The American Idol 2008 Thread

[OscarGuy]

Let's face it, though, the producers will decide who is going to win by the choice of the "prestige" song they will say the audience picked out by electronic vote (and then secretly manipulate it so the one they want to win does). Typically, the song written for the first album the winner records is to be sang as is. Since these two have such different musical styles, the type of song will determine which one wins, IMO. Because they won't re-arrange the song, otherwise any number of past idols might have won had they been given the right style to fit their vocals.

[flipp525]

Cook has a prickly personality, and I don't think is very likeable.

As opposed to Archuleta who essentially has zero personality -- just a singing automaton that his father winds up before each show starts. And as far as sounding the same, I honestly can't distinguish one of his songs from another. Cook's performances, on the other hand, are like a new experience each time. I can't wait to see what he does with each song and clearly the judges can't either.

If you think that he was "singing from his throat" while hitting that last note in "The First Time…", you don't know what you're talking about.

[OscarGuy]

I like Cook's personality versus Archuleta's entire lack of one.

But, I actually hope Archuleta wins for one reason: He'll be stuck in contract with 19e and be forced to record only what they want him to record and I can imagine him becoming the dismal failure that has been a number of the former winners.

[cam]

David C. is sounding very predictable and I am getting to the point where I don't like him very much--the same shouting and throat-singing.

Ironic that someone would accuse David Cook of being predictable, and yet praise David Archuleta for giving the same performance week in and week out.
.

I think that Archuleta does a ballad better than anyone else, and he uses his diaphragm properly. Cook sings from his throat, and it begins to sound all the same. Archuleta may be a bit ingenuous, but Cook has a prickly personality, and I don't think is very likeable.

[OscarGuy]

Well, Syesha went home. Is anyone surprised? I mean come on! It was clear Tuesday night that producers were intentionally sabotaging her by giving her a horrid song to showcase her spirit AND vocal ability. They basically told voters that they don't want to vote for her.

[Zahveed]

There can be only one Highlander.

[flipp525]

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was my parents' first song. It's the theme of Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me which is the movie they saw on their first date. I thought David Cook's performance the other night of this song was one of the most beautiful things I've seen on this show. And that shot of his mother standing so proud, with tears in her eyes, looking on at him was simply unforgettable. I'm in an emotional state this week and that's all it took to let the waterworks start flowing. Cook continues to make older songs sound relevant. His first album should definitely consist solely of covers.

David Archuleta gave a vapid theme park performance for his second song on Tuesday. It was almost embarrasing.



Edited By flipp525 on 1210855733

[dws1982]

David C. is sounding very predictable and I am getting to the point where I don't like him very much--the same shouting and throat-singing.

Ironic that someone would accuse David Cook of being predictable, and yet praise David Archuleta for giving the same performance week in and week out.

NO surprises tonight, although at the last minute we hoped it would be Syesha that remained and NOT David Cook

I don't think anyone who is alive and intelligent thought that she had a prayer against him. Dial Idol showed him far, far ahead of the other two.

[cam]

NO surprises tonight, although at the last minute we hoped it would be Syesha that remained and NOT David Cook. New Yorker mag called him a "doughy 25-year old" and they are absolutely right--you feel that if you poked him, your finger would go in a long way!

[anonymous1980]

I liked the songs David A. chose tonight. David C. is sounding very predictable and I am getting to the point where I don't like him very much--the same shouting and throat-singing.
Syesha could have been so-o-o- much better. Too bad. She's gone.
Archuleta to win.

Thanks, cam!

My rankings this week:

Judges' Choice

01. David Archuleta ("And So It Goes") - This is a brilliant vocal. The acapella portion of this song gave me goosebumps. His pure, beautiful voice shone through. The best performance of the night.

02. David Cook ("The First I Ever Saw Your Face") - Not as "original" and "risky" as Simon says and definitely not one of Cook's better performances. But it's still pretty damn good performance.

03. Syesha Mercado ("If I Ain't Got You") - She sang it almost as well as Alicia Keys which is to say, it's not good enough. I might as well listen to Alicia Keys.

Contestants' Choice

01. Syesha Mercado ("Fever") - It's like she's auditioning for Cabaret which is not a bad thing for me. Not her best but the best of this round.

02. David Archuleta ("With You") - You know, apart from the rough beginning and the awkward dancing, vocally, it was quite good. I can definitely see him recording this type of song (maybe without the "boos" and the "hot little mama" lyrics). I applaud him for taking a risk with this.

03. David Cook ("Dare You To Move") - Once again, I say that I find Cook generic and dull whenever he covers a straight up rock song. This is no different.

Producer's Choice

01. David Cook ("I Don't Want To Miss A Thing") - The over-pimping is just a tad obvious but there's no denying it is the best of this round.

02. David Archuleta ("Longer") - The song is pretty but also quite dull. Every time I hear it on the radio, I feel like taking a nap but Archie made it sound fresh and not boring.

03. Syesha Mercado ("Hit Me Up") - She tried her best but the song really didn't do her any freaking favors.

Overall:

01. David Archuleta/David Cook
02. David Cook/David Archuleta
03. Syesha Mercado

Who will go: Syesha Mercado.

[OscarGuy]

What's really pathetic is that votefortheworst may actually hand Archuleta the victory. Are they nuts? They have him listed as the worst in the competition. While I agree, it doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense...I wonder if they've been paid off?

According to DialIdol, which has been largely right this season, Syesha got the lowest number of votes by a wide margin.

The reason the producers want Archuleta to win is because he's highly malleable. He would do anything and everything they told him to do. He'd be the kind of puppet most of the past winners were, which is probably why they keep winning and why most of them have dud record contracts and some have even been dropped by their labels.

[cam]

I liked the songs David A. chose tonight. David C. is sounding very predictable and I am getting to the point where I don't like him very much--the same shouting and throat-singing.
Syesha could have been so-o-o- much better. Too bad. She's gone.
Archuleta to win.



Edited By cam on 1210741598

[dws1982]

Yes, anonymous's crush didn't do terribly well tonight. He seemed completely inauthentic trying to sing something contemporary, utterly failed to make any kind of emotional connection to "And So It Goes", and seemed like an animatronic robot on "Longer". Of course, he usually seems like an animatronic robot, but it was worse on that than it normally is.

I think he will make the finals, and I wouldn't be too surprised if he won either. But I think that if he does win, it'll be another season, like season two, where the runner-up sells more. I can't imagine who would buy his album. The idea that he was meant to be AI's answer to the Miley Cyrus/Zac Efron popularity won't fly. He's not Zac Efron or one of the Jonas Brothers--he's Donny Osmond. And there isn't a big audience out there for Donny Osmond.



Edited By dws1982 on 1210738188

[Zahveed]

Well, Archie finally took a dump on his audience by being the worst of the bunch tonight. I know I've always had it in for the kid, but tonight proved he can't sell a hit. He relies on ballads way too much and when he does something a little more quicker he fucks it up. His breathy vocals can't match the speed and he runs out of air before he can finish the verse.

Anyways, I predict Archuleta gets the boot this week. Everyone that has been keeping Castro in the race will most likely vote for Cook, those that were voting for Brooke and Carley are keeping Seyesha afloat.

[OscarGuy]

Judge's Choice:

Archuleta: And So It Goes - An easily manipulated balladeer. This was a good song choice and I thought he did quite good.

Syesha: If I Ain't Got You - Very solid. Not my favorite performance of hers, but still a good job.

Cook: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - That falsetto was annoying. The rock spin doesn't sound good on this song.

Round 1: Archuleta, Syesha, Cook (in that order)

Personal Choice:

Archuleta: With You - WTF was that? That was terrible. It sounded awful and his dancing around felt rather pathetic, almost desperate to feel relevent.

Syesha: Fever - While I wasn't a fan of the entire arrangement, that last wavered note was perfect.

Cook: Dare You to Move - Pretty mediocre and the song really isn't that great.

Round 2: Syesha, Cook, Archuleta

Producers' Choice:

Archuleta: Longer Than - Pretty predictable performance. It's also not terribly memorable. Plus, he looks quite pained while singing it.

Syesha: Hit Me Up - Sabotaged by the producers. What a terrible choice. This was not a song for a singer. It's a song for a performer.

Cook: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Very solid performance. Also quite predictable, but he finally does well.

Round 3: Cook, Archuleta, Syesha

Eliminated: Syesha. No way she can compete when the producers have so obviously determined who they want to be the final two and forced it by their song selections.