Canadian Idol Top 2
The last performance show of this season of Canadian Idol! It has been a strange and bumpy road this year. And it all comes down to Jaydee Bixby and Brian Melo.
Click here to read my comments on tonight's performances...
1. Jaydee Bixby
i) "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi on Have A Nice Day (lyrics)
First of all, I'm thrilled that Bon Jovi said what I've been saying all season: "you need to find your own voice, your own style." Exactly! And I think he actually listened a little. Because he was neither as twangy nor as Elvis-y as usual. But he still wasn't connected to the song itself. Oh well, one thing at a time.
ii) "All I Ever Wanted," the new Canadian Idol song (lyrics)
Either Jaydee couldn't find the sweet spot for this song or he lacks the range it requires, because the verses were way too low for him and I think he needed to sing it in a higher key. But then could he have hit the notes that he needed to in the chorus? I'm not sure. I think Zach is right that Jaydee is cracking under the pressure. But I find it interesting that the pressure seems to be forcing his real voice to emerge, because the twangs and Elvis-isms were to a minimum in this song also.
iii) "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones on Colour Collection (lyrics)
Oh dear, we're back to imitation. Well, his fans who think that imitation is as good as the real thing and that schlock is quality will be happy, but I'm disappointed. I thought he'd shown some artistic growth with his previous songs even if they lacked some of his usual performance value, but I guess it wasn't growth… it was just nerves. Pity.
2. Brian Melo
i) "This Ain't a Love Song" by Bon Jovi on These Days (lyrics)
Brian's performance was passionate and believable. Not only does he have a great voice, he bares his heart for the world to see and that takes honesty and courage. And personally that's what I want from an Idol.
ii) "All I Ever Wanted," the new Canadian Idol song (lyrics)
Now THAT's a hit song. Brian owned the song, owned the stage… and if world stays in its proper orbit, he also owns the Canadian Idol title.
iii) "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen on The Essential Leonard Cohen, check out the Jeff Buckley version on Grace or the K.D. Lang version on Hymns of the 49th Parallel or the Jasmine Whenham version on 1:37 am (lyrics)
I'm always nervous when singers cover Hallelujah. It's one of the most beautiful songs ever written but few artists do it justice. Brian did it justice and then some. His version reminded me a bit of the Jeff Buckley version that made me fall in love with the song in the first place:
And Jake Gold really hit the nail on the head when he said that Brian has a humility and a grace that shines through whenever he sings. I am fully aware that the world is not fair, but I seem to be hoping the results of this show will be. Is it the triumph of hope over experience? I guess we'll find out tomorrow night.
To watch the rest of Brian's videos, head over to Idol Stalker.
Assume nothing… VOTE!
Click here to read my comments on tonight's performances...
1. Jaydee Bixby
i) "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi on Have A Nice Day (lyrics)
First of all, I'm thrilled that Bon Jovi said what I've been saying all season: "you need to find your own voice, your own style." Exactly! And I think he actually listened a little. Because he was neither as twangy nor as Elvis-y as usual. But he still wasn't connected to the song itself. Oh well, one thing at a time.
ii) "All I Ever Wanted," the new Canadian Idol song (lyrics)
Either Jaydee couldn't find the sweet spot for this song or he lacks the range it requires, because the verses were way too low for him and I think he needed to sing it in a higher key. But then could he have hit the notes that he needed to in the chorus? I'm not sure. I think Zach is right that Jaydee is cracking under the pressure. But I find it interesting that the pressure seems to be forcing his real voice to emerge, because the twangs and Elvis-isms were to a minimum in this song also.
iii) "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones on Colour Collection (lyrics)
Oh dear, we're back to imitation. Well, his fans who think that imitation is as good as the real thing and that schlock is quality will be happy, but I'm disappointed. I thought he'd shown some artistic growth with his previous songs even if they lacked some of his usual performance value, but I guess it wasn't growth… it was just nerves. Pity.
2. Brian Melo
i) "This Ain't a Love Song" by Bon Jovi on These Days (lyrics)
Brian's performance was passionate and believable. Not only does he have a great voice, he bares his heart for the world to see and that takes honesty and courage. And personally that's what I want from an Idol.
ii) "All I Ever Wanted," the new Canadian Idol song (lyrics)
Now THAT's a hit song. Brian owned the song, owned the stage… and if world stays in its proper orbit, he also owns the Canadian Idol title.
iii) "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen on The Essential Leonard Cohen, check out the Jeff Buckley version on Grace or the K.D. Lang version on Hymns of the 49th Parallel or the Jasmine Whenham version on 1:37 am (lyrics)
I'm always nervous when singers cover Hallelujah. It's one of the most beautiful songs ever written but few artists do it justice. Brian did it justice and then some. His version reminded me a bit of the Jeff Buckley version that made me fall in love with the song in the first place:
And Jake Gold really hit the nail on the head when he said that Brian has a humility and a grace that shines through whenever he sings. I am fully aware that the world is not fair, but I seem to be hoping the results of this show will be. Is it the triumph of hope over experience? I guess we'll find out tomorrow night.
To watch the rest of Brian's videos, head over to Idol Stalker.
Assume nothing… VOTE!
2 Comments:
I believe you are being very harsh. For one thing, Brian is very dull and not original at all. He is like a broken record ... 'he needs to lose himself in the song'... what humbug! He had serious pitch issues and he sounds the same with all the songs he sang. Personally, I think he screams more than he sings. And thus, I think Jaydee is a much better singer technically. And let's not forget humble too!
If my opinion seems harsh to you, so be it. I think I was actually quite fair to Jaydee in my review. It's not as though I don't think Jaydee has promise, but he needs to grow so much more before he'll reach that potential. He needs to discover his own true voice and he needs to find a way to emotionally connect with the songs that he sings. Once he does that, I'll be happy to re-evaluate my opinion of him.
But opinions are funny things, because obviously I don't find Brian dull or unoriginal at all. If I did, I wouldn't be praising him so much. Yes, technically Jaydee has better pitch than Brian but the tone of Brian's voice is such that the occasional pitch problem doesn't bother me. Very few rock stars have perfect pitch and certainly not all the time. Plus, Brian's emotional connection to what he sings more than makes up for minor issues of technique. As for the screaming thing... not that I'm agreeing with you but Zach once said something very similar about Kelly Clarkson and she's done pretty well for herself. ;-)
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