S14.E22: Top Finalists Perform

[Tara Ariano]

The top finalists perform; two contestants are eliminated.

[lgprimes]

Wow. Just....wow.

 

Trying to recover from turning on my TV to see David Hasselhoff gyrating. Just when I started to feel better there was the horrible sounds of the group trying to sing the Culture Club song and now, I am listening to a little kid sing in a little kid voice.  Is this group completely weak this season? I haven't been watching so I don't know, but ...wow

[Ohwell]

I just had to fire up my 'puter, specifically to say that I thought Joey's performance of Girls Just Want to Have Fun was the worst POS performance I have ever seen on this show.  I could understand if she was trying to sing well but just had an off night.  But nooooo...she was doing this shit on purpose and I guess she actually thought she was good.  She's an insult to the contestants who actually, you know, try.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Having the 30+ contestant, Nick, pretending he doesn't know a toy from the 80s?  Okay it says he's 29.  Is that supposed to be intentionally deceptive or ironic?  

 

I played with that thing for years.    I'm 3 years older than him.  Please, man, please.   I'm sure my 2 brothers know what that thing is.  And it's called a Skip-It.  What's next he's going to pretend he doesn't know a cassette tape or a Thighmaster? 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[KR Vermont]

Nick is the oldest contestant and even he wasn't alive during the first half of the 80s. Eighties Week, so relevant. (I have fond memories living through that decade--Duran Duran!--, I just don't particularly get the allure of it on AI every year.)

How many young people thought during Salt-N-Pepa's performance, hey it's the women from that Push It insurance commercial. hee

Quentin was my favorite of the night. Solid, interesting performance. He was so cute with the Glow Worm, dressed it up real cool with his scarf and boot and then decided he wanted to keep it. :D

Edited March 26, 2015 by KR Vermont

[ShutUpFlanders]

Tonight put the season back on track. Unfortunately, it also brought back the stink of "girls go home before boys in the finals" that S10, S11, and S13 had. Ugh. I hate this elimination format.

 

Daniel – I didn't hate it. He has a pleasant tone. That was a good song for him because it required not so intensive singing. But he is nowhere near ready for any of this. He's going to finish in the Top 4 at this rate. The judges would have never put through a 15 year old female who was this awful. And if they did, they would've ripped her a new one each week.

 

Quentin – That performance highlights everything about Quentin that is wonderful. Brilliant.

 

Joey – It was cute, she's adorable. Not her best, a little unfocused and disconnected, but she tried something different and I can't really fault her for it. I hope that performance isn't what kicks her off of the show though.

 

Tyanna – Glad she survived, I was nervous. That song is that song, but she nailed it vocally. She did seem a bit tepid at points.

 

JAX – That was pretty solid. I'm not her biggest fan (I think she's contrived and, up against people like Joey and Clark, it shows) but that was the first time she won me over fully since the audition. Great tone and I thought it was a good arrangement in the context of her penchant for awful arrangements.

 

Nick – Bad song choice for him (I still think he's pop-rock, not indie-pop or pop like his song choices indicate) but he sung it crazy well. His best performance since the finals began.

 

Clark – Lovely. I thought Alex Preston's version was more interesting (and I liked that one better). However, between last week and this week's performances, Clark's established himself as the one to beat.

 

Qaasim – That was pointless. He barely preformed and the backing vocals drowned him out (thank god). I'd rather he leave before Daniel at this point.

 

Rayvon – Better than Qaasim and Daniel. He seemed really freaked out and it translated into a desperate performance. It was vocally fine, but there was nothing interesting there.

 

Surprised Maddie left as she was the lone country artist, but when we got to the pimp spot, I figured she wasn't staying. I am really bummed about Adanna; she was growing and engaging.

 

Best of the Night – Quentin, Clark, JAX
Worst of the Night – Joey, Daniel, Qaasim
Going Home – Joey (Because Qaasim, Daniel, or Rayvon sure as hell aren't going, especially when a female tumbled early in the night)

[MrsMoltisanti]

I cannot believe Qaasim tonight. He cannot sing. I wish Simon would storm out on the stage and say something. I really think the powers wanted him for the tour to do some sort of Bruno Mars type dance and song set. Now he can go at any time because he is sealed in the top ten tour group.

Jax is trying to do everything at once. She needs to settle it down.

is next week Kelly Clarkson week?

[Shades of Red]

Quentin was my favorite of the night. Solid, interesting performance. He was so cute with the Glow Worm, dressed it up real cool with his scarf and boot and then decided he wanted to keep it. :D

I thought he was adorable with the Glow Worm!  From the shallow end of the pool, he has a beautiful smile and nice eyes.  I liked his performance and am really happy he was called safe second instead of leaving him hanging as in previous episodes.

 

Boy George!!!!!!  I like Jen and Harry dancing when he sang.  It actually looked natural which was a change.  Wonder if Jenn wore a longer dress knowing she would be standing up and dancing several times throughout the night?  I have no words to describe how I felt seeing The Hoff on my screen and listening to him trying to sing.  Brutal doesn't begin to describe it and I was horrified to see him unbuttoning his shirt.  Thank goodness he stopped with a couple of buttons.

 

The other two contestants I enjoyed tonight were Tyanna and Clark.  The rest didn't really stand out for me or if they did, it wasn't in a good way.  I'm with Harry about the falsetto stuff - please stop!

 

I might be understanding this incorrectly but I don't think Qaasim is on the tour (if there is one).  He didn't make top ten, he was saved for the top eleven not for the top ten.  I could be mistaken, but then is it a top 11 tour vs a top 10?  Who would they get rid of if it is a top 10 and included him?  So I'm concluding the two ladies eliminated tonight will be on the tour if there is one as they were in the actual top 10.

[mojoween]

Rayvon's vocal was all wrong with the music. Jax's outfit was even more wrong for the arrangement she sang.

I appreciate Joey dressing for the theme, even if she is all wrong for Cyndi Lauper.

Boy George was a sweetheart.

I had never really paid attention to Clark before, but I found him to be a delight tonight. He is so nice and polite, he even called Keith "sir." The song was a bit of a snoozer but he sounded nice singing it.

Why does Tyanna always sound way better in the piano room than she does on stage?

Ooh...according to iTunes Maddie was going to sing "Every Rose Has its Thorn." I am so not trying to be mean but I am glad we dodged that bullet.

Edited March 26, 2015 by mojoween

[WhineandCheez]

I might be understanding this incorrectly but I don't think Qaasim is on the tour (if there is one).  He didn't make top ten, he was saved for the top eleven not for the top ten.  I could be mistaken, but then is it a top 11 tour vs a top 10?  Who would they get rid of if it is a top 10 and included him?  So I'm concluding the two ladies eliminated tonight will be on the tour if there is one as they were in the actual top 10.

 

Shades of Red, don't make me do math at 11:00 at night.  I doubt there will BE a tour, so it may be moot.

 

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:  The Embryo was NOT the worst one tonight! Joey, how does it feel to know you were worse, in fact waaay worse than the Embryo.  Her pronounciation-affectation has moved from somewhat annoying to officially grating.  It doesn't work unless you are singing in a 1920s style jazz club in the basement level off the street.  Get it off my TV.

 

Best was Quenton.  Good for him!

 

What does America have against Adanna?  She is good, and really pretty.  What gives?

Edited March 26, 2015 by WhineandCheez

[Stratego]

After tonight's show I am convinced this is Clark's competition to lose. The women's votes will swing to him in droves (the young girls might stick with Daniel--until he is eliminated.  Clark seems to most closely embody to former WGWG winners of a few years back.  The rest seem to be one-trick ponies and eventually people tire of same-old, same-old.  Rayvon was warned of that again, Qaasim stood still (guess he learned something), but the rest just seem to channel the same performance week-by-week just changing the lyrics a bit. Cute, quirky, clothes, "dance", and other gimmicks can only work so long.  Eventually people has to mix things up, show us something new, and "have a moment"--or wait for elimination.

[Asp Burger]

Clark's performance was so beautiful. Best of the night easily. He and Nick are headed for a showdown, which would suit me just fine. 

 

I wondered if JAX sounded different in the theater. I was not hearing at all what they were talking about with the band overpowering her in the middle. Maybe the sound mix made her come through better on television? She was one of the better ones too.

 

They went easy on poor little Daniel. He came in at the wrong time and cracked a note, and it seemed like he just learned that song a few days ago.

 

Quentin's song about the air was BORING. It goes nowhere. I don't know if the original artist does more with it. 

 

Boy George Michael looked healthier than when he performed on the show a few seasons ago, but his voice sounded shot when he sang Karma Chameleon. Surprised they said he was touring. BGM's advice to the kids was good, though. I really respected Clark for sticking with his guns on the key.

[autumnh]

I think I broke up with American Idol tonight.

 

I.just.can't.

 

From the stupid chairs, to the stupid talking head bits with the judges and well for me? The million dollar question is who the hell thought that this group "is the best group we've had yet"

 

Yeah no.

[peach]

I love 80's night, and I think The Hoff knew he was being cheesy.  It was supposed to be cheesy.  The guy had a talking car.  lol  And he's right.  The 80's were fun.

 

Daniel – Someone make it stop.

 

Quentin – Maybe my favorite Quentin performance so far.  He is the ONLY contestant that understands the meaning of songs and has genuine emotional interpretations of them.  One of the few contestants ever, not just this season.  I was halfway holding my breath because I was worried it was going to be terrible.  But I loved it. 

 

Joey – Well...she embodied the spirit of the 80's...except for the actual singing?  I expected her to sing Cyndi Lauper, but I think she didn't know how to convert her own style into quick and bouncy.  But I did enjoy her general vibe.  She's been solid, so I give her a pass.

 

Tyanna – Whitney was a great choice because she has a similar tone. I think it lacked some of the expansiveness, the freedom of the original, but her voice is great.  Glad she made it through last week, especially since they wasted that save on Qassim.

 

JAX – Bon Jovi.  Of course it was Bon Jovi.  I'm with the judges, I liked the beginning and the end, but it was big mess in the middle.  She still interests me, but I feel like she's not as original as they think she is.  It's part originality and part gimmickry.  She started losing me when she wore the stupid black and blue dress, and then the next week she picked that Adam Sandler song in an attempt to copy Joey, IMO, because she was getting the best buzz.  Tonight it was like an 80's night mixer at high school.  But I admit I'm always curious to see what she's going to pull out of her hat.

 

Nick – The first time I've liked him!  He's been soooo flat and boring to me.  His lack of connection to lyrics has really frustrated me, but I thought this was really great, and I don't even LIKE that song... because of this show!  It's been beaten to death, but he sold it to me.  Seemed fresh.  HUGE improvement over that silly Danger Zone.  Nick has never even been in the neighborhood of the Danger Zone, so WTG this week, Nick!

 

Clark – Um, no.  I cannot deny the quality of his voice, and he is arguably the best voice there, but this is the second time on this show someone decided they would just pretend this song is not what it's about.  Not in some kind of interesting twist, but just because they wanted to sing it.  Booo.  All I could think is what a deep, frightening vibe Quentin could have brought to it.  Great talent, but he needs to live some life or something.

 

Qaasim – Well...that was the first time I didn't FF it.  So it wasn't as godawful as it usually is, but I would rather have seen them save Adanna this week, then have to keep putting up with his incredible mediocrity.

 

Rayvon – I've found him completely forgettable from the beginning.  But wow, he really made an impression on me tonight...with his utter arrogance toward anyone who would deign to give him constructive criticism on his amazing abilities.  I mean, he knows what he's doing, you guys, that's how he got so far.  So why listen to people with decades of experience.  How dare they tell Rayvon anything about how to sing.  Maybe he realized his package showed his ass that much, and he panicked a bit during his performance.  It wasn't good enough to make me care, and right now I'm having to stretch my aging brain to remember what song he sang. 

 

Sorry to see Adanna go instead of Daniel.  I wonder what she was going to sing in that get-up.  It's a relief to see Country Fair Queen Maddie is finally gone.

[mojoween]

Quentin's song about the air was BORING. It goes nowhere. I don't know if the original artist does more with it.

Oof. That hit me right in the AARP card. Phil Collins does do more with it, it's more electronic when he sings it. I did like Quentin's version and am wondering when it's going to be on iTunes.

[peach]

Oof. That hit me right in the AARP card. Phil Collins does do more with it, it's more electronic when he sings it. I did like Quentin's version and am wondering when it's going to be on iTunes.

 

He saw it with his own two eyes...It's all been A PACK OF LIES!  How is that boring?  lol

Ooh...according to iTunes Maddie was going to sing "Every Rose Has its Thorn." I am so not trying to be mean but I am glad we dodged that bullet.

 

I can't even.  I guess it had train wreck potential, though. 

[RemoteControlFreak]

Harry was being kind to Joey when he said she seemed distracted. She was not. This was part of her act and it failed. Completely.

 

What was up with Tyanna's choreography? She came out dancing and then abruptly switched to standing still and singing.  Where is the free spirit Tyanna we saw at the first audition and in the early weeks of the voting rounds?

 

Qaasim finally sang and scaled back the histrionics.  So now we can see the truth.  It's not that he was choosing not to sing.  It's that he cannot sing. He has zero prospects for a music career. Who's going to listen to that on the radio?  But at least he didn't pretend to not recognize the 80s toys. So good for him on that.

 

Do kids today actually have real toys or is it all just games on iPads and other electronic devices?  Are there tangible things that children play with? Can someone please answer this.

 

After American Idol, I watched the performance by the cast of Nashville. Remember, for the most part these folks are actors and not musicians.  They were much better than the so-called singers on American Idol.

Edited March 26, 2015 by remotecontrolfreak

[MrsMoltisanti]

I wish Joey would have done something different. A Madonna song maybe? Or a different Lauper song. That was a train wreck and I bet it cost her big. She may be gone. The only thing that may save her is if everyone wakes up and notices Qaasim cannot sing at all and needs to go home.

[Janie1130]

Fox really needs to put this show out of it's misery. It makes me sad that the show that used to give me such joy (and anticipation to watch) is sooooo bad.

[auntlada]

I did not like Clark, although at least this week I can remember what he did. He took all the rhythm and danceability and everything I love about that song (but apparently find hard to put into words) and threw it out and turned the song into an insipid love song.

 

I wish Joey would have done something different. A Madonna song maybe? Or a different Lauper song.

 

I think she could have done a great "Tiime After Time," although it's slow, so she might have been trying to avoid getting the you-sing-too-many-slow-songs label. Or maybe "Don't Stand So Close to Me." That could have been interesting.

 

I loved Quentin, and I've never really cared for that song. It always seemed to me it was written for a commercial. (It wasn't, but I think it was used in a commercial, wasn't it? For a car or beer, maybe?)

 

After watching the Boy George performance on YouTube (I got nothing but weather on the DVR tonight -- welcome to springtime in Oklahoma), I think I know one reason Harry sits still so much (besides concentrating on listening to the contestants). He cannot dance.

[RandomWatcher]

When The Hoff put on that leather jacket, did anyone else think that KITT would drive out?

[howmanywords]

If anyone is curious the songs are on iTunes.  So far Clark is leading on the sales chart.  I listened to the samples before buying and I was hoping Joey's recorded version would be better but sadly it was pretty awful.

[Ketzel]

I rolled my eyes very hard when Harry praised Rayvon's performance but suggested he didn't need to do the falsetto every-single-time, as if Rayvon had thrown it in at the end as a stylistic gimmick. Didn't Harry listen at all? Not once in the whole performance did Rayvon hit the low note on "World" in "Everybody Wants To Rule The World." Not once. In fact, he didn't even try. Each time it came around, except for the very last time, his vocal dropped out completely. The last time, it was the very last note to be sung, and he went for his falsetto. Obviously that lowest note was out of his range, and I am really surprised that Harry either didn't notice or decided not to comment on it.

Poor Joey - I don't think that mess of a performance was entirely her fault. She seemed to be singing the first half of the song in an entirely different key from the band and the back up singers. I'm wondering if she couldn't hear them for some reason, because she is not usually so badly off pitch. Also, there's a moment about two thirds of the way through where she seems to hear the backup singers come in, looks uncertain and upset and then seemed to abruptly get back on pitch. It was a bad performance, in any event, and I hope she doesn't suffer for it if it really was a technology glitch.

[auntlada]

I forgot about Tyanna. I liked it, although she seemed oddly stiff, but I just kept thinking about that girl in season 2, I think, who sang that song in the rounds of eight and ended it by looking over her shoulder at the judges and singing, "Dance!"

[Pogojoco]

A+ to the drums in Quentin's- that, of course, is 90% of that song and is fitting for a Phil Collins song. He sounded fine. I'll get over that he didn't sing Voices Carry by Til Tuesday. He almost had Aimee Mann's hair, though and the glow worm made it all ok. 

 

Clark's was so beautiful....very, very beautiful. Which is wrong for the ultimate stalker song, but it was so pretty in a season that's had a lot of dreck, I can't quite hate it. 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Pogojoco

[Simon Boccanegra]

I know that Sting has expressed bemusement that people come up to him and tell him EBYT was their wedding song (Wikipedia quote: "I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song, when it's quite the opposite."). But, you know: Number one, that demonstrates that Clark isn't out there on his own with his way of thinking about it. Number two, it's worth considering (and even Sting and other songwriters could take heed) that the notion of "a" way of reading lyrics is limiting. Once it's out there in the world, people can and will do different things with it. If we're going to praise David Cook for finding sinister undertones in "Hello," as many did, shouldn't we praise or at least indulge Clark Beckham for finding the opposite in "Every Breath You Take"? Is it only good if the song is turned on its head to make it darker or sadder or otherwise negative?

 

Look at "Respect." That did not carry the same message when sung by its writer, Otis Redding, as it did when Aretha Franklin covered it. They were both valid. I'm glad no one told her, "No, Aretha, Otis intended it to be a song about a hardworking man who expects deference from his woman and family. You need to preserve the original meaning. Change all the pronouns, so you're telling the kids that the guy works hard and it's important to respect him." We'd have lost out on an iconic recording.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Simon Boccanegra

[peach]

Changing it on purpose is different from, hey, this sounds cool, I think I'll sing it.  There was nothing to suggest that Clark actually thought about what he meant to communicate with the lyrics, he just wanted to sound a certain way.  And it certainly wasn't iconic.  I didn't care for how he dropped off on the last word of each phrase, either. 

 

I cannot sing, so I don't know what it's like to be able to do all those things with your voice.  But the difference between good and great is connecting with the emotion of songs, no matter what you can do with your voice.  And after all these years watching this show, I already know that I rarely like covers of songs I know very well, that mean something to me, when sung by someone who approaches singing like they're taking the SAT.

 

I at least try to be consistent.  My number one dislike is people not "getting" what they're singing, mostly because to make it into this grueling competition, you have to be relatively drama free,which hypothetically results in less life experiences to pour into your music.

 

Aretha owned everything she changed in "Respect" and that's what makes it iconic.  She made it mean something, even if different from the original meaning.  She didn't just sing it in a pretty voice while oblivious to what it was about.  I've also thrashed Nick for singing such a lame ass version of In Your Eyes like it was just lalalala.  Danger Zone was ridiculous.  I think he finally chose something he really did feel for Man In The Mirror, and he finally moved me.

Edited March 26, 2015 by peach

[Simon Boccanegra]

Well, I'm not suggesting that Clark's performance of EBYT was iconic, but I thought it was extremely well done as a different way of looking at the song. It was not, in my opinion, disconnected. Daniel is giving us a child-prodigy clinic in "disconnected" every week, so I can recognize it. 

[Padma]

I really liked what Clark did with EBYT. Maybe in part because I always feel guilty for singing and grooving (70s word) with such a sinister creepy song.  Clark made it sad, but loving, not stalkerish. Frankly, I liked the interpretation and enjoyed both the vocals and the minimalist accompaniment. (I thought BG was right about the key, because in rehearsal Clark wasn't hitting the high notes at all, but maybe he worked it out later because he was very good in the performance, right on key. Nice.)

 

I also liked Tyanna and Jax. Succeeded in missing Daniel but also missed almost everyone else in the process. Lucky there's On Demand (alas without FF).

 

Great to see Boy George. Too bad they're all too young to feel excited about his mentoring like some of us "old people" would have.

[peach]

Well, I guess to me it was a different way of arranging and singing the song.  I didn't hear anything that suggested he saw the point of it any differently because it was more about the musicality to him.  But that's supposition on my part. 

 

I'd say connectedness is on a spectrum, and Daniel is falling off one end.  lol  He's as connected as his innocent, little, protected, talent show heart can be?  I kind of want to make "Had your heart broken" a requirement for being on this show.  But, then, I guess it would be hard to get that sort of person to sign one of their Draconian contracts without the innocence of youth.

[Simon Boccanegra]

Stripping the arrangement down so much and making it piano-based took that pensive, insistent rhythm out of it. That also freed up the vocal to be more expansive, and it does give it a different feel. When I think about how Sting sang it, he sounds very cool, very tightly coiled, and that goes with the obsessive theme -- but everything about the arrangement is designed to box him in. This was freer, and I think also slower, although I'd have to play it back again.

 

Another thing I liked about the performance: He recovered very well at the keys when he had some finger slips. He had some creative ways of working himself back to home base and making it sound like improvisation. I was expecting Harry to bring that up (either to call him out or to praise him for the recovery), but he didn't. Clark is a good player.  

[Rick Kitchen]

Ugh, The Hoff.  Do we need to see that on our TV?

 

Seacrest is scruffed up again.

 

Daniel was, once again, meh.  But my prediction of his winning the whole thing still stands.

 

"And sing in tune."  Yeah, Harry, that's a big question with Quentin.  We can start with the ridiculous rags he threw together.  And the hair?  And the weird lights and fog? He was slightly off key but not too bad throughout. But why was he singing with a Caribbean accent? Quentin's "I don't know what I put out" was interesting.

 

Joey's dress... Her voice was kind of affected, but I liked it.  Was that her mother in the leather and the puffy hair in the audience? Not as good as she's been, unfortunately. Harry's frownie face was annoying.

 

I was expecting a lot from Tyanna, but we didn't get it.  She was tinny, somehow.

 

Jax is just ... Just ... awful. And I'm not even talking about her wardrobe.

 

Nick's low notes weren't very good, but he got better as he got up and moving.

 

I guess Salt n Pepa are relevant again now that they have that commercial out.  But it doesn't matter, I love that song.

 

Clark was really good, but the high note was a little flat.  Still, his performance was very emotional.

 

Qaasim wasn't awful, but he wasn't good, either. Nice suit, tho.

 

Another POC leaves the show?  smh

 

Rayvon having to sing right after being kept on has to be hard to accomplish. Damn, he was flat. Just not good. What were the judges hearing?

 

1-Clark

2-Nick

3-Quentin

 

Nobody else was very good.

[TheGreenKnight]

Count me in as one who didn't care for Clark. That high note in the middle was painful, and I can see why Boy George didn't like it either. I don't particularly feel anything towards him, but he's going to win this thing easy looking at what's won in the past few years. His only competition is Nick, who I really don't like. So bland and his sound is irrelevant. The only girl I can see making it to top 4 right now is Tyanna.

 

It's too bad Rayvon has gone the way of Sarina-Joi. I'm hoping he might get back on the rails, so he could make it farther, but I'm just glad he wasn't eliminated tonight. Daniel and Quaasim are the worst, but Daniel at least won't be going for several weeks to come. I love "IWDwS" and "GJWHF"--I thought both Tyanna and Joey were awful on them. Jax was better, but I don't care for her in general. Quentin's probably improved the most for me since the voted rounds began. When the performance ends and the lights come on, he gives a really nice smile. Him and Joey have the best personalities this year, but he has a much better voice than her.

 

I'm guessing one of Rayvon, Quentin, and Quaasim will be going next week; hopefully, it'll be Quaasim now that he's got his sympathy votes to carry him through this week.

Edited March 26, 2015 by TheGreenKnight

[GreyBunny]

BOY GEORGE!   YAY!

 

I couldn't care less about anything else this episode.  

 

BOY GEORGE!

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Among the worst AI eps I've ever watched.  Giving Hoff all that solo time with the costume change, followed by a 16 bar medley of horrid Muzak?  I can think of no other guest star who received anything near such indulgence - and there have been some true greats who have graced that stage.  

 

Why are they bothering with group songs since a tour ain't happening?

 

I was sickened by most of what I saw, but the two who angered me were Jax and Qaasim.   The entire point of their songs was the iconic and ridic catchy rhythms.  Beyond that, neither song is a "happy" song - most especially the Bon Jovi number.  Jax was smiling the whole freaking time like she was having the time of her life, until the final stanza.  Qaasim's languid enunciation and his loose body movement were the antithesis of what Palmer's song is about.  I will give them both this:  They made the songs their own.  Which is to say clueless.

 

It is very sad to see HCJ, and KU to a lesser extent, putting up the pretense that this season is at all worthy of their care and consideration.  

 

I scarcely care, but Ameriker didn't do so bad.  I was surprised that Ryan repeated that this was the B3.  It's been awhile since we heard such with specificity.  

[viajero]

I thought tonight’s performances were a mixed bag.  Taking them in order of preference from best to worst:

 

1. Quentin Alexander:  I liked pretty much everything about it.  His best in a few weeks.

 

2. Clark Beckham:  I liked the arrangement and his vocals.  Not so sure about his interpretation of the song.

 

3. Jax:  Though a bit uneven in the middle, this is another arrangement that I actually really liked.  I get the feeling that with a bit more time to work out the kinks, she could have turned this into something epic.

 

4. Tyanna Jones:  She seems back on track, though not quite up to her best.

 

5. Nick Fradiani:  He was at his best once he hit the chorus, but I really did not like his lower register on this song.

 

6. Qaasim Middleton:  The vocals weren’t quite as bad as other nights, but still not good.

 

7. Joey Cook:  I guess it was her turn to have an off night.

 

8. Rayvon Owen:  He was just off from beginning to end.  I might wonder if being in the bottom 3 took him off his game, except that he wasn't very good last week either.

 

9. Daniel Seavey:  Not quite as horrible as last week, but still significantly worse than everyone else. 

 

It’s a joke that Adanna went home before Daniel, Rayvon and Qaasim, but I can’t say I was all that surprised.  It will be interesting to see what happens next week because all of the remaining girls have accumulated sufficient merits to stick around for at least a few more weeks.  But will the voters actually send home a guy?

 

Overall, I think Clark pretty much has this season in the bag, unless he really screws up towards the end.  But I doubt this will happen since he never takes the kind of risks that make it likely. He will promptly sink back into obscurity since he also offers nothing truly original that could translate into some kind of commercial success.  As for the rest, perhaps 3 or 4 years down the road we might hear from Joey, Quentin, or Jax, once they’ve had a chance to further perfect their craft.

Edited March 26, 2015 by viajero

[Sentient Meat]

Jax is like Karen Gillan's vapid character was at the beginning of ABC's canceled show "Selfie" except she doesn't have a Henry Higgs (John Cho) person to help mentor her and make her more relatable and likeable so, like the series I think she's not long for prime time television.

 

Doing things like referring to yourself in the third person is a huge no no... and its too bad because her, Joey and maybe Quentin are the only ones that have any artistic aptitude... Clark, Tyanna, Nick... all have pretty voices but add nothing unique to the songs they interpret.  Daniel and Qaasim shouldn't even be on the show anymore.  Joey was terrible... and should the show survive another season... producers should remember to recommend that song in case they ever want to bus a particular artist.  Only Cyndi Lauper can pull that one off and the only way Joey might have saved it is if she slowed it down and converted it into a melancholy ballad instead.  Once she chose the upbeat tempo, I knew she was screwed.

 

Hopefully Kelly Clarkson night comprises songs from the 2000s... otherwise the limited catalog might prove to be the death blow to a show already reeling in the ratings.

[kechara]

how much do they even get to choose their own song?  I almost felt like some of them were pushed into singing something  and couldn't overcome it. mind you, that's a challenge in itself.

I took the dogs out partway through Rayvon.

Felt terrible for Joey.

I love Sting so I went and got something to eat after the first few bars of Clark.

Quassim - that is not how anyone should do Robert Palmer songs.  Gives me a whole new appreciation of Robert Palmer.

I'm glad Tyanna came back somewhat after last week's debacle.

There is no point to critiquing Daniel in any way.

[RetailTherapy]

This season confuses me.  I'll admit that it's also so boring that I often forget it's on.  Last night, I watched and came away shaking my head.

 

Is there really no talent left in Ameriker?  Are the talented kids just not auditioning for AI?  Or are the judges so completely tone deaf that they eliminate actual talent in favor of what's currently on stage?  I caught a few of the auditions and there were a few kids with decent talent.  Yet, along the way, those kids got cut.  We are left with a kid that looks and sounds like he's eight years old, a couple of girls who do something up there that cannot be considered singing, forgettable boys and one or two that still think powerhouse vocals are relevant today. 

 

Last night was just plain awful and this was an improvement over a week where one boy sang "Danger Zone" like a Vegas lounge act.  The kid singing the Phil Collins song was about the best of the pack and even he wasn't all that good.  It went downhill on a 90 degree trajectory after that.  

 

Let's face it.  We have a season of kids who make us wish for a Taylor Hicks or Lee Dewyze.   

[proserpina65]

The Hoff?  Dear god, AI, please don't ever do that to me again.  Why couldn't Boy George have performed solo instead???

 

Speaking of whom, he was a really good mentor and gave the contestants sound advice.  Not all of them took it, and for some it wouldn't have mattered anyway, but it's no surprise that, for the most part, last night was better than last week.  The contestants, in no particular order:

 

Daniel - That did not sound good to my ears, but I suspect he'll still be there next week.

Quentin - His pitch was better, although that wasn't my favorite performance of his.  Still, he is mesmerizing.

Nick - That was much better for him.  There seemed to be more emotional connection to the song, and better connection with the audience.  And vocally, he was strong as always.

Jax - The judges were right about her getting lost in the band, and she should've kept it just piano, but I really liked it overall.  Kind of had a Patti Smith/Because The Night vibe.  (Not that Jax is that good.)

Tyanna - That was such an improvement from last week.  It was youthful and upbeat, and really suited her.  I was afraid she'd been one of the two eliminated after last week's horrible performance; thank goodness she wasn't.

Joey - Okay, now I get what others have been saying about Joey's quirkiness being too much.  There was a moment, late in the song, where it got kinda reggae-like, and I wish the whole song had been like that.  But she's still one of my favorites.

Clark - For me, that was the best performance of the night.  He was wise to stay at the piano, since that really added to the haunting quality of the song.  And Keith's right, it wasn't as stalkery as Sting's original, but the pain was still there.

Rayvon - Jeez, he really does make everything into a slow (boring) jam, doesn't he?  And his pitch was all over the place.  By far his worst performance, and one which should send him home.  I'd rather have heard what Adanna had planned, and I don't particularly like her.

Qaasim - If anything, this proved that, no, Qaasim, you are not a vocalist.  You are just a performer with a mediocre voice.  I was in the kitchen, and only heard (not watched) that performance, and while he sounded in tune, his voice was weak.  Really the only time he has ever sounded at all good to me was that mentoring session with Boy George.  What a waste of the save.

 

Not really sorry to see Maddie & Adanna go.  They were filler.  Although I'd love to know what song Adanna's Minnie Mouse hooker outfit was intended to complement.

 

Best of the night: Clark, by a landslide

Should go: Daniel or Qaasim

Will go: Rayvon or Qaasim (or maybe Joey, although I hope not)

 

 

 

[cinsays]

   For me, Quentin was the standout of the night.  Loved his intensity, his interpretation of the song, his tone, his look. This guy can just dig deep and really feel what he's singing and make you feel it too.

   I also loved Clark's performance and thought his interpretation was brilliant.  Have always loved this song and he gave me a new way to appreciate it.

   Have not been a big fan of Nick, but this was one of his best.

   Jax was pretty good, but still hate the ultra-affectedness and the gloves and strange hair.

   Rayvon really is not very good.  I liked him initially, but his falsetto really does not work all that well.  I agree with another poster that said that having to perform when you're seconds away from going home probably didn't help.

  Loved Joey last week, but this was painful.  She seemed to be ill to me and I was hoping she was going to say she was getting over the flu or something, so I could chalk it up to that.  Hope she does not go home but that could happen.

  Qaasim was not good.  I think this showed that he is all movement and no voice.  I love how he seems so warm and friendly with his fellow competitors, but just don't enjoy listening to him or watching his display.

  Daniel.......what is there to say.  He sounded better, but there is no connection to the lyrics and he really doesn't sound any better than any kid his age in the school chorus. 

  I don't know whether to look forward to next week's take on Kelly Clarkson songs.  I am afraid it could be painful.   What on earth could Daniel sing from her music?  Yuck.

[Jezebel97]

BOY GEORGE!   YAY!

 

I couldn't care less about anything else this episode.  

 

BOY GEORGE!

and Salt & Pepa :)

[proserpina65]

But will the voters actually send home a guy?

 

They tried last week but the judges wouldn't let them.

[radiochik]

This wasn't as much of a train wreck as last week.  However, it still left me wanting to throw something at my tv.

 

I was confronted with the sad reality of aging as we get into 80's Night. I was horrified by The Hoff, the judges dancing, Boy George's faltering voice, the kids lack of awareness of things that were well before their time (except Nick - I'm calling BS on you not knowing stuff. You're pushing 30!) and  Salt and Pepa.  It all just was incredibly sad.  I've reached that age where we're all reliving things and loving it but in reality, it's all just a hot mess.  *sigh*  Salt and Pepa weren't horrible but it wasn't great either and where in the world was Spinderella? Those 2 dancing guys weren't needed at all.  I couldn't believe it when Ryan asked them who was Salt and who was Pepa.

 

The Hoff's (or as they captioned him "David Hasselhoff 80's legend") medley was so bad I was begging for a craptastic group sing instead.  Then I got one and wished I had shut up.  Oof.  Those kids doing Karma Chameleon was rough.  Thank goodness for Boy George but his voice sounds weak. I had tickets to see them in AC last October and then they cancelled the tour due to his throat issues.  A new tour was announced yesterday but after hearing him, I'm afraid he won't make it through all the dates either.  I hope he continues to heal - stop performing on shows and rest, Boy!  That said, he was a great mentor. Great advice and he looks healthier (minus the throat stuff) than he has in years.

 

I said last week that I would forgive the show for saving that hot mess known as Qaasim if Daniel and Maddie went home this week.  So the beginning of the results was like a giant Eff You to me from AI.  How bad does he have to be to go home????  I'm a big Hall and Oates fan - I even went to the RnR HOF Induction ceremony last year to see their induction.  My heart sank when I heard he was attempting You Make My Dreams.  Not only was it all over the place - he messed up the words more than once. That's not the first time he's done that.  They have a judge's save - what they NEED to do is have a judge's boot.  Take one contestant out of their (and our) misery when they obviously are in over their head. 

 

I hate Phil Collins with the fire of 1000 suns so I was not happy to hear Quentin was going to sing In The Air Tonite. (I interned at a Top 40 station in the 80's so I have an instant aversion to any of the overplayed mainstream artists from back then.)  While I did have a hard time separating the performance from the fact that I loathe the song, Quentin was one of the best of the night.

 

I'm in the minority here but I didn't hate Joey's performance. I thought it was cute and I hope she sticks around.

 

Tyanna did artist #2 on my 80's loathe list.  Something was off about it.  Harry may have hit the nail on the head when he said she was overthinking it in parts.  But it was nowhere near as bad as last week.  C'mon Tyanna. Get your groove back!

 

Jax. Meh.  I wanted to see someone rock out and I got a Jaxified version of Bon Jovi.  I'm still baffled at how the judges can go so negative on both Jax and Joey but continue to go easy on Daniel.  With his flubbed lyrics and subpar performance, he got told he did "really, really well". I can't even, show.  Also, one of them (Harry?) commented in the pre song video that he wasn't sure how Jax would do since this song is "typically a guy's song." Meanwhile, Rayvon has been doing girls songs since the show started.

 

Someone (maybe on twitter) mentioned last week that Nick sounded like Daughtry.  So now when ever he opens his mouth, it's all I hear. (I can't even remember what song Nick did.)  I was a big Daughtry fan during his season but now I'm over it.  So I'm over Nick. Sorry dude. 

 

Clark does a song by one of my favorite bands yet it got so overplayed that I'm sick of it.  BUT.   He made it sound beautiful all over again.  Loved it.  I know it's supposed to be a stalkery song but that stupid Hinder Lips of an Angel song was about a guy cheating on his girlfriend. That didn't stop people from calling the radio station wanting to dedicate it to their sig other.  At least he didn't smile through the song.

 

Which brings me to Qaasim.  Who smiled his way through the beginning of a sexy song. I don't know what Harry was talking about when he said Qaasim brought the sexy to the song.  He did not. 

 

Rayvon wasted a perfectly good pimp spot. That was bad.  Almost worse than Daniel bad.  (He probably was thinking like me that he was going home instead of Adanna.)

 

At least America got it half right: Bye Maddie!  Do we know why they don't do a goodbye video or song or whatever for the booted contestants?  At least Keith acknowledged them both before he critiqued Rayvon. 

 

Did anyone catch Ryan saying something at the very end about a twist being added on twitter next week that will put the power into YOUR (the audience's) hands?  WTF could that be?

Edited March 26, 2015 by radiochik

[proserpina65]

Boy George Michael looked healthier than when he performed on the show a few seasons ago

 

Um, Boy George and George Michael are two different people.  George Michael performed on the finale for Season 7.  I don't think Boy George has been on AI before (although I didn't watch the first 5 seasons, so I could be wrong about that).

[Etta Place]

I thought Boy George looked a lot better than when I last saw photos of him (maybe years ago when he had tied up an escort?) I had to laugh when he told Nick that they were standing 3 feet away and didn't feel anything from his performance - that's been my problem with Nick, that he doesn't seem to project any emotion at all. I mean, it's hard to project anything while singing "Danger Zone", but I feel that way even when he's singing a real song. This time I thought it was definitely his best performance.

 

And speaking of lacking emotion, or any kind of spark at all, really: Rayvon. He needed to get out from behind that mic stand and do something. Anything at all. That song should have had so much more energy than it did.

 

I'm one of those who really hates "In the Air Tonight", so I felt a lot of trepidation about Quentin singing it because he's one of my favorites. He did a good thing with it, I think, because I was able to listen to the performance without gritted teeth. Success!

[Qoass]

Poor Joey.  I hope she gets enough pity votes to stay in.  She should have sung Pretenders' Brass in Pocket.

 

And I was crushed that Nick didn't sing Mr. Mister's Broken Wings.

 

Jax uses her own (nick)name as a verb.  She is dead to me.

 

Every time I see David Hasselhoff, all I can think of is that video of him drunk and shirtless on the floor trying to eat a hamburger.  

 

Does Scott B. really think that hair and mustache look good?  I give people who look lousy because they don't bother a pass but people who obviously spend time and money looking that way puzzle me.

 

Clark is competent but just so bland.  Everybody else brought a little 80s style to their appearance but heaven forbid he should risk looking a little geeky.  I'm not saying he should have broken out the Manic Panic but would it have killed him to put on some Air Jordans with that plain white T?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

The best part of Man in the Mirror is the dramatic pause then "CHANGE"  and the friggin' camera should have remained on Nick for the best part of a fabulous song but instead at that precise moment they turn the camera on Keith so we can watch him say change?  Stupid, I am tired of watching Keith and JLO sing every song for the most part.  STFU and keep the camera on the contestants for their 2 minutes of give me your vote!

That was Nick's best performance and I am getting sick of hearing about his looks like that should win him votes or something..Keith says you have a great smile so do it more instead of giving him vocal advice.  Um er ok.... 

 

Another disappointment was Joey, I actually FF'd her performance when it derailed so quickly.  Daniel was better than last week so he moved up to AWFUL instead of REALLY AWFUL.

 

Jax is too hard to watch, her hair, clothing, makeup is just too busy for me to take in.  She butchered a classic.  

 

I thought Tyanna did a great job but was surprised she didn't dial it up with her clothes with a WH song, give us a WH presence and wow us instead of looking like a subway performer.  

 

Quentin and Clark were great!  

 

Qassim throwing the microphone down I hadn't noticed last week, I had already turned the channel in anger once he got saved.  I wonder if that move was responsible for him "toning it down!"  He looked sheepish and when I saw the replay of him deliberately smashing it to the ground it gave me a FU attitude and for that reason I would not have saved him.  Too bad he didn't go home with Maddie too.  

 

And Rayvon does give that air of I teach it so don't question me.  I FF'd most of him too.  

 

Adanna wasn't my favorite, voice was pretty good.  I can't agree she was good looking and wondered why she kept dressing like a hooker or something, too much skin!  

 

Glad to see JLO in a longer dress!  That length showcases her hourglass figure, the shorter she goes the more her thighs are emphasized.  I am surprised she doesn't practice the old fashion rule of the eye being drawn to where the hem line stops so emphasize your best part and it is ok to be age appropriate JLO, you are still HOT!  I have watched a few of her old movies lately and I am trying to figure out what is different about her face, she looks so much better yet I have no idea if she enhanced anything or just is making better use of makeup?

 

I used to so look forward to this show but the last few seasons not so much and this year has been a real let down.  Only way to watch is to dvr and FF.  

 

Oh and DH singing that medley...um NO!  He looks good though!  Funny sidenote story was back in the late 80's I was in an LA airport waiting for my Toronto flight. The gate was packed!  I suddenly noticed everyone turning to look in one direction and turned around and low and behold here comes DH with his assistant.  That man is TALL AND STRIKING!  From a distance I noticed his blue eyes and he walked through the crowd like a prince!  So I get on the plane and passing through first class and there he is and as I pass by he looks up and gives me a hard stare with those blue eyes.  I melted a little although I wasn't a fan.  That man can work a room!

Edited March 26, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[Nedsdag]

Oh, what to say about the show. Not much!

 

First off, I had a feeling Danjaya was going to sing tonight. His voice, however is cracking way too much. But I will say he has a bit of charisma if not looks. Can you imagine his personality with Sam Woolf from last year?

As usual, the female singers are becoming fodder, but I'm not surprised that Maddie and Adanna are out. One can't sing and the other was a wild card who didn't have a base.

JAXative sounded like the name I made up for her (JAX + laxative): smooth flowing at first, then constipated, finally flushable. She's overthinking her performances. I predict she's the first girl out in three weeks.

Speaking of overthinking, Joey? WTF was that? You can't out-quirky Cyndi Lauper. Maybe she should've chosen "All Through the Night" instead.

Qaasim, let your inner Terrence Trent D'Arby out! This would've been the perfect time for his histrionics. That was epic fail on "Addicted to Love." He looked more like another 80s fail Milli Vanilli minus 1

It looks like it'll be another guy year. Clark is this season's P2 with a better range. It also helps that he's from the right area of the country (Tennessee) to win it all. Nick, Quentin, and thankfully Tyanna were good but not great.

I have nothing to say about Rayvon's performance. Absolutely nothing because that's what it was.

[Waldo13]

At this point, as long as it's not Qassim or Daniel, it doesn't matter who wins. IMO the winner will just get a title, 15 minutes of fame, and go belly up in the music industry.