Top 9 Wrapup
Alright, now that I’ve had the night to sleep on last night’s performances, it’s time for the wrapup post. In case this is your first time reading one, here’s how it works: I do a brief overview of the night, review the celebrity helper’s work, post my scores based on my scorecard, link to others from around the web and try and come up with an overall consensus vote of who was best or worst last night.
Then, I’ll announce my final choice to get voted off tonight, and why I feel it’s a good one (beyond just the scores).
Sound good?
Let’s have at it!
Overview of the Night
Country night. There are few genres more suited to making contestants fall on their faces. Disco is also high on that list, as would be opera. Country is a hard genre for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it’s an “emotional” genre. Sometimes it’s kick up your boots, fun and fancy fun. Sometimes it’s lost your pickup and your grandma turned out to be Buck Rogers kind of weepy. Delivering a “straight” performance just doesn’t work. Delivering a performance which is full of nice runs doesn’t necessarily work. You need to feel the song, tell the story.
Last night, very few contestants did either. While I don’t think Kellie did anywhere near the best last night, she at least managed to tell the story with some sense of believability. The other singers just… sang. Some did it better (Katharine). Others did it worse (Taylor). But almost everyone (including Bucky) just sang the song. They didn’t dig in anywhere near enough. Some didn’t have enough practice (Paris), others weren’t comfortable enough (Mandisa), others fell back on their same old tricks (Ace).
Overall it wasn’t an awful night. It was way better than last week, which is surprising given how much leeway the contestants had last week. It had very few memorable performances though. Looking back, only Katharine, Kellie and Chris stand out as having done anything “on”. Also, the tackling of Kellie’s “fake” issues last night was cheesy, tacky, and unconvincing. Ah well. Salmon does, after all, have an “L”.
Review: Kenny Rogers
I’ll happily admit that I’m not a country music fan. I’m often heard saying “country music? I don’t know what country it’s from but it sure ain’t mine!” However, even I can appreciate someone with the talent, passion, and “bard”-like ability that Kenny has. I don’t love a lot of his songs, but he is a fantastic story teller. Last night, he just about nailed each of the singers and, ironically, where each failed is where he told them to be careful. He’s a smart boy that one.
We’ll see how his performance tonight goes. I’ll try and keep an open mind.
My Score Card
click for full size
Quick Reviews
Taylor Hicks: Overall this was a VERY poor performance. He deserved better. WE deserved better. He either needed to study the genre more or make the country song more of a Taylor song. Score: C
Mandisa: Overall not enough oomph in this performance. Nice enough try though. Score: B-
Elliott Yamin: Decent enough overall. Nothing that really shines through. Score: B
Paris Bennett: Just not enough comfort in the genre. Score: B+
Ace Young: Great performance. Not perfect, but very easy to connect to what he was doing. Score: B+
Kellie Pickler: Okay, really quality song. I’m not a fan of country so it didn’t totally connect with me, but this was better than Ace’s. Best so far tonight. Score: A
Chris Daughtry: Really good performance, considering it had to be country. Ballad like Ace’s, but better than Ace’s. Score: A
Katharine McPhee: Absolutely best performance of the night. Score: A+
Bucky Convington: Really a poor performance for Bucky. I’m not a huge fan of him, but this was just a really, really poor performance. Score: C-
Opinions From Around the Web
The Sheboygan Press: Top 5 things they hate about American Idol are: Ace’s “look” (amen!), Kellie’s “sal-man” line, Bucky’s hair, Paula’s comments and Ryan (overall).
And now some reviews from Tittle-Tattle, Philly Burbs and Slimtainment (the other idol blogs haven’t posted their reviews yet).
Taylor Hicks
Tittle-Tattle: Going first coupled with a bad performance is a lethal combination. Good thing Taylor has a ridiculously strong fanbase, but he can’t skate by on that forever.
Slimtainment: I love Taylor but country wasn’t his thing, at least not the song choice. I would venture to say this was my worst Taylor performance of the season.
phillyBurbs: Taylor was clearly going through the motions and any flare or charisma he’s shown in past weeks just didn’t show up.
Mandisa
Tittle-Tattle: Risky song choice, since this song is a tongue twister, and it really didn’t pay off.
Slimtainment: Way to go Mandisa. A decent performance for you but not the best.
phillyBurbs: this point her physical appearance distracts from her performances - which could be a good thing considering she sounded awful.
Elliott Yamin
Tittle-Tattle: For him, the vocals were average and overall it just lacked something special.
Slimtainment: I wonder if he thinks he is on the chopping block tonight. I think he will be safe. Every week Elliot seems to improve.
phillyBurbs: It was really Elliott’s worst performance to date and one that should land him in the bottom three alongside Mandisa and Ace.
Paris Bennett
Tittle-Tattle: Vocally she was on point, and her glory notes towards the end were impressively steady. Still, I have a feeling she chose this song with gritted teeth.
Slimtainment: Best so far tonight, I don’t know what the hell Paula is drinking. Must be Paula doesn’t care anymore since she resigned her contract.
phillyBurbs: hit plenty of sour notes during her rendition of LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live?” and under whelmed the judges.
Ace Young
Tittle-Tattle: He was still pitchy all over, although less than usual, and I could still hear that annoying, nasally sound in his voice.
Slimtainment: Sorry all you Ace fans. Bottom 3 tomorrow is exactly where Ace will be I believe.
phillyBurbs: Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, will answer my prayers this week and send Ace on his way back to obscurity.
Kellie Pickler
Tittle-Tattle: So far, this is Kellie’s standout performance. She sang it well, but it was the song itself that really tied everything together
Slimtainment: Good vocal but I expected nothing less since it is country night. By the way anyone got anymore prom pictures.
phillyBurbs: Kellie Pickler played it just right this week.
Chris Daughtry
Tittle-Tattle: I’ve mentioned before that Chris lacks charisma. Take away his rock edge and his power vocals, and there isn’t really anything left.
Slimtainment: I was never convinced he was a great singer since he masks his vocal ability behind his flashy performance but tonight he proved he could sing.
phillyBurbs: Oh, and his Keith Urban’s “Making Memories of Us” sucked out loud.
Katharine McPhee
Tittle-Tattle: She was obviously highly confident with this song, and wasn’t afraid to let loose just a little bit and have fun, all while keeping her vocals in check. (note: at this point, the reviews from Tittle-Tattle moved to Girls Talkin Smack)
Slimtainment: Well tonight I would have to say it wasn’t one of her best nights. The vocal seemed off and in parts Katharine seemed to yell.
phillyBurbs: Katharine seems comfortable on stage and had fun singing Faith Hill’s “Bringing Out the Elvis.”
Bucky Convington
Tittle-Tattle: I found myself really wanting to like this at several points, because the song has a nice melody, but Bucky just didn’t fully deliver. Honestly, if the man can’t bring it on country night I wouldn’t count on it happening ever.
Slimtainment: Awful, Awful, Awful. Sorry for all the Bucky Fans but I think Bucky will be packing his bags now. Enough said here.
phillyBurbs: He’s like the untalented son of the Marlboro Man who is trying to have a music career, but would be better off herding cattle and being a good-for-nothing hillbilly.
Wrapups From Around
Tittle-Tattle:
Rank
1. Katharine
2. Kellie
3. Ace
4. Paris
5. Elliott
6. Bucky
7. Chris
8. Taylor
9. Mandisa
Slimtainment:
DJSlim’s Top 3 - Paris Bennett, Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry
DJSlim’s Bottom 3 - Ace Young, Bucky Covington, Mandisa
Going Home - Bucky Covington
Bottom 3
I say Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin and Bucky Covington. DJSlim (who rocks, btw) says Ace, Bucky and Mandisa. DialIdol.com says Paris, Elliott and Mandisa.
Getting Voted Off
Who’s going home tonight? Based on polling the web, I believe Ace and Bucky are the bottom 2, with Bucky going home. It’s been a long, hard road, but Bucky simply has never shown a voice. Ace has. I hate his “look” he gives. I hate his falsetto. And I think he needs gobs of vocal work, but he’s better than Bucky.
Why will Bucky go? Partially he’d stayed until now due to his country music fan base. They’re going to abandon him in droves tonight. Likely for either Kellie or Katharine (both of whom will be totally safe). It’d be like Kevin Covais walking on stage, grabbing his crotch and then saying he was gay. It destroyed him. There is no longer any reason to keep Bucky around. Great kid, total sweetheart, but not staying.
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POSTED IN: Thinking Idol
1 opinion for Top 9 Wrapup
untere bauchmuskeln trainieren
Sep 25, 2007 at 5:49 am
good
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