StoneRose Valley My Thoughts, Expressions, and Passions

Leslie Gray Streeter shares a question/answer session with some of our favorites…at least, some of my favorites, from American Idol. YEAH! Just what we need, right?

Plus, a little snippet on Kara DioGuardi. And yes, that’s again. She sure is generating a lot of buzz.

Posted under American Idol, Links

This has been a rather busy week for me…. ‘what’s different about that?’ you ask? Well, this week, it was Tuesday itself that was busy…in addition to Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I had a funeral to attend in the mid-morning, and a shower to go to in the evening…in between, I had to shop for the shower gift, and try to help some of my siblings find a birthday gift for our brother, who is leaving tonight for a two week trip with a friend. Today, I worked my usual job in the morning-till 1:30; so I worked late today. I then had about an hour to do my downloads on my computer (which you may recall, has been running extremely slow lately). That took all the free time I had this afternoon, till now. So, my synopsis may be shorter than usual, or it may not. I may just end up posting this moments before the show this evening. As if that is entirely unusual.
It was Rock & Roll Theme week….
I also missed the first two performances last night; and dismayed that I had, indeed, missed David Cook’s first song! So, I will not be including sum-up of either his or Syesha’s (considering that, since I didn’t even see them, I couldn’t possibly!). I did think, though, from the ‘flash-backs’ or whatever you want to call them, of the evening, that David Cook did pretty bad, and Syesha’s sounded fun.

Jason Castro chose “I Shot The Sheriff” by Bob Marley as his first song. I really did like that he seemed far more comfortable on stage than we’ve ever seen him. Great job in that, Jason! But….the vocals just were not good.
Randy called it ‘Kareoke’, saying there was ‘nothing special about it. Just was not good.’
Paula said he had ‘never performed to the audience better’ and that his ‘artistry shines through’.
Simon pronounced it ‘utterly atrocious. Like a first round audition massacre!’
Harsh words there; but, at this point in the competition, deserved.

David Archuleta was even more amazing than usual-possibly due to performing right after Jason. He sang “Stand By Me”, and I know many, including myself, wanted to hear him sing this one. We were not disappointed. At least I wasn’t. I thought the vocals, the whole thing, was superb! David showed us he definitely can make smart song choices.
Randy said David put ‘the best vocals on the line. Hot!’
Paula mentioned how she forgets ‘you’re only seventeen! You’re seasoned already.’
Simon called it a ‘very good choice; you struggled a little bit at the end’, but he pronounced it the ‘best performance so far’.
David is so talented, and so very humble-or else he’s a super actor-I’m inclined to believe the former. He should definintely be in the finals.

David Cook came back to start the second round, choosing to sing “Baba O’Rielly” by Who (?; is that really who it’s by? I’d never even heard of this one before!). I have to say, I was apprehensive, guessing from previous comments by the judges that he hadn’t done well. I was quite pleased with how well he did.
Randy said it was ‘more like the David I’ve come to know. Just be you; You’re great.’
Paula ‘just want[s] some more David!’
Simon had but one thing to say: ‘Welcome back, David Cook!’
That was good to hear, from a DC fan! So glad he pulled it together this time.

Syesha Mercado sang “A Change Has Come” by Sam Cook. I thought it was nice, but thought there might have been slight pitch problems towards the end. On the other hand, it may just have been my awful TV.
Randy said he ‘loved the first song’, but ‘didn’t love this one’. He ‘didn’t like the arrangment’.
Paula disagreed with Randy, saying Syesha orchestrated her vocals beautifully.
Simon had this to say: “Syesha, I have to be fair, and I’m going to agree with…’(pause for effect) ‘Paula. Randy got it completely wrong; you sang that extremely well.’
Yeah for Syesha!

Jason Castro sang “Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dillon as his second song. I thought it was far better than his last; until he forgot the words. He hummed his way through that ‘till he got back to a place he remembered. My sister and I thought he should at least have sang ‘La-la’.
Randy thought Jason was just ‘not in the zone, tonight’.
Paula said ‘it is what it is. Didn’t blow me away; but you do!’
Simon gave Jason his advice: ‘Go pack your suitcase.’
After last nights’ performances, Jason should be the one leaving. But he has a huge fan base…we’ll see what happens!

David Archuleta finished off the night, singing “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley. I couldn’t believe my ears; to me and my sisters, this song is a lullaby…but that’s just the way we think of it. I actually really liked this song when sung by David….Very nice, sweet, sound. But he lost hold of the end a bit…not too bad, though. Especially when coming after Jason’s mis-hap.
Randy called it ‘another great one. Tender; caressed each word.’
Paula said it was ‘one of my favorite performances’.
And Simon had the last word of the night; telling David “You didn’t beat the competition tonight; you crushed it!’
Great one, David! You amaze me!

Let’s all try to be calm tonight, shall we? I am scared, though, that if a certain someone doesn’t go this evening, the fire-breathing dragon within me is going to be unleashed….

Posted under Life Thoughts

OK, I sit down to write my review/sum up, and I think to myself, where’s my kitchen sink? In other words, pretty much all of my editing material is gone….not good. Or, in the words of that funny little man on the Incredibles, “I’m not happy, Bob. Not happy.”

Well, this was an interesting night, to say the least. I was expecting great performances from Jason and Brooke, seeing as Neil Diamond is more their genre than pretty much anything else they’ve been able to choose from the last couple of weeks. But I was doomed to disappointment.

Jason Castro opened the night with “Forever in Blue Jeans”. I thought this was definitely his genre; while I thought it was ‘nice’, I found myself telling him emphatically to “OPEN YOUR MOUTH!” He looks like he’s singing through his teeth. I honestly think he’s losing his ‘charm’….I like the kid, but he should be the one leaving tomorrow.
Jason’s second song was “September Morn”; and it was only OK. I think he did regain a bit of his charm on this one, though.

Randy thought both performances were “just OK”. He said he wasn’t sure “what’s happening tonight”, but wasn’t impressed.
Paula was rather confused tonight, to put it lightly. She thought (from what I could gather) that Jason is losing his charm, and isn’t “fighting hard enough”.
Simon called them both “Forgettable” and said “You’re not the Jason we put through; we don’t recognize you”. I agree with Simon; this doesn’t seem to be the same kid I was rooting for in the beginning of the season.

David Cook started with the little known “I’m Alive”. I was skeptical the first time through, but after my second hearing, I rather liked it.

Randy declared it “Very good. In the zone; Very strong. You were doing your thing.”
Paula, in all the muddle, said (I think) that she “loved your notes! You’re fantastic!”
And Simon, well, Simon thought it just above average.

David’s second song choice was also little known or heard, “All I Really Need Is You”. That one was beautiful. At first, I wondered if I was just showing partiality, so watched it through again, and it was even better the second time. It gave me chills, and actually brought tears to my eyes; Imagine your baby saying those words to you…and an awesome arrangement.

Randy voted himself “a huge DC fan now-Rocked the house! Blazin’!”
Paula was “so proud of you. I feel like I’m already looking at the American Idol.”
Simon said “the first song was OK; the second: Brilliant! You made it feel like that song was written this year; changed the arrangement, and made it work for you. Smart; well done!”

Brooke White sang “I’m A Believer” which was cute, but not very good. She sounded nervous to me; but overall much better after the key change.

Randy said it was “better than last week; but still a little kareoke for me.”
We don’t know what Paula thought, and
Simon thought it was “A nightmare”.

After that, she sang “I Am…I said”. I liked it; she made it her own by changing the lyrics up some. It was much better than her first; really quite sweet, and one of my favorites of the night.

Randy thought her “very vulnerable” and said this song was “one of the tougher songs to sing; nice job, though.”
Paula thought she “had fun”, and that she showed her “vulnerability. Works.”
Simon said “that’s the Brooke we like. Not incredible, but a million times better than the last.”

David Archuletta sang “Sweet Caroline”-was only Ok for me.

Randy said he was “the bomb.”
Paula-well, again, we don’t know…
Simon said it was “amateurish”.

David’s second song was “America”. It just didn’t quite sound like the David A. I love. He was only OK tonight for me.

Randy thought him totally “in the zone; another good performance.”
Paula said it was the “perfect song to sing. Love you; brilliant. Your voice is so on point. Have fun!”
Simon said it was a “smart song choice.Ticked the boxes. The right choice.”

Syesha Mercado sang “Hello Again” first. I thought it lovely, clear and sweet. But just a bit old-fashioned.

Randy said she too was “in the zone; very nice vocals, was strong. Wasn’t amazing, but strong”.
Paula liked the vulnerable side to her voice she showed, calling it “Beautiful. Touching. That’s your magic.”
Simon thought it “Old-fashioned”, like myself. He also addressed the whole group; “You are the top five; I want to see and hear the performance of a lifetime.”

Syesha’s second was “Thank The Lord For The Nightime”. It was fun, spunky; and the vocals were right on!

Randy told Syesha she’d “finally realized who you are. This is the way I like you. In the zone!”
Paula said it showed “a whole different side. You’re good at the theatrical and the pop singing. I love her!”
Simon thought Syesha a “very good actress/singer”. However, he also mentioned he thought she would be in trouble tomorrow night; just “a calculated guess”.

Tomorrow night, we’ll see who goes and who stays. My vote would be for Jason, but after the disaster last week with Carly leaving, and Michael Johns before her, one can’t say anything for certain this year. My ‘calculated guess’ would have Jason and Syesha in the bottom. Not because Syesha is bad, but because many Americans prefer vocals that are not, as we say, ‘top-notch’ anymore. Jason is a shining example. Yes, he’s fun and charming, but he should listen to the people (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mariah Carey, etc) who come in to work with them, and take their advice. Syesha is a great vocalist, and should go far in her musical career, even if it is off A-I.

Posted under American Idol, Entertainment, Quotes

I was shocked at last night’s outcome on A-I. While I was happy (or tried to be, at least) for Brooke and Jason, Syesha nor Carly deserved to be where they were. I’m still upset over Carly leaving…but what can you do? She is a great vocalist, and will go far; I for one will buy her albums.
I thought Carly went out with a great attitude; very proud of her and her accomplishments; and did I mention I’m still upset?!

Posted under Uncategorized

Well, I wrote out a nice, detailed account of the whole night; only to find that it is now deleted and gone. sigh. I’m too tired to cry about it; but you will have to settle for less than originally intended.

But I will say this; I am officially at war with my TV. It frequently will blank out, or it will drown out the voices with bursts of static. I don’t mind this normally, as I don’t watch much TV (at least, not with the seven channels we get), but I like to see and hear the contestants on my A-I!

I was surprised to see Kristy Lee Cook go last week, as I’ve thought she’s improved steadily each week. Though, I must say, I was very happy to see my Carly ranked the highest among the girls!

Andrew Lloyd Webber worked with the group last night; and I’ve been so excited ever since I found that out weeks ago! This man has some incredible works to his name.

Syesha Mercado started off with “One Rock & Roll Too Many”; and for the first time in a LONG time, this girl picked the right song! I was so proud of her! Syesha belongs on Broadway. She shouldn’t be leaving us tonight, but she might be in the bottom three; just because she doesn’t seem to have as strong a fan base as most of the others.

Randy said something about it being her element (I can’t tell exactly what all he said, as I was having a battle with the TV and only caught slight phrases here and there in between the static roar of the demonic creation!) and that she looked great up there.

Paula told Syesha that she is “really good at this”.

Simon thought it “one of your strongest performances”.

Jason Castro sang “Memories” and my first thought was “Oh, no!”; the second was “this might be neat to hear from a soft-spoken guy for a change”…..I was right on both counts. It was neat to hear it from a different source, but didn’t turn out for the best. There was greatness underlying it, but there it is: it was only underlying it. It wasn’t there. He could be wonderful, but he isn’t. He’s just charming, and I think it’s time for him to go. I’m not sure he will though….he seems to have a pretty strong fan base.

Randy said it was “a little bit of a train-wreck”.

Paula said it “further identifies your uniqueness”.

Simon asked Jason if it had been “the longest two minutes of your life?” and that it was probably his. He also thought Jason sounded “like a young man who is being forced by his parents to sing at a wedding he really doesn’t want to attend”. I think I have to agree with Simon; it wasn’t very good. Though I have heard that Jason was sick; but then both Davids’ have performed while under health problems, and came up to par; Jason didn’t.

Brooke White sang “You Must Love Me”; I thought it touching, and really felt the emotional connection behind it. She did mess up the beginning and started over again; but I thought she handled it well. But all that said, Brooke most likely will be leaving us tonight.

Randy said it “wasn’t great”, but admired that Brooke listened to A.W. “You have to believe what you’re singing”.

Paula was not happy with the performance; reminding Brooke that “you must never start and stop”. But commended her on not over-acting, saying it was “just you”, and commenting on her “emotional strength”.

Simon called it “so dramatic”; told Brooke she “was so tense. You’ll be very disappointed when you watch this back”. But did admit that, had he forgotten the lyrics, he would have done exactly as Brooke.

David Archuletta sang “Think Of Me”; and he did quite a nice job of it. He definitely had the WOW factor, and I rather liked the pop arrangement.

Randy declared him (are you ready? And not the first time) “THE BOMB! This boy’s the one to beat!”.

Paula said it was “absolutely perfect; you took a risk, and were quite able to turn it into a pop ballad”.

Simon thought it “pleasant” but “one of your weakest”. He also said that David would absolutely be through to next week.

Carly Smithson sang “Jesus Christ, Superstar”. For me, personally, I find the lyrics a bit offensive, so it was rather difficult to listen to her vocals. I do think she performed well, sang well; possibly the range was a little too high; I thought the backup vocals were bad. And I did love the way she looked.

Randy said it was “not your best, but definitely good”.

Paula thought “the range was maybe too high, but I loved it”.

Simon said it was “a little bit shouty in the middle”; and that it was “actually one of my favorite performances tonight”. Way to go, Carly!

David Cook ended the night on “Music of the Night”. Again, here; my first thought was, “Oh, no. David’s going to flunk this one!” But I should have had more faith in his abilities. I LOVED it! He conveyed the song so well. I loved seeing this softer side to his vocals. He really can sing anything!

Randy agreed with me, saying “you can sing anything. Amazing vocal performance. Molting hot!” I guess he thought it good, huh?

Paula told David he had “a beautiful instrument” in his voice, and called the performance “Fantastic”.

Simon said it was “not the sound I like; too rounded off”, but that David “made the most of it”.

David C. and David A. are the one’s to beat here! Looking forward to a finale of Davids’!

Posted under Uncategorized

Let me just say that I was shocked, horrified (and every other similar expression), last week when Michael was voted off. He was definitely one of the more talented performers this year; I hope he gets a good record label, and keeps up with the bluesy vocals he does so well.

Mariah Carey worked with the contestants last night; and it turned out to be a very good one for the guys.

David Archuletta sang “If You Believe”; the song choice was no shocker, and neither were his vocals, they were stunning as usual. In fact, the song choice, arrangement, vocals, performance, everything was gorgeous!

Randy was pumped; saying, or rather declaring, as is his wont, that David “can sing anything! That was the bomb, baby!”
Paula was moved, stating that David must have “made Mariah proud.”
Simon had some positive things to say as well; including “very, very good. You set the bench mark tonight. I actually know that song very well….you performed and sang it very well.”

David is one of the most talented young singers I have ever seen or heard. This boy will go far even if he is kicked off tonight (now, THAT would be a shocker!). I’m predicting he will be one of the finalists, as I have since nearly the start of this season. I’d be thrilled to be proven right!
Carly Smithson sang the song that both Simon and I have been waiting to hear her sing all season; “Without You”. I loved the way she looked; much softer and more feminine. And she actually had sleeves! My sister and I both were thrilled with that.
The arrangement was lovely; but I thought the range was a little low, vocally. I would have liked her to raise it just a half-step. But maybe that’s just me. I did love the restraint she showed at first into the chorus, choosing to ‘surprise’ you with bringing it up several notches.

Randy liked that Carly “challenged” herself, and thought it “cool in the power parts”. But thought the ‘beginning was a little loosy-goosy. It was pretty good, though”.
Paula liked that Carly “showed vocal restraint, and then soared”.
Simon wondered if she could pull this song off, and said he “didn’t think you did.” He believes Carly is still “to wound up; holding yourself in. It was just OK.”

Against my own personal feelings, I think we will see Carly in the bottom three tonight; should she go? I don’t think so.

Syesha Mercado sang “Vanishing”. I loved how she did it; very nice. Her vocals are always great; but I think she has trouble connecting to her audience. That’s going to give her lot’s of trouble.

Randy thought it was the “vocally toughest song of the week” and that Syesha “had a few pitchy moments; but did a good job all things considered”.
Paula loved it, saying that “tonight was unbelievably magical for you”.
Simon said it was “technically very good indeed. Having said that, you run a risk with the song choice”, regarding it being a little known song. That doesn’t quite make sense to me, but hey-He’s in the music industry (being paid for it), and I’m not.

I think Syesha, vocally, deserves to stay; whether she will or not remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, I missed Brooke White’s performance, again! AGH! So I don’t really have much too say. From the playback, it didn’t sound very good, though. Any thoughts on Brooke appreciated. I do believe she’ll be in the bottom three, if she isn’t in fact the one leaving tonight.

Kristy Lee Cook sang “Forever”; and I thought it was a very good performance, especially from Kristy.

Randy said there “‘were a couple of pitchy notes” but that Kristy has “definitely started stepping up”.

Paula was “blown away. I love most the arrangement-you could have a hit with that one!”.

Simon said it was “smart” and “an advantage”. But “just not great”.

I think Kristy will be there next week. She just keeps getting better and better each week.

David Cook surprised everyone with “Always Be My Baby”; and man, did he surprise! This was genius; of course, I can never say enough about David. I love, love, loved hearing the different sound from him. Another hit!

Randy said that “more than anyone on the show; you are ready to make an album! That was the most brilliant performance yet!” and he gave David his first standing ovation. Wow!

Paula told David “You’re it. You have the whole package. That could be a movie soundtrack.”

Simon thought it “original, daring, stood out by a mile. That’s the sign of a great potential artist, someone who takes risks. Congratulations.”

David was awesome this week! No words left….

Jason Castro ended the night on a song that I don’t know the name of (any fillers-in welcome). But he did a good job. My first impression wasn’t so good, but watching it back, I thought it was pretty good; though his vocal technique is bad.

Randy “didn’t really love it.” and thought “it was weird”.

Paula said she’d like to listen to him all night.

And Simon agreed with Paula; saying “it wasn’t the best vocal, but was identified with you. A cool version.” Simon also said that the guys had completely won the night.

Jason has some kind of irresistible charm, and a unique voice. He’ll be around.

Posted under Uncategorized

For the first time in two weeks, I caught the whole performance last night. I was expectant of some very good performances; after all, it is Idol Gives Back week. But I must say that, overall, I was disappointed.

Michael Johns was first up, with “Dream On”. I thought overall it was pretty good, but, like Randy mentioned, there were some pitch problems. His falsetto, for me, seemed off a bit. I also agree with Simon, that Michael performs best when he does the ‘bluesy’ feel, rather than the rocker.

Randy said Michael had ‘a pretty good song choice’ but that there were ‘pitch problems’.

Paula ‘couldn’t disagree more’ with Randy, saying it was the ‘perfect song’.

Simon decided to be very nice overall last night, and told Michael that he gave a ‘very good performance’ but that it was just ‘a little bit wanna-a-be-ish’.

Syesha Mercado, in my opinion, gave a stellar performance, again; singing “I Believe”. My first reaction-”This girl has got A Voice!” It was beautiful, calming; it just put my spirit to rest.

Randy must have decided to take Simon’s place as the mean one; He said Syesha had taken on another Tiger, but it was only OK for him. He couldn’t help but compare her to Fantasia. I think this is where Syesha has been making a mistake, she takes on the big-name, big-voice songs, and though she has an incredible voice, she’s constantly setting herself to be measured by the big names and falling just a bit short. But that’s just my personal opinion, not fact.

Paula told Syesha she ’sang it beautifully’.

Simon said she ’sang it very well’, but that it lacked the big emotion given it by Fantasia, or something to that effect (I have one of the old, unimproved TV’s, and it kept blinking off during this part).

Jason Castro sang a new version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. I thought, overall, it was very good. He’s slowly improving. The first part wasn’t so good, as I could hear him struggling to breathe. The second half, he seemed to have found it, and it was quite enjoyable from then on; there were some very pretty notes in there.

Randy gave one of two good reviews of the night to Jason, declaring that “Jason is back in the hunt!” and that it was “blazing hot!”.

Paula told Jason he had one of the ‘most definitive voices’ and she ‘loved it’. The version was great too.

Simon, the man of few words, simply declared it “Fantastic”. Way to go, Jason!

Kristy Lee Cook sang one of my favorite songs, “Anyway”. I thought she was quite nice…not outstanding, but she’s managing to hold on to the competition, week by week.

Randy said there were ‘a couple pitch problems. But good’.

Paula told Kristy she ‘outdid yourself. This is your best ever. Excellent’.

Simon thought Kristy had a ’smart song choice’ and that it was ‘very, very good. You look like a star’.

Thumbs up, Kristy; you got a good review by Simon!

David Cook sang “Innocent”; and scared me a bit. I don’t think he was as bad as the judges said, but he did seem to have his mind in another place, and wasn’t as good as previous weeks. But you have to admit (OK, you don’t, but I do) that he’s been giving stellar performances since “Hello”, so this week may really not have been as bad as it might seem.

Randy told him it ‘wasn’t one of your strongest weeks’.

Paula liked ‘the whole package’; especially the “Give Back” on his palm.

Simon “didn’t like it’; he thought it ‘a bit pompish’ and ‘not near as good as the last two weeks’.

Carly Smithson looked lovely, singing “The Show Must Go On”. I loved her makeup this week, it wasn’t nearly as heavy, and allowed you to see the beauty of her face and eyes. I thought her performance was strong, and disagreed with all the judges; I felt engaged and connected with Carly’s performance.

Randy said it ’started out good; pitchy in the middle, and ended OK’. He said she had (like Syesha) taken on a big tiger; and the tigers didn’t seem to be working this week.

Paula thought Carly’s voice was ‘pretty perfect’, but she didn’t feel engaged.

Simon gave Carly an ‘unusual song choice’. He also thought she ‘oversang it’ and that, to him, it ‘came over as an angry performance’.

Sometimes I have to wonder if the judges have anything personally against Syesha and Carly….

David Archuletta was charming, as usual, singing “Angels”. I felt refreshed and encouraged. David put a smile on my face (not an easy thing to do these days), and I was ‘wowed’. Sure, there were a few pitch problems in there, but nothing substantial.

Randy gave the only other positive critique of the night, declaring ‘That’s the David I love! Crazy hot!’.

Paula said ‘that sums it up for me. Fantastic’.

And Simon told him it was ‘the best of the night so far. Not your best vocal. A bit nasely.’ But he was ‘just nit-pickin’ here. You’ll sail through.’

Way to go David A!

Brooke White wound up the night with “You’ve Got A Friend”. I thought it was just OK. It lacked the Brooke-persona I’ve grown so fond of over the last couple weeks.

Randy agreed with me, saying it was ‘OK. Not your best’.

Paula told Brooke she was ‘definitive. I love you!’

Simon thought it was like ‘A pleasant walk in the park. It was nice. Original? No. But pleasant? Yes.’

Nice review from Simon there!

I’m sitting on the edge of my seat to see who leaves us this week, and who’ll be back! Biting my nails, too.
Who I think will be the bottom three? Brooke, Syesha, and Carly; but not based on vocals or performance, just what I think will happen. We’ll see.

Posted under American Idol, Entertainment

I did it again. Totally lost track of time and missed the first performance. Brooke White’s. AGH! Why did it have to be hers’?! Oh well. I did hear mixed reviews later, some liked it, and the judges didn’t. We’ll see.

So, David Cook was second. He did his own arrangement of “Little Sparrow”. His vocals were, as usual, great. The arrangement-genius! My sister, kattyrae (who doesn’t even like David) thought he was THE BEST of the night! Since I’m a little biased in his favor, that got me rather pumped; and of course, I found it impossible to refrain from a few ”I told you so”’s.

Randy thought David was “hot”, and showed his ”good range” off well.

Paula said it was ”fantastic”, had ‘’strength”, and was ”well-rounded”. She also commented positively on his new hair-cut; I liked it better than his last too. Not that that matters much in a vocal competition.

Simon had to be honest and say it ”wasn’t as good as last week”; but on the other hand, he complimented David with this: “You made a song about sparrows good. Congratulations!”

I just heard that David was rushed to the hospital immediately after the show….apparently he has been battling health problems for a while now. He gave an awesome performance in view of that! I hope he is going to be fine.

After-Post comment: David Cook is, according to The Los Angeles Times released from the hospital with a prescription for medication to lower his anxiety-related high blood pressure and is now back in his hotel room.

Ramiele Malubay has disappointed again; singing-I’m not sure what; I’d never heard this one before, or maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention. I really loved that she seemed to get more involved with the audience, moving around the stage instead of standing in the one position practically the whole time. I just didn’t think Ramiele was remarkable. And she has the voice to be remarkable; just not coming with it. I don’t believe she’ll last much longer unless she really gets her game on.

Randy “wasn’t jumping up and down” with it, but thought it was fair; giving it ”a 6 & 1/2 out of 10″.

Paula called it a “great minute and 30 seconds; you had fun”.

Simon said it was ”cute”, and that Ramiele “sang it quite well; but very forgettable, and reminiscent of a cruise ship”.

Jason Castro, my fourteen year old brothers’ favorite this year, sang “Travellin’ Through”. I thought he was better than he has been the last few weeks, but my sister and I both noticed his breathing into the mic, it was really distracting. Just a consequence of not using proper vocal technique. I thought the end was…..interesting. I’m still not sure about it, but I think it worked.

Randy said it was “kinda’ cool” and “pretty good…you worked it. I started believing you!” I found myself believing Jason again too after the past three weeks. That’s exciting!

Paula found it ”confident”; said he ‘’sounded good”, and that it was one of his “strongest performances” to date.

Simon opened saying he was afraid he was going to lose his pass to Dollywood for saying this, but that he didn’t like it. “If I’d heard you for the first time I just wouldn’t get it.” Simon told Jason.

Carly Smithson sang “Here You Come Again”, and wow, she did it again. She really came into her element; I found myself getting goosebumps listening to her. Kattyrae and I both agreed that she reminds us of such greats as Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand.

Randy predicted Carly’s performance would be the best of the night.

Paula said Carly was ”glorious” (did she mean her voice or how she looked?!), remarked on her ”amazing talent” and ”That voice of yours….oh!” I think overall, Paula was pretty much speechless.

Simon said it was “good; not great” and that “at this stage, everyone is capable, with the right performance, to be great. That wasn’t.” Once again, when it comes to Carly, I disagree with Simon. This reminds me of Katherine McPhee performing Whitney Houston; Simon had some very negative feedback on that one, but Katherine had a hit there.

David Archuletta sang “Smoky Mountain Memories”; this made me want to go home…..which was exactly where I was while watching last night. You could feel the emotion, love and longing, the fondness of home in his voice….and it really carried me away. I admit that I am tired of hearing ballads from him, but thought it was a great song choice, and he showcased his vocals and range well.

Randy burst out with “Guess what, baby? David’s back! I stand corrected, THAT was the best performance tonight!”

Paula said David had a ”wonderful orb about you” (whatever she means by that?!), and said he was “glorious”. Was she listening to his voice at all, or was Paula out of the whole thing by this time?

Simon had just one thing to say: “Absolutely on the money”. That sums it up, don’t it?

Kristy Lee Cook picked a good song for herself with “Coat Of Many Colors”. I thought it was enjoyable, and that her vocals were pretty good. I don’t think she’s as good a vocalist as any of the others in this competition, but she’s managed to pull her unique voice through so far.

Randy said it was “a very nice performance”.

Paula called it a “beautiful performance” and pronounced it Kristy’s “best”.

Simon disagreed with Paula, saying last week was better for Kristy. He termed this week “Pleasant, but forgettable”.

Syesha Mercado sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. I thought it nice; very sweet, but powerful. She has some very good vocals, but I have to wonder if she bit off more than she could chew last night?

Randy said she “Did pretty good with the biggest tiger of the night”.

Paula commented on her ”velvety tone” and said Syesha was “growing; connecting with the audience”. I hope so.

Simon thought the first half was good; but the second half paled in comparison to the Whitney version. He called the performance “good” but said “it may not have helped you”. I agree with Simon here; if you’re going to try to tackle a Whitney Houston, you better bring it all the way….unfortunately, I don’t think Syesha did this time.

Michael Johns impressed the judges with “It’s All Wrong”. I guess I just didn’t get it or something. I liked his range in the song, but thought it a bad choice for him.

Randy was, as I said, impressed. “You keep bringing it up a notch every week. Nice job.”

Paula was enthused; “You’re a star!” Was she just really tired last night, or what?!

Simon told Michael “this is the best I have heard you sing”. I guess he was impressed too, huh?

I’m going to take the hint from the judges and say that Michael must have pulled a good performance.i

Posted under American Idol, Entertainment

I can’t believe this; but I missed some of the show last night! I taped most of it, but when I went to play it found that the picture was fuzzy, and every now and then there’d be a loud, ringing sound that drowned out the singers! AGH! I need one of those new TV’s with the box thing….. I’ll tell you now; I totally missed the theme, but I’m guessing that the contestants had to choose a song from the year they were born….? Anyone who knows and wants to set me straight, go for it!
I missed Ramiele Malubay’s performance; so I don’t have anything to say about it. I think she has a great voice, but she hasn’t been picking the best songs for her lately; I hope she did well enough to stay in another week.

Jason Castro sang “Fragile”. I thought it was well-suited to his voice, and I loved that he sang something (even if it was only half) in Spanish; seeing as he’s from the great state of Texas (yes; I’m prejudiced!), and most know some of the Spanish language down there. It seemed to show off some of who he is. None of the judges especially liked Jason’s performance, and here’s why (aside from their thinking it was too laid back and boring): Jason isn’t using proper technique. His voice is lovely, but he needs to support more, learn the correct timing to breathe, etc….As such, he’s not able to project well, sustain….That being said, I think his voice is VERY unique, something definitely needed in this competition. Here’s hoping he gets someone to teach him proper vocal technique, and then he’ll be soaring towards the finals!

Syesha Mercado did very well with “If I Were Your Woman”; all I could think was “Wow! Syesha is SERIOUS! Two weeks running; LOVELY! Randy called it her “best ever! Unbelievable!” Paula said Syesha ”flipped it” and had ”fantastic, upper and lower registers, pitch perfect.” But Simon said that ”there is a limit on your vocals, and that song stretched it”, saying that the end ”wasn’t as good”. Job very well done, Syesha! She’s in here seriously!

Chikezie might have some trouble tonight; he sang “If Only For One Night”. His vocals were good, no complaint there. He used the song to display his high and lower registers well. But it was boring; it sounded like it could have been released, all those years ago, just the way he sang it. Paula was the only one that liked it, saying Chikezie is “a throwback” but in a good way. Simon admitted that the vocals were good, but that Chikezie had ”to show originality” and that he missed his personality.

Brooke White, singing “Every Breathe You Take”, did an OK performance. I loved her back on the piano! Her first few notes were off; she started over and did well. Her recovery was good for the first half, but by the last she wasn’t doing so well; I agree with the judges, the band accompaniment seemed out of place, she could have done better by herself. Paula called her ”unique” and ”consistent”. Simon said it was ”good enough to keep you in”. I’m growing fonder of Brooke each week; I truly think she could be around by the top five or six now.

Michael Johns blew everyone away with ”We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions”. I LOVED his vocals in the middle, very well done. Randy called it ”the best”, and Micheal showed off his ”big ole’ voice”. Paula said he ”picked the right song”, and that it was ”your shining moment”. Simon said he saw ‘’star potential. You just got it right”, and it was ”the only memorable performance” so far that night. This is what I’ve been waiting to see from Michael; I’m so excited for him!

Carly Smithson was a little tight on “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”; but I don’t think she did as badly as the judges. I really liked her lower register, beautiful tone and depth there. Carly reminds me seriously of Celine Dion, she has the same beautiful big voice. The chorus was a bit scratchy to me, though. Randy noted the ’sharp note at the end”, while Paula didn’t hear it, she ”loved what you did at the end”? How did they come up with those totally different opinions? Simon thought ’something didn’t work there” and that Carly needs to ”lighten up a bit”.

David Archuletta sang “You’re The Voice”; His runs were very nice, and high notes were beautiful. His beginning was a little rough to me, but he definitely has power in those vocals! Randy ”didn’t like the song” but said ”David could sing anything”, Paula agreed with him there. Simon said David ‘’sang it well in parts” but that it was ”reminiscent of a theme park performance”. I actually liked his song choice; David does wonderful on the ballads, but it was good to see him do something a bit younger and more energetic.

Kristy Lee Cook sang “God Bless The USA”. Her vocals were good; I didn’t like the arrangement, but excellent song choice on her part. Randy said it was ”a little pitchy” but ”very poignant”; Paula mentioned how much stronger Kristy’s vocals were tonight, but also mentioned the pitchiness. Simon declared Kristy “safe” this week, and that she had the ”most clever song choice in years”.

David Cook sang “Billy Jean”, as usual, he took some big risks, and they really paid off. This guy is awesome! He’s got the element back! And I loved the emotion that showed through his voice. Randy said it was the ”most original, bold performance ever had! Might be the one to win the whole lot!” and it was ”blazing hot!” WOW! If that isn’t the biggest! Paula couldn’t ‘’sit down”, she called him ‘’smart, brave, willing to stretch the boundaries right to the edge without going over. Brilliant.” Simon said David could ”either be insane or amazing. That was amazing!” David, you’re going all the way!

Next week, Dolly Parton!

Posted under American Idol, Entertainment, Quotes

Well, another performance night has passed for those singing on American Idol. Here’s my recap.

I have to say the first two performances passed over my head a little, as in, I didn’t give them my full attention due to other things that were requiring my it; so in all fairness, I can’t really say much about them.

Amanda Overmeyer; I think she sang “USSR”. Not one I’d ever heard before, so forgive me if I got the title wrong.  I thought it was pitchy. But she was bringing who she is to the stage; I guess you gotta hand that to her. I can’t remember what any of the judges said about her.

Kristy Lee Cook sang “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”; it was so much better than last week. Not very strong, but still enjoyable. I don’t think she has a powerful voice, so if you’re trying to measure her by that, it won’t add up. But I’m starting to enjoy her voice. Don’t remember what the judges said, but I really liked her this week.

David Archuleta: kid, you gave it to them! Singing “The Long & Winding Road”, David recovered quite well from last week. Randy said “the hotness was back; but remember to take those liberties” his voice is good for it. Paula said he “Came back strong” and that that ”revealed his character”. Simon said it was “Amazing. But sell your song, remember the performance.” Great job, David!

Micheal Johns sang “A Day In The Life”. A very hard song; Randy said it ‘wasn’t your best’. Simon said it was a mess; and even Paula had some tough comments; saying there were “no excuses; Phenomenal voice, you gotta raise the bar”. I agree. Micheal is one of the best vocalists in this competition; but he’s gotta’ keep doing better and better each week, or he’ll be out-shined.

Brooke White. She just grows on you each week. “Here Comes The Sun” wasn’t her best, but still nice; I thought it was well-suited to her voice. Randy said it seemed ”akward” to him, that he ”never connected” with it. Paula said it showed her ”good low-tone. But it could have been more challenging.” Simon said it was ”a terrible performance. It comes down to song choice”. But Brooke had a beautiful attitude through the critic.

David Cook sang “Day Tripper”; very cool, and good vocals; I like the use of the voice box, or whatever the term was. :) Randy said he was ”keeping it interesting. Another sold!” Paula said there was ”not much else to say”; and Simon….well, Simon said it was “not as good. Lost the element of surprise.” and he ”didn’t like the voicing”.

Carly Smithson blew me away with her “Blackbird”. I thought her vocals were both good and strong, it was steady and purposeful, and she really pulled you into the song. Randy called it ”very emotive”; Paula said the ”arrangement was Fantastic”; and Simon thought it was….”indulgent”? For once I disagree with Simon. Carly did an outstanding job.

Jason Castro sang ”Michelle” and it suited him extremely well. It was fun, entertaining, good vocals, and I thought his French was pretty good. Randy said it was ”a good choice” but that he ”didn’t know” he was ”not really connected”. Paula said Jason has ”a distinct charm” but ”wierd”. Simon said it’s ”getting a bit strange. You’re very charming, not obnoxious” and ”your goofiness makes it work.” Simon also mentioned how he thought it was a mistake to do Beatles…way too close to Lennon/McCartney.

Syesha Mercado sang “Yesterday”, and I have to say hers was the top performance of the night. It was gripping, very sweet and compelling, and her vocals were great! Randy said it was a ”Very, very, very good performance”; Paula said she loved that Syesha seemed ”vulnerable”; and Simon said it was ”probably her best performance. Not incredible, but you chose the best song for you. That song and performance will keep you in”. Great job, Syesha! Thumbs up to you!

Chikezie; “I just Seen A Face” was OK. Randy said it had it’s “Good and bad parts”; Paula didn’t agree with him, saying Chikezie had done ”it again!” Simon said the ”harmonica was atrocious. It turns into achy-breaky heart. Not as good as last week”, he also called it “gimmicky”.

Ramiele Malubay was the last to perform, with “I Should Have Known Better” she did much better than last week. I still think she needs to start moving about the stage more to capture the audience’s attention. Randy said she’d shown ”confidence” again, it was ”alright, you did your thing”; Paula said it was ”definitely better than last week”; and Simon said she ”chose a mediocre song” and that she was fully capable of more.

All things considered, I think it’ll be Amanda, Chikezie, and Kristy Lee in the bottom three tonight. As far as which one will go….I really couldn’t say. But we’ll see in about twenty minutes! Enjoy the show tonight!

Posted under American Idol, Entertainment