Idol Review – Blogging American Idol 2011

A ‘Pants’ Shirt Giveaway!

I have never had a giveaway before, so you can participate in an idolreview first!  You can win your very own, completely awesome, Pants on the Ground shirt!

This is courtesy of Cafe Press where you can find a ton of Idol shirts or even design your own and upload it.  I am a big fan of Cafe Press and have ordered awesome items from them in the past.  You can even use coupon code  IDOLTEES for 15% off until the end of May.

In addition to the shirt from Cafe Press, I will throw in a few other Idol goodies from the American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

So here is how you enter:

Leave a comment on this post (only comments on this post will count) and tell me about your favorite American Idol performance of all time.  Only one comment per email address will count.  I will close comments at 8pm EST next Wednesday May 26th, right before the finale begins.    Then I will randomly choose a winner, and will announce the winner right after Idol announces their winner.

( And since there are, like, nine people who read this blog, you probably have a good chance of winning.  )

Comment Away!  And while you are at it, please like the new Idol Review Facebook page…all the cool kids are doing it.

9 comments May 19th, 2010

Annual Duet Night

As much as I loathe the fact that there is less and less singing, last year’s duet night brought about the awesome Slow Ride performance that I love to watch, even still.  Let’s hope another awesome duet will happen tonight.

01.  Lee DeWyze	+1/2	“Kiss From A Rose” by Seal – This song was my freshman year of high school homecoming song.  Ahh, the memories.  Lee’s performance was a little lackluster. There were parts where it was really nice, but other parts that were pitchy.  He should have picked a better song, because it is such a hard song to perfect.
02. Michael Lynche	+1/2	“The Free Willy song” by Michael Jackson – I loved the song choice for him, but I never felt like he reached his potential.  He needed to rip this song, and it never happened–I think the song just started way too low for him.
DUET:  Crystal & Lee	+1/2	“Falling Slowly” – Has this song been “claimed” by Kris Allen?  Maybe, but this was an excellent rendition, as well.  I love their voices together – a very coffee house vibe.  I enjoyed it.
03. Casey James		“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel – I actually loved this rendition from him.  I thought he switched it up enough to make it interesting, I thought his pitch was spot on, and I think he might make it through tonight.  Go Casey!
04. Crystal Bowersox		“I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins – Go Bowersox!  This is such a fun song anyway, and I loved the liberties she took with it.
DUET:  Mike & Casey	+1/2	“Have You Really Ever Loved A Woman” by Bryan Adams – Nice work boys, and Casey’s guitar playing was so fantastic!  Their voices really blended well together.

Man, this is a tough night!  I know many people think Casey is out, but I think he was better than Mike, and deserves to stay.  Regardless, I think Casey and Mike will go 3/4 and Crystal and Lee will go 1/2 – the order of those is yet to be determined.

That said, tonight was an opportunity for someone to step up and be awesome, and that didn’t happen from anyone.

As a side note, I know I have been MIA.  Again.  Twice in one season is not good.  This no-DVR situation needs to be solved.  In the meantime, however, school is over and I am here for the duration!

1 comment May 11th, 2010

We’ve been Urshered.

Tonight is R&B night, with a splash of old-school and a little Motown. I kind of like the more open theme, and I kind of like Usher as a mentor, so all in all, it is a kind-of-like night.

1. Siobhan Magnus		“Through The Fire” by Chaka Khan - Wow, this was NOT good.  I have never heard her off pitch like this– I wouldn’t expect that from her.  And I am a little mad at the judges who are saying “we have to remember she has done well every other week”  We aren’t judging every other week.  We as viewers can do that ourselves.  The judges need to focus on this performance, and it wasn’t good, so don’t justify it.  I don’t mean to pick on Siobhan here, I’m picking on the judges.  Ok rant over.
02. Casey James		“Hold On” by Sam and Dave – I love the band and singers on the stage.  And I think he is just getting betterweek after week.  Also he is getting hawter week after week.  Woo.  All of a sudden he is a contender!  Go Casey!
03. Michael Lynche	+1/2	“Ready For Love” by India.Arie – OOO, this is awesome – sitting behind the judges, singing india.arie (a first for Idol, I think?) And clearly, Kara lost cool points for not knowing the wonders of india.arie…honestly, Kara.  Love the song, like the performance, ok vocal.
04. Didi Benami		“What Becomes of a Brokenhearted” – Eh, there were parts that were pretty nice, and there were parts that were blah.  It wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t bad, either.
05. Tim Urban		“Sweet Love” by Anita Baker – Oh geez, here we go again.  If this guy survives another week, I will stop watching.  Not really, but I will really start to whine.  This was so bad, so robotic, zero emotion, and bad vocal skills.  Blah
06. Andrew Garcia		“Forever” by Chris Brown – I liked the arrangement, and thought the song was a good choice for him.  It sounded like he wasn’t playing the right guitar chords at the beginning, and I thought his vocals weren’t that great.  However, it is much better than the last few weeks for him, and now I actually feel a bit of promise.
07. Katie Stevens		“Chain of Fools” by Aretha Franklin  – Big song for a little girl, but it was not half bad.  I mean this song has been performed many times on this stage, and it is definitely not the best one.  However, I was expecting a trainwreck, and it was far from that.  Good for her for putting forth a decent vocal.
08. Lee Dewyze		“Treat Her Like A Lady” by The Cornelius Brothers – I love love love his voice.  He still doesn’t quite have the charisma of a rockstar, but the boy needs a band, dammit!  That said, the vocal was awesome!  The song was a great choice for him.  Go, Lee!
09. Crystal Bowersox		“Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight – Changing it up, Crystal!  I loved the piano, and this was an awesome song choice for her!  I loved the look, I loved the change–noticable enough, but still infused with crystal-ness.  That said, I have to agree with Simon that she was concentrating too hard on the piano-playing.
10. Aaron Kelly		“Aint No Sunshine” by Bill Withers – It is tough not to compare with Kris’s version from last year, with which he obviously can’t compare.  But it could have been worse.  I think because of his pimp spot, he should pull through.

So, best tonight?  Lee, for sure, followed closely by Crystal and maybe Casey in a distant third?

Worst tonight, Tim Urban, obviously.  Followed closely by Siobhan, who was awful tonight.  She might even make a surprise bottom 3 appearance because of her dead-man’s spot.

Everyone else fell somewhere in the middle.

4 comments March 30th, 2010

Jumpin’ Jack Flash! A results show!

Results Show!

We have some Irish lighting in honor of St. Patty’s Day.

We also have confirmation that there is a judges’ save.

And Mr. Cook ROCKS it. ROCKS. IT. Singing Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Awesome. I’m also equally excited for his new album.

The requisite Ford commercial – Tick Tick Boom, complete with paintballs! Looks fun! And for some more Ford goodness, they are creating their own fiesta graphics. I didn’t like any of them. Stick to singing, kids.

Paige is up first. And she is sent directly to the stools of death. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Lee is up next, and gets a little chatty with Ryan. He is told he is safe.

Siobhan is next, and is obviously safe.

Aaron Kelly is next, and is safe as well.

That brings us to Andrew and Tim. Andrew is safe, but Tim is in the bottom 3.

Orianthi sings her single “According to You” and I have to admit I kind of like this song. Too bad she sucks at singing.

After the break, the bottom row has its turn for the killings. Didi is up first, and is wearing super cute boots. And she is safe!

Crystal is up next, and is obviously safe.

Katie Stevens is up next, and after much debate about the type of artist she should be, she is safe. Way to confuse the poor girl, judges!

Big Mike is up, and is safe as well.

That leaves Casey and Lacey (with appropriately rhyming names), with Casey being safe, and Lacey being in the bottom three. First thing, Tim gets sent back to safety. BOO.

After the break, Kesha, no, Ke$ha sings a song called blah blah blah. This girl cannot sing. I am suspicious that she is lip-syncing. In headdress. Fast forwarding….

After the break we find out that Paige is safe, and Lacey is POSSIBLY out.

She gets to pick her exit song, and she chooses The Story. It is an average performance, but considering the emotion of the night, it was alright.

Not surprisingly the judges choose to send her home. She exits gracefully, which is good for her.

OUT TONIGHT:

Lacey Brown

I had most of my points on Paige to go home tonight, but Lacey was ousted instead. And I can’t believe Tim is still here. ugh.

Word on the street is that next week is Teen iodl week. Really, idol? Anyway, see you guys next week!

1 comment March 19th, 2010

Sorry for the delay!

I sound like a broken record this season.  Even more than Randy with his “for me, for you, for me.”  But I am exploring Europe right now.  (I know, tough life, eh?) So I was able to catch the girls’ performances last night, but I haven’t watched the guys, and am unsure of my internet connection for the results show.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have not broken up with the show.  Or this blog.  So I am doing my best to keep up!

Intermittent updates to follow.

3 comments March 4th, 2010

Hollywood Week Part 3

We have fast-forwarded through the final hollywood round, and see that the contestants have already been divided into the three holding rooms.  What are the names for these?  Holding rooms of doom?  Doom-Rooms?  I like that better.  Ok, so the contestants are in their respective doom-rooms, and we get to see their performances via “flashbacks” narrated by Ryan.

The first performance we actually see is Angela Martin, who sang American Boy.  I still love her!  I really do! Perhaps the judges fear that she will fall into the trap of Lil Rounds (i.e. not reaching her full potential).

Casey James, who has never danced a day in his life, sang Bubbly, and it was decent, but in the words of Simon “I’m not jumping out my chair.”

Casey’s groupmate, Jermaine Purifory, sang Brick House.  He gets a “pretty good” from me.  He gets props for song arrangement idol, but I would like to see him again.  Will he make it?

Another Jermaine, this one Jermaine Sellars, sang Man in the Mirror (Kris Allen started a trend last season!) This audition, however, was really bad.  He blames it on the band, obvs.

Siobahn Magnus, who was told to “young it up” (better than sex it up, like they told Alexis Grace last year) sang Living for the City.  And this is the first time we have really seen her range.  She sounds pretty good.

Crystal Bowersox sings Sheryl Crow’s If It Makes You Happy, and MARK THIS MOMENT! The first time a Sheryl Crow song is sung on Idol.  Ever. EVER!!!   I am officially on the BOW.ER.SOX! bandwagon.  #1 baby!  Win it all, Crystal!
Oh, wait.  Is it too soon for predictions?

Alex Lambert, who is not at all like the similarly named Adam Lambert, is the first of several to sing Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours, along with Big Michael Lynche, and Todrick Hall (who gave the most creative rendition of the three).

Thaddeus Johnson, the one with the nutzo mom, sang Man in the Mirror.  Even though the band got him confused.  He sang a great rendition of the song, but this song is going to get on the nix list pretty soon.

Both Charity Vance and Tasha Layton sang songs I didn’t recognize.  They both sounded decent, but forgettable.

Mary Powers sang Katy Perry’s Hot and Cold and I think she kind of sounds like crap.  Her previous auditions sounded much better.  I bet she gets cut.

Lloyd Thomas sang Man in the Mirror and was not that great.  The problem when all the guys sing the same songs is that they all blend together.  SONG SELECTION IS SO IMPORTANT!  Even when choosing from a short list (which they obviously had to do).

Hope Johnson, who was another surviving member of the Mary-Powers-group-of-chaos, sang Daughtry’s Home, and it was pretty meh for me.  I want to like her, but I doubt she makes the cut.

Shelby Dressel, who is way cuter than in her original audition, sang More than A Feeling.  She automatically gets props for song choice!  And she is super cute.  I am rooting for her!  I thought she sounded pretty good, too!

Aaron Kelly, the young’n adopted by his aunt and uncle, sang Angel by Sarah McLachlan.  He effed up the words, but recovered pretty nicely.

Ashley Rodriguez sang my fave Jordin Sparks song, and did a pretty good job.  Her voice was a bit shaky in some parts, but I think I am just being too picky!

I missed someone in here – damn the editing–too fast for me to keep up!

Joe Munoz sang Man in the Mirror again.  I think this is the first time we have heard from him, and it was not that great.

Tori Kelly sang Hot and Cold, and it sounded like a pretty good audition.  I like her!  I hope she makes it through.

Lilly with the platinum hair sang a song I didn’t recognize, but sounded good.  As did Andrew Garcia.

Haeley Vaughn sang a cute but just ok version of I’m Yours, and Janell Wheeler sang an even less ok version of Taylor Swift’s Love Story.

Finally, the judges arrive at the doom-rooms to deliver the news–They either have or have not made the second-to-last cut.  Because why stop there, when we could have the elevator/hallway/aisle of doom walk.  The room that is cut is very obvious, and the only one I was really sad to see go was Brian Walker, the police officer. All the others, well…it was pretty obvious this would be the room to go.

(An quick note–I won the TV war at my house tonight and get to watch Idol the full two hours rather than shifting to Lost.  I will not win this war every week.  Mission-DVR-acquisition needs to commence immediately.  Also, I just ate five large chocolate chip cookies because this episode is stressing me out.)

First to hear results tonight is Big Mike.  I mean the producers had to let him through, because if he went home to his wife having been cut, there may be serious assult charges.  And then the show would get sued, etc.  So really, it was the only option.

DiDi Benami and Katelyn Epperly are both YESes.

Shelby Dressel doesn’t make it.  BOOO – I agree with Simon–that was the wrong decision.  She was great in her final Hollywood performance.

Casey James and Aaron Kelly are both yeses.  (Remember that there was previously an Aaron Kelly who competed in the Hollywood Rounds in season 4.  This one has already made it further.)

Lee Dewyze and Todrick Hall make it through as well.

Whelp, that’s about it for tonight, and a TBC for tomorrow.  Who else will make it?  So far, as stated previously, I am on the Bowersox Bandwagon.  But I think it is pretty obvious that the girls are much stronger than the guys this year.

1 comment February 16th, 2010