was one of the favorites, even one of the rumored "rigged final four."
So I think a lot of people just assumed she wasn't in any danger and voted for their other favorites. Comeback votes for Anoop. Sympathy votes for Megan. And somehow everything broke in such a way that one of the best contestants is gone way too soon.
I refused to believe Dial Idol could be right about Allison and Alexis being in danger. I'm tempted to ban myself from peeking at the predictions, lest I continue to ignore what unfortunately proved to be good information. We see what we want to see, I suppose. At least until what we want to see is off the show and off the tour and out of sight forever.
And though I've already said I'm okay with the Save Rule in principle, last night was clearly the logical time to use it. Alexis was absolutely worth saving, unless everything the judges had said about her previous performances was pure B.S. The save shouldn't be dependent upon how well you "sing for your life" at the end of the show, because that's an impossible position to be in.
It should be used when someone who's clearly talented and more deserving than others of remaining on the show is inexplicably voted off. Alexis is definitively better than Scott, Michael, Megan, and Kris, and arguably better than others, as well. Were the save anything more than a cheap production ploy, it would have been used Wednesday night. What a tease to say they would consider saving her. A straight-up lie.
I would argue that once you get town to the top 6 or so, there aren't any true "shockers." At that point, everyone should be fairly even and someone will have to go. But because Alexis is so superior to about half the remaining field, this actually qualifies as a shock.
Surely, as we speak, Scott and Michael are drawing straws to see who should resign from the competition so Alexis can be reinstated.
Surely.
And so my Idol education continues. Weird, extremely disappointing things happen, and there's nothing you can do about it. Except vote more. And I think maybe that's the best explanation for what happened this week. Alexis' rendition of Jolene wasn't all that great, but you can see from her other scores that she'd been very well received. She was one of the favorites, even one of the rumored "rigged final four."
So I think a lot of people just assumed she wasn't in any danger and voted for their other favorites. Comeback votes for Anoop. Sympathy votes for Megan. And somehow everything broke in such a way that one of the best contestants is gone way too soon.
I refused to believe Dial Idol could be right about Allison and Alexis being in danger. I'm tempted to ban myself from peeking at the predictions, lest I continue to ignore what unfortunately proved to be good information. We see what we want to see, I suppose. At least until what we want to see is off the show and off the tour and out of sight forever.
And though I've already said I'm okay with the Save Rule in principle, last night was clearly the logical time to use it. Alexis was absolutely worth saving, unless everything the judges had said about her previous performances was pure B.S. The save shouldn't be dependent upon how well you "sing for your life" at the end of the show, because that's an impossible position to be in.
It should be used when someone who's clearly talented and more deserving than others of remaining on the show is inexplicably voted off. Alexis is definitively better than Scott, Michael, Megan, and Kris, and arguably better than others, as well. Were the save anything more than a cheap production ploy, it would have been used Wednesday night. What a tease to say they would consider saving her. A straight-up lie.
I would argue that once you get town to the top 6 or so, there aren't any true "shockers." At that point, everyone should be fairly even and someone will have to go. But because Alexis is so superior to about half the remaining field, this actually qualifies as a shock.
Surely, as we speak, Scott and Michael are drawing straws to see who should resign from the competition so Alexis can be reinstated.
Surely.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Top 11 Results Wrap-Up
Lip syncing. Hooray. Michael loves his kids. Aww.
I'll have more about the show later. I guess if I'd been watching the show for years I'd be pretty unfazed by nights like this, but boy did voters ever swing and miss last night.
I'll have more about the show later. I guess if I'd been watching the show for years I'd be pretty unfazed by nights like this, but boy did voters ever swing and miss last night.
Dial Idol Predictions: Potential Spoilers!
But I'll give you fair warning before writing anything meaningful about it. If you're curious to see who's likely to be in trouble come results time tonight, here's the list.
But, starting now, if you want no hint of what might happen this evening, it's time to look away.
I'll start with the no-brainers. Danny and Anoop are in no danger of going anywhere, and it's the second week in a row the Dial Idol has indicated Danny was the top vote getter. Anoop was much higher last week than his performance justified, but this week he earned the votes.
The middle of the pack isn't surprising, aside from Michael's oddly strong showing. I guess you have to chalk it up to his fan base really liking last night's theme. Still, the performance was bad enough I thought he'd be further down the list.
And so now we arrive at the alleged bottom 3, and the results are surprising. It's not surprising to find Megan in there, but the predictions suggest that Alexis and Allison are the bottom 2. They also had Allison down there last week, but I'm skeptical that she truly was that low. I find it equally hard to believe that either of these two ladies, let alone both, could really be in danger of getting the boot.
Here's hoping it's not accurate, because they've been two of the best so far.
But, starting now, if you want no hint of what might happen this evening, it's time to look away.
I'll start with the no-brainers. Danny and Anoop are in no danger of going anywhere, and it's the second week in a row the Dial Idol has indicated Danny was the top vote getter. Anoop was much higher last week than his performance justified, but this week he earned the votes.
The middle of the pack isn't surprising, aside from Michael's oddly strong showing. I guess you have to chalk it up to his fan base really liking last night's theme. Still, the performance was bad enough I thought he'd be further down the list.
And so now we arrive at the alleged bottom 3, and the results are surprising. It's not surprising to find Megan in there, but the predictions suggest that Alexis and Allison are the bottom 2. They also had Allison down there last week, but I'm skeptical that she truly was that low. I find it equally hard to believe that either of these two ladies, let alone both, could really be in danger of getting the boot.
Here's hoping it's not accurate, because they've been two of the best so far.
Top 11 Power Rankings
Power rankings for the top 11. This is how I see everyone's standing in the overall competition, not a ranking of how everyone did Tuesday night. That analysis is right here.
For comparison's sake, last week's power rankings are here.
The Favorite
1. Danny Gokey - Harder to dislike than Adam gives him edge.
The Contenders
2. Adam Lambert - Polarizing, but he's the most talented.
3. Alexis Grace - Not her best, but no reason to drop her yet.
Contending To Contend
4. Lil Rounds - Other formats will be friendlier.
5. Allison Iraheta - Tempting to bump up, but why rush?
The Sleeper
6. Anoop Desai - An aberration, or a revelation?
The Deep Sleeper
7. Matt Giraud - In need of a breakout performance.
Can't Quite Hack It
8. Kris Allen - I need to accept he's well-liked, but I can't.
9. Scott MacIntyre - Likewise. Don't understand the love.
10. Michael Sarver - Country fan base to the rescue.
Sayonara
11. Megan Joy - Pretty face, slinky dress not enough.
For comparison's sake, last week's power rankings are here.
The Favorite
1. Danny Gokey - Harder to dislike than Adam gives him edge.
The Contenders
2. Adam Lambert - Polarizing, but he's the most talented.
3. Alexis Grace - Not her best, but no reason to drop her yet.
Contending To Contend
4. Lil Rounds - Other formats will be friendlier.
5. Allison Iraheta - Tempting to bump up, but why rush?
The Sleeper
6. Anoop Desai - An aberration, or a revelation?
The Deep Sleeper
7. Matt Giraud - In need of a breakout performance.
Can't Quite Hack It
8. Kris Allen - I need to accept he's well-liked, but I can't.
9. Scott MacIntyre - Likewise. Don't understand the love.
10. Michael Sarver - Country fan base to the rescue.
Sayonara
11. Megan Joy - Pretty face, slinky dress not enough.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Top 11 - Grand Ole Opry
Top of 11 analysis follows.
Once again, here's a link explaining the grading scale I'm using to evaluate the competitors. A bit unusual, yes, but it is what it is. Just trying to add a unique twist.
http://scoutingtheidols.blogspot.com/2009/03/scale.html
Also, keep in mind that grades are still fairly conservative at this point, in both the positive and negative directions. Probably another week or two before I start to hand out any 70s. The grades (aside from song choice and appearance) aren't entirely specific to tonight, but are influenced by what each singer has done over the course of the entire season.
And also keep in mind that I don't pretend for one millisecond to be anything short of a country music imbecile. My song choice grades are based purely on how the singers acquitted themselves on the songs they chose and whether or not I "feel" a different type of song would have been more advantageous.
And so.
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Michael Sarver - "Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 35
Mumbly jumbly bad. For god's sake, it's not a memorization contest. Great, so he learned and remembered a lot of words. I couldn't understand any of them. And the problem with quantity is it leaves little time for quality. This is supposed to be about singing, but he barely did any. On a night when many, including myself, expected him to do well, Michael may have just booked his ticket home. Last week he surprised with quite a good voice. Tonight he bombed.
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Allison Iraheta - "Blame It On Your Heart"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 60
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
Allison continues to be one of my favorites. After establishing herself as an angsty rocker chick early on, she came through with a song that both highlighted her established strengths and also showed some versatility. She was wise (or lucky, if Alexis got to pick her song first) to avoid "Jolene," as it would have suited her perfectly but also perhaps been too similar to her previous two performances. The song tonight was upbeat, but she didn't go overboard trying to "be" country. She simply sang, and the result was an ideal blend of her personality adapting to the theme at hand. The vocals weren't show-stopping, but they didn't need to be. We know she can sing, we just needed to see some evidence of adaptability. Bravo.
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Kris Allen - "To Make You Feel My Love"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 50
I believe Simon actually used the word "terrific" to describe this performance. I wonder what kind of bonus the producers offered to get him to talk Kris up a bit, because I can't believe he honestly believes this was anything remotely approaching terrific. I get the appeal, to a degree. He's good looking and has moments where his voice is pretty nice. But there's nothing dynamic about him; not as a singer and not as a performer. This was just boring and clearly established him as one of the three least-talented contestants left. He's probably in no danger of getting sent home yet, but his mediocrity will only become more apparent over the next couple of weeks.
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Lil Rounds - "Independence Day"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Pretty much exactly what I expected from Lil. She was never likely to shine under the country format, but she can sing, so there was really no danger of any kind of disaster. The criticisms were all fair, I suppose, but I think the judges realize just as most of us do that Lil will be around for a while, so they took an obvious opportunity to bring her down to earth a little bit. It was solid. She was probably capable of much, more but chose to play it safe in a genre that doesn't play to her obvious strengths.
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Adam Lambert - "Ring of Fire"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 65
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
This is what I wanted I wanted to see him do, and he nailed it. He has plenty of room for error, so why not try to pull off something like this? As with all things Adam, there will be some serious love-hate polarization regarding this performance, but tonight he cut the theatrics and got back to basics: singing songs wonderfully. Was it a strange musical arrangement? Yes. Were people in Nashville throwing their televisions out the window, as Simon suggested? Quite possibly. There was essentially nothing country about what he did, and it might have been blasphemous to some. But it doesn't matter. You can fairly criticize him on "countrylessness", but then you also have to credit him for "making it his own," something the judges always like to see. There's no denying the quality of his voice. There were no shrieks or screams tonight, just some pretty insane range.
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Scott MacIntyre - "Wild Angels"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 40
Song choice: 45
The final entrant in the least-talented triumvirate, Scott was once again just bland and unimpressive. He's the worst singer, the least passionate performer, and is clearly limited in range both vocally and in his versatility. The judges said his performances were too similar and they wanted to see him break out, but they're ignoring the simple fact that he's just not capable of doing so. I'm not sure why they've been so generous in their comments to him. The show really doesn't need Scott MacIntyre. Paula nailed it when she said the piano is becoming a crutch, but it's also his key to remaining in the competition. If he gets out from behind it, I think that will be curtains for him.
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Alexis Grace - "Jolene"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
I clearly whiffed when I guessed that we'd get something upbeat from Alexis this week. She and Allison both needed to shake up the tone of their performances a bit, but Alexis decided to stick with what had been working, only tonight it worked a little bit less. It was an okay performance, but lacked the edginess -- or "dirtiness," as Kara said -- of her previous outings. If she's going to continue to go this route, she needs to maintain the intensity of the past few weeks or else people will start talking more about how good she "was" rather than how good she "is." Varying the types of songs she chooses will keep viewers from getting down on her because of predictability and the difficulty of matching the quality of her earlier efforts. It can be okay to have an off week doing something different; it's not okay to give the impression that you're getting worse at what you once were great at.
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Danny Gokey - "Jesus Take The Wheel"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 40
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
First, what the hell was that jacket about? He looked ridiculous, but sounded very good. First half was unimpressive, second half he hit his stride. That's kind of becoming his formula, so at some point he's going to have to get better and starting strong, not just finishing strong. But, it's Danny, so minor quibbles like that aren't going to threaten him any time soon. He does seem to be struggling to find the right look. That's obviously not the critical thing here, but the other front-runners (Adam, Alexis, Allison) have a much better handle on who they want to be on stage. Right now he comes across as a really good singer, but others convey a stronger sense of identity as performers or, dare I say, artists.
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Anoop Desai - "Always On My Mind"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 60
Zero to hero, indeed. This is the shock of the competition so far. As much as Michael's solid performance last week surprised me, this one shocked me much, much more. This rivals Adam for best performance of the night, but dwarfs all others in terms of what was at stake and rising to the occasion. Solid fan base aside, Anoop really couldn't afford another beating from the judges like the one he took last week. Tonight he finally busted out the voice that had been hinted at in other performances but never really given room to stretch and soar. His overall marks are still down because he's been so hit-or-miss, but if this is a sign of things to come from him, then things just got a little more interesting in the competition.
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Megan Joy - "Walkin' After Midnight"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 70
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
And we have another 70 this evening. Unfortunately, nothing about her performance approached the level of her looks and dress. She was solid, a definite improvement over last week. And she did choose a moodier song than we've come to expect from her, but as much as I want to like her, it's becoming apparent that her range is pretty limited. Again, she seems nearly ready as a "package" to record albums of a certain type, but I don't think she has the talent to go deep into this competition. Her voice is very interesting and unique, but it's not big. Her personality comes through when she's on stage, but she doesn't really do anything vocally to take your attention off the pretty face. That can sell records, but it can't win Idol.
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Matt Giraud - "So Small"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
For no particular reason, I thought Matt would turn in one of the stronger performances of the night. Watching it live I wasn't especially impressed, but having gone back and listened to it again, it was a pretty strong performance. While he's vastly superior to Scott, I'd like to see Matt get out from behind the piano and really try to match up vocally with some of the other top singers. I'm still not sure just how good I think he is, and his song selection has been pretty vanilla in my eyes. Right now my boredom with his performances is overshadowing whatever talent is trying to shine through. With Anoop suddenly jumping back into the thick of things, Matt's margin for error just got a little bit smaller.
Once again, here's a link explaining the grading scale I'm using to evaluate the competitors. A bit unusual, yes, but it is what it is. Just trying to add a unique twist.
http://scoutingtheidols.blogspot.com/2009/03/scale.html
Also, keep in mind that grades are still fairly conservative at this point, in both the positive and negative directions. Probably another week or two before I start to hand out any 70s. The grades (aside from song choice and appearance) aren't entirely specific to tonight, but are influenced by what each singer has done over the course of the entire season.
And also keep in mind that I don't pretend for one millisecond to be anything short of a country music imbecile. My song choice grades are based purely on how the singers acquitted themselves on the songs they chose and whether or not I "feel" a different type of song would have been more advantageous.
And so.
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Michael Sarver - "Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 35
Mumbly jumbly bad. For god's sake, it's not a memorization contest. Great, so he learned and remembered a lot of words. I couldn't understand any of them. And the problem with quantity is it leaves little time for quality. This is supposed to be about singing, but he barely did any. On a night when many, including myself, expected him to do well, Michael may have just booked his ticket home. Last week he surprised with quite a good voice. Tonight he bombed.
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Allison Iraheta - "Blame It On Your Heart"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 60
Star power: 60
Song choice: 60
Allison continues to be one of my favorites. After establishing herself as an angsty rocker chick early on, she came through with a song that both highlighted her established strengths and also showed some versatility. She was wise (or lucky, if Alexis got to pick her song first) to avoid "Jolene," as it would have suited her perfectly but also perhaps been too similar to her previous two performances. The song tonight was upbeat, but she didn't go overboard trying to "be" country. She simply sang, and the result was an ideal blend of her personality adapting to the theme at hand. The vocals weren't show-stopping, but they didn't need to be. We know she can sing, we just needed to see some evidence of adaptability. Bravo.
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Kris Allen - "To Make You Feel My Love"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 50
I believe Simon actually used the word "terrific" to describe this performance. I wonder what kind of bonus the producers offered to get him to talk Kris up a bit, because I can't believe he honestly believes this was anything remotely approaching terrific. I get the appeal, to a degree. He's good looking and has moments where his voice is pretty nice. But there's nothing dynamic about him; not as a singer and not as a performer. This was just boring and clearly established him as one of the three least-talented contestants left. He's probably in no danger of getting sent home yet, but his mediocrity will only become more apparent over the next couple of weeks.
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Lil Rounds - "Independence Day"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
Pretty much exactly what I expected from Lil. She was never likely to shine under the country format, but she can sing, so there was really no danger of any kind of disaster. The criticisms were all fair, I suppose, but I think the judges realize just as most of us do that Lil will be around for a while, so they took an obvious opportunity to bring her down to earth a little bit. It was solid. She was probably capable of much, more but chose to play it safe in a genre that doesn't play to her obvious strengths.
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Adam Lambert - "Ring of Fire"
Vocal ability: 70
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 65
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
This is what I wanted I wanted to see him do, and he nailed it. He has plenty of room for error, so why not try to pull off something like this? As with all things Adam, there will be some serious love-hate polarization regarding this performance, but tonight he cut the theatrics and got back to basics: singing songs wonderfully. Was it a strange musical arrangement? Yes. Were people in Nashville throwing their televisions out the window, as Simon suggested? Quite possibly. There was essentially nothing country about what he did, and it might have been blasphemous to some. But it doesn't matter. You can fairly criticize him on "countrylessness", but then you also have to credit him for "making it his own," something the judges always like to see. There's no denying the quality of his voice. There were no shrieks or screams tonight, just some pretty insane range.
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Scott MacIntyre - "Wild Angels"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 40
Song choice: 45
The final entrant in the least-talented triumvirate, Scott was once again just bland and unimpressive. He's the worst singer, the least passionate performer, and is clearly limited in range both vocally and in his versatility. The judges said his performances were too similar and they wanted to see him break out, but they're ignoring the simple fact that he's just not capable of doing so. I'm not sure why they've been so generous in their comments to him. The show really doesn't need Scott MacIntyre. Paula nailed it when she said the piano is becoming a crutch, but it's also his key to remaining in the competition. If he gets out from behind it, I think that will be curtains for him.
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Alexis Grace - "Jolene"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
I clearly whiffed when I guessed that we'd get something upbeat from Alexis this week. She and Allison both needed to shake up the tone of their performances a bit, but Alexis decided to stick with what had been working, only tonight it worked a little bit less. It was an okay performance, but lacked the edginess -- or "dirtiness," as Kara said -- of her previous outings. If she's going to continue to go this route, she needs to maintain the intensity of the past few weeks or else people will start talking more about how good she "was" rather than how good she "is." Varying the types of songs she chooses will keep viewers from getting down on her because of predictability and the difficulty of matching the quality of her earlier efforts. It can be okay to have an off week doing something different; it's not okay to give the impression that you're getting worse at what you once were great at.
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Danny Gokey - "Jesus Take The Wheel"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 40
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
First, what the hell was that jacket about? He looked ridiculous, but sounded very good. First half was unimpressive, second half he hit his stride. That's kind of becoming his formula, so at some point he's going to have to get better and starting strong, not just finishing strong. But, it's Danny, so minor quibbles like that aren't going to threaten him any time soon. He does seem to be struggling to find the right look. That's obviously not the critical thing here, but the other front-runners (Adam, Alexis, Allison) have a much better handle on who they want to be on stage. Right now he comes across as a really good singer, but others convey a stronger sense of identity as performers or, dare I say, artists.
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Anoop Desai - "Always On My Mind"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 60
Zero to hero, indeed. This is the shock of the competition so far. As much as Michael's solid performance last week surprised me, this one shocked me much, much more. This rivals Adam for best performance of the night, but dwarfs all others in terms of what was at stake and rising to the occasion. Solid fan base aside, Anoop really couldn't afford another beating from the judges like the one he took last week. Tonight he finally busted out the voice that had been hinted at in other performances but never really given room to stretch and soar. His overall marks are still down because he's been so hit-or-miss, but if this is a sign of things to come from him, then things just got a little more interesting in the competition.
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Megan Joy - "Walkin' After Midnight"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 70
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
And we have another 70 this evening. Unfortunately, nothing about her performance approached the level of her looks and dress. She was solid, a definite improvement over last week. And she did choose a moodier song than we've come to expect from her, but as much as I want to like her, it's becoming apparent that her range is pretty limited. Again, she seems nearly ready as a "package" to record albums of a certain type, but I don't think she has the talent to go deep into this competition. Her voice is very interesting and unique, but it's not big. Her personality comes through when she's on stage, but she doesn't really do anything vocally to take your attention off the pretty face. That can sell records, but it can't win Idol.
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Matt Giraud - "So Small"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 55
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
For no particular reason, I thought Matt would turn in one of the stronger performances of the night. Watching it live I wasn't especially impressed, but having gone back and listened to it again, it was a pretty strong performance. While he's vastly superior to Scott, I'd like to see Matt get out from behind the piano and really try to match up vocally with some of the other top singers. I'm still not sure just how good I think he is, and his song selection has been pretty vanilla in my eyes. Right now my boredom with his performances is overshadowing whatever talent is trying to shine through. With Anoop suddenly jumping back into the thick of things, Matt's margin for error just got a little bit smaller.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Fearless Forecast: Grand Ole Opry
Because guessing (and being wrong) is more than half the fun, here's who I see rising and shining tomorrow, and who I see crashing and burning. Mind you, this is how I see the strength of the performances shaping up, not necessarily who I see ending up in jeopardy come results night. You'll get my take on that after Tuesday's show.
1) Adam Lambert - Focuses on singing more than performing
2) Alexis Grace - Expect something upbeat and fun
3) Matt Giraud - Playing a hunch
4) Danny Gokey - Nothing to worry about
5) Michael Sarver - Solid once again
6) Allison Iraheta - Voice will be fine, song choice is the concern
7) Lil Rounds - Will be fine, but won't wow anyone
8) Megan Joy - Expect something moodier
9) Kris Allen - Couple spots too low? Couple too high?
10) Anoop Desai - Chooses a safe song but doesn't impress
11) Scott MacIntyre - At his best, he's still the worst
1) Adam Lambert - Focuses on singing more than performing
2) Alexis Grace - Expect something upbeat and fun
3) Matt Giraud - Playing a hunch
4) Danny Gokey - Nothing to worry about
5) Michael Sarver - Solid once again
6) Allison Iraheta - Voice will be fine, song choice is the concern
7) Lil Rounds - Will be fine, but won't wow anyone
8) Megan Joy - Expect something moodier
9) Kris Allen - Couple spots too low? Couple too high?
10) Anoop Desai - Chooses a safe song but doesn't impress
11) Scott MacIntyre - At his best, he's still the worst
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Studio Recording Review
I intended to do this myself the other day, but some technical problems held me up. For this week, I'll just link to MJ's rundown of everyone's full-length studio recordings. Hopefully when the next batch comes out I'll be able to get some commentary up in a timely fashion.
You can listen to the recordings here, or purchase them from iTunes.
You can listen to the recordings here, or purchase them from iTunes.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Who Will You Run To?
In some respects, the Idol competition resembles an election. Of course there's voting and an eventual winner, but I'm thinking more about the primary phase of elections and the gradual whittling down of contenders. In politics, as candidates drop out there's suddenly a fresh well of support for the remaining contenders to draw from.
Ditto for American Idol. Certainly the effect won't be a large one at this stage of the competition with the votes spread out over so many contestants. But with each passing week as the field shrinks, the votes will become more and more concentrated.
This is where a fairly polarizing, love-him-or-hate-him competitor like Adam Lambert could find himself in trouble. Reading around the blogosphere this week, it's clear that Adam has a lot of supporters, but it also seems that he's nearly as likely to be disliked as he is to be liked.
Contrast this with someone like Danny or Lil, or even Anoop. Not everyone is terribly impressed with that group, either, but there's hardly any "I can't stand Danny" sentiment out there, while there's a fair amount of it directed at Adam.
Despite the adoration from the judges thus far, as singers get sent home and more and more votes come up for grabs, Adam might find himself picking up fewer of them than expected.
Ditto for American Idol. Certainly the effect won't be a large one at this stage of the competition with the votes spread out over so many contestants. But with each passing week as the field shrinks, the votes will become more and more concentrated.
This is where a fairly polarizing, love-him-or-hate-him competitor like Adam Lambert could find himself in trouble. Reading around the blogosphere this week, it's clear that Adam has a lot of supporters, but it also seems that he's nearly as likely to be disliked as he is to be liked.
Contrast this with someone like Danny or Lil, or even Anoop. Not everyone is terribly impressed with that group, either, but there's hardly any "I can't stand Danny" sentiment out there, while there's a fair amount of it directed at Adam.
Despite the adoration from the judges thus far, as singers get sent home and more and more votes come up for grabs, Adam might find himself picking up fewer of them than expected.
Crystal Ball: Anoop Desai
Since I'm not convinced he'll be with us much longer, I thought I'd spend a little time considering the future prospects for Anoop. If I don't do it now, I may never have the chance.
As noted previously, Dial Idol suggests that, despite him being lined up with Jorge to find out his fate, Anoop was actually nowhere near the bottom two. Because his poor performance and the judges' negative comments gave the impression that he'd be fighting for his life as the votes rolled in, there was production value in prolonging that particular drama. But Anoop's base of support appears very strong, at least for the time being.
So, I'm going to play devil's advocate to my earlier musings about how Anoop could struggle with the upcoming Grand Ole Opry theme. In listening to his studio recording of "Beat It," it becomes apparent again that Anoop possesses a fine voice, certainly one that's on par with many of the finalists. The high-energy, all-over-the-stage performance did him no favors, as it hurt the quality of his singing and his command of the stage was average at best.
At its best, I think his voice is rather soulful. If he can shelve his desire to be Noop-Dogg this week and instead buckle down and nail his vocals, that coupled with his fan-base should be enough to push him through. If I were him, I'd look for a safe song for next week. He has fans, so blowing the judges away is less important right now than simply not blowing his performance.
Beyond that, with Motown Week likely on the horizon, a chance for him to get back to what he does best isn't far off.
As noted previously, Dial Idol suggests that, despite him being lined up with Jorge to find out his fate, Anoop was actually nowhere near the bottom two. Because his poor performance and the judges' negative comments gave the impression that he'd be fighting for his life as the votes rolled in, there was production value in prolonging that particular drama. But Anoop's base of support appears very strong, at least for the time being.
So, I'm going to play devil's advocate to my earlier musings about how Anoop could struggle with the upcoming Grand Ole Opry theme. In listening to his studio recording of "Beat It," it becomes apparent again that Anoop possesses a fine voice, certainly one that's on par with many of the finalists. The high-energy, all-over-the-stage performance did him no favors, as it hurt the quality of his singing and his command of the stage was average at best.
At its best, I think his voice is rather soulful. If he can shelve his desire to be Noop-Dogg this week and instead buckle down and nail his vocals, that coupled with his fan-base should be enough to push him through. If I were him, I'd look for a safe song for next week. He has fans, so blowing the judges away is less important right now than simply not blowing his performance.
Beyond that, with Motown Week likely on the horizon, a chance for him to get back to what he does best isn't far off.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Grading System Revisited
For those who are new to the site, here's a link to the post explaining my grading system.
And here's my first shot at applying it to the Season 8 field.
And here's my first shot at applying it to the Season 8 field.
Round of 13 Studio Recordings
Courtesy of Idol Blog Live, full-length versions of all 13 performer's songs.
Preview: Grand Ole Opry Week
While my dearth of country music knowledge means I won't be offering song choice recommendations for each singer this week, that doesn't mean I have no thoughts on the matter.
At first blush, this isn't a theme that seems to bode well for Anoop dragging himself out of the doghouse. He's relied on his energy to get him this far, but it's not like he can actually take over a stage. It's often been a slightly awkward energy that people respond to because he seems like a good guy. I don't see country as a format that does him any favors.
On the flip side, Megan ought to be able to find a song that can help her "serious up" for a week and show a little vocal range, if she has it. Her quirky voice might not be a great straight-up pop voice, but with country there's always room for a slightly unorthodox set of pipes.
Other winners:
Adam Lambert - Blank check to show entirely different side
Alexis Grace - We know she can pull this off
Danny Gokey - Can do no wrong at this point
Lil Rounds - Like Adam, chance for her to show some versatility
Michael Sarver - Country fans probably make up his base of supporters
Other Losers:
Allison Iraheta - "Jolene" is the obvious choice, not necessarily wise
Matt Giraud - Chance to impress, but I don't expect it
Kris Allen - Next to Anoop, he's in the most trouble here
Scott MacIntyre - Piano might need to save him again
At first blush, this isn't a theme that seems to bode well for Anoop dragging himself out of the doghouse. He's relied on his energy to get him this far, but it's not like he can actually take over a stage. It's often been a slightly awkward energy that people respond to because he seems like a good guy. I don't see country as a format that does him any favors.
On the flip side, Megan ought to be able to find a song that can help her "serious up" for a week and show a little vocal range, if she has it. Her quirky voice might not be a great straight-up pop voice, but with country there's always room for a slightly unorthodox set of pipes.
Other winners:
Adam Lambert - Blank check to show entirely different side
Alexis Grace - We know she can pull this off
Danny Gokey - Can do no wrong at this point
Lil Rounds - Like Adam, chance for her to show some versatility
Michael Sarver - Country fans probably make up his base of supporters
Other Losers:
Allison Iraheta - "Jolene" is the obvious choice, not necessarily wise
Matt Giraud - Chance to impress, but I don't expect it
Kris Allen - Next to Anoop, he's in the most trouble here
Scott MacIntyre - Piano might need to save him again
Grand Ole Opry Week
Next week we'll be hearing us some country music. It's Grand Ole Opry week on Idol. I was hoping to do some song predictions or recommendations, but I have to just 'fess up and admit I know next to nothing about country.
If you're not opposed to mild spoilers, Vote For The Worst has the list of songs the contestants can choose from for next week. Even with the list sitting in front of me I have little to no idea what choices might be wise or misguided for the competitors. I'll likely leave the speculation to you.
If you're not opposed to mild spoilers, Vote For The Worst has the list of songs the contestants can choose from for next week. Even with the list sitting in front of me I have little to no idea what choices might be wise or misguided for the competitors. I'll likely leave the speculation to you.
Idol Judges and the Hand of God
And so the "mystery" rule proves to be a one-time, save-someone's-ass rule. I don't have any problem with it. After reading rumors that this indeed is what they had planned, my one concern was that they would be able to exercise it to many rounds into the competition.
Hearing Simon say it must be invoked prior to the Top 5 seems a reasonable way to do it. Allowing it any deeper into the competition would allow them to play to large a role in shaping the final weeks of the show. This way, for the most part, they'll just have to stick to pushing certain singers with their post-performance comments.
When they do use it, whatever ramifications it proves to have on the competition will likely stir controversy one way or another. Of course, that's sort of the point. But I think it's an acceptable, minimally invasive tweak to the system.
Hearing Simon say it must be invoked prior to the Top 5 seems a reasonable way to do it. Allowing it any deeper into the competition would allow them to play to large a role in shaping the final weeks of the show. This way, for the most part, they'll just have to stick to pushing certain singers with their post-performance comments.
When they do use it, whatever ramifications it proves to have on the competition will likely stir controversy one way or another. Of course, that's sort of the point. But I think it's an acceptable, minimally invasive tweak to the system.
Round of 13 Results Wrap-Up
Well, I'm eating a bit of early crow for just last night touting Jasmine as a potential sleeper in the competition. Not that her performance made her a no-brainer to advance by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought the impression of her strong Wild Card performance would still be fresh enough in people's minds to earn her another chance next week.
So much for that.
Reading other people's predictions earlier in the day, Jorge was very nearly a consensus pick to be sent home. I can hold my head high on this one, as I had him in the bottom two in the Power Rankings. I guess I should take this opportunity to make it clear that the Power Rankings represent I feel each singer stands in the public's mind in the competition, and the weekly performance summaries are where I evaluate each one as a competitor only and ignore potential voting results.
Jorge deserved better than this. He was superior to about half the field on Tuesday, but he just didn't have any kind of X-factor working for him to boost his appeal. He was sweet, and so was Jasmine, but that will never be enough.
Hot Seat For Next Week: Anoop Desai
Even if there are indications he wasn't close to getting the boot tonight, Anoop's somehow skated by thus far without putting on a truly strong performance in any round. With pretty much everyone left possessing either talent or likeability, he has no choice but to stop being so mediocre.
So much for that.
Reading other people's predictions earlier in the day, Jorge was very nearly a consensus pick to be sent home. I can hold my head high on this one, as I had him in the bottom two in the Power Rankings. I guess I should take this opportunity to make it clear that the Power Rankings represent I feel each singer stands in the public's mind in the competition, and the weekly performance summaries are where I evaluate each one as a competitor only and ignore potential voting results.
Jorge deserved better than this. He was superior to about half the field on Tuesday, but he just didn't have any kind of X-factor working for him to boost his appeal. He was sweet, and so was Jasmine, but that will never be enough.
Hot Seat For Next Week: Anoop Desai
Even if there are indications he wasn't close to getting the boot tonight, Anoop's somehow skated by thus far without putting on a truly strong performance in any round. With pretty much everyone left possessing either talent or likeability, he has no choice but to stop being so mediocre.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Dial Idol Predictions
Checking out last night's Dial Idol readings, tonight could prove to be a pretty interesting results show, especially depending on exactly what the mysterious rule change turns out to be.
No real surprises at the top, with the minor exception of Danny appearing to beat out Adam for the #1 slot. If you read my breakdown of last night's performances you know I'm not terribly surprised by it, but it serves as a slight rebuttal of the judges' ushy-gushy praise. Nice to see the screwy phone number issue didn't hurt Alexis.
Anoop in the #5 slot borders on shocking. Again, great personality, but the performance was bad. Take nothing for granted, and take the judges' words with a grain of salt.
Scott at #6 is disappointing but not surprising, as discussed here.
But the true stunner, if the estimates are accurate, is Allison checking in way down at #12. I can't figure that out. Good performance, good reviews, but struggling for votes. If she really is in danger of getting booted, here's hoping tonight's surprise twist can keep her on the show.
Dial Idol predictions
No real surprises at the top, with the minor exception of Danny appearing to beat out Adam for the #1 slot. If you read my breakdown of last night's performances you know I'm not terribly surprised by it, but it serves as a slight rebuttal of the judges' ushy-gushy praise. Nice to see the screwy phone number issue didn't hurt Alexis.
Anoop in the #5 slot borders on shocking. Again, great personality, but the performance was bad. Take nothing for granted, and take the judges' words with a grain of salt.
Scott at #6 is disappointing but not surprising, as discussed here.
But the true stunner, if the estimates are accurate, is Allison checking in way down at #12. I can't figure that out. Good performance, good reviews, but struggling for votes. If she really is in danger of getting booted, here's hoping tonight's surprise twist can keep her on the show.
Dial Idol predictions
Backstory Boosts
Personally, I'd be happier if we knew nothing whatsoever about the competitors' personal lives. I'd much rather see everyone earn their votes strictly based upon what they do on stage, but this is not the world we live in. I'm by no means suggesting that anyone on the show who has endured a hardship is "lucky" because it may earn them some sympathy- or empathy-based votes. But personal history undoubtedly plays a role in attracting support from viewers, so here's a quick rundown of the contestants I think have the most to gain based on their lives before Idol.
1. Danny Gokey - Imagine every song is for his late wife.
2. Scott MacIntyre - Classic "against-all-odds" story.
3. Lil Rounds - Home destroyed by tornado, young family displaced.
4. Jorge Nunez - Speech therapy to hide accent. It choked Paula up...
5. Michael Sarver - Dirty job, pretty voice.
6. Megan Joy - Young divorcee. Shouldn't matter, but it's something.
I don't see any of the other seven contestants having anything working in their favor, and really, the top three here are the only ones who's histories are likely to affect the outcome of the competition in any significant way.
1. Danny Gokey - Imagine every song is for his late wife.
2. Scott MacIntyre - Classic "against-all-odds" story.
3. Lil Rounds - Home destroyed by tornado, young family displaced.
4. Jorge Nunez - Speech therapy to hide accent. It choked Paula up...
5. Michael Sarver - Dirty job, pretty voice.
6. Megan Joy - Young divorcee. Shouldn't matter, but it's something.
I don't see any of the other seven contestants having anything working in their favor, and really, the top three here are the only ones who's histories are likely to affect the outcome of the competition in any significant way.
Top 13 Power Rankings
Here are my power rankings after tonight's performances.
The Favorite
1. Adam Lambert -- No way around it.
The Contenders
2. Alexis Grace -- Did anyone see this coming a month ago?
3. Danny Gokey -- Can do some things Adam can't.
4. Lil Rounds -- Should be able to coast for a few weeks.
Contending To Contend
5. Allison Iraheta -- More than a power ballad specialist?
The Sleeper
6. Jasmine Murray -- Sing 'em if ya got 'em.
Maybe If You Were Better
7. Matt Giraud -- And if NKOTB needed a pianist.
8. Megan Joy -- Stop smiling for once. Remember your divorce?
9. Michael Sarver -- Your fellow roughnecks support you! (Pussy.)
My Mom Voted For Me. Repeatedly.
10. Kris Allen -- Next time, instead of singing, just take a piss on your guitar.
11. Scott MacIntyre -- Napoleon Dynamite called, wants his charisma back.
Sayonara
12. Jorge Nunez -- Zzzzzzzz.
13. Anoop Desai -- Fuck Duke.
The Favorite
1. Adam Lambert -- No way around it.
The Contenders
2. Alexis Grace -- Did anyone see this coming a month ago?
3. Danny Gokey -- Can do some things Adam can't.
4. Lil Rounds -- Should be able to coast for a few weeks.
Contending To Contend
5. Allison Iraheta -- More than a power ballad specialist?
The Sleeper
6. Jasmine Murray -- Sing 'em if ya got 'em.
Maybe If You Were Better
7. Matt Giraud -- And if NKOTB needed a pianist.
8. Megan Joy -- Stop smiling for once. Remember your divorce?
9. Michael Sarver -- Your fellow roughnecks support you! (Pussy.)
My Mom Voted For Me. Repeatedly.
10. Kris Allen -- Next time, instead of singing, just take a piss on your guitar.
11. Scott MacIntyre -- Napoleon Dynamite called, wants his charisma back.
Sayonara
12. Jorge Nunez -- Zzzzzzzz.
13. Anoop Desai -- Fuck Duke.
Top 13 - Michael Jackson
Here we go with the Round of 13. In case you haven't scrolled down far enough, here's a link explaining the grading scale I'm using to evaluate the competitors.
http://scoutingtheidols.blogspot.com/2009/03/scale.html
____________________________________________
Lil Rounds - "The Way You Make Me Feel"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 40
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
Solid across the board. Not the same kind of "wow" performance from the previous round, but that's less an indictment of her skills than a logical by-product of the concentrated talent pool. It's suddenly much harder to separate yourself. I think she's in the upper third as far as pure ability, but she'll need to return to last week's form before I up the rating. The outfit was hideous; I tried to give it a 40 but couldn't do it. She does command a stage better than most at this point, even in that crazy get-up. Safe, solid song choice, as well. She probably could have picked something that would have let her show off more, but this one fit her personality we know thus far, and since she led off the show it was important to sing something upbeat.
____________________________________________
Scott MacIntyre - "Keep the Faith"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 40
Song choice: 55
Passionless. Awkward. Occasionally screechy. I think I think he's the worst singer to make it this far. That said, he was at least consistently mediocre throughout the performance. Seemed like there were a couple moments in the song when he could have at least attempted to do something a bit more interesting vocally, but he passed on them. It's hard to imagine him nailing any Michael Jackson song. He wisely chose to use the piano, but that shouldn't carry him far, either. Stage presence-wise, it had all the drama of a middle school recital. All of that said, he's an inspirational story of sorts and probably the most likely contestant to last longer than his skills actually justify.
____________________________________________
Danny Gokey - "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
Right now I think he's the second-best singer in the competition. I really like the soulful lower register he possesses. I rate the consistency high because each time he's performed there's been no doubt that his performance would prove to be one of the standouts. His snazzier look was an improvement in my opinion, but I'm still not sure he's found the right one just yet. Ditching the glasses might help pull it all together. He's done an excellent job thus far showing off his versatility, having nailed a Mariah Carey ballad and an energetic MJ number. The dancing left plenty to be desired, but that's of no concern, at least not at this point. He's very likable, but not what you'd call charismatic. Another solid song choice which effectively showcased his personality, though I'd liked to have seen him take a stab at "Will You Be There."
____________________________________________
Michael Sarver - "You Are Not Alone"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 55
The surprise of the night. I was so disappointed about him advancing to this round I actually wanted him to forget his lyrics tonight just to ensure he'd go no farther. Certainly not the best singer, but he sung well enough tonight to advance. Nothing about him says "star," so without the pipes or the presence to lean compensate for other weaknesses, I doubt he'll last long. But the steadiness suggests he could get by for a couple more weeks if some other competitors choke. He sung the exact kind of song he needed to, but I still find him boring.
____________________________________________
Jasmine Murray - "I'll Be There"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
Well, the numbers don't lie. She was average. There were moments when she seemed on the verge of trying to take the song over, but she either shied away or just doesn't have it in her; I'm still on the fence about which it is. She's got the looks but doesn't demand attention as a performer or personality. Given her age, I think maybe she just lacks the confidence to take a risk and try to turn some heads. Instead of flaming out, she's content to fade away, and that's probably the path she's headed down. She'll hang around for a few weeks until average is no longer good enough to make the cut. That said, out of everyone clustered in the middle of the pack, she's the best bet to suddenly figure something out and turn herself into a legitimate contender.
____________________________________________
Kris Allen - "Remember the Time"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 45
When he was in college I'm sure he was the dreamy boy who played guitar and sang, but now he's stuck battling Scott to avoid being the worst of the Top 13. A painful performance. After choosing "Man in the Mirror" earlier on, you'd think he'd have a grasp of what MJ songs he can and can't do. What was the point of the guitar? He could have just played air-guitar and we wouldn't have heard any fewer chords. At least Scott displayed a genuine talent with the piano. The song choice was probably as good as he could have done, short of a mediocre, repeat performance of MITM. Now that we know he's married, hopefully that will suppress the teenage girl vote enough to send him home ASAP.
____________________________________________
Allison Iraheta - "Give In To Me"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
One of my favorites coming into this round, and she just happens to choose my favorite MJ song (just let it go, we're not here to talk about me). I had her rendition of Heart's "Alone" stuck in my head for a week. She doesn't hit every note when she belts out these songs, but thus far her passion and audaciousness have carried her through. Also, quite a bold song choice for a 16-year-old. None of that is an attempt to divert attention from a middling voice, because I think her voice is very good and she hasn't yet shown her full range. Which brings us to the one negative up to this point: while her two performances have been excellent, they've been nearly identical in tone. She's been clear about "who she is" and I think she chose the perfect song, but she'll also have to master some other song styles as she moves on.
____________________________________________
Anoop Desai - "Beat It"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 40
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 40
Likable guy, obviously, and he doesn't deserve to go home just yet, but he won't be around very long. Sometimes it seems he has a pretty good voice, but I don't think he knows what to sing to let it come out consistently week to week. Tonight's effort was pretty bad. He seems most comfortable with the upbeat songs, but it didn't work for him tonight. Choosing something from "Dangerous" would have been smarter and suited him better. Again, I think he underperformed his true talent level, and I don't usually subscribe to the "some songs are untouchable" school of thought, but if you choose "Beat It," you need to own it. He didn't.
____________________________________________
Jorge Nunez - "Never Can Say Goodbye"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 45
I think Jorge has a good voice, but whereas there seemed to be some power in his performance in the last round, tonight it just sounded nice. He sang well, but also never did anything to make you pay attention. He's awkward on stage and quickly needs to show that he's something more than just a capable crooner.
____________________________________________
Megan Joy - "Rockin' Robin"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 40
Another one who needs to break out of her comfort zone before it's too late. She's won the beauty contest, but now she needs to get serious about singing. I know I lauded a couple of similar performances from Allison and now I've taken to criticizing on similar grounds, but the magnitude of Allison's efforts dwarf Megan's. Megan has shown "who she is," is very good at what she does, and could very easily end up recording records being the performer we've seen. But tonight I just kept thinking how lucky she was that MJ had a song like this in his catalog. I don't know what else she could have sung. I like her voice and her look (sexier dress outweighs hideous tattoo, for now), but I also want to see a less-perky version before I'm willing to consider her even a fringe contender. Now, if she'd sang "Dirty Diana"...
____________________________________________
Adam Lambert - "Black or White"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 50
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
I know, I know, he has a ridiculous voice (can we have Hair Metal Week, please). But remember, the ratings are starting a bit on the conservative side here. There's no denying he's the class of the competition right now, though I'm a bit curious to see how he handles it when he has to knock the pure energy level down a notch or two. MJ is right up his vocal alley, and I wish he'd busted out "Thriller" or "Bad." He's had two knockout performances, but I don't think he can be that overwhelming every single week. There might even be some weeks where he's outdone by someone else. So, this is also where I insert a few words of caution about viewing the rest of the competition as an extended coronation. Yes, it's likely that he will continue to sing circles around just about everyone else, but let's not underestimate the potential for "Adam Fatigue" to set in. People do tend to push back at least a little bit when they feel they're not being given a fair chance to make up their own minds, and the judges sure haven't been shy about placing him on a pedestal all by his lonesome. As we get into the final rounds, other singers will have built up their fair share of fans, and it's possible that there will be enough collective resentment over feeling "their guy" never had a fair shot that enough voters line up against him. Being the best doesn't mean you can't lose.
____________________________________________
Matt Giraud - "Human Nature"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
He seemed to know exactly what he needed to do to safely advance. I think he probably has a good enough voice to have sung something more memorable, but singing nicely and playing the piano was the smart choice. I'm still a bit down on him from his mangled Coldplay performance. I can't imagine what he could do to make me take him seriously. He'll hang around, but I don't see any real potential.
____________________________________________
Alexis Grace - "Dirty Diana"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
How does that voice come out of that little body? Jesus. Megan wins the beauty contest, but Alexis wins the Hot Contest. Perfect song. Another one who seems to know exactly what to do and so far has pulled it off almost flawlessly. She did moody and bluesy, and she's done loud and angry. I think these ratings are justified based on what we've seen, and I hope she continues to earn them. But there is a part of me that wonders if we've already seen her best performances. I know she'll continue to be good, but can she keep being THIS good? If she's for real, she can win.
http://scoutingtheidols.blogspot.com/2009/03/scale.html
____________________________________________
Lil Rounds - "The Way You Make Me Feel"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 40
Versatility: 50
Star power: 55
Song choice: 50
Solid across the board. Not the same kind of "wow" performance from the previous round, but that's less an indictment of her skills than a logical by-product of the concentrated talent pool. It's suddenly much harder to separate yourself. I think she's in the upper third as far as pure ability, but she'll need to return to last week's form before I up the rating. The outfit was hideous; I tried to give it a 40 but couldn't do it. She does command a stage better than most at this point, even in that crazy get-up. Safe, solid song choice, as well. She probably could have picked something that would have let her show off more, but this one fit her personality we know thus far, and since she led off the show it was important to sing something upbeat.
____________________________________________
Scott MacIntyre - "Keep the Faith"
Vocal ability: 40
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 40
Star power: 40
Song choice: 55
Passionless. Awkward. Occasionally screechy. I think I think he's the worst singer to make it this far. That said, he was at least consistently mediocre throughout the performance. Seemed like there were a couple moments in the song when he could have at least attempted to do something a bit more interesting vocally, but he passed on them. It's hard to imagine him nailing any Michael Jackson song. He wisely chose to use the piano, but that shouldn't carry him far, either. Stage presence-wise, it had all the drama of a middle school recital. All of that said, he's an inspirational story of sorts and probably the most likely contestant to last longer than his skills actually justify.
____________________________________________
Danny Gokey - "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 55
Star power: 50
Song choice: 55
Right now I think he's the second-best singer in the competition. I really like the soulful lower register he possesses. I rate the consistency high because each time he's performed there's been no doubt that his performance would prove to be one of the standouts. His snazzier look was an improvement in my opinion, but I'm still not sure he's found the right one just yet. Ditching the glasses might help pull it all together. He's done an excellent job thus far showing off his versatility, having nailed a Mariah Carey ballad and an energetic MJ number. The dancing left plenty to be desired, but that's of no concern, at least not at this point. He's very likable, but not what you'd call charismatic. Another solid song choice which effectively showcased his personality, though I'd liked to have seen him take a stab at "Will You Be There."
____________________________________________
Michael Sarver - "You Are Not Alone"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 40
Song choice: 55
The surprise of the night. I was so disappointed about him advancing to this round I actually wanted him to forget his lyrics tonight just to ensure he'd go no farther. Certainly not the best singer, but he sung well enough tonight to advance. Nothing about him says "star," so without the pipes or the presence to lean compensate for other weaknesses, I doubt he'll last long. But the steadiness suggests he could get by for a couple more weeks if some other competitors choke. He sung the exact kind of song he needed to, but I still find him boring.
____________________________________________
Jasmine Murray - "I'll Be There"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
Well, the numbers don't lie. She was average. There were moments when she seemed on the verge of trying to take the song over, but she either shied away or just doesn't have it in her; I'm still on the fence about which it is. She's got the looks but doesn't demand attention as a performer or personality. Given her age, I think maybe she just lacks the confidence to take a risk and try to turn some heads. Instead of flaming out, she's content to fade away, and that's probably the path she's headed down. She'll hang around for a few weeks until average is no longer good enough to make the cut. That said, out of everyone clustered in the middle of the pack, she's the best bet to suddenly figure something out and turn herself into a legitimate contender.
____________________________________________
Kris Allen - "Remember the Time"
Vocal ability: 45
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 45
When he was in college I'm sure he was the dreamy boy who played guitar and sang, but now he's stuck battling Scott to avoid being the worst of the Top 13. A painful performance. After choosing "Man in the Mirror" earlier on, you'd think he'd have a grasp of what MJ songs he can and can't do. What was the point of the guitar? He could have just played air-guitar and we wouldn't have heard any fewer chords. At least Scott displayed a genuine talent with the piano. The song choice was probably as good as he could have done, short of a mediocre, repeat performance of MITM. Now that we know he's married, hopefully that will suppress the teenage girl vote enough to send him home ASAP.
____________________________________________
Allison Iraheta - "Give In To Me"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 55
Song choice: 55
One of my favorites coming into this round, and she just happens to choose my favorite MJ song (just let it go, we're not here to talk about me). I had her rendition of Heart's "Alone" stuck in my head for a week. She doesn't hit every note when she belts out these songs, but thus far her passion and audaciousness have carried her through. Also, quite a bold song choice for a 16-year-old. None of that is an attempt to divert attention from a middling voice, because I think her voice is very good and she hasn't yet shown her full range. Which brings us to the one negative up to this point: while her two performances have been excellent, they've been nearly identical in tone. She's been clear about "who she is" and I think she chose the perfect song, but she'll also have to master some other song styles as she moves on.
____________________________________________
Anoop Desai - "Beat It"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 40
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 40
Likable guy, obviously, and he doesn't deserve to go home just yet, but he won't be around very long. Sometimes it seems he has a pretty good voice, but I don't think he knows what to sing to let it come out consistently week to week. Tonight's effort was pretty bad. He seems most comfortable with the upbeat songs, but it didn't work for him tonight. Choosing something from "Dangerous" would have been smarter and suited him better. Again, I think he underperformed his true talent level, and I don't usually subscribe to the "some songs are untouchable" school of thought, but if you choose "Beat It," you need to own it. He didn't.
____________________________________________
Jorge Nunez - "Never Can Say Goodbye"
Vocal ability: 55
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 50
Versatility: 45
Star power: 45
Song choice: 45
I think Jorge has a good voice, but whereas there seemed to be some power in his performance in the last round, tonight it just sounded nice. He sang well, but also never did anything to make you pay attention. He's awkward on stage and quickly needs to show that he's something more than just a capable crooner.
____________________________________________
Megan Joy - "Rockin' Robin"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 50
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 40
Star power: 45
Song choice: 40
Another one who needs to break out of her comfort zone before it's too late. She's won the beauty contest, but now she needs to get serious about singing. I know I lauded a couple of similar performances from Allison and now I've taken to criticizing on similar grounds, but the magnitude of Allison's efforts dwarf Megan's. Megan has shown "who she is," is very good at what she does, and could very easily end up recording records being the performer we've seen. But tonight I just kept thinking how lucky she was that MJ had a song like this in his catalog. I don't know what else she could have sung. I like her voice and her look (sexier dress outweighs hideous tattoo, for now), but I also want to see a less-perky version before I'm willing to consider her even a fringe contender. Now, if she'd sang "Dirty Diana"...
____________________________________________
Adam Lambert - "Black or White"
Vocal ability: 65
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 50
Star power: 60
Song choice: 55
I know, I know, he has a ridiculous voice (can we have Hair Metal Week, please). But remember, the ratings are starting a bit on the conservative side here. There's no denying he's the class of the competition right now, though I'm a bit curious to see how he handles it when he has to knock the pure energy level down a notch or two. MJ is right up his vocal alley, and I wish he'd busted out "Thriller" or "Bad." He's had two knockout performances, but I don't think he can be that overwhelming every single week. There might even be some weeks where he's outdone by someone else. So, this is also where I insert a few words of caution about viewing the rest of the competition as an extended coronation. Yes, it's likely that he will continue to sing circles around just about everyone else, but let's not underestimate the potential for "Adam Fatigue" to set in. People do tend to push back at least a little bit when they feel they're not being given a fair chance to make up their own minds, and the judges sure haven't been shy about placing him on a pedestal all by his lonesome. As we get into the final rounds, other singers will have built up their fair share of fans, and it's possible that there will be enough collective resentment over feeling "their guy" never had a fair shot that enough voters line up against him. Being the best doesn't mean you can't lose.
____________________________________________
Matt Giraud - "Human Nature"
Vocal ability: 50
Consistency: 45
Appearance: 55
Versatility: 45
Star power: 50
Song choice: 50
He seemed to know exactly what he needed to do to safely advance. I think he probably has a good enough voice to have sung something more memorable, but singing nicely and playing the piano was the smart choice. I'm still a bit down on him from his mangled Coldplay performance. I can't imagine what he could do to make me take him seriously. He'll hang around, but I don't see any real potential.
____________________________________________
Alexis Grace - "Dirty Diana"
Vocal ability: 60
Consistency: 60
Appearance: 60
Versatility: 55
Star power: 55
Song choice: 60
How does that voice come out of that little body? Jesus. Megan wins the beauty contest, but Alexis wins the Hot Contest. Perfect song. Another one who seems to know exactly what to do and so far has pulled it off almost flawlessly. She did moody and bluesy, and she's done loud and angry. I think these ratings are justified based on what we've seen, and I hope she continues to earn them. But there is a part of me that wonders if we've already seen her best performances. I know she'll continue to be good, but can she keep being THIS good? If she's for real, she can win.
The Grading Scale
As most of you are probably unfamiliar with the scouting scale I'll be applying, here's a brief introduction.
Baseball scouts rate prospects in five different categories on a scale ranging from 20-80. A score of 50 represents average ability, while a score of 20 is poor and 80 is elite. The five grades taken together give a reasonable assessment of how well-rounded a player is. For my purposes here, I'm bumping it up to six categories. The goal is to assess which singers are good at a couple things, which ones are good at a lot of things, and which ones are just great.
With 50 established as average, ratings can then increase or decrease in 5-point steps. The further above 50 the more exceptional the skill, and likewise in the opposite direction.
The categories I'll be rating contestants in are as follows:
Additionally, I'll post weekly power rankings after the results show has aired and a contestant has been eliminated.
With that, let's get on with it.
Baseball scouts rate prospects in five different categories on a scale ranging from 20-80. A score of 50 represents average ability, while a score of 20 is poor and 80 is elite. The five grades taken together give a reasonable assessment of how well-rounded a player is. For my purposes here, I'm bumping it up to six categories. The goal is to assess which singers are good at a couple things, which ones are good at a lot of things, and which ones are just great.
With 50 established as average, ratings can then increase or decrease in 5-point steps. The further above 50 the more exceptional the skill, and likewise in the opposite direction.
The categories I'll be rating contestants in are as follows:
- Vocals - Pure, raw talent
- Consistency - Singing to peak ability in-week and week-to-week
- Appearance - Self-explanatory
- Versatility - Ability to succeed with varying styles of music
- Star power - Natural ability as a performer; stage presence; likeability
- Song choice - A highly underrated skill
Additionally, I'll post weekly power rankings after the results show has aired and a contestant has been eliminated.
With that, let's get on with it.
An Introduction
Welcome to Scouting the Idols. This is my first season watching American Idol, but, more or less against my will, I've found myself immediately captivated by the competition. After watching the Top 13 perform earlier this evening (and drinking a bottle of wine) I was strangely overcome by an urge to write about the show.
Aside from a few years of piano lessons and playing the trumpet in sixth grade, I know nothing about music. Check that. I'm also an expert-level singer on Rock Band, but recognize that I have no business ever attempting to sing in a public setting. What I do have, however, is quite a passion for ratings, rankings, and sports. In that spirit, I've decided to apply the standard baseball scouting scale to this year's Idol contestants in an attempt to evaluate their performances and prospects in the competition.
My next post will explain in more detail the rating system, as well as the categories in which I'll be judging the contestants.
Aside from a few years of piano lessons and playing the trumpet in sixth grade, I know nothing about music. Check that. I'm also an expert-level singer on Rock Band, but recognize that I have no business ever attempting to sing in a public setting. What I do have, however, is quite a passion for ratings, rankings, and sports. In that spirit, I've decided to apply the standard baseball scouting scale to this year's Idol contestants in an attempt to evaluate their performances and prospects in the competition.
My next post will explain in more detail the rating system, as well as the categories in which I'll be judging the contestants.
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