Welcome back Idol fans. Here we are at the final three and the hometown hero visits. Last week Amber Holcomb was sent to the bleachers to watch her cast mates fight it out for one of those two coveted final two spots. Tonight, the three of them performed, singing songs chosen by Jimmy Iovine, the judges, and finally the AI production staff (whoever they happen to be). Due to what I heard, I’m going to do more of an editorial on this show rather than a recap. I will later give you some highlights of the results show and tell you who the final two are. Click the AI banner if you want to see the shows and performances.

In a large nutshell, this particular show bored me to near tears. Maybe it’s stuffy in my house or I’m growing allergic to my dog but there were no thrilling moments in this show for me. Due largely in part to my own tastes (remember that as you read on), there were no ‘wow’ moments for me. No part of the show made me want to rewind and listen again, over and over. I could spend time spewing a lot of venom on songs and song choices (regardless of who made them) or I could just give my overall impressions of the show and that’s what I intend to do here. I’ll talk about each of the ladies on her overall showing on the episode. As is typical, I don’t know most of the songs they sang and the one I do know, I don’t like the genre though, Candice did a great job with the song “Somewhere” from West Side Story. I’ll get to that in a moment.

Angie Miller – I’ve never been able to put my finger on why but I’ve never warmed up to this girl. To me, she’s always trying too hard and she’s become the Colton Dixon of the season for me (for those of you new to sharing this show with me or who don’t remember, I didn’t like him last season and in fact, hated the contrived way he was put on the show. I don’t mind singers being invited to audition and in fact, I believe they are all by invitation, however, I cannot stand these production crews and producers trying to play us all for fools). She has a rock solid voice and when she gets into her own zone, she looks nearly unbeatable. However, with her, most of the season, I’ve seen many of the idol tricks that I so despise. I don’t think she has squeezed out any tears on the live shows but I am recognizing many of the others. The mugging for the camera at every chance is one of them that annoys me the most. She didn’t do much of it tonight but for the most part on the rest of the season, it’s been little but that. It stands to reason for her, she’s a theatrical singer and it’s just what she does. However, for me, I like to listen to a singer sing. I don’t give two rat’s fat asses what they look like doing it or any of the theatrics behind it. I cannot see people on my car radio and it’s been so long since the MTV type stations have played actual music videos, I barely remember what one looks like. Unless for some reason I’m up at 4am watching (not going to happen). I also have better things to do than chase these people around the YouTube type sites all day. So, hold my attention with the voice and style or move over for someone who can. That’s about when I change the station or simply turn the radio off.

Kree Harrison – You all know, if you’ve been following along, this is my girl. Sorry if that sounds condescending, I don’t mean it to but I simply love listening to her. To me, she seems the most genuine of the three. She has a country blues church tone that I absolutely enjoy listening to. She hasn’t been perfect all along and in fact, far from it. Just like Angie, when she gets it right, it’s solid gold to me. This is the only one who has been able to raise the hair on the back of my neck, just from the sound of her voice. When she is doing her own thing, it just sounds so natural. When she tries the theatrics like her cast mate, Angie, she falls flat on her face. I don’t know who is making some of these decisions for her but I doubt in many cases, that it’s her. An example of what I mean is tonight’s show. Jimmy picked a Pink song for her and I don’t know what that was that the Idol production staff picked for her was but both, clearly, did not fit. She did her best with them of course but it became very clear to me that the powers that be, do not intend her to win this season. During the last song, we could see Keith bouncing and bopping in his chair but when she was done, he said he didn’t care for it. Keith, WTF? Just sit there, be quiet, and be the eye candy you were intended to be. I’ll note her hometown visit for two reasons. Her parents. I did not know that her mother died in a car crash nor that her father died in a plane crash. I don’t know any of the details of either one but after it played, she did the judges pick  song and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the only one that was properly chosen and done at the right time. She is still my pick to win.

 Candice Glover – There is no denying, this talent. Absolutely none. She really is in a class all her own, closely followed by Kree, IMO. There are times when Kree betters her in my mind but that’s more a matter of style. Candice is an R&B singer and while that covers a lot of ground, Kree’s style is just preferable to me. I get the impression she is very confident in her ability but she does a good job of hiding it when she’s talking about it. I think like Kree, she hopes to win but may not necessarily expect it. Maybe I’m wrong about her being humble. If I actually knew what goes on in the female mind, I would be a very rich man. I don’t know what her first two songs were but the one the production staff chose for her was “Somewhere” from West Side Story. I hate musicals. I’m just going to push that out there. However, due to popularity I suppose, I’ve heard this song a number of times.She gave a very solid performance which, I would expect nothing less from her. Jimmy called it best of the night. Even against Kree, I have to agree.

 The judges.. I have tried to be kind to these people this season but it’s been rough. I’ve said before that the one I find myself agreeing with the most, is that crazy looking one on the left, Nicki Minaj. This is the group of people, that is there, in my opinion, paid to blow a lot of hot air. I also believe they serve the purpose of pushing one candidate ahead of the others with their ‘critiques’. This is also the group of people that I believe could be easily replaced by 3 or 4 people off of the street in front of the theater. Hell, pick 4 of the tweenies from that annoying moshpit in front of the stage and you’ll get just as much hot air for a lot less money. Between the 4 of these people, there is enough hot air to raise a zeppelin off of the ground. Am I making my point here? I know, I’m blowing a lot of my own hot air but, I’m not on a singing competition with the belief that the show is about me. Here is why I’ve mentioned them. I read a rumor today that American Idol is getting a complete facelift, including all 4 judges. I’ve been bitching for quite some time now about Yo Dawg Jackson and it appears, that he may finally have to get a real job. May I suggest drive through fast food order taker. He has a big mouth, people should be able to hear him on that shitty speaker at the order station. Ever since Simon left (Some would argue Paula), this show has been slipping in the ratings. They’ve recycled the judges panel a couple times but it doesn’t appear to have helped. Perhaps, Just maybe, it’s the contrived nature of the show. Think about it.. No guys in the final 5 and the ones who were in the top 10 and even top 20, never had a real shot. This was the girl’s season to lose. I heard the Dawg say it and I don’t think he meant, in that moment when he was talking about whatever contestant he was talking about but, the entire season.

In a way, this show has shaped some of my musical tastes. I said at the beginning what I like to listen to and that hasn’t changed. Nor has what I do not like to listen to. Many of you may disagree with me here as far as preference goes and that’s fine. I certainly know my preference does not match that of the 12 year old tween, the crowd I still believe votes on these shows. I’ve said repeatedly, that I hate, pop diva power ballads. It isn’t that I don’t think they show skill but it is a Waaaaaaay overdone genre in my view. Here is what I mean. I stopped eating french fries several years ago. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I even bought them. At the time, I had had so much of that type of food, I actually got sick of it. The very thought of it made me ill. Too much of a good thing sort of deal. Same thing with the likes of donuts, candy, and a few other choice foods. These singing comp shows, with all of the diva ballads done on them, have made me sick of that genre. Period. If I never hear another Whitney Houston type song for the rest of my life, I will be perfectly happy. Back in the 80s, some metal rock hair band did a power ballad. Couldn’t tell you who it was but before too long, every single group also had a power ballad. The first one was good, the rest were too much of a good thing making it really sour. Get my point?

Results

Well, Now that I have put a WTF look on all of your faces, how about some results? After all, that’s what the show is about. Who is moving on to the final round. Top two. Here we go.

The show opens with some animation type stuff to promote some movie. The animated character is running the control room and there is a reason I’m even mentioning it. We have the kidbop song by the three ladies, a song called “Who Says”… I think the animated guy really was in the control room because none of their microphones were turned on when they started. Oops. Live TV.. Like all the other opening group numbers on results night with this show, I didn’t care for it but that’s because the guy in the sound booth was either asleep or drunk.

Then is the Ford Fiesta Mission. They ‘drove’ to meet up with some high school choir and sing some song that I’m sure Fox or AI is promoting as part of something though, I have no clue of what it is. Next.

Now it’s time to review the previous nights performances, one round at a time. First round was songs chosen by Jimmy. I’m not even going to bother with the judge’s comments, at this point, they mean nothing to me. The person Jimmy took most to task on round one, was Angie. Even though he says she won the round, she blew what could have been a ‘moment’. He gave her an Elton John song to sing and she chose not to play the piano. Tailor made for her but she blew it. I think at that very moment, Angie peed herself a little bit. He says he challenged all three of them with out of their comfort zone songs because that’s what record labels do. They push, sometimes hard, for what they want rather than what the artist wants. Further, he says, whoever wins this contest is going to have a record deal with his label, Interscope Records, so he wanted to see how they handled being pushed out of their comfort zone. (so, Nicki and the others telling Jimmy to stfu, take notice, this is the guy paying the check at the end… Like I said about the judges… Hot Air).

Next they trot out season 10 runner-up, Lauren Alaina. She’s there to do a song titled “Barefoot and Buckwild” from her new album. She’s moved to Nashville and has a nice career going for herself and she’s even won best new artist at the AMA (?). Personally, I think she should have won that season but what do I know.. I’m not a 12 year old girl. In the case of this song however, I thought it would never end. ‘Nuff said.

Round two is now reviewed by Jimmy. This was the judge’s pick and the hometown visits. He says the judges sure were proud of themselves.. Well, Randy was, about the songs they had chosen. Between her hometown visit package and her performance of the song she sang, very emotional, Jimmy gave that round to Kree.

Now, we get to look at a scantily clad Mariah writhing around on the back of a motorcycle with someone named ‘Miguel’ (sp?).. Why? I don’t know but it’s par for the course these judges, or at least the ones still working, always finagle a way to get their new wares shown on the show. Watch it if you want, I’m saying no more about it.

Time for the Idol Flashback and then another performer pushing her latest stuff. Adam Lambert. You all know who he is. He’s been touring the world with his own brand of glam music and says he couldn’t have done it without sharpening his chops on the AI stage. Then, Alicia Keys is singing whatever her latest song is. Another song I thought would never end. Not a contestant and not results. Next.

Let’s review round three (yes, I know I didn’t really recap it). This is the producer’s pick round (I think I said production earlier). Whatever song they gave to Kree to sing (I couldn’t catch what or who this was from), the judges hated. Nicki said that whoever chose that song for Kree should be stoned (in the biblical sense). Jimmy however says that the people want to see attitude from her and that’s what she gave. The star of this round was Candice. I mentioned it earlier. “Somewhere”. Jimmy says after that, if She goes home, he’s going with her.

Okay.. Let’s get to the real reason we’re here. The actual results. I’m beginning to wish that instead of all this bullshit on this part of the show, they would just post the results online in their website and let this second day results show die a deserving death. With that, Dim the lights, Here we go. First on the finale, in no particular order is, Candice Glover (shocker). Next and finally, the one competing against Candice…… Kree Harrison. I think she was shocked especially after most of the judges panned her for the past few weeks. Angie cries through her swansong. Didn’t hit a single note correctly but it doesn’t matter at this point, does it? I’m sure good things are ahead for her. Best of luck, Angie..

There it is kids. 35 episodes down, 2 more to go before the next winner has a lot of torn and cut up paper dropped on her. Click the American Idol banner to watch the shows if you like. See you next week,

Til then, Peace. MTH.