American Idol Season 11 • Top 7 Results (Take 2)

I guess the first thing I can think of saying tonight is that someone will be going home, that is sure. No more judges' saves, just voting for elimination, one week at a time. We have no idea who will be leaving tonight, for it could be Jessica, Elise or Joshua, who were in the bottom three last week. There were also a few weak performances last night, and they could have put new people in jeopardy. Only time will tell.

Clockwise: The Season 11 Top 7; LMFAO; and Kris Allen.

Soon the judges are introduced, and Crusty, too. He can't wait to announce that last night there were 53 million votes cast, the highest of the season. I have to say, that is the first time we were given numbers in a couple of weeks. He also announces we will hear the new single from Season 8 winner Kris Allen, and the latest from party rockers LMFAO. But until then, the Top 7 will perform Dancing In The Streets, the great song by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.



That was a hit for the Motown girl group in 1964, recorded on the Hitsville, USA label. Quickly, Crusty reminds us that there is a final coming up, and perhaps it is already written in the stars. The kids are singing Stars by Switchfoot.



Back to business, and Crusty calls Hollie and Joshua to the center, and we recap their performances. Jimmy loved what Joshua delivered, and thinks he might be in the finale. Hollie, well, he thinks it is a long-shot for her to make the finale, and even to escape the bottom 3 tonight. Tonight, Joshua is safe. Hollie is told by Ryan that she is the first person in the bottom 3 this evening. After a break, Crusty catches up with Taylor Hicks, who will be playing Las Vegas this summer. He then help Crusty introduce Kris Allen who will sing the new single off his upcoming album, The Vision of Love.



I notice as Kris is working the stage, the judges are not even bothering to watch, and I remember Randy was the only judge left from his season. Kris is looking good, and the song is pretty good, too. His new album, Thank You Camellia, will be released on May 22, 2012. You can find his single, Vision of Love, on iTunes and Amazon. Soon we are back to the competition, and Crusty calls Skylar and Elise to join him. Jimmy I tells us that he is loving Skylar, the best performer on the show. Elise, on the other hand, he feels is slipping up. So, when it is time for results, and we learn that Elise is in the bottom 3 again. And that Skylar is sent back to safety. After a break, there is a tribute to Dick Clark, who Crusty considered a mentor. The importance of Clark's influence on the music industry for the last five decades, through American Bandstand and so many other programs he produced through Dick Clark Productions, including New Years Rockin' Eve. They take a literal moment, and introduce LMFAO to perform Sorry For Party Rocking.



Wow, I am so glad I do not have to review that mess. People actually buy that, is that what they are telling me? It was some weird hybrid of Metal Hairbands and frat-boy rap. Okay, I guess that is proof positive I am no longer young. If you liked that, you can find it on iTunes and Amazon. Let's move on to a commercial. We know there are only three contestants left, and among them is the one saved by the judges last week. Could it be an all-girl bottom three? Or might one of the early frontrunners find their way to danger. Crusty calls Phillip, Colton and Jessica to the stage. Jimmy I apologizes for the Jessica's song choice, for it was too old for her. He felt Phillip was good last night, and Colton had a bad night. First we learn that Jessica is safe, and one of the boys will be joining the bottom three. The person at risk of leaving is Colton. Phillip is safe. The judges are worried, for they can do nothing. Elise is sent to safety, and we are sent to a commercial break. When we come back, we have two very worried competitors on the stage, and Crusty relishing the moment. The person going home is Colton Dixon, thought of as an early frontrunner.



Have to say I am surprised, but not as surprised as the judges. It is also shocking that the boys now lag behind the girls, 4 to 2. He sings his worship song, Everything by Lifehouse. He speaks of making records, and Jennifer talks about many records. As someone who has been following this show for 11 years, I think that is a sweet thought, but seldom true. Goodbye, Colton. Maybe this will be a girl's year after all.

American Idol Season 8

As we approach the competition starting up on the most recent season of American Idol, it allows me to do something the other similar shows can't do. That is to look back over the last decade of the show, and visit with the performers I really thought were due another look and listen. Hard to believe it has been a decade, but this summer, it will be 10 years since Fox aired the show that caught the imagination of the viewers.



When taking a look at Seasons 8, 9, and 10, it really is tough to make any long range forecasts, for the artists are just getting to their second album, while others are just getting to make their music available. That said, this season has yet to really establish itself in sales, with Adam Lambert doing well on the album sales, and winner Kris Allen scoring big with a single, yet beyond that, it is tough to crow too loudly. There was high hopes for several of the contestants in this season, but we have yet to see some of them venture back into the public eye. That cannot be said for the first singer I will discuss.



When Anoop Desai auditioned, his fans were immediately on board, ready to accompany him on his Idol journey. While there was certainly the frat boy side seen in his bold performance of Bobby Brown's My Prerogative, as well as the sweetness and honesty of Angel Of Mine. Despite gaining the endorsements of people like Ellen DeGeneres and Keith Urban, Desai finished in sixth place. After the season, he tried to keep connected with his fans, becoming active online. After the tour, he went to work, and in 2010 he released his independent EP, All Is Fair. the second single off it was All Is Fair (Crazy). Here is the official music video for the song.



The road to success for independent artists has always been a hard road, but with the economy in tough shape and the constantly shifting nature of the music business, it got progressively harder. The sales for All Is Fair were a bit disappointing, but Desai continued working. You can find Anoop's album All Is Fair on iTunes and Amazon. In 2011, Anoop released a second album, Zero.0. You can fin it on iTunes and Amazon. For more about Anoop, visit his official website here. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.



It seemed like Allison Iraheta was in an interesting position this season. The youngster was putting in strong performances, only to have the judges question not her talent, but lacking their concept of a teenage personality. But Allison wasn't a sunshine and unicorns girl, no matter how much they wanted her to be. Her music reflected that, more Avril Lavigne than Britney Spears. She rode the wave to fourth place, leaving on a strong performance. After the tour, she was signed to a contract and in 2010, released her first album, Just Like You. The first single was Friday I'll Be Over U.



The album was met with good reviews, but it never seemed to gel with the audience. By the end of the year, Iraheta was dropped by Jive Records, but still was managed by 19 Entertainment. You can find Allison's album Just Like You on iTunes and Amazon. Allison is currently working on material for a new album. For more about Allison, find her on Twitter and Facebook.



It seemed like guys had a lock on the top this season, and on e of those was Danny Gokey, whose time on the show was peppered with controversy, much not of his own making. His big storyline during the audition was that he was still in recovery from the passing of the love of his life, his wife. It seems the producers would never pass on a chance of reminding everyone, and seemed to make sure this was mentioned endlessly, driving people to distraction. There were also reports of his congregation back home praying for him, and against his fellow contestant, Adam Lambert, the gay heathen. To be fair, Gokey seemed to not have an issue with Lambert himself. Well, it all came to an end when Gokey went home in third place. After the tour, he was courted and signed to make Country music. Well, more like a combination of Country and Christian music. In 2010, He released the album My Best Days, and the lead single, My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me.



The sales of the album were slightly disappointing, but there were plans to work on and release a second album in 2011. However, by the end of the year, Gokey and RCA Nashville had parted ways, and he was shopping for a new label. You can find Danny's album My Best Days on iTunes and Amazon. He also announced his engagement and subsequent marriage to Leyicet Peralta online. The two were wed at the end of January of this year. For more information about Danny Gokey, visit his official website here. You can also find Danny on Twitter and Facebook.



For much of the season, it seemed like the coverage of Adam Lambert was taking the air out of the room for the other contestants, leaving them little to breath. Pictures, clips and stories were everywhere, Stories of his being gay surfaced, only to be met with a deafening silence by the show itself let the chatter grow, fueled by his over-the-top performances, and the clarion call of his incredible voice. After placing second, Lambert was bombarded by the press, who stalked his every move. Finally, he could talk about his first album, For Your Entertainment. It was certified Gold, and sold over 800,000 units, peaking at #3 on the Billboard album chart. The second official single off the album, Whataya Want From Me, was the best chart performer, making it to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.



You can find Adam's album For Your Entertainment on iTunes and Amazon. In 2011, Lambert also released a live collection, Glam Nation Live. And it is said that next month, he will be releasing the follow-up to the debut, Trespassing. The first single off the new album, Better Than I Know Myself, has yet to really catch on, and will hopefully be revived by the album release. For more about Adam Lambert, visit his official website here. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook. You can also pre-order Trespassinghere.



One of the interesting things about the season was that how little press eventual winner Kris Allen was getting all season long. While Adam kept the world abuzz, as did Gokey and the others, Kris kept his fans at a simmer, and ready to pounce when they could. They kept Allen out of the bottom three save once, during Rat Pack Week. Many thought Adam would be a huge favorite to win, but it was the quiet Allen who took home the big prize. His controlled and haunting acoustic covers of songs spoke to the audience, and they responded with support. While they were smart to not really release the piece of dreck that was his coronation song, he did release an eponymous first effort in 2010. The first single off the album was Live Like We're Dying, a song written by the Irish band The Script. It was a huge success, and was certified Platinum with over 1.6 million copies sold. It was also on the radio all the time, a tribute to the great recording. Here is the official video for Live Like We're Dying.



While the single did exceedingly well, the album did not fair near as good. However, on the strength of the single, Kris is still signed by RCA Records, and will be releasing a new album later this year. You can find Kris' self-titled album, Kris Allen, on iTunes and Amazon. Also, Kris has had success as a songwriter since winning Idol as well. He cowrote a song that appeared on Glee's Matthew Morrison's album, and was also sung by Morrison on the show. He also collaborated on a song that was recorded by The Voice's first winner, Javier Colon. For more about Kris Allen, visit his official website here. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

Next week, I look to finish up this series and visit seasons 9 and 10.

New Video - Kris Allen - Live Like We're Dying

The reigning king of American Idol, Kris Allen has released the first song from his CD, out later this month. I enjoyed Kris on the show, but am a bit confused. Is Kris the first AI winner to not release the crappy winner's song, or just the first to have it disappear? Anyway, no matter how bad the songs - and some have been craptacular - it kept their name on the radio and out there. Kris hasn't had the benefit of that, and I hope he can recover the momentum to set up a good career.



The song, Live Like We're Dying, is written by the the The Script, is a pleasant enough song, although certainly not what I heard Kris singing on the show to claim the title. No matter, I am sure everyone wishes Kris nothing but the best of luck and great success with his career.


To find out more about Kris Allen and his upcoming release, go to his official website found here.

Web Video - Tweet Beat with Jim Cantiello 10/2/09

I find @JambaJim so very funny, and have been following his Idol in 60 Seconds, and the derivations on the theme he does for MTV. His irreverence and enthusiasm, combined with his basic geekiness, it all just makes him tough to resist. Recently he started a new project, Tweet Beat.

MTV Shows

I can't help but think that Jim is one of the guys that get it, the absurdity of life. Here is a geek who makes a living on the cool network, MTV, a network about music that hardly plays music anymore, and he covers the music from another network, or talking about the social networking of the stars. For a str8 boy, he has a wicked sense of humor.



You can find Jim on the MTV website here.

Live Music - American Idols 2009 Act 2

Top: Me & Rickey; Rickey & Blake; Big effects. Bottom: The band.

In a previous post, I had recapped the first act of the American Idol Season 8 tour, leaving me to tackle the top 4 here. But for those who missed that, I went to the American Idol Season 8 tour with my friend Rickey from Rickey.Org. The first act consisted of the performers who finished 5th thru 10th on the Fox reality show, and the 2nd act were the top 4, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert and eventual winner, Kris Allen. Below are my thoughts on the performances, and my pictures. If you'd like to see them bigger, click on them.




Allison Iraheta is 17 years old, but sings like a soul much more mature. She covered Janis Joplin's Cry Baby, and it was exceptional! She still maintains the charm of a teenager, with a raw and at time frenetic energy. I really enjoyed her time on the stage. Could she be the next Daughtry, and ride her 4th place finish to fame and fortune? Could be.




Danny Gokey has caught much grief this season, the story of his wife's passing almost as well known as his singing. I was not a fan while he was on the show, but he did show more energy live, and a lot more charisma. I never got what the judges were saying about him, but have more of an appreciation now. That said, I really find him to be more of an anachronism, more dated than he is retro. Can't say I see a place for him in modern music, but I could be wrong. Several times he did acknowledge Rickey during his set, which was fun.




Adam Lambert is a huge talent. On stage, he has charm and charisma in abundance, and a voice that is tough to top. He opened with Whole Lotta Love, the Led Zeppelin song, and it was outstanding. It was raw and sexual, just as the song intended. The ease of his performance was great to watch, moving from covers of Led Zep to Muse to Tears For Fears to David Bowie like he was putting on some eyeliner. I am not sure where or if he will find a place for himself in the music business, but it certainly won't be for lack of ability.




Kris Allen was considered an underdog, but still managed to win the title this season but all accounts with ease. I enjoyed him this season, as he seemed to be cut from the singer/songwriter cloth I enjoy so much. That being said, I was a bit disappointed with his performance, as I didn't feel he took command of the stage or the audience the way I would hope. He seemed tethered by the intrument he was playing, either the piano or the guitar, and didn't utilize the stage. He maintained a greater connection with the song than the audience. He sang his songs well, and played nicely, I was just hoping he would invite the audience to join him in the journey, not just watch him from a distance.




Then all 10 performers to come back and do a group song, a cover the Journey's Don't Stop Believing, a song making a resurgence as of late, much due to the use for the Fox series Glee, complete with a reappearance of the dueling pianists Matt & Scott. The number was quite fun.



Another bright spot for me was during Adam's set, when he brought out Allison to breathe new life into Foghat's Slow Ride. They were right on the money, being playful and strong, feeding off one another and elevating their performances.




In a side note, there was an extreme amount of smoke used during the show, and kinda grew tired of it by the third time Adam Lambert disappeared behind it. Sometimes, you just wanna explain that a little goes a long way.