Tennessee Whiskey

My summary for last night....

Aaron & Rex

Josh

Zack

the others ...

EphramIsHot

@ Bee.

I'm watching group performances on the Net from last year. How I miss last year.

Results tonight! Predictions for bottom 3?

UBCD

I taped it and watched it. Suzi and Aaron were my faves. I liked Daryl last night. Didn't really enjoy any of the others. I fast forwarded through Josh and Casey after the first 20sec. Josh has too much attitude. Rex did not impress last night - and the glasses thing made me miss Jacob all the more.

Man I miss season 2. EphramisHot, after last week's debacle I sat at my computer and watched all my favourite d/ls of last year to make myself feel better!! I haven't felt the urge to vote at all yet. Not going to be worried if I miss a show either. Well, except for the week of Sept 8 because............. HEDLEY is playing!!!!

EphramIsHot

Is it confirmed that Hedley is playing, then? Is it confirmed for all the Top 5 from last year?

I felt really bad for Ashely, actually.... she barely kept it together. When it was between her and Daryl to be the last in the bottom 3, I was positive it'd be Daryl. Even though I like the guy, I didn't think he was as strong as Ashley. And then when it was between Ashely and Melissa, I thought it was going to be Melissa. Huh. Goes to show - you never know which way the Canadian public is gonna vote. Personally, I'm angry that Casey hasn't even made bottom 3 once yet. IMO, she is definitely not as good as the rest of them, and Ashley is better than her. Of course, this is all just my opinion!

UBCD

It's tough this year because there is no real standout. I don't know who else is confirmed from last year but Jake posted last night that they have a few shows in TO, Ottawa and MOntreal along with CI in the second week of September (7th->).
I did think Daryl sang better than Ashley last night but Ashley did so well last week. I don't understand at all why Casey is still there, regional voting or the rumoured "Vote for the worst" campaign? who knows. How was the group number?

EphramIsHot

Group number was better than last week's, but certainly not up to the standard set by last year's. This year's group doesn't seem to 'gel' as well as last year's. And you're right, there's no 'standout' this year. Last year the standouts, IMO, were Kalan and Jacob. Kalan because of his talent and Jacob because he's so crazy (not that he doesn't have talent!). This year we don't have that. I didn't see last night's show, so I can't say how well any of them performed. I'm just basing my likes/dislikes on previous knowledge and on what the judges said, I guess.

Mapledonuts

Ashley's gone??? WTF?? She wasn't my fave but I really wanted Casey gone. Or Daryl. I was feeling bad for Daryl last week but I'm not interested anymore of this guy's performances. His voice is so annoying. He should come back in a few years.

Am I the only one here who really likes Josh? He's a natural rock star. Usually rock stars have weird personalities like that.

I LOVE Rex...

Suzi's awesome, too. And Aaron..wow..those high notes were well done.

Amber and Melissa are both really good singers but I either don't care for their personalities or their types of music.

Right now..I want these people in the top 3: Rex, Josh, and Suzi. Aaron would be part of the top 4.

Quarterley

A TV review in the Toronto Star (July 28, 2005):


Judges worship false Idols

At least Zack honest on this boring crew


BY VINAY MENON



Fellow compatriots, it pains me to write this dispatch.

But the hurt is nothing compared to the agony I experienced Tuesday night watching Canadian Idol's nine squeaky-clean contestants unleash a barrage of bland and soulless bubblegum pop disguised as Stevie Wonder classics.

What is going on this season? Why are these Idols so excruciatingly dull? Do these kids want to be rock stars or accountants?

Casey LeBlanc was first to perform, singing "Heaven Help Us All." Two minutes later, the title had especial resonance.

She seemed like a hologram, a purring facsimile of a real pop star. Make no mistake, like the other Idols, Casey can sing. But something — I'm not even sure what — is missing.

These Idols seem like reluctant imposters.

Josh Palmer was next, going with "That Girl." Again, he hit most of his notes. Sadly, though, Josh had the stage presence of a scarecrow and the twitching rhythm of a drunken chipmunk.

What did the judges have to say?

The always kind Farley Flex praised Josh for his interpretative skills. The always hot Sass Jordan said Josh was a great stylist. The always honest Zack Werner made this observation: "I found it kind of icky."

The word "icky" hit a nerve in Josh, who returned fire with a shot at Zack's black cowboy shirt. (This tension, in turn, left the other judge, Jake Gold, too giddy to comment on the performance.)

Amber Fleury tackled "Lately." Amber is blessed with a beautiful voice. But does she possess any of the intangible attributes you might reasonably ascribe to an Idol? I can see Amber singing in a church or nightclub. But will she ever sell out the Air Canada Centre? Will a cynical generation of young Canadians ever turn to Amber's music to help make sense of a confusing world?

Probably not.

Next, Daryl Brunt appeared wearing a green zip-up jersey, singing "Superstition" while grinning like a circus roustabout. Daryl's ears are really freaking me out; it's like they're staring at me.

Then there's the voice: Daryl sounds like a transsexual lounge singer who gets gigs because he has incriminating photos of the owner.

As Zack noted: "You sang fine if you were fronting the Ice Capades." (At this point, Canada AM's Seamus O'Regan, who was sitting in the audience, looked like he was about to cuff Zack on the back of his head.)

Ashley Leitao went with "Sir Duke." The phrasing and jerky movements made her look like a homemade marionette. Sass pretty much nailed it: "Ashley, you are like the No. 1 camp counsellor and the star of the casino revue."

When Farley said, "I hope the audience at home had as much fun as we did," I couldn't stop laughing. Farley? Drinking arsenic martinis would be more fun than this.

Ashley looked somewhat disoriented when she joined host Ben Mulroney, Canada's King of Cliché. Mulroney's contributions to Canadian Idol are so ridiculously treacly he now makes Paula Abdul look like Judge Judy.

Alas, Ben's soothing words were not enough. Last night we learned Ashley was eliminated.

Next up was Rex Goudie, who sang "Pastime Paradise" as if he was auditioning for Our Lady Peace. Jake, Farley and Sass were nonetheless impressed.

"I unfortunately rolled out of bed in a parallel universe this morning," countered Zack. "I don't know, maybe I can't hear the track too well, but it sounded like atonal pap to me."

No, Zack, your hearing is just fine.

Melissa O'Neil performed "Living for the City," to which Sass remarked, "Stevie Wonder is really difficult to sing, let's face it."

Okay, let's face it. But can we please not hear it?

Aaron Walpole belted out, "You Haven't Done Nothing." For the first time, a contestant sounded like a warm-blooded mammal with an actual heartbeat. Noted Farley, "Beautiful performance, man."

Last up was Suzi Rawn, who prowled the stage with some intensity. Her rendition of "Higher Ground" wasn't terrible, I suppose, even if she bounced around like the illegitimate love child of Gwen Stefani and Pee-Wee Herman.

The judges offered praise. Jake called the performance "fabulous." Farley said Suzi was "memorable." Zack went with an urban onomatopoeia, saying the song was, "Boom!"

Sass said Suzi "owned the stage" and pointed out that even the cameramen were excited. Just a wild guess: maybe they were cheering because the show was almost over.

Listen, I would love nothing more than to be wrong about this. So let's see what happens. If the Idols improve, looking like they actually want to win this thing, I will dutifully rescind this column.

For now, though, these stone-cold singers are managing to make this hot summer seem downright frigid.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
vmenon@thestar.ca

Mapledonuts

Haha...love the OLP comment.

Although there are people I like..I do agree last year's top 10 was waay better. Or maybe they just got along better? I dunno...something is definitely missing from this year's.

Tennessee Whiskey

quarterley thanks so much for bringing that article over. Priceless..and sadly so very true. This year's idols sound good (for the most part) , Look good but there just isn't spark they had last year...it's like watching season one all over again. I still think they should have ran repeats of last season instead.

...as for Ashley going home so early How did that happen?! I'll be the first to say I thought Casey sang well in her top 32 performance and from the others in that group she probably deserved her top 10 spot but she hasn't done anything in the top 10 to wow anybody and to still be there and have someone like Ashley voted off...there is something wrong with this years voting public...and why is Melissa always in the bottom three? She doesn't deserve to go home this early either. Maybe it's because of people like me who would love to throw some votes her way but are just to scared that it ends up sending their favorite home. (which for me btw is Aaron)

brasha

My hubby is all ticked that Ashley is gone - she was his fave I wonder why ....

I liked Rex and Aaron the most the other night. I was hoping that CAsey, Daryl and Amber would grace the bottom 3 because they bored me to tears, but alas twas not meant to be *sigh*

EphramIsHot

Amber always bores me to tears. I usually tune out about fifteen seconds into her performance. I was upset that Ashley went home, too. She shouldn't have gone this early. I think Casey needs to go... she does absolutely nothing for me. I am a fan of Aaron, I must say. And Daryl... although I have no idea why. Maybe I feel sorry for him?

This year's Top 10 just doesn't seem to 'gel' as well as last year's. But they would have been hard-pressed to find a better Top 10 for this year. :yes:

Quarterley

I am surprised that Ashley left this soon but really, she is not that great.

brasha

As of this moment, I'm hoping for a Suzi/Rex finale with Aaron as the top 3'er. But my opinion could change....

Quarterley

I don't even remember their names.