Top 5, An Overview: Diamonds In the ROUGH!

Um, again, I'm gonna say, if you want to produce relevant, current, artists in today's pop, altpop, singer songwriter element, why, IN THE NAME OF WAYNE NEWTON, would you make these teens and twenty somethings sing TWO, YES TWO, NEIL DIAMOND songs. Make them sing one ND song and one current top 40 song OR one ND song and one HOT 100 song from the NEW MILLENIUM! SOMETHING! UGH!

Anyhoo, tonight was Nizzle Dizzle night! And, overall, the idols did not do a half bad job picking songs that were good for their range. I think it is fairly obvious why the instrument players make up 4 of the top 5 finalists. They KNOW their vocal range, and have a better idea of what they are comfortable/sound good singing.

A teensy weensy editorial to follow (INDULGE ME!)

I may have a different take than others, and may be over analyzing, but I believe that the Idol Machine has learned from its AI 5 mistakes, and that is why we saw the order of performances we saw tonight. Now, Y’all know I HEART American Idol, but, I think the VERY LAST THING they wanted was to end up with three guys and one girl in the final four. When that last happened in AI 5, they set up a final 4 just ripe for an upset (Taylor, Daughtry, Elliot, Katharine). But, if they end up with 2 guys and 2 girls, AI 7 could very well end up with the David vs. David finale they and WE so much desire. . . Only the second finale in AI history that had the two best performers/vocalists together (Rueben vs. Clay being the other). Therefore, the current night’s lineup was inevitable. In my very humble opinion ((IMVHO), Syesha was the most vulnerable coming in . . . they had to place her in the “pimp spot” to insure she stayed around . . . Castro has a stronger fan base and needed to be first . . . Brooke has a stronger fan base than Syesha but maybe equal to Jason . . . The Idol Machine plays around with three contestants who are NOT going to win this competition so that they can try to get the finale they want. In addition, they pimp Syesha further to try and get her a Broadway career . . . CLEARLY the girl’s venue . . . thus insuring that about six to seven of the 12 idol finalists find careers in the industry . . . thus, keeping the Idol Machine very culturally relevant.

Let's face it . . . whether or not this is the most talented Top 12, it definitely has the potential to be the MOST recorded/contracted group in Idol history. The following have a very nice possibility of finding SOME level of recording success in some area of the industry: Lil David, Rocker David, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Kristy Lee Cook (who'd of thought). . . 8 of 12 could very realistically obtain recording contracts . . .

All that to say, the Idol Machine was very smart tonight . . . I would have bet prior to the performances that Syesha and a Brooke OR Jason would be in the Bottom 2 . . . however, Syesha in the pimp spot and performing adequately very likely means a JASON and a Brooke/David/David in the Bottom 2 . . . and, I think almost guarantees a TWO guy TWO girl final four . . .

Of course, if Brooke or Syesha gets voted out tomorrow, I reserve the right to print a statement that compeltely retracts this post as being inpsired at gun point or by drugs administered by insurgents . . . :)

A set of rankings to follow

Syesha: Hello and Thank the Lord!

Syesha – Hello Again – She looks scared to hug La Diamond . . . . We have some extensions in da house . . . and the damn waving hands from the freakin mosh pit . . . .I’ll need to listen to this one again, it feels like she got off the music for a minute . . . . overall good vocals, but a wee bit pitchy at times. Good job, but a wee pitchy. . . . I’m a little worried for her that she has put the wrong song first . .

Thank the Lord for the night time is next . . . Ok, Syesha is smartly . . . I guess . . . going to het her Broadway on again . . . um, I can already feel my peeps slipping away, and that me AND my cat Dave AND my Friends DVD Collection are going to be alone on the isle of unpopular opinion . . . BUT, the first um 4/5ths of this song was, vocally, ALL the F OVER THE PLACE . . . . she did hit the two PIMP notes at the end of the song . . . Great Acting Performance, but only a sub-par vocal performance for me . . . .


Randy thought her first was pretty cool, but her second found her "in the zone" which I'm pretty sure gave her the "yo" factor . . . LaCrazy thought she hit vulnerability in the first and found her "element" in the second . . .Simon thinks she is a good actress/stroke/singer . . . but could be in trouble tonight . . .

Lil David: Sweet . . . America ! Proof that AMERICA hearts a SWEET pimp note!

David Archeletta – Sweet Caroline – only one without an iffy lower register or smartest contestant to start the song in the right key. One iffy upper register note . . . overall, the best performance of the first songs, but, I’m still not lovin this theme . . but the best of the first. . . .

Second song – America – Ok, y’all know I am a proud rider of the Lil David train, but the first half of this song was a BIG MESS. He was just all over the place. However, Lil David takes the second half of the song to remind us that he has THAT voice that can hit the PIMP notes that might make you forget that the first half of the song was a big MESS. Overall, the second half of the song worked . . . and was probably better than the whole song of most of the other performers . . .

Randy thought Lil David was the bomb diggity on both performances . . . La Crazy is drunk, but hearts him, Simon thought the first song was ok and that the second song was a “very clever choice”.

Brooke White: I'm a believer . . . I AM, I SAID . . .

Brooke – I'm A Believer - The guitar is back . . . but, yet another iffy lower register . . . I kind of loved the second half of the song . . . she looked a wee bit awkward throughout, but her vocals were more solid than we’ve seen recently, and she seems to have regained a wee bit of the performance confidence . . . . nice to see the guitar again. . .

I am I said – Excellent Start - this is the Brooke I remember. . . . I could smack Ryan with that skinny tie for mentioning the lyrics on her hand . . . Ugh on his faux hawked head! Gots to say, I think MY Brooke is back. This piano playin singer song writer vibe is why I love her. The first time since “Let it Be” that I truly BELIEVED what she was singing. . . .

Randy thought she did a nice job with all of the key changes . . . Paula thought she had fun during the first one, but the second one she connected . . . Simon reminds us that he hated the first song, but the second one was the Brooke WE love. . . .

Rocker David: All I Really Need Is . . . A New Jacket . . .

Rocker David – What is that jacket??? I’m Alive . . . The guitar is back. Thank Goodness . . . lower register is still iffy . . . Upper register is much better . . .high energy is very nice for Rocker David . . . upper register is much better. Much, much better than The Cuteness . . . .

All I Really Need Is You – sexy little side grin . . . . growly voice is on key . . . kind of a strangely awkward song at the beginning . . . and cue ROCKER DAVID . . . wait, dammit, where’s my lighter . . . I’m trying to have a Bon Jovi moment here . . .trying to walk that fine line between belting and screaming, tough to "Walk the Line" . . . odd little high note . . . Overall SO much better than the first. . . . actually thought it was the best I’ve heard thus far. Great Job!

Randy thought that he was ok on the first, but "hot, hot, hot" on the second . . . LaCrazy thought he was good and stuff . . . Simon, thought the first was kind of "eh", but the second was brilliant . . .

Forever Bored in September . . . .

Because my blog is a bit LIVE but tape delayed, I am going to reveiw both performances for each Idol in the same snippet . . . Here comes the Cuteness . . .

The Cuteness – Forever in Blue Jeans – Um, so, he sang the lyrics to the second song during the rehearsal for the first . . . Here we go . . . First thought, kind of boring . . . his vocals are ok, but his lower register is a little iffy . . . Joe Cocker like facial expressions are a wee bit strange . . . Overall, a pleasant but forgettable performance . . .

September Morn – The Cuteness is in trouble if he doesn’t blow it out the box here . . . lower register is better . . . pleasant but forgettable, again . . . Ugh, there was a moment he could have captured when the song elevated and he got off the stool . . . he missed it . . . he just looks bored . . . Quite frankly, he has looked a wee bored in both performaces . . . me too . . .

Randy thought that both performances were just kinda ok . . . La Crazy felt like he took the same “safe” liberty with both songs. . . Simon thought he was lazy and forgettable . . .

Live Blog . . . A Wee Bit Delayed . . .

This is AMERican Idol!

First thing I’ve got to say is . . . What is Paula Wearing? Random gold flecks everywhere . . . YIKES! So, Here are our Top 5 . . . of note . . . WHERE ARE OUR MAKEOVERS . . . every year, around this time, we get a couple of good makeovers, UGH. Brooke kind of got made over earlier in the season by introducing her to the flat iron, AND Rocker David got a makeover by getting that innovative thing called a haircut, BUT, no one else. UGH! What happened to the days of Kelly Clarkson coming out with a new hair color OR Clay Aiken being remade from geek to geek-sheik? Ugh. At least we have Syesha with some knew extensions . . .

Here come the Idols . . . in what I fear will be a very rushed hour of Diamond . . . um, er, fun . .

Early Song Spoilers

DJ Slim over at Idol Blog Live is beginning to report spoilers. I will update as they become available.

Jason Castro: Forever in Blue Jeans AND September Morn



Y'all, I can not believe they are singing 2 Neil Diamonds songs . . . .

Top 5 Song Choices: Diggin For Some N Dizzle tunes

I'm a little stuck about the possible choices for Neil Diamond week. So, I went and did a little research on Amazon. Even after looking at serveral "Best of" CD's, I could only come up with possible choices for three of five Idols. . .

The Cuteness - "Red Red Wine" (Of course he could choose to change the words to "Good Good Weed"
Rocker David - Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon - I'm gonna need him to do this!
Brooke White - Play Me (Although she will probably sing I'm a Believer)


I'm stuck on Lil David and Syesha . . .

So, I went to Secondhand Covers to see who else had covered Neil Diamond songs. Interestingly, they also had a long list of songs that Neil Diamond has covered. Since they let Carly (sniff sniff) sing "Without You" on Mariah Carey week, I wonder if the Top 5 will be extended the same luxury for Neil Diamond week. If so, here are more suggestions

Syesha - My Heart Will Go On - Oh yes, people, he covered Celine; Spanish Harlem; River Deep Mountain High (This could be quite ROCKIN)

Brooke White - The Way You Look Tonight ( I HEART this song ); I Think Its Gonna Rain Today (Beaches Soundtrack)- this pick could REALLY work for her.

Lil David - Unchained Melody - A HUGE RISK because of the Simon OBSESSION with this song. But I think Lil David could BLOW IT AWAY! In the Still of the Night;

David Cook - Can't Help Falling in Love - he could do a rockingly scary emo-death march out of this one. OR Groovy Kind of Love - Could turn this into another "Hello" experience.

Brooke White - I also think she could do a good job on "Groovy Kind of Love" - could redeem herself on piano.

What do y'all think?