American Idol

[Amy]

Aw, I'm sorry about that doc. Are you watching your German Idol? Is that airing now? Any impressive talent this season?

[Dr. Slicker]

We are watching it every Saturday evening, Amy - the time of the motto-shows. Unfortunately huge talents are rarely to find this season. Just two or three persons with awesome voices, that was it.
Some of the remaining participants can´t sing good or can´t sing at all. The German producers tend to emphasize more on the background-show, like spontaneous or provoked intrigues between the "stars" or family-stories and so on.
It seems, that entertaining in this sense is more important than finding a real new huge talent. Seal was the guest-star of a motto-show and on the quiet he admitted corresponding, that there are almost no people with extraordinary voices to find.

Here are some links with the idols, the first two ones "not so good" and the last three ones my favourites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI4TdFw5Zjo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D7mZEHLMVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvZsHTlfHEI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbw4AlKP0OU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss29_gDxO2w

[Amy]

Sorry I'm getting back so late to you on this Doc....wow, thanks for posting those! I kind of like that first guy---I really like that song, so maybe I'm just blinded by that. But WOW, Dominik is SO much like James Blunt!! I thought it WAS James Blunt!!! And James has such a unique voice, one you wouldn't think would be 'easily' imitated anyway. Is he still in the competition?

Here are some links to ours:

Adam Lambert---he's probably the best, but he also came in with the most experience, so I'm not rooting for him. I like to see a 'nobody' win Idol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8RXQQdsQ2w


Kris Allen---I really like him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMxoSTQ1GB4


Matt Giroud: He is actually from Michigan, and lives in the city where my son is going to college! I'd love to see him get to at least the top 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ncX-...rom=PL&index=6


Danny Gokey---he's very popular; I like him, don't love him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz5bx...eature=related


Allison---she's pretty much the only female with a shot this season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cvK3...om=PL&index=11


Anoop Desai:

I would give him 'most improved', along with Kris:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrbCB...om=PL&index=43

The judges 'saved' Matt last week, so we're going to be seeing two leave this week. They've never done a 'save'---not sure if I like it, but in this case I did because I didn't want to see Matt leave!! All in all, this season is pretty lame in comparison to last season...

[Jen]

Hi Amy!

I've been trying to follow this season of American Idol when I can. But I don't have tv here in my new flat, so it's turned out to be harder than I thought. It seems like YouTube have some policy this year that all the clips get removed from there immediately, so I can't watch it there like last year. But I've seen some of the episodes that my sister recorded for me.

I have to say I really like Adam's voice and style. He also seems like a self-confident but humble person, so that's always a plus for me. If he were great but very full of himself, I don't think he would have any chance of winning the competition, as it seems those get voted off at some point sooner or later. (Um so did that other girl get voted off? The one who sang Tina Turner. I thought she was a bit annoying because she seemed to think she was so great and didn't listen to any advice.)

I like Kris Allen too: good, original voice, nice person. I hope he will pick better songs so that he can stand out more.

Matt...is he that sort of Justin Timberlake guy? He's a great singer, I'm just not sure how original he can be. But I'm waiting for him to surprise me.

Allison reminds me of Kelly Clarkson somehow. Maybe it's the voice or the way she performs or even the kinds of songs she sings. Interesting. I quite like her as well.

Danny I have to say annoys me a lot. Alright, he has a touching story and seems okay, but there's just something in the way he performs that makes me go "hmmm...nope". He seems to be trying a bit too hard to be very likeable and it comes out as not very sincere.

Anoop...ahem. Can I just say: boring. But maybe I haven't seen his best performance yet, so I shouldn't really judge at this point.

Hopefully I can see more of the episodes at some point. But yeah, I'm not overly excited about any of the contestants. Or maybe Adam, I think he's got potential. But I'm thinking he probably wouldn't sing my type of music anyway. Hmmm.

[Amy]

Hi Jen!

That's a bummer about your TV! You must be going nuts!!

Yeah, what is UP with Youtube?! NOT happy about them taking the original performances off right away! That stinks!


Adam---agreed. He is REALLY good, I just don't care for his screechy high notes or this 'gaspy' thing he does. They've become his 'signature' and I find that annoying. But yes, he seems humble to me too and I think he's a good guy. Mad World was definitely his 'calmest' song, and therefore my favorite. I just wish he hadn't come into this with so much experience, because he's leaps and bounds ahead of everyone and it doesn't seem fair really. I think he has more of a 'broadway/performer' voice though and not really a 'record' type voice.

Yep, Lil is gone...she AND Anoop were voted out last week. She did NOT take criticism well and she annoyed me too, Jen! She argued when there was really nothing to 'argue' about! Ugh. And yeah, I like Anoop's voice but he really was on the boring side.

Kris Allen is up there at the top for me...I just love him. I'd say he's the true 'artist' of the show. Very cool guy and I find myself looking forward to him more than anyone.

Matt is the Justin Timberlake guy---he's the one from Michigan and I hope he makes it to the top 3! I really like him.

I see what you mean about Danny...sometimes I think he tries too hard to be 'nice' too. Seems to be working for him though.

Allison would be my pick for the next one off...not that she's bad---she's really quite good but she just doesn't really do anything for me.


This season really is just kind of an 'eh' season for me too...I'm not sure anything is ever going to top last season!

[Jen]

I'm very behind with my AI viewing, but next time I'm visiting home, hopefully I can watch some more.

I see what you mean about Adam having much more experience than the others. I guess the competition is mostly about finding some undiscovered talent who hasn't made it in the music business yet, so having professional artists there seems a bit controversial. But on the other hand, my all-time favourite contestant, Melinda Doolittle, was a professional backup singer. I guess for me it's about the talent: I don't mind if someone has had more experience than the others if they are really really unique and talented. But it would be nice to see some newcomer with some - should we call it - raw talent come and totally surprise everyone. I agree with you, though, that this year it doesn't seem to have happened.

I can't really say much more about the contestants at this point as I haven't seen more of their performances, but I promise to return here once I am wiser.

Speaking of the former contestants, I was wondering if you have heard David Cook's album yet? I saw they were selling it in stores even here, which hasn't really happened before. I believe Kelly Clarkson was the only one who really made it here, and then apparently they have been playing David Archuletta on the radio a lot. Do you know when his cd is coming out? I'm wondering what type of music it might be...r'n'b perhaps. But I'm curious about David Cook as my sister really liked him and was drooling over the cd in the store.

[Amy]

Very happy that Kris Allen won!! Adam is a great entertainer, and was better than Kris in a lot of ways, but he was SO over the top.

Jen, sorry I'm just seeing this post now....I have both David Cook and David A's CDs. David A's is def more RnB/pop....the RnB end of it is not really 'him', IMO, but he does a good job on it. David Cook's CD is awesome though, and my favorite of the two. Totally reflective of him, and some really great songs. He's more on the rock end, and somewhat pop. He's coming to our city in July and I have free tickets to see him! SO excited!!!

[Jen]

Oh we were a few weeks behind you I see. But that's okay as I haven't been able to follow the show anyway this year.

That's great for Kris. I like his voice and he seems like a very genuine and feet-on-the-ground type of guy. I guess I would have preferred Adam to win, but perhaps it doesn't really hurt him to have come second (he did come second, right?). He's got such an interesting voice and I liked many of his performances, but there were also times when I didn't like the changing of the melodies and all those high notes. But definitely very talented. Both of them really.

I guess this year I wasn't so excited about anyone. I was surprised that Allison got voted off before Danny, though. She really had some pipes for a 17-year-old.

Thanks for the tips on the albums. I think my sister will like David Cook in that case. You should have seen her face when she heard you were going to his concert: she was green with envy.

[Amy]

Whoops---I didn't realize the show was so far ahead here in the U.S.! Sorry to spoil this for you---I'm glad you weren't really 'following' it Jen---I would have felt miserable!! And yes, Adam did come in second.

Yeah, Allison was great too, but Danny had such a personality, and sometimes that's what you need to get ahead.

I just watched Kris & Adam on the Today Show this morning and I must say, they both have such a great attitude. I agree with what Adam said: They were SUCH different artists that there really was no way to "compete" with each other...it was more about competing with 'themselves' and just leaving it up to America who they liked better. They are both neat guys and will go far.