QOTD #3
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by PAM
"...the road to success is always under construction."
- Steven Tyler
Comment on Phillip Phillips's Top 4 performance
in American Idol - Season 11
in American Idol - Season 11
I was just sharing a laugh with a friend a few days back, commenting that the road to progress can be too congested, traffic can sometimes be punishingly slow moving... and "some clown" of a "road block" at the bottle neck usually aggravates things. :) But Steven Tyler of American Idol, Season 11 put it in a more optimistic light a couple of nights back... well, probably only because he said it to critique Phillip Phillips's so-so performance of "Have you ever seen the rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, which was followed by an oh, so exquisite performance of "Volcano" by Damien Rice - a delicious respite from all the "screaming" and over the top impassioned declaration of "I want to win this", or a desperate plea to keep them in the running, from the other Top 4 talented contestants.
So, the "screaming" is to be expected... I guess? Idol is winding down to its final two weeks. As most contestants in a fiery competition like this (although, has competition in AI went as "fiery" as this - ever? Ah, well, since Season 7?), those who had the grandest of vocal artillery are expected to unleash the "big ones" at this point. And trudging along that line, of course, Jessica Sanchez (JS) and Joshua Ledet (JL) captivated the... uhm, judges - again, and for excellent reasons, too, I must say.
It was my first time to actually, and really, really like the livewire performer JL via his awesome, awesome take of James Brown's "It's a Man's, Mans', Man's World". He wasn't his usual ignite-zoom-screech self in that piece of brilliance. He actually showed some 
Livewire performer, JL!painstaking restraint in an incredibly charged performance. How is that possible at all??? He prepared his audience very well for his explosive end with sweet flashes of a variety of tiny irresistible explosions at every turn of the song, timing his end perfectly, waiting, waiting, waiting... until every single listener was awed and gasping, surrendering to the whipping of the perfect final note, praying for the face of the Redeemer to show as JL took 'em to the very core of Brown's soul... and it turned out crazy - blues-soul-marriage at its ultimate best, baby! Woot-woot! And the judges seemed to have made their "Idolatry" decision already right there and then, and it was hard to blame them, their gushings are totally justifiable this time.
Livewire performer, JL!painstaking restraint in an incredibly charged performance. How is that possible at all??? He prepared his audience very well for his explosive end with sweet flashes of a variety of tiny irresistible explosions at every turn of the song, timing his end perfectly, waiting, waiting, waiting... until every single listener was awed and gasping, surrendering to the whipping of the perfect final note, praying for the face of the Redeemer to show as JL took 'em to the very core of Brown's soul... and it turned out crazy - blues-soul-marriage at its ultimate best, baby! Woot-woot! And the judges seemed to have made their "Idolatry" decision already right there and then, and it was hard to blame them, their gushings are totally justifiable this time.
The ultra-talented JS, on the other hand, had been trying... a bit too hard, lately, I think, to show her singing versatility. But the "trying-a-bit-too-hard" part is getting in the way of enjoying some of her performances
Vocal powerhouse, JS.. She was kinda cute trying, but in "cuteness" she was fast losing her edge. The thing is, with her talent, she really doesn't have to try that hard! In fact, when she got in the zone, concentrated on what she does best - singing - and did "And I'm telling you, I'm not going" by Jennifer Holliday for her the-song-I-wish-I'd-written performance... it was a killer, killer, killer! Anybody who wasn't blown away by that extreme vocal acrobatics delivered in a tumultous whirlwind of towering emotions must have beeen carved out of stone. Dang, that girl is a megamonster of a vocalist - the "Incredible Hulk" of "vocal Idolatry"... nevermind that she weighs 90 pounds - high heels included! With all the power she generated in two minutes of sheer "Idolatry", she could've provided enough to augment the Mindanao power grid - incredible! Whew!
Vocal powerhouse, JS.. She was kinda cute trying, but in "cuteness" she was fast losing her edge. The thing is, with her talent, she really doesn't have to try that hard! In fact, when she got in the zone, concentrated on what she does best - singing - and did "And I'm telling you, I'm not going" by Jennifer Holliday for her the-song-I-wish-I'd-written performance... it was a killer, killer, killer! Anybody who wasn't blown away by that extreme vocal acrobatics delivered in a tumultous whirlwind of towering emotions must have beeen carved out of stone. Dang, that girl is a megamonster of a vocalist - the "Incredible Hulk" of "vocal Idolatry"... nevermind that she weighs 90 pounds - high heels included! With all the power she generated in two minutes of sheer "Idolatry", she could've provided enough to augment the Mindanao power grid - incredible! Whew!
And, while the ailing P^2 had been dangerously straying to complacency lately, he was back in the zone with "Volcano" this time. Hah, the artist is back! See, this is why I like P^2, he just does his thing, that thing we 
Brilliant artist, P^2. liked about him since he started his AI journey - no compromise - and when he does it, it's always an unforgettable show of mesmerizing artistry... original, easy in the ears but assaults the emotion and one's music psyche in a delicious delirium, no suffering, no ugh-inducing pomp, no cheesy (melo)dramma, no frills - just music in its un-idol-terated purity. Okay, so he has that "unfair" load of charms... but, hey, that only makes him a "complete package" for stardom. Is that bad? C'mon, dude... it's AI! To be fair, he didn't even use his reliably potent weapon - his smile - in that "Volcano" performance! So, if one was left breathless by that soothingly moving performance, it was only because of the music, just the music - P^2 music... he borrowed the song alright, but he owned it as soon as he started singing it. The fact that he could steal the show by just sitting there as he did tells a lot about this boy's superstardom potential. And the fact the he finally abandoned his patented P^2 smirk that he rode to get into the Top 4 round was an indication that the boy was finally calling it "game on"! And you know what, I really think it was the best performance of the night... but, yeah, I agree, too, that it's a matter of preference, and there's no helping JLo's passion y corazon... right, Randy, yo?
Brilliant artist, P^2. liked about him since he started his AI journey - no compromise - and when he does it, it's always an unforgettable show of mesmerizing artistry... original, easy in the ears but assaults the emotion and one's music psyche in a delicious delirium, no suffering, no ugh-inducing pomp, no cheesy (melo)dramma, no frills - just music in its un-idol-terated purity. Okay, so he has that "unfair" load of charms... but, hey, that only makes him a "complete package" for stardom. Is that bad? C'mon, dude... it's AI! To be fair, he didn't even use his reliably potent weapon - his smile - in that "Volcano" performance! So, if one was left breathless by that soothingly moving performance, it was only because of the music, just the music - P^2 music... he borrowed the song alright, but he owned it as soon as he started singing it. The fact that he could steal the show by just sitting there as he did tells a lot about this boy's superstardom potential. And the fact the he finally abandoned his patented P^2 smirk that he rode to get into the Top 4 round was an indication that the boy was finally calling it "game on"! And you know what, I really think it was the best performance of the night... but, yeah, I agree, too, that it's a matter of preference, and there's no helping JLo's passion y corazon... right, Randy, yo?
Now that we know who had the biggest vocal canon, I hope the "screaming" stops next week. After listening to JS as she weaved beautiful magic with Joe Cocker's "You are so beautiful" last week and after seeing her captivate her audience to sweet surrender in emotional spell this week, I tremble in delicious wonder how she'd interpret "I honestly love you" by Olivia Newton-John... and when I imagine P^2 doing Pearl Jam's "Black", minus the rage but with a rich coating of P^2 personality from his Dave Matthews money jar instead... it makes me go really weak... actually, very weak, helplessly weak! And with JL's incredible, incredible stage presence, I wonder, in naggingly insistent curiousity, how he'd put his own personality and style in Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Hmmm... it might just turn out explosive! Ryan Seacrest, get the fire extinguishers ready, okay?
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So, how will this end?
While I can totally see JL performing at the Grammys and bringing the house down completely, I really hope it'd be a JS-P^2 final... since the competitive JS's buttons seem to be pushed by "her perceived" biggest competitor, therefore, a JS-JL final might just turn out to be a "screaming contest", and as we saw this week - dude, that's just scary... aliens might just feel the intensity in this part of the galaxy and come investigating! And then we'd realize, dang, the Mayans were right! And we might just find a real "ending" right there! Yaiks!
On the other hand, in a JS-P^2 final, JS might find some rich spring of artistry hidden behind her growl and it might just be enhanced by a challenge, or encouragement, from the remaining real artist in the group, P^2. Yep... I really think that JS and JL are incredible, incredible singers who kept evolving right before our very eyes on "Idolatry" stage (well, I'm not a religious follower of AI, actually)... but P^2 is a singer and an extremely talented artist. There's a difference, ya know... and, I'm sure, P^2 is not just getting votes from hordes of "screaming young girls" and "drooling grown-up women" out there as many would like to imagine, 'cause who gets the votes of the likes of Eddie Vedder (if they voted at all) in contests like this? I doubt it's JL or JS! So, why not a JL-P^2 final? Uhm... man, that'd be all over the place! That would be a "Wembley Arena meets Sister Act" sort of a disaster... and I guess it's up to AI whether they'd prefer their winner to be handed artistic triumph by an awestruck audience or to hail Sister Act as an electrifying venue of American "Idolatry". ;) Either way, I guess it'd be fun... in fact, we can just end the whole thing here with the Top 3! But wait, maybe what JLo's corazon is screaming for is a JL-P^2 final? Hey, yo! Is that what's it all about, Randy? Is that what's written in the... uhm, phone book? No worries, just you wait... 'cause the road to success is under construction! Right, Steven? Aah, nah... Jimmy?! :)
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Between you and me...
Hey, "you"! :) Uhm, ahem... speaking of roads, "new" and under "construction", you must be waiting for "the post", right? =) Well, I'm just taking a break here... too busy right now - serious work that, to be honest, I don't know how to put together and take it to its final stage, and I have no energy nor inspiration to bring it to a close either... yaiks! Aaaw-wooo! Aaaw-wooo-woo-woo! But, nah... there will be no post, so ya might as well quit waiting. But ya can call me, and we can talk about... uhm, P^2? =)
***
Between you and me...
Hey, "you"! :) Uhm, ahem... speaking of roads, "new" and under "construction", you must be waiting for "the post", right? =) Well, I'm just taking a break here... too busy right now - serious work that, to be honest, I don't know how to put together and take it to its final stage, and I have no energy nor inspiration to bring it to a close either... yaiks! Aaaw-wooo! Aaaw-wooo-woo-woo! But, nah... there will be no post, so ya might as well quit waiting. But ya can call me, and we can talk about... uhm, P^2? =)
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