RockStar:Supernova Episode 2
So I actually like Brooke's dress tonight, although the necklace is tacky and only attracts attention to her breasts, thus she still maintains her slutty status.
Gilby is absolutely right: they were so easy on them. Let's get some real critiques here. Here we go...
Magni: The Who, "My Generation"
Not a real big fan of The Who, but their songs are classics. His stage performance is marginally better, but he is still nothing stellar. It's a good karaoke version, at best. Average performance again.
Comments:
Jason agrees that the performance is better and Tommy makes no sense. He goes the performance was "ho-hum"; like the ho, need more hum. What?!?!?! Maybe he is not quite as sober tonight.
Grade: C
Jenny: Softcell, "Tainted Love"
This is really risky taking a song that is so stylized and do a different arrangement. However, I kind of like it. It is definitely different and I respect the making it your own. I still thinks that she lacks the power. Much better performance than last week, but still not a contender.
Comments:
Gilby is just wrong about the arrangement. The beginning was much better than when she tried to get hard. She actually had more emotion than Softcell in the beginning, but couldn't keep up once she got to the chorus. Definitely respect the arrangement change.
Grade:B
Jill: Hole, "Violet"
I actually like this song, even though I am not a huge Hole fan. The pan to Jason semed to say that she gave him a headache right off. She performs this pretty well, until she starts the "sexy" stage performance to the girls in the front of the audience. They are obviously not into that. She definitely has a lot of energy. She has a chance.
Comments:
Dave says the impersonation of Courtney Love was "uncomfortable." I haven't seen the video and I looked up the album cover and it just shows Love's face and a bouquet. She has potential to front the band, but if you impersonated own up to it. Although Courtney Love is never a good choice to impersonate, FYI. Gilby is right, she screamed the song, but that is the song. Another irrelevant comment from Tommy about her wearing panties or not, but she keeps up the sex appeal.
Grade: B+
Zayra: The Kinks, "You Really Got Me"
Her accent is coming through more and more. Her moaning/crying is comical. The other contestants are laughing at her. Boy, there are like no other words to this song. They are all ridiculing her performance. Her dancing reminds me of Taylor Hicks' dancing, which drove me up the wall. He should have been committed to a mental institution. The rendition was ok, but it is obvious she has no clue who she is auditioning for. The dancing was seizure-esque. Average performance.
Comments:
Gilby gets it exactly right. He shouldn't need to tell you. It is called research, always know your audience. She's "heard" of it. She can't be that much younger than me. So she was wearing diapers in elementary school and on through high school? Metallica has been around like 20+ years and the radio stations still play classic GNR (the new stuff doesn't count, poor Axl can't make his band work without Slash), not so much Motley Crue, but they have some classics that everybody between the ages of 18 and 35 should know. "I love you" (but I have no idea who you are).
Grade: F (C on the performance, but that does not balance out the sheer cluelessness of who she is auditioning for (F-) and that she doesn't know any of their classic songs (F-))
Chris: Franz Ferdinand, "Take Me Out"
Now technically, the radio station I listen to plays this as rock, but it seems pretty soft by my standards, like a medium rock at best. The beat is addicitive and he hardens it, but only due to the fact that he screams the lyrics due to the fact that he can't sing. Another bad performance. Lukas can't even hide his amusement.
Comments:
Dave nails it: this is a bad karaoke version. Chris can't hear what Dave is saying for his ego singing "I'm one of the greatest singers, la, la, la, la." "Can you elaborate?" Sure, you suck.
Grade: D- ( I see a trend here.)
Dilana: Johnny Cash, "Ring of Fire"
First off, she is dressed like a vampiress. This promises to be strange. I actually like the Indian sound that she put to it. This version actually SMOKES! A very sultry beat for a country song. Great arrangement, great vocals, great performance, scary outfit.
Comments:
Judges concur. She rocked it. Period.
Grade: A+
Josh Logan: Creed, "With Arms Wide Open"
Not digging the soul version. I love Creed, so the "improve it or don't do it" rule applies here. Is he singing this through his nose? Ok, he finally stopped that. He can sing, but don't take a song like this. Pan to Tommy and he agrees. He might be trying to mix some rock in there, but I am just not digging this. Good performance, great voice, but not a fit.
Comments:
Dave is right that he is good, but Josh is just not a good fit.
Grade: B-
Phil Ritchie: Tonic, "If You Could See"
The dude cannot sing. He softened the song, which is not advisable for this group. He won't last many more weeks. His performance is subpar and the vocals are awful. The vibrato sucks.
Comments:
Dave must not be hearing the same voice I am after all those concerts that he played. I also hate this pouty lip thing. Luckily, I won't have to put up with it long. Jason likes to rock it out on his guitar, so he plants. Phil is not a great fit anyway, so no matter. I am not sure he can live through this to make through to his "next week" promise.
Grade: C
Storm Large: Cheap Trick, "Surrender"
She definitely does not back down. She has a good voice and this is not a bad version. She could front a rock band, but not this one. Good performance, good vocals, good energy. Still a contender.
Comments:
Energy good. Dave is right about it being "Broadway"; she might have overperformed.
Grade: B
Patrice Pike: Nirvana, "Heart-Shaped Box"
Off on the start. Is it just me or is the twang coming through? I liked the song. She is definitely a contender. Good performance, good vocals.
Comments:
She's my height! She just keeps improving! Judges agree.
Grade: B+ (She did drop a line of a song she should be able to sing in her sleep; otherwise A-)
Lukas: ColdPlay, "Don't Panic"
Can he rock out ColdPlay and show that he can actually sing? I say yes; although I do not like the leaning tower stance. He is my pick for the winner. I have not heard this song before. (Hey, I don't listen to AC like Chris does.) So he makes it a likable rock ballad for me. Great performance, good vocals, loved that he could make ColdPlay rock.
Comments:
So Jason critiques Lukas' singing of his vowels. Wait, did Jason every sing on a Metallica album? I don't think so. Does he have a grudge against Lukas? Tommy's right, shut up. I think that Jason just wanted some way to knock him off his high horse.
Grade: A
Ryan Star: Rolling Stones, "Jumping Jack Flash"
He just needs to go. He is fair at best. His stage performance is improved this week, but I am still not a fan. Down in the audience was good, but he can't even get the other contestants to feign interest.
Comments:
Ryan has no showmanship, the judges say. He has to try too hard. He won't be around much longer.
Grade: C
Dana Andrews: Steppenwolf, "Born to Be Wild"
The girl needs to be on American Idol, NOT RockStar. Although she is dressed for RockStar this week. She did a good job on this song, but she will not be able to hang with a band like SuperNova. Definitely a talented singer, just no clue about the members of SuperNova. The poor girl is clueless.
Comments:
Tommy was right on, "Born to Be Mild". Leopard print, fishnet, and head banging. Wait, that was headbanging?!?!?!?! She is so clueless. The "blow-drying my hair" head banging does not count and tacky clothes do not a rocker make. Tommy can't even keep the laughter back. Jason calls her clay just because he wants to touch her.
Grade: C (A- on the performance, but F- on understanding your audience)
Toby Rand: The Killers, "Somebody Told Me"
Not a great singer, but a decent stage presence and look. He will last until mid-season due to the fact that there are enough really bad people to keep someone who is trying to rock in the competition. Gilby must telling Tommy it is not that good.
Comments:
The judges claimed good song choice, nice performance. He picked a rock song that had limited range, so I guess it was a good choice for him.
Grade: B+
So Jill, Chris, and Zayra are in the bottom three at the end of the show. Not a big surprise, although I do think that there were people worse than Jill.