X-Factor 2009 - Top 9

X-Factor 2009 - Top 9

Rock Night

Joe McElderry - "Don't Stop Believing" originally by Journey

I thought Joe was pretty good. He sang really well and performed well, but was missing that extra spark, he looked like a popstar and not a rocker. But then again, he would be a great pop star and not such a great rocker.


Lucie Jones - "Sweet Child o' Mine" originally by Guns N' Roses

Lucie had some negative comments last week, but this was a whole new Lucie. She looked a bit uncomfortable at the start, but came through with the vocals and the performance. I prefer her singing ballads and pop, but she did well with the rock.


Danyl Johnson - "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" originally by Aerosmith

I don't know what it is with Danyl, but he hasn't been on top of his game for two weeks now. He forgot and flubbed the lyrics to this well known song, but the judges didn't mention it. It was a bit over the top near the end, but he did hit all the big notes. He needs his mojo back.


Lloyd Daniels - "I Kissed A Girl" originally by Katy Perry

Lloyd has also lost his mojo. It was an odd song choice and didn't fit with the genre. It was also odd for a guy to sing that. The production was great and parts of it were great, but his vocals need some improving and need to be stronger, they got lost with the background singers.


Stacey Solomon - "Somewhere Only We Know" originally by Keane

Stacey is amazing. She delivers week after week. I really liked the song choice and performance. I was worried about her doing rock week, but she managed to turn the pop song into a nice power ballad. I was surprised and really enjoyed it. Well done!



Jamie Archer - "Rocks" originally by Primal Scream

Expectations were high for Jamie, and for me, he fell short. I was expecting more, but as the judges said, there was something missing. His performance was very karaoke, and it did remind me of Lenny Kravitz, but  not as great.


Rachel Adedeji - "One" originally by U2

Rachel was AMAZING. I think that was the best performance from her I've seen. She took on a classic song, and managed to make it her own (with some help from Mary J Blige). I love that she started slow and soft, getting the emotion in, and then turned on the rock and really kicked the performance into high gear. She nailed it.


John and Edward - "We Will Rock You" originally by Queen

John and Edward. Hopefully this is the last time I will have to watch them. The vocals were insane, they flubbed lyrics and got lost in the song. Horrible. It was a great production, but that's not what the show is about and I hope they leave.


Olly Murs - "Come Together" originally by The Beatles

Olly is another contestant who delivers week after week. The performance was amazing. He made the song modern and added his own style which makes it slick and hip. I'm not sure about the ending with ripping of the shirt or hair, but everything else was amazing, cool, and slick.

Who do you think will be in the Bottom 2 tomorrow?

Michael Buble on Graham Norton

Michael Buble's new album Crazy Love is one of my favorites at the moment, as is the lead single "Haven't Met You Yet". Recently he was on The Graham Norton Show promoting the single and album. Here is the performance, and the interview after the jump.

It is really hard not to like the guy. He is an amazing singer as well as an amazing performer. He is also charming, charismatic and witty (see the interview after the jump). He is also a crooner, and you know he gets all the ladies. I can't help but like the guy and his music, but am super jealous and really want to dislike him, but I can't. And did I mention his music is really great. He wrote and sang "Home" and "Lost"; two amazing songs. Oh Buble, I really want to hate you because you are so charming, charismatic, witty, and a romantic crooner, and I'm jealous, but I can't fault you for being so awesome. You win again!

Michael Buble Interview with Graham Norton

Part 1 - Interview:

Part 2 - Performance and Game

Glee - National Anthem at 2009 World Series Game 3

The cast of Glee performed the National Anthem for Game 3 of this year's World Series. Amber Riley sang the lead, while the rest of the cast provided the backing vocals.

What do you think of the performance?

Sting - "Fragile"

I remember the first time I heard Sting. I was in the 3rd or 4th grade, on a school field trip to see an educational movie about the ocean. The song playing while the credits rolled was a song that mesmerized me. I knew instantly that it was a special song, but I did not know anything about it. I knew it repeated the word "Fragile" a lot. I waited until I saw a song on the credits called "Fragile" by Sting. I went home and was obsessing over it until my parents took me to Blockbuster Plus, and I bought the album "Nothing Like The Sun". I had "Fragile" on repeat for weeks, and it is still one of my favorite songs of all time. The tone, instruments and arrangement, Sting's vocals, and the lyrics are beautiful. It is an amazing song and to me, a timeless classic.

If blood will flow when fresh and steel are one

Drying in the colour of the evening sun
Tomorrows rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay
Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetimes argument
That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are
How fragile we are how fragile we are

On September 11, 2001, Sting and his band were set to perform a concert in Italy that was being recorded for a CD/DVD as well as a live stream on the internet. After weeks of rehearsals, the events of the day changed the tone of the show. It gives new meaning to the song and lyrics. Check out the emotional video below:

And another version, acoustic this time:

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind" Music Video

"Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys is one of my favorite songs right now. I can't help but smile and sing it every single time I hear it. And now we have a music video to go along with it. Enjoy.

I wonder if they will release a sing-a-long version with the lyrics and a Yankee cap bouncing back and forth?

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind" @ World Series Game 2

I'm not a big fan of baseball, but the World Series does have great performances. At game 2 yesterday, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed "Empire State of Mind" at Yankee Stadium. All the pieces fell into place - two New York native superstars performing at one of New York's iconic venues and a song about New York that even mentions the Yankee baseball cap. And the Yankees were able to pull off the win, tying the series. It was all about New York. But enough about baseball, here's the performance.

Now that is the Alicia Keys I know and love. Hopefully there is more of that to come!

(There is another game on Saturday, and I'm really excited to hear the cast of Glee sing the Anthem!)

Alicia Keys - "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart"

Being a huge fan of Alicia Keys, I was not very impressed with the lead single, "Doesn't Mean Anything",  from her fourth studio album, "The Element of Freedom". And it looks like I was not the only one. The single has only reached #60 on the charts, and has failed to gain much airplay. I will admit that it does grow on you, but it is not what I or the public expects.

The good news is that Alicia has decided to push the album's release back two weeks and work on more material. The album is now scheduled to be released on the 15th of December. She is also going to start promoting the second single from the album, "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart".

After a few listens, I like "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" more than "Doesn't Mean Anything", but it is STILL missing something. I don't know about her singing, her vocals don't sound as pure and powerful as they did on her first two albums. I noticed this on her last album, and it seems to be going in the wrong direction for me. I do like the vibe and production of the song - there are some great sounds going on in the background. I like the beat, it's simple, but it works. I also like the chorus and the bridge. I don't think it's the best song she's put out, but it isn't the worst. I like it and I'm sure it will grow on me, although it won't give me goosebumps like "Fallin'", "If I Ain't Got You", "Where Do We Go From Here", "Karma", "Wake Up", "Diary", "Troubles", "The Life", "Butterflyz", "Caged Bird" and others do.

What do you think of "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart"?

Sting - "Soul Cake"

Sting is back! He just released his 9th solo studio album, "If On A Winter's Night" on Tuesday. I have not been able to pick up a copy yet, but I am a fan and will do so soon. The album is described as being a collection of winter lullabies. 

I am not a fan of holidays, especially Halloween, but I really enjoy "Soul Cake", the lead single from the album. The song has elements of folk, is really quirky and odd, but really soothing and comforting. It is like an odd Halloween lullaby. The song is about Halloween, and the origins of trick-or-treating.

History Lesson by Sting:
Apparently, in the medieval times in the UK, people would make cakes for the dead and would leave them out for their dead ancestors to enjoy. Of course the cakes would still be there in the morning. The poor and children would go around asking for the remaining soul cake, and in return, they would send a prayer for the deceased. This is where trick-or-treating for candy may have originated. Interesting, huh?

Anyway, here is Sting performing "Soul Cake" on The Today Show:

And here he is talking about the album:

What do you think about "Soul Cake" and Sting?

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind" Music Video Preview

Earlier this month, I posted some clips from the video shoot for "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. And we have a sneak peak at the video:

Alexandra Burke - "They Don't Know"

Alexandra Burke scored a third #1 single with "Bad Boys" and a #1 debut album with Overcome. All the tracks are on my playlist and the album is amazing. There are so many great songs, from the singles "Hallelujah" and "Bad Boys", and the next single which is "Good Night, Good Morning" with Ne-Yo. Other standout tracks include: "They Don't Know", "All Night Long", "Broken Heels", "Dumb", "Gotta Go", and "Nothing But The Girls" One of the best songs on the albums is a ballad called "The Silence". It is amazing and hopefully will be a single. As you can see, I think the album is amazing, it's a great mix of ballads and RnB. I highly recommend it!

Alexandra has been busy promoting the album and has been doing many appearances, interviews and performances. Here she is singing the emotional balled, "They Don't Know" on Viva Live.

And here is the interview and an awesome live performance of "Bad Boys". Fortunately Flo-rida was not there, so Alexandra did an awesome additional rap bit instead. She sounds amazing and looks amazing, and she is singing live, which is always great but rare these days.

Everyone in the UK and Europe - buy Overcome. And everyone in the US, watch out, she will be taking over the US really soon.

Mandy Moore - Wild Hope

In 2007, Singer/Actress Mandy Moore released her fifth studio album, Wild Hope. It is not like what you'd expect from pop starlet Mandy Moore. I wouldn't classify the album as a pop album, it's got elements of pop, but is very indie sounding with some folk. Not quite "Candy". Many indie artists contributed to the album including Jason Mraz, The Weepies, Rachael Yamagata and Lori McKenna. Mandy Moore had more creative control and the album doesn't sound like her first three albums. This album is really good, and I really enjoy it. Some of the standout tracks include: "All Good Things", "Few Days Down", "Nothing That You Are", "Latest Mistake", "Looking Forward to Looking Back", and "Slummin' in Paradise". But my two favorite songs are "Wild Hope" and "Gardenia".

"Wild Hope" Live:

 

"Wild Hope" is Mandy Moore's favorite song on the album. It is beautiful and has a magical feel. It is a song that has comforted me through some tough days and is very emotional. The song is both depressing and uplifting at the same time, and I love the vulnerability in the song.


"Gardenia" Live:

 

"Gardenia" is a great acoustic track. It really displays Mandy's vocal chops, she can actually sing. "Gardenia" is the last track on the album and leaves a lasting impression. It very emotionally charged, sincere and has vulnerability. I don't really know how to describe it, just take a listen above.

What did you think of the two songs? 

What do you think of Mandy Moore's singing?

Norah Jones - "Chasing Pirates"

"Chasing Pirates" is the lead single from Norah Jones' new album "The Fall" which is due to be released on November 17th. I wasn't too thrilled with the song at first, but it has grown on me and I like it. I like the chorus and Norah Jones sounds amazing. She also looks amazing in the video with the short hair. I love the concept of pirates and sailing through a city.

What do you think of Norah Jones, "Chasing Pirates" and the music video?

Imogen Heap Meets Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

Imogen Heap is a successful indie singer/songwriter from England. She was a member of Frou Frou, but has released three solo albums, the latest, Elipse, was released two months ago in August. Imogen recently did an amazing cover of Michael Jackson's mega hit "Thriller". I must admit that I am cautious and weary of anyone covering a Michael Jackson song, let alone "Thriller". It is such a classic and is so well known and unique, that most covers are atrocious, some are tolerable, but only a rare few are good.

Imogen's cover is brilliant. It does everything I want a cover to do - it is musically different and does not resemble the original except in melody and lyrics. Everything is different. While Michael Jackson's original is very theatrical, Imogen's version is very bare and stripped. But in that bareness, Imogen's vocals are haunting and it gives me chills. I love the chorus and the enunciation of the lyrics. The lyrics really stand out and create the mood of the song. I absolutely love this cover and give mad props to Imogen for attempting and succeeding in covering this classic. Well done!

What do you think of Imogen Heap's cover of "Thriller" originally by Michael Jackson?

X-Factor 2009 - Top 10

X-Factor 2009 - Top 10

Big Band Week

Olly Murs did "Bewitched" and I was not impressed. It was a bit boring for me, and I felt like I was watching a performance at a hotel, and a cheesy hotel at that. 

Llyod Daniels had a rough time last week, but this week, he did "Fly Me To The Moon" and it was better, but not great. His vocals were not great and he wasn't comfortable nor confident. And I agree with the judges about the back flip - it was odd and not the right song for it.

Miss Frank came back with their rendition of "That's Life". I thought they looked good this week, and sang really well. They showed personality, and of course, Graziella's rap was crazy cool. She is really talented and might be too big for the two other girls.

Rachel Adedeji had an amazing performance. Not only did she sound amazing singing "Proud Mary", but she showed personality and had fun out there. She was in the bottom two the last two weeks, but I don't think that will happen off that performance. Well done!

Jamie Archer sang "Angel of Harlem" which is a U2 song, and as Louis Walsh stated, I don't think it is big band. But Jamie is a great singer and an amazing performer. He was out of his element and didn't look as comfortable as he usually does, but it was a great performance nonetheless.

Stacey Solomon did "When You Wish Upon A Star" and looked like a princess. It was a bit too whimsical for me and a bit over the top, but she did look amazing and sang beautifully. It was an off song, a bit too slow, but she nailed it.

Danyl Johnson sang "Feeling Good" and it was very impressive. It sounded like a mix of Michael Buble's version and The Muse. It was really cool and very James Bond. The big long note at the end was amazing, but the end was a bit abrupt. Best performance of the night.

Joe McElderry did "Sway" and it was a very interesting song choice for Joe, little shy baby Joe. But he pulled it off. He not only sang it, but he performed it. He was out of his comfort zone, but one would not be able to tell looking at that performance. I think he will go far in the competition.

Lucie Jones did a super sexy rendition of "My Funny Valentine". She was so seductive and looked stunning. The vocals were great and she really delivered the song. She didn't just sing, she really got into character and performed it. She has amazing control of her vocals and really sang with emotions. Again I am very impressed and hope she wins.

John and Edward. I can't believe they are still in the competition. They attempted "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin, and honestly, I think I prefer William Hung's version.

Go on and click on READ MORE to find out which two acts were in the bottom two, watch their sing-off, and see who was sent home.

Bottom 2 Sing-Off

Miss Frank - "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"

Danyl Johnson - "With A Little Help From My Friends"

The Results

 

Your Thoughts?

Which performance did you like the most?

Which did you least like?

Mary J Blige - "I Can See In Color"

Mary J Blige sings a song called "I Can See In Color" for the movie "Precious". The song is amazing, there is so much soul and emotion. You get a sense of the trials and tribulations, and the suffering the subject of the song felt.

 

The song is related to the movie Precious, which adds more depth to the song. I read the book "Push" by Sapphire, which the movie isbased on, and the story is intense. It is a really quick read and I highly recommend it, although it is very intense and loaded. There are so many emotions and so many obstacles in the life of Precious, and the song "I Can See In Color" beautifully articulates the emotions. The song is great, and the movie is going to be intense, heartfelt and emotionally charged.

What are your thoughts on "I Can See In Color"?

What do you think about "Push" and "Precious"?

Wale - "The Letter" featuring John Mayer

American rapper Wale is set to release his first major release, Attention Deficit on the 10th of November. The lead single from the album is a song called "Chillin" and features Lady Gaga. The second single is a song called "World Tour" and it features Jazmine Sullivan. Wale is featured on Daniel Merriweather's single, "Change".

The song "Letter" will not be on his debut album, but I like it. It samples "3x5" from John Mayer. I really like the lyrics and the direction of the song. It does feel like something is missing, but it's a great start and I'm glad we get to hear it.

What do you think of "Letter"?

Michael Buble - "Cry Me A River" on X-Factor 2009

Michael Buble's fourth and latest studio album, Crazy Love, was released on the 9th of October, and is topping the charts. It has claimed the #1 spot in the US, Canada, Australia, and Italy. It is #2 on the album charts in the UK, as Alexandra Burke's debut album Overcome came in at the top spot.

This last week, Michael Buble presented a master class for Big Band week with the X-Factor 2009 contestants, and on Sunday's result show, he performed a track from the album called "Cry Me A River"

I am a fan of Michael Buble and am enjoying Crazy Love. I particularly like his cover of "Cry Me A River". It feels like a James Bond theme song. Michael Buble is an amazing performer and vocalist. He really delivers the emotion of the song and sells every word of it. He also has a great sense of humor (see 4:10) and is a class act.

What are your thoughts on Michael Buble?

What about his performance and song?

X-Factor 2009 - Top 11

X-Factor 2009 - Top 11

Missed the Top 12? Don't remember what happened? Fear not, it's all here for you: X-Factor 2009 - Top 12

(Again, this is a recap from last weekend's episode. I will have this weekend's recap later today) 

Lucie Jones sang "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston. She opened the show and seemed a bit nervous. Her vocals were good, but her dancing was a bit rigid, she didn't look very comfortable. But she didn't do a ballad as one would expect from her for Divas week. I still hope she wins.

Olly Murs sang "A Fool in Love" by Tina Turner. It was an odd song choice, but he is very cool and suave, and pulled it off. His singing was great and he put on a great performance. He is really comfortable on stage and is a great showman.

Miss Frank sang "All The Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston. They had really great vocals and harmonies, but didn't quite gel as a group. They did put their own stamp on the song, but overall, it fell a bit short for me. They may need more time to progress.

Rachel Adedeji did an amazing version of "If I Were A Boy" by Beyonce. She added her own style to it and she can sing. She is really talented and I hope she stays in the competition for a while, but as Simon said, we need to see more of her personality and we need to get to know her.

Joe McElderry sang "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by Whitney Houston, and I had mixed feelings about it. I liked his vocals and think he has amazing talent and control, but the song and arrangement didn't tickle my fancy, and the performance was boring for me.

Danyl Johnson likes to take risks, and this week he did a brand new Whitey Houston song called "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" and the song was too epic and dramatic for me. I want to see him tone it down, and sing a song without all the extra performance. I want to see him do some acoustic ballad.

Lloyd Daniels attempted "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis and it did not work. I didn't like the arrangement and his voice is not strong enough to hit those notes and it was a really bad song choice by Cheryl.

John and Edward. Why are they still in the competition?! They did an aweful attempt at "Oops!... I Did It Again" by Britney Spears. It was horrible. Bad dancing, horrible singing, odd costumes and choreography. They need to be voted off soon.

Rikki Loney did "Respect" and it was not worthy of it. It sounded like karaoke and he didn't have command of the song. He did hit the big note and did it well, but the rest of the performance was lacking.

Jamie Archer sang "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera and did it well. We are used to seeing him do rock songs, but he toned it down for this one. He had great vocals, and his performance was great - he was able to convey emotions. He is a natural and very comfortable on the stage.

Stacey Solomon closed the show with "At Last" by Etta James. She looked a bit uncomfortable and admitted that she wasn't familiar with the song. But she sang it beautifully. She has a talent and amazing voice and will have a great recording career, with or without winning the competition.

And that is my take on last week's episode. Hit the Read More button below to see all the performances. You'll also see the bottom 2 acts and find out who got eliminated. But don't stop there, share your comments.

X-Factor 2009 - Top 11 Performances:

Lucie Jones - "How Will I Know" originally by Whitney Houston

Olly Murs - "A Fool In Love" originally by Tina Turner

Miss Frank - "All The Man That I Need" originally by Whitney Houston

Rachel Adedeji - "If I Were A Boy" originally by Beyonce

Joe McElderry - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" originally by Whitney Houston

Danyl Johnson - "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" originally by Whitney Houston

Lloyd Daniels - "Bleeding Love" originally by Leona Lewis

John and Edward - "Oops!... I Did It Again" originally by Britney Spears

Rikki Loney - "Respect" as performed by Aretha Franklin

Jamie Archer - "Hurt" originally by Christina Aguilera

Stacey Solomon - "At Last" originally by Etta James

Bottom 2 Sing-Off

Rachel Adedeji - "With Or Without You" originally by U2 

Rikki Loney - "Flying Without Wings" originally by Westlife

The Result:

Thanks for reading and watching the video. 

Please share your thoughts and comments.