uteotw

Because I'd never heard the original. Is it pretty darn good?

Tonight's ep. sounds a little boring, if what's posted here is accurate, but we'll see...

clckworang

Wow, that makes a lot more sense. Like I said earlier, I didn't see any of the first performances. So I was really surprised when someone said his first song was a Van Halen song. I was thinking to myself, "What did he do? Hot For Teacher or something?" I just couldn't picture him singing a Van Halen song. The choice makes a little more sense now that I know which song it actually was.

Jadzia

Really? I thought it was an Oingo Boingo song.

Josh-da-man

The girl who was rehearsing "Paranoid," tonight... sounded pretty bad.

That, to me, would be a really difficult song to sing in a competition because it would be so easy to fuck up. Much of it is geared toward Ozzy's distinct vocal style and the chorus part is kind of different.

I've always wanted to hear a woman sing "The One I Love," though.

Patman

For the REM song, you need someone who can sing in a higher key than Deanna is comfortable singing, with more grit as well.

Can't wait to see Tara fall on her face with "Paranoid".

Mig also faces an uphill battle with his Aerosmith song.

Roto

And how would that be different from Michael Stipe?

Tonight's show was pretty pointless, but I did like seeing them rehearse. I felt sorry for the house band having to deal with Deanna. I wish they'd profile those guys on the website or something. I gotta think they're all pretty successful studio musicians.

Roto

If you want a Michael Stipe impression. That's why Deanna thinks she needs to completely reinvent the song. She should just sing it straight the best she can and let someone else screw up.

megashock5

I feel bad for Deanna taking the song nobody wanted (and it was nice of her to let Tara have 'Paranoid') but if she can't pull it off she's probably not right for INXS. Not that 'The One I Love' sounds like an INXS song, but it's a heck of a lot closer than most of the harder stuff that's been performed.

I think it could be reworked to fit her style though. I'm betting she does okay with it since they spent so much time on the 'I don't know if I can do this song' aspect.

Also, JD is getting interesting even though I didn't like his first performance. It seemed like he had some ideas that he worked with the band to achieve, versus Tara and Deanna saying 'please help me make this sound good.'

Jadzia

Ask and ye shall receive:
http://rockstar.msn.com/show/houseband

Gil Jawetz

I liked getting to actually see them working with the house band. This is what the show needs. And I liked the musician saying that Paranoid is a song that goes nowhere. I love Black Sabbath and that song, but it's a song with no chorus and no bridge. You can't "sell" it the way these guys want to do. It's not about that. Like "Teen Spirit" it won't come off in their American Rock Idol performance. Should be interesting.

Oh, and regarding Franz Ferdinand's original version of Take Me Out, it's great, as is the entire album.

movieking

The house band are from Vanessa Carlton, Michelle Branch, and American Idol? What is this, wuss rock?

Gil Jawetz

Yes. Yes it is.

Roto

Thanks Jadzia, I forgot it was on MSN. I was looking on the CBS site. As for being wuss rock, both guys that played for Michelle Branch were members of The New Radicals. That was a cool band! They pretty much have the background I suspected - successful session musicians have to go where the money is.

movieking

I liked the New Radicals

DRG

I'm actually looking forward to JD's version of "Hand in my Pocket". Could be interesting from the little bit I heard of the rehearsal.

movieking

I don't get the love for Ty at all. He hasn't impressed me in the least in any of his performances.

I think that Marty would have been more suited for Somebody Told Me, although he did a good job with the Romantics. I don't care for Daphna much either, although I love the Joan Jett song she did.

So far, out of three songs (three of which I really like), no one has really blown me away.

I am curious to hear Deanna to see how it comes out after all of the trouble she had with her song.

movieking

Second set of artists - Suzi did a great job, Mig was marginal at best (again), and Neal was Godawful.

Gil Jawetz

Marty still sucks, Suzy still sucks, Mig still sucks... Neal now also sucks. Where's Jordis dammit?

movieking

Heather and JD were pretty good, but I am still waiting for someone to blow me away (probably Jordis). I liked JDs arrangement of Hand In My Pocket though. In last night's show, didn't he explicitly say he wanted the beginning to sound like Faith?

Minus 5 points for unneccessary asskissing to JD.

Gil Jawetz

NO JORDIS NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

movieking

Tara, Deanna, and Jordis were not as good as I was hoping for (especially the latter two, my two favorites after the first couple of episodes). I still think that Jordis and Deanna are head and shoulders above the rest of the chicks, but tonight's episode really shows how important song choice is.

Gil Jawetz

The Reason is a dreadful song, maybe the worst song used on the show so far, and there's nothing she could do with it. The sang it better than the schmuck from Hoobastank but that's saying nothing. I almost wish she would get in the bottom 3 so we could hear her do an excellent INXS song tomorrow night. Plus they'd never kick her off at this point.

movieking

Didn't like Jessica's version of Hendrix at all, but Brandon was pretty good.

When it comes to tonight's episode, I would be voting for who sucked the least, because really, I don't think that anyone was a standout. Previous episodes had me going back to rewatch a couple of performances, but I don't think that I'll be rewatching any of these performances.

I am curious to see if they'll continue to have their songs picked for them week over week. If so, I hope there is better songs in the future.

Patman

My bottom 3:

Neal - exposed for the one-trick pony that he is. He has no chance to front INXS.

Tara - she doesn't have the voice for this gig.

Jessica - not quite right for this band either. Didn't think she sounded all that good.

The rest:

Marty - consistent performance once again.

Suzie - not bad, rebounded nicely.

Ty - yes, a bit theatrical, but can rev to the red line easily. He looked dissed, though by the comments after his performance.

Daphna - okay, but didn't kill her song.

J.D. - another interesting performance, but has to learn to keep his dismissive comments to himself.

Mig - came through on a tough song and didn't falter. He might be too pretty for the band, though.

Heather - I didn't think she did this song any favors, was a little bored by it.

Deanna - not even close to the greatness of R.E.M. for her song non-choice. Towards the end, she was just wailing just to get to the finish line.

Jordis - a little shaky at the start, pulled it together by the first chorus, and came through well enough, but I like the Hoobastank version better.

Brandon - good song for him, but I still find his voice high and thin.

Joeboo835

Why do Ty and JD look and sound like they were pulled off the cast of Rent. They do nothing for me.

I'm starting to like Marty, but Jordis is still my favorite, despite the horrible song. Can't wait to hear her next week.

Whoever it was that did hte Bryan Adams song needs to get booted.