IDOL, Do you?

[mela lu]

I''m so redic over the moon for Jason Castro. EVEN though, he is a touch ''shy shoulder'' and weak''n''character at times, I''m just entranced by those baby blues and that big smile. okay, and his toight jeans get me too. le sigh.
last night, he aced one of my favourite songs ''Hallelujah'', which the judges credited to Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen, but they forgot (probably my fave) KD Lang''s version. Anyhoo...back to Hottie McCastro. WHOA.

I''m 100% on his gravy train. Although, I''m not going to lie...I *could* do without dem dreads. blech.

 

[Sabine]

I really liked Jason Castro''s performance last night too! Although I have to admit, when I hear the Jeff Buckley version I am almost moved to tears...and I wasn''t quite there with Jason''s, but it was still good.

I agree that the best singer doesn''t always win, and I think Michael has the charisma to pull off the win. I got so excited because when he was singing, I was like, wait, is that an INXS song? He sounds like Michael Hutchins. It wasn''t an INXS song, but Randy compared him to Michael Hutchins too. For some reason I get so excited when I''m on the same wavelengths as the judges!

I think the guys could stand to lose Luke, David Hernandez, and the kid whose name starts with a J or G that I can barely pronounce, let alone spell, but I"ll attempt it with Jacheezie.

 

[decodelighted]

You guys are giving me CONFIDENCE!!!!!! *So* glad to hear its not *as* crazy a thought -- now we all just have to get those fingers dialing!! (Mine are currently counting my invisible stack of winning bills)

I emailed DH this little web tidbit today:

As of this moment, Jeff Buckley''s cover of Leonard Cohen''s "Hallelujah"--which Jason Castro performed last night to much fanfare and Googling--is No. 5 on the iTunes Music Store''s Top Songs chart and Nos. 2 and 7 on the Amazon MP3 store''s singles chart; Cohen''s version is also at No. 98 on Amazon. (If the iTunes Store actually charted the digital tracks they''re selling from each contestant, instead of hiding behind a cloak of Fox-sanctioned secrecy, I have no doubt that Castro would be the runaway No. 1 the minute that the contestant''s performances went on sale Friday.) Am I a bad person for being kinda happy that Phil Collins'' "Another Day In Paradise," which David Archuleta pounded his way through, hasn''t seen a similar bump?

With a note saying "Are you NERVOUS???"

(He wasn''t

)

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 3/5/2008 8:21:15 AM
Author: CrookedRock
My bf has quite an ear for music and me not so much, I just know what I like... He thought that Jason has a voice similar to Damien Rice and tht he would be one of those guys who could make a CD that could be listened to start to finish with a great mellow tune.

Interesting! I *lovelovelove* Damien Rice -- I wonder if that''s part of JC''s appeal subliminally. TOTES agree on the album rock thing. He''s just got a tender, vulnerable way with a song that makes for easy listening without BEING "easy listening"

Apparently there are some vids of him playing songs he wrote on You Tube...so he''s got some songwriting exp. And there is a PHENOMENAL cover of Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" right here

 

[Fancy605]

For some reason, this year''s group is just okay to me. Maybe it''s because I didn''t watch the earlier shows this time, but I am just "meh" about everyone so far. Well, everyone but Paula. My favorite Paula comment of last night, "I have 2 words for you: phe-nominal." Oh, Paula, you crack me up sometimes. People say she''s drunk or whatever blah blah blah. I say she''s silly/way random, but in an entertaining way.

 

[Fancy605]

Date: 3/5/2008 7:58:42 PM
Author: Fancy605
For some reason, this year''s group is just okay to me. Maybe it''s because I didn''t watch the earlier shows this time, but I am just ''meh'' about everyone so far.

Well, I must retract that statement after hearing the girls tonight. Maybe I just like 80''s music, but I thought some of the girls did very well. I liked Carli and the last girl, but my favorite was that Amanda. She did a pretty fabulous job.

 

[somethingshiny]

Gosh, I''m so disappointed. I still like Ramiele the best, and then probably the countryish blond, but I''m just not getting into it this year. I''m really off-put by the song selections. The 80''s are one of the best music eras. I realize lots of the contestants weren''t yet around in the 80''s, but they could have picked some better songs. I just feel so ''Blah'' during every performance. I think the best performances were during the elimination rounds prior to the 24.

I really hope it gets better.

Once again, I''m surprised that Paula seems fairly with it.

 

[steph72276]

I feel the same way this year, just kind of bleh when I hear most of them...I think they didn''t choose very good songs. Oh well, maybe it will get better. I think the guys are better this year. And I thought Paula was way weird last night. She just kept blabbing on with nonesense, my husband and I were like what is she talking about? She just repeats what Randy says and then adds incoherent things....

 

[Erin]

My sis and I were yelling Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. over Paula's voice when it was time for her to make her comments. We both can't tolerate her no signal cell phone reception and it moves us to anxiety. So we just drown her out so we don't have to get wibbly.

Brooke definitely has a Joni Mitchell way of singing with emotion. That really appeals to me. Her songs are never karaoke (Syesha) but interpreted.
Last night was the first night I started vote dialing. For Brooke and for Amanda. Last week I thought she was terrible, but she picked a bad song. This week she did fantastic! She's definitely a niche singer, but when she gets it right, she rocks!!!

Kady. Go Home. That was very painful. Some people are consistently sharp on their notes. You, my dear, are sharp, flat, late, early, and just plain all over the place.

I don't like the Irish gal. I mean, she sings fine and all, just not American Idol pop singer good.

Everyone else. Capital M stands for Meh.

Oh and my favorite moment on guys night? Was when the judges were commenting on Danny's purple highlights and Ryan walks up and say, Wow. Purple highlights. I didn't even notice them until now. Danny gives him the MMMMM Hmmmmm - The universal sound for, (Don't even act like you didn't notice pretty boy. I know you've been watching me my whole performance trying to figure out if they're distributed evenly and if you wouldn't have put that extra swipe of dye in on the left side last night I maybe would have kept them in over the weekend. You know I'm still salty about that. So if this is your lame way of getting me airtime to make up for your botch job? I'm not Lovin it.)

 

[KimberlyH]

Jason was fantastic on boys'' night. WOW! I wasn''t all that excited about David A.''s performance.

Brooke was good last night, but Amanda was my fave. I love a chick with a gravelly voicce.

Kady''s performance was awful and that song is so poignent, it was just plain awful to hear her butcher it.

 

[mela lu]

Date: 3/5/2008 6:41:32 PM
Author: decodelighted

Interesting! I *lovelovelove* Damien Rice -- I wonder if that''s part of JC''s appeal subliminally. TOTES agree on the album rock thing. He''s just got a tender, vulnerable way with a song that makes for easy listening without BEING ''easy listening''

Apparently there are some vids of him playing songs he wrote on You Tube...so he''s got some songwriting exp. And there is a PHENOMENAL cover of Gnarls Barkley ''Crazy'' right here

"I think I''m CraaaaaaaaaaaaZY, I think I''m CraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaZY (for JasonCastro)"

That WAS phenominal. I just fell in like with him even more! Crossies for tonights eliminations, which natch he''ll be safe.

NOT SAFE tonight:
(girls) Country mousy-blond & Cady-Spears-like blond
(boys I hope go home): Sangyna 2008 & Olry Bloom-look-a-like

 

[Delster]

Date: 3/6/2008 8:39:25 AM
Author: Starset Princess

I don''t like the Irish gal. I mean, she sings fine and all, just not American Idol pop singer good.

Irish-American Irish or from-Ireland Irish?

 

[Erin]

Date: 3/6/2008 10:23:53 AM
Author: Delster

Date: 3/6/2008 8:39:25 AM
Author: Starset Princess

I don''t like the Irish gal. I mean, she sings fine and all, just not American Idol pop singer good.

Irish-American Irish or from-Ireland Irish?

That''s a fine line. I''m talking about Carly Smithson who auditioned in Season 5 but was disqualified for visa issues. But now lives in San Diego.

 

[Delster]

If she needed a visa in the past then she mustn't be American? I wondered if she might be Irish-American (rather than 'just Irish') because there's been no buzz over here about an Irish finalist on American Idol. When Damien Leith won Australian Idol (doing lots of Damien Rice stuff actually) there was major hype. When anyone Irish does anything of note, we kind of lose the run of ourselves with excitement...

 

[Erin]

Before she was married, and had a record contract with MCA records, her name was Carly Hennessy. A Dublin native...


http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/idol/entries/2008/02/18/218_carly_smith.html

 

[Delster]

Wow, interesting, thanks for that Starset! It''d odd that there''s no buzz over here. Never heard of her before.

 

[mrssalvo]

I liked Brooke and Amanda too but what was up with Amanda not smiling or showing any emotion really? Was she not feeling well? I don''t think you have to be jumping up and down when you get high praise for the judges but she showed nothing, no personality or anything which seems strange to me. i haven''t been following very closely yet so is there a back story i''m missing?

 

[Erin]

Amanda acts like, to me, she''s ''above'' being a pop star - that maybe she wouldn''t enjoy it. But she knows she a good artist and would be stupid to pass this opportunity up. Like it''s all kind of hokey and doesn''t want to be one of those girly girls who giggles and smiles real pretty for the camera. I believe she was happy. She''s just not gonna fake act all gushy about it. This is a competition and a very important one at that. The game is far from over and she''s happy to still be in the running. Now there''s more work to do. I bet you she''s a different person off-camera. She just doesn''t want to come off needing this too much or selling herself out too much either.

 

[mela lu]

but why doesnt'' Amanda ever make eye contact with the camera (to me at home)? I find that unnerving....like talking to someone who avoids eye contact. No likey!!!

 

[Erin]

Will Amanda get better at eye contact? Is she looking into the audience or the judges? I guess I''ll have to pay more attention to that next time. Is it a confidence thing? I totally see your point though.
When I think of eye contact I think of the King of eye contact.

 

[musey]

Date: 3/6/2008 11:41:35 AM
Author: Starset Princess

Amanda acts like, to me, she's 'above' being a pop star

I interpret her awkwardness as nerves. She SUUUUUUUUUCKED last week, and she seemed very, very nervous to me last night.

I'm not a fan of hers. I think she's okay, but not someone whose vocal ability warrants a record contract. She would be just fine in a band... but again, there are much better singers in this competition.


My votes to go home: Kady, Amanda, Danny, and Luke (sorry man, love that you're an a cappella brethren, but... no. Just no.).

Those aren't the ones who will go, though. Just who I'd send if I could.

 

[decodelighted]

Agree re: Brooke (amazing!), Katy (

) and Amanda (Awesome but no eye contact) -- my read on her is that she is as GREEN as they come. A pure Kareoke type performance girl used to singing to CROWDS, not CAMERAS. I think she''s SUPER UNCOMFIE with the cameras & being judged. As if she''s even afraid to "want" to win or want to be a star. SERIOUSLY don''t get a "too good for it" vibe from her and I am way sensitive to that: David Cook="too good for this show"-itis. Amanda ... just weirded out by the whole thing & not used to being smiley & gracious. A tough girl out of water. Thought she looked MUCH better this week, more toned down & sounded great (obvs).

Brooke was my fave though.

1. Brooke
2. Amanda
3. Ramilie
4. Carly
5. Kristy Cook (loved that she turned it into a Reba song -- and sounded kinda like Reba!)

Rest: BUH-Bye. Poor Asia''h. In the Whitney song to Whitney song comparison she loses. Her voice is too raspy to cover Whitney. It sounded W-R-O-N-G. Not that Syesha was any better really but she was in the "pimp" spot at the end of the show and sounded SMOOTHER.

Going Home

Luke Menard (thanx god), Katy, Asia''h, and ... and ... if VFTW wasn''t pimping JessicaAlba I''d say him but ... yeesh, Michael Johns? Chikese? Just don''t know...... Maybe even the stripper dude, David Hernandez. We''ll see!

 

[musey]

Oh Deco, I hope Asia'h doesn't go home. She is in my top 5.

I guess maybe it's a product of having auditioned many, many people in this format myself, but I'm always disappointed to hear comparisons like "she's no Whitney." Not that it's incorrect, but just unfair. Of course she's no Whitney... Whitney is one of a kind. Does that render all her songs off-limits? Sure, there are many songs out there, but auditioners do always have to walk a fine line between "recognizable" and "you couldn't do it better, so don't bother" ... OR hope that people can be objective about their performance.

I can't tell you how many renditions of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" or "I'll Be" or "I Will Always Love You" that I've heard. Of course it's never going to be the same as the original, but to me, it's more about "Would I buy a single by this artist?" than "Would I buy THIS single from this artist?"

 

[decodelighted]

Well, Musey, just checked out the Dial Idol predictions and they have Asia'h staying and Syesha going home -- so you may get your wish!

Re: Whitney. STOP SINGING WHITNEY. NOBODY wants to hear WHITNEY SONGS ANYMORE!!! Yes, that means you Asia'h!! And you too: REST OF YOU ALL.

A song is either suited for your voice or not -- regardless of how much a singer's song it is, or how popular it is, or how ambitious etc -- that song was ALL KINDS OF WRONG for Asia'h. (IMHO). She's funky, she should stick to songs that work WITH her gravelly lower register & her sass & spunk & energy level. My problem with it is the way she sang it it ended up sounding like a BAD whitney song, not a DIFFERENT/FUNKY/BRAND NEW whitney song. Yanno?

DH thought she sounded aight though. He thought she should stay. I hope she does stay because I'm sure I'll like her on other songs more than most of the "in danger" chicks.

 

[musey]

Noooo not Syesha! She's one of my other favorites! haha

Yeah, I guess it's just a difference of opinion. I am used to hearing people sing artists like that in a totally different way than the original (same arrangement, same vocal line, just different vocal tone). To me, songs never sound like a "Bad so-and-so-artist song," they either sound "good or bad" with no connection to the old artist. So for me, Asia'h sounded great.

But then, that's coming from a totally different viewpoint than the general population.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/6/2008 1:13:39 PM
Author: decodelighted


Re: Whitney. STOP SINGING WHITNEY. NOBODY wants to hear WHITNEY SONGS ANYMORE!!! Yes, that means you Asia''h!! And you too: REST OF YOU ALL.

I''m so with you there deco. you could probably add celine in that catagory too or any formal idol hit song...

thanks to those of you who explained Amanda. i think I understand but I do really think she''s going to have to at least smile a bit, not saying we need humble pie and i can understand the nerves but i hope to see a little more camera comfort next week.

 

[somethingshiny]

Starset~ good point with the eye contact. I really loved Constantine's performances because is looked like he was looking right through the camera and into the viewer.

So, now we're down to the top 12. I won't post the results because I think some of you haven't seen it yet. But, I will say that I wish the last two boys went home and I think they made good choices on the gals. I like all the Davids and Ramiele and Kristy Lee the best.

After hearing the boys again tonight, it sounded better than the original airing. I think because I wasn't so "huh" with the song choices and I just listened to their voices.

I SOO wish the dreadlocks could be cut off. Yech!


ETA- totally into Blake's performance! That boy can rock!

 

[musey]

Date: 3/6/2008 8:58:15 PM
Author: somethingshiny

So, now we're down to the top 12. I won't post the results because I think some of you haven't seen it yet.

Anyone on the west coast is still waiting with bated breath

Or, you know, watching Survivor. That too. American Idol is on?

 

[mela lu]

Date: 3/6/2008 10:19:57 AM
Author: mela lu

''I think I''m CraaaaaaaaaaaaZY, I think I''m CraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaZY (for JasonCastro)''

That WAS phenominal. I just fell in like with him even more! Crossies for tonights eliminations, which natch he''ll be safe.

NOT SAFE tonight:
(girls) Country mousy-blond & Cady-Spears-like blond
(boys I hope go home): Sangyna 2008 & Olry Bloom-look-a-like

Is it wrong to be SO HAPPY that my male picks to go home WENT HOME!!??

haha. Buh-bye! yeyeyeyey. More room for Jason Castro! I''m obsessed.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 3/6/2008 8:58:15 PM
Author: somethingshiny
totally into Blake''s performance! That boy can rock!

Beg to d-d-d-d-d-izzzzz-i-ffer. I TOTES fast-forwarded through this performance after the third stuh-stuh-stutter. ANNOYING!!!!

Re: the EXITS. Wow -- I was pretty surprised about Danny Noriega ... just because he was the Vote For The Worst pick & they usually keep peeps in quite a long time. (Sanjaya!) The others I saw coming. Even Asia''h -- who had that dreaded first position where no one remembers you when its time to vote. Sorry Musey, I know you liked her. I liked her too. Just not that DARN WHITNEY SONG.