American Idol 7 Thread

[Russ Smith]

I'm so jazzed for my daughter to hear "Faith" from the show last night. It's her name, and her PE coach and another teacher say the chorus to her at school when they need her to do something. "I gotta have faith, faith faith..."

She asked me a couple of weeks ago "have you ever heard that song?" I said yes and she wanted to know who sang it. It was cute...it's like "her song" now which kind of freaks me out given the context of the song.

Surprising that she doesn't think it's a Limp Bizkit song.

 

[Gaddabout]

It's not Nickelback that does the song. It's Chad Kroger & Josey Scott (from Saliva). DA had Josey Scott's part, and I think JS does a better job with the song.

I liked DC as much as I like CK in the song. I'm not a Nickelback hater like you are.

They're all the same act, though. Nickreeder. Reedelkrick. Daughtrybacker.

Take a heavy tablespoon of Diane Warren ballad sap; add Aerosmith's AOR/rock credibility/pop sensibility with slightly polished husky voice; stir in glossified edgy guitar with super-secret pop filter ingredient; toss it into a video mix of long hair, stubble, pained faces, and occasional "big arms" Jesus pose; mix until drums are reduced to their most basic element, groove stiffens and white suburbanite 30-somethings sway in approval.

Ta da! You've got yourself an alt-rock hit blender.

Important tips:

- Chords should be common and progressions should be downward in nature to instill familiarity with audience not willing to accept surprises. (ABSOLUTELY NO ACCIDENTALS!)

- Tempos should be middling, neither fast nor slow, to induce hypnosis. Time signatures in 6/8 tend to produce swaying better than 4/4 -- think 19th Century mug-swaying bar songs (i.e. "Hero")

- Key modulations upwards at the end of the second chorus are great audience manipulators and the preferred tear-jerking device.

- High notes shouldn't really be hit, rather screamed hoarsely as if someone with massive lung fluid build up is in great pain.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

nice - glad i'm not the only one who thinks daughtry sounds a hell of a lot like nickelback - drives my wife nuts that I say this because she loves one and doesn't like the other

 

[D-Dogg]

It's not Nickelback that does the song. It's Chad Kroger & Josey Scott (from Saliva). DA had Josey Scott's part, and I think JS does a better job with the song.

I liked DC as much as I like CK in the song. I'm not a Nickelback hater like you are.

Chad Kroger = Nickleback. Also, Jesus.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Love Nickelback.

Like Daughtry.

George Michael is great. Freedom was a great spot last night.

George singing that song IMO was better than when Carrie sang it on Idol Gives Back. Seemed more tender and personal to him than her.

Carrie = Great. Seen her twice in the last 3 months.

Fantasia = Crazy nutbag of a performer with absolutely no voice IMO.

Jordin - What the hell was up with that dress? She looked like a metallic golden balloon. What was up with Blake Lewis lip-sync'ing to her song??? I lost alot of "Blake seems pretty original to me points" when I saw that.

I am your brother guy - Classic. Friend's till the end of time!!!

I wonder if Archuleta is in a state of shock right now.... He was totally praised last night whereas Cook was scrutinized. I bet his dad will sue the show and call the voting fixed.

Cook winning over Archuleta ---- Sweet Justice.

 

[arthurracoon]

Oh, and bringing back "You are my brother" guy was fantastic.

Though it will be stuck in my head for another two months again.

 

[Gaddabout]

Carrie = Great. Seen her twice in the last 3 months.

She came one camera cut-to from flashing the world. About five or six times. Kept thinking that dress was originally designed for Paris Hilton or Brittany Spears.

 

[Linderbee]

They're all the same act, though. Nickreeder. Reedelkrick. Daughtrybacker.

Take a heavy tablespoon of Diane Warren ballad sap; add Aerosmith's AOR/rock credibility/pop sensibility with slightly polished husky voice; stir in glossified edgy guitar with super-secret pop filter ingredient; toss it into a video mix of long hair, stubble, pained faces, and occasional "big arms" Jesus pose; mix until drums are reduced to their most basic element, groove stiffens and white suburbanite 30-somethings sway in approval.

Ta da! You've got yourself an alt-rock hit blender.

Important tips:

- Chords should be common and progressions should be downward in nature to instill familiarity with audience not willing to accept surprises. (ABSOLUTELY NO ACCIDENTALS!)

- Tempos should be middling, neither fast nor slow, to induce hypnosis. Time signatures in 6/8 tend to produce swaying better than 4/4 -- think 19th Century mug-swaying bar songs (i.e. "Hero")

- Key modulations upwards at the end of the second chorus are great audience manipulators and the preferred tear-jerking device.

- High notes shouldn't really be hit, rather screamed hoarsely as if someone with massive lung fluid build up is in great pain.

I disagree that Nickelback falls into that description, but that's just me. I don't think all their music sounds the same. But, I'm easy to please...We won't ever agree on music, though, because I think Rush sucks. (Neil Peart kicks ass; Rush sucks).

 

[Gaddabout]

I disagree that Nickelback falls into that description, but that's just me. I don't think all their music sounds the same. But, I'm easy to please...We won't ever agree on music, though, because I think Rush sucks. (Neil Peart kicks ass; Rush sucks).

I'm not the Rush fan, either. It was a phase of mine in junior high when I was learning the drums, but I'd agree with you, in general, Rush sucks. "Math rock" is tiresome. Give me jazz and fusion anyday for my drumming kicks.

Anyone who's ever taken a basic music theory class knows why I hold alt-rock ballads in great contempt. There always the same song, cleverly disguised by nuance and production value. I think Journey pretty much wrote -- then closed -- the book on rock ballads. Anything after that has been pretty much a disingenuine grab at radio play.

I'm much more interested when these bands reach outside their own comfort level and write songs with more challenging or curious arrangements. They don't have to be complicated, just show me you're reaching beyond the most obvious and overworn chord progressions (such as the common downward progression in rock ballads).

 

[MigratingOsprey]

gad - you should check out a Cake show - i think you'd dig it

 

[Gaddabout]

gad - you should check out a Cake show - i think you'd dig it

Love Cake. They're quintessential pop artists. Can't imagine calling yourself a pop songwriter and not loving Cake. The guitar lines stand alone as some of the best pop hooks ever written. They've never even written a song with this progression: I-iii-IV-V

Some other pop/rock stars I find writing, arranging, or generally creating interesting music/sounds:

- Slash - classic AOR guitar player with an ear for melody (very rare) and sound texture.

- Bruce Hornsby - Unfortunately forever tied to that "Way It Is" song, he's written some amazing pop the last 10 years. The album in which Pat Metheny made a guest appearance was stellar.

- Jet - These guys have a better ear for Beatles-style arrangements than Oasis, IMO

- Jars of Clay - They were at their murky acoustic/alt-folksy best working with the multi-talented Adrian Belew, but they're still interesting on their own. Another good group of Beatles fans.

- Seal - Dude is the modern Nat King Cole in the way he fits very complex jazz arrangements into pop formats. Not as funky as Stevie and not as lyrically dense (or pretentious) as Sting, he's sort of a nice happy medium.

- Sheryl Crow - Master of the blues accidental melody line, she writes great hooks and sings them with a rare sincerity in her voice. Doesn't get enough credit for her vocal range.

- Stone Temple Pilots - An unusual band in that they're at their best when they're writing songs for radio play, because the borrow from classical and neo-classical for their melody lines. Very nice hooks. Black Hole Sun, for example. Chris Cornell was one of the all-time greatest front men ... perhaps the best rock voice of his generation.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

STP or Soundgarden?

I agree about Cornell as well - although at times he gets a little full of himself and seems to get a little lazy and disconected from the songs - but when he's locked in he's amazing

 

[Linderbee]

Love Cake. They're quintessential pop artists. Can't imagine calling yourself a pop songwriter and not loving Cake. The guitar lines stand alone as some of the best pop hooks ever written. They've never even written a song with this progression: I-iii-IV-V

Some other pop/rock stars I find writing, arranging, or generally creating interesting music/sounds:

- Slash - classic AOR guitar player with an ear for melody (very rare) and sound texture.

- Bruce Hornsby - Unfortunately forever tied to that "Way It Is" song, he's written some amazing pop the last 10 years. The album in which Pat Metheny made a guest appearance was stellar.

- Jet - These guys have a better ear for Beatles-style arrangements than Oasis, IMO

- Jars of Clay - They were at their murky acoustic/alt-folksy best working with the multi-talented Adrian Belew, but they're still interesting on their own. Another good group of Beatles fans.

- Seal - Dude is the modern Nat King Cole in the way he fits very complex jazz arrangements into pop formats. Not as funky as Stevie and not as lyrically dense (or pretentious) as Sting, he's sort of a nice happy medium.

- Sheryl Crow - Master of the blues accidental melody line, she writes great hooks and sings them with a rare sincerity in her voice. Doesn't get enough credit for her vocal range.

- Stone Temple Pilots - An unusual band in that they're at their best when they're writing songs for radio play, because the borrow from classical and neo-classical for their melody lines. Very nice hooks. Black Hole Sun, for example. Chris Cornell was one of the all-time greatest front men ... perhaps the best rock voice of his generation.

Unless STP wrote Black Hole Sun (which I don't think is correct) you're a little off here. Black Hole Sun is Soundgarden...Chris Cornell lead. Audioslave, Chris Cornell's next band; is a Soundgarden/Rage Against the Machine mix.

We agree on more than I figured. Can't stand Sheryl Crow outside of Are You Strong Enough To Be My Man...other than that, I like your list above.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

Sheryl Crow was a Coral Reefer for a minute - that makes here A-OK in my book

 

[D-Dogg]

I love Cake.

Also, Crow.


And no, not eating them.

 

[Gaddabout]

STP or Soundgarden?

Aw man, I'm still making this mistake. My fuzzy memory from the early 90s constantly puts these bands together. I guess I never bothered to make a strong mental note because I like both of them.

 

[Gaddabout]

We agree on more than I figured. Can't stand Sheryl Crow outside of Are You Strong Enough To Be My Man...other than that, I like your list above.

I think I'm like most musicians. I have heroes that inspire me as a musician, many of whom the average, ordinary person might never have heard of. Then I have the "I'm just listening" mode where I gravitate to stuff I grew up on, like Elton John, the Police, Billy Joel -- lots of great, original pop music. I admit it's a greater challenge for me to accept any pop song, which is why I've barely been able to listen to the radio the last 25 years. I'm definitely not a music snob. I consider myself just a little bit more demanding and discerning, because I don't have the patience for throw-away music. I hear the lack of earnest attempts (or perhaps its just a general lack of listening experience) in about 16 bars.

 

[Louis]

Couldn't find a thread about Season 8.

Hopefully somebody is still watching.

Kinda shocked that the Jabbar kid (the friend of the widower) didn't make it but that Norman Gentle guy did. Pretty lame.

Can't wait until next week to get a look at the field collectively as I don't think they've really shown everybody still standing.