Paige's Pager Goes Off for Her Trip Home

I apologize for my missing show review this morning....a little too much going on here at Casa Idolmama. I trust that you found your Top 11 review elsewhere in the Idolsphere and maybe missed me a little along the way? :)

I agree with most of the other bloggers I read today that dawg, seriously, last night really, really just wasn't good. The song choices were downright dismal (too many repeats) and vocals were all over the place for most of the contestants. And it was just painful in many ways, from Tim Urban's High School Musical-ish slide and desperate-feeling mosh-pitting to Paige's dull, wacky off-tune song and one too many sideways glances from Katie. I wish 6 could have gone home tonight....but alas, that lone honor fell to Paige, who held her head high and didn't cry (not that there is anything wrong with that.)

Sadly, her sing-out was actually really, really good and underscores the point the judges are always making about song choice....it really is critical, but proves elusive for so many contestants. How much better was she tonight on R & B compared to last night's Phil Collins dribble? Night and day, folks. Best of luck, Paige!

The tour line-up has now been set, and several peeps are calling their accountants: Andrew Garcia, Tim Urban and Katie Stevens, along them. Katie is probably busy just trying to figure out how she will graduate from high school.....(Katie, they will work that out, don't worry.....) Big Mike is busy trying to decide which college savings account will be funded for Baby with this tour, and Crystal is wondering how she will manage her son while away....or will he travel with her?! Huge implications (along with many ble$$ings) for these Top 10. Obviously Siobahn's boss is on board since he came to LA for the show. (And what is UP with those freakish friends/fans of hers.....the Zombies/Rhymes with Siobahnies.... FREAKY! I honestly thought the camera had initially caught someone unawares with a nosebleed...boy, was I mistaken!)

So, did the right contestant go home tonight? Will Crystal bring her magic carpet on tour? And most importantly will YOU buy a ticket for this year's tour?

apige

Danny Gokey's Best Days: CD Review

I text-ed two of my sisters last week to tell them that I had picked up Danny Gokey's debut CD, "My Best Days" and really thought it was fantastic, and better than Kris Allen's to my listening ear. Funny, both of them immediately text me back the same question: is it country? A neighbor on the sidewalk asked me the same thing the very next day.

So, what would be wrong if it was country, I wondered?

Best Days been on heavy rotation in the minivan while I digest it. You may recall that at the conclusion of last season of American Idol, I announced that the only CD I would purchase would be Danny's.

(I've kept to that promise....technically speaking....I was given the gift of Kris Allen :)

So, is it country? That depends on your definition. There are certainly a banjo, fiddle and mandolin on this record. I guess those are typically "country" instruments. The opening notes and lyrics of several tracks had me immediately thinking Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, and the association was so strong I had to run to the Internet to see if there were any songwriters that crossed these three artists (there aren't. ) But to me, Carrie and RF aren't pure country, they are crossover artists who straddle the country/pop/mainstream markets.....hardcore country they are not. Bottom line is that if you like that sort of pop/country, you will DIG what Danny Gokey offers here.

Admittedly, I was a fan of Danny's last season. I think he was the kind of contestant who polarized viewers: either you liked him, or you didn't....and there weren't many people who were entirely neutral. While some viewers called him "Goaty Gokey" among other nasty monikers and found his style arrogant and preachy, I found him entirely endearing and was uplifted by his smile and terrific voice. Finally hearing his debut CD, I have to say, LOVE IT! It's just what I would have expected and wanted from him and I couldn't ask for more.

So what is the music like, then? If you followed Danny on AI, you know that at the time of his American Idol audition, he was serving as the worship leader at a large Christian church in Beloit, WI, and that his wife had suddenly passed away just 4 weeks before his AI audition. The first single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" has an amazing story. Turns out it's Nashville songwriter also lost his wife too soon; you can read the full story here.

But that's just the beginning of the CD; the songs that follow took me through a reaffirmation of faith with the rousing "I Still Believe" (with Kara DioGuardi as co-writer!) where Danny sings "...never saw a man walk on water, but I still believe..." The CD continues through the escapism of the upbeat "Getaway" (reminded me of Carrie Underwood's "Get Out of this Town") and the lovely "Tiny Life". This lovely tune's lyrics tell of a man peering out of an airplane window at 20,000 feet wondering what life is all about, and realizing that "...the love I have, and the love I have to give" are all that matters. I love the humanistic tenderness of "It's Only" , which urges us to consider those less fortunate, and the catchy "Crazy Not To", where in the lyrics the singer hesitates to jump into a romantic relationship and decides "aw, but look at you....I'd be crazy not to." This is all solid stuff, and more than worthy of Idol's Season 8's 4th place finisher. I think 19 gave him some awesome material to work with.

In "Best Days", Danny Gokey has teamed up with some of Nashville's best songwriters to craft a debut album full of hope and strength, with the powerful and rich voice we came to love on Idol. Checking my local concert listings to get out and support in person on the road this summer!

...and how about that Orianthi?

I was in such a hurry to get to bed last night that I forgot to talk about the best part of last night's show (other than Cookie) which was the performance by the amazing and way cool rising star Orianthi Panagaris. Most of us first met her in Micheal Jackson's "This is It", as she was set to go on tour with him. The 25-year-old Australian beauty is an amazing guitarist and -- surprise -- singer-songwriter as well. I I really liked her song, "According to You" and have to find it on itTunes! She certainly put the other performer, that Gaga wannabe Ke$ha, to absolute shame by showing us all what real talent is.

Oh, and according to this blog at the LA Times, Orianthi is a Casey James fan!

Lacey Gets No Satisfaction (Save) from Judges

I sat down to watch the show fully expecting 2 contestants to go home tonight and was a smidge disappointed to realize we'd only lose one this week.....heck, we could lose 6 and get on with it in my always humble Idolmama opinion. ....but anyhow.....David Cook kicked off the top of the show with a rousing rock rendition of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and jump it did....he sounded great and looked totally comfortable and his backing band was terrific. In fact, I thought he looked much as he did in his Idol days, which was oddly comforting to me....so often regular people who become STARS just look different later on. But DC was his cool, confident and way talented self. (Note to self: check DC website for possible Chicago summer appearances!)

On to filling those silver stools, and those who filled them were no surprise: Lacey, Paige and Tim. I giggled, wondering if Lacey's hair accessory was one Haeley Vaughn made for her (I'm rotten). I really thought Tim would be called, but in the end we were sung out by Lacey who did a beautiful job despite emotions breaking through. I do like her voice, and find her every bit as quirky-interesting as Siobahn but somehow Lacey didn't connect. She held her head high and showed us a graceful and grateful exit. Well done, Lacey, and best of luck to you!

With Paige and Tim on notice, we move on to next week....

Top 12 Don't Rock the Stones

Always tough to take on the music of the most iconic bands and the Rolling Stones are among them. Lots of awesome hit songs to choose from, though, and for the most part, I think the Top 12 chose wisely.

The battle now is to make the lucrative summer tour, which means making the Top 10. I've read that the Idols each make six figures touring the country over a 3-4 month period, and getting the rock star treatment to boot, so be sure that they all want this, especially after tonight's debut on the big stage. So, who played with fire like wild horses on stage tonight, who got caught under my thumb, and for whom will it soon be "all over now"?

My two favorites tonight were Crystal and Lee. Again, effortless performance from Crystal who is just clearly so talented. I don't agree that Siobahn out sang or outperformed her tonight, I think that was just an effort by the judges (Simon) to downplay his recent prediction to Jay Leno that Crystal will win. Loved her sass back though! She's in this more than I've given her credit for!

I really dug Lee as well, although I fear that he will end up in the middle of the pack because he has no charisma whatsoever, and has not been able to get a hold of his nerves. His song was radio-ready! Even the piece with his parents didn't let us get to know him any better. Ah, Lee....wrestle those demons and give us what you got!

After those two, I heard decent performances from 4 contestants: Siobahn, Mike, Casey and Didi. I know I'm in the minority, but I am not on the Siobahn bandwagon....just don't get her. I agree with others in that she is style over substance. I thought that final glory note of her was all kinds of screechy and that she didn't deserve the heaps of praise she got. Yes, she's interesting and quirky (loved the outfit) but I don't have her in the final 2 just yet. Growing in confidence, however, is Didi and that showed tonight, although the song was just too slow for me, and I was surprised at how she botched the lyrics so obviously but the judges pretty much let that slide?!

On the male side of things, Mike opened the show with a big voice and even bigger dance moves which I actually kind of liked....I think this guy's stock is going up, and my son leaned over and said to me, "He could actually win this thing..." and I wonder.....meanwhile, Casey was adequate, but I just don't see any life there....it's just...THERE, and I like it okay, but I'm not all kinds of crazy for it.

That leaves the other 6 contestants, and honestly any of them could go home tonight and I generally wouldn't care. (Well I honestly don't care about any of the 12 this year....but that is for another post). The best of the bottom were Andrew and Paige, but they are on life support at this point and the plug could be pulled any minute. Katie looked great but still too pageant-y and Kat McPhee for me. Lacey just didn't work but I loved the strings. Aaron was better this week, but that doesn't say much since the bar has been set so incredibly low this year and I just don't see much long-term viability for him. Finally, Tim, Tim Tim....I love your big family (did you see how his brother's hair matched his?) the reggae just didn't work.

What did you think? Does Siobahn deserve all the accolades this week? Will Lee get control of his performance anxiety? And do you think the showdown between Ryan and Simon over Big Mike's feedback was real or staged?

Top 8 Guys Come Out to Win

Thoroughly enjoyable showing by the guys tonight! Wow, there suddenly are some really talented contenders out there....there weren't really even obvious stinkers in the bunch...and the guitars were out in full force. Five of the eight guys performed on guitar, which is amazing to me. (Note to self: sign 10-year-old son up for lessons.) Even so, two more must leave us tomorrow, so....on with my thoughts.

In my younger and more foolish days, I actually thought song performance order on American Idol was random. Ha! Reality couldn't be farther from that. Turns out it's veeeerrrrry calculated, and you can tell from the lineup before Note One is uttered who they think is best this week and who they are throwing to the voting dogs. So before the music started tonight, we knew that Todrick and Mike were in for big praise (Show Closers), that Opener Lee DeWyze was up in the air, and "the middles" (i.e. Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia) were being put on the back porch, only to see if a cat would lick them up. (that is a good 'ole Southern phrase I learned in my Tennessee days). Indeed, this is how it mostly shook out.

Out of the 8 guys, I really have four favorites (can't reduce any further), two guys who were OK in their own way but didn't thrill me, and then my 2 picks for going home.

Favorites for me tonight, in order of performance, were Lee Dewyze, Alex Lambert, Andrew Garcia and Mike Lynche. Lee opened the show with "Fireflies" on the acoustic guitar and he looked more comfortable than we've even seen him, and that worked for him. Cool song, and he pulled it off, and showed us what kind of artist he would be, in Idolspeak.

Following him was Alex Lambert, Idol's resident Rising Star IMO. Loved his innocence and his confidence has grown, all he needs is a makeover! STAT! or else he's in "Trouble"...

I don't know what the judges are talking about with Andrew Garcia....talking smack I think! The guys is mad talented and I totally dug his rendition of Christina's "Genie in a Bottle"...I thought it was infectious and fun and smart....sadly they pretty much all disagreed with me and told him he was still falling short. DISAGREE. Love shout out to Andrew this week!!

Finally, the show closer Big Mike took it to church with "This Woman's Work", a hauntingly beautiful song that he sang very well, only I didn't connect with it quite like Kara did with her (fake?) waterworks and Simon snuggles. Still, I think Mike belongs in the Top 10.

Middle for me were Todrick and Casey. Todrick, as Simon pointed out, belongs on Broadway and I think he will end up there post-Idol. He does have a great belting voice, and Queen's "Somebody to Love" was the right vehicle....but I'm still not a convert.

I will say the same for Casey James, who was adequate on the guitar while strumming and singing the great Keith Urban's "Think of Me"....but that is all he was to me, just adequate, and safe in the words of the judges.

We must have a bottom 2, and for me those are Tim Urban and Aaron Kelly this week. First off, you should know that we rocks that song Hallelujah here at our house and still have Jason Castro's version on our family iPod so Tim was quite bold to attempt it...and I was laughing most the way through it and so therefore shocked when the judges praised it so highly....hhhmmmmph. But the ladies at Casa Idolmama agree that he is one cute tamale!

Likewise, cutie SIXTEEN YEAR OLD Aaron Kelly was adequate on his number (Lonestar's "I'm Already There") but I honestly was grimacing through most of it....pitchy and just all over the place, and no connection at all. But what, Dawg?! Randy loved it! but then Kara called him Honey which never ends well...but wait, Simon thought it was good! Well, I hated it so we'll have to see what happens.

All those guitars tonight made me wonder if just being a good singer is enough for Idol anymore. But bigger question for me isn't the Top 12 but the Top 10, who are the ones who actually do the national (and quite lucrative) summer tour....who would YOU pony up money to see this summer?