Web Search powered by Yahoo! SEARCH
in response to C_Blank: As someone who watched every episode of "American Idol" and thoroughly expected Adam to win, my review saddens even me to read. But for his performance Sunday night, Adam's voice was all over the place. It's my opinion, and I'm sticking by it. I was in the 8th row for the first half of his set, and moved up to a suite to hear the second half. There were times his voice sounded like someone playing a Theremin. Only during "Mad World" did he stop flaunting that much-beloved range of his to display the tender, controlled, dramatic side of his voice. Often, he careened around the melodies ("Whole Lotta Love," whole lotta screaming!), even when the lyrics didn't call for it. And no, he wasn't consistently pitch perfect either. Sorry, he wasn't. Great performer, yes. Great vocal performance, no. Vocally and musically, Kris played a spectacular though conservative set. He was consistent. He was the apparent bandleader. He focused on the sound and arrangements more than the pomp and circumstance. Will I buy Kris Allen's album? We'll wait and see what this guy can do in the studio. I'm more interested in Adam's stuff, personally. Also, I don't believe there's anything homophobic or condescending about comparing Adam's costume choice (a diamond-studded leather biker jacket with the tails of a concert pianist) to the dungeon-leather getups of Rob Halford and the rhinestoned flamboyance of the pianist Liberace, two performers with distinctive styles that appear to mesh in Adam's outfit. However, both Halford and Liberace certainly used their costumes to enhance the sexual intrigue and ambiguity of their stage personas. I have no doubt, judging by the way Adam stroked the microphone stand between his legs and gestured to his crotch as he screamed "every inch of my love," that he intends for his apparel to raise eyebrows in a similarly sexualized way, just as David Bowie did in the era of Hunky Dory. To take the argument a step further, I think that people who would NOT want to talk about his ambiguous sex appeal onstage do him a great disservice as an artist. Here is the first openly gay performer on an Idol tour singing to conservative southern families while wearing eye-liner and making phallic gestures with a microphone. The rest of the American Idol finalists are eunuchs by comparison. To me, Adam's bold sexual statement -- gay, straight, whatever -- deserves to be discussed and analyzed. Cheers,cb
in response to C_Blank:
As someone who watched every episode of "American Idol" and thoroughly expected Adam to win, my review saddens even me to read.
But for his performance Sunday night, Adam's voice was all over the place. It's my opinion, and I'm sticking by it. I was in the 8th row for the first half of his set, and moved up to a suite to hear the second half.
There were times his voice sounded like someone playing a Theremin. Only during "Mad World" did he stop flaunting that much-beloved range of his to display the tender, controlled, dramatic side of his voice. Often, he careened around the melodies ("Whole Lotta Love," whole lotta screaming!), even when the lyrics didn't call for it. And no, he wasn't consistently pitch perfect either. Sorry, he wasn't. Great performer, yes. Great vocal performance, no.
Vocally and musically, Kris played a spectacular though conservative set. He was consistent. He was the apparent bandleader. He focused on the sound and arrangements more than the pomp and circumstance. Will I buy Kris Allen's album? We'll wait and see what this guy can do in the studio. I'm more interested in Adam's stuff, personally.
Also, I don't believe there's anything homophobic or condescending about comparing Adam's costume choice (a diamond-studded leather biker jacket with the tails of a concert pianist) to the dungeon-leather getups of Rob Halford and the rhinestoned flamboyance of the pianist Liberace, two performers with distinctive styles that appear to mesh in Adam's outfit.
However, both Halford and Liberace certainly used their costumes to enhance the sexual intrigue and ambiguity of their stage personas. I have no doubt, judging by the way Adam stroked the microphone stand between his legs and gestured to his crotch as he screamed "every inch of my love," that he intends for his apparel to raise eyebrows in a similarly sexualized way, just as David Bowie did in the era of Hunky Dory.
To take the argument a step further, I think that people who would NOT want to talk about his ambiguous sex appeal onstage do him a great disservice as an artist. Here is the first openly gay performer on an Idol tour singing to conservative southern families while wearing eye-liner and making phallic gestures with a microphone. The rest of the American Idol finalists are eunuchs by comparison. To me, Adam's bold sexual statement -- gay, straight, whatever -- deserves to be discussed and analyzed.
Cheers,cb
It does not bother me that you dont like Adam's clothes or style. However, two things in your review bothered me because they differ from every other single review we have seem until now: the reaction of the crowd and Adam's voice.
When I read this article I had already read many review from fans, as well as tweets, reporting that Adam got the most cheers, as happened in all the concerts except Arkansas. So, what do you mean with "masses"? Kris got the votes, Adam got the cheers at concerts and press love. Isn't it true? Or are the other thousand reports wrong?
As for Adam's voices, this was also a first. I had never read any report on him having bad vocals. I was not there and you were, but a lot of people also were and they usually beg to differ. Whatever. I am still under the impression that you dont like his style and are mixing it up with a straight vocal analysis.
As for Kris, the thing that always prevented me from having him as a favorite (besides not enjoying vanilla earnes very much) was exactly what you said about his set being conservative. It is not only stylistically conservative, it is also vocally limited. Kris knows his voice and chooses wisely, so the results are fine. But it is impossible to compare to Adam's set, which has always been extremely hard to sing. I have always found this a bit unfair. How can you compare them without taking it into account? It is like managing not falling apart in a very simple gymnastics routine, compared to having minimum flaws in an extremely complex one.
Of course, they should know what to choose, but this are the only a 5 songs set concert they will have. They have a career to build and the ability to do different things will mean a big advantadge at some point.
Oh, and in another note, Liberace? Halford? Seriously? Any prejudice? Thanks God the good farm all-American boy is not as judgemental as you and loves Adam to death.
This review is funny! It is exactly because Adam is Adam that we love him... He is the sweetest person out of the stage, but very confident when performing. One has to know how to differentiate his stage persona from real life. And his voice...
And I dont see how playing for the "true american idol demographic" can be any good. It is good for winning a title, but it is terrible for success/longevity. Idol watchers next year will just move on to the next good boy with a good voice and a generic sound.
After 8 seasons, everybody knows that the idols that succeed are the ones who are able to get fans outside the idol bubble. That is exactly why Cookie is having a college tour rather than a regular one.
Time will tell how things unfold.
