Better Days

Following in the footsteps of American Idol alums Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry took the stage this weekend and proved that American Idol has seen better days.



And Kris and Allison's killer pairing, just in case you missed it:

"Terrified"

After a three month hiatus, I'm back with my self-important and (mostly) meaningless blog posts. The world is the same as it was three months ago, when I last posted about the Oscars (shocker!). American Idol continues to disappoint, Glee is the gayest thing on television, and I still have an unhealthy crush on Kelly Clarkson. Well, I guess the passing of the health care bill was a "big f*cking deal," but I digress.

It would've been great to come back into the blogosphere with an earth-shattering entry. Unfortunately, for anyone reading this, I'm back with something that is neither timely nor relevant. I've already posted the subject on facebook and twitter, but I guess it's worth using 300 words on the subject anyhow.

It's a well-known secret that this season's American Idol is the reality juggernaut's worst. Simon is coasting, Ellen is a disappointment, and if it weren't for Crystal Bowersox we'd be headed for the worst Idol winner since that gray-haired train-wreck, Taylor Hicks. Other than Mama Sox, there has been one great find this season -- "Terrified," an unknown song written by Idol's newly-crowned cougar, Kara Dioguardi.

Didi Benami, one of the many female contestants eliminated faaaaar too early this season, put the song on the map in the early Hollywood rounds. See below:



After falling in love with Didi's version I found the "original" version recorded by another American Idol alum, Katharine McPhee, last year. The song has already broken 50 plays on my iTunes play count. Not too shabby for a song that I downloaded only a few months ago. If you haven't heard the song, take a listen. Every so often it's good to be a little "Terrified:"

"No One Else"

"You know me so well / You can't even tell / That you're like no one else, that you're like no one else"

Not much of a quote this week, but in celebration of American Idol's new season launching this Tuesday, I thought I'd post a song from my favorite season eight contestant's, Allison Iraheta's, new (and unknown) album.

"No One Else:"

Top 10 TV Shows of the Decade

As the first decade of the 2000's comes to a close, it's the perfect time to make "best of" lists. So with that, over the next few weeks I'll be making my own lists of the Top 10 movies, songs, television series, and entertainers of the decade. We begin with TV.

1. Alias (ABC, 2001-2006)
My least shocking selection. Sure it had some rough patches (season four anyone?), and it was hard for the producers to sustain such quality over five seasons, but Alias is my all-time favorite television series. I have yet to see a better episode of television than the show's pilot, and season two will absolutely blow your mind. Sydney Bristow will likely be the best role of Jennifer Garner's career, and the fact that she never won an Emmy is a travesty. She portrayed Sydney with incredible strength and vulnerability, and without her, Alias would not have succeeded. J.J. Abrams owes his career to this show. Without it, he never would've been given the creative freedom to later create sci-fi gems LOST and Star Trek. However, I contend that Alias represents his best work. I only hope that the next decade brings another show that I love this much.

2. Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi, 2004-2009)
Even though it's set in space with spaceships and "aliens," I never really considered Battlestar Galactica a science fiction show. It was merely television's best drama. Everything about the four season series was perfection. The writing, acting, directing, and even the special effects were sublime. However, Galactica's greatest asset was it's short run. Unlike many TV shows, Galactica knew when to hang it up, and the storytelling benefited greatly, and the show turned in one of television's most satisfying series finales ever.

3. American Idol (FOX, 2002 - present)
Television purists would lament the inclusion of reality television on a list like this, but I am not one of them. How can you ignore the biggest show of the decade, and one of the most entertaining? Sure, American Idol had a winning formula with Simon Cowell's acerbic wit, Paula Abdul's antics, Randy Jackson's gibberish, and Ryan Seacrest's "metrosexuality." However, this is a show all about the contestants. Without the talent of stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry the show would have failed. It'll be interesting to see if the show can continue to churn out music's next big thing. If so, it'll likely be a ratings giant well into the next decade.

4. Everwood (WB, 2002-2006)
The most underrated show of the 2000's, probably because it aired on the WB. Everwood was Greg Berlanti's Alias. Just as the spy drama set the stage for J.J. Abrams career, Everwood cemented Berlanti's place in Hollywood. After Everwood, he'd later go on to produce the much better known Brothers & Sisters, and he's slated as the writer for 2011's The Green Lantern. As with Abrams, his lesser-known work was his best. Everwood was the ideal family drama. It was smart and funny, and didn't shy away from hot-button issues like abortion and teen pregnancy. Television needs more shows like this.

5. Veronica Mars (UPN/CW, 2004-2007)
This one falls under the category of "TV Shows Canceled Much Too Soon." A victim of poor ratings, Veronica Mars never once suffered from poor quality. Kristen Bell infused Veronica with such life and vitality that she was impossible to resist, and she delivered Veronica's trademark zingers impeccably. Plus, any show that can survive a Paris Hilton cameo in only its second episode must be pretty damn good.

6. LOST (ABC, 2004 - present)
Yes, J.J. Abrams' second best effort makes the list too. LOST started off with a bang, and its first two seasons were breathtaking. The show lost its way for a while, but got back on track when producers and the network decided the show would end in 2010 (something that Abrams' learned from Alias). The show's final season will go a long way to determining LOST's legacy, and it's still confusing as hell, but for now, it remains television's most accessible science-fiction offering.

7. Grey's Anatomy (ABC, 2005 - present)
Primetime's best soap opera. Lots of love and lots of sex, and it's completely irresistible. Like many shows on this list, Grey's started with a magnificent two season run. There have been a few bumps in the road, but the show still manages to blend medical drama with good old-fashioned love stories. It doesn't hurt that the cast including Chandra Wilson, Sandra Oh, and Ellen Pompeo turn in first-rate performances each and every week.

8. Arrested Development (FOX, 2003 - 2006)
It's probably heresy that I am listing a show that I've only seen 2/3 of, but that's a testament to Arrested Development's superior quality. Once I see the entire series, the show will probably climb its way up this list. It was one of the funniest and most original comedies to ever hit the small screen. It's groundbreaking style paved the way for other quirky, critically-acclaimed shows including 30 Rock, Modern Family, and Better Off Ted.

9. Survivor (CBS, 2000 - present)
The only show on the list that has survived the entire decade. The granddaddy of reality television, Survivor is a statement to quality equaling longevity. After nearly 20 installments, Survivor continues to cast people and create situations that bring new twists and freshness to the show. If they keep up this pace, we'll still be talking about Survivor come 2019.

10. Modern Family / Glee (ABC / FOX, 2009 - present)
Some will say it's "too soon," and I was tempted to put both of these shows even higher, but since they're only halfway through their first seasons they both land at number 10. Their addition to the television landscape has made 2009 a banner year. They're original and "side-splittingly" funny, and I cannot wait to see what they bring to the next decade.

In Your Face, Simon Cowell

(Bloggers Note: I've been away for a while. Between moving to a new apartment and a busted MacBook, it has been hard to find time to blog, but I'm back. There are quite a few new posts coming including reviews of Sandra Bullock's career-reviving performance in The Blind Side, Adam Lambert's surprising debut album, Leona Lewis' much-improved sophomore record, and the emotionally gut-wrenching Precious. However, I'm marking my comeback with Allison Iraheta's Just Like You.)

If Kelly Clarkson and P!nk had a love child, her name would be Allison Iraheta. The fourth-place finisher on American Idol's eighth season, the 17-year-old Iraheta has turned out an album (Just Like You) that showcases vocal pipes similar to those of the original American Idol and vulnerability identical to that of the used-to-be-pink-haired rocker.

Iraheta opens her debut effort with the rip-roaring "Friday I'll Be Over U," penned by Max Martin, who also wrote Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" and P!nk's "So What." "Friday" is the ideal lead single for Just Like You as Iraheta's husky, raw voice takes center stage over fist-pumping guitar beats.

Iraheta, often falsely accused by Simon Cowell during her American Idol stint of lacking charisma, oozes personality throughout Just Like You. Whether she's lamenting an obnoxious boyfriend on the tongue-in-cheek "Robot Love" or giving advice on the moving "Don't Waste the Pretty," there is no doubt that Iraheta connects with her material -- and has a blast while doing it.

The album veers slightly off track with the forgettable "Pieces" and "Just Like You" and the juvenile "D is for Dangerous." However, Iraheta comes back with a vengeance on the album's second half. She embodies heartbreak as she belts, "I'm still breathing / Don't you think I'm not because you're leaving / I'm moving up and away" on "Still Breathing." Her voice soars on "No One Else," a track that P!nk ironically co-wrote. Near the album's conclusion, she sheds all comparisons and tears through the fantastic, dance-floor-worthy "Beat Me Up."

Just Like You is one of the best freshman album's to come from an American Idol alumnus. The red-haired rocker sounds impeccable, and there isn't a vocal imperfection to be found. Though in order to achieve the pop super-stardom of Clarkson and P!nk, she needs to differentiate herself on her next album. However, we should expect great things from Iraheta. After all, she is only 17.

Grade: A-

Download It: "Friday I'll Be Over U," "Beat Me Up," "Still Breathing," "No One Else"
Ditch It: "D is for Dangerous"

The Second Coming

I shouldn't be posting during the work day, but I couldn't resist, this is a big deal -- Allison Iraheta, my favorite American Idol from last season leaked her first single today, and it's a good one. Iraheta, despite Simon Cowell's criticisms, is the most talented teenage belter (sorry Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta) to come out of American Idol and "Friday I'll Be Over U" is her first step to becoming the next P!nk. The song, penned by ultimate hit maker Max Martin, the man behind Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," P!nk's "So What," and Katy Perry's "Hot 'N Cold," is simple, catchy, and showcases Allison's raw, husky tone. If anything, the song is a promising hint at what her album, coming out this December, will sound like.

Take a listen here.

Utah Sundays

Since the Mormons run this town, and there's nothing better to do on Sundays, I've been watching YouTube videos all morning. In doing so, I came across my all-time favorite American Idol performances:

Jennifer Hudson, "Circle of Life:"


Kimberley Locke & Frenchie Davis, "Band of Gold:"


Carrie Underwood, "Alone:"


Kelly Clarkson, "Stuff Like That There:"