Week Five & Six

How time flies! Is this year speeding by or what?

The last two weeks have been spent working on new designs for the Idology T-Shirts online store, and the time to write has been scarce. But it has given me a chance to reflect on some of the contestants and in particular - Adam Lambert.

I have been ranting about Adam's theatricality since the first week, calling him this and that. But I gotta tell ya, the guy is a showstopper. After his performance of "Mad World" in Week Five, I was reluctantly becoming an admirer. Others here at Idology T-Shirts were lauding Adam from the get-go, but I was on the far side of the fence - now, I feel as though I am sitting on the fence, leaning towards the House of Lambert. I'm a fan of the song "Mad World", and Adam's rendition was magnificent. None of the theatrics had disappeared, but I can no longer deny the guys' talent.

The real delight of Week Five was the departure of Scott MacIntyre. Another dull (and this time awkward) performace with the guitar sealed his fate. I was also growing tired of listening to him constantly retorting the judge's comments, trying to justify his choice of song or what he brought to it. His actions could partly be attributed to nerves, but it also comes from a place of misguided self-belief. The judges are there to give constructive criticism to help the Idols become better performers/artists, and for the most part, the contestants accept and acknowledge the critique. Lil was guilty of the same thing last week, painfully attempting to save herself in the public eye. The pursuit of celebrity at it's worst.



Quentin Tarantino's appearance on the show as "musical director" for Week Six was rather cheesy. Sure, the guy has a brilliant ear for music to accompany the visuals in his movies, but what's he doing advising Idol contestants? In a time-constrained show, Adam was again the stand-out with his version of "Born To Be Wild" - for the umpteenth time breathing new life into a tired tune. The other contestants had a wealth of inspiration to draw from, but most chose standard film tracks that left the entire show feeling a little flat. The real event of the week was the judge's use of the controversial "save", allowing Matt Giraud to remain in the competition. If Matt steps up next week and delivers, he could easily knock Lil out of Season 8 of American Idol.

by Idol Man

Idol T-Shirts and Flair

Hey there, Idol fans...
Don't forget to swing by the Idology T-Shirts online fan store and peruse our range of Season 8 T-Shirts and Flair. Designs are available for all the Top Ten contestants, so get into some unofficial fan merchandise and show your support for your favourite Idol.

Week Four

OK, I said last week that Megan was growing on me. I also said after Week One that she would be more suited fronting a folk-rock band. I think that opinion still stands following her woeful performance this week. She was in tears at the end of the show, but not before displaying some downright childish antics in an attempt to mask her insecurities. She is young, sure, but the one person she should have been listening to (and who had been championing her since the auditions) was instead shown no respect. Simon is the most revered judge on American Idol, and even though he may receive a "boo" from the crowd whenever he lends his opinion, it's just part of the show. He's the guy you love to hate, but you don't really hate him anyway.

So, bon voyage Megan. It was definitely your time and maybe we'll see you again in a more appropriate environment.



As for the Week Four performances - well, for mine, it was a rather lacklustre event. None of the performances were truly memorable, save for Kris. Ending the show with his lovely version of "Ain't No Sunshine" - a song that has been sung almost to death - was a real delight. Kris' work on the arrangement was simply great, breathing new life into a tired tune. Well done, young man.



But the real delight of the week was the appearance of David Cook, last years' Idol winner. David is a bona fide star - charismatic and articulate with a powerful set of lungs. Simon's assertion that one must be conceited to be a star is not lost on Cook, but neither are his humble beginnings. He has confidence to spare but at the same time, brings a humility to his presence that is infectious and admirable. David is a true American Idol.



by Idol Man