Hey all...sorry I'm late posting...I couldn't pull up this site last night for some reason...
Well, here we are. Ever closer to the big finale. Without Chris. Still feels weird. Anyway...three songs apiece tonight. And they'd better not suck. If Taylor dances his way through all three songs tonight, I will go off. If Elliott acts like a deer in headlights tonight, I will go off. If Katharine goes flat, splats a high note or worships herself in the monitors even once, I will go off. What...Clive doesn't get to judge? BULL PUCKEY!!!
Elliott opens the show and he is forced to sing Journey's "Open Arms". Damn. Many better Journey songs to choose from, Clive. His voice sounds gorgeous. Deer-in-headlights. Messed up the words (but at least he didn't REPEAT the messed up phrase twice, that takes a little bit of wit). That was okay. The chorus wasn't as exciting as I was hoping for; his verses were the highlight and that's kinda bass-ackwards, unfortunately. Mark the calendar, I agree with Simon that El desperately needs to loosen up or he's gonna get his butt kicked by Kat.
By the way, I'm REALLY sick of this stupid Visa commercial with the horrible 80's break dancing song and the cartoon worm with the stupid hat on...ARGH!!!
Kat's gonna sing "I Believe I Can Fly"...? Hmmmmmm. She sounds like she has a bit of a cold or something when speaking to Clive. Anyway...she started off nicely, no evidence of a cold or laryngitus that I can hear. Alright...all in all this was one of her better performances in weeks. She managed to stay in tune. I have to go with Randy - I wished she had sung the melody at least on the chorus...she built it up to the chorus and then just stopped singing and I was all, "Wah fuh...? Gonna sing, chiquita?" I'm just really torn about this performance. What she sang she sang really well, but did I like what her stylistic choices were? Not so much. Too busy for such a simple melody and simple message. It was still better than she's done in weeks, though.
Taylor gets Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark". This should be interesting! This is a PERFECT song for his smoky, raspy voice; he's sounding great. Okay the gun-in-pocket thing was a little goofy...but I was hoping he would pull Paula up a la Courtney Cox! YAY!!! Okay, certainly not his all time best vocal, but that was definitely fun. Say what you want about the guy, he sure knows how to entertain and that IS important in a "star". My only real complaint with that song was with the band's arrangement. What was up with the Kmart horns in the background? It's a rock song...shut it.
Paula chooses "What You Won't Do For Love" for Elliott...do I know this song? Oh yes...I do...I recognize that horn riff. Ah yeah...this is the Elliott I love to listen to! Man, if by some crazy act of God he wins this thing, if he isn't allowed to make an album in this direction it will an absolute crime. And he finally looks a bit loosened up. Overall, a much better vocal performance than his first choice. He was sharp here and there but NOT most of the song as Randy claimed. Good. A solid good.
Simon chose "Over The Rainbow" for Kat??? Oh COME ON. Well...I guess he knows she's a cabaret singer. Okay now...I was totally sucked in till she sang the word "heard" and suddenly channelled Bret Butler out of nowhere. What the...??? Outside of that...HAYULL WOMAN, WHERE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME??? That was stunning. Aside from that one weird diction issue and a couple spots where she wasn't supporting properly and chopped off her phrasing (as is her habit), that really was awesome. She didn't overdo the licks, she respected the song for the classic it was, she actually EMOTED...fantastic performance. I wish that Katharine had been around the whole season. I'd have been all up on that bandwagon. I wonder if it's too little too late...
Another commercial I'm sick of...? The CDs stacking up to create buildings and then pouring into the iPod...with that horrible, awful, annoying, noisy, obnoxious song in which you can't understand one single word blaring in the background. SHUT UP, FOR THE LOVE!!!
And Taylor gets to sing "You Are So Beautiful", chosen by Randy and HOT HOT HOT!!! I've been waiting for Taylor to do a Joe Cocker tune all season. I can tell already that the people who think he can't sing or are annoyed by his physical presence are hating this. And for those reasons they hate it, I AM LOVING IT. I love the nuances he uses in his diction and vocal, he respected the subject matter, he's more concerned about remaining in the moment than where the stupid camera is, the arrangement was really tasteful, he looked great, sounded great...it was his star turn performance. Man...I can't decide if I liked this or Kat's performance better. Either way, sweet Elliott is trailing a little behind for me at this point.
Elliott's chosen a Ray Charles via Donny Hathaway, "I Believe To My Soul." Well as usual, he sounds great...am I feeling it? Not really. I wish he would use the stage. Well...El...hmmmmm. I am thinking it's not going to be enough to move him into the finals...but hey...that's what I thought about Katharine last week too, so what do I know? It all depends on where Chris' votes are going.
"I Ain't Got Nuthin But The Blues" is Katharine's choice. She says she didn't want to be compared to any artist of today. Well. Hmmmm. I feel that's been her problem all along...she has not spot in today's music industry (this does not diminish her talent however, so don't jump me for saying that). Kat...WIPE THE INAPPROPRIATE SMILE OFF YOUR DANG FACE!!! ARGH!!! ARGH!!! ACK!!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE BLUES!!! To be fair...vocally that was a great job. But I. get. so. angry. with. her. inappropriate. smile!!! She loses me with her disconnect. Sorry, folks. She has now handed the keys over to Taylor. It's his competition to lose, now.
And Taylor blesses his Soul Patrol with "Try A Little Tenderness"...the song he was not allowed to sing by Simon Fuller during love song week because Andrea Bocelli wouldn't have sung it. Bring it, dude. DADGUMMIT, I LURVE THIS GUY!!! I watch him and grit my teeth with excitement as he looks like he can barely contain himself with the music...LOVED IT! This guy GETS music. If he's not in the finals next week I'll eat my shoe. If you don't WANT him to be...well...just don't talk to me. If he wins it will be the first ORIGINAL Idol winner in five seasons. Don't ya wanna see what happens??? Come on!!!
Alright, campers. I think it's gonna end up Taylor and Kat next week, if it goes by performance quality for the evening. Blessings to Elliott and I truly hope someone will give him a chance at a career in music. Anyone disagree with my prediction?
~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
ProVocalist said this in post #1 : Well, here we are. Ever closer to the big finale. Without Chris. Still feels weird.
Alright, campers. I think it's gonna end up Taylor and Kat next week, if it goes by performance quality for the evening. Blessings to Elliott and I truly hope someone will give him a chance at a career in music. Anyone disagree with my prediction?
You're right... it's just not the same, without Chris.
And I'm with you on next weeks finale!
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
Darci, I love how you call it like you see it. You are honest, and you have the talent vocally to back it up. I love hearing your perspective each week.
quote:
I love the nuances he uses in his diction and vocal, he respected the subject matter, he's more concerned about remaining in the moment than where the stupid camera is, the arrangement was really tasteful, he looked great, sounded great..
That is how I felt about it. Taylor is so fantastic at emoting.
Okay now...I was totally sucked in till she sang the word "heard" and suddenly channelled Bret Butler out of nowhere. What the...??? Outside of that...HAYULL WOMAN, WHERE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME??? That was stunning. Aside from that one weird diction issue and a couple spots where she wasn't supporting properly and chopped off her phrasing (as is her habit), that really was awesome. She didn't overdo the licks, she respected the song for the classic it was, she actually EMOTED...fantastic performance. I wish that Katharine had been around the whole season. I'd have been all up on that bandwagon. I wonder if it's too little too late... 
05-17-2006 05:53 PM
