Originally Posted By Labuda Well, anyone got a review of last night that they'd care to share? Last night marks a MAJOR milestone for me - not only did I not watch the show live (which I rarely do anymore, anyway), but I also did not record it (DVR was halfway full and I didn't want to have old stuff erased while I'm out of town this weekend). But, being me, I'm still curious - how did they all do last night? I'm hoping for a Lauren/Haley final and hope that that's the way the vote went.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I read an interesting write up today. Apparently Alfred E Newman was average, the blonde was ok, but it was the underdog who did well, with a great rendition of a Led Zep classic. They fear she will go.
Originally Posted By gadzuux Haley was good last night. Good thing too - she's our last hope. I've always suspected that the judges and producers aren't exactly Haley supporters, and are mildly annoyed that she's still there. I also wonder if they tried to deliberately sabotage her with the 'judge's pick' for her song - "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morrissette. Haley is good, but as previously noted she also uneven, and can get screamy and lose control. So they hand her a song that almost requires screaming. She worked it out well enough, but did better with the Zeppelin song. She even had her dad backing her on guitar for the zep song. That was fun. She also slipped and fell, and for some reason, they cut away and didn't show it, even though she handled it well and they talked about it throughout the rest of the show. Scotty was Scotty. And the judges were every bit as effusive about his mediocre performances as they always are. Lauren was cute, charming and ultimately forgettable - just like always. I suspect Haley's going home tonight, but then I've been predicting her demise since the beginning, so what do I know. I also suspect that Scotty's going to win the whole enchilada, which is the worst of all possible outcomes. Such is Idol. Turns out James got the big 'welcome home' shebang in Santa Cruz after all, and presumeably they'll air that tonight. And Ryan tells us that next week the competition night is Tuesday, with the grande finale on Wednesday. I'm guessing this has something to do with 'Dancing with the Stars' finale, which is also next week. You've been warned.
Originally Posted By TXDISNEYNERD I had taped it and then watched it when my DH got home. It was right as the live show ended so as we were watching, I was able to hit redial on my phone over and over and over. So for the second time this year I voted. I cast a lot of votes for Lauren and Haley. I'm just not a fan of Scotty. He sounds okay, but then when you hear him back to back to the other contestants, you just hear how average he is and I can't stand all him camera mugging. I thought Haley was the best last night and had the toughest song selections. She had a lot of tough lyrics and pulled thru wonderfully. And how cool was it to have her Dad playing up there with her. Lauren did the second best last night and Scotty was just okay. Please America get it right this time.
Originally Posted By Labuda "I also suspect that Scotty's going to win the whole enchilada, which is the worst of all possible outcomes. Such is Idol." I hope you're wrong, but I am so very afraid you're right.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I am watching it now. Scotty (if you did not look at him) was fantastic with Amazed. The blonde girl was totally forgetable. Brunette up next.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 I've been watching the show since the final 13 or so, but just read this thread last night. Tried not to post, but... Jeez! My biggest complaint about most of the contestants, all season long, is that they don't seem to "get" the words of the songs they're singing. Or, worse -- and I suspect this has been the case most of the time -- they totally disrespect the songwriter's work of art and consciously decide to blow past the amazingly-well-written lyric so that they can instead showcase their vocal abilities. GROWL! VIBRATO! SCREAM! TRILL! Yawn. NEXT!!! Okay, so you got a vocal trick. So you got a range. Big deal. It don't mean nothing if it doesn't bring FEELING to the song. If I wanted to listen to scales, I'd go to a concert rehearsal. If I wanted to hear growling for the sake of growling, I'd sneak into a Lesbian fire circle. That said, and given that I already know this week's outcome... Haley, your performance of "You Oughta Know" was the perfect example of what I talked about above. Alanis did a PERFECT natural, sarcastic, angry slow-burn on her own song. You, on the other hand, did a calculated calm-then-loud rendition that made it clear that you didn't get or feel the lyric. With your vocal abilities, you coulda absolutely SHINED on this one! Instead, your performance revealed your huge weakness. The judges -- if that's who really picked the song for you -- might be smarter than I give them credit for. And you vs. Led Zepplin? As Simon might have said, it was a very good karaoke performance. Really good karaoke. But -- unlike J-Lo, apparently -- I didn't think that your running behind the judges (and then tripping) put the performance anywhere close to being over the edge. Lauren, I can't remember any of the three songs you sang last night. But I remember thinking that you're competent. It bothers me to think that your loss might be because you're not a size 4 and you wear ugly-ass outfits. Scotty, you're a one-trick pony. Baritone country. Country, country, country. And what's up with the judges'"OMG, you went to your higher range! YOU'RE AMAZING!" breathless comments?! Your range is NOT big -- neither vocally, nor in song choices. And country is not really my bag. That said... I was for Scotty ALL THE WAY. Yeah, his range is limited. Yeah, he looks like Alfred E. Newman. Yeah, he mugs. But more than any of the rest of the last 13, he seems to understand and respect that the words of a song are what gives it meaning.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 PS -- Watching Beyonce's video made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. I think I'd actually like to HEAR the song again; I think I might find it fun and interesting and danceable. But the video? Gag me. Yet another over-produced, under-imagined, predictable string of pop/hip-hop/R&B visual cliches. C'mon, Beyonce. I really want better from you and Pitbull and a bunch of other current pop "artists" whose music is a guilty pleasure for me. Take a clue from the videos of P!nk or Chromeo or Gorillaz. Enough with the formulaic lowest-common-denominator stuff already.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Now that we know the results. We have a lovely, but largely forgetable female vocalist and a country boy. I am guessing Nashville will be very happy.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip ^^^ Haven't spent much time across the pond lately, have you? More than Nashville will be happy... the whole country will. Country music is HUGE in the U.S. right now. Why do you think Carrie Underwood is the best selling artist AI has ever produced? That is why I predicted very early on that Scotty would take the whole thing... the demographic was right. Personally I would prefer James and his metal. But let's face it... I'm a month away from being 59 and don't exactly represent the audience AI targets. I not only do not have an I-Pod, I can't think of any possible reason why I would ever want one! STAY THE HELL OFF MY GRASS!!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Dude, smoking is bad? lol Hmmm,I too wanted James to win. And I never minded country. What I don't like about SCotty is he does not seem to connect with the meaning of the music he sings. It is like he phones it in. It makes it feel like Kareoke.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Dude, smoking is bad? lol>> It is probably an American thing, but "STAY THE HELL OFF MY GRASS!!" supposedly epitomizes what old men say when a neighbor kid comes on to their property. The phrase was prominent in the Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino".
Originally Posted By Labuda First off - howdy, Heinz! Nice to see ya! Now, on to what Dave said: "It is like he phones it in. It makes it feel like Kareoke." Yep - his constant mugging needs to stop NOW. Once he gets "people" to work on him, I think I'll find him a lot more tolerable. And as for you, Trippy: "More than Nashville will be happy... the whole country will. Country music is HUGE in the U.S. right now. Why do you think Carrie Underwood is the best selling artist AI has ever produced?" Is it really? I just figured Carrie is a better performer who consistently has good songs, not necessarily that she's country. I mean, when I saw her in concert about a year ago, she was doing it in "the theatre at the Erwin Center" here, which means half the arena was blocked off. And that arena holds less than 17,000 when it's full, so I'll guess that the "Theatre" there seats about 8500. And, as we all here may know, I go to a LOT of concerts... Bruno Mars just filled up 8500 quite easily here in H-town on Wednesday, and he's only been around for a very short time.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<"More than Nashville will be happy... the whole country will. Country music is HUGE in the U.S. right now. Why do you think Carrie Underwood is the best selling artist AI has ever produced?" Is it really?>> Yes! Turn your radio from station to station and record what type of music is presented on each. You will find Country dominates pretty much everywhere south of Minnesota. I know... Austin is different. They have very eclectic musical taste. LONG LIVE the memory of Stevie Ray Vaughn!!
Originally Posted By Labuda "Yes! Turn your radio from station to station and record what type of music is presented on each. You will find Country dominates pretty much everywhere south of Minnesota. I know... Austin is different. They have very eclectic musical taste." Wow, ok...I didn't find much in the way of country here in Houston, but, then again, I found a rock station pretty quickly on my way in to town the other day. Oh, and in Austin, we have, as far as I know, two country stations. "LONG LIVE the memory of Stevie Ray Vaughn!!" Amen, brother. We even have a statue of him down at Town Lake - er, Lady Bird Lake, now.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I try not to think of SW Missouri as being representative of anything, but I do feel it is representative of much of small-town America... especially in the south. The mix here is about 60% country, 20% rock, 10% talk and other, and 10% 24-hour-a day-Christian preaching and music.
