twikoff

VFTW is backing amanda, so she will probably be able to ride that at least a few more weeks

TomOpus

So, you're in a competition of a lifetime and you decide to play an instrument you've never played before.

creekdipper

Lot of spot-on analysis from the DVDTalk Judges, as usual, & I'd like to add some comments later after finishing some important business...but I have to comment about Michael Johns' rendition of "Day in the Life"....

Did anyone else notice how he mangled the lyrics at the end? I checked again on Youtube to make sure I heard him correctly....

The actual lyric goes:

"....The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look
Having read the book...."

The Michael Johns version:

"...The English army had just won the war
But though the news was rather sore
Having read the bore
Having read the bore...."

(or something like that...he definitely doesn't say "book")

Maybe there's a British or Aussie newspaper titled "The Bore" (or "Boer" if he has South African connections).

Think he got a couple of stanzas mixed & just went with it trying desperately to rhyme something (and even repeated the mistake).

The poor guy was sweating like a turkey on Thanksgiving when he finished.

mphtrilogy

Amanda Overmeyer - Ugh, I used to be a fan, and now I have seen the light, please go home soon.

Kristy Lee Cook - No brainer this week, bye bye

David Archuleta - I kinda liked the kid, but now he annoys me, but he picked a perfect song for himself. One of the few people who know what they do well.

Michael Johns - What a mess. How can you try to do this song? The Beatles catolog is 150 great songs and he chooses this? First time he might be in danger

Brooke White - I love the song, hated her doing it, if she played it on a guitar solo, maybe she could have showed off her picking chops, but this was bad, very bad. But she is easily likeable and gets a pass.

David Cook - He was at least entertaining, but all I could think of was Peter Frampton and Geico.

Carly Smithson - Blackbird is really not a showcase vocal song, its more of a picking acoustic song. Bad choice, she is really not that great.

Jason Castro - Ugh, this guy really stinks, his personality will get him far though.. but very bad soing choice. I was waitiing for "with a little Help from my friends" but he did not deliver.

Syesha Mercado - the song is so good, she just had to sing it straight and she did, one of the better of the night and she rebooted her chances to go further in this show by the skin of her teeth. Now she needs to keep the correct song choices coming.

Chikezie - That arragment and Harmonica were Brutal.

Ramiele Malubay - She has a lot of vocal talent, but she has not stage presence at all.

Bottom 3: KristyLee, Michael Johns, Ramiele.

Kirsty is bye bye.

How could they screw up The Beatles?

Left on the Table:
Something Harrison
Yellow Submarine
All You Need Is Love
Dear Prudence
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Revolution
Good Day Sunshine
Drive My Car
Nowhere Man
If I Needed Someone
Run for Your Life
With a Little Help from My Friends
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
Getting Better
Strawberry Fields Forever

BDLOU

That's how full of himself he is.

Kelkee

Carly. What a complete mess.

Blackbird? Should be a gentle acoustic ballad. Would be the perfect song for Jason Castro and his guitar. Instead Carly Celine's up the song destroying it completely. So tired of seeing her in the same frilly satin top every week that shows off that horrible tattoo. Yeah you have a tattoo. whoo-p-ty-doo.

Oh yes and add some some more lame tats to your fingers as well. That 'Cape Fear' rapist look is really becoming.

JMLEWIS1

I love Here, There, Everywhere.....several of the girls would have sounded great doing that

PerryD

Yeah, not much stuck out this week at all. I picked Ramiele to go, because this is at least 3 performances in a row where she been sleepwalking through her performances. I think Chikezie was the best overall in that he brought energy and variety to his performance.

I still love Brooke though! I am disappointed about the hate by the judges and some here for her dancing last night. I love the slightly gawky/awkward dance style, reminds me a bit of Dolores O'Riordan from the Cranberries.

B.A.

This show sucks.

Syesha is several levels of hot.

My wife thinks KLC's performance tonight saved her for one more week.

She thinks Ramielle is a goner.

I still think it's KLC.

creekdipper

Totally agree. Lots of contemporary artists have covered this successfully...it can work with country arrangements (Emmylou Harris), folksy, bluesy-piano-backed, etc.

Had to laugh at someone's pointing out Ryan's fascination with the voicebox...he looked like a little kid who had been told not to touch a toy or dessert...and he was fightin' the urge with all his willpower.

Some very unnecessary analysis:

Solid performances: Syesha and (yes) Lil' David. Neither knocked it out of the park and no socks were blown off , but really entertaining & worth a second or third listen. We also found Syesha's hair a vast improvement over her old "Roots-extra" 'do. Very classy.

Surprising (at least to me): David Cook (except for the aforementioned voicebox, actually enjoyed the entire thing...and I didn't catch a single wink from him this time) and (drum roll....) Amanda.

Amanda has set the bar so low that anytime she gives a decent performance, it sounds better in comparison. Sure, she's a one-trick pony, but she's trying to make the most of her very limited ability. At least this time it was bearable even when the backup vocalists weren't singing. A little better enunciation, too...although I have to admit that, when I saw the recap clip (having come in late to the show), I didn't recognize the song at all until the chorus (and I used to sing it in a garage band). Was surprised when I saw the entire Youtube clip...one of her better performances...probably enough to keep her alive another week. Bad performance by everyone else's standards, but good for Amanda.

Acceptable:

Carly. Carly's red top make her look pregnant & clashed with her tats. Also, as someone else posted, her vocal take was too "big"...should have been a simple accoustic ballad. I find most of her performances technically proficient but lacking any real passion...it's like she's concentrating on hitting all the right notes instead of just letting go. That's why I rated Syesha higher...she was getting into the song so much, I thought she was going to cry at one point (like Brooke last week). Sadly, I never feel that connection with Carly. That doesn't mean she's bad...I admire Mariah Carey's ability but don't connect with her, either.

Weak:

Castro (Cowell's criticism hit the mark...entirely forgettable cover of a tricky song with its "cabaret" elements). Thought Paula's comments were on the money, too. Fun, goofy guy but wouldn't pay to see him.

Brooke: VERY bland. Just an okay performance, but her cult of personality will keep her safe.

Life-threatening:


Chikeze: For me, the kitchen-sink approach didn't work this time the way it did last week. The judges called him out for the schizophrenic performance (like 5 performers at once). To use one of Simon's phrases, it was a mess. Good song choice...coulda been a contender. He might have enough fans to save him...he's a likable dude.

KLC: Coulda been good...Randy's comments & vocal illustration were extremely perceptive. She kept the melody in the lower range just at the moments when the original went higher, which should have been her strength. No energy at all except in the closing moments ("last 2 seconds" according to SC). She keeps self-destructing...seems really awkward at times (leg kicks reminiscent of Elaine Bennis's famous full-body dry-heave). Still, I admire her spunk and poise...she seems to be much better suited to a job as a model (which she has done), E-News host, tv broadcaster, or even actress. Just doesn't have the pipes or the charisma as a singer. She does seem to have a very good perspective on the whole thing...I would be very surprised if she sobs & falls apart when she gets axed...she seems to be expecting it each week. Her only chance is for enough enamored guys (or girls) voting to bring her back. She's the type about whom we used to say, "She makes the team picture look better."

Ramiele: Actually liked most of her vocal performance, but it was undermined by the band's cheesy, dated arrangement (will somebody Puhleeze kill the harmonica!!). My wife commented that she needs to get out of those skintight hooker pants (they just emphasize her round hips and short legs)
and put on a pretty dress. I keep holding my breath when she tries to strut in those heels. She reminds me of Tina Turner...or Ellie May Clampett ("Pa, she's got me walkin' around on pegs").

Michael Johns: A mess all the way around, from the hopping around on stage clutching the mic to the blown lyrics. Bad song choice for this type of competition, despite his "reason"...he's going to run out of deceased friends soon and will have to take the blame himself. Yes, it was funny when he allowed Paula to excuse him until it was pointed out that the excuse was bogus. That guy was desperate last night!

PREDICTION:

Since I correctly picked Hernandez last week, I'll go with my instincts again & say Ramiele...not because I think she deserves to go, but I just don't think she has connected with a fan base as much as the others (even KLC). I believe the "vote for the cutest" base has already been locked up by Archuletta & all the others have already been taken. Unlike Sanjaya, I doubt she has an entire village phoning in each week. Would hate to see her go, though...she has a lot of potential if she can use it in time, and she's very likable.

FINAL THOUGHTS BEFORE TONIGHT'S VOTE:

Worst pandering remark: A tossup between MJ's sympathy for a friend & KLC's "socks" comment.

Least-needed help gone to waste: Syesha's letting the twins out to play.

Funniest comment: Amanda saying that it was nice to be able to see the audience instead of performing from a flatbed truck. I chuckled when I imagined her singing behind the chicken-wire in one of those Roadhouse-type saloons.

Most Improved: The panel. For once, all three made some very cogent remarks...you could even imagine RJ as a producer giving constructive advice to a client. Paula offered some clear-headed, unmedicated analysis and didn't make any really bizarre rear-view mirror comments (that I remember). Cowell was less deliberately confrontational and insulting for ratings sake...when he was critical, it seemed more heart-felt and out of exasperation more than anything else.

Most tired comment needed to be shelved: The participant's explanations why they chose a song. I admire the ones (like Amanda) who say they picked a song because it fits their style, seems to be likely to please the crowd, etc. Don't buy at all all these "tributes" to relatives, dead friends, broken-winged birds, etc. Just shut up & sing, why doncha? If you're an established performer, you can afford to do one tribute song at a concert out of the entire set...even if it's lame, the audience will forgive you when you go back to your hits. Not so on AI, when (as Amanda pointed out), you've got "1 1/2 minutes" to sell the song to the audience.

Most In Need of a Hug: Ryan, who never did get to play with the voicebox. Heck, he didn't even get to rub Chikeze's face & head this time.

creekdipper

Had to read your post twice to make sure you said "pitch" problems.

creekdipper

Don't remember if anyone else replied to this...I watched the Youtube replay and definitely think she said "chick" (although it could easily be misunderstood...and the panel's grins & reactions seem to imply that they heard it the way you did, unless it was just their perception that she was implying that she was going to become a big star.

The way Amanda talks, you can see why so many bar fights get started. Imagine her trying to enunciate with a few belts of Jack in her and with the other person trying to understand her while being in a similar feel-good state.

Hopefully, Amanda doesn't have to give medical orders to other nurses. Being married to an RN, I know how important it is that the charts are correct & that accurate reports are given at shift change. I have to wonder what the mortality rate is where she works.

"Give Mr. So-and-So mumbity mummmbblle of mmujbmmm mmmub times an hour."

Groucho

The only way last night could have been more disrespectful was if they dug up the Beatles, brought their corpses on stage, and did a puppet show.

DRG

Amanda Overmeyer - Yeah, this is starting to get boring. She really missed the point with the judge's comments. There are ways to show diversity in your style without completely sacrificing who you are as a performer.

Kristy Lee Cook - Completely unmemorable, which may be even worse than being outright horrible.

David Archuleta - Last week aside, he's already starting to bore me in the way that Melinda Dolittle did last season in that he almost sounds *too* rehearsed. I mean, that's not really a bad thing I suppose... but even a really good robot is still robotic.

Michael Johns - Ugh. I'm already not a big fan, but this was just a confusing mess of an arrangement. The whole ear monitor/dead friend sequence of banter just made it worse.

Brooke White - I think she should have left the 'do-do-do-do' part to the backup singers, but overall I didn't hate this as much as everyone else apparently did.

David Cook - Wasn't bad, but it was a bit too gimmicky. I'm glad he fessed up to this being a Whitesnake version, but it worries me that he seems to be actively trying to find existing rocked-out cover versions of the songs he's attempting rather than use some creativity of his own. But I guess it didn't hurt Daughtry.

Carly Smithson - Her vocals were a bit weird in spots. I didn't really care for the song. She should have married a better tattoo artist.

Jason Castro - I kind of zoned out during this one.

Syesha Mercado - I actually missed this one due to a phone call.

Chikezie - Didn't get the harmonica, but I liked the way he sounded in the second half of it. Although I think he should've went for a slighty funky spin in that section instead of playing the bluesgrass card a second week in a row.

Ramiele Malubay - Uptempo didn't work last time she tried it, and it didn't quite work this time either. These contestants need to stop with the knee jerk 180 degree reactions to the judge's comments, especially when it seems she missed the entire point. It wasn't broing last week because it was a ballad, it was boring because the performance was boring.

superdeluxe

LOL.

That is great.

Flave

I thought Syesha had the best performance last night.

Disappointed that my personal fave Brooke didn't bring it.

Fartuleta had a good night but I'm getting really sick of the sycophantic, idiotic, and brainless screaming by his sycophantic, idiotic, and brainless teen horde in the audience.

BDLOU

I actually took the Michael Johns "ear piece" thing differently. I don't think he wanted to show up Paula and said he wasn't using one. It certainly isn't an excuse so why would he want to act like that was his problem? I actually think he is genuine. Him and Carly both realize that this is probably their last chance.

Kal-El

I can't believe how hard the judges are pimping Carly. It was a horrible, horrible rendition of a very simple classic. Anybody also notice how they contradict themselves from contestant to contestant? They'll tell one person that they should've stuck to the classic melody, then tell another one that they should've "done more" to it.

creekdipper

Although I praised the judges for more pertinent comments, you raise a good point.

Normally, I'd agree...but I thought that they were valid this time. If you just do a bland, predictable version without any emotion, that's not good--the difference this week between Brooke & Sayesha, IMHO.

On the other hand, if you change it up, you'd better be sure that the changes actually work & play to your strengths rather than working against you.

Admittedly, it's a very fine line on which to balance...but I thought that, overall, the panel did a good job of distinguishing among the performances.

I don't think the advice was contradictory in this case (although they have confused the contestants in the past)....just honest appraisals of what worked & what didn't for each individual & each song.

Phod

Ramiele isn't going anywhere. Only 1 person ever left after having the "pimp spot".. ie: singing last.

rkndkn

I heard that, too -- I thought she said something like ". . .that chick is fun -- I want to see that shit."

Groucho

Really? Does that include the final 2?

Phod

Hmm I doubt the final 2 is counted.. for sure though only 1 person going last with 3 or more ppl left has ever been voted off.

DVD Josh

Your memory for previous DVD Talk disputes is astounding Groucho.

fujishig

I think the past performances where Brooke has excelled have all been with an instrument in front of her (at least, that I can remember)... she tried to mix it up a bit, I guess, but just doesn't have the stage presence (yet) to do any kind of uptempo number, moving around the stage and dancing.