Finally, some time to 'journal'
Day off.....yeah...
Had time to digest the premiere of the AI, review the results show, check some sites, and talk to some friends....
Now going to take some time to record my initial opinions about the original 24 and the first four who have had their dreams dashed.
First, while I am thinking about it, I want to remind myself how much I dislike to 'official' AI page. Ugh! Pretty much useless. There are other so much more interesting and informative. Thank goodness for that!
Alya Brown: very poised, well-off, multi-talented young lady with lots of strong family support. Think she has a good voice, not certain she is totally committed to this particular interest. On my initial list of 10.
Becky O'Donohue: 25-year-old beautiful on the outside twin. An obvious reality show shop-around. Has moments where singing talent shows, not certain she is a 'consistently' good natural singer.
Ace Young: What a 25-year-old cutie. Has, as they say, the whole package. Will obvious appeal to the ladies. Very good voice. Appears pretty naive (sp?) for such a hunky-looking guy. He some times zones into the 'empty head' look. Might make a good model. Doesn't have the total appeal of Constantine in my book, though I think "Father Figure" was a good performance. I did find myself hoping to hear him sing ?? (the rose song that title of which I can't recall. On my initial list of 10.
Bobby Bennett: don't recall seeing this 19 year old goof-ball before the premiere 24 show and that is OK with me. How in the heck did he get there?
Brenna Gethers: Somebody take the batteries out of this 25-year-old energizer Brenna and shut her up and stop with the posing. Who can remember if she can sing?
Heather Cox: A pretty so-so talented, totally forgetable, 22-year-old southern gal.
Bucky Covington: Rough-around-the-edges, totally natural singing southern boy (how I love'em). Man actually at 28. Love his voice. Gotta do something with those unfortunate teeth and that stringy greasy hair (a little too natural), but probably will clean up well. Liked him from the start. On my initial list of 10.
Chris Daughtry: Another older (26) southern guy with a great voice, but limited personality/appeal to me. I don't get it. The best thing about him is his southern roots. I don't really see the wide appeal he actually seems to have.
Katharine McPhee: Pleasantly talented 21 year-old with nice voice and good potential. On my initial list of 10.
Kellie Pickler: How I 'want' to like this 19-year-old southern gal, but..I just can't warm up to her.
David Radford: Impressed by this 17-year old Illinois. Cute, confident (though I think the judges' comments on the premiere rattled him a bit). Total Harry Connick 'look alike), which ain't a bad thing. Love his style. On my initial list of 10.
Elliott Yamin: Impressed by the voice of this 27-year-old Virginia gentleman and like his personality. Sounds better with my eyes closed. Please look the beard, the chin doesn't need to the attention-grabber. On my initial list of 10.
Kinnik Sky: Nice voice, elegant look, 28-year-old Georgia gal. Didn't sing great song on the premiere (Get Here), near as well as Clay did last year. Kind of a disappointing performance.
Lisa Tucker: Striking looks, GREAT voice, wonderful confidence for a 16-year-old. Very talented. Definitely on my initial list of 10.
Gedeon McKinney: This 17-year-old southern robot needs to be a loose as he thinks he is. Stop with the e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n in the speech (we, the audience for the most part, are not idiots). Stop with the 'smiling'. Stop with the fake dancing. Every move of 'shout' when repeated was 'identical' to the same move seconds before. TOO fake. Needs to watch Taylor for real soul musical movement.
Jose "Sway" Penala: Every step of the televised audition I expected him to be cut (prayed for it actually). Couldn't believe he made it. After that ear-piercing performance I was sure the audience would take control and he would leave. While I can't play an instrument or sing a note I have been listening avidly to music since I was a toddler (too many years ago to mention a number) and nothing I know about music helps me see ANY talent here. WTHIGO?
Mandisa: Applaud her attitude, confidence, and voice. Even though this 29-year-old woman hales from the south (Tennessee), just can't get into her.
Melissa McGhee: Pretty, from Florida (not the 'real' south), but to be honest...I can't remember one thing about her. When Simon talks about 'forgettable' - this is the real thing for me.
Kevin Covais: What a confident young man with a great, great voice. Surely he get the bubble-gum vote - and more - but the next AI - probably not.
Patrick Hall: Unassuming 27-year-old guy from Arkansas (fellow native of Billy Bob's home state) with pretty good voice that I enjoyed listening to. He was on my initial list of 10.
Paris Bennett: This Brenda Lee throw back has confidence, a voice, stage presence, great smile, the whole package as they say. Definitely on my initial list of 10. Hey, and she is southern too! (Georgia).
Stevie Scott: Sweet young girl (19) with a nice voice. Out of place in this showcase. Too well trained to let go of her musical roots. All the wrong contestants wanted to change their style for the premiere, while the ones that needed to didn't take the opportunity.
TAYLOR HICKS: This 29-year-old man from Alabama caught my eye everytime he showed up throughout the auditions (and my ears). Could not BELIEVE the judges put him through, but very THANKFUL. Soooo entertaining. While I doubt he will win, I am hoping (as is Taylor, I am sure), some recording scout will recognize this potential $$$ making star-powered individual and put in on the entertainment map. LOVE THIS GUY!!! Do I need to say he was all over my initial list of 10. A total STAND OUT.
Will Makar: 16-year-old Texas (a southern place all its own) boy with great stage presence, Fred Savage Smile, and pretty nice voice. Another natural for the bubble-gum contengency.
Odds are a SOUTHERN will be the next American Idol.
Comments on the first four to go:
1. WHY of why wasn't one of these four SWAY????? PLEASE!
2. Bobby Bennett. No surprise. Actually, being a dance lover, I love Copacabana (sp?) but definitely not Bobby's rendition, although I thought he did better on him 'so-long-performance', but he was as glad to go as I was to see him go.
3. Patrick Hall. Ok, this was a surprise. I thought he was a little nervous on his first performance, but he definitely had potential and wasn't total bad on the eyes. Perhaps a little 'understated'? The first loss off my list of 10.
4. Stevie Scott: Not a surprise. Not a total fit for this venue.
5. Becky O'Donohue: A bit of a surprise, though not a disappointment. Needs to separate from the twin (in the long run that never works) and put those great looks to use.
OK, so much for the day, and and thanks to the rockthenight community for accepting me despite the dearth of entries in my journal and the total lack of friends on my list.
Had time to digest the premiere of the AI, review the results show, check some sites, and talk to some friends....
Now going to take some time to record my initial opinions about the original 24 and the first four who have had their dreams dashed.
First, while I am thinking about it, I want to remind myself how much I dislike to 'official' AI page. Ugh! Pretty much useless. There are other so much more interesting and informative. Thank goodness for that!
Alya Brown: very poised, well-off, multi-talented young lady with lots of strong family support. Think she has a good voice, not certain she is totally committed to this particular interest. On my initial list of 10.
Becky O'Donohue: 25-year-old beautiful on the outside twin. An obvious reality show shop-around. Has moments where singing talent shows, not certain she is a 'consistently' good natural singer.
Ace Young: What a 25-year-old cutie. Has, as they say, the whole package. Will obvious appeal to the ladies. Very good voice. Appears pretty naive (sp?) for such a hunky-looking guy. He some times zones into the 'empty head' look. Might make a good model. Doesn't have the total appeal of Constantine in my book, though I think "Father Figure" was a good performance. I did find myself hoping to hear him sing ?? (the rose song that title of which I can't recall. On my initial list of 10.
Bobby Bennett: don't recall seeing this 19 year old goof-ball before the premiere 24 show and that is OK with me. How in the heck did he get there?
Brenna Gethers: Somebody take the batteries out of this 25-year-old energizer Brenna and shut her up and stop with the posing. Who can remember if she can sing?
Heather Cox: A pretty so-so talented, totally forgetable, 22-year-old southern gal.
Bucky Covington: Rough-around-the-edges, totally natural singing southern boy (how I love'em). Man actually at 28. Love his voice. Gotta do something with those unfortunate teeth and that stringy greasy hair (a little too natural), but probably will clean up well. Liked him from the start. On my initial list of 10.
Chris Daughtry: Another older (26) southern guy with a great voice, but limited personality/appeal to me. I don't get it. The best thing about him is his southern roots. I don't really see the wide appeal he actually seems to have.
Katharine McPhee: Pleasantly talented 21 year-old with nice voice and good potential. On my initial list of 10.
Kellie Pickler: How I 'want' to like this 19-year-old southern gal, but..I just can't warm up to her.
David Radford: Impressed by this 17-year old Illinois. Cute, confident (though I think the judges' comments on the premiere rattled him a bit). Total Harry Connick 'look alike), which ain't a bad thing. Love his style. On my initial list of 10.
Elliott Yamin: Impressed by the voice of this 27-year-old Virginia gentleman and like his personality. Sounds better with my eyes closed. Please look the beard, the chin doesn't need to the attention-grabber. On my initial list of 10.
Kinnik Sky: Nice voice, elegant look, 28-year-old Georgia gal. Didn't sing great song on the premiere (Get Here), near as well as Clay did last year. Kind of a disappointing performance.
Lisa Tucker: Striking looks, GREAT voice, wonderful confidence for a 16-year-old. Very talented. Definitely on my initial list of 10.
Gedeon McKinney: This 17-year-old southern robot needs to be a loose as he thinks he is. Stop with the e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n in the speech (we, the audience for the most part, are not idiots). Stop with the 'smiling'. Stop with the fake dancing. Every move of 'shout' when repeated was 'identical' to the same move seconds before. TOO fake. Needs to watch Taylor for real soul musical movement.
Jose "Sway" Penala: Every step of the televised audition I expected him to be cut (prayed for it actually). Couldn't believe he made it. After that ear-piercing performance I was sure the audience would take control and he would leave. While I can't play an instrument or sing a note I have been listening avidly to music since I was a toddler (too many years ago to mention a number) and nothing I know about music helps me see ANY talent here. WTHIGO?
Mandisa: Applaud her attitude, confidence, and voice. Even though this 29-year-old woman hales from the south (Tennessee), just can't get into her.
Melissa McGhee: Pretty, from Florida (not the 'real' south), but to be honest...I can't remember one thing about her. When Simon talks about 'forgettable' - this is the real thing for me.
Kevin Covais: What a confident young man with a great, great voice. Surely he get the bubble-gum vote - and more - but the next AI - probably not.
Patrick Hall: Unassuming 27-year-old guy from Arkansas (fellow native of Billy Bob's home state) with pretty good voice that I enjoyed listening to. He was on my initial list of 10.
Paris Bennett: This Brenda Lee throw back has confidence, a voice, stage presence, great smile, the whole package as they say. Definitely on my initial list of 10. Hey, and she is southern too! (Georgia).
Stevie Scott: Sweet young girl (19) with a nice voice. Out of place in this showcase. Too well trained to let go of her musical roots. All the wrong contestants wanted to change their style for the premiere, while the ones that needed to didn't take the opportunity.
TAYLOR HICKS: This 29-year-old man from Alabama caught my eye everytime he showed up throughout the auditions (and my ears). Could not BELIEVE the judges put him through, but very THANKFUL. Soooo entertaining. While I doubt he will win, I am hoping (as is Taylor, I am sure), some recording scout will recognize this potential $$$ making star-powered individual and put in on the entertainment map. LOVE THIS GUY!!! Do I need to say he was all over my initial list of 10. A total STAND OUT.
Will Makar: 16-year-old Texas (a southern place all its own) boy with great stage presence, Fred Savage Smile, and pretty nice voice. Another natural for the bubble-gum contengency.
Odds are a SOUTHERN will be the next American Idol.
Comments on the first four to go:
1. WHY of why wasn't one of these four SWAY????? PLEASE!
2. Bobby Bennett. No surprise. Actually, being a dance lover, I love Copacabana (sp?) but definitely not Bobby's rendition, although I thought he did better on him 'so-long-performance', but he was as glad to go as I was to see him go.
3. Patrick Hall. Ok, this was a surprise. I thought he was a little nervous on his first performance, but he definitely had potential and wasn't total bad on the eyes. Perhaps a little 'understated'? The first loss off my list of 10.
4. Stevie Scott: Not a surprise. Not a total fit for this venue.
5. Becky O'Donohue: A bit of a surprise, though not a disappointment. Needs to separate from the twin (in the long run that never works) and put those great looks to use.
OK, so much for the day, and and thanks to the rockthenight community for accepting me despite the dearth of entries in my journal and the total lack of friends on my list.