AI 11 - Phillip versus Jessica

     Phillip vs. Jessica. A showdown that never should have been!

     Jessica introduces herself with the same unappealing self-interest and arrogance, saying she really wanted to audition for the first season. When she would have been 5 years old. I'm sure she thinks she would have won, also. After all, she'd already been "doing it all her life!"

     I don't know why I bothering to write anything about this finale show, because no matter how they perform, I don't want Jessica to win. But luckily I'm here to note the bizarre digital chime noise that keeps plating over the proceedings. Is that an error or what? It sounded like they turned it off for a second, but there it is again!

     Jessica lies and claims "she's never even dreamed of this moment before," which is interesting, since she has been saying the opposite all season. But she just wanted to kicj things off with false modesty, I guess.

     Her first song is "I Have Nothing," selected by Simon Fuller. She reminds me of how amazing she could be and how very sad I was to see her personality come out as the show progressed. She tosses in an unnecessary "huh" and  a couple "nos" to fill in the sorely lacking Whitney Houston version [note: this is sarcasm on my end, but I'm sure Jessica would think her version surpassed Whitney's]. It was okay, but not spectacular. Nothing to win me back to her.

   

     I'm starting to wonder if the electronic chime is some sort of security measure so people can't pirate the audio?

     Simon Fuller has chosen "Stand By Me" for Phillip. Surprisingly, I enjoy his usual shaking up of the arrangement. I still don't like the "aww-oww" thing, which comes out at the end. But it was pretty good, and had a nice original flair. I would actually give him the honest point on this one.

     The judges disagree with me and claim Jessica prevailed. Of course, they're with the producers, wanting Jessica to win. 

      Jason Derulo comes on to sing a crappy top 40 dance song---oops, I mean his self-predicted "smash HIT!" I'm making something to eat. 

      Jessica's personal pick, "The Prayer," is much sweeter and better than her first performance tonight. I still think she needs to learn a few things about how to optimally use her voice, because one note she held there wasn't the prettiest, and she puts too much breathy vibrato in sometimes when she absolutely has the skill not to. But it was pretty, definitely radio-worthy. 

     Phillip appears to have made a good though unexpected choice in "Movin' Out" from Billy Joel week as his favorite. I completely forgot about this performance from before his style grew overwhelming. This was a redo that worked for me. The musical accompaniment sounds good, too. Again, I think Phillip may have won the point here because of his obvious superiority as an artist, though Jessica may have the prettier voice. 

     The judges disagree again, they're all for Jessica except Randy, who calls it a dead heat. 

     I don't know how I feel about the different singles for different winners practice. I guess in some cases it makes more sense than having them do the same song, but then again it was very interesting to see two different takes on the same song, and it really helped you judge vocal ability. But I suppose AI has moved beyond vocal ability and more into the "it factor" in determining its winners.

     Jessica's single would be "Change Nothing." She starts off a little shaky, and the song doesn't help. She sounds sort of flat. The song doesn't sound good. Yikes. I think this is just a bad song. She's not singing it terrifically, but I don't know if it's possible to make this song sound good. But it would never sound good with the straining, hollering sound she's giving it. Some of it sounds okay, but very little.

     Finally someone agrees with me! Randy says he didn't really like the song, but he credits Jessica with "bringing it to life." Jennifer didn't like it either. But they continue praising her. Steven thirds it that the song sucked. He leaves out the extra praise.

     Phillip's gotten lucky with the coin toss and selected the closing slot (smart Phillip!) His single is "Home." With that name, he's already won, because it's what they'll play as the contestants leave next year. He's a little less than on key, but he has backup singers coming in to harmonize, and any wavering is lost. His song is a winner. He's got a drumming band behind him---talk about stacking the deck! Though his vocals weren't the featured element of this (or any) of the songs, to me Phillip stole the whole show. He comes off as a complete artist, whereas Jessica is just a great singer.

     Randy absolutely agrees, and compares him to Mumford & Sons, which I can sort of see, but Phillip sounded more traditional and rootsy. Jennifer knows naught of them, so she claims there's nothing like him around. Steven has a better grasp on the entire music world, and likens it to Paul Simon (another apt comparison). 

     Well, I went in rooting for Phillip based on disliking Jessica, and now I continue to back Phillip based on how well he did. I fully admit Jessica has wonderful talent and should have a great career. I just don't like her, and I don't think she's fully matured or should win.

Tonight's Ranking:

1. Phillip

2. Jessica

Who should win? Philip. I already said why.

Who will win? Phillip. Teenage girls are doing the voting, silly!

AI 11 - The Hometown Three

     

     I'm not very excited about what's left of AI this year. I know the judges and producers have been pushing for Jessica to win from the very start, but it doesn't move anything in me to have her win. I don't like 99% of what Phillip chooses to do (or wear), and although I am in awe of Joshua's ability, I don't see it as modern pop, which is what AI is looking for.

     I'm not really sure why nobody has pushed Joshua to do anything outside of his old-style style. So it's classic with Etta James. Maybe they have the idea that there's been some other retro/throwback artists (like Michael Buble), but none like Joshua, and they suspect it could work. I'm not quite sure about that. Joshua's style doesn't translate as much to the same type of commercial uses that Michael Buble's type (which was sort of Harry Connick Jr.'s type before him) does. Joshua is incredible, but he's not modern and fully marketable.

     Jennifer explains why the judges didn't push him into a more contemporary sound, but then Randy explains he really should try to move into a more contemporary arena in his future career. So, he should do it, but they were afraid to try to push him to do it right now.

     Wow, Jessica's really sucking at this Mariah Carey song. Of course they're not going to agree with me, but certainly viewers must hear that she's not on key for most of these trilly bits. There's a lot of breaths also. As for Jennifer hoping for emotion from this, there wasn't any of that either.

     Incredible. Randy is just lying outright, saying that crap was good. Often Jessica is good, but this was one of the worst performances we've seen from her. Not one of the judges will admit to it! I guess they've been warned that she has to win, so they can't criticize her. 

     Luckily for him, Phillip didn't make all his own choices this week, and they've pushed him to deliver something a little different with "Begging." He does his best to employ all his gargly straining nonsinging aw-aww, but the start and some middle bits show some of his more palatable vocal qualities, and there's some nice bluesy bits in there as well. Better than many recent efforts. 

     Jennifer takes the safe route by saying Phillip is "funny" for once again ignoring the melody of the song. Oh, ha ha, yes, it's hilarious! Steven has a psychotic break and claims Phillip could be a new Springsteen. The girls in the audience advertise their true voting motivations by calling their love to Phillip. Jennifer panders to them by proclaiming Phillip the winner of the round.

     Joshua tells the sad story of the uninterested Louisiana folk of his hometown by explaining that their arena has never been sold out (until his performance). As Joshua goes through the crawfish boil and to church, he doesn't look or act like a star. Which is nice in a way. His town is clearly very small. Probably the fact their arena has never sold out is less a reflection on the town's interest in music than the likelihood there are bigger places near enough that bands would play there and expect people to drive. Which I suppose means the arena was built more for the possibility its size might be necessary than to really accommodate the then population.

     Joshua's personal choice is "Imagine," and I hope he doesn't do too much with it, because its simplicity and clarity is part of how it works so well. I think he could have chosen a better song to suit him, but he did enough with it to make it sound good, but not overdone. It wasn't a bad choice by any means, because it got the job done.

     Jennifer seems to be preparing Joshua for possible disappointment, but then turns it around and seems to be suggesting his emotion might win it for him. Randy asks him why he chose the song and Joshua gives an excellent answer illustrating the fact that he really does connect to some songs, and those are the ones he sings best and luckily also the ones he'd choose.

     Jessica is once again dressed like an older woman, looking thirty instead of sixteen. I like the outfit, but IHer hometown visit is very contrived, and has little real "hometown" feel. Even with her family, which is uncomfortable to view. She looks like the newly crowned queen returning to her lowly subjects. Her attitude on the ship was especially bad, like a shallow diva going along for the ride.  

     Of course for her song Jessica's chosen an Aerosmith song to suck up to the judges, but unfortunately for her, she chose "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing," which Lauren Alaina owned last year and Jessica has no chance of matching in gut or spirit, I don't care what her voice can do.

     She starts off with so much vibrato it's like she's singing into a high-powered fan. It's the wrong song for her. It doesn't showcase her best ability, and instead sounds like good karaoke. She sounds more girl and less singer, and goes off key twice during the final runs.

     The judges won't say a thing, I'm sure. It's become clear to me that these new judges aren't like the AI of old. They're of little purpose. They're leaving it just to the audience now. Apparently they forget that Steven loved Lauren Alaina's rendition, but as a viewer, I don' think any of us would. No one will remember Jessica's performance of it, though.

     Phillip still owes someone $10, and he gets a half order of chicken & cheese nachos free for life from Amaya's, which is the very least he deserves since I don't even know where the town is or particularly like Phillip as a finalist and I wish I could go to the darn restaurant. One thing he did do well was promote the heck out of them. Phillip looks shocked and overwhelmed by the crowds. He also looks uncomfortably upset seeing his father cry over how much he's missed him. His family looks so sweet and loving. I do like Phillip as a person, I just don't like a lot of the choices he makes as an artist. He looks pleased but emotional and humble in his parade, as security roughly shoves back girls from his open car. The size of his town coupled with the crowds make me think he could win. 

     Phillip makes another choice that displeases me by choosing a Matchbox 20 song. Why does he insist on picking this crap? Maroon 5, then Matchbox 20. At least there's a little more melody incorporated here. It's decent. I just don't like his style or mannerisms, and there's no way to realy get over that. But it's a good job.

     I'm sure the judges are going to love it. Oh, well, Jennifer says it's not wow, although it was "easy and floory." Steven says he's got a "bubook" and that he should "get used to it, because you never will." So, puzzling. Randy doesn't like it either! Wow. I expected them to blow smoke up his ass even more than usual, because he did what he always does, but with a little more ease and tone. But no, they wanted something bigger.

     Jimmy's choices are next, which I usually like. Joshua will be singing "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige. Hm. I have to hear it first, but I think maybe it's smart because it's modern but it's classic style R&B. Hm. It starts with the theme of the Young and the Restless. Crap. Now I'll have trouble concentrating. I like the sort of 70s and 80s vibe that and the ensuing beats add, though. Unfortunately Joshua goes a little off key. But when it's just Nadia's Theme and him nearly a cappella, it's flawless. He certainly could be Terrence Trent D'arby-esque also, if he chose. I'd definitely prefer that. Instead he goes a little into the gravel hollering than I like, but the end is cleaner and nice. yup, Jimmy made an excellent choice that finally, finally showed how Joshua could fit into contemporary commercial radio.

     Steven gives him an amazing summarizing criticism in saying that watching Joshua, he felt the last 40 years of the music business. I absolutely can see that, although I'd say the last 50-55.

     Lisa Marie Presley sings? That should be good. At least they have Adam Lambert also, so it will be a sort of reversal of the usual "real artist and old contestant" lineup.

     Jessica performs a wooden and painfully set-up scene to receive a giant AT&T box with Jimmy's selection. Ah, "I'll Be There" by the Jackson 5. Damn you, Jimmy, that's a brilliant choice. Young, but accomplished, and tugging at emotions no matter if the singer is bringing that or not. I only hope Jessica screws it up by being her very put-on and unnatural performer self. For some reason she has gotten a wireless speaker as a gift as well. Jimmy explains his young & old appealing choice. Jessica oversings it a little, and tries to make it sexier than it needs to be. Then she goes into a deeper voice she doesn't usually use in ballads, and is less appealing than her high, sweet sound. 

     Jennifer didn't miss the low bit and calls that segment "Jermaine," but she praises the rest. Randy is the most grounded and admits it wasn't really special enough to stand out.

     Phillip also gets the speaker. So only Joshua was left out! Nice, producers. Favoritism much? Of course it's likely he got one and they just didn't use it in the package, but that in itself was a dumb choice. 

     For Phillip, Jimmy has chosen "We've Got Tonight" by Bob Seger. I don't know if this is the right song for Phillip, although I absolutely love it. 

     Ooo. Jimmy, you devil. This is so good! And Phillip is actually singing the melody! Oh, you dumb people, don't clap. Good, stop. Wow, this is really good. He's not doing anything to it at all, but that works for him because he so rarely just leaves a beautiful song as it is. Very, very good. I'd listen to it. 

     Randy calls it well: Phillip's best performance. It was a moment, he sang the melody, it was perfect. I still think Joshua has more talent, but Phillip likely has more appeal to the ladies. I like Steven's take also. Phillip does have passion and stillness. I wish he'd be more serious and sincere when singing than zany and playful, like he more often is.

Tonight's Ranking:

1. Joshua

2. Phillip - he possibly could be tied with Joshua and only separated by my bias against his style)

3. Jessica

Who should go? Jessica or Phillip. Phillip, I guess, if we're going with raw talent. But he's not going anywhere.

Who is going? If the girls are voting with their hearts, Jessica is going, because at least 90% of the girls love the boys. If they're voting with their tastes, Joshua is going, because they have little taste or sense, and because they're still more hot for Phillip than they are for Joshua. I think. It's hard to tell because Joshua is so talented, I don't know if he's been getting votes for talent or cuteness.

AI 11 - The Final Four, But Does It Matter Any More?

     I can't believe Skylar Laine went home last week. That was ridiculous. She was by far the most commercially profitable contestant right out of the box. The people left are either niche performers (Joshua, Phillip) or need further shaping to define what they would be for a pop audience. 

     Why are these freaks screaming and cheering so much?

     Many of the themes this year are incredibly stupid. This episode is no different. California and songs the contestants wish they'd written. 

     Yes, Phillip, Time of the Season pretty much sucked. Oh, crap, now he's going to murder Have You Ever Seen the Rain. Too upbeat right off, Phillip. I don't even want to listen to this. What kind of beat is this? Is it the CCR rumba? I guess his voice isn't that bad on it, but I'm having a hard time really listening without my ears closing off in defense. Again he's doing his weird, sickening garbage "ow-aw" stuff. If you're going to cover a song, at least don't make it worse. At least copy it. Please.

     How could the audience could be cheering for that total BS? They are actually cheering wildly. Oh, that's what they're cheering for. When Randy said "as soon as you smiled" a girl screamed---that's what the cheering is for. They sort of skipped over the judges except for Jennifer claiming he's doing a new Joe Cocker thing (unlike the old Joe Cocker thing she's commented on before?)

     Hollie is doing "Faithfully." How is this a California song? I don't know, and I guess I don't want to know, because I have my own preferred connotations for it that have nothing to do with California. She's got some of her bad habits going on, more in the beginning than the middle and end. She sounds a little slow and flat, but of course her voice still has such a beautiful tone, it's nice to listen to. 

     I'm glad the judges liked it even more than I did, because of the people left, I like Hollie and Joshua the best. Jennifer was right, she really did seem a lot more confident in this performance, which is a huge plus for her. She's got more voice than she does confidence in it, so the more she works on that aspect, the better. 

     How could you not be sure of what that song is about, though? Maybe Hollie isn't as smart as I thought. Or maybe again, this is part of the problem of having such young contestants. They have no idea what they're doing or saying. 

     Jason DeRulo (or however you spell it) is pleased to be working on his new audience-collaborative "hit song." Wow, in addition to being a singer, he's a psychic too! It's always funny when that happens. So often singer-psychics know about their upcoming "hit songs" and are nice enough to warn the rest of us.

     I really like Joshua. I don't like Josh Groban, but the song "You Raise Me Up" often sounds nice. Joshua starts off nicely restrained and quiet. Keep it simple for a while, please! I like that best. Good. He never went too far into the ooooaahhooohh. Good good. I liked it. It was modest but lovely. I'd like it if he enunciated a little bit more; sometimes he stretches out the phrasing a little bit much and loses some consonants (in there he lost some Ps off the end of "up").

     I really highly dislike Jessica. She acts entitled, and I don't know what she hopes to accomplish by saying singing is the only thing she can do---at 16, I don't think you should be saying that you know you can only do one thing. She just rubs me the wrong way. Once again she's singing a song that's too old for her, Etta James's "Steal Away." Her voice is great, and I like the blues growl howling, but I still don't like her "huh"s and the attitude is ugly on her because it's so mature and she should be young. It also just comes off rote, not with real experience and sincerity. I don't think it will appeal to the young 'uns, so I'm hoping this will be the end of her. She can go home and learn some humility, then get signed and work on a record. 

     Of course the judges love her and fawn all over her as usual. 

     Joshua and Phillip duet again, on what I think is a Jason Mraz song because it's annoying, but maybe it's a Maroon 5 or Matchbox 20 song (same reason). "This love has taken its toll on me," etc. Joshua sings fine, Phillip does his odd monotone side-mouth wailing. The crowd roars, the judges are psychotically overappreciative. Ah! Maroon 5. Thanks Randy.

     Jessica and Hollie are going to compete at Eternal Flame, which is the stupidest song for them to sing since Susanna Hoffs has a very plain and simple voice, nothing like either one of them. Jessica overdid it and Hollie was tightmouthed and a little to quiet at starts and stops. The harmonies didn't sound right, the swings looked like arm slings, not fun and not pleasurable.

     Oh, Randy feels the same. Jennifer likes the song. Me too, Jennifer, but that doesn't mean I liked their singing it. 

     Why is Tom Cruise the lead in Rock of Ages? This has been bothering me since I first heard about it. I mean, only when I am thinking about Rock of Ages, which is about four times in the past three months. Why in hell would anyone cast Tom Cruise as a rock star? A mistake second only to making him, say, Lestat.

     The gang sings a strange version of Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You." The harmonies sound good, and Phillip's first part actually shows his voice in a nice light. The stilted addition of "waiting for a guy like you" for the ladies to sing was stupid, and Phillip's later idiosyncratic "waiting"s. It was better than Eternal Flame, that's for sure.

     Hm. Phillip wishes he could have written "Volcano" by Damien Rice. Shocking! I really am surprised. I wonder if he'll sound different. Jimmy seems to think so. Wow, I wonder if he really can do that. 

     He sounds quite more melodic than he ever has before. There's a lovely softness, and not of the ugly sidemouthed ow-owing. This sounds good, and it sounds commercial. More in a college radio kind of way, but that crosses over regularly. This works for me. My sister claims it's still "Dave Matthews singing this song," but she knows Dave Matthews, I don't. I definitely liked it, much better than anything he's done before. I also really like his outfit. His t-shirt and blazer looks more polished than the messy button-downs he often wears.

     The judges liked it, not surprisingly, since they always like him and this is the best he's done. 

     I love "I Can't Make You Love Me," although I have a totally different take on it than Hollie, who seems to be thinking of it in an unrequited way and I think of it more as a in love with a jerk who doesn't appreciate you kind of way. I agree with what Jimmy says, she can't oversing it. She sounded beautiful in the rehearsal.

     I don't understand, but once again, Hollie is doing her "singer" voice when she's performing, instead of singing it like herself, like she did in the rehearsal. Her outfit is bizarre. Another pantsuit, and it looks like she's got a colostomy bag. They skipped part of the song for some reason, she was tight and Shirley Temple all the way through, and the end was wrong in how she went high. She didn't seem to be feeling the lyrics, and it felt too old for her. Her voice sounded okay, but she fell into all her old traps.

     The judges pretty much agreed with me, and Randy brought in another good point that this is a quiet song for someone without a lot of vocal superpower, so it wasn't the best choice for her. I hope she still makes it through.

     Joshua is singing "It's A Man's World," and I'm looking forward to it. Of course it could be and likely will be perfect. I think he's really getting it that you have to sing normally for most of the time, and not push it over the line the whole time, or it's not special when you do take it over and out. It is pretty perfect, but this demonstrates that he's such a niche singer of this type that I actually feel like he's sung this song before. I have no problem with that. A lot of time jazz and blues singers are consistent in how they sound singing a whole series of standards, but you still love them all. But it's not pop music, and that's why I don't quite see how he fits commercially.

     The judges see it as more special and different than I do, it seems. I thought it was very well done, possibly a best for him, but definitely not a best for the show, and I don't think even a best for the season. Still, exceptionally good. 

     The producers have set things up so Jessica is the final performance going into the final three, because they're pushing for her to win. I guess maybe from their perspective it doesn't matter what else there is to her other than a skinny 16-year-old with a great voice. She doesn't need to know anything or be an artist. What they want is a blank slate with vocal ability.

     Jessica is singing "And I'm Telling You," so she can power out the song like she likes to do. Little Miss Feels Like She Deserves It misses the sad futility of this song and sees it as a demand that shall be met. 

     She's got lots of her "huh"s in there and the usual powery, growly, correct singing. One odd breath placed in there around the "no way I will." All her singing and yowling will not make me love her, though. I just don't like her or her attitude. It doesn't matter how talented she is, her personality is nil.

Tonight's Ranking:

1) Joshua

The rest all tie for me for various reasons. 

Who should go? Phillip should go. 

Who will go? Not Phillip, so I'm guessing Hollie. I wish if a girl had to go, it would be Jessica, but I don't see that happening.

I'm not sure I'm going to write about this show again next year. I don't like the direction it's been heading in since the changeover of judges, and i don't think it is what it once was. But we'll see.