S13.E36: 4 Finalists Perform

[BogoGog24]

To be honest I wouldn't say any of the girls you compared Jena to are any better or worse than her. Ariana Grande is actually the best singer of any of them. Lorde thinks she's all artsy and weird and the others like Christina Grimmie and Jacquie Lee have voices that are as annoying and shrill as Jena's, if not more. I get the same vibe from Christina that I get from Jena that she thinks she's the next "big thing" and trying too hard to be what is her idea of a modern-day popstar. 

 

I think what all the contestants have to realize more so than that they have competition out there is that it's getting harder and harder for non-winners to get record deals and to have careers. Even Kree from last season did not get a record deal, the first and only runner up in Idol history to never receive a record contract. Any of them who don't win will be lucky to receive a record contract this year. No one from last season, other than Candice, received one.

[Joystickenvy]

I never have liked J Lo and couldn't figure out why of all people they brought her back. In the early part of the season, I thought she was much improved, but clearly TPTB dictated a return to the days of yore, because both her and Keith abandoned everything that made them likable in the early going and have only gotten worse as the season progressed. Even "harsh Harry" obviously was instructed to shift gears.

I fast forward over all judging commentary, but those shots of J Lo's "o face" and weird bouncing are inescapable. Now Keith is doing it too.

I miss drunk Paula.

[ramble]

I feel so at home on this thread.....kinda like a big family reunion! Can someone pass the potato salad?

Ha! Well if it's family reunion then I'll bring the barbecued bologna. What? I'm from the hick section of the South.

I appreciate this thread & PTV so much. And to think I had a minor panic attack when I heard TwoP was shutting down. Warm fuzzies all around.

[SusanwatchingTV]

I finally watched the recording late last night, so here's my take:

 

Caleb - same as usual, really. I just hate that type of music, and it feels so dated to me.  Still, he can sing, and the McCartney song is one I do like, so it was pretty good.

 

Jena - the first two were okay. The Elvis song was really good to me, but still not enough to make me want to vote for her.

 

Jessica - I'm sorry, but those first two songs were just painful.  She sounded truly awful to my ears. The last one was ok, but not great for me... plus she's just so strangely awkward.  It's not even cute nerdy awkward like Alex, it's just awkward.  I think one reason the Pink song didn't work for me was that Jessica can't dance. She seems to have absolutely no sense of rhythm. I think she'd be painful to watch in concert - morso even than Alex, because at least he embraces his nerd persona.

 

Alex - This is my type of music. It's what I enjoy, so his performances were good for me. I love this sweet sound of his voice and the fact that he doesn't have to yell to be good.  I'm sorry he didn't have time to do more with the songs, but since the others don't ever even attempt to be original, I can't fault him for it this week.  I do hope we get to see more of him.

 

I'm sure #1 will be Jena, then Caleb, and hopefully Alex. I'll be glad to see Jessica go home.

[ari333]

Warm fuzzies indeed, Ramble

 

I barely made it through this show last night and I have my doubts about tonight. Barf-a-rino. (and I say that in a sing-songy voice.) 

[BogoGog24]

I just watched an interview with Jena and she still did not mention anything about it being someone else's version, even going so far as to say she made it her own. Could it be possible that she isn't aware of the Ingrid Michaelson version and happened to think up a similar arrangement?

 

They clearly brought back JLo because for some reason all these shows think they need a big "diva" judge. All they seem to be is a waste of money. JLo was tolerable in the beginning of the season and I like that a lot of times she offers critiques with more substance but all the judges have very obviously reverted back to the script in the last few weeks. Now it's getting down to the wire where TPTB have their winner picked out and they want everyone to go along with it. It's extremely obvious from the way Keith and JLo rock out to Jessica but then bus her. They've even roped Harry into it. They are being told to stick to a script. It's insulting to the audience's intelligence, really. Do they honestly think we are all that stupid that we cannot see through the manipulations? Usually they just end up having the opposite effect and the audience roots for the underdog (maybe they've finally figured that out and they actually want Jessica to win after all?)

[ari333]

After watching this show in its painful entirety, I have a strange feeling that we'll all be lovingly fighting over Patti's neck pencil. But I could be wrong. :)

[Joystickenvy]

I just watched an interview with Jena and she still did not mention anything about it being someone else's version, even going so far as to say she made it her own. Could it be possible that she isn't aware of the Ingrid Michaelson version and happened to think up a similar arrangement?

 

She wouldn't be the first contestant to accept unwarranted praise for making something their own, but honestly, I didn't think the arrangement was particularly innovative, so it could go either way. Some past contestants have claimed they edited out the part where they gave credit to the cover artist in their package....Adam for one....after he gave props on the results show. Expecting inexperienced singers to be able to come up with original versions of one song let alone three in less than a week is a tall order, so I always assume they are doing covers of covers, whether the judges slobber over their "originality" or not.

What I do give her credit for is performing a version that suited her, which she failed to do with Gaga. I can hear a really cool version of that song that woulda suited her to a T in my head, but I felt like she just kinda phoned that one in. I wonder if she even likes that song.

[BogoGog24]

Who knows what kind of songs they had to choose from this week… Jessica's first 2 songs were dreadful and songs I can't imagine she actually picked. I'm sure there was at least one song out of the 3 that maybe all of them weren't that crazy about but they had to pick 3 songs and didn't have a lot of time for re-arranging or learning new songs.

Caleb mentioned in an interview, for example, that he would love to someday do "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana because he has a really cool arrangement for it with strings and piano and he once asked to have it cleared but the producers said they couldn't clear it and to come back later. Dexter also stated he had at least 3 song ideas of his fail to get cleared. Sometimes the contestants are saddled with less desirable choices if their first choice can't get cleared.

[Joystickenvy]

Who knows what kind of songs they had to choose from this week… Jessica's first 2 songs were dreadful and songs I can't imagine she actually picked. I'm sure there was at least one song out of the 3 that maybe all of them weren't that crazy about but they had to pick 3 songs and didn't have a lot of time for re-arranging or learning new songs.

Caleb mentioned in an interview, for example, that he would love to someday do "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana because he has a really cool arrangement for it with strings and piano and he once asked to have it cleared but the producers said they couldn't clear it and to come back later. Dexter also stated he had at least 3 song ideas of his fail to get cleared. Sometimes the contestants are saddled with less desirable choices if their first choice can't get cleared.

I love Heart Shaped Box.....too bad on that one. I'd love to see the song list for this week, particularly for Jessica & Jena. Glee has conditioned me to believe teenagers love 80s music, but I'm still giving that Benatar song the side eye and Jessica's choices were bizarre. With the budget cuts and declining popularity of the show I imagine getting new music cleared is only getting more difficult.

[ari333]

"Loaf, loaf, loaf, .... I wont chur loaf...."

 

Is it just me or does anyone else want to snatch those hair extensions off of JEAN'S#%7Q! head? Just me? Alrighty then.

And God help me, I loathe that stupid wide eyed, pouty face Jehna makes while she's receiving her tongue bath.

 

I'm Yours has been done to death, but I liked Alex's doing it. He sounds good no matter what he sings (imo)

 

I also like Caleb's CCR song.

Edited May 8, 2014 by ari333

[ari333]

May I say that I can totally do without any more "stories" in which Jehna and or Caleb "pee their pants?" ThanxK.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

 

After watching this show in its painful entirety, I have a strange feeling that we'll all be lovingly fighting over Patti's neck pencil. But I could be wrong. :)

PASH  THE Peeennculllsss and HONDS OPPP!!! I also am very happy and grateful to have this place to discuss the whackness that is Idol this year (and no this was not my original idea but I was inspired by Ramble and made it my own, nah nah a boo boo ;)

 

if JENA@$* randomly made that version up, then we all should believe that idiom about a thousand monkeys typing on a thousand typewriters will randomly come up with Shakespeare. I just don't get an original vibe from her. 

 

As much as I bitch about JLO, I think she's actually amusing - every show I get to make fun of her odd choice of clothing, her slashed face red lipstick and her getting "goosies" and wiggling about her chair like somebody wired it for electricity (hey, new visual for the next show, every time JLO does the wiggle chair dance, we can visualize diabolical HCJ pressing the shock button). At least she didn't want to pop off any of the contestants' heads and hang them from her rear view mirror ala Paula telling David Archuleta. 

[Mya Stone]

I was listening to Idol last night while working on a final for a class, and I was blown away by how much Jena sounds like Caitlyn from Teen Mom. I actually had to look up to make sure it wasn't her. 

[onthebrink03]

As much as I bitch about JLO, I think she's actually amusing - every show I get to make fun of her odd choice of clothing, her slashed face red lipstick and her getting "goosies" and wiggling about her chair like somebody wired it for electricity (hey, new visual for the next show, every time JLO does the wiggle chair dance, we can visualize diabolical HCJ pressing the shock button). At least she didn't want to pop off any of the contestants' heads and hang them from her rear view mirror ala Paula telling David Archuleta. 

Awww, I kind of miss Paula and her whackiness.  Who can ever forget when she critiqued Jason Castro's second song of the night that he hadn't even performed yet.  The "OMFG what is she doing" looks from Simon, Seacrest trying to save the moment,  The Dawgfather trying to point her in the right direction, Paula not knowing what's going on, where she was, maybe not even who she is. Best.moment.in.Idol.history!!  Maybe the best moment in the annuls of reality shows period.  Good times!

 

 

JLo's got a long way to go to hit that level of WTFness.

Edited May 8, 2014 by onthebrink03

[ari333]

PASH  THE Peeennculllsss and HONDS OPPP!!! I also am very happy and grateful to have this place to discuss the whackness that is Idol this year (and no this was not my original idea but I was inspired by Ramble and made it my own, nah nah a boo boo ;)

 

if JENA@$* randomly made that version up, then we all should believe that idiom about a thousand monkeys typing on a thousand typewriters will randomly come up with Shakespeare. I just don't get an original vibe from her. 

 

As much as I bitch about JLO, I think she's actually amusing - every show I get to make fun of her odd choice of clothing, her slashed face red lipstick and her getting "goosies" and wiggling about her chair like somebody wired it for electricity (hey, new visual for the next show, every time JLO does the wiggle chair dance, we can visualize diabolical HCJ pressing the shock button). At least she didn't want to pop off any of the contestants' heads and hang them from her rear view mirror ala Paula telling David Archuleta. 

 

Hee. Word to the whole post, but now you're making me bring up the notion of remote control vibrating panties re: JLo. I wasn't going to go there  because as mentioned, I'm all classy like that. :)  But now, I can't stop myself. And yes, to HCJ being at the helm.. or the remote button, as the case may be.

 

heh. I'm going to hell.

Edited May 8, 2014 by ari333

[4leafclover]

If JLo's chair is wired for electricity then Keith's must be too.  Both of them bouncing up and down, Keith with his chicken neck and JLo with her pursed lips--all they need are some funny red plastic hats and they too can be a cover band---for Devo.

[msburg]

 

I did really like Caleb's Chairman Mao-esque jacket.

Now, I thought it was a nod to Beatles nehru jacket stage with Sgt. Peppers.  A little less colorful, though.

 

 

As much as I bitch about JLO, I think she's actually amusing - every show I get to make fun of her odd choice of clothing, her slashed face red lipstick and her getting "goosies" and wiggling about her chair like somebody wired it for electricity (hey, new visual for the next show, every time JLO does the wiggle chair dance, we can visualize diabolical HCJ pressing the shock button).

I marvel every week -- this woman is a couple years older than me, and she's wearing what??  Last night, the dress was obvious (never mind the visible granny bra), but I was also noting her dark lipliner/light lipstick look a la the 90s.  I remember clubbing with that look --  it's been a long time since I've seen that.  I'm always a little embarrassed for her when I see her trying these provocative looks every week.

 

I also give a little laugh, because there are Keith and Harry so comfortable in themselves, also of my generation and married to truly stunning women who are their age.  I'm sure they just look at JLo and count their blessings.

[viajero]

Jessica - You and I - who knew Lady Gaga could sound so great as country?  Jess sounded wonderful, and she really sold the emotion in her face and eyes, not just her voice this time.  She shoulda been singing to whoever the guy was all along.

 

I find it interesting that with all the talk of Jena stealing arrangements, no one has mentioned a good part of Jessica’s cover (at least the verses) sounds a lot like a really good more countrified version of the song that Lady Gaga did with Sugarland at the 2011 Grammy’s.

What I do give her credit for is performing a version that suited her, which she failed to do with Gaga.

 

Exactly.  I give credit to both Jena and Jessica in this respect on their final performances last night.

 

To be honest I wouldn't say any of the girls you compared Jena to are any better or worse than her. Ariana Grande is actually the best singer of any of them. Lorde thinks she's all artsy and weird and the others like Christina Grimmie and Jacquie Lee have voices that are as annoying and shrill as Jena's, if not more. I get the same vibe from Christina that I get from Jena that she thinks she's the next "big thing" and trying too hard to be what is her idea of a modern-day popstar.

 

I guess it comes down to musicial tastes because I can at least appreciate Ariana, Lorde, Christina, Jacquie Lee and Jena  I will say that I personally would rate both Grimmie and Jacquie Lee higher than Jena.  Or at least their vocals are more consistently good and at least you can understand what they are singing.  As for trying to become the next big modern day popstar, isn't that the whole purpose of coming on one of these shows?  I'd at least hope they'd be more ambitious than just aiming to get more gigs at bars or coffee houses.  And one of keys to becoming successful as a pop singer is creating the right kind of buzz.

 

I think what all the contestants have to realize more so than that they have competition out there is that it's getting harder and harder for non-winners to get record deals and to have careers. Even Kree from last season did not get a record deal, the first and only runner up in Idol history to never receive a record contract. Any of them who don't win will be lucky to receive a record contract this year. No one from last season, other than Candice, received one.

 

Well, Jacquie Lee was signed by Atlantic Records and they are releasing her first single next Tuesday in anticipation of The Voice summer tour.  From the preview, it’s a power ballad and she sounds quite good on it.  I have no idea how it will do on the charts, though it is already climbing up the iTunes Alternative chart based on presales.

[TheGreenKnight]

I personally like Jena the most of anyone left, affectations and all. And I definitely think she's better than Jacquie Lee, Lorde, and Christina Grimmie. Ariana Grande is levels above her though, imo.

 

I thought Jena was the best last night, with Caleb coming second, as much as I was hoping he'd do badly. I think Alex would've gone home if he had not been given the final performance slot, because he seemed like such an afterthought last night between the judges raging at Jessica and salivating on Caleb and Jena. But it'll most likely be Jessica going. Too bad--I find Alex's voice very irritating.

Edited May 9, 2014 by TheGreenKnight

[auntlada]

Well, unless you mean being an idol to 10- and 12-year olds.

 

I think that might be their target audience. It's probably easier to impress them and win a big audience of that age than older people. (I imagine. I don't really know. I just know I'm too old and cheap to buy any of these people's stuff -- probably.)

Alex was Alex and that is a good thing; I like what he does.  And no JoLo, he does not need to belt nor does he need to cater to your desire to produce the rather nebulous “moment” – Alex needs to continue to be his individual artistic self.

 

I thought Every Breath You Take was a moment. But maybe I don't understand what she means by "a moment."

 

When I think of the "screamers" in today's music scene I think of singers like Jared Leto; that man can wail like no-body's business; yet he also does other things, he is able to add some modulation and layers to his voice; not every moment of every song is belted at full voice.  Caleb needs to learn how to do this.

 

I wish Harry would talk to them more about dynamics. I kind of think he mentioned it at least once, but not often and not to the people who need it most. If everything is loud, how do you know what the most important thing is?

 

That speaks volumes and pass the Pepto.

 

I think Jennifer Lopez had already spilled the Pepto all over her dress.

 

"Oy won't chur lettuce covet kick in the sond."

 

Translate: "I want your leather covered kiss in the sand."

 

Oh, thank you. I could not figure out what the lettuce was supposed to be.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

 

now you're making me bring up the notion of remote control vibrating panties re: JLo. I wasn't going to go there  because as mentioned, I'm all classy like that. :)  But now, I can't stop myself.

There was a movie years back with Chevy Chase and Patti D'Arbanville called Modern Problems where he had some kind of mind control and could make the girl have an orgasm by thinking of it. He'd give her some kind of weird Chevy-ish look and she's writhe around the room. Perhaps HCJ has that kind of mind control. And no I'm not classy like that cos puleeze she has to get a hold of herself. 

 

Keith with his chicken neck

He was certainly doing the rooster dance tonight with his zzzshed up hair and the neck going. I was waiting for the cock-a-doodle do. 

[OakGoblinFly]

They are paying the judges the big bucks, they want some use out of them.

 

 

Then maybe they should, I dunno, do their jobs and JUDGE the contestants? 

 

 

 

I wish Harry would talk to them more about dynamics. I kind of think he mentioned it at least once, but not often and not to the people who need it most. If everything is loud, how do you know what the most important thing is?

 

 

 

I do too; I know Harry kept mention this to Sam and not enough to singers like Caleb or Jena.  Shakira, during one of her mentoring sessions on The Voice made this very point; that only certain words and phrases should be hit with a certain punchy-ness/full volume; it give the ear something to listen for.

[rereader2]

Then maybe they should, I dunno, do their jobs and JUDGE the contestants? 

 

Optimist! ;)

[Kromm]

.I miss drunk Paula.

 

Edited May 10, 2014 by Kromm