Today’s Idol headlines after the jump…
Critics’ Choice
Carrie Underwood
On her new album, “Carnival Ride,” Carrie Underwood has done something clever: She resisted the urge to de-Carrie Underwood herself. This CD isn’t full of rootsy, old-fashioned songs straining for NPR credibility. It’s not a mad dash into the dance-pop mainstream. It’s not an unvarnished collection of ostentatiously personal confessions.
Instead it’s a straight-up Carrie Underwood album, and a very good one, with a handful of romps and laments that exist mainly to set the stage for the big-voiced, ’80s-influenced, Southern-accented power ballads she sings so well. Much more than any of her fellow “American Idol” winners (and more than the losers too) she has become a mainstream pop star without much departing from that show’s musical formula. When she rears back and lets the high notes fly, she still sounds as if she were out to impress the judges……………..
‘Next Great American Band’ is no ‘Idol’
Not only do judges rip into performances, they break up bands, friendships
Contrary to all expectations, “The Next Great American Band” is nothing like it’s parent, “American Idol.”
The obligatory foreign judge speaks with an Australian accent, not an English one. Sheila E. is not another Paula Abdul — in her own words, she’s “the sensitive, nurturing, but I’m-not-gonna-take-no-mess judge.” And host Dominic Bowden isn’t Ryan Seacrest — he’s just New Zealand’s version of the ever-present American entertainer, as he said in the show’s introduction. Yes, it really is that dramatically differenent…….
Hot Box, TV to talk about
…
Country Time: Maureen McCormick of the old Brady Bunch series is one of a number of lesser lights signed for a new CMT series designed to create a new country star. Called Gone Country, this latest reality series will include John Rich, Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson, Dee Snider, American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo and Julio Iglesias Jr. Celebrities will live together in a Nashville mansion while they try adding that twang to their voices. The series premieres early next year.
…
Events for Monday in New York
….Celebrate the Young People’s Chorus at the “10th Anniversary Benefit Concert” at Carnegie Hall. About 1,000 kids ranging from ages 8 to 18 perform with singers Rosanne Cash, American Idol finalist Phil Stacey and “Jersey Boys” Christian Hoff and other in an evening of beautiful music. 7 p.m.; $20-$150. Purchase tickets at www.carnegiehall.org…
Still a pretty package, with predictable heart
Carrie Underwood is a pretty girl with a pretty voice, singing pretty songs about, presumably, pretty people. And that makes the whole package - including her new album “Carnival Ride” (Arista), like the multi-platinum, award-winning smash before it “Some Hearts” - all kinda nice, if predictable.
Unlike her fellow “American Idol” winners, Underwood feels no need to break away from the hit-making fold. In fact, she embraces it.
That means “Carnival Ride” goes down extraordinarily easy - lots of lush, inspirational ballads that make the most of her gorgeous voice and a handful of rock-tinged up-tempo numbers about getting out of town or following your dreams, where she channels the Dixie Chicks, without all that, you know, messy political stuff…….
……It’s hard to be this blank a slate for this long a time, but Underwood clearly works at it. She’s trying to be a singer, not a personality - kind of refreshing, in a time when private lives so often triumph over public work. But as nice as “Carnival Ride” has turned out, Underwood will simply be going around in circles until she invests a little more of herself into the process.
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Tatt’s ink-redibly unfunny
PROUD Vince Mattingley showed off his Chinese writing tattoo spelling his name for 26 years – until someone pointed out if actually spelt COCA-COLA…….
The Sun
Good Morning LisaB. Thank for making me cry first thing in the morning. So when is this trainwreck on?
Assessment of ANGB judges: Fair and comprehensive. I liked the judging. Much better than Idol and America’s Talent judges. These are pros with a capital P. Sheila E. is NOT Paula, but she knows how to quietly tell a band they stink in a nice way. And that guy from Australia is very precise and concise with his opinions. LIked it!
This may not be a show I watch all the time, because frankly the bands I saw Friday were just your average bar bands. You can see them at any bar mitzvah or neighborhood band, but maybe it gets better as it goes along.
It’s funny that the MSNBC article says that Rocket has more credibility than Light of Doom in part “because [Rocket’s] sound isn’t something from 30 years ago.” Heh, I know it was a slightly different version than the original, but Rocket auditioned with the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop,” a song that came out in 1975.
I liked that the article pointed out that good bands with weak links or bad bands with one great musician litter the bar and club scene. Maybe someone should have pointed this out to the lead singer of Northmont a decade ago. I mean, it’s good to have friends in a band, but there comes a time when business is business.
But wait, wait….
Since “it is not a stone cold song,” as some have opined, I thought the ad libs worked. After all, “pairing humor and morality happens regularly in country music.” That is what was explained to us here yesterday.
ETA:
**scratched head and wonders if NYT’s reviewer, KELEFA SANEH, is a loser with an agenda. After all, she/he too has written more than two articles, for the same paper, with the same audience, about Carrie.
LOL
ETA, part II:
I keed, I keed. Most of us realize that the practice of the same person (i.e., entertainment critic) writing multiple columns/pieces for the same paper, for the same audience, is a common one, and not some conspiracy theory perpetrated by h8ers. Succinctly pointed out HERE.
hezzer19
Oct 21st, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Sometimes a cigar is a metaphor for sexu….
And sometimes the cigar is the sex! (Poor Monica..never even got the “real thing!)
Don’t any of you find it concerning that our Pres. could only have sex using a cigar?????)
hi pixie
From MBL.com/Entertainment:
On the road with Daughtry
A day in the life on the Daughtry tour bus
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article_entertainment.jsp?ymd=20071010&content_id=2259720&vkey=entertainment&fext=.jsp
I question the credibility of a review of a music show from Mike Berman of MSNBC when he notes The Clark Brothers lack of a “base player”.
Um Jersey? They don’t have a base player.
Better keep an eye out for another Mike Berman article stating the same thing. Remember, if he makes note of this twice, he is a loser with an agenda.
;)
LOLOL
psst hezz, he meant to say they lacked a “bass player”.
“The Clark Brothers have no drummer or base player, but have the energy to go a long way.”
I think he meant base but regardless, they don’t have didn’t have either so he wasn’t wrong.
BTW, the Carrie Underwood’s fiddle playin’ Clark brother is not a part of this particular group.
There’s like 6-8 of the Clark boys (!) and the running joke is that they look so much alike (except the dobro player??), we swore that they’re cloned…. LOL!
The only contest my old band played in (circa 1986) was sponsored by Malboro and we pissed off alot of country bands by coming in second…heaven forbid they would have allowed a bluegrass band win a “country” contest LOL!
Good luck to them though!!!
BTW, if you truly want to hear a fantastic bluegrass band, check out Cadillac Sky on CMT or Myspace…kickass bluegrass!
No, hezz. It’s a spelling issue. It’s spelled Bass Player. It’s pronounced base but spelled Bass. (Sorry, my son is a Bass Player).
I just noticed my post…don’t have didn’t have? WTF does that mean? I do have editing issues. LMAO
I still think he meant base player as he was probably just echoing the judge that mentioned that they had no drummer or base player. Besides why would the guy say they had no drummer and no bass player? A tad redundant no? But I’ll not argue about it anymore.
http://ellen.aol.com/editorial/hometown helpers/
Ellen Degenerous Hometown Helpers..
Carrie Underwood is in pic #2 & Taylor Hicks is #6.
EDIT: For some reason the link is not working, need to put a “plus” sign in between hometown and helpers.
LOL hezz. I’m really not trying to argue. I love you! But we’re talking (typing) in circles. It’s Bass Guitar; not base guitar. I’m not talking about a bass drum. My son is a Bass Guitar player. It really isn’t important. Peace.
Oh sweet Finn. There’s a bass guitar AND drum? LMAO. Just medicate me now. What the hell do I know about guitars?
Looks like the labels are getting restless:
http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi
Lots of chatter in weasel land recently about the so-called “new” artist contracts being implemented by numerous majors. We’ve touched upon this subject several times in the past. It’s a desperate—if necessary—survival move on the part of the majors, as they attempt to capture additional revenue from touring, merch and publishing, at the artist’s expense. But whether its Warner Music Group’s “360” concept or Sony Music’s “new world” initiative, several attorneys on the artist side recently shared with us that some of the deal points in these agreements are reminiscent of the infamous artist contracts from the ’50s and ’60s (i.e., “Hey, sign with us and we’ll give you this shiny new Cadillac!”).
JERSEY:
I have a hunch that Hezzer gets it now, but can you please, please, please explain the subtleties of bass guitars to this guy.
OMG Boulder I love you.
THAT might be the funniest one yet.
And I have no clue what Jersey is talking about really. I’ve seen many a mention of base guitars and bass guitars on different web sites now that I’ve done a wee bit of research. Seriously though, I know nothing about guitars or drums and frankly I don’t think I want to. I’m pretty sure my brain is full.
LOLOL
The Sox and Rockies are in need of a good base player on Wed.
Whoops! Needed to edit…
The Sox and Indians aren’t playing tonight. Don’t know if you heard but they finished their series last night.
Boulder -
Bass Player.
Isn’t that what you call Lance’s new boyfriend?
Nostradamas: Ashley Clark, Carrie’s fiddle player, IS indeed a member of this group ….he did the lead vocals…..he just didn’t play his fiddle this go ’round.
Ok, Boulder…now that was funny. I have never had the pleasure of spattering my afternoon tea on the computer screen…but today is the day!
That, my friend, was THE best!!!!! Thanks!
Now off to clean up!
Pix
Emmavelle….told you I can’t tell them boys apart….. LOL!
http://www.geocities.com/cfxfans/ScarpatiClarks.jpg
I got last minute tix to see Kelly Clarkson tomorrow night…
COOL for you MJ.
Yay MJ! Have fun. I hope you’ll write a review!
Blake is going to be performing at some extreme sports championship thing in Dallas, TX on Nov. 10th. It must be a pretty big deal because Kanye West is part of the entertainment lineup too.
http://www.lgactionsports.com/2007/events/asc/music.html