3/10 Show Discussion *Spoilers*

[CrossingGuard]

I definitely hope Tim goes home. The other is a toss between Alex and Casey, although a lot of people like them. Want to see those who I feel who can sing and have good voices stay. Todrick can sing, although he hasn't been a favorite of mine. Mike had that "Kelly Clarkson moment" tonight.

The ones to beat in this competition right now are Crytal and Mike.

Which I find so funny, because I don't think anyone expected him to be a frontrunner. Same with Siobhan. And now look where they are in the competition.

The guys did well as a whole tonight. It was probably the best semifinal show of this season, but that really isn't saying much since this season has experienced such a horrible start with these semifinal performances. I'm nervous to see who will make it into the Top12. I think the girls on the chopping block are Paige, Lacey, Katie, and Katelyn, while Aaron, Tim, Alex, and Andrew (surprisingly) are in trouble for the guys.

[RealityLovesMe]

Lee - I think that was a bad song choice for him. That song was really unique and his generic voice killed that aspect for me. He always has problems with singing in tune. Lee is the token rocker guy like Bo and Chris and David. The show has a built-in audience for that sort of thing so he will do fine in the competition even if he never figures out how to sing in tune.

Alex - I said a long time ago that he was not ready for this competition. I am so sure that I am right about that. He needs confidence and life experience. He has no performance skills or connection with the lyrics. His voice is also really shaky and it is just all over the place. He is really wasting our time. But of course he is in the competition because women see a young boy with a guitar and they drool.

Tim - It is hard to hate a song that is nearly a church hymn. I think Jason Castro proved that you don't have to sing this song well to get a hugely positive reaction. People just like this song. He didn't sing it well and I don't think he can sing anything well. But like I said before: young man with guitar.

Andrew - Oh boy. He is being Lil'd. He is forever chasing his past glory. Instead of trying to make a new moment, he's trying to bottle some of that old stuff. America loves the underdog and Andrew is not the underdog. America is looking for a reason to hate him. And he is giving us plenty of reasons. Andrew can never find the rhythm. Also, he's performing live in front of millions. He needs to put on a show for us. His voice and guitar alone is just not good enough.

Casey - he was safe tonight. I don't think Casey has a strong voice so I like that he was safe. It is better to succeed at mediocrity than to fail miserably while trying to be stellar. Just ask Jermaine. He didn't seem cocky tonight either.

Aaron - Wow what a rough start! Yikes. He fixed it mostly by the middle (sort of). Sometimes he sings like he has a huge wad of mucous in his throat and sometimes he sings beautifully. I'm not a fan of his twang but I cannot deny that he has a range.

Todrick - I forgot he could sing like that! Good for him. I like the changes he made. It did get a bit broad way at times but so did Adam Lambert. I don't know why the judges were complaining. Very good and what an improvement! Good for him. He needed that. He still may not make top 12 but now he can say he was robbed.

Mike - I wasn't crying over it. But I think anyone who didn't like this just doesn't like soul music and would sooner vote for Tim Urban than they would Aretha Franklin. It wasn't perfect but it was so dynamic. It wasn't technically perfect but it was perfect in most other ways.

[liedenfrost]

March 10, 2010: The Top Eight Boys


1. Michael Lynche. True to his football roots, he ran through the competition tonight. Maxwell is NOT an easy copy. I’ve seen singers booed and laughed off the stage while wrestling with these ranging vocal transitions. This is another contestant with whom I have not bonded, but he nailed this song and deserves all the accolades he got from the judges. Nonetheless, the song is traditional R&B, and Maxwell is not a household name in Middle America, so we’ll have to wait until Thursday to see how America feels about this performance. Everybody knows I’m a traditional rock and R&B fanatic, so I picked a few Smart Songs for Michael. It was tonight’s performance that prompted it:
Smart Songs: Michael Lynch
1. Sex Therapy-----Robin Thicke (he likes old school romantic R&B; it gets no better than this, and it’s atop R&B charts now).
2. Without You-----Charlie Wilson (beautiful ballad; great vocal; great arrangement).
3. Pretty Wings-----Maxwell (another very soulful ballad; Maxwell at his best)
4. You Are My Lady-----Freddie Jackson (old school R&B ballad; about the ladies)
5. If I-----Jesse Powell (stirring, gut-wrenching, and vocally ranging R&B love ballad)
6. Forever-----Claude Kelly (beautifully crafted romantic R&B ballad)
7. Lately-----Jodeci (an ultra-soulful and gut-wrenching cover of this Stevie Wonder classic)
8. Unbelievable-----Craig David (smooth, beautiful, and romantic; Craig at his best)
9. Bed-----J. Holiday (a great mid-tempo song; very sexual, the meaning is in the title)
10. Wildflower-----The OJays (graduate level R&B here, but a truly great song)
11. Your Precious Love-----Otis Redding (great R&B song; the real kind)
12. Ain’t No Way-----Kenny Lattimore (very cool cover of an Aretha Franklin classic)
13. Sing To Me-----Eric Benet (beautiful R&B love song)
14. Can You Feel Me-----Anthony Hamilton (from the movie soundtrack)
15. If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time------R. Kelly (R. Kelly’s best work)
16. How Does It Feel-----D’Angelo (in case Big Mike wants a real R&B challenge)

2. Lee Dewyze. As you’ll see later, I picked Fireflies for Alex. It won’t matter which song he picks, Lee will change the melody to fit his typical testosterone-laden arrangement. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. This time, it didn’t; primarily because of all the bad notes, and I don’t mean just his voice. Nonetheless, I love his voice, even if he doesn’t know what to do with it; and even if he doesn’t give a **** about the lyrics. He goes hard, every single time; every single note; will not compromise; not a tender note in his arsenal.
Smart Songs: Lee Dewyze
1. Lightning Crashes-----Live (one of the best rock ballads of all time; let’s hope he can do it justice)
2. Second Chance-----Shinedown (a great rock ballad that, left to me, would have won the Grammy for Best Rock Song and Song of The Year)
3. Breathe Me In-----Candlebox (a beautiful gut-wrenching romantic ballad from one of the most musically intelligent bands in the business)
4. The Wrestler-----Bruce Springsteen (painfully slow and passionate rock ballad from the movie of the same name; also robbed of a Grammy)
5. Jeremy------Pearl Jam (everybody knows this song; everybody likes Pearl Jam)
6. Wherever You Will Go-----The Calling (one of the best romantic ballads of all time)
7. Audience of One------Rise Against (smart, cogent lyrics define this excellent post-grunge composition)
8. Iris-----Goo Goo Dolls (on everybody’s list of Best Rock Ballads; deservedly)
9. Animal I Have Become/Home---Three Days Grace (two picks; a good band; a perfect fit for his voice)
10. Colorblind-----Counting Crows (if he can project these poignant lyrics, should go over well with the judges)
11. Calling You-----Blue October (lyrical rock at its very best)
12. Don’t Stop-----Innerpartysystem (everybody knows this song; fun and bouncy up tempo composition that should work for him)
13. Sooner or Later-----Breaking Benjamin (a huge song; big enough and bad enough to absorb all the testosterone he throws at it)
14. The Pretender-----Foo Fighters (another great hard driving rock song robbed of Song of the Year honors at the Grammys)
15. Say Hello to Heaven-----Temple of the Dog ( a moving, vocally ranging, and supremely soulful ballad from Chris Cornell)
16. Addicted-----Saving Abel (another well known, up tempo song; tailor made for prime time)
17. Praise-----Sevendust (traditional hard-driving rock song, with just enough metal to warrant devil horns)
18. You’re Going Down------Sick Puppies (great rock song; a good fit for Lee)[B]
19. Higher Ground-----Chilli Peppers (excellent Stevie Wonder cover; a good fit for R&B themes)
20. Sex On Fire-----Kings of Leon (A very popular rock song with unforgettable hook; it’s about a man in need; hopefully he can make the ladies melt; he’s already hooked Ellen).
.
3. Aaron Kelly. Ellen mentioned something that intrigued me for years; the wide-legged stance. It used a lot in country music; a part of the culture I guess; don’t know why, but it's there. Aaron didn’t start it. Billy Currington does it; Keith Urban does it. Obviously, Aaron has been studying his idols. Aaron sounds and looks like an adolescent but is a man on stage. The thing I like about Aaron, even if he doesn’t win, is this. At sixteen, he’s already comfortable singing to and about the ladies. That’s a good thing because his future in country music depends on it. The genre has but a few themes: love, ladies, God, and country; with a few stories about sexy tractors mixed in. I haven’t changed my mind; this kid is perfect for country music. I picked a few songs for Aaron, but his country choices so far have been solid. I had a lot of trouble finding R&B and rock songs for him
Smart Songs: Aaron Kelly
1. History In The Making------Darius Rucker (a beautiful and resonate love song)
2. I Melt-----Rascal Flatts (passionate ballad for his upper register)
3. Last Day Of My Life------Phil Vassar (this is one of the best country songs in recent memory)
4. Do I-----Luke Bryan (another great country ballad with soaring vocal transitions)
5. You’ll Think Of Me-----Keith Urban (the emotional version; search the file sharing sites; its available)
6. You Say------Elliott Yamin (one of the few pop songs that fit; this is finger popping and fun pop song with a great hook and ranging vocals)
7. Unanswered Prayers-----Garth Brooks (get out the hankies; a very sad song)
8. Amazed-----Lonestar (a perfect fit for his voice)
9. I’m Already There-----Lonestar (another Lonestar song perfect for his voice; of course, he already sang it tonight)
10. Lets Make A Memory-----Garth Brooks (this passionate ballad is also a good fit for his voice)
11. Memories of Us-----Keith Urban (if he picks it, he better sell it because the songs spans only a few notes).
12. It Won’t be Like This For Long------Darius Rucker (another Darius Rucker tear jerker)
13. Must be Doing Something Right-----Billy Currington (sexy, mature stuff about making the ladies weak; hope he can pull it off)
14. Tell Me Why------Declan Galbraith (intensely emotional and vocally ranging song about man’s inhumanity to man)
15. Dance With My Father-----Luther Vandross (one of the few R&B songs that fits)
16. Angel-----Robbie Williams (the song’s been done to death, but he’s a passionate dude so should be able to sink his teeth in).

4. Alex Lambert. Alex looked good on camera and he’s a good kid (can’t help but like him) but this was an intensely boring and disconnected performance. I hope it worked for the ladies in the audience because die-hard Blues fans were covering their ears and throwing things at their televisions. This kid has no musicality; at all; it’s simply not there. I have no idea what the judges will do with him. He has no musicality but he’s too commercial to let get away. Here are a few songs I picked for Alex (tried to match his voice), even though I know going in, he can’t possibly do them justice.
Smart Songs: Alex Lambert
1. Don’t Look Back in Anger------Oasis ( a powerful and passionate song; an excellent fit for his voice)
2. Broken Strings-----James Morrison (we know already this is a good fit, and this is an excellent ballad))
3. Arctic Outcry Wind-----Josiah Leming ( a haunting and beautiful ballad from the One That Got Away; Josiah Leming is the best lyricist and composer I’ve ever seen on American Idol. I listened to the eps and cd; this kid is a genius)
4. Ordinary People-----John Legend (this is a much better song than the first
5. Fireflies------Owl City (this popular and well known song is perfect for his voice)
6. You Got Yr Cherry Bomb-----Spoon (vocally tricky and quirky, but a fun song that should fit him like a glove)
7. Somewhere Only We Know-----Keane ( another song that suits his voice; if only he could emote….)
8. Beautiful Girls-----Teddy Geiger (a fun and very sensual cover; ladies should love it)
9. Home-----Boyce Avenue (a simple but poignant song cover of the Michael Buble classic)
10. Yellow-----Coldplay ( for rock themes; if he can pull it off; the voices match perfectly)
11. I Will Follow You Into The Dark------Death Cab For Cutie (a good song from the emo kings of rock; a celebration of everlasting love)
12. Undiscovered-----James Morrison ( an up tempo song that also fits)
13. Just Dance------Gary Go (slow ballad version of the Lady Gaga hit; should be great fun)
14. I Believe------Blessid Union of Souls (a soulful ballad that also fits his range)
15. Goodbye My Lover------James Blunt (JB is one of the most unabashedly emotional singers I’ve ever heard, so I don’t know if Alex can match that; but the voices match)
16. Unwell---------Matchbox Twenty
17. Feel-----Robbie Williams (sexy stuff here; hopefully he can project desire; cause he will need to do just that)
18. Best I Ever Had-----Gary Allan (a very emotional and touching country love song)
19. Hey, Soul Sister-----Train (bet nobody thought this song would work for Alex; it’s a fun song that the audience will love).

5. Tim Urban. Glad the judges liked it. I didn’t. Tim’s actually got a good voice; at least, it sounded rich and textured tonight, but he doesn’t have the musical sensitivity for this song. Good kid; likable, handsome; but this was a very amateurish copy.
6. Casey James. Casey might want to switch it up. Pick something fun and light-hearted; songs that don't require emotion. His face is expressionless, like Mount Rushmore; and there’s nothing in his eyes. Pretty dude, but not an artist. Casey clearly wants this badly. I feel bad for him because I think he was used and manipulated, so I wish him the best, but I'm not a fan.
7. Andrew Garcia. Maybe he should pick a song by a dude? The ladies aren’t helping him very much. This dude is a conundrum; his song choices make no sense at all.
8. Todrick Hall. Glad the judges liked it. I didn’t. Queen is a great rock band, but no contestant should ever trust their fate on AI to Broadway? It doesn’t work.

[TeacherLady]

Andrew - Oh boy. He is being Lil'd. He is forever chasing his past glory. Instead of trying to make a new moment, he's trying to bottle some of that old stuff.

I love it -- "being Lil'd". So true. Andrew is this year's Lil. A heavy favorite going in who is trying everything to get that back and not making it.

I actually do like Andrew's voice -- for those old enough to remember him, he reminds me of Jose Feliciano. Maybe he should try "Light My Fire".

[libgirl2]

I love it -- "being Lil'd". So true. Andrew is this year's Lil. A heavy favorite going in who is trying everything to get that back and not making it.

I actually do like Andrew's voice -- for those old enough to remember him, he reminds me of Jose Feliciano. Maybe he should try "Light My Fire".

I said the same thing last week. Poor guy. LMF would be pretty good, but I bet the judges would complain!

Also to previous poster, I believe "woman's work" was originally Kate Bush ( I know it was R&B'd up) and if anyone would have told me Kate would sung on AI years ago, I would have fainted!

[I'm MEL]

With Alex: Like I said, the whine makes my eyes twitch. He's not a technically bad singer, though. I certainly wouldn't be buying his CD, however. I don't like whiny singers.

Aaron had definite technical problems this week, but generally he is a decent singer. Like Archuleta, though, he has no stage presence. In Archie's defense (and I can't believe I'm saying this), he is better these days.

I'm not usually so harsh with AI folks, but I am thoroughly unimpressed with the talent this season. It's awful. My mind keeps wandering to past contestants and how much I preferred them. In some cases, I find myself realizing that some people I thought were real clunkers weren't half bad after all compared to this lot.

Alex and Aaron may not have the stage experience or polish of some of the previous contestants, but I think that for having been plucked from obscurity and thrown on a stage in front of millions, they are doing okay. Compared to, lets say, Taylor Hicks, no, these guys are not as comfortable or confident on the stage, but then again, what was Taylor? 40??? And actually, he could be pretty painful to watch. But then again, when I pop a cd in or turn on my radio, I don't watch - I only listen. Aaron's style is not my style, but Alex's is, and I wouldn't characterize his voice as whiny.

[TopCatDC]

I love it -- "being Lil'd". So true. Andrew is this year's Lil. A heavy favorite going in who is trying everything to get that back and not making it.

Yeah, I can see the similarities. Except I think that "being Lil'd" is something a contestant does to themselves rather than something that is done to them.

Andrew has fallen for the trap (as did Lil) that he can be successful by following the judges' advice. Problem is, they can't tell him how to take what is uniquely Andrew and put it up on stage every week. That has to come from inside himself. And when you stop looking inside, and instead try to read the Idol tea leaves, it's over.

The judges mean well, and are trying to help. But no judge is ever going to say:

"Adam Lambert - you know what I hear you singing? Some obscure eighties ballad like Tears for Fear's 'Mad World'. That's your wheel house."

"David Archuleta, the best thing you could do right now is to take one of the greatest, most mature pop songs ever recorded and strip the instrumentation way back and just do an innocent and hopeful take... maybe something like John Lenon's 'Imagine'... I think you could really make people cry."

"Kelly Clarkson, I know you've got this big pop voice, but did you ever consider doing an old big band hit like 'Stuff Like That There'? I think you could have a moment with that."

"Kris Allen - I've got two words for you: Kanye West."

The judges aren't psychic. They can't see outside the box that they've put the contestant in. Yet at the same time they (and we) long for the box to be smashed and to see something we never expected.

That's what an artist does: shows us the world in a way we hadn't see it before; surprises us.

Dear Season Nine Contestants: Start being ARTISTS. Not lemmings. You know where lemmings end up and it is not at the Nokia Theater.

[I'm MEL]

Let me add that there are some nice singers in this competition, but overall I think it is an off year.
Plant any one of the following in this group: Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, Kris Allen, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, or Michael Johns - and the rest fade away completely.

Actually, I don't think Michael Johns would stand out in a good way against this year's competition. That's just me, though - I didn't think his vocals were that good.

And I think there are a few that are very strong and some who have good, natural talent, great vocals, but are just lacking experience that would push them ahead of the pack. And Tim Urban is not one of them - I guess when Chris Golightly got disqualified, all the other male contenders already had another gig, and Tim was the only one available on short notice! Yes, he has improved, but when the improvement means you've pulled out a much-loved classic and spit out a mediocre version of it with pained experssions to prove you really feel it = similar to Kara's fake crying - that only highlights how much you shouldn't be there! Connection to song should not trump vocals, especially when you just don't have the latter. Even Randy noted that Tim's rendition was not as good as previous IDOL performances of the song, which translates to "failure."

I like David Cook, and I voted for him Season 7 because I thought he was the best of that group and enjoyed listening to him, but I don't think he's any kind of phenomenon. And I recall him having a week or two that was less than stellar.

Why am I defending this season? I need to get a life. Pronto!

[Misty8723]

Dear Season Nine Contestants: Start being ARTISTS. Not lemmings. You know where lemmings end up and it is not at the Nokia Theater.

We can expect older, more experienced contestants to be artists. I don't see how we can't expect someone who hasn't already been trying to make a career of this to know who they are musically and what they're good at. That's when they start listening to the conflicting/annoying advice from the judges and/or picking songs that they "really like" instead of songs they can do well. As fans, our bar has been raised by some of the more musically mature contestants over the years, and we aren't willing to give someone a chance to see if they can grow into their talent. Myself included - I prefer to be entertained, and that means contestants who are already professionals, just maybe not successful at it yet.

[I'm MEL]

Originally posted by RealityLovesMe
Mike - I wasn't crying over it. But I think anyone who didn't like this just doesn't like soul music and would sooner vote for Tim Urban than they would Aretha Franklin. It wasn't perfect but it was so dynamic. It wasn't technically perfect but it was perfect in most other ways.[/QUOTE]

LOL!!! Thanks for that! I needed a good laugh before work today!