Von Smith • On To Something

Some might remember Von Smith as the ambitious singer from season 8 of American Idol. With a big voice and an even bigger personality, Smith made it through to the Top 36 before being (unfairly) eliminated. He was brought back for the Wild Card competition, and much to the dismay of many fans, he was once again dismissed. The great news was that Von did not give up, working hard over the next few years for a chance to have his voice heard. That lead to the next opportunity, when he Opened for Lady GaGa on tour in Australia in 2012.

As I said, Von never gave up on the dream of being a professional singer. Recently, he set a new benchmark for himself, as he released an EP of studio recordings called 'On To Something'. I first learned about this EP from my friend, JD Doyle, curator of Queer Music Heritage. When I listen to the EP, I find Von to be part Freddie Mercury, part Robbie Williams, and part Sammy Davis Jr. But first and foremost, he is always Von Smith. 'On To Something' was released April 2, 2014, a six-song collection with all songs written, composed, and performed by Smith. He has come a long way since he was on Idol, and seems to have truly found his own voice, as well as his own music. The 'On To Something' EP was released on April 2, 2014, a six-song collection that never fails to intrigue, nor to entertain. The show begins with the eccentric and bombastic "Carnival of Life", which allows Von to show off that magnificent instrument, and the ease with which he uses it. This has the drama of Freddie and Queen, melding hyperactive operatic moments with Pop and Rock. From the opening moments of "Pilot Light", we know this is a very different number, part Maroon 5, which the flirty feel of Robbie Williams at his best. "Almost Free" has a slow and easy start, building from Peggy Lee Jazz to Cyndi Lauper pyrotechnics. There is something so simple, to straightforward, so honest about this song, I find it hard to resist. By the way, as you read the rest, you might want to hear a bit of a sample of what I am talking about, here in a YouTube clip I made for you. Of course, the music and album cover is all Von Smith!

There is a coy flirty whisper at the start of "Monster", but soon we get to the core, a full-throated look at love and the consequences of it. This is such a charming song, part 1960s girl group, with a nod to Lady Gaga. And there is such a humor present, I must smile. There is a kooky feel to the idiosyncratic "On to Something", when I suddenly wonder if Von isn't the lost love child of Jim Morrison and Patti LaBelle. He delivers off-centered and slightly off so well, perhaps disturbingly well... But there is real beauty in the song, a melodic and lyric win, for sure. The EP comes to an end with "The Prize", a song with a wistful longing I hadn't felt thus far. There is a wonderful strength to the vocals, and not just in Von's voice. There is a power behind the vocals, not just in his mind-boggling range. As it comes to a close, I can't help but think Smith truly found his niche, and delivered a bold and buoyant EP. It is a wonderful carnival ride, hosted by a ringmaster who knows how to big you up high, and drop you near, but not to, the earth again. You can purchase 'On To Something' from iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon. To learn more about Von Smith, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Tumblr and Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook.

American Idol 12 • Top 4 Sing One Hit Wonders & More

The Top 4 of American Idol Season 12 take to the stage tonight, the first time since Season 3 that the remaining four are all women. Heck, that is the only time in the history of the show one sex has dominated the top 4 positions. But in season 3, the producers stacked the deck, as the Top 12 was made up of 4 men and 8 ladies, as opposed to the 5-5 split this season. But that was also back in the day when the contestants needed to adhere to the themes of the shows, unlike this year, when the announced themes seem more like loose generalizations, "as long as we can praise Amber." This week, the fans voted what musical theme they wanted to see/hear, and they picked One-Hit Wonders. But after seeing the list of spoilers, I seriously am confused about the concept of what exactly makes a One-Hit Wonder. Procol Harum had three songs in the Top 40, and yet their biggest hit, "A Whiter Shade of Pale", makes the list here. "McArthur Park" was a one-hit wonder for Richard Harris, although he did appear in the film version of Camelot playing the lead on a fairly successful soundtrack album. Of course, most people will remember the version by the late, great Donna Summer, which is more like the version we shall hear. The second theme of the night, Contestant Free Choice, is perhaps the best of the season, as we finally get to hear music that is hopefully more current so we can judge how the young ladies sound in a contemporary setting, rather than a karaoke contest. Oh, let's just get this thing started.

Left to right: Candice Glover, Angie Miller, Kree Harrison, and Amber Holcomb.

The show begins giving us a look of the Top 4 during their auditions, to give us a thought toward how far they've all come. Thankfully Angie reminds us that we have a really tough choice to make, and then we are introduced to the judges and Crusty, who comes down the steps to the delighted screams of the audience. He reminds us there are only a matter of a few weeks left, and Amber, Angie, Candice and Kree all want to be in the final. He introduces them, and the audience goes crazy. Crusty sends them back to get ready for the show, and tells us about the ladies going to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. First up, we hear Amber's thought on her trip, and hear her singing a song by Celine Dion. She will be singing "The Power Of Love", originally sung by Jennifer Rush, and then popularized by Celine Dion.

As she begins to sing the song, I hear she is doing nothing really new with the song, and her voice lacks the volume and power of Dion. She does bring the song to a soft landing, easing off the volume. In truth, that is where her vocal strays a bit, sounding strained. I have yet to hear her really bring anything new to a song, save maybe costuming. Keith loved it, and thought it was a perfect choice for her. Nicki loved it as well, and thought the song was made for her. Randy thinks she has come the furthest this season, starting a girl, but now a woman. Mariah also loved her range and tone, and gave her the "hashtag POW" critique. I guess I remain "hashtag HUH?" Jimmy gets a chance to talk, and also heard the strain as well. But he still thinks the song will be tough to beat. Candice is up next, and she will be singing a song by Drake, who she had met a year ago and liked him. But first she tells us how moved she was by the kids at the hospital, who she saw as being so strong and brave. She will be singing Drake's "Find Your Love".

She slows it down a bit, taking it in the jazzy ballad route. She is in great voice, and this is a fantastic performance. She owned the song, and could not have sounded better. It was radio-ready, and I would buy it myself. Nicki starts off the critique, and wishes she hadn't changed it up so much, and thought it sounded too old-fashioned. Randy thought she over-worked the song, and needs to get out of church sometimes. Mariah disagrees, and thinks she takes chances, and takes her on the journey with her. Keith agrees with Mariah, and thinks she brings so much with her music. I am stunned, for I didn't see that critique coming, and just don't know what they are thinking. We don't get to see Jimmy this time, and go right to Kree and her time in the hospital. She seems very sweet and tender with the kids. She is going to be singing "It Hurt So Bad", a bluesy song by Susan Tedeschi.

I love the song, and think Kree delivers it so well. She added just the right amount of grit to her gorgeous voice, letting her star shine bright. I thought that was beautiful. Randy came on to basically feel the performance was alright, but nothing special. Randy is confused by it. Mariah loved it, and thought she delivered, and also connected to the audience. Keith thought she lacked the emotional connection to the song, and Nicki thought it was just not good enough. Wow, I am at a loss. After the stellar critique of the mediocre karaoke performance, and the beating down of two singers trying to give some artistry. Jimmy returns, and not only downs Kree's performance, he also disrespects the song. Sweet. Angie seemed to come alive with the kids, all smiles as she remembers the kids. She will be singing "Who You Are" by Jessie J.

Angie is back at the piano, where the judges love her. I am not sure this is the right key, for her voice sounds a little shrill on the high end, and a little "pageanty" on the wordy parts. This just seems over-wrought to me, a big mess of sound that gives me nothing but a bit of a headache. She is met with a standing ovation by the judges. Heavy sigh. Mariah loved it, but wants her to deliver more original material, for that can deliver her a career. Keith loved it, but pointed out how it takes a while to get her into the performance that wasn't stilted. Nicki loved it, and thought it was amazing. Randy, of course, thought it was better than the original, and the best of the night. I am so damned lost by this panel, cause that isn't what I am hearing on my television. Crusty brings Angie's grandmother up on stage for a quiet moment, and it was sweet, but really, I am getting annoyed. Before a commercial break, Crusty tells us we are getting the first duet of the night, as Amber and Kree will be singing an Adele song. Well, isn't that original. Le sigh. Jimmy spares a few seconds to say he is thrilled Angie had control of her instrument, and has Amber and Angie neck and neck. Then back to Crusty, and her discover Kree and Amber will be singing "Rumour Has It". This is a great, but over-done song. Kree is in great voice, and there is such a depth to it. For me, Amber's voice pales next to it. Keith enjoyed the performance, but was looking for them to cut loose. Nicki thought Amber had a command of the stage, and that Kree lacked personality. Wow, I was watching another show altogether. They don't give Randy or Mariah a say this time. After the break, out second and final duet will be Angie & Candice, who sing Rihanna's "Stay", which also features Mikky Ekko. During the performance, both ladies struggle a little bit at times, and that surprised me with Candice. The performance got all messy for me, with lost notes and squandered lyrics. Of course, the judges gave them a standing ovation, and loved it, saying that is how a duet should be done. WTF. Moving on, like I am passing by an accident on the highway. The AT&T Theme contest named One-Hit Wonders as the theme, and the first one to take it on is Amber as she sings “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris, later covered by the late, great Donna Summer.

This is not good, showing a lack of a bottom end of the voice, and some rough notes on the top end. And once again, it is a cover of the Donna Summer version, with nothing new or interesting added. I was a bit bored. Donna Summer added such fullness and depth to the song, not easy with those silly lyrics. Now, of course, Keith thought it was great, and Nicki thought she is ready for marketing. Randy is ready to sign her, and complimented the high notes that I thought she missed. Mariah loved the great low notes, which I also heard differently. Obviously, I have the judges for American Idol, but the singers for American's Got Talent on my television, cause what I am hearing ain't lining up with the judges. Jimmy gets a few moments, and disagreed with the judges, thinking the song was terrible, and not even Amber could save it. Nor those bad notes, Mr. Iovine. Next up, we have Candice singing “Emotion”, the song written by The Bee Gees and sung by Samantha Sang.

Candice was singing really well, and sounding great. The backup singers were not on, however. I thought she took the song and massaged it well. Nicki loved it, and thought she was back on her game. She also bitched about Jimmy calling out the judges, and Randy joined in. He also loved Candice. Mariah loved it, and mentioned she had a cold, and Keith mentioned he wished the ladies would sing something more current. Talk to your producers, babe. Then Crusty dragged out Jimmy, and stupidity reigned supreme, and poor Candice was lost in the shuffle as the judges and Jimmy whined at one another, refusing to leave the topic of Amber. But Jimmy did say loud and clear that Candice was better than Amber this round. Go figure, he got one right. After the break, it is time for Kree to return to the stage, and she will be singing “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum, alhtough it was also covered by Annie Lennox more recently.

She walks to the microphone with some attitude, which seems to be what the judges are looking for. She is once again on top of the song, pitch perfect as she tells the story. She goes big on the notes, hitting the high end with ease and grace. That was a lovely performance, one I would surely download. Randy loved it, and thought she really redeemed herself. Mariah loved it, and looks forward to download it for her phone. Keith didn't love it, and thought it was a middle-of-the-road song, nothing special. Nicki loves her, loves the voice, but fears she will be in the bottom, and maybe going home tomorrow night. Now, that would be truly disappointing, for not only do I think she was far from the weakest performer, I also seriously doubt anyone is going home - there are three weeks remaining, and only two singers to eliminate. So, in my opinion, this week is all about drama with no conclusion. But I could be wrong. And after a long break, it is time to close the show out with Angie, who is singing “Cry Me A River”, originally a hit by Julie London.

Well, Angie is singing the song, and it sounds very dated, and very beauty pageant. She also lost some notes on the shouty section, veering off to the sharp end, with no sense of current at all. Of course, the judges all love it, and in fact, Randy calls her the best of the night. How Keith could call that celestial, but not point out the out-of-date aspect is beyond me. So I will move past the critique, and get to the recap. Hearing it back, I am reminded that inherently speaking, we have two singers in the competition, and Angie and Amber, too. Candice and Kree have so much more to their voices, and a greater knowledge of music, and I fear how this season will come to a conclusion. At the end, Ryan mentions a surprise twist tomorrow night, and I have to guess they will combine the votes from tonight with next week, to get back on schedule. But if I had to rank them on tonight's performances, I would say Candice took the evening, followed by Kree. For me, Amber's wan performances puts her at the bottom, while Angie was just above her. But we won't know until tomorrow night, so turn in to your Fox station at 8PM to get the twist. Who knows, maybe they are bringing Lazaro back!

American Idol 12 - Top 6 Recap & Review - Songs of Bacharach/David

Last week, we said a fond farewell to Burnell, after sharing the Bottom Two space with Janelle. We also learned that last week, Lazaro had place in the Top 3, next to Kree and Angie, with Candice and Amber floating in the middle 'safe' ground. This of course set a mild fire of indignation, many thinking it was Lazaro who should go home. I shall save my indignation for the producers and judges, who save thousands of singers, and couldn't come up with ten who are capable of winning the title. You can't blame America for voting for a kid you introduced to them, can you? Well, enough about last week, we can now move on this this week, with the theme 'Songs Your Grandparents Love', which could really describe much of the season to date. Okay, so the theme is really 'The Music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David', who had a tight control on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1960s and 1970s. Each contestant is also getting a second performance, with 'Songs They Wish They'd Written'. Now, have we established the remaining contestants are singer/songwriters? Honestly, I don't see a couple of them as songwriters, and that changes the complexion of the theme. But I digress. On with the show, this is it!

The episode begins with the dismissal of Burnell, getting hugs from all the ladies, from contestants to judges. And Randy utters the comical phrase "This is just the beginning". If history has shown us one thing, it is that once the tour is over, the vast majority of the kids disappear. But that is a line no one at Idol wants to repeat. Soon it was the judges being introduced, followed by a perky Crusty. He chats a bit, and introduces the Top 6. We also see Nigel Lythgoe, who never seems to mind promoting himself. But we quickly move on to the contestants. Angie is up first, and she talks about some silly videos she has on YouTube, dancing with her bestie and being silly. She sings "Anyone Who Had A Heart", originally sung by the great Dionne Warwick.

While this is the best vocal performance she has given, there is nothing new she brings to the table. It sounds very much like a karaoke performance. This is a song of heartbreak, and she delivers none of it. I don't think she as ever delivered on an emotional level. I am surprised, for not only does Keith agree with me, so does Nicki, Randy, and Mariah. They all liked her, but wished she would connect more with the lyrics. After what seems like an endless string of commercials, it is time for Amber to take her turn on the stage, singing a sweet song, another made famous by Dionne Warwick. She tackles "Say a Little Prayer". Before she sings, we learn she likes to eat frozen shrimp, sort a "shrimpcicle". Oh well. She looks pretty, and comes out to deliver our second karaoke performance of the night. On a couple of the runs, she has a tough time reaching for the high end. And once again, it lacks urgency or passion. It was really not sounding fresh. Nicki is the first up, and she falls all over herself to say how great Amber was. Randy agreed, and thought she was setting the bar for the competition. Mariah called her genius. Keith loves how effortless she was, and didn't oversing. I guess once again I was listening to a different performance. Crusty tells us that it will be Lazaro up next, so we have yet another week, and no male has been given the celebrated 'pimp spot', singing last. In fact, he is placed in the middle, where a performance could be easily forgotten. Lazaro admits on his video that he likes to ride ATVs and go hunting, and refers to himself as the Spanish redneck. He will be singing "(They Long To Be) Close To You" a huge hit for the Carpenters. He starts off nicely, although a bit restrained. In the middle, he hits a tough spot, and there are some rough notes. Once the song is over, and Randy begins the drive to get him out of the competition, talking about it being his worst performance of the competition. Now, I admitted it wasn't that good, but I have heard him sing worse than that, and be praised by these same judges. Mariah continues the beat down, followed by Keith. Nicki smiles, tells him hello, and tells Crusty to move on. I just think some people need to be reminded they put the boy on the show, and featured his touching story, and that wasn't me who did that. When you point a finger, there are usually three fingers pointing back to you. That brings us to Kree, who is thrilled her brother managed to get off work and attend the show tonight. She will be singing one of my favorites, "What The World Needs Now", originally made popular by Jackie DeShannon.

Hey, that was my favorite so far. She changed it up, gave a stronger emotional base, and less pop confection. She started off acapella, highlighting the wonderful warmth of her voice. Starting with Mariah, the judges fall all over themselves about that performance. In fact, Randy also uses it as an opportunity to bash Lazaro, which caused Mariah to giggle, and takes the focus away from Kree, who was wonderful tonight. The next one up is Janelle, who is tackling another hit from Dionne Warwick, singing “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”. She starts off with a sweet simplicity, but the performance doesn't really go anywhere, and sounds a bit bland and lifeless. I am surprised to hear the judges kind of agreeing with me, talking about there were some moments, but for the most part, it was forgettable. Finally, the last to sing her entry in the 'Songs of Your Grandparents sweepstakes' is Candice, taking on another Dionne Warwick ballad. She will be singing “Don’t Make Me Over”. She does a lovely job, changing it up a bit, and taking it a little in the Gospel direction. This is good, although a bit forced to me. I would say this is behind only Kree's performance tonight. However, the judges give it a standing ovation, which I find surprising. They are all taking about her being best, and we can decode to understand what the show wants to see in the future. They desperately want Lazaro gone tonight, and Janelle and Angie gone soon thereafter. They see a battle between Kree, Amber and Candice, and they'll do their best to get it!

Now the second round begins, and it is time for the contestants to sing the songs they wish they wrote. I am still apprehensive about this, as I don't think a couple of them would be writing their own songs, anyway. And first up will once again be Angie, who will be taking on a relatively new Christian Pop worship song. She will be singing "Love Came Down" by Kari Jobe. She is excited, for she will be back at the piano.

The song starts out quietly, and there are some slight pitch issues. In fact, there are a few more problems at the end of the chorus, with her voice giving out a bit. She brings it back together at the end, but that was a bit sloppy. It sounded to me like she lost her way on it. However, Randy and Keith gave it a standing ovation, which makes me roll my eyes. Randy thought it was a winning moment, and Mariah loved it. And Nicki pointed out without the piano, she was not on top - despite being in the Top 3 last week. After the break, Amber comes out, and is immediately grilled about the relationship with Burnell, which is just silly. She will be singing "Love on Top" written by Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, and Shea Taylor and made famous by Beyonce. It starts off weak, and her voice is sounding thin and drowned by the band. She catches up a bit, but not completely. She was lagging a bit, and falling shrill during the runs. This was not a great performance. Mariah loved it, but thought there were issues. Keith ignored the issues, and thought it great. Nicki loved it, and thinks Beyonce should be scared. Randy shouted something foolish, and we can move on. Next up, and sure to be tossed under the bus is Lazaro, who will be singing "Angels" by Robbie Williams. I have to admit I am a bit frightened at this prospect, but surprisingly, Lazaro isn't bad at all. He is pretty much on key, and feeling something as we go along. He softens the ending a little bit, rather than taking it out with power. Pretty much, the judges are rude and dismiss him, giving him little to no respect. They talk about how all the girls are on another level, and imply he isn't. Again, I don't know who those judges think they are correcting, for it was them who put the boys on that stage, not me... Next up is the wonderful Kree, who will be singing a classic song by Kris Kristofferson.

Wow, she is amazing on the opening bars, and this is just beautiful. There is such treasure in the simplicity of her version, just touching and so damn connected. She just nailed both performances tonight. Nicki loved her (but tossed Janelle under the bus while praising Kree), and Randy thinks she is a natural. Mariah thought that is how the song should be sung, and Keith thinks she will be a star. But they also are soft pedaling a bit, as if shoving the knife in Lazaro tired them out. But after another break, it is time for Janelle to sing “The Dance”, performed by Garth Brooks. However, since this is about the songwriter, I must point out the song was written by Tony Arata. This song has been a favorite since she was eleven. She starts off the song sitting on some steps, and sounds pretty good. She does try to change the song up a bit, but I feel like some of her choices get in her way, rather than enhance the song. And the final note was problematic. Randy credited Garth with being a great songwriter. Mariah never heard the song before. Keith corrected Randy, giving Arata the credit he is due. And Nicki thought it was better than her first, although not to get ahead of the other girls. Guess we will have to wait to see what America thinks. The final performance of the night belongs to Candice, who will be taking on a great song written by Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson, Roger O'Donnell, Boris Williams, and Lol Tolhurst, better known as the members of The Cure. I suspect, however, that Candice will be making reference to the stunning version by Adele, off her album '21'.

Candice begins the song with a smokey, Jazz feel, and she is in great voice. The directors keep cutting back to Randy and Mariah, enthralled by her. Honestly, I am loving it until she starts to oversing it. It is a beautiful and simple song, as you can tell by Adele's version, as well as the original. There was some anger there I didn't know belonged there. Honestly, this was tough for me. However, the crowd and the judges go nuts, with Keith bowing to her, Mariah sprinkling her with glitter, and Randy calling it the best performance ever in 12 years of the competition. Wow, that is surprising hyperbole, even for the Dawg. So the recaps happen, and once again, we are reminded the girls are way better than the boy. For me, Kree wins the night, and Lazaro was the weakest of the night. However, it is hard to say who will be going home, if anyone. After all, there is still a save for the judges to use. I suspect they might have come after Lazaro too hard, but you never know. But if I were a betting man, I have to think Janelle should be a bit worried. I would hope both Kree and Candice are safe, but one never knows, do one? Guess we will have to wait until the results are announced tomorrow night at 8PM on your local Fox channel!

American Idol Season 12 • Top 7 Perform

Last week, it was Devin who was sent packing, with the other remaining boys, Lazaro and Burnell, joining him in the bottom three, just as Jimmy Iovine had predicted. While many, including Jimmy, thought it would be Lazaro leaving, it was Devin, who had been in the bottom two for every week of the finals. It was also announced that the theme for the Top 7 would be 'Classic Rock', a genre that would generally favor the boys, but we all know nothing is done this season to favor the boys... Of course, with the group we are looking at, I don't think the theme will be kind to Lazaro, nor to Burnell, who has not shown a great knowledge of music, or ability to adapt. On the other hand, Kree and Candice have shown great range already, and expect them to do well. But we must wait for the performances before we know for sure, as surprises are possible. After all, who saw Blake Lewis' performance of "You Give Love A Bad Name" coming during Bon Jovi week in Season 6, Danny Gokey's legendary scream in "Dream On" during Season 8, Crystal Bowersox delivering a memorable "You Can't Always Get What You Want" from Rolling Stone week in Season 9, or Paul McDonald's manic "Folsom Prison Blues" for Rock &Roll Hall of Fame Week in Season 11. So, who will surprise us tonight?

Left to right: Burnell Taylor; Candice Glover; Angie Miller; Amber Holcomb; Janelle Arthur; Lazaro Arbos; and Kree Harrison.

The episode begins with a close up of someone plugging in their Les Paul, and showing pictures of some of the great rockers of the last 60 years, from Chuck Berry to The Who to Heart. Then we are introduced to the judges, and to Crusty. He reminds us that this is live, and that Rock means no ballads, and no slow songs. And the Idols will be joined in their performances by Orianthi, the rock guitarist of Greek and Australian roots.

From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

Up first, it is Burnell Taylor on the hot seat, and to kill time (after all, they got two hours to kill, and sell advertising), the other finalists get to mock him, from his mumbling to his laugh. He will be singing "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. From the start, he seems to miss his entrance, and never really catches up. But he stays in tune throughout the song. However, his performance is very karaoke to me, with very little of Burnell's own personal style, not in the slightest. I was kinda bored. Keith starts off the critiques, pretty much agreeing with me that he phoned it in. Nicki still loves him, but agreed it lacked expression. Randy agreed with me that he was a bit behind the entire song, which bothers me to no end. I don't want to agree with Randy.... Mariah loves Burnell, and loved that he had fun with the song. She thought it was great. Really, Mrs. Cannon? You'd call that great? Sigh... Before going to commercial, we are warned that we will be joined by Angie Miller and Lazaro Arbos singing a song by Queen. I am afraid. They will be singing "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Lazaro begins the performance, and it is so in the wrong key, it is ridiculous. He doesn't have the power to overcome the band, and really only delivers in the last two lines. When Angie kicks in, and her voice is not right for the song, and like Burnell, she falls behind the beat, for the entire song. And her voice was not meant to sing a lyric-intensive song like this, better suited for the slower songs, to elongate her vocals. The judges are polite, trying to point out Lazaro was not good and forgot lyrics, but called Angie's performance wonderful as always - I haven't really heard her sound really good yet. Thankfully, we will have a performance from one of my favorites, Kree Harrison. The video package mocks the way she is a nice person who actually knows the names of people around the show. Okay. So Kree will be singing "Piece Of My Heart" by the great Janis Joplin.

The song sits wonderfully in her range, and allows her to show off her strength. She really takes command of the stage, and owns the song. That was a wonderful performance, and she has a history now of picking great songs for herself. I can't say enough about it. The judges also loved it, although Keith says he noticed a stiffness in her movement, and she admits she has a pinched nerve. I will honestly say I didn't notice anything during the performance, but whatever. We are warned that after the commercial, we will be treated to another duet, this time Burnell Taylor and Candice Glover - "The Letter", sung by The Box Tops in 1967.

Burnell starts out the performance, and is much more into this than his solo. But he does struggle to allow his voice to carry over the big sound of the band. Candice comes out and immediately owns her part, and then some. She also manages to give Burnell some energy, helping the rest of the song. I felt his performance got a bit lost in the song, which distracted me from Candice a bit. Their styles are kinda exact opposites, with Candice having power and aggression, while Burnell has a laid back, easy way of singing. However, the judges loved it, and thought both were great. They thought Burnell was better here than in his solo, and Candice was heaven sent. While this was no where near the train wreck of the first duet, I still couldn't get as excited as I might have liked nor as much as the judges seemed to be inspired. After the commercial break, we will be hearing the solo performance of Janelle Arthur. Not a surprise, they make fun of her Country roots. I am also not surprised they included a clip of Lazaro making from of toothless rednecks, in hopes to get rid of him this week. She will be singing Billy Joel's big hit, "You May Be Right". She certainly puts a Country spin on the song, and it works nicely. While she is good, she falls well short of being fantastic. In fact, the song, particularly in the chorus, showcases a weakness in her voice, and her issues with breath control. She keeps moving across the stage, trying to cover up a few shortcomings. And it seems to be an effective ploy for the judges, and they loved it. From wardrobe to performance, they thought it was fantastic. After a break, once again Lazaro Arbos returns to the stage, and once again he is going to be taking on Freddie Mercury. That is just not a battle he will ever win. First, we have to see Randy wearing Janelle's fringe vest, which isn't pretty. In the video, the ladies mock his wardrobe of bright colors, and his melodramatics. Finally, he comes out to sing Queen's "We Are The Champions". While I have to say the band was drowning him out much of the time, this was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. He stays on key for the most part, and kept up with the tempo. The judges are amazingly nice to him, while still keeping a cool distance. But he was way better on his solo than he was on his pitiful duet. Another seemingly endless break comes back with a trio, Amber Holcomb, Janelle Arthur, and Kree Harrison. They sings Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me". For me, it is Kree who once again stands out, although the performance lacked energy and drive. Janelle was a bit weak, and Amber had a few errant notes. It became instantly forgettable. Randy, Mariah and Keith loved it, thought they were great and amazing. Nicki hated the performance, but loves the girls. That made me smile. Next up, we have the solo performance by Candice Glover. First, we hear of the April Fools prank gone wrong, as she broke her toe. In the video, we learn she has her own room, and everyone is jealous. And she and Burnell have a strange sibling relationship. She will be singing the Rolling Stones iconic song, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".

The song kicks off with that familiar guitar riff, and Candice bringing her usual great vocals. Only the first couple of bars are a bit weak, and scared me a bit. But when she started the chorus, she brought it home, and she owned the performance, and took control of a classic. I am not sure, but this could be my favorite of the night. Mariah loved it, but said nothing in particular. Keith loved it, and thought Orinanti was great, too. Nicki loved Candice, but not the song. Randy loved her, and thought it might not have been the best choice of songs, but thought she still killed it. After a break, we discover that Amber Holcomb talks to herself a great deal, and everyone thinks she is beautiful, especially Burnell. She will be singing "What About Love", the great song by the great band, Heart. She starts off the song well, but in the chorus, there is a certain thinness to her voice that grabs me the wrong way. I don't know, but she tends toward the sharp side for me. And I really feel like this is a power ballad, and we were told ballads were not allowed. So I am confused. I am even more confused when Keith talks about how great it was, and the rest chime in accord with him. Mariah ends the discussion with a plea that people vote for her, and Crusty even points out her soldier sister in the audience. They are working hard for Amber tonight. However, this leaves us with only one performer left to take on a Rock Classic. But first we chat with Joshua Ledet and Holly Cavanaugh, both of whom are working in the studio on new music. Angela Miller first has to hear from the other contestants, who laugh at her getting excited about everything. And how she works the camera with her eyes... She is on the piano to sing the song "Bring Me To Life", written by Evanescence and performed by them and Paul McCoy.

She starts out so very well, with the simplicity of the arrangement perfectly suited for her vocals. As soon as the rock part kicks in, she is pretty well drowned out by the band, and as she pushed to be heard, she struggles with staying in tune. There is a wind machine, and the production takes over the performance. This is not a great choice for her, showing the frailness of her voice. Amy Lee has such a strong vocal, and this came off like a karaoke performance to me. There was way more focus on form than function, looking more like a girl playing at being a rocker. Once again, the judges don't feel the same way, as they loved this mess. They gave her high marks for just about every aspect, except Keith made a veiled reference to her worrying more about the production than the feeling of the song. As the recap plays, we all know that the bottom three will include Lazaro and Burnell, and the trick will be identifying the young lady joining them. I think it will be between Janelle and Amber, and they might have pushed her hard enough to score safety for Amber, even though I thought both performances were on the weak side. Honestly, this was not a great show for just about anyone, for no one truly embraced the theme, and only a few managed to not sound like frat party karaoke material. The power of Kree and Candice allowed them to shine more than the others, who don't have the talent to compete. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I would say Lazaro was the weakest of the night, but also surpassed expectations. Burnell, on the other hand, was disappointing, although his vocals were stronger than Lazaro's. And could it be time to eliminate a young lady, or will the audience do as they are told, and get rid of all five guys first? Guess we will have to tune into results show on Thursday night at 8PM on Fox. But check you local listings to be sure, or stop back to Rickey.org to get your fix. Former contestant Casey James and winner Carrie Underwood will be featured on the show, as well as the tribute for who ever is going home.

American Idol Season 12 • Top 8

After an evening of mixed results last week with the music of the Beatles, this week the Top 8 of American Idol Season 12 take on the Music of Motor City, an oddly vague title one would assume describes the Motown sound, the music coming out of Detroit, Michigan. While I am thinking Motown, the vagueness could mean any music coming out of the Detroit area, like Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Iggy Pop, Madonna or even Ted Nugent. This might be a welcome relief from hearing the same songs from Motown we've heard year after year. On the other hand, maybe not. Guess we will have to wait and see what the American Idol Top 8 have in store for us.

Top row: Angie Miller; Lazaro Arbos; Burnell Taylor; Devin Velez and Candice Glover.. Bottom row: Kree Harrison; Amber Holcomb and Janelle Arthur.

The theme was introduced by Smokey Robinson, who gave us a run down that it was any artist from the Detroit area, which included the rich catalog of the Motown stars, including Smokey. And, of couple of moments later, Crusty is introducing the judges and the Top 8. Crusty let's us know that not only will we be having the Top 8 on solos, but we will also have some group numbers on the schedule.

From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

After the break, Crusty told us the great Smokey Robinson will be meeting with the Top 8, trying to give inspiration and guidance for the group. Candice is the first contestant to meet with Smokey, who admits he just loved her, and admitted her "I (Who Have Nothing)" brought him to tears. She will be singing "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", a great song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. It first came to the charts when sung by the great Marin Gaye. She puts a bluesy edge to it, and a bit of Aretha as well. There was great grit and depth to her performance, and she brought the audience to their feet just as the first performer should. I fear she worked it a bit too hard, and I wish she just pulled back a bit. The judges just gobbled her up, although Mariah mentions once again she wants to hear her bring us to church with her vocals, since it worked so well for Curtis Finch, Jr. After the break, Crusty announced that Kree & Janelle will team up to take on Madonna. Both girls are excited, and sing "Like A Prayer", having been inspired by a Jennifer Nettles cover of the song. They start out in tune, and the song sounds good, but feels a bit slow, a bit pokey. It just lacked a bit of go-forward. And Kree's voice showed the weakness in Jannelle's, a lack of depth. The judges loved them, although Nicki, Randy, and Mariah thought Kree outshined Janelle, and Keith thought they both sounded great.

Mariah did take a shot at the Producers, remarking the Powers-That-Be like cutting her off. I thought it was because she rarely has anything of use to say. Crusty spoiled the news that Lazaro Arbos will be up next, singing a Stevie Wonder classic. After the break, Crusty gives Smokey a big hug in the audience, giving him time to plug upcoming duets album, and the Motown show on Broadway. Back in the studio, we hear he is singing "For Once In My Life", and both Smokey and Jimmy I tell him he does a great job. Lazaro takes to the stage, opening the song with a simple arrangement, sounding like he picked the right key this week. This is his best performance I have seen by him, as I didn't watch the auditions. It picked up the tempo, bringing it to the more accepted arrangement, and enjoying his time singing. He moved on the stage with confidence. The judges all loved him, and announced he was back. Both Randy and Mariah thought there were a few pitch problems, but I have to admit I didn't hear them myself. Keith just thought Smokey gave him great advice, and Nicki wanted Smokey to be her Sugar Daddy, and that he looked better than men half his age, so sexy with perfect skin. However, I don't think his wife was impressed. Nicki also took credit for his performance, reminding all she told him to ignore Jimmy and just believe in himself. Apparently, Mariah felt the need to step up and tell everyone that Smokey was a legend, responsible for so many hits as a writer and a performer. After the break, Janelle is coming out to sing a great hit by the Supremes. Janelle is excited to be playing her guitar in her own arrangement of "You Keep Me Hanging On", written by the legendary Motown team of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Eddie Holland.

Smokey loved her in the studio, offering a few suggestions to enhance her performance. She slows it up, and added a little calypso touch to it. Her voice sounded fuller and deeper than I have heard her to date. I am shocked at how good she is. Mariah greeted her with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of it. Keith loved it, and thought it brought out emotions no one had mined before. Nicki loved her, but thought she was not as pitch perfect as usual. Randy discounted her, saying it was amazing and her best to date. Following a commercial break, it is Devin's turn to meet with Robinson. We found out he is singing "The Tracks of my Tears", written by Smokey, along with Warren Moore and Marvin Tarplin. Smokey had a big hit with the song. Smokey loves what he does with the song, although Jimmy I isn't as sold. As Smokey told Devin about writing the song, I was reminded of Smokey telling the same story to Adam Lambert. Once again the boy delivers a pitch-perfect performance. He not only pays homage to the original, he also updates the sound with a very current vocal style. I enjoyed it, but am looking to hear what the judges say. Keith is up first, and he thinks it was good, but wasn't sure he felt the entire song. Nicki loved it, and thought he looked and sounded great. Randy loved him, and Mariah thought he was flawless, but might have wished he sung her favorite, "Ooh, Baby Baby". And she wished he might have cut loose a bit, but knows Jimmy likes control better - another shot at Mr. Iovine, who has kept a low profile this episode. Candice, Amber and Angie sing "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", the great song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Jerry Ross, and made famous by the Supremes and the Miracles. They do well, although once again I thought Candice let her light shine brighter than the other two. The judges greet them with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of the song, and each performance. After the commercial, we learn that Burnell will be singing Stevie Wonder's "Ma Cheri Amour", written by Wonder, Henry Cosby, and Sylvia Moy. Smokey offered a few notes, but loved it. His arrangement is very true to the original by Stevie, but adding some very modern choices in the vocals, saving it from being too boring. He can sing, and made a few sweet choices, but I really wanted more from him, and I think he is capable of it. Keith gives a standing ovation for Burnell's performance, telling us he just loves his voice. Nicki thought he looked fantastic in the white suit, and sounded even better. Randy also loved it, and Mariah thought it was just perfection. After the next break, it was time for Angie Miller to take on "Shop Around", written by Smokey and Berry Gordy. It was the first million seller for Motown. In the studio, there is a rock edge to her version of the song. Smokey encourages her to mix it up a bit, and move more toward the blues.

In the performance, part of the song is lost in the arrangement, as her voice fought with the band, instead of being accentuated by it. She sounded off for much of the song. It didn't really come to life until the final 30 seconds or so, and that had moments of uncomfortable stretch. Randy stepped in to say it was an odd one, having never heard her so pitchy. Mariah loves her, but thought this was not her best performance. She would have liked her to have been at the piano singing "I'll Be There". Keith thought the melody dragged her down, and pulled her off the song. Nicki thought it wasn't the song, it was her performance, her choice to bring it someplace that wasn't organic, wasn't real. She is not a rocker, not a blues singer, she is a singer/songwriter. She needs to own it, for that is where she shines. And Angie just wanted to have some fun with it. That'll teach her, won't it? The next up is Amber, who will be singing Stevie Wonder's beautiful ballad, "Lately". Jimmy mentions she was in the bottom three last week, and both he and Smokey thought she didn't deserve it. I will say I called it, though... As she begins to perform, I feel a bit of nerves as she tends to go sharp in the first few bars. But as she gets into the song, she straightens out the pitch issues, and and builds to a big finish. Mariah comes out with a bad British accent calling it a "tour de force", and then insults the audience thinking we have no idea what that means. Keith loved it, and thought it was beautiful. Nicki loved her, and thought she was amazing. She wants her to get a twinkle back, and forget she was in the bottom last week. Randy called it the best of the night, although I am not sure I'd agree there. Before going to commercial, Crusty tells up that next up we will have the boys, Burnell, Devin and Lazaro, taking on the Four Tops. I have to admit, I am not sure how this trio will gel together. They will sing "Can't Help Myself", written by the brilliant Holland–Dozier–Holland. As they are singing, I thought Devin was the standout, although it wasn't a great performance. Nicki is the only judge allowed to speak, and she hated it, and felt it was like Hollywood week, with the bad group numbers. She was not impressed. Burnell responded that he knew his part, kinda tossing Lazaro under the bus. Devin tried to stay out of the mess, and Lazaro admitted he had trouble learning the lyrics. By the way, Nicki was right. Next up is Kree, who is taking on a song by Smokey's best friend, Aretha Franklin. She will be singing "Don't Play That Song", written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson. Smokey loved it, and can't wait to call Aretha and tell her to listen.

Kree went live with it, and took the song from the beginning and made it build just right. She soared on it, her voice sounded amazing on it. Randy thought it might not be the most perfect of the night, but she will be around for some time to come. Mariah thinks she is one of the strongest in the competition, and loved it. Keith loved that she shows how much Soul and the Blues influence Country, and thought she was amazing. Nicki loved her, and the fact she took on two queens tonight, Madonna and Aretha, and lived to tell the tale. She loves her confidence, and her talent. Crusty tosses to the recap, and I am left to think about the performances of the night. My personal picks for the bottom three tonight might anger the judges, but not sure I care. Obviously to me, Angie was the weakest of the night, although I doubt she will be going home. I think Lazaro would be in my bottom three, as well as Amber. That said, I am betting we won't see two girls in there, as they have worked so hard to praise the ladies. So perhaps Burnell and/or Devin should be concerned. And that might lead to a surprise elimination, like perhaps Amber or Devin singing their song of survival. Perhaps one of them should have tackled Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", or Iggy's "Lust For Life"...

American Idol 12 • Top 9

Tonight the Season 12 Top 9 take on the music of legends, the Beatles. This is not the first time the theme has surfaced on the show, as they first took it on in season 7, when David Archuleta became a sensation with his lovely performance of John Lennon's "Imagine". The episode was so successful, the producers decided to double-dip, keeping the theme for the following week. No surprise that it was a bit of a letdown, and not nearly as enjoyable. It was then we learned that not only is the songbook that good, it is also that difficult to perform, a real test for the Idol contestant. And I can see the judges and the producers using this music to separate the boys from the girls, to ensure a young lady will be a step closer to winning the title.

Top row: Paul Jolley; Angie Miller; Amber Holcomb; Lazaro Arbos; and Devin Velez. Bottom row: Burnell Taylor; Janelle Arthur; Kree Harrison; and Candice Glover.

After Jimmy Iovine gives a brief introduction to the theme tonight, the announcer introduces the judges and the host. Tonight it seems as though Nicki had better time management, as she was there as the show began. It wasn't long before Crusty introduces the Top 9, but doesn't really talk to them at all. He does toss the attention on Carly Rae Jepsen as she announces she will introduce a new single that will debut on the season finale, in the Cocoa Cola Perfect Harmony Contest. Fans get to help write some of the lyrics, help make production choices, and even help with her wardrobe. To learn more, visit the official website. Once that was dispatched with, we see Charlie Askew and Aubrey Cleland standing with Crusty on stage, the results for the sing-off for the extra spot on the Summer Tour was announced, and Aubrey took the most votes and will be the extra person on the Idol tour.

From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

Kree starts off the evening when she sings "With A Little Help From My Friends", originally released on the Beatles seminal album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' in 1967. It was later covered by the great Joe Cocker in 1968. Jimmy things this is perfect for Kree, even if she is showing signs of having a cold. She starts strong, and is amazing throughout the song. She is mind-blowingly good, and showed no signs of being under the weather. She took control of the song, and gave it a new and fresh life. The judges all loved it, as they should. Both Randy and Mariah toy with her a bit, being coy with the compliments before gushing over Kree. I was especially fond of Nicki telling Kree about her 'all-black realness' she was delivering with her outfit. After a break, it is time for Burnell to come out to announce he is singing "Let It Be", the title track from the 1970 album of the same name. He informs us he didn't know the song at all. Jimmy I mentions he needs to learn the song, so America can appreciate his unusual tone.

While it certainly is one of the most recognizable songs ever, Burnell does put his own touches on the vocal, and it is really wonderful. He stayed in tune, and painted beautiful touches on the song. He made so many smart choices along the way, it was impressive. Once again, the judges agree, thinking this was a great performance. They all make mention that he didn't know the song just five days ago, but nailed it down. After a break, Amber comes out to talk about the small town atmosphere where she grew up, and the farm her father still lives on. Amber is singing "She's Leaving Home", also from 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. The song is not a popular hit for the band, but a good one. I thought she wandered around a bit at the beginning, feeling a bit like she was meandering. She was at her best in the chorus, when she could power through it, and add some runs. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly memorable, either. Randy and Mariah both point out the slow start, and her seeming a bit lost with the song. Keith mentions it was his favorite Beatles song, while Nicki points out there were times when Amber looked detached from the performance. Amber leaves the stage, a bit saddened by the reviews. After the break it is time for Lazaro, and we get to meet his proud Cuban parents. We hear he is performing "In My Life", off the 1965 album 'Rubber Soul'. During practice, he struggles a bit with the tempo, as it is a tough one. The song begins rather low, and isn't great for his voice. This is a tepid performance at best, and he seems off his game. The performance was lacking on just about every level, from energy to interpretation. The judges all try to be nice, but speak of the performance as lacking. After the critique, he tells of having chosen another song, but yesterday was informed he needed to pick a new one, this one. As he tells the story, he wipes away the tears from his eyes. After yet another commercial break, Crusty asks about the problems Lazaro had, and they think he needs to brush it off, and listen to his own voice. Now it is time for Candice Glover, who gave the strongest performance for me last week. Candice talks about how much she loves her family. Then we learn she is going to sing "Come Together", off the 1969 album 'Abbey Road'. The song begins with a big Rock sound, and Candice is on it. She gives it a new soulful sound, and is once again a star on the stage. She gives it a timeless sound, ready for airplay now. She is battling Kree for best of the night. Once again, the judges are unanimous in their praise of the performance.

Paul will be singing "Eleanor Rigby", an amazing song to be sure. It is off 1965's 'Yellow Submarine'. He starts the performance with lots of smoke, and a falsetto that could have been missed. But as soon as the song kicks in, so does his vocals, which were amazingly tight for the entire song, including on the final notes. That was really strong to me, with a strong new take on the song. Honestly, it reminds me of the kind of things David Cook did during his season, contouring the songs to his voice.

Oh, wait, the judges seem to want to keep directing him away from Country music, for Mariah thinks his voice is too big, too good, and he should be recording driving Dance tracks, like every good gay boy should. It is time for Angie, who was voted the Next American Idol by her senior classmates, and we also learn how tight her family is. She will be singing "Yesterday", also off 'Yellow Submarine'. While talking to Jimmy I, he speaks of her needing to pull back, for she tends to over-sing and lose her way. He wants her out of her own way. As the performance begins, she jumps in a bit early, but the band recovers quickly. The song is a bit slow and dirge-like, seemingly built on a progression to the big glory note, that feels a touch shrill. I found the whole song to be a bit mopey, never kicking into gear. It was just a little lost along the way. Now, all the judges loved her, and said it was great, but also pointed out a problem or two along the way. Keith said he could see her going in and out of her thought process, and she needs to own her performances. After the break, it is time for Devin to come out to sing "The Long and Winding Road", featured on the album 'Let It Be'. He will mix it up a bit, putting a true R&B spin on it. He takes a smooth and lush spin on the Beatles, really handling the song with grace and style. It was wonderful, hanging with Candice and Kree for best of the night. The judges all love it, although Keith wants more emotion from Devin, something Nicki definitely disagrees with. She thinks Devin is always committed. Then Crusty tries to engage in some stirring, trying to get Mariah and Nicki going at one another, but thankfully the ladies avoid that crap. After the break we will have the final performance of the evening, from Janelle. She will be singing "I Will" from the 1968 album 'The Beatles'. Janelle is putting a Country twist on it, and it sounds good (unlike that disaster by Kristy Lee Cooke, if you can recall that mess). The arrangement is nice, but she is trying to hard with her vocals, trying to add too much by way of runs, which unfortunately sometimes fell a tad flat on the runs. I felt some of her phrasing got a bit lost in the runs, mixing up the cadence. Of course, the judges all disagree with me, and think this performance was amazing and heavenly. She is glowing with the great reviews.

Of course, it is time to take a look back at the performances, and the weekly recap. I have to say that Kree, Candice and Devin are the top performers of the night, while Lazaro, Janelle and Amber are at the back of the pack, with Burnell and Paul holding the middle ground. Now, I think they are trying to toss Paul under the bus, and pretend Amber and Janelle were better than they really were. And Lazaro was most certainly the weakest of the night, but will his tears push people to vote for him? At least that is what I think, but will the voters agree with me? Randy points out the girls once again ruled the night, and only mentioned Burnell, leaving Paul, Lazaro, and Devin out to dry... As I said, separating the boys from the girls, people...

American Idol Season 12 • Top 10

So we are ready to head out on the 12th journey with American Idol, an arduous and time-consuming to be sure. The first thing we learned about the new season was that the producers went out and hired an interesting mix for the judging panel, with the addition of Maria Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban to the lone remaining original judge, Randy Jackson. With the addition of Minaj and Urban, this panel is arguably the most current in history, which had previously tapped people well-past their heyday. And as the production also fed gossip about fights between Carey and Minaj to 'news' organizations, we recognized that producers were trying to cash in on those names.

Left to right: Randy Jackson; Maria Carey; Ryan Seacrest; Nicki Minaj; and Keith Urban.

For the last two months, the show has been airing the normal material, from auditions to Hollywood week, and most recently the semi-finals, all in an effort to whittle the numbers down to a Top 10. I have to admit I skipped most of this, catching a few auditions, and tuning in last week to see the Top 10 announced. It seems the judges and producers worked hard to make sure there would be no white guy with guitar this season, ending the dominance on the competition for that 'genre' as well as the supposed 'cougars' who voted for them. This perhaps opens up the show for a possible female singer to have a chance, something that seemed unlikely since season 6. I did watch a bit last week, especially when they announced the Top 10, and it was an interesting watch for me.

Top row: Angie Miller; Kree Harrison; Janelle Arthur; Devin Velez; Amber Holcomb; Burnell Taylor; ; and Candice Glover. Bottom row: Curtis Finch, Jr.; Lazaro Arbos; and Paul Jolley.

The group was an interesting combination of 'types' we had seen before, but some of the types were missing. There was not a talent-challenged teen boy to be the focus of torment, nor the moderately talented handsome guy and girl make voters swoon. And as I mentioned earlier, there was no white guy with guitar, the 'type' who took the crown in 4 of the last 5 years. That said, the Top 10 was more diverse, presenting a cross section of the population, not nearly as whitewashed as previous seasons. I'll admit I was less than impressed with a couple of the finalists when they sang their 'victory' song, but hopefully they can do better tonight. With the first episode of finals, the will be taking on 'The Music of American Idols', being able to choose any of the songs sung by the previous 11 winners of the show, excluding the winner's single, or any music released post-show. Later, it was changed to take away all the restrictions, just a song sung by a former Idol at some point in their lives. So, that would be any theme from the last 11 years, or a song for any genre you would like. Seems like it was tailor-made to offer no one an advantage, to level the playing field. Well, only time will tell if that is what came to be. Soon it will be starting all over again.

For those who might be new to my recaps, I will point out I will not be using the clips of the finalist singing songs, but the original artists. And not all the songs, just a select few. Of course, it once again begins with Crusty offer the trademark line, "This is....American Idol". The broadcast begins with mini-clips of the previous 11 American Idol winners, and then a few words from each finalist. Soon the judges come out - well at least three of four. It seems Nicki Minaj is caught in traffic, but on her way. Soon, Ryan introduces the Top 10 as a group, who come out on stage with screams from the audience. Then we get the usual propaganda, this time the American Idol App, with the super-vote feature, and other nonsense. First up, we have Curtis Finch, Jr. singing "I Believe", the coronation song for Fantasia, the winner of season three.

Well, I have to say it is tough to take on that particular song, because Fantasia slayed it. And Curtis did not. It was a tepid performance, with Curtis sliding off-key and back on again. He only really seems engaged during the chorus, when he would like to see his voice soar. His vocals in the verse fail to communicate much. Honestly, I bet Nicki is glad she was in a car with the radio playing. Keith liked it, but Randy wanted him to change it up a bit, show us all something new. Mariah, on the other hand, wants more of the same, cause that is what she loves about him, his gospel chorus stylings. Soon Crusty is jumping off the stage, as if he was getting Nicki out of her car. After the break, Crusty is on stage to chat with Janelle Arthur, telling a story in such an old-home-kinda-way. Soon the clip runs, and she is talking to Jimmy Iovine, and we find out she wants to go the classic Country route, none of this cross-over crap. She will be singing Montgomery Gentry's "Gone", sung on the show by Scotty McCreery. While this is the type of music Janelle would like to perform, the song shows a certain thin quality to her voice, no real punch to it. It was a bit lacking. Keith loved it, and then Nicki liked it, but didn't love the song choice. She always has a question about her song choice, and she just wants her to sing something pretty that will show off her pretty voice. Randy agreed with Nicki, feeling the song went nowhere, much like her performance. And Mariah looked like she was searching high and low, and finally said she would prefer Janelle sing a pretty ballad. In other words, she agreed with Nicki, and it killed Mariah to admit it. Soon, it sounded like Crusty resurrected an old Kellie Pickler bit on stage with Janelle, proving silly bits never die. We go to another commercial, with the threat of more performances to come. After the break, we get Devin Velez chatting with Jimmy Iovine, offering his advice on his career path. He will be taking on Carrie Underwood, singing her "Temporary Home", off her third album, 'Play On'. He takes on Country, for he knows he needs to take chances in the competition. It was an odd song choice, and he sounded very nervous. And the song was a bit too story intensive, lacking intensity in the vocal performance. For the first time tonight, Keith finds a negative note, and thinks it was the wrong song, and it fell flat with him. Nicki disagrees, thinking it was beautiful, better than she imagined it would be. Randy didn't like it much at all, and needs the power and gymnastics to prove he deserves to be there. Mariah wriggled her was through a negative review with the song choice nugget, wanting Devin to soar with bigger songs. Another break gave me a chance to catch up, and after this one it was time for Angie Miller talking with Jimmy I, who tells her she sometimes gets a bit beauty pageant, which surprises her. She will be singing "I Surrender". It is the Celine Dion song sung by the first Idol, Kelly Clarkson, during her Top 4 week.

Well, despite Angie telling us she thinks she can sing it as well as Kelly, I didn't hear that. During the beginning of the song, she voice was a bit thin, even brittle. Her top end is tough for me, really, it feels a bit strained. She pulled it back together by the end, but it was beginning wasn't there for me. Keith loved it, and thought she was amazing. Nicki started out by telling her she looked great, and then called her perfection. Randy pulled out another tired phrase, proving you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He loved her. Mariah called her stellar, and left it at that. I think there much be something wrong with the speaker on my television. During yet another commercial break, I get a sip of Green Tea, and decide to let that last bit go. I was already warned by Crusty that next up would be Paul Jolley, who takes his turn with Jimmy I. But first Crusty points out the songs can be purchased online. Back with Jimmy I, he tells Paul he over sings everything, just like everyone on Broadway. What an asshole statement, Jimmy. I lose respect for him even more now. Paul is going to sing "Baby, I'm Amazed By You" by Lonestar, another song performed by Scotty McCreery during his winning run. And he will try to show some restraint. He sounds sweet, and is never off-key. I was a tad bored by it, for it got slow and soft in the beginning. But he has a gorgeous voice, and the last third of the song was wonderful. Keith thought he has been listening to what he was being told, and it was his best performance yet. Nicki thought he looked good, and it was the first time he turned her on. And she thought he sounded great. Randy tried to take credit for his sounding the best yet, while Mariah thought he sounded great, but doesn't want this talk of restraint to keep him from using those gifts he has, and why Jimmy I. kept him in the competition a few weeks ago. Frankly, I am still so annoyed by Jimmy I's comments, I just wanna hug Mariah for her little bitch-slap at him. After another break, Crusty speaks to Candice Glover about her getting a picture from home. Then she talks to Jimmy I, and he talks about her gorgeous voice, and she plans to showcase it with "I (Who Have Nothing)" sung by Jordin Sparks in Season 6. I remember it sung by the great Dame Shirley Bassey.

Candice did a great job, although I did hear a little bit of shrill on her top end near the front of that song. But when the song kicked in, it is in the gorgeous part of her voice. She simplified her runs, and put in emotion where it belongs. It is by far the best of the night so far. Keith loved it, and goes on and on. Nicki loved it too, and thinks the song can be retired now. Randy thought it perfection. He started with his platitudes, and called it the best vocal of season, in the first performance show of the year. Yeah, just sayin'... Mariah loved it, but didn't stand because her skirt is too tight. But she adores Candice. Again, I thought it was wonderful, but I'll take Jordin's performance in a head-to-head... Soon it was another break and it is time for Lazaro Arbos to chat with Jimmy I, who points out he needs to learn the song, which has been his failing thus far. He will be singing Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway", from her album of the same name. For the first half of the song, it lies in the bottom of his voice, not a good place to be. He sounds breathy and weak, needing the chorus to brighten up an otherwise lackluster performance. Keith starts out by asking a question, which Lazaro struggles to answer. But Keith admits it as not a good performance, and hopes they see him next week. Nicki feels Jimmy shook his confidence, and he needs to find that again. Randy tells him the song was too big for him, which is meaningless critique. It was out of his vocal range, and he was strong when the song called for it. Mariah didn't mind the song choice, but thinks there could be better songs to show off his voice. And she thinks people all love his bravery, obviously looking to gain him some extra votes. Another endless barrage of commercials ends, and it is time for Kree Harrison to take to the stage. Jimmy loves her tone, and her range, and will take on a gorgeous song by Roy Orbison, "Crying". Carrie took it on in Season 4. Kree does have a stunning voice, and she kinda reminds me of Carrie a bit. While she is great on the vocals, I thought the arrangement was not great, a little stop/go during the first half. She took command of the final third, and it began to soar. I just wish she took the whole song on. Keith loved it, and will buy Kree's record. Nicki thought listening to her sing was like eating her favorite breakfast, making her all warm and delicious. Randy seemed confused by that, but went on to say she is so talented. Mariah loved the song choice - one of the greatest songs ever written - and loved the way she sings. She loves her. Then Kree called Crusty Randy, and the opposite of hilarity ensued. Thankfully, that was broken up by another commercial break. Next up, we have Burnell Taylor chatting with Jimmy I, who has little of interest to say on the clip. Burnell will be singing "Flying Without Wings", sung by Ruben Studdard on the Season 2 finale. Simon brought that with him from the UK, where his group Westlife had a big hit with the song.

He had a strong performance, but it was a song that didn't feel like a good fit for him. He still put his own flavor on it, but allowed the song to swallow him a little bit. He was good, but not great. I think he can do better. Keith loved it, Thinking he has a great timbre in his voice. And so did Nicki, although she did admit it wasn't her favorite so far. Randy loved it, with nary a bad thought in his mind. Mariah spoke of how she loved him, and the choices he makes as an artist. After the commercial break, it is time for Amber Holcomb to met with Jimmy I, who tells her she is pretty. She will be singing "A Moment Like This", and Jimmy suggests she take it up-tempo. She doubts she will do that, but she will make it her own. As the song starts, it sounds exactly like Kelly's version, only Amber doesn't have Kelly's voice. She takes an inspiring song, and makes it pedestrian. I thought it showed more of what was lacking in her voice. And the final few notes sounded sharp to me, just going over where it they needed to be. Not surprising to me, Keith loved it. I was stunned, however, when Nicki said that was the performance of the night, and it was young Whitney reborn. Huh? Randy loved it, and thinks the girls killed the guys tonight. Mariah gave it hashtag POW, and thought she sounded magnificent. Again, the sound on my television must be bad. Crusty calls her mother to the stage, and she gives her an early birthday present.

The video recap with the voting numbers rolls, and I am reminded that for me, Candice took the night, with Paul hot on her heels. There were several who lurk in the middle, giving good but not great performances. The weakest of the night for me were Curtis, Janelle, and Lazaro. But will the voters agree with me? Can Lazaro's bravery keep him out of the bottom? Are too many Country artists going to break up that voting block, putting someone in jeopardy? I might not know now, but we will learn tomorrow night when the results are broadcast at 8PM on Fox.

Clay Aiken Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Left: Clay Aiken's first audition; Clay after the first makeover.

Apparently, this past Monday, January 28, 2013, marked the 10th anniversary of the broadcast of Clay Aiken's audition for the second season of American Idol. I do remember the audition, which made me sit up and take notice of that voice. You see, I was on board with Idol from the first season, when I loved Kelly Clarkson, and enjoyed Jim Verraros. This was back in the days when Idol was trying to find their feet, having been so awfully lucky with the first season, and a winner like Kelly, with a true abundance of talent. She had success with "A Moment Like This", her coronation song, and followed it up with "Miss Independent", a song co-written by a favorite of mine, Matt Morris. But we were still a year away from her great triumph, on the release of her second album, and "Since U Been Gone", off the great album "Breakaway". So hopes were high for the second season, with pressure to follow up the success of the first. When this geeky kid from Raleigh, North Carolina, made his way in the room, the show was ready to mock him, you could see it in Simon's eye. But then he sang. Watch as his voice changes minds.

It is very easy to say "the rest is history", but that would be putting a pretty bow on things. Aiken's star would shine all season long, never hitting the bottom three all season long. And while the fans might have been battling, between Clay and Ruben Studdard, both men stayed above the fighting to be friends. Ruben was named the winner, and Clay was in second place. But Clay's first album, 'Measure of a Man' was verified double Platinum, selling just shy of 3 million. When he toured, tickets were hard to come by, and he was a name on Broadway that was selling tickets. He has raised money and awareness for several charities, guest starred on shows like 'America's Next Top Model' to 'Scrubs' to '30 Rock'. He was also the runner up when he appeared on 'The Apprentice', just behind Arsenio Hall. Along the way, he also had a baby with a good friend, which Clay raises. He took time from his busy schedule to post a clip on YouTube to make the occasion.

For more about Clay Aiken, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook. And tonight you can watch American Idol to see how different the show is ten years later as the audition process continues on Fox at 8PM.

American Idol Season 11 • Final 2

Tonight is the night thousands were hoping would be part of their lives, and not just sitting in the audience smiling and applauding while Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez steal the focus, and sing to be named the next American Idol. But it is not to be, and the audience will listen intently before they decide who will take the crown. Will Phillip be another in a line of WGWG, i.e. White Guys With Guitars, who will charm the voters? Or will Jessica steal the hearts of the viewers, the little girl with the big voice? Only time and Crusty will be able to give us the answer. For tonight is about them both, taking the stage and looking to be the last one standing, ready to go into the studio and see if they can be the next Kelly Clarkson, the next Carrie Underwood, the next Scotty McCreery, the next winner to make a Platinum selling album. Who is your American Idol?



The show opens with the finalists talking about their hopes and fears. Soon, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson are introduced, followed by Crusty. He welcomes the more than 7,000 fans who came to see the finals in the Nokia Theater. Phillip and Jessica will sing a song of their own, Producer Simon Fuller's choice, and the song that would be their winning single. Phillip won the coin toss, and opted to go second, so Jessica leads the show with the Producer's choice, Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing."



I thought the song choice was somewhat predictable, but it is better than some prior picks by the Producers. She does a lovely job with the song, making some subtle changes to the song, but the song is so identified with Houston, it is had to stray too far. I say that was a solid to good performance. After a commercial break, we hear Phillip is going to sing the Ben E. King classic, "Stand By Me."



This is another lackluster song choice, and Phillip delivers exactly what we thought he would do, bastardizing the melody, putting it through the processor. I love they are now calling him a singer/songwriter, as if he is performing original material on the show. For me, his vocals lack depth and expression, and when the song loses melody and depth, there is little remaining. In between rounds, Crusty goes to the judges to gossip, and Jennifer spends an extraordinary amount of time saying nothing. Randy gives the first round to Jessica. After another commercial, Jennifer finally had a chance to digest it all, and agrees with Randy. Steven remains quiet. They bring out Jason DeRulo to debut his new song for Coke, "Undefeated."



His lost the bedazzled neck brace, and is quite athletic in his dancing. On the next break, there is a commercial featuring the song, and it is already starting to annoy. Back on the show, Jessica brings out a favorite of her prior performances, choosing to sing "The Prayer."



I think she is wise to avoid singing yet another Whitney song, and changing it up. She does a lovely job with it, for it is a lovely song, well-performed. Another commercial passes, and it is time for Phillip. He reprises "Moving Out (Anthony's Song)," in much the same style as before.



I wasn't a fan the first time, not really liking it better the second time through. I hear anger, and not much else. Well, other than the spam-like melody of the song. Crusty goes to Steven first, who thinks Jessica took the second round, while Randy calls it a draw. Jennifer glances at the script, and announces that Phillip won the second round for her, making it dead even. She felt we'd heard Jessica sing that before, while that was "authentic Phillip." Uhm, Jennifer, we'd heard that performance before too. In fact, a couple of weeks after "The Prayer." If you're gonna say things, try adding a dash of logic, okay? After a break, Jessica sings "Change Nothing," which would be her release should she win. As ballads goes, the song is somewhat generic. The judges complain about the song, saying it is all wrong, lacking the R&B feel. Uhm, how much of a pick did she have? Jennifer goes on and on about it, and I can't help by roll my eyes. It is time for Phillip to sing, and he performs the song "Home." It is a quiet, sweet acoustic track, until the drum corps some out. And some rather unfortunate vocal embellishments. Truly reminds me of Coldplay. Once done, the judges leap to their feet, calling it moving and genius. Jennifer loves it, like no other artists she can think of, yet both Randy and Steven make ample comparisons to Mumford & sons, and Paul Simon. After giving them a chance to say nice things to one another, Crusty introduces reigning champion Scotty McCreery, who delivers a live version of this single, "Please Remember Me."



Crusty bids you all goodnight, and reminds all to vote for their favorites. Will it be Jessica, or will Phillip take the title back to Georgia? Tune in tomorrow night at 8PM on your local Fox station for the two-hour results show, which will be chock-full of stars, and about 12 minutes of results...