American Idol, the rock genre

Had a skull-crushing migraine all day today, but TubaDad is in New York on a business trip so I just had to suck it up. After I-don't-even-want-to-admit-how-many meds, it finally loosened up around 5pm. Good thing too, because it's American Idol night and I need to be able to watch tv. Heh. Around this time in every AI season, by the way, I start to get a little sad that the show is almost over. And tonight was no exception. Alrighty, on with the show! Slash as the mentor -- interesting choice. I have to say I'm an old-time fan of Guns 'N Roses, although Slash never did anything for me. Adam singing Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love: His eyes look a little demonic with that makeup. Ok, he sounds good, but I was kind of hoping he'd sing a mellow old rock song and just kick the crap out of it. It's too obvious of a choice that he sang a screamer song, if you ask me. But he did nail it. The boy has pipes. Wow, Kara sure loves him, doesn't she? Is she single or something? Hmmmm. Allison singing Janis Joplin's Cry Baby: Seems like she's holding back somehow, I wonder if her voice is hurting her a little bit or something. Horrible lipstick, by the way. Ok, the song: well, it just didn't grab me. I think my love for Allison is gone, gone, gone. Kris and Danny in a duet singing Styx's Renegade: I've always loved this song! I give this one to Kris, he sounded way more natural than Danny. Are we supposed to pick one over the other? Oh well, I am. Both guys were good. I didn't like Kris' little yodel at the end. Kris singing the Beatles' Come Together: I don't see him as a "rocker dude," in any way, shape, or form. Do you? Not a good fit tonight. Bleck. I've liked him in all the other genres, maybe he could have picked a rock ballad or something and sounded great? Oh well. Danny singing Aerosmith's Dream On: Oh my, I'm not sure he's up to an Aerosmith song... let's see. Oh, good start, a pretty soft touch for an Aerosmith song, which I actually kinda like. Hey I think he's doing a good job. Very pleasantly surprised! Oooo, wince, the scream part—didn't like that at all, not at all. That didn't do my migraine any favors. The rest of it was nice and kind of gravelly and good. Hm, the judges didn't like it at all, not sure I agree with them. Aside: It looks like Kara is wearing tiny condoms for earrings! Did anyone else see those things? Allison and Adam in a duet singing Fog Hat's Slow Ride: Allison still seems like she's only singing at 3/4 power. She looks cute though. Adam sounded good and looked like he was really enjoying himself. And I was just thinking thank goodness they paired Allison and Adam and didn't try to make Danny or Kris sing with one of them, or it would have been a train wreck. These two are really going to have fun on the AI tour, aren't they? Um, ok, I know my mother reads this blog and all, but I just have to point out that Adam really has absolutely no butt. It might have been a bad costume choice or something, but I hit rewind and checked and nope, nothing there. Ok, my rankings for the evening are... (I went back and forth and all over the place with these, really any of the top 3 could have been switched, I am just that wishywashy about them all at this point. I actually wrote it the first time with Danny in the #1 spot but then changed it completely. Argh, just going to hit publish and leave it at that, I don't think I'm even going to vote tonight. Can I vote for Chris Daughtry again? *grin*): 1. Adam 2. Allison 3. Danny 4. Kris What did you think?

American Idol recap: the rat pack era

Ooo, Jamie Foxx as the mentor, love him. I didn't know he was so successful as a singer, by the way. I thought acting was his huge claim to fame. Man, I am almost criminally unhip. Kris: Kind of cheesy sounding. Hey, did anyone else think he looked a little Fred Flintstoney there in the beginning when they did the close-up? Hm, not his best performance if you ask me. Can't believe those judges are just raving about him. (TubaDad said "That was really good" at the end of his performance. So there you have it, a divided house...) Allison: Aw, she looks cute. Wow, she's not very good at public speaking, is she? That birthday story she told Ryan seemed forced, like she remembered that the judges told her to be more likable and was trying too hard. Woooo, that was some great singing though, I really liked it. And I was ready to give up on her last week, now she's back in my top two. (TubaDad said "Eh, wrong voice for that style.") Matt: I'm not a Matt fan but I really liked this one. I thought the restraint and control during the song sounded so nice. It could have been shrieky but wasn't at all, it was just a very pleasant-sounding song. (TubaDad said "That was ok.") Danny: Great job! Liked the vocals, liked the expressions on his face, liked the tempo, liked it all. I think this was my favorite Danny performance. (TubaDad said "It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be.") Adam: Laughing out loud about Jamie's comments to Adam in the coaching session. The timing seemed a little off during the beginning of this song. Ok, I am Adam's #1 fan, but this one seemed soooo showboaty to me for some reason. Yikes. Didn't love it, and I love everything he does. Actually liked the song better when he sang it in rehearsal (with Jamie). I think this week was a miss. (TubaDad said "It's kinda too theatrical, it doesn't fit the genre. He overdid it and the end was weak.") Ok, my ranking for this week: 1. Danny 2. Allison 3. Matt 4. Adam 5. Kris TubaDad's ranking for this week: 1. Danny 2. Adam 3. Kris 4. Matt 5. Allison What are your thoughts on the show? TubaDad and I are staying up LATE to watch this show tonight, it's almost midnight. The girls are having a sleepover at Wela and BobBob's and we are practically giddy at the thought that we get to sleep in tomorrow. Shoot, I might get all wild and crazy and stay up for another hour!

Musing about American Idol tonight

First, before the show even starts, I just have to get that whole "judges save" debacle from last week off my chest. The way I see it, the judges knew they only had two weeks to use that save (last week and this week) and they figured if they didn't use it last week they would HAVE to use it this week and there wouldn't be an ounce of suspense in it because everyone would know in advance they were going to use it. Cheesy, if you ask me. Alrighty, on with the show! Oh wait, one more thing, TubaDad isn't here watching with me because he's out buying milk. Normally that wouldn't even merit a mention, except that he's buying NORMAL milk. That's right, our little girls have finally outgrown their hideous digestive issues and can now drink plain old milk, straight from a regular cow, with lactose and everything. Those of you who know what we've gone through with the insane toddler diarrhea, the endless rounds of GI testing, the goat's milk that was more expensive than liquid gold, and then the lactose-free milk that we could only get in certain stores, will understand why we are cheering like mad over here. Whoooohoooooo! Ok, now on with the show, for real this time. Lil: She seemed really old tonight. Did anyone else think that? Didn't really love anything about the song and haven't really loved anything she sang for 3 or 4 weeks now, and I was a huge Lil fan in the beginning. I think she's going home tomorrow... Kris: The guy really is quite personable and I like to watch him. He does choose interesting, uh, stage configurations. Not sure that's the right word — I'm talking about how he sang that one song a couple of weeks ago with all the girls crowded around him on stage and then this time he was front and center but the musicians were really prominent and right next to him. He doesn't blow my socks off (like Chris did last year), but I don't think he's going home tomorrow. Danny: Started off kind of singsongy or something, but around that "pop, pop, pop" part he kind of picked up energy and looked like he was having a fun time. He really is a nice guy, isn't he? That comes through when he sings. I don't think he'll make it to the finals, but I hope good things happen for him after this show. Oh hey, I just realized that all four judges are talking after each contestant again. Good! It pissed me off last week when they only had two judges talk each time. I wonder if other folks hated it too and they got negative feedback about it? Allison: Wow, that's really a hot outfit she's got on. Have the stylists toned down the Raggedy Ann red hair color a little bit or does it just look different with the curls? Hm, the song seems a little forced or something. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but she's not knocking me over. Dang, I want her to smoke it every week. I don't care, though, her voice is incredible and I'm still voting for her. I want the final to be an Allison-Adam showdown! Adam: Oh goodie, Adam's on! I can't wait to see what he does every week. Oh wow. Seriously wow. Good heavens that boy can sing. Give him a record deal right this second and send him out on tour, I guarantee he will sell out. Hey you know what would be really fun? Have an American Idol favorites singoff — put Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, and Adam Lambert in a playoff and see who wins. Oh man I would pay some serious money to see that!!! Matt: Didn't like him last week and still don't like him. Sorry to all the Matt fans out there. He's just not my cuppa tea. He can sing, but I think the American Idol winner needs to have something more that just makes me people stop in their tracks. I think he's going home this week along with Lil. Anoop: Whoa — what's with the mustache?! Eww. Like the suit and pink sweater though, it's a fun look. Ok, to be fair, I think Matt sang better than Anoop. Sigh... But he has a really nice voice. I'm rooting for him because I just plain like him. Ok, here's my ranking, I struggled a little with numbers 5 and 6. I think Lil and Matt are going home tomorrow (although it wouldn't surprise me if it was Lil and Anoop): 1. Adam 2. Allison 3. Kris 4. Danny 5. Anoop 6. Matt 7. Lil How do you guys think they should be ranked?

I'm not the only forty-something person watching American Idol, am I?

Haven't written about American Idol yet this season, but I'm watching. Oh yes. I'm utterly and unabashedly addicted to trashy reality tv. Mmmmm. A few notes on tonight's performance (written in real-time, as the show is rolling): Ryan: Like his outfit tonight. Very snappy. I'm getting TubaDad one of those polka-dot ties for Father's Day. Quentin Tarantino: Wow. Cool. Allison: She's one of my two favorites this season. Love her. Really. But... didn't really love this performance. Not sure why. Maybe the song is just too tied to Tyler's voice? I kind of like it better when she takes a normal or plain song and "Allifies" it. Anyhow, she still gets my vote. Anoop: Nice singing. He sounded good. And I'm really glad he made it to the top 10 and will go on the AI tour, because he's personable and likable and all that. But there is no way he'll make it to the end. No way. At this point in the show I got annoyed that we only get to hear two judges talk about each singer. Because, frankly, I want to hear from Paula (comedic) and Simon (always right) every time and don't care what Randy or Kara think. Adam: Whoohoooooo! If he isn't in the finals, I'll give up chocolate for a month. The boy has talent. And he's riveting. I thought last week's performance was better than this one (it would be hard to top last week's in my opinion). But damn! Oh goodie, we get to hear Paula and Simon on this one. Matt: Yawners. This dude is just boring to me. Actually had to pause and rewind because I spaced out and started reading email. Oops. What is he singing? Eh. Back to e-mail for a few minutes. Danny: Is Quentin really tall or is Danny really short? Hate this Endless Love song, by the way. Curious to see what he does with it. Hm... Didn't love it, the last half was better than the first, though. Seemed like he was gulping for air during it, and maybe struggling for the lyrics or his gestures or something? Anyhow, I like him, he seems really genuine and a truly nice guy. And he's got a nice voice, but I don't think I'd fork over a bunch of money to see him in concert or anything. Chris: Wow, Quentin is WAY taller than he is. He's cute, in a puppyish kind of way. Sort of wholesome. Singing sounded good tonight, I thought. Lil: Wow, she looks great... but (Oops, now I'm giving out the back-handed Paula compliment.) Whoever is styling her seems to do better and better each week. I thought she sounded great in the very beginning of the season, and was really rooting for her. But the last three or so songs have just been okay for me. Not bad, but nothing to make my heart thrill (or, more importantly, to make my dialing fingers leap to action). Alright, off to go vote for Allison and Adam. Then it's off to bed. TubaDad's playing a symphony tonight, so he'll get home sometime around 1am. Eeesh. He's not going to get enough sleep tonight and he missed American Idol. Poor guy.