American Idol 2008 Thread

[Dom Heffner]

I guess I should add that maybe it's not as simple as snapping your finger to make a song your own, but most of these people don't even try. I mean, they just go note for note.

The arrangement tweaks for "Imagine" weren't that sophisticated, but he really seem to highlight the beauty of the tune, and being only 16, I'm guessing he didn't have to be a composer to do it.

I read your reposnse about Johns before seeing it, and I was in agreement from note one.

[Benihana]

I agree with you, Dom. That's all the more reason I was so disappointed with Michael Johns last night. I've been a fans of his all along, but he was terrible last night. He was off pitch most of the song, and had to strain to hit any note outside of his primary middle range. He did a lot of shouting as well. And after all of that, he did nothing to personalize the song to him.

I agree on Archuleta as well. I'll have to get past the "aw schucks" annoyance to recognize a supremely talented individual. He's got a bright future. The difference between him and Melinda from last year is that his surprise and aw shucks seems more genuine. Melinda was fake about it. She knew she was good, but pretended to act schocked that people liked her. Archuleta seems genuinely (up to this point) thrilled that he's being received so well.

I completely agree.

[MWM]

I guess I should add that maybe it's not as simple as snapping your finger to make a song your own, but most of these people don't even try. I mean, they just go note for note.

One thing to keep in mind with most of the people who have made it this far. I would bet that almost all of them have been drooled over by friends, family, teachers, etc… because their singing voice. Within their worlds, they’ve probably never gotten any feedback beyond people gushing about how good they are. So in their minds, they think as long as they open their mouths and sing, people are going to love them. Most have never been in an environment like this, where they’re not necessarily the most talented, and where the expectations are much higher. So that’s why they’re genuinely surprised when they’re not praised for their singing. They’re like, “wait a second. Every time I’ve ever opened my mouth before, everyone has loved me.” Some of them never get that they’re no longer in a small pond and who they’re being compared to is completely different.

[RFS62]

One thing to keep in mind with most of the people who have made it this far. I would bet that almost all of them have been drooled over by friends, family, teachers, etc… because their singing voice. Within their worlds, they’ve probably never gotten any feedback beyond people gushing about how good they are. So in their minds, they think as long as they open their mouths and sing, people are going to love them. Most have never been in an environment like this, where they’re not necessarily the most talented, and where the expectations are much higher. So that’s why they’re genuinely surprised when they’re not praised for their singing. They’re like, “wait a second. Every time I’ve ever opened my mouth before, everyone has loved me.” Some of them never get that they’re no longer in a small pond and who they’re being compared to is completely different.

Sounds like every player drafted in MLB every year.

[MWM]

Last night might have been the worst night I've ver seen on American Idol. As a group, the girls were attrocious. A couple were pretty good, but no one was great. And that girl totally butchered Hopelessly Devoted. That was painful.

[Redhook]

This year was touted as being the deepest and best class of the top 24. Wow, were they wrong. These singers are abysmal. What a disappointment.

[Roy Tucker]

I agree, MWM.

Also painful was Kady Malloy singing Heart's Magic Man off-key for the whole song.

Amanda Overmeyer has the Bride of Frankenstein look now.

[nate]

Yeah, it was pretty underwhelming.

I'm not sure why they let Amanda go through. She'd be great in a band but I don't think her voice is very versatile.

[BRM]

This year was touted as being the deepest and best class of the top 24. Wow, were they wrong. These singers are abysmal. What a disappointment.

They were certainly wrong. I do think overall the girls are better than the guys though. Although that's not saying much. There is still only 2 or 3 from each side worth listening to.

[MWM]

I was glad to finally see some judges comments last night on one of the problems I’ve had with a lot of the singers who have been on the show. Randy commented a couple of times about how they struggled with the verses, even though they sounded good on the chorus. It might seem counterintuitive to some, but it’s so much easier to sing at full volume in a full blown belt than it is to sing in a softer, quieter voice. That’s why I’m not necessarily blown away by that *one note* at the top of the singers lungs. It’s easy to support a note like that as it’s generally not much different than a sustained yell.

But good singers know how to support a sound when they’re singing softer. It require MORE breath support to do that than to belt out big note. To me, one of the signs I look for to tell who’s actually a good singer versus who’s just a belter is how they sound during the verses when they’re not just yelling at the top of their lungs. There’s nothing better than a strong, really supported sound on a quieter section of a song. That’s one of the problems I have with the show is everyone seems to be a belter and they’ve haven’t had that many truly great singers. I think it’s interesting that BY FAR the best singer this show has seen was Kelly Clarkson is Season 1 before the show really hit it big. No one has even come close to her in the 6 years that have followed.

[klw]

So far I have not been captivated. I wonder if part of the issue is that there is no Sanjaya type that I am hoping to see leave. While no one is standing out at the front there isn't really a distintive weaklink or really annoying person that clearly must go. The song choices so far have been extremely dull so far. I don't remember the song options being limited this early in prior years, I thought that started with the final 12 or whatever it becomes when they just kick off one each week. Maybe if the kids could be singing songs from this century they would be more familiar with what they really want to perform.

[IslandRed]

I was glad to finally see some judges comments last night on one of the problems I’ve had with a lot of the singers who have been on the show. Randy commented a couple of times about how they struggled with the verses, even though they sounded good on the chorus.

Some of them would have so much less trouble if they'd just change the key a notch or two.

I think it’s interesting that BY FAR the best singer this show has seen was Kelly Clarkson is Season 1 before the show really hit it big. No one has even come close to her in the 6 years that have followed.

It took a few seasons for my wife to drag me into watching with her, so I didn't see the first few seasons. Best in my experience, easily, was Melinda from last year. It was funny to watch how the judges essentially created an alternate grading scale for her; it was a given that she was going to sing the song perfectly every time, so they were reduced to nitpicking what she chose to sing or how she chose to sing it or her general lack of diva-ness.

[MWM]

It took a few seasons for my wife to drag me into watching with her, so I didn't see the first few seasons. Best in my experience, easily, was Melinda from last year. It was funny to watch how the judges essentially created an alternate grading scale for her; it was a given that she was going to sing the song perfectly every time, so they were reduced to nitpicking what she chose to sing or how she chose to sing it or her general lack of diva-ness.

Yeah, Melinda was very good and very polished. I never fell in love with her because there was nothing really unique about her at all. You can find singers like her just about anywhere. Sure, she did it very well, but I felt like I had heard that style so much that there was no need for one more. I don't think she was so much more talented than a lot of the other candidates as much as she had fewer flaws from years of seasoning.

Personally, I thought Jennifer Hudson was better. I almost boycotted the show when she was booted so early. Were it not for Latoya London (who I also think is as good as Melinda), I would have. Latoya was voted off something like 5th. I stopped watching that season and most of the next once she was gone. Both of those girls were head and shoulders better than either Fantasia or Diana.

I think Tamyra Gray from Season 1 might have been the second best vocalist the show has seen.

[nate]

Yeah, Melinda was very good and very polished. I never fell in love with her because there was nothing really unique about her at all.

I think Melinda's personality kept her from winning. She just didn't have "star" presence.

You can find singers like her just about anywhere.

So what makes a singer unique?

Melinda was probably the best overall singer that's been on AI. I think it comes from being a background singer. Have you ever noticed the background singers being off-key on AI? People who sing background tend to have a lot of control and great pitch because the job is to support the lead singer. Also because they have to blend harmoniously with someone else...even when that someone else is sub-harmonious.

Sure, she did it very well, but I felt like I had heard that style so much that there was no need for one more. I don't think she was so much more talented than a lot of the other candidates as much as she had fewer flaws from years of seasoning.

Well, there are two things at play: vocal talent and entertainment talent. Melinda's scale was heavily weighted toward the former. People like Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson had very high levels of both. How Clay Aiken, Fantasia and big Rube made it as far as they did is beyond me; I don't find them to be great singers or entertainers.

[wlf WV]

What I would see as an improvement to the show,would be to vote on the worst contestant each week. Most of the time we watch the show I have a definite opinion on who I don't want to see next week.