Greetings, friends! I'm Darci Monet (details in my profile if you're interested), singer/songwriter/freelance writer, and this is my weekly critique of the Idol contestants' performances. I don't bring up what I do for a living to try and impress anyone; it's just so you know where my opinion is based. I welcome everyone's opinion who cares to share, as long as we keep this a bash-free thread in all ways. So here's my gut-reaction-one-listen-only-review for this week.
Well ladies and gents, this is the review to end all reviews! Well...for this season of Idol, anyway. It's the final countdown (*cue Europe riff here*) to the fifth (can you believe it???) American Idol. Taylor vs. Katharine. I want to take a second before we begin to thank you ALL who have been reading and especially those who have come out from hiding to discuss the show with us all. I am really honored that you'd take the time to read what I have to say at all and I've really enjoyed everyone's varying viewpoints. I hope fans of last season's Rockstar on CBS will join me for the second season when it begins in a few weeks (no, I don't have the date, so don't ask ) as I'll be reviewing that as well. If you didn't watch last year...well...you REALLY missed out, and we can't be havin' that.
"The most sought after title in television history," says Ryan. Hmmmmmm. Anyway...I can't believe I'm not watching this LIVE, in the freakin' AUDIENCE. Argh. Maybe next season. After I win my grammy or something. Ben Stiller's back!!! What a goober...and so unafraid of it. Bravo. Simon suggests the contestants pray the other forget the words...and I think Taylor would HAVE to to mess this up. Dude's never made bottom three. Kat's been there three (?) times. But...I guess we'll see. I mean...I haven't seen my favorite win since season one, so...there it is. What do I know?
Kat's starting with "Black Horse"...and it seems she's been reading the boards. Many hated her being on her knees and many hated her singing along with the woo hoo's. Hey...I have no problems with that performance at all. The last time she did it I felt it was one of her personal best and I still feel that way. Simon thought "the occasion was bigger than that song"...he might be right. However...if she just blatted out ballads all night, he'd hate that even more. She probably couldn't win (no pun or jinxes intended) with him no matter what she chose to open with.
Tay's up with "Living For The City"...oh my GAWD with that purple velvet coat...LOVE it. Man, I think he's gonna jump right out of his own skin! I can feel his excitement in that song. I'll tell ya what...he's not goin down without a fight tonight. All around just awesome. To be fair...he lost the vocals a bit on the nah nah's but again...when a person's having that much fun and getting the audience THAT revved up...who cares? That's what the genuine talents can do.
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from Katharine again...let's see if she can top it from last week. Okay Katharine...at least LOOK like you're enjoying yourself. And there's that weird pronunciation of "heard" again. Ergh. Well...she sang it pretty well...I think I preferred last week's because she seemed really disconnected this week. Maybe just really nervous at this point...mmmmmm not agreeing with the judges. But okay...you get HUGE bonus points for having no key to base the song on. No wonder she looked like she wasn't all there...she was probably trying not to wet herself! Excellent.
I hate the Kodak stage this year. To me it looks like all they did was move the set from the other theater and set it up at the Kodak...nothing special, nothing BIGGER about it, nothing that makes you really feel like it's THE FINALE. What a bummer.
Taylor's back with one of my fave Elton John songs, "Levon". I love the choices he makes singing his riffs, they're never typically bluesy or textbook, always just a little different. This performance was a little deflating after his high energy opener, but it was NOT pitchy, Randy. You'll listen back and you'll take it back. Anyway, I do agree with Simon that it's anyone's game now. Let's hope their singles are perfectly suited to each individual so they both get a fighting chance...because if one was written leaning toward one or the other (Like "A Moment Like This" was blatantly written for Kelly's voice and "Inside Your Heaven" was blatantly written for Carrie), it's gonna blow the whole race. And where's the fun in that???
OH YAK...Constantine pouting at the camera just now. God, it's like he sniffs it out or something. That camera was for BUCKY you airtime whore, jeeeeeeeez.
Here comes Kat with "My Destiny"...I can tell by the opening piano it's another American Idol Velveeta fest. Why does she sound country all of a sudden? Her diction is suddenly very southern. Man, this feels like the key is way too low. Yeah...I don't like this song. A golden opportunity missed. Dang. Can't agree with Randy or Paula...I didn't think she even sounded good...it was not in the meat of her range AT ALL, Paula it IS her fault to a degree. This is what I've been saying all season...KEY, KEY, KEY, KEY, KEY!!! It was TOO LOW and she struggled all the way through it. I'm really disappointed. I was really looking forward to hearing her take on a brand new song no one's heard before and it just didn't cut the mustard. I think she just opened the door wide for Taylor just now.
Taylor's last chance with "Do I Make You Proud"...please sing your pants off, dude. Dang...another piece of crap song, completely unlike anything Taylor would choose for himself to sing, though it's a huge improvement over poor Kat's song. Ok, TAYLOR JUST WON THIS COMPETITION. Yes Taylor, you make me PROUD!!! Agreeing with Randy and Paula...this is WHY he SHOULD win...he knew how to take a garbage song and make some sense out of it, make it work for his voice and sing the crap out of it AS IF he actually believed it, whether he did or not. Seriously, if he does NOT win this...there will be something wrong.
And here's Daniel Powter singing his hit song considerably lower than it was recorded. Cheater! Well...he's nowhere near as good as my friend Levi Kreis , but it was nice to see some faces I forgot were on the show in the montage.
Alright folks, that's all she wrote! What did you think? Again, thanks so much for reading this season. Join me for Rockstar and I'll be back next year! Well...unless I get hit by a bread truck or I'm on tour with Kelly Clarkson or something. What? It could happen.
~Darci Monet
Professional vocalist/songwriter/freelance writer Visit my profile! "Any girl can be glamorous, all you have to do is stand still and look stupid." ~Hedy Lamarr
I totally agree that Kat's last song was in too low of a key, and that pisses me off. She really blew that song.
They were both given HORRIBLE singles... WHY don't they make the songs FIT the performer? Can you imagine all artists singing songs that were fit for someone else? Music would SUCK and be dreadfully BORING!
If you go on tour with Kelly Clarkson, Darci, can I have a job, and go with you?
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
) as I'll be reviewing that as well. If you didn't watch last year...well...you REALLY missed out, and we can't be havin' that. 
What? It could happen. 
05-24-2006 05:53 AM
