Thanks!
Thank you for the support over the last two years.
It's been fun.
The Musical Garbage Can has a new home here.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 10:59 AM
March 22, 2007"Idol" shocker
Wow - "American Idol" gave the boot to Stephanie Edwards and Sanjaya Malakar lives to sing another day on the show...
Some people think that's ridiculous.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 9:44 AM
March 21, 2007"American Idol" - Top 11
Here are my thoughts on "American Idol' and the performances by the top 11 (also here).
The bottom three: Gina, Phil and, of course, Sanjaya.
Haley Scarnato - I thought it was pitchy and a weak performance. A little too "talky" for me instead of singing. It showed a fun side though - better than previous weeks.
Chris Richardson - I wasn't into the falsetto. I think he's a little too much like Justin Timberlake and he needs to find his own identity. The tone also reminded me of Ace Young from last season.
Stephanie Edwards - I thought it was a solid performance, but it always sounds the same. I'd like her to step outside of her comfort zone.
Blake Lewis - He gave the song a modern touch, but left the original intact. I think he provides the most style and character to the competition - he brings something fresh to the table instead of the same old ballads. His style has grown on me and I think he's the best on the competition.
Lakisha Jones - I'm still not impressed. I think she is oversinging at the end of hte song and, like Stephanie, she's always in her comfort zone. People feel the need to vote for her to make up for Jennifer Hudson, but Hudson was also an oversinger.
Phil Stacey - I didn't think his vocals had enough edge tonight. It was just ok.
Jordin Sparks - Solid vocals and personality. To me, she's the strongest female vocalist. She shows control to her voice.
Sanjaya Malakar - The girl crying in the audience was a little too much. I mean, was she crying because it was so bad? I still can't believe he's in the competition. It's really tough to watch.
Gina Glocksen - Not her best performance, but was ok. I thought it was a little shaky.
Chris Sligh - A solid performance, but yet another person who needs to step out of their comfort zone. After five years, I'm getting bored with the same old songs - the ballads all sound alike after a while.
Melinda Doolittle - Out of her comfort zone? How? It was another ballad. She has a powerful voice, but it's boring. She's singing like she's 50 and I'm tired of the "Really? Am I good?" look on her face each week. The spit flying while she was singing wasn't attractive either.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 2:55 AM
March 20, 2007Idol on tonight
"American Idol" continues with the top 11 contestants tonight, and it's nearly humorous how Sanjaya is the main topic of conversation.
In fact, Howard Stern now jokes that he is fully supporting Sanjaya - just like votefortheworst.com - and he hopes the teen wins the competition.
It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 3:34 PM
March 19, 2007This week's new releases (March 20)
Here's a look at some of this week's new releases:
Elliott Yamin "Elliott Yamin" - I don't expect this "American Idol" finalist to sell albums like Chris Daughtry.
Insane Clown Posse "The Tempest" - Are these guys really still putting out new music? I thought it was supposed to end years ago...
Jerky Boys "Sol's Rusty Trombone" - Same can be said for these guys...
Joss Stone "Introducing Joss Stone" - Third album from the bluesy teen.
The bands with animal related names releasing albums this week: Andrew Bird, Modest Mouse, Panda Bear, The Ponys, Secretary Bird, The Snake The Cross The Crown, White Mice, Young Buck
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 3:35 PM
March 16, 2007Daughtry coming to W-S
Sure, there's a free concert in Greensboro on March 23, but there's also going to be a Daughtry show at Ziggy's on June 5.
Tickets are $20 and $25.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:28 AM
March 14, 2007American Idol - Top 12
There's an odd dichotomy on "American Idol." Sometimes judges tell you to make a song your own and other times, they tell you you're trashing a classic.
Chris Daughtry found winning ways last year with redone versions of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" (a la Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line (a la Live).
Last night, Blake and Chris tried to make some Donna Summer songs their own. I thought they were courageous efforts to update some oldies, but the judges didn't like it.
Either way - I think Haley and Sanjaya are the bottom two. Sanjaya should have been voted out three weeks ago, and Haley's forgetting words is inexcusable at this point in the competition.
I'd say get them both out and let's get this show moving along.
And, by the way, I'm still not impressed by LaKisha, and I don't think Melinda is bringing anything original to the table either.
Ms. Doolittle needs to stop dressing like someone's mom and start acting like she can sing. Each week she's surprised the judges love her - it's getting old. You're good enough to be a backup singer, so get over it and move on.
We need something fresh and new - which is why I think Blake has good potential to win it all.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 9:47 AM
March 13, 2007Rock Hall holds ceremony
Van Halen, R.E.M. and Grandmaster Flash were some of the inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yesterday.
Congratulations to all!
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 10:58 AM
March 12, 2007This week's new releases (3/12)
Here's a look at some of this week's new releases:
Amy Winehouse "Back to Black" - The female version of Pete Doherty releases her debut album. From what I've heard, this girl is quite unpredictable and has cancelled a number of recent shows.
Bo Diddley "Bo's the Man" - A new album from the rock legend.
And just for fun - the bands with animal-related names releasing albums this week are: Green Lizard, Patrick Lamb
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:31 AM
March 10, 2007Delp found dead
Boston lead singer Brad Delp was found dead at the age of 55.
No foul play is suspected.
A sad day for a classic rock band.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 5:43 PM
March 9, 2007Eddie goes to rehab
I'm guessing that with Eddie Van Halen in rehab, the possibility of a Van Halen reunion tour are slim to none in the near future.
His post on the official Web site says, "Some of the issues surrounding the 2007 Van Halen tour are within my ability to change and some are not."
Funny that the only people expected to be at the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:18 AM
The Top 12 are here
"American Idol" booted four more last night, and are down to the final 12.
In a surprise, Sanjaya is still in the competition. I'm not too sure how Phil Stacey made it this far either. I guess I was one-for-three when I picked Sanjaya, Phil and Sundance as the bottom three.
The women - well, Antonella Barba left last night and I'd guess that Haley Scarnato will be the next to go on that side. My picks for the bottom three there were Antonella, Haley and Stephanie. One-for-three again.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:18 AM
March 8, 2007American Idol - Women Week 3
It's amazing how much better the women are than the men. I could easily see men getting knocked out consistently the first few weeks.
It's amazing how much the song choice can be completely boring. It's beginning to appear that anyone can sing the average R&B song. The contestants need to show some personality, originality and spark.
Each week, I'm also amazed at how much I agree with Simon Cowell - from Antonella being surrounded by better singers to not knowing Haley Scarnato's name.
On to the comments:
Jordin Sparks - She gave solid vocals on the upbeat rock song. I'm still bored from all the song choices from the 80s and earlier, but then again, I guess that goes to show how weak today's musical landscape is. It was a good start to the show.
Sabrina Sloan - Just another R&B song that doens't stand out. It was a little pitchy, but a good performance. Nothing fantastic.
Antonella Barba - Her looks and controversial pictures are getting her farther in the competition than her singing is. She hit some sour notes. While she gets a little better each week, it's still not great.
Haley Scarnato - I wasn't familiar with or crazy about the song. It was a little too Broadway/cruise ship/Disney. She doesn't stand out. Like Simon, I couldn't even remember her name when she first got on stage.
Stephanie Edwards - Actually, I couldn't remember hers either. Again, it was just another solid R&B performance that didn't stand out.
LaKisha Jones - Too much vibrato for me. I'm still not on the LaKisha bandwagon. To me, like Jennifer Hudson, it's a lot of oversinging and screaming.
Gina Glockson - Great song choice with Evanescence. A little screaming at times, but she brought edge and style, as well as originality and a modern song. Her personality shines through and is helping her out.
Melinda Doolittle - For the first time, I thought she sang really well. The other weeks, it was boring to me. I liked the old-school vibe to the song. It was the first time I thought she was above average.
Bottom three: Antonella, Haley, Stephanie
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 9:53 AM
March 7, 2007"American Idol" - Men Week 3
So, we're down to the last cuts before the top 12 are chosen.
The men are getting better, but they're still not outshining the women.
Anyway, here are my thoughts on last night's performances:
Blake Lewis - Wow. 311?! An interesting choice, and a risk, but I think it worked for his funky style. I can't believe it took five seasons and change for someone to finally take a more modern approach. It wasn't a vocal showcase, but it was fun. He showed that you don't have to be boring.
Coming up, John Mayer and Pearl Jam? Wow - I'm shocked.
Sanjaya Malakar - OK, I'm kind of scared that he hulas. It was a good song choice, but his vocals aren't getting any better. How has he lasted this long? Three bad weeks in a row, this guy's gotta go. He lacked any soul for the song. This year's "Guy Smiey" should be on his way out.
Sundance Head - I thought it was the wrong tone for "Jeremy." He gave it kind of a pop tone instead of a rock one and it didn't work for me. I thought it was pretty bad.
Chris Richardson - I didn't like a ballad for him, but it was a good contrast against the first three.
Jared Cotter - He gave a solid performance. Every time I see him though, I can't help but think, "Welcome back, Mr. Cot-ter!" He just looked a little too cheesy at times tonight.
Brandon Rogers - A nice, hip funky tune that fit his vocal well.
Phil Stacey - His voice sounds awful in the low tones. Yikes, I thought it was a joke at first. It picked up, but still wasn't great. I thought it was pitchy and just all over the place. It was a risk that didn't work.
Chris Sligh - A solid performance as usual. No big surprise here.
Bottom three - Sanjaya, Phil and Sundance
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 10:20 AM
March 6, 2007"Idol" continues
"American Idol" continues tonight, and the search for a winner isn't really any closer.
I mean, let's be honest. How many of the contestants stand out to you as "the one" to beat?
Sure, some have had their moments to shine, and it's still early in the competition, but has any stood out as clearly making it to the final two, let alone the final one?
CNN has a story about this idea here.
The article states that Melinda Doolittle and LaKisha Jones are the "favorites," but I think they still have a lot of room for improvement.
Doolittle hasn't shown much personality, while Jones has shown too much.
I'm finding this season to be much more monotonous than years gone by. Someone better do something outstanding in these next two nights...
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 1:22 PM
March 5, 2007A bit excessive, no?
A music promotion company is having dinner delivered to Kanye West...to New York....from England.
Pricetag: $3,900
I could say more, but do I really need to?
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:27 AM
This week's new releases (3/6)
Here's a look at some of this week's new releases:
Korn "Unplugged" - From what I've heard so far, it'll be one of the better Unplugged albums released.
Perpetual Groove "LiveLoveDie" - They'll be playing at Ziggy's soon...
Sevendust "Alpha" - It's good to see a new album from Sevendust. The last one didn't hit big, but the first single from "Alpha" shows promise.
Stooges "The Weirdness" - The first album in decades from the punk originators.
The bands with animal-related names releasing albums this week are: Leftover Crack & Citizen Fish, Wolf & Cub
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 11:16 AM
March 2, 20074 more leave "Idol"
Four more contestants left "American Idol" last night. While I can't say I'm really surprised by any that left, I am surprised by some that stayed.
Earlier this week, I said that Alaina Alexander had a chance to keep improving if she stayed in the competition long enough. Oh well, she was out-voted last night.
I liked that Leslie Hunt stepped outside the box and tried something different, but she too is now gone.
As for the men, Nick Pedro didn't impress the voters and neither did A.J. Tabaldo. While both weren't the strongest, I thought others could have gone before them.
Now, here's my problem with the show, and the surprises on who stayed...
As far as the surprises - I was only mildly surprised that Antonella Barba didn't get booted off. I think there are enough teenage men out there to keep her on in hopes she'll wear less than she did in those racy Internet photos.
I was as surprised as Sanjaya himself that he was still there. The boy can't sing - plain and simple. He's been awful for two straight weeks...
Yes, it's a singing competition, but it's also a popularity contest. When "American Idol" gives information on a person's background, or shows them with family/friends, it makes viewers feel a little closer to them.
Sure, someone may have a rough week, but it's hard to vote out a "friend" that you feel like you know.
That's one of my main problems with "Idol." They tend to do back stories on only some of the contestants, giving a more personal feel to them and giving a connection to viewers. At that point, it's not only a singing competition.
My other main problem is that too many of these singers sound too much alike.
Enough with the ballads already! Year in and year out, we hear ballad after ballad and rarely do they stand out. They're just safe enough to get by until the next week.
The competition needs someone more unique and not just another face to fill a crowded pop landscape.
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 10:19 AM
March 1, 2007American Idol - Week 2 Women
It's no surprise that the women, once again, sounded better than the men.
Here are my thoughts on each of the contestants, and my picks for who's likely to get the boot tonight:
Gina Glockson - It was a little more screaming than singing and I didn't think the backup singer helped her - someone sounded off key. Overall, it was a pretty solid performance though.
Alaina Alexander - She put her own tone on the song. It wasn't great, but it was better than last week. She's someone who can keep improving, but she may not have enough time.
LaKisha Jones - It wasn't as overpowering as last week, but I still think she could take it down a notch.
Melinda Doolittle - She made some odd faces when singing which were a little distracting for me. It was good vocally, but I thought the song was boring and old for her. I wasn't as impressed as the judges.
Antonella Barba - Better than last week, but a little shaky - probably nerves from those scandalous Internet photos. It will be interesting to see if those photos hurt or help her.
Jordan Sparks - It was a little pitchy to start and then she settled down. She tried to do too much with runs, but she'll be safe for another week.
Stephanie Edwards - Regardless of who sang it, this is one of the worst songs I've ever heard. The lyrics sound completely off beat from the music - as if they don't go together. Wow, what a poor song choice. The vocals were strong, but the song was horrible.
Leslie Hunt - I thought it was a good a capella intro. She needs to stay bluesy for her tone. It was an interesting scat - did she borrow that from the boys last night? It was different - I liked that she took a chance and had fun.
Haley Scarnato - Less Broadway than last week. It was good to show something upbeat and fun, even if it wasn't the best song. A little too 80s for me.
Sabrina Sloan - It was a good performance. Nothing special, nothing bad. Just good.
Bottom three: Stephanie Edwards, Alaina Alexander, Haley Scarnato
Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at 10:37 AM
