American Idol – top 4 review
Posted on 10. May, 2009 by Per Bristow in American Idol, Performance, Singing
American Idol is down to 4 performers and as usual I'll give you my take with the intent of looking at what we can learn from these performances. Last week I got attacked for blasting and ripping apart a performer. How about that? There is a first for everything.
So once again (just as I did last week), I'll start off by saying that we have 4 really great singers and performers here. That doesn't mean there is no room for improvement. In fact, the reason that Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Danny Gokey has come so far, is because they are always working on improving their craft. If they hadn't been open to ciriticism they wouldn't have gotten this far. I suggest we all are open for criticism if it is in an effort to point out what can be even better. We also all need to be able to dismiss opinions that don't help us. Need I say that this is only my opinion? Here is my opinion of this week…
Adam Lambert – Whole Lotta Love
Only Adam Lambert can take on Led Zeppelin and get away with it. Once again a superb performance. I have been even more excited with some of Adam’s previous performances, but that is mostly because I don’t love this song all that much. It’s a little on the monotone side in the high range for me. Adam also has great depth to his voice and I love it when he mixes it up.
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/adam_lambert_whole_lotta_love
Allison Iraheta – Cry Baby
Another solid performance from Allison. I felt she was working a little unnecessary hard in the volume department, and it became a little more shouting than normally, instead of just raw and edgy. But once again, she was absolutely truthful in her expression. Allison is going to have great career no doubt. Hope she keeps her voice in shape.
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/allison_iraheta_cry_baby
Kris Allen – Come Together
I give Kris the prize for the most improved. He has grown into a bona fide star and if he finds the right material I think he will have a great career. There is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to his vocal abilities, but the great thing about Kris is his personality and musicality that he puts into each song choice. He is cool and does his thing with joy and passion.
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/kris_allen_come_together
Danny Gokey – Dream On
I love Danny and think he is a terrific singer and great musician and artist. I’d better state that first before someone decides to attack me for trashing someone. However, I did not feel that this was Danny at his best. I think Michael’s John’s made a big mistake last year when he chose to sing Dream On and feel the same with Danny. Few people can pull off those rock screams truthfully. Danny stated in the interview before that he felt the pressure of everyone expecting the scream at the end.
I’ll share a secret with you singers out there who would like to accomplish those rock screams: IT IS NOT ABOUT VOLUME.
The distortion does not come from volume. Here Danny screamed until he was blue in his face and totally blew his vocal cords apart and there was no pitch what so ever in the scream. This is in stark contrast to a Steve Tyler who screams on pitch but with extreme distortion. Luckily, Danny’s was covered in extreme reverb and light effects so it still came across as kind of cool.
And we certainly can't accuse him for holding back, so good for him
The thing is that I really didn’t feel that Danny was connected to what he was singing about – not in the beginning and not in the end. He pushed so hard in the chorus that it became aggressive. The text of Dream On is not aggressive at all – it is exceptionally inspirational – a cry to “dream on” and “sing with me” before it is too late. Steve Tyler in Aerosmith (who did it originally), does not have to scream that forcefully with volume to accomplish the distortion in the high pitch. Less physical effort and more true passion is the name of the game. I still think Danny is awesome, though 
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/danny_gokey_dream_on
By the way, did you see Allison Iraheta’s goodbye performance of Cry Baby? She took it to another level and completely owned the stage. Brilliant!
What do you think?
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mand
16. May, 2009
I agree with Judy, Adam to win! just as long as everyone votes and doesn,t just assume he,s gonna walk it, he i feel has been in a class of his own all the way through this competition and is the only contestant that i feel will be able to fill the AI shoes, Danny has an incredible voice too but if Adam had sung dream on he would of blown us all away Danny should of left this song alone too big for him he,s good but wrong song i can see Steve tyler and Adam recording something together !!
Judy
11. May, 2009
It will be sad to see anyone go at this point, they all have worked so hard. I especially enjoyed Adam and Allison’s duet. I heard it on an mp3 audio first. It was hard to tell their voices apart. They were so energized and having so much fun! That seems to be key to an outstanding performance aside from talent. I am 61 and don’t like hard rock much, but I am completely captivated by Adam Lambert, no matter what he sings. He is authentic, soulful, passionate, gifted and he is always HAVING FUN! He was so at home in his rock performance I watched it several times as well as the duet. I am not compelled to watch the other finalists more than once. I feel strongly Adam will win. At this point they all really win.
Natalie
11. May, 2009
Adam was in my opinion amazing. Maybe he does have a high voice but he can also go really low which shoes he doesnt have a feminist voice he just has an incredible vocal range. He took one of my fave rock songs and owned it. Plus he looked really sexy while performing it. With Kris I thought he did stay in the sift rock section but he isnt a rock style singer and I thought his performance of Come Together was catchy and fun. With Alison I thought she done really well I loved the emotion she put into her performance although I do agree that at certain points she was trying to hard with volume. I was sorry to see her leave as I liked her when she picked good songs. With Danny I agree that his scream was quite hard to listen too. I think at certain points it was in tune but mainly not and very sore on the ears. But I dont like it when Steve Tyler does his screams either although I do understand what you mean by him still having pitch. But before that I really liked him and I love that song but I was dreading the scream. I will be miserable whoever leave this week but I will be devastated if Adam leaves and will probably not watch the show, well no I will but I will sulk the whole way through it. I like Danny and Kris but Adam is the only one who I love every week and who doesnt disapoint. Sometime I really like Danny and Kris but sometimes I hate their song choice or vocals.
Cameron
11. May, 2009
I tend to agree with Per about Danny in this week’s performances. he did not pull off the high screams properly – it was just screaming loud without any pitch quality. Overall, I think Danny is a good all-around singer, flexible and able to adapt to many diverse types of songs… but– we’ve heard it all before – nothing particularly special about him.
Chris has something special – he has his own sound – and his own style. When you hear him you know it’s Chris. To make it these days you need to have something that distinguishes you from other artists. Chris also has good stage presence. By the way, Chris was obviously pissed at the end of the duet in the previous week, in which Danny upstaged him a bit. Gotta watch that emotional reaction, Chris – it’s all about professionalism.
Allison – I love her gritty voice, she is amazing for her age… imagine how good she will be when she has a few more years of performing experience behind her. I think it was a night and day difference between her first performance of Cray Baby and the farewell performance of it. Her farewell performance made me think, And you guys are sending her home??
Adam – He’s the whole package and that package will sell itself. I read the negative comment about Adam here from Pavel and I have to say… I don’t really care if he’s a “feministic child” or not… he has the right sound and a real today look that works in today’s market. He’ll go far by being the kind of performer the hip younger crowd seems to like these days.
Matt – Same as Danny – good all-around singer, but stuck with not being special. I can see him playing casinos or jazz/blues clubs. Not really Billboard material.
Don’t shoot me – it’s just and opinion – from a singer with 25+ years under the stage lights, and having performed most of these classic rock songs for live audiences a million times myself, I understand all to well the challenges these young singers face.
Cheers,
-=Cameron
Jorj
11. May, 2009
Wow, ouch. I’ll just say that Adam has an amazing voice and range. Good, solid tone throughout. And watching him sing, and the ease with which he does so (rarely even pulling away from the mic), I’m guessing he mainly stays within his mixed and head registers, with not much chest. Would you agree? I’m mainly a rock singer, myself, and can also sing in that same range, but I tend to have trouble in the upper middle area, where Adam pulls it off nicely. This is just my opinion, but I believe that he’s the best AI has ever had. But I’m kinda hoping he doesn’t win. Runners-up usually do better for themselves.
Joan Dean
11. May, 2009
I found all these so called singers to be screamers and yellers. To me this is not singing! If this kind of noise is what you are teaching, I doubt I shall stay with the programme.
pavel
11. May, 2009
They all are doing the best work. Anyway, it’s not my style I would buy. The best artist I found Danny. Adam the worst. I don’t know, is he a girl or a man – both, image and voice. The expression in his face try to make us believe he’s a hard, earnest, angry. But the rest of his image shows us, he’s a spoiled feministic child. It makes him as artist unbelievable. The worst, his smile is not from his heart, but conceited. He trys to look like Elvis, but keeps on the feminin part. Not my taste
andrew emmet
10. May, 2009
There’s something about performances on these sort of TV shows that I don’t like, which is why I don’t watch them.[I did watch these videos though] It’s not to do with the skill of these singers, they were all pretty amazing, but they’re trying to sell something, to the judges and audience. If you watch videos of bands, mostly they just present the song in their own way. It’s not the big sell.
Anyone else see it the same way?
Andrew
Lori Greif
10. May, 2009
it was very disappointing to see Allison leave the show. I certainly felt that she and Adam would be the two remaining finalists. Kris is cute and appealing to the teeny boppers. yes, Danny is a good singer, but neither one compares to Adam Lambert. We are talking apples & oranges. I still maintain that he is a talented performer & already has star potential. He is focused and listens to what has to be done.
shawn
10. May, 2009
Kris has really grown on me. Didn’t think much of him at first, but now he’s my favorite. 4 solid performances.
MaxxNY
10. May, 2009
did you see Paula Abdul lip sync ? lol . . .