Patman

Hey, I predicted a couple of the songs sung.

I would not be shocked if Carmen hung around one more week, even if she did stink up the joint. Never underestimate grassroots voting in that teeny-bopper demographic. Anyone remember Nikki McKibbin, yep, I thought so.

The Billy Joel tidbits would have played better on a VH1 special than on American Idol, but I enjoyed them for what they were. Loved the comment about "Piano Man" and "Good luck with the octave changes".

Smokey Robinson didn't add all that much to the mix.

Kim C belongs on a variety-style group-sing show, but if you showcased her, she becomes very unmemorable.

Ruben's scratchy voice got exposed more in his song choice. He's smooth with the "oooo's", but scratchy on the "aaaaah's". Glad he got bumped down a peg.

Kim L made me wish she didn't pick that song because I thought she totally missed on the emotional import of the song.

Carmen was subdue and consequently lost in her performance. That thrill/vibratto/yodel of hers so works against her in the slower, quiet songs.

Josh did alright, though he stumbles on holding notes during the normal course of the song, and has to hold back for the ending note. I thought he was sort of screaming the song in the second half of it. Loud, yes, musical, that's questionable.

Trenyce just disappeared, it was strange because she didn't really make it her own, and she never connected with me in her rendition of the song. Her performance just didn't make an impact on me, maybe it was because it's not a song suited for her voice. At least she got rid of the finger tapping on the mic.

Clay had some good camerawork working for him, and I thought he finally lit up the joint pretty well. He does tend to hold on to a note too long in some spots, but he did his thang.

Bottom 3 prediction: Trenyce, Carmen, Kim C.

fujishig

I agree with the bottom three predition of Trenyce, Carmen, and Kim C. Despite the fact that my wife voted for Trenyce 50 times, and refused to let me vote for Clay...

Interesting show. I think part of the reason I didn't like Carmen's performance was because I wasn't all too familiar with the song, but she's the only one that got universally panned. When Smokey Robinson is struggling to say something nice, you're in trouble. Seacrest did try to save her with that whole "devoted fans" thing, but if she's not gone this week, something stinks.

Since K. Locke has been in the bottom 3 a lot, I would've thought before tonight that she'd be there again... but she had a decent performance, and looked good... maybe it's the straight hair or the black dress, but she looked better than I remember.

I really wonder how the whole song selection/rehearsal process works. This week, they just needed to get some Billy Joel CDs and sheets, but last week's Billboard chart toppers must include hundreds of songs. And Simon admitted this week that they watch the rehearsals, so the judges at least must know what's coming. Do they have vocal coaches provided by AI? Are they even allowed to have independent, professional vocal coaches?

GuessWho

Here's an easy way to vote via text message for free
http://www.mobile.att.net/messagecenter/

Groucho

I think everybody knows Carmen's in trouble this week...and that may save her as fans who might not normally vote rally in her support. Our Fox affliliate was really pimping her last night..."Carmen is in danger of getting voted off...can YOU help save her?"

movieking

Someone's pimping Carmen? Do they take PayPal?

MrHappyToes

I actually almost enjoyed the show this week.

For the first time this season I got the impression that the contestants were actually allowed to practice their songs. Every other week has been like watching them rehearse and learn a new song on stage.

I think that's one of the differences between this and last year. Last year it seemed like they practiced their songs over and over again until they got them as good as they could, given whatever voice they had. This year it's like all the contestants are too distracted by their "fame" to actually rehearse.

Oh well.

I'm guessing Simon's mild critique of Ruben was prompted by his perception of a growing backlash against Ruben, for being the judges' favorite and never being criticized. (There have been plenty of articles about this and I'm sure Simon has seen some of them.)

Kim C - I think she could actually be good if she'd stop worrying so much about how she looks when she's performing. This is not a beauty pageant, Kim. Get rid of the constant smile, close your eyes, get into the song, and really let loose. And you might have a shot at winning this thing.

BenCJedi

Couldn't someone use a macro program like what used to be packed with Windows 3.11 to relentlessly vote over and over and over again for the same person for the entire two hours the voting window is open?

fujishig

Someone could use their computer to endlessly redial the phone number anyway. There were allegations last year that this was how Nikki stayed on. The producers countered that they would notice such a discrepency, if a ton of votes all came from the same place. Of course, they don't really release the results now, do they, so we take their word that they count votes correctly, they filter votes when appropriate, and that the bottom three are really the bottom three.

They really should limit voting to one per household, or something like that. It should be easy to limit voting by phone number. But they never will, because then they can't brag that they got x0 million votes (though the ratings are still through the roof).

tanman

wow, a lot of people voted for Kim L. Last week she didn't get hardly any love.

big whoppa

Only 2 performances really stood out for me. That of Clay and Treynce. Treynce had the guts to change it up a bit from what she normally does although she worked it a little too much at times. I knew this would be Clay's opportunity to sing differently and then he started in the same way. And when he belted the upbeat part of "Tell Her About It" I was saying it was about time. He had to demonstrate that he could sing with a little more variety.

The others were OK. Again, nothing special or really challenging.

Well, my predictions for bottom feeders will be:
Kim C, Carmen, Kim L

Carmen's day is due.

Also, although I wouldn't consider myself a Billy Joel fanatic, I've heard most of big hits and I can't place the song Carmen did.

Goldberg74

A lot of choir groups sing that song. When my wife was in HS they did it every year.

jrutz

Kimberly Caldwell needs to go. She's this year's Ryan Starr (aka Tiffany Montgomery) - good looks and rotten attitude, but not much else.

Jeremy

big whoppa

Yes, I noticed the zits on the side of her face too. The makeup couldn't hide the bumps.

To answer another question posted above, yes, they have a vocal coach provided by the show. She's a black woman. She was on last year too. They don't acknowledge her much though.

fujishig

I've seen them rehearsing with her... but don't you think that she would tell them when a song is out of their range? Or is it just nerves when they don't do well?

kcdny

Sorry to see everyone hating on Kim Locke in these threads. I've always liked her voice. I can't see her in the bottom 3 this week again, enough is enough. her performance was great.
Carmen was dreadful as usual, and she makes me think I am watching Survivor with the weight loss every week. She needs to stuff her mug and stop singing.
Clay & Ruben are boring me to death now, they always sound the same. I thought Clay's performance was terrible because he basically stood there like a goofus. Gotta move around especially with an uptempo song.
Well I've said enough, good luck Kim Locke!

SleepyW

Agree and agree. Some weeks Kim has terrible presentation (attitude, clothes, hair, etc.), but she looked great and did a great job on the song...I wish she had more of an emotional connection with "NY State of Mind," but she pulled it off nonetheless.

I'm over Josh and Ruben is getting very one-dimensional as the judges stated. He's only impressed me once or twice.

Strangely I've seen those that knocked Trenyce's performance...seems as though those poeple have no appreciation for that type of music, because she did a good job -- not great, but good.


Why is everyone slamming her for being so thin? Why don't those same people knock Ruben for obvious reasons? He's much more overweight than Carmen is underweight - no contest. And I'm betting most that never heard "And So It Goes" before probably have no clue how unique the arrangement of her choice was. Sounded like she did it in 1/3 time, which is not easy. The original is nearly an a capella, but I gave her points for even trying that song. As I said in an earlier post, if she could do away with the goat vibrato, she'd be in the top 3 every week.

I have some musical background in this genre of music (pop) as an audio engineer, producer, etc. (on a lighter scale), and it's interesting to see some of the comments and interesting how some people are impressed by mediocrity. I wonder what some folks base their opinions on. Ruben was very plain last night, yet he's getting a ton of votes in the poll...curious... I'm not an expert by any means, but my comments during the performances are generally mimicked by Simon (who IS an "expert"), so I generally know what I'm talking about. For those that thought Kim L. was not good, I wonder if they were watching a different show. I'm VERY tough to impress, but Trenyce and Kim L. impressed me last night (and I haven't been big fans of either since the show started). Some people need to stop picking their favorites just for that reason.

SleepyW

On a separate note, the karaoke background that they sing to certainly doesn't help. Who arranges that crap? Maybe that's why I liked Trenyce's and Kim L.'s selections more than the others this week.

The guest judges are a waste. I saw comments that Lionel Richie actually offered some good critique, but I missed that show. When Smokey said he watched all the shows, I thought he might have some good commentary or insight - but nothin'. Let's get David Foster or Ted Nugent in there - I'm betting they'd have something more to say than "It was good. Good job."

maiana

That little head-bop thing he did at the end of the song was really goofy. I think he's getting a little too cocky now.

zuffy

Someone please tell me how Carmen is too skinny? Looking at the TV now, she's got more fat than Trenyce.

movieking

Not close to a TV tonight...can someone post who the bottom three are when they are announced, and who gets the boot?

zuffy

Bottom 3 is Kim C., Carmen, and Trenyce.

Trenyce got the safety. Looks like Carmen is gonna be gone

zuffy

WOOOHOOO.. Carmen is safe!

movieking

So Kim C is gone?

zuffy

yup

RichardW

Carmen is safe to torment the airwaves another week.