FTA-TV American Idol 2012

[Cruyff14]

Should post in it!

The best song off BIT USA is Downbound Train. Spewing you've seen him! Jealous!

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Should post in it!

The best song off BIT USA is Downbound Train. Spewing you've seen him! Jealous!

I did post in one Springsteen thread over there. I love that whole album TBH. Bobby Jean, Darlington County, Cover Me .... as well as the usual suspects that got all the airplay.

45000 people at QEII in Brisbane. Must have been about March 1985 IIRC. Had a seat in the stands to the right side of the stage, but somehow we were allowed to go down to the field in front of the stage and they these big arm like platforms coming out to the sides and we were about 2 metres away from the tip of one of these platforms. Both Bruce and Clarence ventured out there a couple of times so we were face to face with them.

It started raining half way through the concert which must have run for at least 3 hours but all that did was cooled us down because it was H O T hot in there that night.

He opened with Born In The USA and the place stayed crazy the whole night. The Boss in his denim and headband, pumping his fist skywards.

Then he would introduce his songs with a story about his childhood or the meaning behind the song, just his voice on the microphone talking like it is just you and he sitting around a table.

I can't be sure but I seem to remember it only costing about $28 back then. Best $28 ever spent.

Should have posted this over there but it might have been out of context.

 

[Cruyff14]

Nothing Bruce related posted in that thread is unrelated.

And **** you, you bastard

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Think I still have a Born In The USA concert sticker from that night amongst my crap somewhere. I had a chance to see him unplugged at some point, but I had other stuff on and I really wanted to see him with the whole band.

When I was over in NY in 2010, I was hoping Bruce or some of my other NY/NJ favourites would be doing impromptu performances somewhere but you really have to have the place wired to know about such things.

 

[CF]

CF, I see that you rate the talent of those that are left in general so I was wondering if you see the gap and potential that the judges see? Is it really Joshua >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jessica > Skylar >>>> Phillip > Hollie in terms of talent as they are telling us?

In terms of performance, Skylar wins out hands down. In terms of singer/songwriter/musician, Phillip wins uncontested. In terms of potential and pure voice, then Joshua and Jessica are around the same mark for mine. That leaves Hollie without a winning category, as a solid singer.

If I am to judge all the singers from how they are now then I do think Joshua is the best one out of the final 5. I have also criticised his over use of runs too and his self indulgent "Jacob Lusk style" gospel performances. I think when he reigns in the overdone vocals, like last night, he is outstanding. The mark of true pro is that it looks and sounds effortless and Joshua has that. Whether he can have a huge career singing a retro R&B style is another question. But he reminds me of many great black male singers of the past.

I think Jessica's youth really shows through at the moment and while I think she is by far the best singer in the competition, her lack of life experience really shows in her performances. I think give her another 5 years and she may just out shine all those who have ever been on idol. But as she is now, I don't think she is the complete package yet and that is the only thing holding her back from winning this series. Joshua is the complete package while Jessica is not.

In some ways it is a shame Jessica has decided/been pushed to be on AI at this age as if she had waited a few more years then what a difference it would have made.

I think Skylar probably has a solid career ahead of her in Country music and I think she is the best country singer I have seen on the series. She is a great performer and entertainer and a decent singer to boot.

Phillip is Phillip, and I think most people will either love him or hate him. The whole Joe Cocker/Dave Matthews thing has been done so it will be interesting to see how he goes after idol. Personally I am not a fan of him especially when he messes with the melody of songs. It sounds awful sometimes like last night. If he wins AI it will be a travesty like last year.

Hollie is a fine singer and could have a fine career singing but whether she achieves stardom or popularity on the charts is another thing. I just quite frankly can't decide what style of music she will record. I don't see how she fits into the scheme of things in popular music. But there are always jobs for lounge singers in places like Los Vegas so she will probably end up there cashing in on her 15 mins of fame on TV

In terms of talent my view is more like Joshua/Jessica>>>Skylar/Phillip>>>>>>>Hollie

I certainly see the top 3 as Joshua, Jessica, & Skylar at the moment.

My tip is Joshua to win it.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Well Skylar has been sent home. That certainly makes things interesting as the country vote has been neutralised. Who will middle America vote for now?

I'm not going to pot Hollie because she survived again. She really is a very good singer and had a good night. She is just up against other singers with a bit of x factor about them, so she tends to get overshadowed. Well she is top 4 now and is cute as a button. Who knows what the voters are thinking now?

 

[CF]

I have to admit I was surprised to see Skylar go tonight. Not that I thought she would win it but as I said in my last post I thought she was top 3 material. But that is how it goes at this stage of the competition good singers are going to be eliminated.

Got to give Hollie credit for getting through another week. She is getting better but she is not the best in the competition. That sometimes means nothing just look at last year with Scotty winning it.

The real X factor here is the American public.

 

[Cruyff14]

Hollie is a magician to keep escaping from the bottom three so many times.

Surprised to have seen Skylar go out before her, consdering how big her fanbase was.

Phillip needs to stop mucking around with songs and go back to how he was earlier on in the top 12 it's going to cost him soon.

Joshua has to win it.

 

[Gimp]

Phillips second song was the best ive heard from anyone all season

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Written as I watched it.

Round 1 - California Songs

1. Jessica - Steal Away
Sort of felt this was a little too old for her but that is unfair because her voice is light years ahead of her age. Really warmed up and had some awesome moments, showcasing her range. Loved that bluesy growl she showed. The song itself though is hard to get into but that was one hell of a vocal showcase. Her genre is not necesarily mine but after we lost Elise and Colton and with a drop in form from Phillip, I've been forced to find some objectivity. This girl is winning me over week after week.

2. Hollie - Faithfully
She's an extremely competent ballad singer. It makes me feel that Pia was in a season too early because she is better than Hollie. Hollie seemed to have a bit more presence on stage this time around and was so strong on those big notes. Still waiting to see a magic moment from her though. As said before, she is as cute as a button, and not at all the type that the teenage girl voters would feel threatened by.

3. Joshua - You Raise Me Up
Back to the gospel roots just when I thought he was heading into some strong pop/r&b territory. I did appreciate the timbre of his voice in the opening. I like the fact that he used his deeper voice, however he got back to the higher gospel runs and it felt over-sung and lost the impact for me. Expected another standing O of course but the judges have learned not to play favourites to that extent anymore. Not goosebumps material but he had a special moment or two amongst a healthy dose of ho hum. I guess this is what raises him up (pardon the pun), the ability to have magic moments regularly even in the good performances as opposed to great performances.

4. Phillip - Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Good choice for his voice. Great to see him without his guitar. His vocal limitations are made more apparent this way though. He is such a quirky character, he is kind of compelling viewing. Felt his pitch was off in a few places but he did well.

Round 1 Summary
Not a lot in it on my mental pointscoring system. Just vastly different styles going on. At this point, still easy for anybody to win the night with a stellar performance.

Duets

Phillip/Joshua - This Love
This had Joshua written all over it before they started. Joshua's voice took second place to Phillip volume wise in the joint parts, suspect he tried not to sing over the top. Both had good moments and it was a lot of fun. Wanted to give it to Joshua all along because it should have been his but then Phillips went and Phillipsed it and impressed me again. Both equally good. It worked.

Jessica/Hollie - Eternal Flame
Showed their age here I thought. Was a singing competition but not a lot of feeling. Competent but both had some flat moments. I'll give it to Jessica narrowly. I agree with Randy. Their voices just didn't mesh.

Group Song - Waiting for a Girl Like You
They worked out their parts really well. Good job all around.

Round 2 - Songs they wish they had written

Eq 1. Jessica - And I'm Telling You
Wow, the emotion, the range, the strength, the projection .... flawless performance. She really felt that lyric. Finally she gets another standing O. So much more connection in that than a dozen Joshua performances for mine.

Eq 1. Phillip - Volcano
Loved the lighting, love the arrangement, love the feeling. Phillip the musician, the artist is back. Awesome vocal, the tone in his voice. Absolutely loved this amongst weeks of vocal gymnastics from everyone else. That was a concert performance right there. Up there with Adam's 'Mad World' for mine.

3. Joshua - It's a Man's World
Whoa, an early Lusk moment freaked me out, but he pulled it back. Definitely such a well rounded singer with emotion, range and timing. Loved the grunt bit through clenched teeth. He threw the kitchen sink at that. Got his 1000th standing O. Frustrated me again that Phillip had supposedly his best performance of the competition but no Standing O. I'm now feeling bad for all of the great singers that have come through this competition and are being dismissed by the judges with every Joshua performance. He's great but he's not the greatest singer in the history of singing for crying out loud. Some of the others have perfect performances but if you can't separate two performances on vocal performance, then you have to separate them on preference.

Hollie - I Can't Make You Love Me
Another competent ballad from Hollie. Didn't connect all that much. Still no magical moment.

Overall

Eq1. Jessica - I loved Phillip's second performance so much that I had him number one with a bullet but that last song of the night was irresistible. Had her in front across the two songs but he was better in the duet so a tie it is.

Eq1. Phillip - The originality and the true artist and musician within him, just win him massive points. Yeah, it's a singing competition but they are also looking for a package.

3. Joshua - Right up there with the other two but the excessive judge love turns me cold. Will end up being a Chris Brown or Usher no doubt.

4. Hollie - Thought her first song was good, the second fell so flat, that she is languishing so far behind it is not funny.

Bottom 2 - Hollie and whoever, doesn't matter. Surely Hollie is out of there.

 

[CF]

Top 4 Performance show:

My prognostications on the performances:

1. Jessica - And I'm Telling You - blew me away what can I say. Floored me. Just a sample of what we can expect in the future. This girl is going to be a worldwide sensation. Made the judges look stupid after they gushed over Joshua and then she came out and topped him. I like her for that.

2. Joshua - Man's world - This was Joshua at his best. Hard to split these top 2 to be honest. Not the best performance ever on AI or any other show like Randy thinks but it was bloody good just the same. Some of Adam Lambert's performances will never be topped.

3. Phillip - Volcano - This is the best performance he has done on AI and about time because his last few weeks have been below average.

4. Hollie - Faithfully - In all honesty I had no clue what this was but I really liked how she sung it. One of her best performances.

5. Jessica -Steal Away - Enjoyed the soulful rendition and the growls this girl can sing anything.

6. Hollie - Hollie - I Can't Make You Love Me - I thought the judges were a bit tough on her she sung it nicely it was just a bad song choice.

7. Joshua - You raise me up - flat and lifeless and pitchy. Memories of Jacob Lusk came flooding back. Self indulgent religious crap.

8. Phillip - Have You Ever Seen The Rain - This was a good example of just how Phillip has been over the last few weeks just putting in so so performances and cruising on his girl vote. The so called musician has been nowhere to be found.

None of the duets or quartet really did anything for me to be honest except maybe Eternal Flame which I thought was good until the end bit.

Phillip redeemed himself with Volcano.

Joshua and Jessica are powering to the finals

Hollie should be eliminated this week.

 

[Sons_of_a_Gun]

Jessica's rendition of And I am telling you, was outstanding.
BUT....... i just wish she had really belted that last note like in Jennifer Hudsons version and other versions i have heard of the song, Bianca Ryan and Jack Vidgen to name a couple. Don't get me wrong i was sitting there watching it thinking, damn this girl is amazing, and was building up to that final note and it was just a bit flatter than what i had hoped for and expected, it was like she went hard the whole song, she had nothing left by the end.

In saying that, performance of the night just in front of Joshua and Phillip.

I, like TODN was annoyed they didn't give PP a Standing O when they said they thought it was his performance of the series. I am also a bit over the Joshua love, but he was awesome in that last song.

Hopefully America does the right thing and votes Hollie off like they should, but you never know with this show.

 

[stanga]

i watched the first 3/4 of the show and the wife came home and i gave her a rundown that basically said it was boring . then WOW !! what a finish from all but holli , pp for song of the night for mine

 

[CF]

Top 4 Elimination Show

Hollie eliminated. No surprises there.

The only other highlight was Jaylo singing. She is one hot hoochy momma. Her singing voice is quite good too even though her speaking voice is like nails down a blackboard sometimes.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Right decision. I feel like they will want a Jessica and Joshua showdown for final 2 as their genres are similar.

 

[CF]

Right decision. I feel like they will want a Jessica and Joshua showdown for final 2 as their genres are similar.

That's what I want too as I don't think Phillip deserves it as he has been cruising through the competition a bit getting by on his girl vote, while the other two have been pulling off "wow" performances week after week.

The soul crooner versus the diva would be a fitting finale

 

[Sons_of_a_Gun]

Right decision. I feel like they will want a Jessica and Joshua showdown for final 2 as their genres are similar.

The soul crooner versus the diva would be a fitting finale

I agree it would be the better and most deserving grand final, but i doubt it will happen.

Centrebet have the odds at

Phillip $1.75

Jessica $3.25

Joshua $4.00

So the odds suggest it will be Phillip and one of the others. Hope they are wrong.

 

[footy_noob]

Joshua has more of a chance than Jessica.

 

[Cruyff14]

Outstanding episode.

Jessica's performance was just ridiculous. I thought Joshua's was fantastic, but Jessica just blew me away, it was just phenomenal.

Phillip will go next week I think.

 

[CF]

ha ha a "poster"in The Voice thread reckons some of the performers on that show would give Jessica a run for her money! Can you believe that? Jessica's voice is probably one of the best in the world right now or in the top 1% of female vocalists.

 

[Cruyff14]

lol ridiculous statement.

Jessica is on the level of Beyonce/Adele.

 

[CF]

I wonder if Pia is singing to the AI producers and Sony?

[YOUTUBE]YRn5d0a4Puw[/YOUTUBE]

good to see her though even if the song isn't great, it is Ok. How beautiful is she!

 

[Cruyff14]

Found tonight's episode a bit of a let down. Thought last week's was better.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Judges showed their hypocrisy tonight.

Standing O for Joshua in round 1, not for the other two, but Jennifer said Phillip won round 1, whilst Steven liked Phillip and Jessica the best. I agreed with them.

Thought Josh's 'Imagine' was screechy, self indulgent tripe and not up to his usual standard. Thought Phillip's 'Disease' was fine, although understated. Jessica won round 2 with 'Don't Want to Miss a Thing'.

Round 3 was better for all but Phillip killed it. His voice really suited that song. Got a Standing O from Randy, Steven followed after a pause and J Lo got up reluctantly because it looks bad to be the only one sitting. Suspect this is partly why Joshua gets so many, all 3 compelled to stand when one or two do.

Cruffy, after my early season comment about Phillip being Springsteen like, and my subsequent retraction as he moved away in a different direction, what did you think about Jimmy's comparison to the Boss tonight? Probably carries a little more weight than me.

 

[Cruyff14]

Didn't Steven compare him to Bruce?

If Jimmy did, I missed it. What did he say?

Thought Phillip's last song was very good, he did Bob Seger very well. Didn't like his second song, mind you the song isn't that good either so he screwed up with song choice.