American Idol, weirdy in-between round
Really, America? Janell and Tyler? :/ Neither were outstanding, but neither murdered their song choices to quite the degree of other contestants.
I can only assume this was an example of voting backlash against the Idol Machine. Like, "dammit, I'm gonna vote for Paige Miles, even though she sucked, just because she was so royally screwed by the producers!" And, as a result, some of the "I'm suuuure we'll see more from you" contestants slipped through the cracks. (Joe Muñoz didn't deserve to go, either. Ashley Rodriguez... did. :x)
This inbetweeny round on AI has always struck me as weird. On The X Factor, we just take a short detour through the judges' fakey houses and then straight onto the big stage. It makes the process seem less draaaaaaaawn out. (I think I'll probably be skipping the next two weeks of Idol altogether, because bleh, even ff-ing through most of the judges' comments and the 'comedy' interludes, these episodes still felt endless.)
I know AI has been 'Song Arrangement Idol' for a while now, but this week just brought the concept into sharp, sharp relief. Crystal Bowersox, confused, saying that the show doesn't allow original compositions, and the judges being all, no, no, you silly girl, we want you to be original, but not ORIGINAL. And Todrick trying so damn hard to do something new with Since You've Been Gone and getting smacked down. And, basically, 80% of the contestants completely losing the melody because they were trying to put their own spin on it. *headdesk*
Also, eolivet asked what I thought about Andrew Garcia covering Fall Out Boy:
Upon reflection, I can see what Andrew was going for: picking a song that's about playing the rockstar for an adoring Billboard audience ("I'll be your number one with a bullet") makes a cheeky, knowing statement about what it is to be on AI.
BUT. The thing is, the lyrics may be ironical, but the original song works because Patrick Stump delivers them with bite, with vitriol, even. This isn't a song written by a reality show contestant with near-guaranteed fame; this is a song written by a twentysomething dude in an unfamous band, lying on his bed in his childhood bedroom, fantasising about being universally adored while knowing it probably won't happen.
More problems with Andrew's cover:
Patrick deliberately slurs the lyrics on the chorus of 'Sugar', because it's intended as an ironic punk song. Hearing every word enunciated is just *strange*.
Furthermore, Andrew seems to sing every one of his covers in an extremely *chill* style. I like it; I think it's great -- both 'Sunday Morning' and 'Straight Up' benefited from that relaxed vibe. 'Sugar'? Is an EMO song. What makes it work is the EMOTION. Emo singers are, almost by definition, anxious in their singing style. They're not chill.
I mean, I still think Andrew is far and away the best singer this year, but he needs to back away from the emo songs. ;)
I can only assume this was an example of voting backlash against the Idol Machine. Like, "dammit, I'm gonna vote for Paige Miles, even though she sucked, just because she was so royally screwed by the producers!" And, as a result, some of the "I'm suuuure we'll see more from you" contestants slipped through the cracks. (Joe Muñoz didn't deserve to go, either. Ashley Rodriguez... did. :x)
This inbetweeny round on AI has always struck me as weird. On The X Factor, we just take a short detour through the judges' fakey houses and then straight onto the big stage. It makes the process seem less draaaaaaaawn out. (I think I'll probably be skipping the next two weeks of Idol altogether, because bleh, even ff-ing through most of the judges' comments and the 'comedy' interludes, these episodes still felt endless.)
I know AI has been 'Song Arrangement Idol' for a while now, but this week just brought the concept into sharp, sharp relief. Crystal Bowersox, confused, saying that the show doesn't allow original compositions, and the judges being all, no, no, you silly girl, we want you to be original, but not ORIGINAL. And Todrick trying so damn hard to do something new with Since You've Been Gone and getting smacked down. And, basically, 80% of the contestants completely losing the melody because they were trying to put their own spin on it. *headdesk*
Also, eolivet asked what I thought about Andrew Garcia covering Fall Out Boy:
Upon reflection, I can see what Andrew was going for: picking a song that's about playing the rockstar for an adoring Billboard audience ("I'll be your number one with a bullet") makes a cheeky, knowing statement about what it is to be on AI.
BUT. The thing is, the lyrics may be ironical, but the original song works because Patrick Stump delivers them with bite, with vitriol, even. This isn't a song written by a reality show contestant with near-guaranteed fame; this is a song written by a twentysomething dude in an unfamous band, lying on his bed in his childhood bedroom, fantasising about being universally adored while knowing it probably won't happen.
More problems with Andrew's cover:
Patrick deliberately slurs the lyrics on the chorus of 'Sugar', because it's intended as an ironic punk song. Hearing every word enunciated is just *strange*.
Furthermore, Andrew seems to sing every one of his covers in an extremely *chill* style. I like it; I think it's great -- both 'Sunday Morning' and 'Straight Up' benefited from that relaxed vibe. 'Sugar'? Is an EMO song. What makes it work is the EMOTION. Emo singers are, almost by definition, anxious in their singing style. They're not chill.
I mean, I still think Andrew is far and away the best singer this year, but he needs to back away from the emo songs. ;)