| Sunday, April 16, 2006 |
| American Idol Country and Queen Week |
Okay. This is actually a week too late. But better late than never right.
I. American Idol Country Week
I wasn't really looking forward to last week's show because I'm not a very big fan of country music. There are a handful of country songs I like but only because it was a good song that time. I don't look for it and I'm fine with it. Well, it turns out that there are several country songs that I already like. Who would've thought?
However, there was one country song that I love that I would have wanted one of the finalists to sing: "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. Unfortunately, no one attempted to sing the song. It may have been a good thing, I guess, because it's a really good song and the chances of someone messing it up is highly likely.
Anyway, back to the performances:
1. Taylor Hicks - You look like you didn't enjoy singing John Denver's song. Then why sing it at all? I still love you but that was a dismal performance. It's a good thing your fans are still sticking by you. Because if they didn't, you would either be in the bottom three or going home last week.
2. Chris Daughtry - I didn't care about the "copycat" Live version of "I Walk The Line" because it was still good. The next week wasn't. This week, it was just okay for me. I wasn't blown away. For me, your performance of Fuel's "Hemorrhage" is still your best performance so far. You'll probably be safe until after the Queen week.
3. Mandisa Hundley - Where's the Mandisa, who's every woman? This week was really forgettable.
4. Paris Bennett - Okay. That performance did not work for me. I hope you bounce back next week.
5. Ace Young - Finally. A good performance from you. I hope it lasts, though.
6. Katherine McPhee - You are still my bet to win American Idol. Because you are a great singer and performer. Keep doing what you do!
7. Elliott Yamin - One of my top 3 singers (along with Katherine and Taylor), I love your voice. Just continue doing what you do and you will go far.
8. Kellie Pickler - If it wasn't country week this week, I think you would have gone home. You're getting boring and annoying. Too much. It's all "Next, please!" for me when it comes to you.
9. Bucky Covington - You are this season's misplaced underdog. I like you because you look like a real nice guy. I wonder, though, how long you will stay in the competition.
***
Country Week Results: Bottom three:
Mandisa - Granted her performance didn't have the oomph that she showed in previous performances, it was still good and showed that she was still a performer. It was a little boring, yes, but good.
Elliott - Every week, Elliott delivers great vocals. It's his weakest performance so far, yes, but not enough to land him in the bottom three. He shouldn't have been in the bottom three.
Paris - I didn't like her performance this time. It was unemotional and detached. But to leave because of it? No way.
Voted Out: Mandisa - She didn't deserve it. I'm not really rooting for her to win but she should at least reach Top 5 because she is damn good. But what can we do? What America votes, America gets.
***
I still don't think these three people should have been in the bottom three. But what can I do? I can't vote. I can only plead to the people to vote for the right person always.
II. AI Queen Week
I think almost all of you know that this is the episode that I am looking forward to the most because the Top 8 are singing Queen songs.
QUEEN!
Wow!
I am really, really, really excited!
But not for long.
1. Bucky Covington - You were first and sang "Fat Bottom Girls". It wasn't so bad really. Yu turned "Fat Bottom Girls" into a country rock song and a good one at that. It's not perfect. It's not great. But it's still good. However, Bucky, you need to bring something else to the plate. I love you but you're always too safe every week and you may be safe now but not for long. Start wowing us, Bucky.
2. Ace Young - Hay, Ace. I didn't care for you at first. But I loved your performance of George Michael's "Father Figure" a few weeks back. And every week, I wait for even an indication of surpassing that performance. But nothing. You're not consistent. You'll do good one week, then bomb the week after, then do good again the next week. We can't have that in an American Idol. You can have one bad night
but not a bad night every other performance. And performing "We Will Rock You" this week is not going to help you at all. Unless all those girls vote for you like crazy, you are done, my dear. I cannot tell you how much I was devastated when you performed tonight because, Ace, you frigging butchered one of my favorite Queen songs. And that, my friend, is unforgivable. You should have something else like
"Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" or "Killer Queen" or even "Under Pressure" (but not quite). But you chose something you can never give justice to. *sniff sniff* I can only cry.
3. Kellie Pickler - No matter what you do, Kellie, I don't think I'll be impressed anymore. Because frankly, my dear, I am bored of you. I don't look forward to watching you every week. And you sang "Bohemian Rhapsody"! Very ambitious! The judges may have liked it but I didn't. Maybe I'm biased. Maybe I'm not. All I know is that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of greatest Queen songs ever and now, almost six hours after watching your performance, I have forgotten it. Hmmm. Maybe I am biased. But I don't care.
4. Katherine McPhee - I wanted you to sing "Somebody To Love" or "Under Pressure" but you sang "Who Wants To Live Forever". I have no problems with the song choice because I love it and you did pull it off. You weren't the strongest performer tonight but it was still a good performance. In fact, it was only one of three great performances tonight. Just continue doing what you need to do and you will definitely end up in the Top 3.
5. Chris Daughtry - You sang "Innuendo" and you did a good job. But it was the same kind of performance, Chris. I'm not blown away anymore. But you'll be safe this week.
6. Elliott Yamin - I wanted you to sing "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" but this was even better. Your version of "Somebody To Love" turned out great because you have such a great singing voice. It will be a very big injustice if you don't get into the Top 3 because you are one of the few finalists who always pull off a song, no matter how dull, because of their great vocals. You are one of the three singers that I always look forward to watching every week. I hope I see you until the end.
7. Taylor Hicks - I didn't like your song choice. I would have wanted you to sing "We Are The Champions" like you originally planned but your version of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" still turned out great. In fact, even greater than your performances the last two weeks. It's even better than your performance of "Not Fade Away" and "Living in the City" some weeks back. I hope this is a clear indication that you'll be surpassing your past performances every week now until the last week.
8. Paris Bennet - I think, along with Ace Young, you are so out of your comfort zone this week. You performed "The Show Must Go On". I'm not very familiar with the song but you did a good job technically. But I'm so not liking the outfit. In fact, I hate it. The outfit, I mean. It was weird. Your performance was okay. I liked your first two performances better.
All in all, it was, again, a pretty boring show. If not for Taylor, Kat and Elliott, I probably will not be very enthusiastic about this show. Almost all the performances every week have been underwhelming and boring. Even though this season has good singers, it doesn't add up to previous seasons where the good performers always delivered every week. They rarely have off nights. This season, it seems like the singers are content with just having a good performance and not pushing themselves too much anymore.
Well that's just sad.
***
My predictions for bottom three:
Ace Young - You have been in danger since week 1. And you've never really showed us that you are fit to be the next American Idol. And bombing again this week has sealed your fate, I believe.
Paris Bennett - It's unfortunate. You are one of the strongest singers in this competition but you're also the youngest. I honestly believe that the other contestants are overpowering you. I hope you won't be in the bottom three or going home this week, though.
Bucky Covington - I don't want you to be in the bottom three. I want you to reach at least the Top 5 but a lot of people don't like you. And if they succeed, I think you'll be in the bottom three this week.
Voted Out: Ace Young - I love you but you're not an American Idol.
Queen Show Results
The Top 8 performed a medley of Queen songs, including "Another One Bites The Dust", "Killer Queen", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Under Pressure" and "We Are The Champions". It was a medley of some of the greatest songs of Queen and the Top 8 turned in a really underwhelming performance. Were they bored? Of Queen? Why would they be?
Then the Family Greetings portion and the hometown clips, which were interesting enough, if you like the finalists enough. But I didn't. Not really.
Then the announcement of the bottom three.
It wasn't any surprise that Ace and Bucky were in the bottom three but Elliott?! C'mon, he was one of the good performances last night. How come he's there? America, will you start voting right!
I was expecting, along with everybody, that Ace was gonna get voted out. But apparently, he's a got a good fan base and they kept him alive for one more week. So did Elliott's. Unfortunately, Bucky didn't have the same luck and he is the fifth person to be voted off the competition.
Such a sad thing because I like the guy and he will, I think, go far, if given the right opportunities. But at least, we were able to experience him even for awhile.
Next Week: Rod Stewart.
Who comes up with the themes for the show? How lame are they? The 3rd and 4th season were better with regards to theme. At least it was always theme for theme's sake and not just theme to promote an album. ANO BA!
You're losing a lot of viewers, American Idol. Choose a better theme next time, please! I mean at least be creative. Like last year, there was a theme where the singers chose a song from the year they were born or a Billboard Hit or from the disco era or from the motown era or even new wave. The show actually started out good with the Stevie Wonder Week then songs from the fifties. But it all went downhill after that.
I'll probably still be watching the show. But if they don't do something about it, they won't have too many viewers next season or if they'll be able to set up a second season.
I think they're really struggling this season, no?Labels: american idol, tv |
posted by Jax @ 2:33:00 AM   |
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