American Idol - Season 7

[corianderstem]

Chick-EAS-y EZZ-y (like Eddie, but with z's). That's how Paula's been saying it, anyway.

We saw his audition - Simon was going to pass because he felt like he knew everything there was to know about him by the little bit he sang. Randy and Paula (rightfully) loved him.

 

[cruzila]

simon just called him jacuzzi!

 

[one4u2]

ok I'm loving this Michael Johns guy

 

[U2@NYC]

Michael Johns should win this.

By a landslide.

Well, at least he will win the guys' competition. Or he will be in the Top 3. Mark my words.

And this guy Danny Noriega...

 

[JCOSTER]

ok I'm loving this Michael Johns guy

Me toooooo!

Daniel Noriega is the Sanjya of this year.

I also liked Robbie Corrico (???name) the rocker.

 

[Daddysgonnapay]

rasta-dude was good...and the last guy...was that Michael Johns?

 

[U2isthebest]

Danny Noreiga is way better than he showed tonight. His voice is one of the best in the competition. Comparing him to Sanjaya makes no sense.
That being said my favorites were
1. Michael (Amazing!!!)
2. David A.
3. Jason C.
4. Danny
5. Robbie
6. Colton
7. David C.

I hope all of these guys make it to the next round. I want to see more from all of them.

 

[U2isthebest]

Josiah on Ellen - link here

http://mjsbigblog.com/


holy crap - after he performed, Ellen told him what stuff he was getting

He did a great job! I really hope he gets a record deal. He's written some great songs, and he's a talented musician and singer.

 

[LemonMelon]

OK, what to say, what to say.

I had a good time tonight. There was, however, no one here that blew my mind out the back of my head, or made me think "Shoot, it's over. He wins." Nonetheless, it was a very fun night.

David Hernandez - Lovely vocal. A bit pitchy, but is clearly a very good singer. I've always been a big fan of In The Midnight Hour, so that's a plus. (A-)

Chikezie Eze - Chuck E' Cheese was not good. Not at all. The suit made my eyes bleed, and the vocal was a mess. He hit a few good notes, but that's about it. (D+)

David Cook - I simply adore Happy Together. I think it's one of the best pop songs of its era. DaveC's performance? Neither here nor there. He did an OK job of selling the song, and the pitch was OK, but he didn't convince me that this was a good song choice for him. (B-)

Jason Yeager - Decent cover, but boring. (C+)

Robbie Carrico - Sold the song very well. He has a very good voice, and showed it off quite admirably. (B+)

David Archuleta - Very impressive performance. A little sloppy vocally, but still impressive overall. (B+)

Danny Noriega - One of the more effeminate things I've ever seen. Vocally average, decent performance. Meh. (C+)

Luke Menard - Pitchy as hell, boring...managed to make a song I like relatively painful. Still, it had its moments, and the performance felt genuine. (C-)

Colton Berry - Worst haircut I've seen in ages. Worse than Danny's. The performance was flimsy, but the vocal was OK. But, quite frankly, I could do a better job of selling Suspicious Minds, and I don't even have a particularly good voice. (C)

Garrett Haley - Hilarious performance, and that's not a compliment. I felt like I was watching Def Leppard perform the lamest song known to man. (D+)

Jason Castro - Wonderful effort. The highlight of the night. This man is clearly a performer; his vocal was great and, for once, the backing wasn't insufferable. I voted for him 7 times. (A)

Michael Johns - Very strong vocal, good performance, AND IT WAS LIGHT MY FIRE, BITCHES. A few off notes aside, it was great. (A-)

Castro, Johns, Archuleta, and Hernandez are my top 4 at the moment. Stay tuned: this could get interesting.

 

[corianderstem]

at using the Blake Lewis over the audition recaps.

(I really really like his album. )

 

[LemonMelon]

(I really really like his album. )

Any particularly strong tunes I should check out?

 

[corianderstem]

I don't know any by name other than Break Anotha. The only tunes I didn't care for were the few (and thankfully there were only a few) ballads.

 

[Inner El Guapo]

Just let the record show I called Michael Johns before the Final 24 began. Cleary, easily, the best male.

Sorry to ruin the suspense. He's got the looks and the chops.

Robbie will challenge because he's got the looks and actually a pretty damn good voice.

Looks do matter, sadly. I admit I pull for the hotter chicks.
Lots of teeny girls voting=Bo Bice
Bo Bice with more talent and better looks=Either of those two guys mentioned.

Worst: Garrett. That was abominable.
He couldn't carry Joe Elliot's sweat soaked Union Jack drawers on his worst day, LemonMelon although the general sentiment is spot on.

Hernandez has a very nice voice as well but he's boring as shit.
I don't give him much of a chance.

I love love love the Harry Nilsson song 'Everybody's Talkin written by (check avatar) but I think what's-his-name dropped the ball.

The two dressed in drag were forgettable as well, Elen Degeneres and the dude who sang jailhouse Rock, he's got a good voice but he's a novelty as is the young kid Archuletta.

 

[LemonMelon]

Worst: Garrett. That was abominable.
He couldn't carry Joe Elliot's sweat soaked Union Jack drawers on his worst day, LemonMelon although the general sentiment is spot on.

This is true.

It's sad that he'll be gone for the next round though...kid is terrible, but he provides much-needed comic relief.

 

[Inner El Guapo]

but he provides much-needed comic relief.

Haha, I thought I was being unfair on him from the jump because I wanted to take some lumber to his cabeza because of that John Oates weave.

Then he sang......

 

[LemonMelon]

Haha, I thought I was being unfair on him from the jump because I wanted to take some lumber to his cabeza because of that John Oates weave.

Then he sang......

How many people has this kid's hair been compared to tonight?

Leif garrett
Joe Elliot
John Oates
Peter Frampton

And I'll throw in another: Roger Daltrey circa Tommy.

 

[Lila64]

He's coming up next here on the west coast.

 

[Sicy]

I LOVE David!!! I'm so voting for him. He's totally adorable and I love his voice.

Oh.. just saw Michael Johns.. yeah he's going to go far in this.

 

[kafrun]

Michael Johns kthxbai

 

[Lila64]

I liked Michael (obviously), David A., Jason Castro, and Robbie

 

[ultravioletluvv]

Little David is cute and he can sing, but he is embarassingly awkward. It will work in his favor for now, but i'm afraid if he doesn't watch it, it will become like Melinda last season with her whole "aww shucks" and overly humble act.

Yep, Michael Johns is definitely gonna be around for a while, but i could see him being booted in a shocking vote somewhere around 4th place.

Luke and Garrett are probably toast. Although i wouldn't be surprised if it's that cheesy Moon River dude or Chicazee.

Oh, and how can they let Paula go on camera like that? She was a total wreck! She seems fine throughout the audition process and then when it comes time for the live shows, she's totally wasted!

 

[Lila64]

Maybe she just can't perform on live tv... the other shows (auditions) have been pre-recorded, edited, etc.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I love David too , I wanna put him in my purse Maybe that cuteness will get annoying soon but for now it's enjoyable

Michael is hot

 

[U2isthebest]

It seems to me like Paula actually gets a bit nervous on live TV. It seems like she's flustered because she knows she doesn't have a lot of time to talk. Maybe it takes her longer to put her thoughts together than she has. Like Lila said, in the audition process things can be edited and the judges probably have more time to figure out exactly what they want to say. It's a different situation when you're live, you have an audience, and much less time to respond. That's what Paula's problem has always seemed to be to me.

 

[Golightly Grrl]

American Idol-The Top 12 Guys Perform

The auditions are over, as is Hollywood Week. And the judges have chosen their top 24 contestants. But now choosing the next American Idol is up to a dialing and texting nation. But first, Ryan reminds us that in season 7, American Idol has the best talent ever. I think we can start a drinking game with that phrase.

As the girls watch from the sidelines, the top 12 guys will beg, I mean sing, for our votes. But before we get to the performances, I have a question. Did Paula make her shirt from some discarded curtains found in Siegfried and Roy’s living room?

In past Idol shows, we don’t get to theme shows until the final top 12. But this time out, we have a theme-60s night, a decade that none of the contestants can remember. Well, actually a lot of people can’t remember the 60s, especially those who were actually there.

David Hernandez-David opens “Midnight Hour” with a slight gospel-edge, and I kind of like it. But then he speeds things up and I don’t see a lot of originality. He does have a good voice, but he stumbled a bit at the end. Plus, he totally needs to loosen up on stage. I’m afraid his nerves might hold him back.

Chickezie Ezie-Showing off his dimpled smile, Chickezie (no, not Jacuzzi, Simon), sings “More Today (Than Yesterday). He seems to start on a note too low for his voice but really gets going as the song progresses. I like his old-school soul. He makes me think of Luther Vandross. However, I wonder if the younger set, more used to hip-hop flavored R & B, will warm up to Chickezie. I’m a bit dismayed by the judge’s comments. I didn’t think Chickezie’s performance was that bad. But Simon is right. The suit is ugly. And it was ugly when Simon wore it in 1977.

David Cook-David sings “Happy Together” and sounds like a low rent DAUGHTRY! And the band seemed to over power him during the chorus. I’m not too crazy about his voice. And his moves on stage are too “Rock Star 101.” Yet, he gets lots of praise, which doesn’t surprise me. After the success of DAUGHTRY! I’m sure the judges have stars in their eyes over another rocker boy.

Jason Yeager-”Moon River” has a great deal of meaning to me. And I don’t like just anyone singing it. Jason is just anyone singing it. The song’s lyrics require some wistfulness and yearning, yet Jason sings like a cruise ship entertainer. It comes across as very insincere. And his smile just drips Velveeta to me. I do not like this performance at all.

Robbie Carrico-”One.” Yes, one is the loneliest number. And I might be very lonely for not joining the judges’ tongue bath. Yes, Robbie can sing, but he seems like such a poser. And another DAUGHTRY!-like wallet chain? An Axl Rose-like bandanna? The Kid Rock-like hair? Yikes!!

David Archuleta-David sings “Shop Around” and I was afraid it would it would veer into High School Musical territory considering his tender age. However, I did like his performance. His voice sounded great and he had a good command of the stage. That helps immensely. Plus, he’s a cute, likable kid.

Danny “Liza with a Z!” Noreiga sings “Jailhouse Rock.” Wait, “Jailhouse Rock” is song from the 1960s? I’m not feeling Danny’s performance. It was like he was singing into a Hello, Kitty hair brush in the privacy of his bedroom. I usually have a soft spot for gay, theatrical teenage boys, but I’m afraid he might become this year’s Sanjaya. However, I am convinced that Paula sees colors we don’t see. Percocet and gin will do that to you.

Luke Menard sings “Everybody’s Talkin.’” I had joked that I didn’t care if Luke can sing or not because he’s so good looking, but I do like his voice. I didn’t notice any pitch problems that Randy mentioned. Plus, I appreciated the simplicity in his performance. And he seems confident without being cocky. I thought he was memorable despite what Simon claims. Still, sometimes a contestant has to start off big to stay in the competition.

Colton Berry is another theater geek and he sings “Suspicious Minds.” He’s way too young to sing this song and doesn’t connect with the lyrics. He need to grow up a bit to “get” the song. And his performance is so off-Broadway, like New Jersey off-Broadway. Still, Colton seems like a fun, good kid but that might not keep him on Idol.

Garrett Haley-A Peter Frampton/Leif Garret hybrid, Garrett sings “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.” His voice is decent and doesn’t offend the eardrums. However, Garrett has absolutely no stage presence. It was as if he just wanted to get through his performance without peeing his pants. And with other teen boys in the competition vying for the squeeing tween vote, Garrett can easily get lost in the Tiger Beat shuffle.

Jason Castro decides to accompany his performance with an acoustic guitar while singing “Daydream.” His guitar could have been merely a prop yet Jason makes it work. He has a gritty, bluesy vibe that sets him apart and he seems clearly at ease on stage. I knew nothing about Jason going into the show, but I want to see more of him. But will he be too “open mic night at the coffeehouse” to get the votes?

Michael Johns is one of the chosen ones, and of course he sings “Light My Fire.” However, I am quite riveted during his performance. He’s got a good rock voice and he’s completely charismatic. I like his performance a lot and I’m hoping to see more of him in the coming weeks. And yes, he does remind me of early Michael Hutchence (RIP), but then again any reasonably good looking Aussie who can sing probably would.

So what did I think of the top 12 guys? Usually I hate when certain contestants get major pimpage, but I do like David Archuleta and Michael Johns. Luke Menard and Jason Castro are very welcome surprises. I hope they stay. Chickezie was good, too, but it’s not a good idea to mouth off to the judges. David Cook, Jason Yeager, Robbie Carrico and David Noreiga will probably work my last nerve. And David Hernandez, Colton Berry and Garrett Haley are just a big pile of meh to me. But we’ll find out what the rest of America thinks this Thursday.

And Wednesday night is ladies’ night. The top 12 girl perform.

 

[ultravioletluvv]

It seems to me like Paula actually gets a bit nervous on live TV. It seems like she's flustered because she knows she doesn't have a lot of time to talk. Maybe it takes her longer to put her thoughts together than she has. Like Lila said, in the audition process things can be edited and the judges probably have more time to figure out exactly what they want to say. It's a different situation when you're live, you have an audience, and much less time to respond. That's what Paula's problem has always seemed to be to me.

Well yes, they probably do edit her quite a bit during the audition shows. But she has gotten increasingly worse in the last few years. The first 3 or 4 seasons, she seemed completely normal. It's just uncomfortable to watch her so out of it. And when Simon says "I don't understand a word you just said", he really means it.

 

[U2isthebest]

Another awesome recap, Golightly!


But stay away from my Danny.

 

[corianderstem]

Please get that horrifying and slightly creepy Garrett Haley OFF MY TV!

I was bummed Luke sucked so much, because he's quite a looker. But at least we still get Michael Johns.

I loved loved LOVED David A - how freaking adorable was he with the nervous giggling?

I was also really pleasantly surprised with Jason and his guitar - I really enjoyed his performance and his voice. I think his nervousness after the performance made him more endearing to me.

Dude with the overdone hair and the Broadway voice ... meh. I'm so over his type on Idol. Give me someone a little more unpolished, whose eyes don't track the camera perfectly at every move.

I'm willing to give Chikeze another chance, but he did not win me over tonight. I HATE that song.

 

[Sicy]

I loved loved LOVED David A - how freaking adorable was he with the nervous giggling?

I dont know why but I absolutely LOVE him. He is sooo cute and I really love his voice. I voted for him 15 times

 

[U2isthebest]

I REALLY would love it if Amanda, or maybe even Carly or Brooke sang "Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane. I that song and I really need someone to redeem if after what Alexis Actressing Cohen did to in in the audition rounds.