Wk 11: Waiting on an Angel, Never Meant to Fail +

[well]

Yes was truly wonderful to hear Damo sing 3 songs in one show, I must be honest, I didnt think much of the winners song, and was dissappointed, but they both did the best they could with a mediocre song, so I agree with a few of you on that score. They both were so relaxed & really enjoyed themselves, bless their hearts. I really have to get a grip with my obsession with our Damo, he's all I think about, teehee.

DAMIEN LEITH FOR WORLD DOMINATION

[Selestial]

:::And now Selestial comes blundering in bringing up the rear as usual:::

Good morning ladies and gents.

So.....here are my thoughts of last night's Idol final:-

RE: DAMIEN'S HISTORY SHOW-REEL THINGY (although tempted to call it Damien's "package")
Just gorgeous - nice to see some "younger" pics of him - can't wait for screencaps! Love the long-hair look - thought he looked a lot like Steve Coogan when he did 24 hour Party People.

DAMIEN'S CHOICE MATERIAL
Really kicked ass with "Never Meant To Fail". Had a quick listen to the original last week and thought that, as well as the Ben Harper song, it may be a bit boring. But he did really great - Damien was on fire and like a well-oiled machine. And "Waiting On An Angel" was beautiful - there is just something about Damien doing other people's songs that he likes, and making them 10000 times better!!

JESS' CHOICE MATERIAL
Well no surprises she goes for Christina Aguliera and Janet Jackson. I've always liked Jess, but now that it's come down to just the two of them, I have developed some slight antagonism towards her and I wasn't enthused by her performances. She looked radiant, as usual. I have always thought her as an amazing young talent, and has so far to go, but I wonder if she could ever branch out and try other things.

::::IN SUMMARY I THOUGHT DAMIEN'S PERFORMANCES WERE FAR SUPERIOR TO JESS:::

THE "WINNER'S SINGLE".
OK. Now this is where the cutting comments really begin.

Firstly, a bit of history - please bear with me. This is the first time I have watched the Idol series, because previously the music and contestants have not fit in with the taste of this 37-year old Triple J Radio listener. This year, however, I watched the audition process for a laugh - there were some funny moments. Jess' audition was early on and I thought she'd go a long way, even win, because her style fit the Idol image I was familiar with. But that was early on and by the time we had our final 12, it seemed there was a broader cross section of musical talents and I was hooked on the show thanks to Damien.

Now this is most likely the last I'll watch Idol, having heard this "Winner's Song". What was the point ever hoping someone of real talent winning idol if they had to sing this sorry excuse for a song? Can you imagine Bobby singing it if he got to the final? Or Chris, or Lisa, or anyone? Sheesh. And I acknowledge the past arguments about whether or not it's better to get voted off before winning idol, so that you can avoid getting into a contract where you are forced to release sub-standard material. And last night showed to me an outcome which got me worried. My heart sank hearing Damien sing that song after a fine evening of work.

So now we're back to same old bland, mainstream, cliqued lyrics. And we're back to Jess fitting the "traditional" Idol image, and so I felt that this "song" was written for her style. And she was terribly excited with it, saying it was like something she would put out anyway.

kamitsuki said:

He truly made lemonade out of a lemon...

Great comment kamitsuki! He did his best arrangement from the crap he had to work with. This song is an insult when he has such obvious song-writing talents of his own.

I'm torn with this. Jess seems to love this song - let her have it. Let her win. I know Damien wants to win and I want Damien to win. Is it still worth winning if he has to put out this single? I know I've really ripped into it with these comments, maybe it's all not that bad. But it's unfair that he worked sooo sooooo hard to get through the tough Idol process, and there could not be a song that could live up to the talent we have exposed here.

And there is no doubt he will be successful from now on if he does not win Idol.

Aaah, valid arguments from both of to win/not to win camps.

I feel that on this forum there are a mixture of opinions and any arguments against my comments are welcome, but please don't claim me to not be a fan of Damien. I love Damien, but I do not love Idol.

[winterlong]

Selestial, I think its really great that you've given your honest opinion and voiced your concerns. I love the fact that we are all Damien fans here, and can feel free to say how we feel. Believe me, if that were to change, I wouldnt be here.....


I know exactly what you mean about loving Damien and not Idol...there is so much to the show that sh!ts me to tears, though I DO watch it so I cant really whine that much...


I think the first thing you need to do, if you havent already, is download D's version of "Night of my Life", and give it another listen...or 3.....

Thats the first thing I did. I will confess I was pleasantly suprised with Damiens version - after hearing Jess' I couldnt imagine what he was going to do with it.....but I feel he has made it into something that I could really listen too. I dont listen to commercial radio at all, and own very little Top 20 stuff....but this is growing on me

What you do with your votes is obviously up to you, but so far we have heard no different to the fact that he wants the win. And if he doesnt, perhaps a kindly lurker would let us know?!
So I am still going to vote him in.....

[KrisLovesDamien]

ok now im laughing at the fact that if bobby made it to the finals how he would sing that song....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA....i seriously couldnt picture it

[Mi chiamano Kami]

*stifles laughter at thought of Bobby singing any winner's single* Love you Bobby, but, just... no.

Selestial, nobody sensible would ever accuse you of not being a fan because it's obvious from the way you write that you are. What you've said is great and valid and I can totally understand where you're coming from with your musical interests. And I think it's good that you brought it up because if you thought it, other people are thinking it.

However after watching the show last night I still think we should vote Damien to win. Firstly because I do think he's the best and the best should win for once!

On the topic of the winner's song... well, it is a little ordinary, but I really got into Damien's version and could see where he would be going even before he sang it. It could have been worse. It could have been another "Listen With Your Heart". My mother, who adores ridiculously overblown sappy ballads (and still thinks that "Listen With Your Heart" was a great winner's single...) loved Damien's version of the song, preferring it to Jess's. I'm somewhat in the middle when it comes to popular versus alternative music and I enjoyed Damien's version. On the other hand we've seen those of us who are much more into alternative music who've come on here and said they appreciated the arrangement and would buy it.

I think that arrangement of the single could be a #1 hit for Damien and the first winner's single that is actually memorable, which would go a long way towards shutting up the critics saying he could never enjoy commercial success. The song will be receiving heaps of airplay and it will get him out there to a range of people who haven't watched Idol.
His own songs are going to be just brilliant as we all know, but the question is whether radio would support one of his own songs as much if it were released as a first single. Triple J will probably not play him because of their totally unfair dismissal of anyone who's been on Idol. (Just going on what I've heard because I'm not a Triple J listener myself... if I'm wrong someone please correct me.) The commercial stations would rather play Justin Timberlake's uninspiring banging on pots and pans than a Damien masterpiece.

As for letting Jess have the song, I too thought that when I saw how much she (claimed she) loved it... but I honestly think the girl doesn't know what's good for her. She put her heart into that song and I think she really meant it, but while her vocal delivery was perfect there was just something off about the song itself, and if I didn't love Jess and want her to do well I would never buy it.
I would rather see her go on to release a better song later - the Christina one she did last night would make a brilliant single. She doesn't have the ability yet to make an ordinary song really really good, though with experience she'll get there. She doesn't have the experience and for that reason I think she's not quite ready to win Idol.

I probably have more to say but... yeah, I think that's it for the moment. Of course I'm biased because I really want Damien to win this, but I believe in what I'm saying 100%. If Damien says he doesn't want to win then I'll hold off on the voting, but I believe he does and, really, if anyone were to make the most out of this opportunity it would be him.

[shimmery]

I was also wondering how Bobby would ever sing that song! But then again, I think he and Damien can both do so much through their arrangements. When I heard Jess sing the single I was so disappointed that it seemed the same sort of song as every other year - maybe it's like becoming Miss Universe, it has to be a predictable "crown". I really liked the first winner's single "Angels Brought Me Here" but the other 2 years could take or leave the songs, I liked them but didn't think they were great.

But then when Damien sung this year's I got the most happy surprise to hear that he really did make it into his own, and with him singing and arranging it, I liked it He found the meaning in it to make it sincere and I think that's what's often missing from this type of song.

I'm probably a radio station owner's nightmare - I literally go up and down the dial constantly and never stay longer than a second into a song I don't like - I'm off again to find one I do. If I'm listening to the radio (which is rare) I happily go back and forth between JJJ, the commercial stations and the news stations.

I have the feeling Damien is not so much a radio music star first and foremost (though of course that will back him up when he gets his singles going) but I think his audience will buy his music straight up, and pay to go to his concerts. He's one of those artists you will wait for an album because you know it will be good.

[KrisLovesDamien]

Yea i agree with u kami.

even tho jess said she really felt that song and she enjoyed it, i didnt think the song really fitted her the way it did with Damien.
maybe its the way they song was arranged?...i dont know, but i felt that sometimes jess didnt have enough time to breathe kind of.
if that made any scence 2 any one lol.

[Neski]

Hey fair comments (or should I say essays for some people ;D) here!!!

Seriously - I have night of my life in my head .. its beautiful because it's kinda catchy but its really sweet and stuff! And I understnad both views from above.

[Mi chiamano Kami]

Ehe, I apologise for turning every second post I make into a novel-length work. I don't know how it happens, really.

I don't really see Damien going down the singles/radio play route in the future either, but I'd like for him to get a bit of that just to start him off. Night Of My Life isn't a bad song (I know I keep alternating between saying "it's not that bad" and "it's the spawn of Satan"... anyone else spotted my brains are completely scrambled?) and I think it could get people who might not otherwise get into Damien's music to give him a chance.

Aw, heck, I just really want to buy his version of the single. I really like it. And everyone wants to see me going ;D and not in a week, don't you?

[KrisLovesDamien]

Same kami. i got my cash and im waiting 2 zoom down to the sanity or any cd store and by it 'D.

other wise ill be sitting in my room saying "WHY!!!!! WHY!!!!!!!!!" and crying lol.

oh and btw i drew something and i wanna post it up, its really lame but yea u will see it in another thread soon every one *DUN DUN DUN* ;D

[Neski]

*plays Jaws theme song in anticipation of Kris's drawing*

Ok this result could wind me up with 2 scenarios:

1) Damien Wins! Dancing around the loungeroom with her magic blanket doing the 'winners' dance with moeny already in her hand while waiting for the single to be released.

2)Jessica Wins .... I stand up gracefully and say congratulations to the tv and Jessica ... walk off to my room ...then comes the loud smuthered - 'WHY WHY WHY DID THIS HAPPEN WHY!!! *sods injected here*'

[dleitful]

kamitsuki said:

(I know I keep alternating between saying "it's not that bad" and "it's the spawn of Satan"... anyone else spotted my brains are completely scrambled?)

I know exactly where you're coming from, I'm suffering the same oscillation. The song is horrible - pure and simple. I'm convinced it's Damien's arrangement of the song alone that makes his version listenable. I mean it's almost unrecognisable as the one Jess sang, and I'm tipping her saccharine version was the way the song-writers intended it to be performed. The one thing Damo couldn't change were the lyrics, which are shambolic....but, well, looking at it on youtube again, and those puppy dog eyes looking imploringly at the camera...soooo cute *throws cup of cold water on face*, he almost almost manages to convince me of the lyrics also.
Gee that really was a bum note from Damo a couple of lines in. I reckon he did it on purpose. A choral F.U. to Sony/BMG for lumping this steamer on him.

[KrisLovesDamien]

lol neski ITS UP!

[Selestial]

Thanks for all your replies, all you guys are awesome. yeah, I will give the song another go at least.

And , Kamitsuki, you are right about Triple J - they have always had a strict programming policy and would not play Damien now that he's been on Idol. If he had entered the "Unearthed" competition (which Missy Higgins won in ?2002) or submitted something to the Aus Music Show he could have have had a chance, maybe, and it would mean he could release his own song if he was one of the winners. (maybe he already did and they rejected it? grrrr. I like a lot of Triple J's stuff, but they do play a lot of crap too.)

[flynn]

Hello

Can I just say - I have never EVER bought a winners single from Idol (no sorry there isnt time - a little monty python reference there - couldnt resist!!)

Even tho I watch the show and generally enjoy it. I just HATE HATE HATE the sappy generic "inspirational" sweeteners all of the winners are forced to release.

Jess - tho she seems like a lovely girl - sang that winners single in her usual "sing-by-numbers" manner (I borrowed that phrase from someone coz I think it's perfect) so it came across as exactly the same as all the others. I nearly had to switch it off.

Damien, NEVER does the "sing-by-numbers" thing. He learns the basic melody and lyrics and then works his own magic with it. As a consequence of him being more adventurous he sometimes hits a bum note or doesn't quite pull something off - BUT no-one who performs like he does ever sings anything perfectly. Check out Jeff Buckley's live vids or Roy Orbison. There are bum notes all over the place but no-one cares because what they are doing as singers is so damn brilliant it doesnt matter. You have to be a robot to sing every note perfectly. And it's far easier not to make a mistake when all you're doing is rote learning and regurgitating what you learnt.

Sorry if any of that sounds harsh but I really believe its why I don't like Jessica as a performer even tho I'm a fan of RnB music. She doesnt stray outside of the designated tune except to utter a few contrived "Heeey oooooh yeaaahs" that also sound pretty much copied. She can sing but there is no spontaneity, complexity or creativity in her vocals.

Damien's recorded version of that god-awful winners song must be fantastic because his live version blew me away and in the studio he gets to fix errors and rework bits that dont quite come off at the time. So it can only improve on his live performance of it!!! I am DYING to hear it. I know it will be one of the most beautiful pieces of music you're likely to hear.

On top of that, he will get the full benefit of the Idol publicity machine behind him all the way if he is the winner.

So his song will do brilliantly IMO and will be a great stepping stone for his recording career to take off from. I seriously dont think he will suffer from the Idol cringe that makes life so difficult for many other talented ex-Idols because his vocals are so unusual - that people will sit up and notice it.

I hope all that makes sense.

I say vote like hell for him. Not just because he's great and wants to win and deserves to win, but also because I couldnt stand another hideous sacharine sweet Idol ballad saturating our airwaves for the next few weeks. And that's what will happen if Jess wins.

A vote for the Irish bloke is a vote for sanity!!!