Top Ten Performances in American Idol 4

After reviewing all the episodes, here are my top ten performances in American Idol 4 (in chronological order and unranked; pics from taod.com):


Alone: Carrie Underwood (Billboard Number Ones)


My Funny Valentine: Constantine Maroulis (Classical Musicals)


Let's Hear it for the Boy: Vonzell Solomon (Songs from year of birth)


Bohemien Rhapsody: Constantine Maroulis (Songs from year of birth)


Vehicle: Bo Bice (70s dance)


I Don't Wanna Be: Bo Bice (Songs from 2000 on)


Trouble: Carrie Underwood (Leiber and Stoller classics)


Bless the Broken Road: Carrie Underwood (Week's Billboard charts)


Crying: Carrie Underwood (Clive Davis' choice)


In a Dream: Bo Bice (Singer's choice)

Carrie Underwood: The 2005 American Idol

Yea. I'm so glad she won as I have rooted for her since I saw her rendition of Could've Been i the semi-finals. She also had many other great performances throughout the season which showed her ability to appeal to a wider audience, not just with country songs, but pop and rock ones as well. To me, its amazing that she has never had any vocal training. With her sweet smile and personality, and her beautiful looks, she certainly could go a long way in her career. I just hope that her company would get her some vocal training to fine-tune her great voice, which is ready for the recording studios but if improved could become even more brilliant.

saAmerican Idol 4 Episode Review: Finale

Finale Review
Ok. I am a bit surprised they made Carrie and Bo sing 2 original songs.

Bo Bice: Long Long Road
I actually think this song wasn't as bad as many thought. I got the feeling that he didn't put in too much effort into this song, and kinda gave it up.

Bo Bice: Vehicle
Wow. A great song choice by Bo. This was definitely one of his top-rate performances in 70s dance nite. The arragement for this set was even better. Awesome

Bo Bice: Inside your Heaven
Ok. I never thought this song was ever suited for Bo. Inside your heaven, to me, is not a good pop song. As Bo is, I don;t think he ever felt comfortable doing pop songs, not to mention a poor one. He did a decent job here though.


Carrie Underwood: Inside your Heaven
A couple poor notes. However, this song suits her slightly better than Bo. I can never understand how people can say they prefer Bo's version. But I still think this is a poor song that even Carrie cannot save.


Carrie Underwood: Independence Day
I wasn't too sure about her song choice here. I know she loves Martina, but to me she should have chosen from any of these 4: Alone, Trouble, Bless the Broken Road, or Crying. Indenpendence Day, for me, was just a cut below these four. I preferred her rendition of it in the 90s nite in week 10.

Carrie Underwood: Angels Brought me Here
Wow. Emotionally her best song for the season, even though it sounded a little strained at parts. But with her beautiful vocals and emotion, she won the nite with this performance, promting Simon to annouce those famous words: "Carrie, I think you have done enough to win the show!"

Overall Comments:
I felt somewhat disappointed that the finale did not live up to my expectations. Maybe they were both really nervous, and they was word that both weren't feeling well. I really hope that for next season's finale, they will have them do 3 songs of their own choices instead of doing any original.

Thoughts on Bo:
I must admit I'm not much of a rock guy, but this dude's good. I always prefered when he slowed it down and did the more mellow and sentimental songs, instead of jumping around. Definitely worthy of his place in the finale. Only one criticism I have of him is that I get the feeling that when he doesn't like the genre of the song, he kinda gave up and didn't try. Whenever I compare him doing songs like Vehicle and Great Day to be Alive, to songs from the musicals nite and country theme, there is an obvious difference in effort.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 3 --- Clive Davis’, singer’s own, judges’ choices

Top 3: Clive Davis’, singer’s own, judges’ choices
I think this is now the staple of the top 3: a song choice by Clive Davis, they get to pick one themselves, and a judge chooses another for them.

Round 1: Clive Davis’choice

Vonzell Solomon: I’ll Never Love This Way Again
Again she started pitchy. I’m really scratching my head over her regression. But it was better than Anwar, who did the song in an earlier round. Vonzell did end with a bang. Dionne still owns this.

Bo Bice: Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Nice choice by Clive. I really believe that this is the style Bo should go more into. Definitely held his own with Elton John and George Michael.


Carrie Underwood: Crying
I remember being ecstatic when I heard Clive’s choice. A great Roy Orbison classic. Her vocals were open, almost flawless. She also put the right emotion in it too, and found myself sitting on my couch in awe. Unfortunately, the song was too short, and I was left wanting more.

Round 1 rankings:
Carrie
Bo
Vonzell

Round 2: Singer’s choice

Vonzell Solomon: Chain of Fools
Another uptempo song, which really suits her. Vocally still not as good as previous weeks, but she was fun and infectious.

Bo Bice: In a Dream
Bo gambled by doing this acapella. He really put his heart and soul into this performance, and nailed it, apart from that last note at the end. To me, he booked his place in the final with this, as everyone was impressed by his bravery.


Carrie Underwood: Making Love out of Nothing at All
Interesting song choice for me, for her to pick a pop song instead of a country song. I think she wanted to appeal to a wider audience. Another great vocal performance, although Crying was better. Right song choice for her to power up her voice and show it off. Well done. I preferred it to Air Supply’s version.

Round 2 rankings:
Bo
Carrie
Vonzell

Round 3: Judge’s choice

Vonzell Solomon: On the Radio
Great song choice by Simon. Vocally, her best of the night. Again, another great uptempo song suited for her personality.

Bo Bice: Satisfaction
Urgh! Horrible song choice by Paula, and she confirmed what I thought all season: she doesn’t know much about music. I remember screaming in agony when the song was announced. This made Bo jump around so much that he couldn’t care much about the vocals. I have to agree with Simon’s wedding analogy with this.


Carrie Underwood: Man! I Feel Like a Woman
Urgh! A poor choice by Randy. This requires a slightly vampish, even slutty performer. I just couldn’t picture Carrie doing this. Vocally, it was really rough at the start, but once she hit the power notes, it was smooth sailing. An interesting note: apparently this is the first time Shania Twain ever allowed her songs to be used on AI.

Round 3 rankings:
Vonzell
Bo, Carrie

Overall comments:
Bo definitely booked his place with that brave acapella performance. Personally, I don’t think it was as great as everyone made it out, but it was very good none the less. Both Bo and Carrie definitely deserved to be in the final. Vonzell really faded away for me from the top 5 on. On a side note, Simon’s choice was excellent, while I hated Paula’s and Randy’s.

Top 3 rankings:
Bo, Carrie
Vonzell

Thoughts on Vonzell:
She always picked the toughest song to sing. And although she was very strong from the start, she seemed to lose it from the top 5 on. Maybe something happened to her in her personal life, as she mentioned she had a tough day during the top 5 show. Overall, she finished where she should: 3rd.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 4 --- Sounds of Nashville and Philly

Top 4: Sounds of Nashville and Philly
Less generic themes. I guess it’s all right to have them in a dual-themed week to allow the singers to show more versatility. On a side note, I think that the country theme is actually very broad, with choices from country-rock to ballads which could be made into rock, pop, or soul.

Round 1: Sounds of Nashville


Carrie Underwood: Sin Wagon
Another fun performance! Vocally perhaps not as good as the previous show, but a helluva lot of fun to watch. On a side note, what on earth is becoming to the sweet farm girl? First, she’s evil and trouble, now she’s is arriving on a sin wagon?

Bo Bice: Great Day to be Alive
I will use the same description I used during the musicals nite. He sounded defeated and not too interested in tackling a genre that he doesn’t seem to have much interest in. I am surprised as there are tons of good country-rock songs that he could make his own.

Vonzell Solomon: How do I Live
A very pitchy performance. I really wonder what happened to her since the previous week. Vocally her weakest performance. Again, I thought she picked a song that she could make her own.

Anthony Federov: I’m Already There
He did pretty well here, and I think for once did better than both Bo and Vonzell!

Round 1 rankings:
Carrie
Anthony
Bo, Vonzell

Round 2: Sounds of Gamble & Huff


Carrie Underwood: If You Don’t Know Me by Now
Very dreary. The arrangement was too slow, and she never got into the flow of the song. She lost me in this performance. She had been on a roll, and she really got derailed by this.

Bo Bice: For the Love of Money
Bounced back nicely with this. I believe he felt ore comfortable with this song and injected my effort into it. Although I thought he was shouting a bit in the middle of the song.

Vonzell Solomon: Don’t Leave Me This Way
Again, another pitchy performance at the start, but saved it with the middle and the end. It seems she is fading away in the competition.

Anthony Federov: If You Don’t Know Me by Now
Definitely a better version than Carrie’s. This was his best week by a mile.

Round 2 rankings:
Bo, Anthony
Vonzell
Carrie

Overall comments:
The top 2 favorites, Bo and Carrie, had each one good and one poor song choice. Vonzell seemed to be doing worse as the competition progressed. Although Anthony had a good week, he really has to go.

Top 4 rankings:
Anthony (voted off)
Carrie, Bo
Vonzell

Thoughts on Anthony:
To me, he was the weakest male singer this year, and yet he managed to make it this far. I always felt he was an amateurish performer, and at best could join a boyband. It was so ironical that he left on his strongest week.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 5 --- Leiber and Stoller Classics and Week’s Billboard charts

Top 5: Leiber and Stoller Classics and Week’s Billboard charts
I really liked the way the producers chose the two themes. One classic hits and one contemporary hits to allow the singers to show off their talent.

Round 1: Leiber and Stoller classics

Anthony Federov: Poison Ivy
Urgh!!! This performance really put me off. Extremely amateurish and reminded me of someone trying to be funny at a freshmen orientation event.

Scott Savol: On Broadway
Scotty taking on a George Benson classic! George’s version is definitely better, but Scott made it his own. He had a few pitch problems, but he stepped it up, as if to prove Simon a point (about his comments to pack his suitcase previously).

Vonzell Solomon: Treat Me Nice
Not a song that I have ever heard of. Vocally she does well, but I’m not sure about the way she moved about on stage.

Bo Bice: Stand by Me
I have heard this song too many times all over the place. But Bo magically made me love it again! I actually prefer him doing this kind of song rather than the rock stuff he normally does.


Carrie Underwood: Trouble
Oh yea, she’s back! This was an unbelievable performance, her best all-round yet. This was a great sassy song for her to show off some attitude which had been a bit lacking up till this point. Vocally, she was great, and tackled those low notes (which she sometimes had problems with in the past). The mic stand kick drove me crazy! The only drawback I have is seeing the sweet girl up there singing the words: “looking for trouble? My middle name’s misery! I’m EVIL EVIL EVIL!”

Round 1 rankings:
Carrie
Bo/ Vonzell
Scott
Anthony

Round 2: Week’s Billboard charts

Anthony Federov: Incomplete
Urgh again!!! Pitch was all over the place. Slight upgrade from round one.

Scott Savol: Everytime You Go Away
Tackling a Brian McKnight song! I love Brian and this showed that Brian is the professional and Scott, a wannabe. Scott did OK, but probably put a lot of viewers off with his post performance chatter with Simon.

Vonzell Solomon: When You tell Me that You Love Me
Oh no! That cheesy group song. This was by far, her most pitchy and weakest vocal performance. I was scratching my head as to why she chose this song.

Bo Bice: Heaven
I really like his song choices!I like the original, but love Bo’s just as much! I never thought I would ever say this, but if Bo produces a record with similar songs, I may actually buy it!


Carrie Underwood: Bless the Broken Road
Ah! I love this Rascal Flatt’s song. She made me fall in love with it even more. Vocally, it was flawless. This song showcased her sweet vocals perfectly. The key change in the middle was done brilliantly. Only drawback was that she was a little stiff, although not “robotic” as Simon claimed.

Round 2 rankings:
Carrie
Bo
Scott
Vonzell
Anthony

Overall comments:
This was Carrie's! This week show her versatility, her personality and amazing voice all in one. I remembered when I watched this live, I absolutely fell in love with Carrie and from then on, knew she was going to win, with Bo in the final. On a side note, after a relatively week nite by her standards, Vonzell had Simon clamoring for her fans to vote harder for her! I think he wanted to make sure that Carrie, Bo and Vonzell would make it to the next round! My vote was for Anthony to go home, although I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott went after his comments to Simon.

Top 5 rankings:
Carrie
Bo
Vonzell
Scott (voted off)
Anthony

Thoughts on Scott:
I always thought he had a nice voice, but a 5th place finish was too high for him. I never liked his personality. We already had a taste of it in the Hollywood auditions when he was difficult to work with for the group performance. Also, some of his chats with Simon were really more over-confident than confident.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 6 --- Songs from 2000 on

Top 6: Songs from 2000 on
Another generic theme, which I believe suits this years singers a lot, since most of them have already defined their style by now.


Carrie Underwood: God Fearing Women get the Blues
Ok, she came out and had fun with the fiddler and guitarist. However, I felt that maybe she knew the song too well and she neglected her vocals. She did have fun and the performance was pretty good, and even on an off night she sounded pretty nice even with a less than stellar effort. However, her strength is in her vocals and she should remember to never throw that away. She was still coughing though, leading me to believe this was more an exception than a norm.

Bo Bice: I Don’t Wanna Be
I love this Gavin Degraw song. Another great performance by Bo to build up on the previous week. Vocally, there was a bad note at the start. He really injected his heart and soul into this one, and enjoyed it as much as Gavin’s version.

Vonzell Solomon: I Turn to You
Another ambitious song choice. She started out really rough, but fromt eh middle third, she nailed the song. I really have to give her props for her ambition.

Anthony Federov: I Surrender
I liked this performance. I felt his emotion in this song, although at the start he sounded a little strained. One of his better performances.

Constantine Maroulis: How You Remind Me
Oh my God. He went back to being a rocker. I absolutely love this song, but he absolutely massacred it. Disappointed he never learned his lessons.

Scott Savol: Dance with my Father Again
Another song that I love, but if Constantine massacred his, Scott butchered this. Pitchy throughout.

Overall comments:
Bo now has the momentum with him, as Carrie has had a few sub-standard weeks by her standards, no thanks to her illness. At this time, it was Bo and Vonzell in the front seat, and Scott and Anthony bringing up the rear. However, with Constantine being such a bonehead by going back to doing rock which he is so poor at, I didn’t mind seeing him go either.

Top 6 rankings:
Bo
Anthony
Vonzell
Carrie
Scott
Constantine (voted off)

Thoughts on Constantine:
I’m sorry I have to call him a bonehead. After wowing the show with his crooning style, he reverted back to his old rock-image which Randy and Simon REPEATEDLY told him not to do. I really think he had a good shot at winning if he had heeded their advice. But no, he made such a boneheaded play, I really did not pity him when he left. The show is all about finding out who you are. Carrie, Bo, Vonzell and even Scott know what are the kind of songs they should sing. On a side note, I thought I saw Bo with a slight smirk on his face when Constantine was performing after the announcement was made. Maybe Bo was thinking he could relax as we all know who will be the next 2 to go!

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 7 --- 70's dance

Top 7: 70s dance nite
Urgh again. Well, this is just me perhaps, as I don’t really like dance music.

Constantine Maroulis: Nights on Broadway
I really like that he ditched the rocker style and become a more seductive crooner. This wasn’t as electrifying as the previous two weeks (slightly amateurish), but he ended with that almighty pout of his as usual!


Carrie Underwood: MacArthur Park
Was pretty rough at the start with the low notes, and she really appeared uncomfortable with the theme. As usual, once the power notes kick in, she nailed it. And the last few notes left the audience in awe! Not sure about her shuffling from side to side though.

Scott Savol: Everlasting Love
Hmmm… I began to think of the original song very quickly! There were definitely some bad notes throughout, and it was weird seeing him attempt some dance moves.

Anthony Federov: Don’t Take Away the Music
I think of Simon’s Christmas party analogy when I saw this performance, and his vocals sounded pretty strained.

Vonzell Solomon: I’m Every Woman
Baby V takes on another diva again. I felt the background singers drown her, especially at the start. On those parts I could hear, Vonzell was great as usual, and really nailed those big notes.

Anwar Robinson: September
This for once, at least I thought initially, was a great song choice for Anwar. I was waiting for him to nail those high notes, but he never tackled them! He left those notes to the background singers. I was very disappointed he didn’t tackle them. To me, what could have been a powerhouse performance became another Anwar performance, nice vocally but not terribly memorable.

Bo Bice: Vehicle
Finally he is back! Maybe being in the bottom 2 the previous week woke him up. The arrangement was brilliant. He outshone the rest of the show by a mile.

Overall comments:
Ok, I didn’t really like the theme, and I think there were a lot of safe performances. No one was terrible though; but Bo was clearly the best. Maybe after the scare in the previous week he woke up and realized he wanted to win the show.

Top 7 rankings:
Bo
Vonzell
Anwar (voted off)
Carrie
Constantine
Scott
Anthony

Thoughts on Anwar:
Being the music teacher he is, he was technically the best singer. However, his song choices left him in a terrible situation. He’d either pick songs that have been performed too many times on AI, or he would tackle on the divas. I remembered his breakout performance of ‘”What a Wonderful World” in the semis, and that made him an early favorite. The problem was that that was his most memorable by a mile. I a sense I don’t think he should have left so early, but he can only blame himself for his song selection that left the audience a little cold.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 8 --- Songs from the year you were born in

Top 8: Songs from the year you were born in
After the previous week’s horror, I am glad they chose a more generic theme.

Nadia Turner: When I Dream
What a boring song choice! I thought I was transported back to the previous week! Very forgettable indeed. I started looking at the other stuff in my room.

Bo Bice: Free Bird
I know he likes Lynard Skynard, but I wasn’t too crazy about this song choice. Not a memorable performance. However, compared to last week’s horror, much better.

Anwar Robinson: I’ll Never Love this Way Again
Why does he keep picking diva songs? To me, another poor song choice. I believe that viewers really began to get less excited about him. What a pity for such a nice smooth voice.

Anthony Federov: Everytime You Go Away
Ok. I love this song. I was ready to hammer him… But, he actually does a good job! I still prefer the original, but this was hot. Vocally his best by a mile. He injected the right emotion into the song as well.

Vonzell Solomon: Let’s Hear it for the Boy
A nice up-tempo song. This to me, is her style, rather than the power ballads she had been attempting in previous weeks. This showed off her effervescence. The range and key for the song was spot on for her. Almost perfect, plus the fun element.

Scott Savol: She’s Gone
Started out really weak, problem especially with the lower register, which continued throughout. Pitch on high notes was off. Lost me very quickly.


Carrie Underwood: Love is a Battlefield
Very ambitious choice, Pat Benetar to me is incomparable. She was definitely pitchy on some of the notes. Performance-wise she showed some energy, and appeared exhausted at the end! Apparently, she messed up the words, but if Randy didn’t say it, I think noone would have realized. As it turned out, she was sick.

Constantine Maroulis: Bohemian Rhapsody
Another great performance! Simply magical the way he worked the stage. The only downside was the theatrics were a little over the board for me. As long as he stays away from the hard-rock image, he will do well.

Overall comments:
To me, after 2 magical performances, Constantine shot up the favorites list. Vonzell remained consistently good. Carrie had her first poor show, and I began to wonder if Bo wanted to win the competition at all. Anwar slipped out of my favorites list. Nadia and Scott were the weakest tonight. I wouldn’t be surprised if either of them went.

Top 8 rankings:
Constantine
Vonzell
Anthony
Anwar, Carrie
Bo
Scot
Nadia (voted off)

Thoughts on Nadia:
I always felt that she was limited vocally, and would have to pick the right songs for herself to remain long in the show. She didn’t this week and therefore got the boot.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 9 --- Classical Musicals

Top 9: Classical Musicals Nite
Urgh! What a theme! I really liked the generic themes so far. Not only is this theme so narrow, the genre doesn’t appeal to the audience of AI.

Scott Savol: The Impossible Dream
Oh my! A sign of things to come for this episode: boring. Vocally, he sounds nice, but not a performance to remember. A few bum notes near the end, and the last note was scary.

Constantine Maroulis: My Funny Valentine
This was certainly an “Oh My Gosh” performance! I did not know that Con had this in him. As it turns out, he had some theatre training in school before, and it really showed. The arrangement was perfect. The key was perfect for his vocals. And of course he smoldered for the camera as usual. This is Con for me, a crooner. As long as forgets the rock stuff, I like him a lot.


Carrie Underwood: Hello Young Lovers
Technically, this was the best vocal performance. Maybe it was because she was unfamiliar with the song so she concentrated on getting the vocals spot on. Almost flawless. To think she never had any formal vocal training. However, the song was boring.

Vonzell Solomon: People
Like Carrie’s song, I found it boring, but with her vocal talent, as able to make something out of it. I really was considering giving up reviewing this episode. A few bad notes, but she nailed the big one at the end.

Anthony Federov: Climb Every Mountain
OK. The Sound of Music is one of my favorite shows, and this is my favorite song from it. He started out hideously (as it turned out, Simon used that word too!), and I immediately started rummaging for my Sound of Music tape. The middle was OK, but he butchered the last note big time.

Nikko Smith: One Hand, One Heart
Started out pretty rough, but he managed to infuse his modern R&B style into this song. Vocally not as polished as Carrie or Vonzell, but I enjoyed the performance. The end was very strong.

Anwar Robinson: If Ever I Would Leave You
He had a rough time with the lower range of his vocals, and I never got into the song. Another poor song choice for him. A shame since he has such a nice voice.

Bo Bice: Corner of the Sky
I wasn’t impressed when he announced how he picked this song: by closing his eyes and pointing at the song list. Sounded defeated from the start. His performance showed this, and was easily his weakest. I got the impression that he didn’t put in much effort, and was just hoping that he had enough of a fan base to make it to the next round.

Nadia Turner: As Long as He Needs Me
At this stage, I am wondering how I managed to finish the review for this episode. Nadia does OK, but like the rest, was boring. Please no more musicals.

Overall comments:
Simply put, no more musicals for heaven’s sake. I only enjoyed Constantine, and this is the first time I felt I wasted time watching the show. Again Anthony has my vote to go.

Top 9 rankings:
Constantine
Carrie, Vonzell
Nikko (voted off) , Nadia
Anwar
Scott
Bo
Anthony

Thoughts on Nikko:
I always liked Nikko from the semis, and was disappointed that he originally did not make it to the final 12. I guess that maybe the way he wore his glasses made it difficult for the audience to have eye contact with him. He definitely found this niche in R&B. Vocally not great, and he sure is smooth. I guess I wasn’t too surprised that he was the first guy to go.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 10 --- 1990's nite

Top 10: 1990’s nite
To me, this is where the real competition started, as Lindsay and Mikalah had left (they were easily the weakest). A great decade to choose from as many of the audience would be able to relate to.

Bo Bice: Remedy
I am not a rock fan, and he didn’t win me over with this performance that. It re-enforced my perception that to appeal to rock audience, one just has to hold the mic stand and move around a lot; that theatrics are more important than vocals. I still think he is pretty good, but I agreed with Simon on his “wedding” comment.

Jessica Sierra: On the Side of Angels
I am a fan of LeAnn Rimes, and to me, even though I like Jessica’s voice, it pales in comparison with LeAnn. This performance, I think, left many comparing her with LeAnn, meaning Jessica fell short this time.

Anwar Robinson: I Believe I Can Fly
This is probably the most commonly used song in AI history. And now I am bored with it. Technically he is great (again some problems with the lower range), but he is short-changing himself with his song choices. Yet to make a good song choice so far.

Nadia Turner: I'm the Only One
She probably is the only singer left who can tackle the low notes! She made a great song choice here. So far, in 3 weeks, she has had great-horrible-good weeks. It would all boil down to song choice for her.

Constantine Maroulis: I Can't Make You Love Me
I used the changeup analogy with Bo last week, and I will use it again here. Except that this changeup is more devastating! A balladry crooner, that’s what he is! Plus the staring and pouting would melt his audience’s hearts! He is definitely not a rocker.

Nikko Smith: Can We Talk
This dude is a dancer! Some problem with the start (you guessed it, lower notes), but once he got into the middle, he became the R&B Nikko I like a lot. He has certainly found his niche.

Anthony Federov: Something About the Way You Look Tonight
Somehow, I cannot erase the words “karaoke” or “boyband” when I heard this. Very pitchy performance. I think the problem with him is never quite figured out what kind of music suits him.


Carrie Underwood: Independence Day
Country Carrie singing a song by her idol, Martina McBride. To me, Martina is technically the best female singer in the country scene. Carrie had a couple of rough notes, but once again, when she hit the power notes, I really loved it, perhaps even more than Martina’s version! To me, she definitely has the best recording voice in this year’s show.

Scott Savol: One Last Cry
Very very pitchy. He never got on track with this song. To me, he really massacred this song which I really love. I was left cringing.

Vonzell Solomon: I have Nothing
Again, Vonzell decided to take on a challenging powerful song, and she pulls it off pretty well, with the exception of some glitches.

Overall comments:
At this stage, Carrie became the favorite to win, with two fantastic performances in a row. Vonzell made her way into the favorites list. Anwar needs to make better song choices, and Bo left me feeling like he didn’t really want to win the show. If Constantine decides to ditch the rocker image, he could do really well. Scot had a really rough nite, but if I had my way, I would like to see Anthony voted off. On a side note, what was with Paula Abdul? Everyone got positive comments from her!

Top 10 rankings:
Carrie
Vonzell
Constantine
Nikko
Nadia
Anwar
Jessica (voted off)
Bo
Anthony
Scott

Thoughts on Jessica:
I think what Simon said about her likeability is true. Jessica doesn’t have that heart-warming smile Carrie has to win the audience over. For her to have stayed on longer, she would have to been great every week, and unfortunately, she wasn’t great for this week.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 11 --- Billboard Number Ones

Top 11: Billboard number ones
This theme, in my opinion, should be chosen every season. A whole list of number one songs to choose from. Could the singers improve on the previous week’s performance?

Anthony Federov: Waiting for Me
Ok, first I need to comment on those dance moves, which horrified me a lot. Had a few bum notes on the lower range. This was certainly better than the previous week. If the previous week as karaoke, this was a boyband; nothing fantastic but decent enough.


Carrie Underwood: Alone
Started out with some minor problems on the lower register, but once she hit the power notes, I was WOW! I really liked Heart’s version, but Carrie’s was hotter! This song showed her weakness (lower range), and strength (higher, power notes). She was dressed like a diva too! Certainly a performance for the memories. Amazing that she could still improve vocally.

Scott Savol: Against All Odds
Listening to him, I must admit he really has a nice voice. Not sure about the strip act though, which spoiled an otherwise strong vocal performance. It’s a pity that his personality and looks are not better.

Bo Bice: Time in a Bottle
This was a changeup thrown by Mr Bice. A nice change of pace for the rocker, but not a devastating one. It was nice to see a different side of him, and I had a little more respect for Bo as a musician after this.

Nikko Smith: Incomplete
This is his style: modern R&B! He certainly has the moves and voice for this genre! I loved this performance. But one criticism: get rid of those glasses! It would be difficult to connect with the audience without the eye contact. Vocally, he did have a few bad notes.

Vonzell Solomon: Best of My Love
I really liked the energy Vonzell brought along with this performance. Vocally, she doesn’t have the power of AI3’s Latoya London. More up-tempo songs, instead of pwer ballads, would suit her more.

Constatine Maroulis: I Think I Love You
Hmmm… A weird performance for me. However, the way he stares and pouts for the camera will make his target audience go crazy. When I compare him with Bo though, I prefer Bo by a mile. Very very weird performance.

Nadia Turner: Time After Time
She was certainly the best last week, but she fell flat on her face with this. For me, this proved what I thought about her: that she is limited vocally. This week, to me, exposed this. I started thinking of the original version of the song very soon. The only thing memorable was the giant Mohawk.

Mikalah Gordon: Love Will Lead You Back
This was a toned down performance which killed her only strength: personality. Enough said.

Anwar Robinson: Ain’t Nobody
What is Anwar thinking of doing a song by a diva like Chaka Khan??? I felt weird throughout the whole performance. To me, this is the disadvantage guys have compared to girls: guys can’t do songs by female divas; on the other hand, girls can get away doing songs sung by guy crooners.

Jessica Sierra: Total Eclipse of My Heart
Like Carrie, some problem with the lower range (as the season unfolded, this problem surfaced for many of the singers). Once she kicked into the power vocals, it was plain sailing.

Overall comments:
A great show. Well, what else could be expected with 11 number one hits? Carrie and Jessica were by far, the standouts of the week. Mikalah had to go home after this.

Top 11 performance rankings:
Carrie
Jessica
Vonzell
Scott
Bo
Nikko
Anwar
Constantine
Anthony
Nadia
Mikalah (voted off)

Thoughts on Mikalah:
To me, it was a travesty she made it to the final 12. She has absolutely no voice. But I think she could make a career hosting some crazy show.

American Idol 4 Episode Review: Top 12 --- 1960s nite

OK, I admit I am bored. So what did I do? I rewatched the whole Season 4 of American Idol and decided to critique each performance. I have absolutely no musical training, and if you notice that my comments for Carrie’s performances are a bit longer, it’s because I am a fan of hers. So here are my comments from each of the shows from the top 12 on.

Top 12: 1960s nite
First of all, I didn’t really like the fact that for this season, we had to have 6 guys and 6 girls in the final twelve. It’s a pity that Mario Vazquez dropped out. With Mario out, my initial thought was that either Carrie or Bo would win the show. Glad that Nikko Smith was back as I thought he deserved the place more than Mikalah Gordon. I also thought that Amanda Avila could have been here instead of the abovementioned Mikalah.

Jessica Sierra: Shop Around
No doubt she is a good singer, which appeals to me. American Idol, after all, is a singing competition. She did have a few bum notes on the lower range of her voice. However, the performance was not too inspiring. Not a breakout, just pretty decent.

Anwar Robinson: A House is Not A Home
Background as a music teacher showed as pitch-wise, he was nearly flawless. However, the song kind of had me distracted, as I was looking at my clock: boring! He definitely has to pick better songs.

Mikalah Gordon: Son of A Preacher Man
To me, she was only in because of her personality, and I agree with Simon’s comments in the semi-finals that half the audience would find her amusing, and the other half, annoying. I belong to the latter group. To me, considering how bad her performances in the semis, this was decent. Definitely karaoke-like.

Constantine Maroulis: You’ve Made Me so Very Happy
Motown meets rock. Interesting. I like this song, and seeing Constantine doing it his way made me yearn for the original; not a great sign, but he did pretty good. Glad that he toned down his rocker image as I feel it doesn’t suit him. And what was that last note??!!

Lindsay Cardinale: Knock on Wood
She started out decently, but lost me big time in the chorus. She has a nice low husky voice that unfortunately, can be easily and cruelly exposed, since it will limit her to some types of songs (which I can’t think of at the moment). For me, I still think her audition was her best performance; not building on the promise.

Anthony Federov: Breaking Up is Hard to Do
Unfortunately, he will always remind me of a poor man’s version of Clay Aiken. Vocally he was OK, but like Mikalah, the word “karaoke” popped into my mind.

Nadia Turner: You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me
The moment Nadia started this song, you know she is going to nail it. Her low, rock-ish voice really gave this song a nice edge. I never thought of the original, which meant that I really liked her performance.

Bo Bice: Spinning Wheel
This song suited his rocker image. His experience of performing with his band paid off, as he really owned the stage. Vocally, he is not the best in the show, but he certainly knows how to use it.

Vonzell Solomon: Anyone Who Had a Heart
She looks great in her gown! Quite a challenge taking on Dionne Warwick, and sadly for Vonzell, I began to think of Dionne’s version as she sang this. She may have bitten off than she could chew. She has a sweet voice that isn’t quite suited for this.

Scott Savol: Ain’t too Proud to Beg
OK. I sat up right away since I remembered George Huff performing this song brilliantly in AI3. Scot has a nice tone to his voice, and gave this motown classic a nice and different edge. I never liked his personality, but I must give him his props for this!


Carrie Underwood: When Will I be Loved
Vocally, she is spot-on. I have always felt that Anwar may be technically the best vocalist; but Carrie has the nicest sweetest voice this season (which is amazingly untrained), which hopefully will be further developed later on with help from a vocal coach. This song does nothing to change that opinion. She tried to pick an up-tempo song to show personality. Showmanship-wise, she will definitely lose out to Bo, Constantine and Nadia. She will win with her vocals.

Nikko Smith: I want You Back
Started out OK, but lost it very soon. Given that he had not much time to prepare, I’ll give him a pass.

Overall comments:
Maybe it was the theme, but the show kind of left me cold. At this stage, I could only see 4 people winning it: Anwar, Nadia, Bo and Carrie. Anwar and Carrie need to pick better songs, and I have always felt that Nadia is somewhat limited vocally. My vote was for Mikalah to go home; but I wasn’t too surprised that Lindsay got the boot.

Top 12 performance rankings:
Nadia
Bo
Scott
Carrie
Anwar
Constantine
Jessica, Vonzell
Anthony
Nikko
Lindsay (voted off)
Mikalah

Thoughts on Lindsay:
I remembered I was impressed a lot by her during the auditions, but throughout the semis and the top 12, I felt that she never built on her promise and actually regressed.