No viewing party tonight. Just me.
I sure hope Salt Lake City is better than Jacksonville. We are due for a good city. Since Kansas City, we have had some duds.
My thoughts post-click.
Home of David Archuletta. Let's hope everyone today doesn't lick their lips or breath at awkward times.
Again, I HATE PREVIEWS of what I am about to watch. This wastes time. Was the talent this weak as to have to preview every little thing? Don't answer that. I think I know the answer.
People in Utah are obviously very happy (according to the intro).
David Osmond (yes, from those Osmonds) is auditioning. According to the video package, his dad (Alan) and he both have Multiple Sclerosis. David was in a wheelchair, but now his MS is in a remission. He sings some Take 6 and had a calm, cool confidence about him. He sings very well! The judges question his solo mentality, but I think it's a smoke screen. He gets a golden ticket. AI wants this guy in the competition, and they want him to go far. Their reluctance to take him is setting up the underdog effect. I need to see more of him (which I am sure I will) to totally make up my mind, but he is a keeper, methinks.
Tara Matthews, psychic red-headed goth fishnet, If not for her gimmicky dress, she would never be in front of the judges. Send her home, sayeth I. Go home, sayeth the judges. And I smile.
Montage of bad singers.
Chris Kirkham can't think of a gimmick, so instead, he brings a person with a gimmick with him. He brings Greg the Rabbit (a guy dressed in a pink rabbit suit) to the audition with him. While Chris (with his Simon shirt and Simon cutout on a stick) sings, Grabbit dances behind him. ("Bizarre Season Eight," thinketh I.) You can tell that Chris is a good casual singer, but there's not enough substance there. Judges must agree as they reject him. Guess the gimmick got him on TV though.
Heavy-handedly edited montage of auditionees being happy at being rejected. Get on with it!
Frankie Jordan, stay-at-home mom, has tons of confidence bordering on INCREDIBLY cocky. She has a different look about her, but she can sing very well. Her cockiness actually makes her seem very comfortable when she sings. (Note: She does, however, have these weird wrinkle lines that divide her forehead in two when she hits certain noted, but I think that borders on nit-picky.) I like her a lot! Barring a meltdown, I see her making it through Hollywood.
Megan Corkrey, newly-divorced mom with the tattoo sleeve, is celebrating her birthday. She has a VERY distinct voice, and yes, I mean that as a compliment. She is really good. I am impressed by the way her voice cuts through. She does have some odd facial tics while singing, but maybe she can work on those. (One can hope.) Good personality. I agree with Simon that she is memorable. I think she is definitely a keeper. She is through to Hollywood. Duh.
Already, Salt Lake City has been better than most of the other cities (barring Kansas City) and the show is only half over.
Andrew Gibson, the bass, can sing low (and is probably good in the shower) gets a quick no.
Austin Sisneros, senior class president, wants to be an inspiration. I think this kid has a great personality and a "good" voice, but I don't see him as AI potential. He does select odd songs (one by Train and another by Raffi!), but maybe he can improve. Likable kid. You saw how far Kevin Covais got on being a likable kid. Could be an early exit, but if he makes it through Hollywood, he could outstay his welcome in the Top 12. I think I mean that in a good way. We'll see.
Rejection montage.
Jarrett Burns, singer with the newsboy cap, sings Corinne Bailey Rae and sings very well (slightly oversinging), but I like his confidence.
I like the vibe of a lot of the SLC singers, if that makes sense.
Tall 16-year-old Taylor Vaifanua has a strong voice but she doesn't jump out at me. I will forget this audition after the next one probably. Also, something about her eyebrows is bugging me. Maybe someone can tell me what is driving me crazy about them. Randy gushes, but I don't know if I'm THAT impressed yet. Should she go through? Probably. Is she that great? Don't think so. Four yeses.
Rose Flack, Idahoan who lost both her parents, has a unique style. She sings some Carole King, and she oozes cool. I don't know if she will make it that far, but I really like her. I want to hear more of her. Nice, not great, vocals.
Overall, I thought that this was a strong show--maybe more talent per minute than Kansas City. (KC got two hours; SLC only got one.)
A winner might come from here...
A show tomorrow night?! Be prepared for a craptastic show. They are squeezing Puerto Rico and NYC in one show? Prepare for the bad. I have heard in an interview with Simon that Puerto Rico was one of the worst audition cities of the season. Seeing the bad that was Louisville and Jacksonville, be afraid.
Be very afraid.
Posts
I am done picking favorites this early on. I usually get attached to someone, and then he/she gets cut in Hollywood without another look at the person. Therfore, I find myself watching these audition shows without much real excitement. However, Monte, I still love reading your thoughts on everyone:)!
ReplyDeleteMonte, you often say you can do without all the montages/judge bickering, etc. But think what a boring show the audition rounds would be if they JUST showed the contestants singing (the good and the bad). They've got to break up the monotony of the actual auditions with something. It think your criticisms of the individual contestants is over-riding your enjoyment of the American Idol 'experience'. Just my thoughts. [Do I get credit for leaving a comment?] --TROY
ReplyDelete@Lisa
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know it's hard sometimes picking favorites this early. Either you get disappointed when they don't even make it to the "real show," or the real talent ends up having never been shown before.
When you realize how many people make it to Hollywood and how few make it on the show, we are just seeing a mere glimpse.
Having said that, I think since they are going back to the four weeks of voting rounds prior to the top 12 (36 contestants, I believe), it may not be as bad.
Of course, as always, at this stage we are at the mercy of the AI editors. I know I have a tendency to get all conspiracy theorist, often thinking AI plants seeds as to who they want to win (showing them more, putting them up against sub-par talent, etc.), but I love it when things seemingly go against their wishes. This is why I liked Taylor's win and Bo's close finish.
Welcome to the blog, Lisa!
@Troy
ReplyDeleteYes, this counts as a comment (though I find it odd that you didn't even comment on the thread where you were mentioned).
You, off course, are right. Without the judges/Ryan garbage the show would be boring and dull. But (and this will sound like I am totally contradicting myself) their (sometimes) inane presence feeds the "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" side of me.
It's fun to complain sometimes, and that is part of the entertainment that AI offers me.
Ryan is smarmy, smug, and oh so macho. But he does a good job working off the judges and contestants. I agree with you that, considering the show, he is good at what he does, but he (and the show) to some extent has become a caricature of himself (and itself).
But, though I complain, he doesn't much bother me. It's fun to be snarky.
And the judges for the most part fill their jobs well. They each (excepting Cara yet) have distinct personalities (though, as I said before are bordering on caricatures) that are easily recognizable. We expect certain things from the judges.
We expect Randy to want the dawgs to bring it.
We expect Simon to shoot straight from the hip.
And we expect Paula to... Well, we expect Paula to check herself into some rehab center... and to just be Paula.
So, don't fret, my enjoyment of the show is still high (though I do quite obviously obsess over minutiae).
Yes, I do roll my eyes when I can predict almost every beat of these audition shows.
And yes, I do shake my head when the balance of a show's content seems to shift toward the non-singing talent (judges included) instead of the quality performers.
But, if I'm being honest, complaining about the obviousness of predictability in these early shows gives me great pleasure as well.
Troy, thanks for the post!
And for the canned water!
But don't you agree that we don't need to see Ryan bouncing uncomfortably on Cara's lap ever again?! (;
@Troy
ReplyDeleteBut one thing I truly do hate in all seriousness about the show is the "After the break" preview. I truly think that it is annoying and ruins any kind of suspense.
I would rather have inane blather than shots of what's to come. I know that this is done by MANY reality shows, but it doesn't make me like it.