Monday, April 18, 2011

Results Night -- We Lose Another One

Here we are again, folks!  Somebody's favorite will be going home tonight!  So, let's jump in~


Ryan, dressed in a light blue shirt under his black suit (whoop!), tells us that there were 53 million votes cast for these 8 kids. 


He introduces the judges.  Randy wears black jeans, black jacket, and a tee.  Steven is in a Rock 'n Roll-ified black suit with a grey graphic tee.  Jennifer has on a gold dress with tassle embellishments on the front, teardrop earrings, and a tight braided ponytail. 


Scotty and Lauren take the stage with Lady Antebellum's "American Honey".  I wonder if these two have a "thing" yet?  They are cute together and have such a nice blend....all of those hours working on a song together.  Hmmm.  Anyway, Scotty wears a tan suede jacket, black graphic tee, jeans and brown boots.  Lauren looks adorable in her cute yellow ruffle dress, gold jewelry, thick brown belt and brown heels.  They sang good country with great harmonies. 


Bring on the Ford Video of the week.  The tune is "Animal" by Neon Trees.  Great song!  Haley, Scotty, James and Stefano are zombies who come to disturb the picnic that friends Jacob and Lauren are enjoying.  Paul and Casey are playing in the park.  The zombies end up dancing in the Ford Mustang nearby.  Cute!

Next we have the adorable pairing of Haley and Casey with the jazzy "Moanin".  Casey wears a black suit over a graphic tee.  Haley looks great in her messy updo, black and silver short corset dress, nude heels and chandelier earrings.  These two are amazing together.  This is one of the best songs we've heard yet this season!  Casey sounds great, and Haley brings more to this song than normal, and it really pays off!  The judges give them a standing "O", and loads of compliments.  Well done!  

Ryan calls the 2 duets to center stage.  Someone is in the bottom 3.  Scotty is pronounced safe; Lauren is safe also.   Haley is in the bottom 3, and must take the first Stool of Shame.  Casey is safe with the others, and can join them on the couch.

Rob Reiner gives the kids funny advice.  And Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean duet with "Don't You Wanna Stay", a country ditty, which has gone platinum without me ever hearing a single word before tonight!    Hubby, Kevin, mentions that Kelly is great.  "She was meant to do this.  She would've done this somehow, even if there had been no Idol."  I agree.  But, what a great platform for discovering new talent.  She was the first, and arguably the best.

Next to the stage are the foursome: James, Jacob, Paul and Stefano to sing Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence/Mrs. Robinson" as a medley.  Jacob wears  jeans and a black short sleeved cargo shirt.  James wears a black jacket, burgundy graphic tee and jeans.  Stefano wears a black jacket, black pants, and a black and yellow tee.  Paul wears a green graphic, jeans and tennies.  Paul and James are playing acoustic guitars.  They really sound good together. 

James is safe.  Jacob is safe.  Stefano and Paul are both in the bottom 3.  We have to wade through one more performance before we get the results. 

Rhianna and her flaming red hair sing "California King", which I have not heard before.  I liked "Umbrella", but I'm not generally a giant fan of hers.  But, I do enjoy this one--voice, dancers, lyrics, and all.  There are 6 floor to ceiling white panels of fabric and Rhianna appears from behind them to sing in a mauve velvet ruched floor length dress.  The dancers start on the floor, and then dance with the white fabric while a smoke machine fills the stage. 

Finally, we get what we tuned in for:  Kieran, Dim the Lights.

The three on the stools join Ryan.  Haley is safe.  Stefano is safe.  Paul is leaving us.   Jennifer stands in his honor, then the boys stand.  Jen asks him to sing "Maggie May" one more time.  This is his best song, by FAR!  I'm glad he gets to go out on a good note. 

Thanks for recapping with me!

That's All I Know!

~Karissa

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Songs From the Cinema

Tonight the AI kiddos will be singing Songs From the Cinema.  This traditionally is a little bit of a snooze-fest of a show, but I have high hopes that this group can pummel the last few! 

The judges are introduced.  Randy wears a navy cardigan, white dress shirt, and a blue and yellow striped tie.  Jen is wearing a silver tone on tone striped dress, and her bangs pulled to the right side with an oval clip.  Steven has on a leopard print and white unbuttoned dress shirt, and Mr. T chains.  Ryan has on his signature black suit and white shirt.  Snore.

First, we discover that our very own Jennifer Lopez has been named Most Beautiful Girl in the World.  She is a beauty...I agree!

Paul is the first of the kids to perform.  He'll sing Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" while playing tamborine and dancing a fool like usual!  He wears his black wild rose covered suit, a black dress shirt, red ascot and black boots.  A cute blonde saxophone player joins him onstage.  It's a fun performance, but the singing is not the best.  This song doesn't have a great vocal range, and his interpretation is pretty loosy-goosy.  Steven wants his suit and loves his crazy wild abandon.  Jen calls him a diamond in the rough, and Randy says this could be the first number at the Paul McDonald concert.  Clearly, they liked it more than I did.

Lauren Alaina is next up with Miley Cyrus' "The Climb".  Jimmy tells her she could bury Miley with her version of the song.  I would be surprised if she didn't!  The electric guitarist starts it off.  Lauren has her 2 toned hair pulled back into a clip.  She has on a silver and black zebra top, thick black belt and flouncy skirt, cowboy boots and long feather and silver earrings.  She countrifies the song, and sounds GOOD.  I like it a lot.  Jennifer loves the "cry" in her voice.  Randy says, "The Lauren that we first saw is roaring back."  He also says she sounded like the song was written for her.  Steven says he loves what she brings to the song, and what the song brings to her. 

Stefano will sing "End of the Road", a personal favorite of mine by Boyz to Men.  Jimmy told him to forget about being in the bottom 3, and the possibility of going home.  Good advise, when you've been there too often.....start to psych yourself out!  He wears a striped v-neck layered over a short sleeved dress shirt, jeans and white tennies.  He is in great voice--this song is PERFECT for him!  Lots of runs, but I'm not annoyed by them like I usually am.  Randy says he slayed it.  Tells Stefano he is back & that he made the right move.  Steven states the obvious with, "This is SO not the end of the road for you!"  I agree, Stevie baby.

Next on stage is Scotty McCreery.  He teases us with Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin", before deciding on the the much-countrier "Across My Heart" by George Strait.  I have a feeling he could've connected with more people with the first choice.  I hope it doesn't hurt him this week.  He wears a grey leather jacket over a brick red graphic tee, his cross chain, black pants and boots.  He does a good job with the song.  The judges rave about it. 

Casey Abrams talks with Jimmy and will.i.am and sings snippits of two choices for them.  He is trying to decide between Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" and Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight".  Jimmy and I prefer the latter.  He chooses the former.  He has a side part in his hair tonight.  Interesting.  He wears a grey suit and white dress shirt, and sings into an old-time style mic, playing a white upright bass.  The bongos and piano on the stage are also white.  Good look.  The song does sound incredible, and he scats after the instrumental interlude.  Nice.  He gets a standing "o" from the judges.  Randy says he's a real true artist, and that we've never seen a contestant like him.  Steven likes how he stuck to his guns, and stayed true to himself. 

Next we have Haley.  Jimmy says he loves where Haley is right now--growing from where she was in the competition.  She sings Blondie's "Call Me" in very strong voice. She is wearing a cool slipdress straight from "Laugh In", with purple above the knee boots.  She has on green eyeshadow and a great oval ring.  There are 3 backup singers and an awesome electric guitarist.  It's a very sexy effect, and I personally liked it.  Haley would wish I were the judge, because they tore her up.  Randy calls it karaoke; Steven does add that this song is all chorus, which is a good place for her.  Jen didn't really like it, but is afraid to say anything bad about a girl, because she doesn't want anymore to leave!  Silly me, I liked it.

Jacob sings Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" at the advice of Jimmy and will.i.am.  He has on a tan suit, white check dress shirt, jewel cuff links, brown dress shoes, and an aqua pocket hanky.  He sings with a lot of vibrato, has one very flat note, but saves it at the end, and finishes very strong.  The judges go nuts, as usual.  Steven calls him angelic.  *eye roll*  Jennifer says he gave her chills.  I liked it maybe more than usual (save for the flat note), but not more than other performances tonight.

James is last and ends the show with a bang.  He wants to sing "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar.  He tells the advisors that he will not be changing his mind, telling us, "Give metal a chance, America!"  He gets the assistance of iconic guitarist Zakk Wylde.  Together, they pull off an amazing version of "Heavy Metal".  He is dressed as James is always dressed.  Rock all the way.  Jennifer says he sounded really real.  She's glad he brought heavy metal to Idol!  Randy says, "Durbin ROCKS!".  And Steven just says, "Excellent".  Yep.

So, that's the show.  What'dya think?  I predict Jacob, Paul, and either Haley or Stefano (only bc they end up there a lot, and don't seem to have the votes).  I would pull for Jacob to leave us, but who knows at this point!

Weigh in and let me know what you think!  Thanks for reading!

That's All I Know!

Karissa

Sunday, April 3, 2011

American Idol -- Two Leave

America is Watching
11 Beautiful Voices
Tonight, Two Must Go
And You Won't Believe Who Is Going Home

Here are your judges.  Jennifer Lopez is wearing a short, black sequined dress.  Makeup nice and subtle, and she's got my banana clip from high school in her hair.  Man, I loved that thing!  Steven Tyler has on black and white vertical striped pants, with a tan open shirt.  Not sure this matches, but then again, I'm not a rock star, so what do I know!  Randy Jackson is dressed down tonight in jeans, a black tee with the word CARE on the chest, and chains.  Ryan Seacrest is in his typical uniform ....black suit, white shirt, black tie.  Way to put some effort into it, Ry. 

Ryan introduces the Top 11, and the kids are told to go "relax" on the couches. 

Instead of the Group Song, tonight we are treated to duets, a trio and a band.  Me likey.  First is Lauren and Scotty, singing "I Told You So", a pretty country ditty.  I don't know if Miss Lauren ever expected to find herself in the country genre, but there she has landed.  She wears a cute black jumpsuit and platform wedges.  Scotty joins her on stools to sing in a burgundy dress shirt with black embellishments, jeans and boots.  For two newbies not even out of high school yet, they sound effortless together, and are pronounced SAFE at the end of their song.  Yea!  They go back to the couches. 

Our Ford Video this week features our contestants in a dark and stormy city, singing "Kriptonite" by 3 Doors Down.  Several of them have superpowers, but Scotty's is special.....he can move a car by driving it.  Hehe. 

Ryan calls Naima and Jacob to centerstage.  They sing Ashford and Simpson's "Solid (As a Rock)".  Jacob wears a silver jacket, red dress shirt, red hanky and jeans.  Naima has on a brown fringy dress, gong earrings, and 200 gold bangles.  Truthfully, this is probably my favorite song either of them has sung on the big stage.  Unfortunately, since I finally like her, Naima is asked to be the first to sit on the Stool of Shame.  Jacob is safe, and joins the others on the couch.

Ok, I have to be honest with ya.  Fantasia only got my attention long enough to write down what she wore, and laugh at her hairdo, shaved, blonde sporting one giant Ho-Ho on her forehead.  Attractive.  She sounded, well, like Fantasia.  Moving on. 

A trio of Haley, Thia and Pia (!) take the stage to sing "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.  Haley is wearing a very cute royal & navy striped dress.  Thia wears a very light mauve flouncy dress with a gold necklace and a matching ribbon in her side braid.  Pia has on a nude top, black skinny pants with a black belt.  Pia is the first to be told that she is safe.  Duh.  Our youngest contestant, Thia, is in the bottom 3; Haley is safe.  Two head to the couches, and one joins Naima on the Stools of Shame.

We endure a long look at the past week.  Day by day-- they record, go to a charity event, do a Ford video shoot, have to move because their mansion floods, select songs for next week, get styled for a photo shoot, have rehearsals and have a live AI show.  Then we see Casey's defeat, save, reaction again.  Poor guy. 

Last to perform is the newly formed band, consisting of Paul, Casey, Stefano and James.  They sing Paul McCartney's "Band on the Run".  Paul is playing a 12 string acoustic guitar, wearing black skinny jeans, a leather jacket, grey shirt and his bolo.  Casey is on a Hofner bass, and he wears a grey hoodie, burgundy tee shirt, jeans and Vans.  James also plays a 12 string acoustic, wearing a grey leather jacket, jeans, chains, and his tail.  And Stefano is on keyboard, and wears a black jacket over a white graphic tee and jeans.  I LOVE the band.  Steven tells them they can tour with Aerosmith.  Casey is the first to be sent to the couch, then is joined by James.  Paul is told to move to the final Stool of Shame, while Stefano can rest easy...he is also safe.

Jamie Foxx and will.i.am take the stage with various dancers, acrobats and a drum corp. I enjoyed all the troups they brought with them more than the music, I must say.  Several of the dancers did what looked like Synchronized Swimming without the water, a la "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.....", the commercial with the girls in yellow swimsuits selling contraceptives. 

FINALLY, we get to the votes.  The person who will go on is ...................... Paul!
Thia and Naima have the two bottom spots.  This is the end of the road for them. 

Well, I guessed two of the ones in the bottom three correctly, and one of the two going home.  They do get to go on tour, though, so their time on Idol is not over by a long shot! 

Did you guess Thia and Naima would be the ones leaving tonight?  Tune in next week for more AI fun....til then.....

That's All I Know!