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- Ann Powers: Underconfident, the Idols overreach
- Wednesday ‘Idol’ chat at 1 p.m.
- Lacey Brown Talks About Her Experience
- With Radiohead and Devendra Banhart on deck, was Lilly Scott forced out?
- Lacey Brown banters with David Letterman
- VIDEO: Idol Confessions with Anoop Desai
- Today in ‘Idol’: Top 11 take on Billboard chart-toppers, Kris Allen visits the ‘Dream’ house
- Steve Lillywhite ‘Idol’ campaign continues with ‘get to know me’ clip
| Ann Powers: Underconfident, the Idols overreach Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT
In the ancient world, hubris was the sin a blindly arrogant hero might commit before the gods — dragging around the corpse of somebody he's vanquished, for example, or desecrating a temple out of sheer carelessness. In more current psychological or spiritual terms, hubris is a symptom of being out of touch with yourself; unlike the freeing kind of pride, which is deserved and heartening, hubris bangs around like a toddler showing off the newfound ability to run. That's what it seemed like on this most unfortunate of Idol episodes. It suffered from the lethal combination of a mentor who, though decent, didn't earn a lot of respect from her charges; a meaningless theme, Billboard No. 1 hits; and the curse of this season as a whole — a group of survivors who lack both inner strength and the crucial Idol spirit of daring fun. 17-year-old Miley Cyrus actually gave decent advice to most contestants, but besides the crushed-out teens Aaron Kelly and Katie Stevens – who accepted her guidance and did well — few of the hopefuls clutching sheet music in front of her seemed to absorb what she said. "I'm a big fan — of your dad," said 27-year-old Casey James, as if to tell himself to step away from the jail bait. That kind of deliberate refusal to engage extended from the mentor sessions with Cyrus to the performances themselves, which betrayed (mostly) great material with lack of imagination. The night started out dismally when inexplicable judges' favorite Lee Dewyze performed "The Letter" by the Box Tops. It seemed that our own Idol Tracker blogger Shirley Halperin's dream had come true, and the most mainstream pop show ever was honoring one of rock's great unknown legends: Alex Chilton, who sang that hit for that group, co-founded the great band Big Star, and inspired many an indie rock band. After groaning out the song in the style of Joe Cocker, Dewyze was critiqued and departed without mention of Chilton. Somewhere, Clio, the muse of history, reeled from that slap in the face. Nothing that followed really lifted the show beyond that stupid beginning. A few turns were solid. The hippie-rific Crystal Bowersox served up her specialty, bluesy rock, with a take on the Janis Joplin-identified "Me and Bobby McGee." Simon Cowell, keeping the spirit of ahistoricism alive, compared her to Pink. Kelly, singing the ballad Diane Warren gave Aerosmith, did fine; so did Stevens, imitating Fergie. Michael Lynche opted for gritty classic soul and predictably delivered. Siobhan Magnus closed the show with a Stevie Wonder song that she attacked as if she were a dragon slayer, but her pluck and that inimitable screech didn't make up for the fact that she showed no personal connection with the song. Those were the highlights. Let us not speak at length of the off-tune and miserable Paige Miles, the frowny Didi Benami, the Tom Cruise-in-Risky-Business-channeling Tim Urban, or the utterly lost Andrew Garcia. These would-be stars showed so little charisma that it seems odd to accuse them of arrogance. Yet their vanity showed in their failure to exhibit any sense of what these hugely beloved songs (from the likes of Marvin Gaye and Queen) meant to their original audiences, or have come to mean over the years. It all made you appreciate James, who knows himself well enough to never get above his station. He chose a Huey Lewis song, the kind of often-dismissed crowd favorite that doesn't require an Idol to give the performance of his life — just something decent and friendly. Playing concise, tasty guitar and singing with grit, he delivered exactly what the song required. No deity of the Top 40 would have been offended. James will certainly live to perform again, and work on the real confidence all of these would-be champions need. – Ann Powers Photo: Andrew Garcia on "American Idol." Credit: Michael Becker/Picture Group
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| Wednesday ‘Idol’ chat at 1 p.m. Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT Idol Tracker's weekly post-show chat will take place on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PDT. Our special guest this week: Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers. Sign up early and we'll see you there! Or, here. &amplta href=&ampquothttp://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=5a6152539f" >'American Idol' chat</a>
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| Lacey Brown Talks About Her Experience Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT Lacey Brown, the two-time Idol auditioner from Amarillo, made it to twelfth place this season. She is glad she gave American Idol another chance after being turned away at the very end of Season 8s auditions. Im one of those people that gets very competitive, and I decided its way too much fun of an experience to not try again, to try to get further if I would have made it into the top, Lacey explained. Im really glad that I decided to come back because I needed to work on a couple things and come back and get further in the competition, and so Im really glad that I decided to come back, but that wasnt a hard decision at all because just everybody thats involved in the show and, you know, all the contestants, all the relationships, everything about this has just been a blast for me. The singer talked about her decision to sing slower songs instead of more upbeat hits. Lacey said, The issue that I was having is, I really love to sing ballads. I love telling a story with a song. I love the emotion of the song. Im very artsy, so that side of me comes out when I sing. And so I think I kept picking songs that I really loved to sing and really felt, and maybe it didnt transfer as well stage wise. And so maybe that was it, but I wouldnt have changed any of it because that’s who I am. Even though Im a bubbly happy person, not every song that I sing is going to be up-tempo. After Lacey was eliminated from the show, the judges approached her and … read more
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| With Radiohead and Devendra Banhart on deck, was Lilly Scott forced out? Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT
Still, in speaking with Lilly Scott upon her return to Denver on Thursday, we got the distinct impression that maybe the producers weren't all that keen on her "quirky" manner after all, particularly when it came to song choice. "Radiohead's 'Nude' was the first song I asked for over the first three weeks," she explained. "[The producers] said, 'That's not a very common song, nobody's going to relate to that.' And I was, like, 'Well I know some people that will.' " If she had things her way, Lilly added, "I would've pulled out some Devendra Banhart or Animal Collective — two artists who really inspire me that nobody really knows about in the 'Idol' world." Instead, Lilly contends, she was encouraged to stick closer to classic rock territory. And that Radiohead song (see video below) she hoped to clear? "They didn't even try," she says. "Because they claimed it was not a good choice." The question of how much influence a producer can exert over a contestant's song for the week has become something of a hot topic since the recent ouster of Alex Lambert. Sure, he For her part, Lilly Scott says she was never explicitly told "you should pick a different song," but that the multi-tiered process only added to the mixed messages she was getting from the judges. "It definitely goes through several people who have to approve [your song]," she explained. "But the producers seemed excited about my selections, so it was just another thing to add to my confusion of why I got cut." On the other hand, "Idol" is a massive, multi-million dollar machine that can't take any chances. And one of the reasons it's been so successful is because the audience at home is familiar with the repertoire. They can respond to the actual performance, good or bad, or the song itself, and they can often relate. Perhaps the viewer has made a previous attempt to karaoke the same song and thinks, maybe he/she can do it better? More likely not, but it's the chase of the dream that keeps people tuned in. The last thing a producer wants is to give even the most casual "Idol" observer a reason to tune out. And, let's face it, the trick to winning this popularity contest is not only appeasing the voting audience, but winning over the executives and playing the behind-the-scenes game flawlessly, too. So what's the right way to approach a contestant who's hell-bent on going rogue? I'd like to tell the producers to trust them a little. Give these kids the benefit of the doubt and let them do songs that are true to the kind of artists they want to be. Also, don't assume that they don't know anything about anything. Case in point: Lilly's final "Idol" montage in which she was seen surrounded by synthesizers of every persuasion was a standout moment of credibility, yet band leader and musical arranger Rickey Minor taunted her for supposedly pronouncing leading synth maker Moog wrong (the correct way to say it is "mow" with a "g" tacked on at the end – listen to this BBC snippet for a demonstration). "He and a couple guys from the band were, like, 'It's moo-g.' They were looking at me like I'm an idiot, but I've definitely watched the Moog documentary where Bob Moog himself says the word, like, a million times. So I said, 'I'm pretty sure it's mow-g, but I didn't want to rub it in his face." Too late for that, but we have to join Lilly in sentiment — really, Rickey? For shame. What do you make of all this? Should the contestants be allowed truly independent choices, even if they do end up digging their own graves? Or is the "Idol" formula better left untampered? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Above photo: Lilly Scott sings "A Change is Gonna Come" on the March 3 episode of "American Idol." Credit: Frank Micelotta / Fox Bottom photo: Alex Lambert backstage before his elimination on March 11. Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup
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| Lacey Brown banters with David Letterman Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT David Letterman and Paul Shaffer don't seem to know a whole lot about "American Idol," at least judging from their baffled banter on the "Late Show with David Letterman" Monday night, but that's not stopping them from hosting each "Idol" finalist as he or she is voted off the show. "This is the first finalist to be voted off – kicked off, actually – kicked — the first — the first finalist to be kicked off 'American Idol.' Please welcome Lacey Brown, everybody," Shaffer said by way of halting introduction. Lacey did a lovely, abbreviated rendition of "What a Wonderful World," showcasing the quirky vocal style that earned her a spot in the top 12. But first, Letterman asked her to explain the voting process, revealing along the way that he did know at least one thing about "Idol." "Are the voters influenced by the judges? Because I know that Simon Cowell guy is — he's insane," Letterman said. "Is that part of the problem?" "I think that might be it," Lacey gamely replied. And when Letterman asked her what she won for coming in 12th on "Idol," the flame-haired singer didn't miss a beat. "The David Letterman show," she said, with just a hint of irony. Said Letterman, "That really puts it in perspective." Indeed, it does. Watch the video below: – Amy Reiter RELATED: Lacey Brown looks back on her time in La-La Land Lacey Brown: 'I had the strangest feeling I was going home'
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| VIDEO: Idol Confessions with Anoop Desai Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT In the second of our 2010 "Idol" Confessions series, Anoop Desai (whose debut single, "My Name," is being released Tuesday) reflects on his season's visit to Detroit, where he got to tour Motown headquarters and later sing to Smokey Robinson! Check back every week for new sit-downs with "Idol" alums, and view Idol Tracker's video archive here. Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Today in ‘Idol’: Top 11 take on Billboard chart-toppers, Kris Allen visits the ‘Dream’ house Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT
With the Top 11 set to take the stage for Tuesday's two-hour performance show, the pressure is on for Tim Urban and Paige Myles, who both squeaked by last week. The theme: Billboard No. 1s, of which there is no shortage over the last 50 years (see Wikipedia's list here). Who will go old school and who'll opt for current pop hits? Will Andrew Garcia finally return to his former glory? Will Crystal Bowersox change it up a little? And what, oh what, will Siobhan Magnus do? Tune in Tuesday to find out. (Fox, 8 p.m.) Elsewhere in Hollywood, Season 8 winner Kris Allen will be stopping by the "If I Can Dream House," just as Season 7's David Cook did last week, for a hang with the five aspiring stars. Yours truly will be tagging along again, although beer pong may not necessarily be in the cards tonight. Too bad we can't all just sit around and watch "Idol!" And for those in Miami, Season 2's Kimberley Locke performs at dance music confab the Winter Music Conference on Tuesday. Her single, "Strobe Light" (produced by Randy Jackson) is also out today. Check her myspace for a preview. Lastly: a reminder that Wednesday at 1 p.m. PDT, we'll be hosting our weekly chat. We'll be joined by a special guest, L.A. Times music critic Ann Powers. Come one, come all to get your "Idol" on. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Season 9's Top 11 pose with guest mentor Miley Cyrus. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox
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| Steve Lillywhite ‘Idol’ campaign continues with ‘get to know me’ clip Posted: 24 Mar 2010 04:03 AM PDT Rock producer Steve Lillywhite has produced another video aimed at better familiarizing the public with his talent-judging credentials. The British sound maestro is still determined to throw his hat into the ring to replace Simon Cowell, and in the latest clip (shot in London), he recounts tales of his early days working with U2, and shows off his table tennis might. Surprisingly, though, he doesn't mention "Idol" at all. Why? "This is about showing who I am, how I work and my obsession with sound," Lillywhite told Idol Tracker. "I think it actually shows more of my personality than the previous one." To date, says Lillywhite, he hasn't heard from the show's producers in any official capacity, but in looking at the current judging panel, he points to one area that he could improve on: focus. "Like Ellen [DeGeneres] has her other job, and everyone seems to have other things they're doing " he explained. "I would give it my all. It would be my absolute focus." Lillywhite promised another, "more 'Idol'-related" video coming very soon, which we'll most certainly post in due haste, but what do you make of his campaign so far? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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