Wednesday, May 20, 2009

American Idol Finals. Kris and Adam.

Idol: Adam by a mile. When he sings with absolute control and walks his voice all the way to the line just before the scream takes over, that would be the envy of any bel canto opera singer. He can dial it down just as easily as he can dial it up. I don't think I've ever heard anyone do it quite the way he does. His technical dexterity is jaw-dropping. Personally, I find his "scream" the most boring aspect of his voice.

His actual sonority isn't merely remarkably beautiful, but the control mechanism in his voice is technically sophisticated and, as such, more than killer.

As for his theatricality, which I bemoaned earlier, he's just going for it and it's working. He's actually finding an identity for himself, cutting a swath through David Bowie, Rocky Horror and Alice Cooper.

That final song was absolutely the worst of all the ones they've ever chosen. Not just because it was littered with unpronounceably twisted cliches, but the melody was so insistent that it didn't give either singer a chance to breathe. After I heard that stultifyingly bad power pop arrangement, I was hoping Kris would walk out with his guitar, slow it down so that he can actually hear what he's singing, and put his soul into it.

Instead, he looked like a customer in a shoe shop vainly wailing in pain because they're trying to shove his foot into a shoe that doesn't fit. It reminded me of that bloody scene in "Into The Woods" where they ugly step-sisters hacked their feet off to get them into the glass slipper.

Except, this "slipper" was more like a contraption from SAW.

Adam should win. But even if he doesn't, he's the one everyone will remember. He's the one people will pay to see.

2 comments:

Chris said...

Agree with every bit of your review...you know the game and I trust it.....Adam is a star, and Kris will make it in the music world anyway! As will a few of the other top 5....We voted for Adam, and hoping for a good outcome tonight!!!!!!

Devin Richards said...

yeah adam should, should've won. but i guessed this one right. adam is gay and he's a rocker. a not that attractive rocker won last year so they already have one. doesn't fit into the american idol machine for adam to win and challenge the same market as cook. and i don't know if they were up yet for an (probably openly) gay man to win. i'm glad they pushed him so far though, adam.
you live in la you know how that machine works! oh right i mean it's all done by votes from america! :) yeah right! LOL!