#217 - it starts...

okay, here it is, first american idol post... well, the REAL posts, the ones that count. this is not going to be pretty. i will be brutally honest, maybe not impartial, or even fair, but straightforward in my opinions at least.

so let's get this out of the way right at the beginning... by this point, everyone is a good singer. in fact, they may all be great singers, but i don't really care about that. i care about who inspires me to vote, who gets me to sing the songs in my head the next day, who i actually want to hear again, and most importantly, who inspires me to buy their music on itunes, haha. so i promise i will remember, when i'm making my comments, that these people made it here for a reason and they deserve to be there for a reason.

that said... i was suprised how up and down both the contestants were and the show in general. what's with them walking back up the stairs and the talking to the parents after they sing? i was actually really disappointed that they went back to this top 36 format with voting people through instead of off. i like the top 24 with voting people off much, much better. anyway, it was a live show and there were so many breaks and off-camera stuff, and awkward moments, kind of embarrassing for the show.

but, back to the contestants, let's start at the beginning:

1. jackie tohn - i liked her through the early auditions, thought she was interesting and i liked her style, but actually she's a bit crazy and i think may get a little annoying. i didn't think the song was good enough, it might have been good enough in the old format, but not good enough now. still, i will vote for her.

2. ricky braddy - okay so, yes, he can sing very well. but i didn't like it at all. just my preference. i do not want to hear it again, and that means he will not get my vote (even though, yes fine, he can sing good).

3. alexis grace - again, in bits and pieces parts of the song sounded good, but altogether there was no connection from one measure to the next. i didn't like it. but i bet haole military wives loved it, haha. no vote from me.

4. brent keith - blah. he blew it, anytime you pick a "country rock" song you're gonna sound like you're at a country fair right? oh well, his voice was not that strong anyway so it don't matter.

5. stevie wright - wow, she REALLY blew it. poor thing. i feel sorry for her, but, in her defense, since there are 4 judges their advice is always all over the place, so maybe next time don't listen to them that much, eh?

6. anoop desai - i like this guy. and i'm so glad that SOMEONE finally sang a song that's not, like, 30 years old. i will vote for him.

7. casey carlson - yikes, i don't like one single thing about her. from her disgusting facial expressions to her way too big open mouth singing. wow, that sucked. see, this is more convincing evidence for having only a top 24 and not a top 36... get rid of the junk. although... she did good by crying at the end, very smart.

8. michael sarver - does this guy not look like some kind of vegetable? like he was living life as a vegetable first and then someone magically turned him into a singing human? anyway, sucked.

9. anne marie boskovich - she kinda looks like a witch huh? hmm... i really like her, but i really think she should've picked a softer, sweeter song. i think her voice is really pretty, but trying (and failing) to do this kinda power belting/singing thing really did not sound great. i agree with kara on this one, something by sara bareilles (maybe more like "gravity") would have been much better. but, i still like her and the little bit of her afterward sitting on "the hard part" sold her for me, ha. so, i will vote for her.

10. stephen fowler - karaoke. not worth anything. also... is there a live band this year? are they behind the partition? the background music sounds very karaoke, that doesn't help the singing.

11. tatiana del toro - voting for tatiana doesn't seem like such a crazy idea anymore does it?! even before she started singing i had decided to vote for her (because all of the other contestants were so pathetic), then i think she picked the perfect song, and i think she did a pretty good job, i actually liked it! i will vote for her!

12. danny gokey - i see great versatility in this guy, i think he can go through very far, and i like him. this song always kinda drags though, no matter who sings it, so i'm not too keen on it as an american idol choice, but he sang well. so, i will vote for him.

but, overall, the first real voting american idol show = unimpressive.

well geez, y'know from the first three singers i was thinking damn this is gonna be a hard decision because i guess the talent really is pretty great... but then after that it became apparent that there really was a reason why there's a top 36. why even keep those lesser singers in there? get rid of the fodder, go back to top 24.

i still find it SO hard to believe that everyone is picking such OLD songs! only anoop picked something within most of the viewers' lifetimes.

so... in the end, i voted for:

1. jackie tohn
6. anoop desai
9. anne marie boskovich
11. tatiana del toro
12. danny gokey

and, of them i hope that danny, anne marie, and anoop go through. but i'm doubting that's what's gonna happen... we'll see...