After the ticker-tape falls and a schlocky ballad is sung by a tearful winner, Idol contestants and winners alike must now do the hard work of making an album, promoting that album and trying not to get dropped from their label. Some do it better than others. For example, these lovely songs:
15: "Crush [Sonic Ether Club Mix]" - David Archuleta
The original version of this song is pretty sappy, I get a little creeped out when kids sing about crushes like they are the real deal. But the club mix is pretty sweet, and the chorus is catchy as fuck.
14: "Bar-Ba-sol" - David Cook
While the majority of David's major label debut is mid tempo lite-alternative rock of the Lifehouse variety, this shredder is a growly bit of southern-fried grit. The hardest rocker from Idol, at least until Adam makes his album.
13: "Invisible" - Clay Aiken
This is trashy pre-fab pop at it's creepiest. From Measure Of A Man comes a tale of stalking, sung with the bubbly voice of the geekiest kid to grace the Idol stage. I dare you not to sing along. (It's impossible.)
12: "Through The Fire" - Melinda Doolittle
It's just a Walmart exclusive track from season six's second runner up's old-school R&B disc Coming Back To You, but this Chaka Khan cover is exactly what Mindy Doo does best. A more gospel inflection takes the pop hit to church.
11: "What About Now" - Daughtry
Chris Daughtry may have only made fourth place in season five, but he has a bigger career with his own band's self-titled debut than any other contestant that season. This slow-burning inspirational rock number is exactly why.
10: "Love Story" - Katherine McPhee
In this brassy beat-heavy homage to 1960s-era pop, the season five runner-up tries to make the JoJo-aping "Over It" not her only hit from her self-titled album. It didn't work, and I'm still stumped as to why. It's a tale as old as time - boy and girl are friends, become more.
9: "Before He Cheats" - Carrie Underwood
What happens when a petite blonde from Oklahoma is cheated on? C'mon, you know the words: she "dug her key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive, carved my name into her leather seats... maybe next time he'll think before he cheats" and made a nation of girls n gays run out to by Some Hearts.
8: "I Ran [Radio Edit]" - Darude feat Blake Lewis
About the same time he was being dropped from his label after the painfully underrated Audio Day Dream tanked, season six's resident beat-boxer hooked up with techno/house mastermind Darude for a couple of tracks. Among those were an AIDS charity single and this brilliant reworking of the Flock Of Seagulls.
7: "No Air" - Jordin Sparks Duet With Chris Brown
This song, from season 6 winner Jordin's self-titled disc and featuring a pre-Rihanna-beatdown Brown, is epic. The number of Runs Per Minute is Whitney-level and the lyrics are ridiculously over dramatic. Just the way I like it.
6: "Because Of You" - Kelly Clarkson
When I first heard this song, from Kelly's breakthrough sophomore work Breakaway, I could understand every word, every emotion. I knew exactly what kind of relationship Kelly had with her mother, because I had the same one. This used to be the soundtrack to my own (therapy-filled) journey to my own wholeness.
5: "And I Am Telling You" - Jennifer Hudson
J.Hud deservedly won an Oscar for her brilliant work in Dreamgirls, and her performance of this song and "I Am Changing" on the soundtrack reveals why. The emotional connection and completely organic performance are astonishing, she is Effie.
4: "Permanent" - David Cook
The seventh season winner brings tears to my eyes with a painfully intimate tunes written for his terminally ill brother and included on his self-titled CD. I danced with my little sister to this song at her wedding, it's a beautiful statement of familial love.
3: "Irvine" - Kelly Clarkson
In this intimate acoustic ballad that closed her artistic statement My December, the original Idol winner cries out to the Divine as she contemplates fading completely. Bonus points for the hidden track that follows, a sassy bar tune about Chivas.
2: "Praying For Time" - Carrie Underwood
For the charity special Idol Gives Back 2, season four winner Carrie performed this George Micheal cover, which was even more emotionally wrenching than her cover of "I'll Stand By You" for the original Idol Gives Back. I still pull it up on the ol' iPod when I need to get inspired to give.
1: "Since U Been Gone" - Kelly Clarkson
The massive second single from Breakaway may be a predictable choice, I know. But when you combine a chick who can sing her face off with any song and the power chords of Swedish pop masterminds Dr Luke and Max Martin, what else can you expect but perfection? Even after being remixed, covered, inserted into Girl Talk jams and otherwise played to death, "Since U Been Gone" is what every Idol contestant dream of when they stand before the judges and belt.
Showing posts with label Jennifer Hudson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennifer Hudson. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, August 4, 2008
Five Ten Songs On Shuffle, Volume 21
This is the twenty-first installments of my weekly blog entry series "5 Songs On Shuffle." Normally I’d put my iTunes on shuffle and blog about the first five songs that play, but since I forgot one last week I'm doing ten songs. It's only fair!
"What I Like About You" - The Romantics The Modern Edge
Long before it was the theme to the unfortunate sitcom starring Amanda Bynes and Jenny Garth, this was a karaoke favorite and bouncy sing-along punk song. Despite the harmonica, which is my most hated instrument of all time, it's so darn fun to sing I had to have it on the 'Pod.
"Thriller" - Fall Out Boy Infinity On High
Ooh, Mr. Carter intros the best punk-pop band of the '00s! Can it get anymore celeb-centric? "Thriller" might share the title with a classic Micheal Jackson album/song/video but it's not quite the same. Almost as catchy, though.
"Streets Of Philadelphia" - Bettye LeVette Song Of America
Maybe you don't remember, but there was quite a bit of talk late last year about Janet Reno and her nephew-in-law curating this three disc collection of American music from the 1400s to the present, much of it performed by indie and folk artists. Bettye LeVette is a soul diva who was shut out of the industry as a young person in the 1970s, but has had two well reviewed discs come out in the past couple years. She brings even more emotion to this Bruce Springsteen hit, as you would expect from a big beautiful black woman.
"Love You I Do" - Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls Motion Picture Soundtrack
Speaking of big beautiful black women, my Oscar-winning girl J.Hud sounds sooooo good in this song, written just for the film version of Dreamgirls. She has such a strong voice, perfect for this sunny Motown-biting love song.
"When In Rome" - Nickel Creek Reasons Why: The Very Best
This song was the whole reason I bought the best-of collection by the now-defunct alterna-bluegrass trio. With a writing scheme more REM than Soggy Bottom Boys, but capturing the tradition elements of fiddle and mandolin, a new sound was born. Without Nickel Creek, I don't think I could have appreciated new variations on acoustic music like Jay Brannan's stuff as much as I do.
"Anyone Else But You" - The Moldy Peaches Juno
The lo-fi acoustic sound is almost amateurish, but the sentiment and writing on this song is stellar. Just sweet but strange, just like Juno herself. And seriously, I just imported this CD from the disc I borrowed from the library this afternoon, and it's already popping up on random.
"Mississippi Goddam" - Nina Simone Verve Jazz Masters 17
After one of the many racial-related crimes in the south, Nina wrote this bitter song in response. A super-simple piano line underlines the deservedly venomous lyrics about the broken trust between African-Americans and the rest of the nation. "Everybody knows about Mississippi goddam!"
"An American Crime (End Credits)" Petra Haden, Composed By Alan Lazar An American Crime
Petra Haden is known for her a capella work, like her brilliant cover of "Don't Stop Believin'" from the Guilt By Association album. Alan Lazar takes her wordless vocals and layers them in an increasingly creepy way, building up like strings in a traditional score before breaking into a piano solo and then returning to the vocals. Seriously, one of the scariest scores I've heard in a long time.
"My Interpratation" - MIKA Life In Cartoon Motion
Not one of the best songs from his poppy debut disc, but still a serviceable adult-rock style pop song. I just unchecked from my iPod, I'm out of room and need to add some of my newer acquisitions.
"U + UR Hand" - Pink I'm Not Dead
Yeah, it's just a dirtier version of "Since U Been Gone" (Max Martin wrote both songs) but it's still a classic in the dirty-pop tradition. Also, the best masturbation song since "She Bop"
"What I Like About You" - The Romantics The Modern Edge
Long before it was the theme to the unfortunate sitcom starring Amanda Bynes and Jenny Garth, this was a karaoke favorite and bouncy sing-along punk song. Despite the harmonica, which is my most hated instrument of all time, it's so darn fun to sing I had to have it on the 'Pod.
"Thriller" - Fall Out Boy Infinity On High
Ooh, Mr. Carter intros the best punk-pop band of the '00s! Can it get anymore celeb-centric? "Thriller" might share the title with a classic Micheal Jackson album/song/video but it's not quite the same. Almost as catchy, though.
"Streets Of Philadelphia" - Bettye LeVette Song Of America
Maybe you don't remember, but there was quite a bit of talk late last year about Janet Reno and her nephew-in-law curating this three disc collection of American music from the 1400s to the present, much of it performed by indie and folk artists. Bettye LeVette is a soul diva who was shut out of the industry as a young person in the 1970s, but has had two well reviewed discs come out in the past couple years. She brings even more emotion to this Bruce Springsteen hit, as you would expect from a big beautiful black woman.
"Love You I Do" - Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls Motion Picture Soundtrack
Speaking of big beautiful black women, my Oscar-winning girl J.Hud sounds sooooo good in this song, written just for the film version of Dreamgirls. She has such a strong voice, perfect for this sunny Motown-biting love song.
"When In Rome" - Nickel Creek Reasons Why: The Very Best
This song was the whole reason I bought the best-of collection by the now-defunct alterna-bluegrass trio. With a writing scheme more REM than Soggy Bottom Boys, but capturing the tradition elements of fiddle and mandolin, a new sound was born. Without Nickel Creek, I don't think I could have appreciated new variations on acoustic music like Jay Brannan's stuff as much as I do.
"Anyone Else But You" - The Moldy Peaches Juno
The lo-fi acoustic sound is almost amateurish, but the sentiment and writing on this song is stellar. Just sweet but strange, just like Juno herself. And seriously, I just imported this CD from the disc I borrowed from the library this afternoon, and it's already popping up on random.
"Mississippi Goddam" - Nina Simone Verve Jazz Masters 17
After one of the many racial-related crimes in the south, Nina wrote this bitter song in response. A super-simple piano line underlines the deservedly venomous lyrics about the broken trust between African-Americans and the rest of the nation. "Everybody knows about Mississippi goddam!"
"An American Crime (End Credits)" Petra Haden, Composed By Alan Lazar An American Crime
Petra Haden is known for her a capella work, like her brilliant cover of "Don't Stop Believin'" from the Guilt By Association album. Alan Lazar takes her wordless vocals and layers them in an increasingly creepy way, building up like strings in a traditional score before breaking into a piano solo and then returning to the vocals. Seriously, one of the scariest scores I've heard in a long time.
"My Interpratation" - MIKA Life In Cartoon Motion
Not one of the best songs from his poppy debut disc, but still a serviceable adult-rock style pop song. I just unchecked from my iPod, I'm out of room and need to add some of my newer acquisitions.
"U + UR Hand" - Pink I'm Not Dead
Yeah, it's just a dirtier version of "Since U Been Gone" (Max Martin wrote both songs) but it's still a classic in the dirty-pop tradition. Also, the best masturbation song since "She Bop"
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The New J.Hud Video "Spotlight" Is Feirce!
Ooh, my Oscar-winning girl Jennifer Hudson is looking fierce as fuck, y'all, in her new video for the single "Spotlight" co-written by R&B whiz Ne-Yo. Check out that hair, that lipstick, the girls at full attention in that dress at the end. Mmhmm, you know you wants somadat. Plus, the song, produced by super-producers Stargate (Rihanna, Beyonce, Jordin Sparks), is catchy as hell and definitely needs to be a hit. Watch:
Monday, June 2, 2008
Music News: M.I.A. To Wed, New J.Hud, Prince v. Radiohead
Music news outlets are reporting that brilliant Sri Lankan rapper/singer/designer M.I.A. is engaged to Benjamin Brewer of The Exit, and son of Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Brewer Jr. She previously had a long-term relationship with her producer/collaborator Diplo. My best wishes to Maya and Benjamin!
She's an Oscar-winner for Dreamgirls and co-stars in the new Sex And The City movie, so you may be forgiven for forgetting that Jennifer Hudson is a singer, too. The American Idol cast-off's debut CD drops this fall, the first single will be available to download on iTunes next week. The single, "Spotlight" is available for a listen here. It has an Alicia Keys vibe, but a little slicker. Very bouncy mid-tempo pop with an R&B edge, I think it should do well at Adult Contemporary and Adult Pop radio, I don't know if it will be the mainstream Top 40 radio hit our girl deserves. I've listened to it several times now, I really enjoy it.
You may recall I posted the video of Prince covering Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella on Pictures & Conversations a few months ago. It was an amazing and sexy cover, not unlike his version of Foo Fighters' "Best of You" at the Super Bowl. Little did I know it would be yanked from YouTube following threatened legal action from the Purple One. Several media outlets have reported Radiohead were not pleased, they can't even see the footage themselves. Personally, I know that Prince has the right to take the videos down, but it is kind of a dick move, especially since the songwriters haven't objected. Nobody is making money off of the videos, and you would think he'd like to keep his profile as a master musician up, since his albums keep tanking. Rude!
She's an Oscar-winner for Dreamgirls and co-stars in the new Sex And The City movie, so you may be forgiven for forgetting that Jennifer Hudson is a singer, too. The American Idol cast-off's debut CD drops this fall, the first single will be available to download on iTunes next week. The single, "Spotlight" is available for a listen here. It has an Alicia Keys vibe, but a little slicker. Very bouncy mid-tempo pop with an R&B edge, I think it should do well at Adult Contemporary and Adult Pop radio, I don't know if it will be the mainstream Top 40 radio hit our girl deserves. I've listened to it several times now, I really enjoy it.
You may recall I posted the video of Prince covering Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella on Pictures & Conversations a few months ago. It was an amazing and sexy cover, not unlike his version of Foo Fighters' "Best of You" at the Super Bowl. Little did I know it would be yanked from YouTube following threatened legal action from the Purple One. Several media outlets have reported Radiohead were not pleased, they can't even see the footage themselves. Personally, I know that Prince has the right to take the videos down, but it is kind of a dick move, especially since the songwriters haven't objected. Nobody is making money off of the videos, and you would think he'd like to keep his profile as a master musician up, since his albums keep tanking. Rude!
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