American Idol Update- Season Four

Soon to be featured in a Ford Focus Commercial/Skit: Cathy in Purple, Deb in Red, Tim in Blue

Week Eight: Songs From The Year You Were Born

Cool theme!!  They each have so many possibilities.  Although it opens them all up to the genre that they tend to stick with the most (Carrie) so we'll see what happens

Neat theme, one they’ve never done before as far as I can remember.  Tim, you’re correct that they’re making the themes more general this year to allow for rockers and country folk alike to be able to stay close to their roots if they wish.

This was an interesting theme. Very open ended. It does allow folks to stay close to their roots, but as we have rockers, country and R & B people and not just pure pop singers, they have to be careful as to when to stick to their roots or try to challenge themselves and branch out. It does add an extra wrinkle to the contest- play it safe but risk alienating those that don't like your style, or try to do something different? The ones who stick around will be the ones who find this balance- or the ones who pout to the camera in the way only a 14 year old would understand...

Nadia (When I Dream - 1977) - Typical.  She's dressed like Tina Turner in her sexy clothes and rediculously huge hair, but she's singing a slow song about dreams.  She NEVER ever matches the song she sings.  She's a year older than me, but she acts so young and immature.  I really think that she should know better and if she's not voted off this week, I'm gonna find her and beat her up!  Really pretty song though.  WHOA, even Paula didn't like it.  Now I really think she's gone.

OK, I feel dumb now.  Both you and Tim made the comparison to Tina Turner and it had never even dawned on me.  Oh well.  That dress was really something, I think the front row could see her coochie.  Really nice but certainly not a showstopper.  She needs nails too!  She’d better do something great soon or she’s out.

Weird look, extra puffy hair.  Obscure song.  Good and soulful, trying to be Tina Turner, does OK with it but needs to find her own style.  She needs to pick better songs.

Bo (Free Bird - 1975) - Cool song choice for him.  He does tend to pick pretty cool songs.  Have you ever noticed how pretty his eyes are?  I wish I could get him a makeover because he has A LOT of potential.  Anyway, I really liked the performance.  I mean by the end of the show I don't know if it'll be one that really stood out, but I really did like it a lot.  There's not a lot I'd change about it.

Did not notice the eyes, probably b/c they’re always covered by his mop of hair.  His performance was good but actually not as good as I was expecting it to be.  Falls into that category of performances with a shaky start but big finish.

Kinda cheesy arrangement at points but he sang well.  Nice that this theme lets him rock out. I actually wind up liking this more than I thought I would, but it wasn't a song that challanged him, seemed a little predictable of a choice...

Anwar (I'll never love this way again - 1979) - Man, he was a cute little kid.  He's a year YOUNGER than me?  I thought he was older than that.  Ok, that was one of his best performances yet.  I still wasn't a fan of the song, but he's definitely coming back.

Yeah, he totally acts older than he is, doesn’t help that he tends to do older songs (e.g. Moon River).  This was really nice and well sung.  Great for him, I do question if he has that “it factor” though.  This is about as good as he can do and I still don’t think it’s going to get people on that phone to give him votes.  He’ll last a little while longer but won’t be in the top 3 (I predict).

Pretty, which is his trademark.  It let him show off his voice, I think he could have a hit with this.  He kind of Nikko-ed it at the end, gave it a little urban flavor, which he needs to balance the pretty.

Wooo hoooo.  Hall and Oats.  You know it's a big show when they get stars like Hall and Oats. When I saw Haul and Oates it dawned on me, no guest judges this year!  What’s the deal?  Hey Deb, you're right! What the dilly-o? (dating myself) Spooky, dilly-o is already in my spell check program...

Anthony (Every time you go away - 1985) - I love this so so much.  I totally rock out to this song when I'm in the car.  And I know before I even hear it that it's THE PERFECT song for Anthony.  Oops, it got really corny in the middle when he did a 2 second running man and then he did the no band and audience clapping thing.  Ouch is that corny!  Anyway, I've just made a major realization.  He won't be the American Idol this year (obviously, that's not the realization).  But if he can just stick it out on a cruise ship or something, he'll kick but when he's like in his 50's with the older crowd.  Don't you think they'd totally eat him up?  He's just got that style.

Well, I love H&O but HATE this song.  (Cathy, how could you love this song?  It sucks just so much.)  I’m not surprised he chose it though.  In a word bland.

Odd phrasing.  He could have done well with this song- it does seem like a great fit for him- but it seemed off and too fluffy.

Vonzelle (Let's hear it for the boy - 1984) - April Fools!!!!  Is this a joke?  She's not really gonna lose her wining streak because she got a bug up her butt to sing the stupidest song ever written, is she?  Ok wait, just kidding.  She totally just kicked total butt with this song.  Holy crap.  The only thing I would've wanted her to change is that I wanted her to grab a hot guy in the crowd and start dancing with him.  That would've been awsom!

She could have grabbed Courteney Cox out of the audience and danced with her, THAT would have been awsom.  This performance was fine, but she added nothing to this song.  Just a karaoke version of the original.  I thought overall it was kind of boring. That's HI-larious, Deb! I just spent five minutes trying to find a picture from the "Dancing In The Dark" video but couldn't. There's a million Courtney Cox pictures out there... Good, a little off in spots.  Fun, not her best.

Scott (She's gone - 1976) - Huh, this is a Hall and Oats song?  Who knew?  Ha ha, I love how he says he rocked out and then they start this slow, not so rockin song.  Funny.  Anyway, he wasn't great at the like 4 lines where he had to sing low, but the rest was really really really good!  His voice was really great during the rest of it.  I'd love it if they put this on the AI cd.  Uh oh, he just talked back to Simon.  He's gonna be in the bottom 3.  The audience hates when they talk back.

Awesome!  One of my faves of his in a long time.  Best tonight so far.  Outstanding.  I think this was one of the breakout performances of the season.  Apparently the judges didn’t agree with me but Scott knew it.

 Nice!  Great H&O reaction shot.  He needed this – this may be the breakout he needed.

Actually, I really liked a lot of the singers this season so I am probably gonna buy the AI cd this year.  Not the one they're doing now, but the one they put out every year with their best songs.  I can't wait to see what they choose.

Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see what they pick.  I think I’ll have to listen to your copy first before running out and buying it.

Absolutely. How often do we listen to any of the AI CDs? Even the one with Ratboy on it?

Carrie (Love is a battlefield - 1983) - Oh man.  What an idiot.  When she was little she used to sing all the wrong words to every song and her older sister used to get pissed at her.  What a dummy, huh?  Anyway, this is...interesting.  First of all, her virbratto is too fast now.  Second of all, she's wearing a great outfit.  Oops, she just messed up the words. Third, she's trying a little too hard.  Ok, a lot too hard.  If she would've sang it normally, it would've rocked!  But she rocked a little too hard.  I was disappointed.

Such a cheesy song for her to sing!  But good to see her hookered up and rocking out.  She moves very stiffly when she dances, she wasn’t selling it.  I really appreciate the risk but I didn’t love it.

Where’d they dig up Kim Caldwell?  Odd choice for her, she did it well.  Will they bong her for not being country?  I sure won’t.  Sour note at the end.  I'm surprised Deb didn't comment on Cathy's what a dummy line...

BTW, there's no such thing as rockin' too hard! Hell yeah!

Constantine (Bohemian Rhapsody - 1975) - That RULES!  I totally love this song.  This is one of those songs I dream of them singing (like Superstar) and they never actually tackle it.  But now he has made my dream come true (like Superstar).  Oh man, he did really great.  I loved it.  He took a great song and did it justice.

It’s a looong song, I wonder how they’ll chop this down?  Oh, only the rockin’ parts.  Such cheesy facial expressions and hair flips!  But very good besides that.  Even I thought he was better than Bo tonight and I love Bo.  I can’t believe Randy gave him a 10 for showmanship, he was such a camera whore – is that showmanship?  Then again, Randy worked with Mariah Carey.  I rest my case.

He’s as masculine as Freddy Mercury.  Cheesy, all over the place, but not his worst.

Fave 3:  Vonzelle, Constantine, and Bo

Top 3:  Scott, Anwar, Constantine

Top 3:  Scott, Anwar, Carrie (believe it or not!)

Bottom 3:  Nadia, Scott (only 'cause he talked back), and Carrie
Going home:  Nadia, or else!

Bottom 3:  Nadia, Vonzell, and Anthony.  I think Anthony is going home.  He should anyway, but after last week who knows?

Bottom 3:  Vonzell, Nadia, Anthony.  Anthony is going home.

Turns out Cathy was right, it was Nadia that went home.  We were all surprised when Bo wound up in the bottom 3 (probably happened b/c Constantine was good this week and so took votes away from Bo).  Cathy also picked Scott in the bottom 3.  Tim, she’s putting us to shame.  We’d better get on our game this week!

Hmmm, how many weeks in a row did you guess right, Deb? And I had a couple of good weeks- I predicted Jessica's departure when you two didn't have her in the bottom three (although Deb nearly did). We all have are moment in the sun picking them right, Cathy included. But you are correct on this, Deb. It ends here- we'll be back on top this week!

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