BuzzSugar

American Idol Recap: The Final Moments of Season Eight

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:50:50 -0700

This season of American Idol started with a girl in a bikini and ended with a bona fide surprise ending. So in some ways, Wednesday's two-hour finale - which packed in performances from Cyndi Lauper, KISS, Queen, the Black Eyed Peas, and all of the year's top 13 - was the perfect culmination.

You're already telling me what you think of the winner, but what did you make of Wednesday's blowout finale? To see some of my thoughts, flip through some pictures, and chat about the show, just read more.

I'm sure finding out you've won Idol is always a surprise, but Kris looked truly shocked (and later said as much in the press room). It was funny to watch his reaction having just seen the clip of him being modest at his audition - even as the winner, he seemed so humble.
Kris had a great duet with Keith Urban relatively early in the show, but from then on, I felt like the show morphed into Adam Lambert Sings With His Musical Heroes Night. I mean, KISS? Queen? He had to just be in heaven. And honestly, between that and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" playing over his "Idol journey" clips, it seemed enough like Adam's night that I was genuinely surprised when Kris was announced as the winner.
As for the other duets: Megan Joy, Michael Sarver, and Steve Martin get points for blowing my (low) expectations out of the water - though I might credit that mostly to Steve Martin. I would actually download Allison's performance with Cyndi Lauper. And Danny Gokey and Lionel Richie cracked me up, because that song was so lovey that I thought the two of them might consider jetting off to a private island somewhere when it was done.

But! The best duet of the night has to go to Kara and Bikini Girl, which probably gets my vote for best Idol moment of the season, right down to Kara briefly baring her bikini body. That's the greatest thing Kara's done on the show, hands down, and for that alone I'd support bringing her back for season nine.
Speaking of awards, I was really hoping we were done with Golden Idols, but this year, it seemed like little more than an excuse to bring three of the season's most memorable characters - Bikini Girl, Tatiana, and Nick/Norman - back for a victory lap. And you know what? I was totally thrilled to see Nick/Norman. There's really no better word for it: He's a character. The best part of Tatiana's appearance, meanwhile, was Ruben Studdard's "wait, what?" look in the audience.
Is it weird that Matt Giraud didn't get a duet - or even much of a spotlight in that Santana performance? I also wish Anoop had gotten his own duet, like Lil did - they were eliminated the same week, after all.
Speaking of Fergie solo or with the Peas: Where would you rank Fergie with the Idol season eight girls? And oh, by the way, if your TV cut out for a second, it's apparently because Fergie sang a lyric with "sh*t" in it.
What can I say? I love me some snappy suits on the Idol boys, so I was happy to see them back in action.
I'm assuming Rod Stewart's appearance was a present for all the moms who had to watch the show with their tweenage kids all season long.
And since I still have "No Boundaries" stuck in my head, I'm wondering: Could you actually imagine Kris's version on the radio?

That's it for season eight! Talk back about Wednesday's show, the results, and anything else Idol-related in the comments!

View 25 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Final Showdown

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:50:47 -0700

Tuesday's final American Idol performance show was, as Ryan Seacrest said, "the acoustic rocker vs. the glam rocker, Conway vs. California, the guy next door vs. the guyliner." It was a battle between two musicians with different looks, different styles, and different sounds. And in the end, I'm not sure whether Kris Allen or Adam Lambert is going to come away the winner.

As Idol finales go, this one was relatively strong, with each contestant revisiting a favorite song from earlier in the competition, singing a song chosen by producer Simon Fuller, and closed with one co-written by Kara DioGuardi. (That song, by the way, seemed to hold to the standard of Idol coronation songs that must be about moving mountains and scaling obstacles and overcoming odds. How about one year, they just sing an unsappy pop song? It's a thought.) In the midst of the competition, Simon called round one for Kris, round two for Adam, and left round three up in the air - so, who will it be? Don't forget to cast your vote, and to see my take on the songs, just read more.

Adam Lambert
"Mad World" - Adam picked this for his repeat performance, this time donning a trench coat and descending the stairs in a cloud of fog. This time around, he seemed to change the melody a bit more and amp up the theatrical element - for better or for worse. It was confident and solid, especially for the night's first song. Randy gave it an A+, Kara liked seeing him return to the song that made him stand out as an artist, but Simon said it reminded him of Phantom of the Opera.

"A Change is Gonna Come" - Simon Fuller picked a song that let Adam show off his soulful side, and while I wasn't sure about it at first, there's no denying his range. It was loud and powerful when it needed to be, then softer and restrained - and was that a little bit of an Elvis lip curl I saw? "You can sing your face off," said Randy. Kara said it was Adam's best of the season, and Paula - not to be outdone - said that was the best he'd done "ever ever ever." Simon said it got him back in the game.

"No Boundaries" - Man, this is not Adam's kind of song at all. It seemed almost like he was fighting it: He wanted to get a little screamy, but the song kept saying no. He didn't seem totally comfortable, either - maybe the first and only time I've said that about him all season. Randy said it was "just a'ight" and a little pitchy, Kara said she was proud to have Adam sing her song, and Simon basically offered no critique and just said he believes they've found a worldwide star.

Kris Allen
"Ain't No Sunshine" - I would have guessed he'd pick "Heartless" or even "Falling Slowly," but behind the piano, Kris really worked this song. He got a little bit of a beat going behind it, but when he slowed down to hit the final notes, the whole crowd fell silent. It was one of his most passionate performances - and the camera lingered on Simon's applause. Randy said that's the kind of record Kris should make, Kara said he's a moving performer, and Simon said Kris proved he belonged in the finals.

"What's Going On" - This is pretty much exactly the kind of song I can imagine Kris recording, right down to the foot stomping and clapping and washboard rhythm. That said, it wasn't particularly captivating or exciting or unique, just very relaxed. Too relaxed? Randy thought it was "a little bit light" for the finale, Kara said he's the kind of singer who should be taking on songs with social messages (?), and Simon said it was too much like "three friends in their bedroom strumming along to Marvin Gaye."

"No Boundaries" - This song was a better fit for Kris than for Adam, but even he couldn't do much with it. While the style seemed to mesh with his voice and aesthetic, he didn't have the power to make the chorus soar. If you could merge both versions of the song, maybe you'd have the ideal recording, but as it was, I didn't think either one stood out. Randy said the song suited Kris better, Kara thought the key was too high and didn't want him to be judged on that (huh?), and Simon just said it was great to see him feeling confident.

The best: Both contestants had high points, but I thought the night actually hit its peak in round one, with "Mad World" vs. "Ain't No Sunshine." (As, it turns out, so did the contestants themselves.)

The worst: Both versions of "No Boundaries." If neither of them could make that song work, I wonder whose voice, exactly, could make it good.

The winner: Based on the season as a whole, it should be Adam. But something deep down tells me it's Kris. Wednesday should be a fun night!

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Three State Their Case

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:00:49 -0700

Remember when the night of the final three on American Idol used to have three songs per contestant? When the producers got to pick a song for the contestants in addition to the judges' and singers' picks? When the top priority in this competition was, y'know, singing?

Given the timing problems Idol's had all season, I suppose it's not surprising that the contestants sang just two songs each on Tuesday's performance show. (Seriously, though - they couldn't have held the Idol Gives Back update for Wednesday?) Overall, though, I thought it was a pretty solid night, with a couple of songs that I'd actually consider buying on iTunes. Don't forget to cast your vote for who's heading home, and to see my thoughts, just read more.

Danny - Paula's choice - "Dance Little Sister" is the kind of song that's right in Danny's zone, with the gruffness and the growling and the grooving. It's also when he reminds me the most of Taylor Hicks, so take that as you will. Randy said it was a good start, Kara thought the dancing was a bit much, and Simon didn't like the song choice or the arrangement but praised the vocals.

Kris - Kara and Randy's choice - I would have thought that "Apologize" would have been perfect for Kris . . . and I would have thought wrong. He seemed to be working so hard - whether to remember the words or play piano or whatever - which killed the energy of the performance. Also, his falsetto isn't the best, and he seemed hesitant to commit to it. Kara called it competent but uninteresting, while Simon just bickered with the other judges.

Adam - Simon's choice - About 20 seconds into Adam's performance of "One," I wondered aloud why anyone else is even still in this competition. Adam has incredible control of his voice, and that was made crystal clear at the start of this song. Granted, it eventually turned into a wail-y arrangement that I could imagine at a junior high formal, but that's mostly beside the point. Kara praised Adam's unique take on the song, Paula said it was superb, and Simon said it'll be crazy if he's not in the final.

Danny - his choice - Danny slowed it down for "You Are So Beautiful," sitting at center stage and singing on top of a quiet arrangement. He changed the melody to suit his voice and sang it nearly rasp-free. I'm pretty bored with Danny at this point, but that might be his best performance of the season. Randy said he had "mad vocals," Kara called it stunning, and Simon said it was a vocal master class.

Kris - his choice - Well, that was unexpected. If you took my reaction to Kris singing One Republic and flipped it 180 degrees, that would be what I thought about him singing Kanye's "Heartless." And I gotta say, he blew me away. This acoustic version was different, modern, and very much his style. Kara said that's the kind of risk she wanted to see him take, and Simon said he was no longer writing Kris off as a potential finalist.

Adam - his choice - Adam closed the show out with a pretty glam rock-y take on Aerosmith's "Cryin'," with the unfortunate addition of a background vocalist who seemed to be wildly off pitch. It was one of his screamier performances - and thus not one of my favorites - but there's no denying that he carries himself like a rock star. Kara was baffled by his range, Paula said he did Steven Tyler proud, and Simon gave a warning to Adam's fans that they still need to vote.

Best of the night - Overall Adam was the most solid, but each contestant had at least one outstanding performance. My favorite of the night was either Adam's "One" or Kris's "Heartless."

Going home - I really have no idea. The only situation where I'd be upset, I think, is a Kris/Danny final. Adam seems to have earned a spot for sure, but I think it'll be awfully close between the other two.

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Four Rock Out

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:00:42 -0700

So, here's my question: Is it fair to have duets on the performance edition of American Idol? It's a competition that's judged on individual singing, we vote for each contestant separately, and it's often hard to tell which person in a duet is better than the other - so what's the point?

If the point is to be entertaining, then I'd say the duets on Tuesday's Idol show actually worked. Danny and Kris harmonized surprisingly well; Adam and Allison got to stomp around and be loud. But is anyone actually going to change a vote for a contestant because of how he or she performed in a duet? Doubtful.

Anyway, it was rock night on Idol, with Slash dropping by (and making his rehearsal space feel like a club, sorta) to give the four remaining contestants some pointers. Have you put in your predictions for who's going home? To see my take, just read more.

Adam Lambert - Barring disaster, this should have been Adam's week from the start, and sure enough, he came out all eyelinered and snarling and ready to rock Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." When he's on, he's got glam rock written all over his voice and his persona, and he was on with this one. Kara went a little crazy and called him a rock god, Randy said he erased all thoughts of Broadway, Paula called him "a whole lotta perfect," and Simon said nobody could top it.

Allison Iraheta - Like Adam, Allison also clearly felt most comfortable in this zone. "Cry Baby" gave her the chance to break out her power notes and really belt. It's true that she could have picked a song that would show off more of a range, but for what she does, this was good. Randy thought it was a little one-note and Kara thought she seemed nervous. Simon thought she seemed confident but a little unoriginal - and provoked Allison to fight for the first time in a while.

Kris Allen and Danny Gokey - When I heard Kris and Danny would be paired together, I got ready for a yawn-worthy performance - wouldn't it have been more fun to hear Danny with Adam? But they surprised me with "Renegade." The harmonies were awesome. I kind of tuned out during the individual verses, honestly, but those harmonies were cool. Randy agreed with me, Simon thought Danny was better than Kris, and Kara thought it was funny to see those two rocking out.

Kris Allen - Oh, I was nervous about this one. I think "Come Together" was a good (if a little safe) choice for him, because it is a relatively softer rock song, but he just didn't seem to have the vocal strength to really turn the corner and make it rock. Maybe worse, he seemed to run out of energy as the song went on. Paula said Kris put his own spin on the song, but Kara said he didn't show enough and Simon compared the performance to eating ice for lunch.

Danny Gokey - So, turns out it is possible to have too much gravelly quality to one's voice. That's what I learned from Danny's "Dream On," which I thought started with him sounding like he was literally hacking up rocks and ended with a scream that I could barely stand to hear. I appreciate the risk-taking, but . . . ouch. Randy gave him an A for effort, Kara thought there was actually too much swagger, and Simon said the last note was like watching a horror movie.

Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta - It's almost too obvious to put the show's two rockers together for "Slow Ride," but there we have it. They pretty much just stomped around and tore up the stage and were awfully entertaining. (Side note: Um, sometimes if I closed my eyes, I wasn't 100 percent sure which one of them was singing.) Randy said they should duet on their albums, and Kara liked the way they pushed each other.

Best of the night: Adam, unsurprisingly, then Allison.

In trouble: That leaves Danny and Kris.

Going home: I wish it were Danny; I have a feeling it's Kris.

Photo courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Five Sing the Standards

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:00:25 -0700

Can every night be snappy suit night on American Idol? Tuesday's Rat Pack theme was a solid excuse to drag out the skinny ties, fedoras, and - in one case (and I bet you can guess which) - shiny dinner jackets. Even Allison's stylists calmed down and helped her look all cute and vintage. Hooray, wardrobe!

I was wondering how Idol would manage to fill an hour with only five singers, and we got our answer pretty fast: surprise guest mentor Jamie Foxx. Why? No idea. But he wasn't a bad coach, all things considered. I wish we could have heard the singers do two songs each at this point - y'know, more singing in this singing competition - but overall, I thought this was one of the better theme nights of the season. Tell me which singer you think is headed home, and to see my take, just read more.

Kris Allen - I was all on board with Kris's "The Way You Look Tonight" in the slow, croon-y part, but it fell apart a little for me when he picked up the pace in the second half. Thing is, though, that Kris is a good storyteller (as we've seen before with "Falling Slowly," among others), and that works on this kind of song. Kara praised his technical abilities, Randy said it was his best performance yet, but Simon called it "a little bit wet" and not amazing.

Allison Iraheta - Hey, happy birthday, Allison! I was curious to see how she'd do with a straightforward song like "Someone to Watch Over Me," and for the most part, I thought she pulled it off with soul and style. I especially liked the little jazzy touches. I do wish she'd enunciate more, though - she was a little mumbly. Randy loved it, Paula said it was alluring and tender, but Simon said he wanted to see more confidence and thought she might be in trouble.

Matt Giraud - For a few seconds, I thought Matt was going to sing "My Funny Valentine" without his usual vocal runs and other gymnastics. And then he didn't. Sigh. To be fair, though, I thought his style suited the song pretty well, and it's definitely one of my favorites of his performances. Randy thought the runs were all a little much, but Simon said it was brilliant and the only genuine performance of the night.

Danny Gokey - Danny's "Come Rain or Come Shine" started out solid but a little boring, then moved into territory that could be pretty polarizing: the whole faster-paced, melody-changing, dancing-with-the-mic-stand bit. And you know what? Even though mic dancing instantly reminds me of Taylor Hicks, I enjoyed the chance to see some more personality from Danny. Randy said Danny could put out a whole album of those songs (isn't that the problem, though?), and Simon and Kara liked his swagger.

Adam Lambert - Sure enough, after last week's slower tempo, it was time for Adam to pick things up again with "Feeling Good." The shiny white suit, the dramatic lighting, even the accents in the arrangement were all a little . . . much, but isn't that the point of Adam? It wasn't as crazy or surprising as some of his other performances but still a highlight of the night for me. The judges delivered the usual praise, with Simon noting that calling Adam theatrical is like complaining "that a cow moos."

Best of the night: Adam, then Kris and Allison

In trouble: Matt? Allison, if Simon's right? I figure either Kris or Danny will make a trip to the bottom three, too.

Going home: Even on one of Matt's better nights, I'm just not convinced that I want to hear more from him.

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Seven Do Disco

BuzzSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:00:17 -0700

Well, I've got to give credit to American Idol. This week, the producers managed to get the show in mostly on time with all the judges speaking. This shouldn't be tough for America's most-watched show in its eighth year on the air, but hey, my standards have been lowered.

Speaking of low standards: I wasn't expecting much from Idol's disco night, and it didn't really blow me out of the water. But I was impressed by the way a couple of contestants managed to take a potentially disastrous theme and create something pretty decent out of it. Tell me which two contestants you think are going home, and to see my take, just read more.
Lil Rounds - A few weeks ago I probably would have been happy to hear she was doing "I'm Every Woman," but Lil's gotten so timid, and she didn't attack the song or do anything particularly unique with it. She hit some great notes, but it was a performance better suited for an above-average bar band than an Idol champ. Kara said Lil still hadn't shown herself as an artist, and Simon said it would be her final performance on this stage.

Kris Allen - If Kris's explanation of why he picked "She Works Hard for the Money" wasn't enough to endear me to him ("It has a story to tell. About a woman"), his acoustic guitar/bongos/washboard version of the song certainly was. Is Kris the dark horse at this point? He's sort of David Cook crossed with Jason Castro, and it's working for him. The judges praised his originality and risk-taking, and Randy said Kris proved he's ready for the big time.

Danny Gokey - "September" actually seemed like a pretty safe pick for Danny, and he did a solid job with it, which feels like my standard feedback about Danny at this point. The arrangement was pretty cool, and the song seemed comfortable for him, which may be exactly the problem - his story aside, Danny's becoming bland. The judges' comments were complimentary but not overwhelming, with Kara worrying that voters could forget him.

Allison Iraheta - Nobody's ever going to complain that Allison doesn't know who she is as an artist. I'm beginning to believe she can bend any song to her will, and her goth/metal "Hot Stuff" was another example of that. So it was a little "I'm 17 and singing in my bedroom mirror." So what? She is! Randy and Kara didn't like the arrangement but said she's a great singer, while Simon said that all told, it was a brilliant performance.

Adam Lambert - So Adam seems to have continued his strategy of fast song one week, slow song the next. However, I don't think "If I Can't Have You" was exactly another "Mad World." In addition to basically being the Broadway version of that song - nothing wrong with that, just sayin' - it also had some notes that just seemed wobbly and off, maybe for the first time of his Idol experience. But Kara was inspired by his emotion, and Simon said the vocals were immaculate.

Matt Giraud - I imagine it's tremendously difficult to make "Staying Alive" not sound like karaoke, and Matt gave it a valiant shot, with some changes to the melody and a few breaks into falsetto. It also gave him a chance to break out his fedora, skinny tie, and amusing dance moves. Randy didn't like the performance but said Matt can definitely sing, Paula thought it was enough to keep him in the competition, but Simon said it wasn't original or well-sung.

Anoop Desai - "Dim All the Lights" turned out to be a smart song for Anoop: It gave him a chance to do both the ballad-style singing the judges like so much from him and the faster-paced stuff that he seems to enjoy more. With the exception of the last note, this might have been the best he's sounded in the competition. Kara thought it sounded modern enough to be on the radio, Paula was glad to see him smile, but Simon disagreed with everyone and called it mediocre at best.

Best of the night: I have to give it to Kris and Allison for forcing disco songs into their own styles. And of course there's always Adam.

In trouble: Lil for sure, probably Matt, and maybe Anoop or Allison - just because they've been in the bottom before, and whatever fans Lil and Matt have will certainly come out in droves.

Going home: Lil will take one of the spots. Matt could be in the other, but I'm worried it's Anoop.

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: Seven Cinematic Songs

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:00:01 -0700

OK, I'm officially annoyed with American Idol. After last week's Lambert-eliminating overtime debacle, the producers decided that this week, to get the show in on time, they'd only let two of the four judges talk for any performance. Then, about five or six performances in, they started to run late and cut even those comments down to single sentences - and the show (not the performances, just Lil and Simon's bickering and the recap) still ran into Fringe. Know what? It's the eighth season of doing live shows. How do they not have this figured out by now? Cut the pre-taped segments and the couch babble, not the actual feedback!

Another thing that bugged me on movie songs night with Quentin Tarantino: the song choice. Overall, it was an hour of blah and Bryan Adams. Nothing against Bryan Adams - I mean, he's got some good movie songs - but an hour of the same power ballads and love songs we hear nearly every Idol season anyway doesn't make for great TV. Even Adam Lambert was relatively tame. Were you also less than thrilled with this episode, or did you find some gems in the seven performances? Don't forget to vote for which singer you think is going home, and to read my thoughts, just read more.

Allison Iraheta - Allison's "rocker girl goes to the movies" pick was the now totally obvious "Don't Want to Miss a Thing." She has the growl for Aerosmith, and she's definitely got the stage presence. The arrangement played it a little safe in terms of letting her sing notes in her comfort zone, but still, another solid outing. Paula said she's vocally distinctive, while Simon said she's the girls' only hope to win.

Anoop Desai - Anoop just sounds the most solid on romantic ballads. Whether he wants to be a crooner or not, the dude totally is, and "(Everything I Do) I Do For You" was another good example of the soulful stuff what he does best. Plus, he looks less awkward and more romantic, which has to help the voting. Randy said Anoop has finally found his place, and Kara was happy to be feeling a connection with him again.

Adam Lambert - Ohh, the punk/electronica version of "Born to Be Wild." That's something I never thought I'd hear but I guess that's what Adam Lambert is for. After last week's quiet "Mad World," he amped things up, worked the stage, flirted with the band, and reminded us of his rocker side. It actually wasn't my favorite vocal of his, but does it matter? Paula said some psychobabble, while Simon said it was a bit too Rocky Horror.

Matt Giraud - "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" could have been a sexy, breakthrough moment for Matt, but here's the thing: The flip side of him being good at riffing is that he's not great at picking a note and sticking with it, and on this song, that came off warbly, not soulful. Randy and Kara both said that when he chose to change the melody, he also had to make every note perfect - and that didn't happen.

Danny Gokey - I'm harsh on Danny from time to time, but he does have a nice, rich tone to his voice, and "Endless Love" was a smart choice for demonstrating that. I wasn't in love with the harp, gotta say; that made it Disney-cheesy. And it wasn't the most exciting performance. But, again, solid. Paula again praised his unique voice, while Simon was bored by the arrangement but couldn't fault the singing.

Kris Allen - Well, I love this song, and I was so happy to hear a song from a recent movie that I might be utterly biased. But I thought Kris did an admirable job pulling off "Falling Slowly" - especially considering the original is a duet. Randy thought the whole thing was pitchy, but Kara thought it was Kris's best moment on the show.

Lil Rounds - "The Rose" seemed perfectly calculated to show off Lil's vocal range, and it . . . did, but something just seemed off about it. I didn't hear as much of the gospel flavor as Lil had when she sang for Tarantino, and she doesn't seem to be performing with a lot of attack right now. Paula said some unintelligible but positive things, but Simon said Lil's going about this all wrong and isn't the artist they met at the start.

Best of the night: Adam, Anoop, and Danny - and I'm on Kara's side about Kris.

In trouble: Lil and Matt for sure, and I could see Allison ending up there - or even Kris, if the voters agree with Randy and not Kara.

Going home: I have a feeling it's Matt.

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: Seven Is Heaven

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This week on American Idol, we said goodbye to a person who made it pretty darn far - but who would have pulled off an upset by lasting even a week longer. I'm pretty satisfied with these Idol results, and I'm guessing a bunch of you will be, too. Ready to chat about it? Just read more.

Lil, Anoop, and Scott made up this week's bottom three. Crazy! I'm not so sure Anoop deserved to be there; his biggest crime probably was being too forgettable. Lil was sent to safety first, and then Ryan told us only 30,000 votes separated Scott and Anoop, but Scott was on the bottom. After Scott sang one last time (oh man, his high notes are not good), Simon said two judges really wanted him to stay, but it was the end of the road for him anyway. Aw, Scott is a nice person. I'm sort of glad to move on, though.

So the judges' save is still alive for two more weeks. I'm starting to wonder if they'll actually ever use it. And if not, does it make the whole "twist" - especially the part where the judges pretend to deliberate while a contestant sings - kind of lame and pointless? Tell me your thoughts on that below.

A couple of other quick things:

I have nothing to say about the group performance other than this: there was a lot of plaid up there on that stage.
The Ford commercial costumes were cool! Allison looked especially cute.
Kellie Pickler, Frankie Avalon, and Flo Rida? That's one crazy elimination night lineup.
Kellie did her usual "naughty minx" thing with Simon, giving him a little dance during her song.
Hmmm. Simon is rarely neutral, which is why I can't figure out if he was insulting Ryan or Frankie (or both, kind of?) when he told them they look like twins. Also, per Seacrest's Twitter, Frankie very nearly didn't perform!

So, who needs to step it up the most next week? And which two judges do you think wanted to save Scott?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Eight Go '80s (and '92)

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:00:38 -0700

Songs From Your Birth Year night on American Idol this year basically boiled down to '80s night, with the bulk of the contestants taking on songs from the middle part of the decade. There were some power ballads, some soulful rocking-out, and one performance that made me think Idol should just name its winner right now and spare us the next seven weeks.

I always get a kick out of this night for all the baby pictures and stories about the contestants as kids. Of course, Adam was a dramatic little boy, and Allison never stopped talking. Will a cute picture save any of the singers from the chopping block? Don't forget to tell me which singer you think is going home, and for my take on the performances, read more.

Danny Gokey - OK, first, I call shenanigans on a specific version of a song counting as your birth year song if it came out much earlier - ahem, "Stand By Me." But the bigger issue is that I think this performance exposed some of Danny's weaknesses, namely his warbly falsetto and his inability to riff. The judges heard something else, apparently, because Randy and Kara praised his vocals and Simon thought the end was great.

Kris Allen - On the Matt Giraud Side Stage O' Awkwardness, Kris put his spin on "All She Wants to Do is Dance." This was vocally competent, if nothing terribly special, and the biggest thing I noticed is how much more comfortable Kris looks with his singing and guitar-playing these days. Kara thought he seemed too old, Simon said it didn't let him show off his voice, and Randy agreed with him that it was self-indulgent.

Lil Rounds - Where did confident Lil go? I expected her "What's Love Got to Do With It?" to be fierce and powerful, but she started off seeming kind of timid. Then again, maybe that was by design, because she seemed to get her groove back in the middle, right when it was time to really break it down. Paula said she didn't make it her own enough, Randy said Tina just wasn't right for her, and Kara wanted a bigger leap forward.

Anoop Desai - Smart move on Anoop's part to go back to something slower and softer with "True Colors." The arrangement was cheese city, but he really does have a pretty, smooth, and soulful voice for ballads, even if that's not going to make him the next Kanye. Randy said, "Dude, you can actually sing," Kara was impressed with his control of the song, and Simon compared him to a "singing yo-yo" but said this was an up week.

Scott MacIntyre - It's weird to see Scott anywhere but behind the piano - and that was just the start of the trouble with "The Search is Over." The whole song sounded very nasal, and the high notes were the most off. It was brave of him to try a power ballad, but I'm not sure that risk will pay off. Paula and Kara both commended him for stepping out of his comfort zone but weren't pleased with the results, and Simon just said it was horrible.

Allison Iraheta - Continuing the "well, this is different" theme, it was interesting to see Allison play it mostly straight (i.e. less growling than normal) with "I Can't Make You Love Me." But I think this experiment worked: I didn't know her voice could sound so pure, and she hit some power notes that get lost when she's doing the rocker thing. Simon liked her vocals but wanted to see more personality, and Randy compared her to Kelly Clarkson.

Matt Giraud - I'm glad to see Matt come back to that bluesy riffing that the judges like so much; he may want to be a modern rock singer, but his voice just sounds best in this zone. "Part-Time Lover" let him bust out some of his dance moves and his Timberlake hat, and it just all worked. Maybe not as amazing as the judges said, but they were running out of time and boiled it down to "great."

Adam Lambert - I've been resisting the Lambert train a little, but I'm now officially on board. His take on "Mad World" was probably the first time someone's taken a song I truly love on Idol and not just done OK but actually made me love it more. And by Lambert standards, this was remarkably restrained, down to the lighting and the hair. Only Simon had time to respond; he merely gave a standing ovation. I know a lot of DVRs cut this one off, so here's a link to the video.

Best of the night: Lambert, then Allison, Anoop, and Matt.

In trouble: Scott, Lil, and either Kris or Danny, whomever's fan base falls through first.

Going home: I think this has to be Scott's time.

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Elimination: We've Got Eight

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:30:10 -0700

So, American Idol has said farewell to another singer. At the top of Wednesday's elimination show, the judges each hinted that they were mostly disappointed by this week's performances. Randy said it's funny how many singers chose older songs given the large contemporary songbook at their disposal. And I agree - I still wonder what they were thinking!

Paula basically told the contestants that someday the rest of them might be as good as Adam, while Simon said Anoop, Matt, and Megan should be afraid - very afraid. So was he right about those three? Was the judges' save - which is "still alive" as Ryan reminded us - used? To discuss, just read more.

This week's bottom three as a whole was more interesting to me than the person who got sent home. Matt's performance of a song by The Fray was not his best moment, but he was spared from the silver stools (after Ryan messed with his head, of course). Allison, Anoop, and Megan were on the chopping block, and of the three, only Allison really surprised me, though it seems like America and the judges have a love-hate relationship with her. Simon showed some sense and hinted the judges might save her if America wanted to send her home, but it didn't come to that: Apparently surprising nobody (including her), Megan was eliminated.

You know, I can understand sticking up for your vision to the judges every once in awhile, maybe directly after a performance, but I can't really wrap my head around Megan's "I love you, Simon, but I don't really care." Why go out like that? That seems a little crazy (so did the cawing, though that cracked me up - she and Allison must have been quite a pair in the Idol mansion). But! She did us all a favor with her cavalier attitude, because the judges didn't even bother faking a deliberation. Her chance to sing was her final performance on the Idol stage, awkward dancing and all. I've gone against the grain and liked Megan from the start, but I think it's wise of her and Idol to break up now, for everyone's sake.

Some more thoughts:

The weird Ford "Mixed Up and I Think I Like It" commercial was kind of disturbing. Do I want to see Lil's mouth under Danny's glasses? No, I do not. Also: Kris should not rap.
The more these kids over-emote on stage, the more obvious and silly the lip-syncing looks. Also, "Don't Stop Believing" just makes me want to watch the Glee pilot again. Six more weeks, guys!
Aw. Kris talking about "sexy face" was pretty cute. I'm liking this guy.
The impersonations were so fun! Allison's Gokey impression was good, but Gokey's impression of Matt singing Coldplay was the best.
David Cook's album has gone platinum and . . . he cried.

Were you sad to see Megan go? Surprised?

Photos courtesy of Fox