American Idol – The Season Nine Finale

The time has finally come for us to say goodbye.

Not only is it time to say goodbye to my blog for another year, but this time, we say goodbye to Simon forever. (at least on American Idol). Will the show be the same? I think I can speak for most people when I say, no it won't. I have to say honestly, I don't know if I will be as invested in the show as I was in the past without the presence of Simon, whose truthful, yet brutal honesty always offset the sometimes "playing to the crowd" judges. Whoever they get, has some pretty big shoes to fill, and it would be a travesty if Idol decided to get a copy cat "Simon". If they just get a British dude, who is "brutally honest" and "mean", then for me, Idol has officially "jumped the shark", if reality TV can actually do that. It would be when then added Oliver to The Brady Bunch. Ugh.



Anyway, over all I think Lee and Crystal did pretty well, though I think that nerves suddenly came back to haunt all of Lee's performances. For me, he was off in all three performances, and I couldn't put my finger on it till the end. Maybe it was the new arena or the bigger audience, but he was definitely not as comfortable as he was last week. Crystal was more comfortable than he was, but I don't think it was an issue in the end. Both pulled off great performances and it will be really tough to decide a winner. I thought both their contestant choice songs were good choices, but I have to question the producer's choices. I didn't think "Everybody Hurts" fit Lee very well, and though she did a fantastic job with it, "Black Velvet" was too predictable for Crystal. I know, I'm probably in the minority here, but read the disclaimer text up above where the "Take It Or Leave It" title is; my opinion is always right. So there.

Lastly, the "winning song" this year apparently can be a song already released, as Lee's winning song is "Beautiful Day". I'm not sure if "Up to the Mountain" was a pre-released song or not, but in all they both did well. However, I think Crystal performed hers much better than Lee.

But we'll get to my take soon enough.So shall we get to the final individual performance reviews? I know that's what you want from me, so let's get to it immediately.

CONTESTANT'S CHOICE ROUND:

1. LEE DEWYZE – sung “The Boxer” - This was the perfect song choice for Lee, and something that suited him to a tee. Quite possibly one of his best performances all season, this song made Lee a star in my eyes, and he was wise to re-perform this song at this stage in the competition. The first time I saw Lee perform this, it was back when he was just sort of getting comfortable on stage. There was still a lingering nervousness that took a little bit away from the performance, but not this time. Lee was relaxed and at ease, which made for a more laid back performance. I'm not sure what the judges meant when they said they wanted him to rock it out. You don't need to "rock out" every song to be good. Lee hit every note and emotionally connected to the song more than he did the first time around. Over all, a great start to the night, and a good song choice for Lee.

2. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “Me and Bobby McGee” - Wonderful the first time around, even better the second time around. Something about Crystal singing this song makes you happy. Not only did this up tempo tune make me smile, but her performance was even better than the first time she performed it. The judges all praised Crystal and I have to agree she deserved all the accolades that were thrown upon her. Whenever it's just Crystal and her guitar, it becomes almost a one on one concert, as if she is singing to you alone. That's why I probably liked her next performance less than the other two; Crystal sans her guitar is awkward. I will say the same about Lee, since I think the guitar is now synonymous with both of them.

PRODUCER'S CHOICE ROUND:

3. LEE DEWYZE – sung “Everybody Hurts” - This was not as good a choice as the judges would lead you to believe. I don't think this song suited Lee's voice very well. Michael Stipe's (lead singer for R.E.M., the original artist for the song) voice is distinctive, and does not come close to Lee's gravely rocker voice. It's not surprising that he struggled with the song at different points. The beginning was especially "rough", as Randy would say, as Lee went off a bit pitchy several times. I will refrain on commenting on the choir showing up again, since it really didn't help make Lee's performance any better. On the whole, the performance was not a bad one, but you can tell Lee was struggling and I blame the producers for giving him a song that really wasn't suited to him. I don't think it was the right type of song for Lee's style, and as a matter of song choices, Crystal got the better choice, though not by much.

4. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “Black Velvet" - This song was a better song choice than the song chosen for Lee, however, it was a bit predictable. I don't think Crystal is the type of singer suited to the grittiness of "Black Velvet". But, given what she had, she did make the most of it, ditching her guitar and hitting a note I haven't seen her hit all season. It was like Crystal channeled Siobhan for that moment, and held that note in a mind blowing exclamation point to the entire performance. I was not crazy about the arrangement for the song, as it sort of threw me off in following, Crystal deserves credit for chancing this performance without her trusty guitar. This could have went south very quickly, but she managed to pull off a good performance, despite the producer's wonky song choices.

WINNING SONG ROUND:

5. LEE DEWYZE – sung “Beautiful Day” - Maybe it was all the past horrible "winning songs" of seasons past that finally prompted producers to say. "hey, let's let them re-do an already released song, instead of an original song". I'm not sure what the thought process was in deciding that this year, the contestants were able to choose their version of an already well-known song. This U2 song is one of the better ones in most recent years, and unfortunately, I thought Lee sort of got swallowed up by the arrangement. (Kara agreed with me). As with the producer's song choice, Lee had a rough beginning to the song, and he was struggling to sing over the arrangement at times. Plus, I think his nerves got to him again, because he did not seem as comfortable anymore. The funny thing is, even though it was not a great performance, I still don't think it mattered in the end. Lee's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few weeks, so though a "meh" performance, he still looks like a winner.

6. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “Up to the Mountain” - I have to say, I'm actually not sure if this is an original song, or if it's a redone song like Lee's. Whichever it is, Crystal blew this performance out of the park. This harkens back to me saying that I didn't feel like I was watching a contestant, I was watching an already established artist. This is exactly the type of artist that Crystal is going to be, and I can truly say, (as Ellen pointed out as well), there has never been an artist like Crystal on Idol in all of their seasons. Crystal was emotionally invested in every lyric, (as Kara pointed out) showing an intense connection that I feel was lacking in some of Lee's performances last night. If determining the winner was based on the "winning song" performances, than Crystal just took the title this season. Truly a great inspirational song, and an "outstanding" performance, as Simon last words stated.

My Pick to be the WINNER for Season Nine: I've been a Crystal fan from the beginning, but Lee started to grow on me. Do I want Crystal to win? Yes. Very much so. I cannot deny that I want her to win as a big fan. BUT, I am a review blogger, and hence I need to be truthful and though I can state my favorites, I need to be unbiased in my choices. Therefore, even though I desperately want Crystal to win (and she still may), I'm actually going to call it and say that, based upon his immense growing popularity as the "regular guy", rags to riches dude, I say Lee Dewyze gets the American Idol Season Nine winner crown.

Surprised at my final prediction? Yeah, I am too. But like I said, it could still go Crystal's way.

So that's it dear loyal readers. Another season on Idol is gone, and with it goes this blog for another year. (well, until January/February of 2011). Are you going to miss me?
Don't answer that.

Let's hear those comments people! This is the final time you can discuss it! Discuss in the comments below, and take the poll! Who wins it tonight? Lee or Crystal?

Until Season Ten, my readers, just like Simon for this season, I bid you farewell!!

American Idol – Semi-Final - The Top Three Compete

The finale is almost here, dear readers.

Only one more week, and then you don't hear from me again until next year! Can you imagine going that whole time without my words of wisdom?

Last night, Idol had its semi-final round, with Crystal, Casey and Lee leading the pack. I thought over all they did pretty well, except the obvious blatant favoritism they showed Lee. I'm not taking away from Lee's performance, but really, he was the only one a choir came out to. Where's the love for Crystal? What happened? Did Idol all of sudden decide that Crystal is not bankable? I doubt that's the case. What I really think is that they know Crystal is a shoe-in for the finale, and they wanted to make sure the person there with her would be Lee and not Casey.

Regardless, it was a very good night of music, but even I had to admit, the best performances did come from Lee. I thought the contestant song choices were a lot weaker than the judge's choices. The strongest song choice came from Simon, and proves to me that he will be sorely missed next season.

Not to ramble on and on, but you know what we all want to get to, so let's get started with a guy who started off the night with a bad song choice, that being:

1. CASEY JAMES – sung “Okay, It's Alright With Me” - To me, this was too much of an unknown song, and I agree with Kara's assessment 100%; you're in the semi-final, and this is your chance to put yourself in the finale. You do not choose a song that hardly anyone knows, because no matter what you did to change it up, no one will know it. To the general audience, they're just hearing the song, so any differences Casey put on the song were lost. As Simon said, the song had no lasting effect. Out of all the songs performed last night, this is the only one that people will say "oh what was that song Casey sung?", as opposed to actually remembering the title and the performance of a more main stream song. It truly was a very bad song choice, and regardless of whether or not Casey sounded good or not, (which he did), it was a big disappointment. It was a dud song choice, and not very memorable.


2. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “Come To My Window” - I was NOT happy with the arrangement at all. When I heard this is was Crystal's song choice, I really thought she was going to blow it out of the park. But that musical arrangement was so bad, Crystal wound up fighting to have her vocals keep up. For Crystal, the song choice wasn't bad, just the arrangement. She sounded fantastic, but the musical arrangement threw me off. I was trying to love it, when the love for it should have just come naturally. Still, I'm not surprised Crystal chose a Melissa Ethridge song, because that's the type of music she will excel in. She may not have Melissa's raspy tone, and perhaps that also contributed to the performance, but in the end she did sound like she deserved to be in the finale.

3. LEE DEWYZE – sung “Simple Man” - I will show my musical ignorance right now and say I did not know this Lynard Skynard song. But that being said, I think it fit Lee like a glove. It was a very good song choice for him, because coming from an ignorant musical guy like me, the song sounded like it was his original song. To me, it sounded like I was hearing a cut from Lee's album. Lee has established himself as a forerunner now, because compared to the guy we saw weeks ago, the Lee I saw last night was confidant, emotionally connected. This performance, along with Lee's next performance actually showed me that he can just as easily win it all as much as Crystal. I like Lee's humbleness, and I think that's what drawing me more in as a fan. I will never leave my Crystal, but this boy has surely gained me as fan too

4. CASEY JAMES – *Randy & Kara's Judge's Choice* - sung “Daughters" - Randy & Kara definitely picked a great song choice for Casey. I thought Casey started off a bit shaky, but got comfortable very quickly. The song fit Lee a lot better than his first performance. Kara was right when she said Casey shines when he's showing his vulnerable side, and since this is such a slow, laid back song, it could do nothing but show his vulnerable side. I don't know what Simon was talking about when he said it was a "lazy arrangement". Kara and Randy were right when they said essentially, the song is lazy; lazy as in laid back, methodical in its arrangement and tone. As much as I agree with Simon 98% of the time, there are times like this I truly need to question his choices. Casey sounded best during this performance, and though I don't think it will help in the end, he still established himself as a great artist. I see a very bright future for Casey in country music.

5. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – *Ellen's Judge's Choice* - sung “Baby, I'm Amazed” - Great job Ellen! For someone who joined the judging panel this year, and her only experience in music is dancing, she made a great song choice for Crystal. Crystal didn't change the song too much (some classics should not be touched), but she instead pushed her voice more than I have ever seen her do. Not only did she perform the song without her trusty guitar (in the semi-final! Quite chancy.), she performed it strongly with just as much comfort. As one of the judges pointed out, this proved to audiences that Crystal isn't a one trick pony. She worked outside her comfort zone, sans guitar and blew the performance away. It was the best range I've heard from Crystal's voice to date. I don't think I need to worry, because with this performance, it's a no brainer Crystal is in the finale.

6. LEE DEWYZE – *Simon's Judge's Choice* - sung “Hallelujah” - Okay, I need to call a little bit of shenanigans on Idol for this performance. I'm not taking away from Lee's performance, because it was fantastic. (not better then Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris's version from Hope for Haiti). But really, a choir coming out, when no one else the whole night had that type production? It was a bit much, and a bit obvious they were playing up Lee's performance with that stunt. I really want to believe it was because they want to assure a Crystal/Lee finale, and not a Crystal/Casey finale, but regardless, it's a bit annoying. That aside, the performance was very good. This was definitely a moment for Lee, but did he "own the entire night" as one of the judges described? Maybe, but the choir at the end helped. I bet you the song would not have had a performance impact it did if the choir had stayed up with the band. Still I think Lee can start practicing for next week.

My Pick(s) to be Eliminated Tonight: If there was ever a doubt, you know what I'm going to say. Out of all the performances last night, it is finally time for Casey James to go home.

That's it guys. One more week, and no more reviews. Are you going to miss me? What did you think about the performances last night? Who had the best? Discuss in the comments below, and take the poll!

One more week left!!

Until our final week next week, my readers, I bid you farewell for now!!

American Idol: Week Twelve; The Top 4 Compete

The only word I came up with to describe last night's performances? Underwhelmed.

It was movie night, and the contestants were to choose songs made famous by a movie they were featured in. Though a concept revisited every season, usually it brings out one or two surprise performances. One that comes to mind for me was last season's performance by Kris Allen. He did "Falling Slowly", and I remember thinking to myself "how could he pick this unknown song for an unknown movie?" - Turns out, it was one of the best performances I've ever seen. Not only did I download his version, I still play it once in a while to this day.

Jamie Foxx is crazy. I'm sorry he just is. I'm not taking anything away from his acting or singing talent, but he has a screw loose somewhere. BUT, he did give solid advice, I have to admit. He's no Harry Connick Jr., (the one mentor who all others should be judged against), but he was better than, let's say Miley Cyrus.

I can honestly see the final two by now, and they are Crystal and Lee. By far they both deserve the "artist" t-shirts that Jamie gave out to the contestants, and if either of them are not in the finale, it would be a travesty. As for last night's performances, I have to agree with the judges, particularly Simon, who pointed out the duets were far better than the solo performances. Something weird was going on last night, because some of the song choices were a bit strange. No one out right stunk, but no one stood out either. (both Lee & Crystal sort of had "okay" performances).

But I guess that's enough of my rambling, I should get to the individual performances, starting with a guy who picked one of the most over played songs on the radio, that being:

1. LEE DEWYZE – sung “Kiss from a Rose” - As Randy says, "this one started out a little rough for me". He went a bit off key a few times during the performance, especially in the beginning. But that wasn't really the issue, because I agree with most of the judges when they said he did nothing different with it. Simon was right, it almost bordered on karaoke, and at this stage in the competition, no one should be sounding like that. I think the arrangement is what threw off Lee the most, because he was out of tune. Really surprised at Lee's performance, because I expected more from him at this stage. At the very least he could have chosen a song that hasn't been played to death on the radio for the last 10+ years. Still despite the mediocre performance, Lee has too much of a following for him to be in danger of going home. The fabulous duet with Crystal also helped. SAFE

2. MICHAEL LYNCHE – sung “Will You Be There?” - What a weird choice. I don't think it fit Michael at all. Randy was right when he said something weird was going on with the song choices. This gospel inspired Michael Jackson song from Free Willy was a very odd choice. Did Michael sing it well? Yes, most definitely. But I just don't think it was the best song choice at this stage to keep you in the competition. Kara pointed out Michael's past performances of "Woman's Work", and how this just wasn't the right fit. I really have to agree, and while this wasn't Michael's best performance, it didn't measure up to his past performances. To me, it's almost like a step backward. I know I've always complained about how Michael bores me, and he should do something different, but gospel? I expected a bit more R&B. Considering who is left in the competition and who my choices are, I need to say Michael is probably in a bit of trouble. IN DANGER


3. DUET - CRYSTAL BOWERSOX & LEE DEWYZE – sung “Falling Slowly” - Thanks to Kris Allen from last season for introducing this song to Idol audiences. Seems like now it being repeated, albeit in duet form. I fell in love with this song when Kris performed it last year, and I have to say, Crystal & Lee pulled off a very beautiful rendition of it. I think Crystal sounded a bit better than Lee, and that's not because I am a Crystal fan. Lee's voice to me struggled to find a foothold in the beginning of the song, but by the time the chorus came around with Crystal, it found its way. I may have to download this version too. Maybe. Great duet.


4. CASEY JAMES – sung “Mrs. Robinson" - This was a great, cool, laid back version of this classic tune, and I have to say I loved it. I disagreed with the judges on how they pointed out it was too safe, and sound alike. I thought Casey's version was intimate, and showed a nice softer side. I do need to point out that his choice was ironic, since the judges have been teasing Kara all season about her infatuation with Casey. I thought Casey did more than a decent job, and it's one of the few times I can personally say I enjoyed. Despite the decent performance, and the strong duet with Michael, I just don't think it was strong enough to stay in the competition. Casey has been in the bottom three before, so considering who is left in the competition, I don't think there's much choice as to where Casey is going to be tonight. IN DANGER


5. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “I'm All Right” - How awesome is it that Crystal loves Caddyshack?! One of the funniest movies, like ever, and not only does she know it, she picks a song featured in it! If you ever heard the original, it is a very up tempo song, but by slowing it down, Crystal made it sound brand new. In many ways, the judges were right, she did make it better. Crystal makes no excuses, and she played the song brilliantly. Not Crystal's best performance (again, all the solo performances were not as good as the duets), but definitely the type of performance that proves not only does she deserve to wear that "artist" t-shirt, but she should be in the finale. SAFE



6. DUET - MICHAEL LYNCHE & CASEY JAMES – sung “Have you ever Really loved a Woman?” - I loved this song when it first came out. I never really had a thing for Bryan Adam's music, but I did have a few songs here and there. This was one of them. Michael and Casey did a great version, though Casey almost had a huge issue right in the beginning: he forgot the words for a couple of seconds. He rescued himself very quickly and recovered, but the "damage", so to speak, was done; Michael wound up performing better. Casey recovered enough to make the duet a memorable one, but I don't think in any way was it better than (or equal to) Crystal and Lee's duet.

My Bottom TWO Picks: Yes, no more bottom three as of tonight. With only four contestants left, a bottom two is all that can be chosen at this point. And though it's not easy, considering who has been consistent throughout the competition, and who has never been in the bottom, I need to choose the only two that make sense: Casey James and Michael Lynche.

My Pick(s) to be Eliminated Tonight: It could really go either way, but considering how popular Michael still sort of is, I would say it's time Casey James to pack his bags.

So what did you guys think of movie night? Were you surprised at some of the song choices? Were they strange? Did you agree the duets were better than the solo performances? Discuss in the comments below, and take the poll!

Two more weeks left of Idol, my readers!!
Until next week my readers, I bid you farewell for now!!

American Idol - Week Eleven- The Top 5 Compete

I can't believe we're down to the Top Five already. Wow. Does it seem that this season went by pretty quickly to anyone else? I mean, granted, this really hasn't been a great season, but still went by pretty quickly.

Last night was Frank Sinatra night for Idol, and I have to say most of the contestants did a decent job of most of the songs. Although I have to wonder sometimes if the judges hear what I hear. I found myself disagreeing with most of them last night, so I'm starting to believe what they say about how things sound in the theater then on television. Harry Connick Jr was the mentor this week, and I have to say, probably one of the best mentors I've seen on Idol in any of the seasons. I have never seen a mentor get so involved, and generous with his/her time. Not only did he make suggestions to the contestants, but he composed the arrangements! And he could have stopped there, but no, he actually played with the band last night. What a truly amazing guy Connick is, and I have to say past and future mentors need to take note.

It's going to be hard to pick out a bottom three this week, since now we're down to the top five. I actually don't even know if Ryan will even have a bottom three. He may pull the old "two on one side", "two on the other" and ask the fifth contestant to choose a side that is safe. I have no idea, I'll just pick a bottom three this week, based on their performances last night, frequency of appearing in the bottom, and popularity. So let us begin with our youngest contestant, who looked really dapper and cute last night, that being:


1. AARON KELLY – sung “Fly Me to the Moon” - Our little Aaron has grown up! The only thing I kept thinking of when he was singing was how classy he sounded. There was no hint of country, and yet he still made it sound good. I need to disagree with Simon on this one, because I thought Aaron did an amazing job with this Sinatra classic. Granted, I will agree that he did much better last week, however, as one of the judges pointed out, that was a week he was in his element. But even outside his element, Aaron still pulled off a fairly decent version of the song. I like the inflection he put on some of the lyrics, and his vocals were pretty spot on. Despite all this, taking into account that there are only five left, and considering Aaron has shown up in the bottom three before, I have a strange feeling Aaron may be in a bit of trouble. However, just as Kara pointed out, I'm pretty sure he'll be around next week. IN DANGER

2. CASEY JAMES – sung “Blue Skies” - Oh poor poor Casey. This was indeed by far his worst performance, and this is one of the performances I actually agreed with the judges' assessments. He was thrown so far out of his comfort zone, he didn't recover. Not only was the beginning extremely pitchy, it stayed pitchy almost throughout the entire song. Judges pointed out how something was off about his performance, and that he looked awkward and uncomfortable on stage. It seems that without his guitar, Casey seems a bit lost. The whole song just went downhill from the very first note, and considering Casey showed up in the bottom three last week, I don't like his chances this week. Of all the contestants, he is the only one who got the dreaded "worst of the season" comment. This will not bode well for Casey, and he might need to pack his bags tonight. IN DANGER


3. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX – sung “Summer Wind” - One of my favorite Sinatra songs…ever. Seriously, I was ecstatic that my favorite, Crystal, was going to be performing it. I love how Crystal transforms herself week after week. I dug the whole lounge singer vibe she gave the song, and I think she pulled off a decent rendition. She looked absolutely amazing last night though, dare I say gorgeous. And who knew she had that giant flower tattoo on her back?! It was rockin!! It gave her a feel of "classy, but free-spirited". I'm not sure I agree with most of the judges' comments about Crystal's performance, and that's not because she's my pick to win. As a fan of the song, I would have admitted if it sounded bad. But it really didn't. Did it measure up to Crystal's past performances? No, it definitely did not, however, it still ranked good enough. That being said, if I'm going to be fair, and if I am seriously considering all factors, for the first time ever, much as I hate to admit it, Crystal may make a onetime appearance in the bottom three tonight. Why? the last two performances of the night blew the first three out of the water. (yes, even Michael's performance was good) If there has to be a bottom three, Crystal may be one of the three. However, I don't think she is in any danger of actually going home. IN DANGER


4. MICHAEL LYNCHE – sung “The Way You Look Tonight" - Again, one of my favorite Sinatra songs ever. My close friends Jenn & Chris chose this classic as their wedding song, so you can truly understand what a great one this is out of Sinatra's songbook. Michael did a great rendition, keeping the classic recognizable, but yet still adding his own spin to it. You knew it was a Sinatra song being sung by Michael. Personally, I wouldn't praise it as much as all the judges did, but it was definitely better than the first three performances. (sigh, yes, even better than Crystal's). The vocals were still really spot on, as they always are with Michael. And as for Michael always picking ballady slow songs, he gets a pass this week. But I still find myself bored. I am longing to see him do something different at this point. As it stands with last night's performance, welcome to the Top Four, Michael. SAFE


5. LEE DEWYZE – sung “That's Life” - Holy cow, this was by far the best performance of the night. Lee had actual swagger!! He had confidence! It was like watching a whole other artist! It was by far Lee's best performance to date, because his personality finally showed through brilliantly. He added inflection where it was needed, and brought a bravado to every lyric. Truly one of the best renditions of this song I've heard in a long time. (but don't throw paper at me yet, because nothing beats the classic). Lee has grown so much in the last 3 weeks, at this point it's just a waiting game until the finale. Lee, like I told Michael, welcome to the Top Four. SAFE

My Bottom Three Picks: Ugh, this was a very tough week. The only one I'm sure of being in the bottom is Casey, and the other two…who knows, I could be way off. I'll stick with my choices, though I really want to not include Crystal: Casey James, Crystal Bowersox and Aaron Kelly.

My Pick(s) to be Eliminated Tonight: I was wrong about my pick to go home last week, but I was right about who the bottom three were. This week, considering who might be in the bottom three, it is pretty easy to see that Casey James is going to be leaving the competition tonight.

What did you guys think of Sinatra night? Do you think Sinatra's daughters aged well? Were there any outright song disasters for you? I'm not getting many comments this year from you guys. Let me know you're out there! Discuss in the comments below, and take the poll!

Until next week my readers, I bid you farewell for now!!