Thank you :)
And lo, the West Coast Wrapup was beheld on the thread ....
[I didn't take good notes tonight, I'm tired and headachey and isn't it a good thing I'm not one of the judges? :) ]
Lisa - You're going to look great on Broadway! ... in the chorus.
Kellie - Well, her makeup finally looked really good tonight. But I agreed with Simon that it was not a good song choice. That song is one of those throwaway songs that singers need in their repertoire to rest their voices during a concert between a couple of difficult songs. It certainly is not the sort of thing to really strut your stuff. Somebody tell me again, why does Simon think the Gherkin is going to win this thing?
Ace - What beautiful lyrics that song has! But one of Ace's weaker performances (and goodness knows that isn't saying much). Danger, Will Robinson, danger! (of going home)
Bucky - Well, if I could have heard him over the band, and understood the lyrics, I think I might have liked this performance. Also in danger. (Duh. What else is new?)
Taylor - Must be back on his meds again! :) (Kidding, kidding!) He was in good voice tonight but that song wasn't exactly a show-stopper, was it? (Memo to Taylor: Never, ever again wear a short jacket on TV. The man has a certified Big Butt.)
Mandisa - Hate to say anything negative about my favorite in this horse race, but that song did her no favors. The "tune," such as it was, was all over the place, and the quick tempo did not allow her to really develop any notes and show off her stuff. Plus she was pitchy. I understand that she liked the sentiment, but WHEN are singers going to learn not to pick songs because their grandmother likes them or whatever? However, when I voted for her, I got a number of busy signals, so perhaps this won't count against her. (Oh, and Memo to Mandisa: The tight jeans do you no favors. Stick to dresses whenever possible.)
Chris - Not my favorite of his performances. At all. I am not big on metal rock (or whatever you call that style), and he sort of shouted his way through the whole thing. Chris needs to realize that his fan base is WOMEN, who are more into cute Alt-rock stars with sexy, growly voices than they are into angry metal rockers. Betcha he gets fewer votes this week than last week.
McPhee - My DH liked it; I didn't. Her upper register is sort of squealy or squeaky or something -- can't put my finger on it -- and does not mesh well with her lower register (which is, I must admit, very good). That, plus the fact that I am biologically unequipped to appreciate her mammaries in the way that so many others apparently do, put her in the bottom half of the evening for me.
Paris - You know, I find her so acutely boring that I can't even comment legitimately on her performance. Next ....
Elliott - I was not impressed by this week's song, but voted for him because of the promise he has shown in other performances. He's in danger, though.
*******
This week's show in general was a problem for me because of a problem that I have with music from the last five or six years or so. I find it very ... complicated. And not very melodic. There are so many sort of repetitive songs that lean on a catchy rhythm and use about five notes, and they all sound the same to me. Much of the music tonight was of this type and it does almost as little for me as metal rock.
Snooze ....