Next Great American Band Taping #7 (Ep8)

It was incredibly difficult not to start writing the moment I snuck out of the taping. But I was good. Besides, there are plenty of places online to get spoilers, and it sort of undermines the show's concept. For those who can't wait, it's ok, especially if you are still going to watch. The show's time slot has been changed in order to increase the number of viewers. I hope it works, because when the show does well, the other bands benefit. Sort of a "Good for the Goose, Good for the Gander" kind of thing. Where would Kelly Clarkson be if American Idol had only 2 million viewers a week, and then was canceled after the first season? I'm not saying that The Next Great American band will be canceled. I don't know. I'm saying that I hope enough people support the show to bring it back.

The Music

This week was Queen week, and to position my comments a little better, I like three of their songs. Bohemian Rhapsody, We are the Champions, and We Will Rock You. Of course, I own none of them. Quite frankly, I had heard the others performed on the show and didn't know they were by Queen. I'm still not going to buy one of their albums.

And last but not least, AN ORIGINAL!!! We finally, after about five weeks, got to hear original songs. It was obvious to me that this would hurt Light of Doom most, as they do not have the experience or longevity to have a decent catalog to pull from.

What a shake up this week

The Dots are gone! And what a frenzy that caused. All over the 'net people were griping and complaining. Here's the deal, while I have my band I want to win, it comes down to votes. And as unfortunate as it is, that's the way it works. However, a lot of complaints centered around Dot Dot Dot not having an exit interview on the show. I think that was unfortunate. There was no reason to not ask them what their future plans are, or another question along those lines. Adding insult to injury, many more fans for the Dots were in the crowed this evening than any previous show.

The Clarke Brothers

I had a feeling they would play first. They haven't opened the show yet, and with the controversial decision to allow them to add a bass player and drummer, it made sense. The show likes big openers.

Cover: Days of our Lives

• Vocals: 4. Pitch was pretty good, a few problems here and there. However, for the better part of the song it didn't have as much character as usual, perhaps because of holding the fiddle the entire time. It's interesting to me to note that Sheila didn't make any comments about it, but did to Denver.
• Tempo: 5. Click track? The best bands use 'em, and these guys were good.
• Sync: 4.5 Bass and Drums were tight, but they don't quite have the feel of the bands that have more experience playing together. They sounded like session players - very good, but not quite gelled like a band.
• Arrangement: 3.5 The chorus didn't climax enough. Ashley had to scream to build it, but the instrumentation, being more fleshed out, should have played a bigger role.
• Presentation: 5. I liked the "Dixie Chix" style. 3 guys with a backing rhythm section. Personally, for me it works, and it did allow Ashley to take a more commanding role.
• Overall Impression: 4.5. Again, talent. There's nothing holding these guys back but themselves.

Homestead (original)

• Vocals: 4.5 some pitch problems, but overall pretty good.
• Tempo: 5. No drift.
• Sync: 5 much better feel than the cover
• Arrangement: 4.5 I docked it half a point because I didn't like the solos that much. There were some fiddle pitch problems.
• Presentation: 5. They hold themselves well.
• Song: 4. While it had a good hook, it's not going to speak to as broad of an audience as it could. Dicko is right about it being too generically country lyrically.
• Overall Impression: 4.5.

My take on the two added band members: Well, they aren't really added band members. Just back-up players. If so, they would have been in the green-room with the rest of the bands. There are rumors that they won't be back next week - there will be two different players instead. While I prefer the sound a bit more, I think it lost the intimacy of just the three guys, and it also made them sound more generic and more like Sixwire (even though the instrumentation is different). Splitting the vote with Sixwire could hurt them.

Light of Doom

I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to belabor the point.

Ahh, so much to say.

Cover: We Will Rock You

• Vocals: 2. I gave them a one, because, while it was the worst performance to date, it was all over the place.
• Tempo: 1. Directly affecting sync, this was horrendous.
• Sync 0. no pocket. every band-member to themselves. save yourselves!!!
• Arrangement 0. The arrangement may have been fine, but it was so poorly executed, it was impossible to tell.
• Presentation 1. Here's where my heartstrings were pulled. I couldn't give them 0's across the board. Even though this was incredibly cheesy. We didn't have a whole bunch of talent contests in my Jr. High. But this is exactly what I'd imagine it would be like.
• Overall Impression 1

This song was the longest to tape. The producers really wanted the crowed to be involved in the opening "We will rock you" sequence and rhythm, so they instructed everyone to clap and fist-pump with the band. However, to make sure it was going to work, they had a quick rehearsal with the kids. Immediately, I knew it was going to be a problem. Crowds, when given the chance, will clap faster and faster. The kids, with their lack of experience, immediately start to follow. It got so bad that the music director had to come out and instruct the kids, then the crowd, not to speed up. Imagine how bad it would have been if that hadn't been done? (I'm not going to question whether or not they should have even corrected the kids before they played, as none of the other bands would have been - or would have needed to be.)

One more thing of note, Dicko made a comment along the lines of, "Whoever's idea it was to play those drums, never listen to them again." I'm sure it wasn't the kids who came up with it, and it was a bad idea. Light of Doom has been told to do a lot of cliche' d things, and I don't know who has been coming up with them, but they have finally caught up to them. Playing on the catwalk, walking through the crowed (and giving "hey everybody" hi-fives), sheesh.

A Matter of Time (original)

Vocals: 1.

Tempo: 1.

Sync 2.

Arrangement 2.

Presentation 3.

Song: 1

Overall Impression 0.5

One thing to note, and I won't ramble on here, is that the show didn't tape in order that it aired. We saw the cover, immediately followed by the original, from each band. It made for faster taping. Then the show was edited together to make for a more interesting presentation. That said, I felt bad for the kids. They just got slammed, finally, after being misinformed at every one of their previous performances, and now they have to immediately go into their original and expect to play it there best with no emotional connection to the previous song. They didn't have a chance to decompress and build themselves back into the next song. And while that's true for the other bands, it was definitely harder on the kids. Yet another reason why they should never have been put on the show to begin with.

Sixwire

Cover: Fat Bottom Girls

• Vocals: 5. This is tricky for them. When they really focus on BGV's it can go either way. In weeks past, they have been pitchy. They pulled it off very well today.
• Tempo: 5. No surprise
• Sync: 5. Again, tight, great feel, perfect.
• Arrangement: 5. Great version of this song. I'd actually listen to this.
• Presentation: 4. While good, not overly inspiring.
• Overall Impression: 4.5 I went down, maybe half a point here, because now that I've had a little time to think about the performance, it's starting to all run together. Pretty vanilla, but very, very well executed.

These guys deserve to win this show based on today's performance. They have such a great connection as a band. And that is, after all what this show is about. Right?

Go On (Original)

Vocals: 5.

Tempo: 5.

Sync: 5. Again, tight, great feel, perfect.

Arrangement: 5. Wow

Presentation: 4. Same thing, you've seen this all before. Not a whole lot new given to us tonight.

Song: 5. I think this song is ready for radio now. While I'm not divorced, we all have friends and family who are. This song is relevant and honest in today's culture.

Overall Impression: 5.

I won't be disappointed, or surprised if Sixwire wins this contest. However, it's not my favorite band in the show.

Denver & the Mile High Orchestra

Sitting in the crowed Wednesday, and having to wait until the end (remember that the other three bands had already performed their two songs) was near excruciating. There was a huge contingency of Dot Dot Dot fans in the crowd. They were a clear audience favorite when it came down to the final two. I knew about 12 people in the crowd there specifically to see Denver.

Cover: Sleeping On the Sidewalk

• Vocals: 4 - Each week Denver's vocals get more intense. They are smooth, that's his style, and it's not really the style of today. But I'm trying to see past that and understand that his pitch and timing were right on.
• Tempo: 5. Always solid
• Sync: 5. The band was as tight and in the pocket.
• Presentation: 3.5. I was disappointed in the look. It felt sloppy. One thing that was nice, on TV you didn't notice Denver carrying around his trumpet during the song. It was obvious during the show, and the reasons for Sheila's comments.
• Arrangement: 5. Another positive from Rzeznick. It was a great version of the original.
• Overall Impression: 4.5

White House (original)

• Vocals: 5 - Actually some growl. Great character and good all-around..
• Tempo: 5. perfect
• Sync: 5. The band was as tight and in the pocket. Great rock feel, and the band locked right in.
• Presentation: 4. Better than the cover (loss of the trumpet) but the look still bothered me.
• Arrangement: 5. This song relied on the arrangement to make it good, because of the three bands that were good today, this was the worst original...
• Song: 3. Hook? Chorus? Oh wait, there were both of those, but almost non-existent. I could barely remember the song name, which came from the first line of the song, not from the chorus or any other memorable part of the song.
• Overall Impression: 4. They have a huge catalog of songs to pull from. Why this one?

I also know that DMHO and Dot Dot Dot have developed a solid friendship over the last couple of months, and it was tough for them to have to sit together as the last two, one of them going to advance. You could see it on the faces of both bands, disappointment. It wasn't the Dot's time to leave. We can all think of at least one band that should be gone already.

closing

Well, I have one more trip to make out to LA. I'm looking forward to it, and a bit nervous. I have to believe that Denver & the Mile High Orchestra have made it through, but you never know. I thought Franklin Bridge could win this. We'll see.

chs.

Next Great American Band Taping #6 (Ep7)

Introduction

After yet another whirlwind flight from Nashville out to LA on Wednesday and back the next day, I'm feeling pretty good about this show. Still, disappointed in some of the outcome. So far, the bands that I felt have needed to go at some point have all left (with the exception of Franklin Bridge). However, no band has consistently performed as poorly as Light of Doom. I honestly don't know what the producers are trying to accomplish by having them in the show - but, it's their show and they can screw it up if they want.

Tonight was Rod Stewart night. Yet another British rock icon on a show searching for an American Band. And, with the announcement of Queen for next week, there may not be an end in site. They are also considering David Bowie as well, no real surprise there. Of course, we haven't even gotten to the Beatles yet.

The recap video from last week surprised me. It must have been put together between Wednesday and today's airing. The video shown at the taping covered more of the previous bands, recapping the show from the start of the season to this point.

I'm going to do my best to really focus on musicality, making a true attempt to judge the bands on a technical scale, with less personal opinion mixed in. I'm also not focusing on appearance or presentation (which I consider important factors for bands). I thought this would hurt Light of Doom's score, because they are exclusively about appearance, but then I reminded myself that they aren't doing anything original, and how copied and cheesy it looks. Plus appearance is even more subjective than musicality.

Now for the bands

Dot Dot Dot

Song: Young Turks

• Vocals: 2 stars. Not having the bass player sing helped this week, because, well, she can't sing. However, there were constant pitch problems from the lead singer.
• Tempo: 4 stars. Timing was good. But there wasn't really a pocket, or feel to fall into.
• Sync (band togetherness/tightness): 3 stars. They were a little soft, and not really locked in.
• Arrangement: 3.5 stars. Not a whole lot to listen to. It came across like they learned the changes and played them the way they would, instead of branching out and experimenting. This band is more about experimentation and discovery than it is a style. Pushing the boundaries IS their style - or at least what they seem to want as their style, so why so vanilla this week?
• Overall musical impression: 3 stars.

I still want to like these guys, but the last two weeks have really shown their weakness in the vocals. Dicko was absolutely right about the keyboard setup. (See my previous post - I made the exact same point a few weeks ago! - under Dot Dot Dot) It's nice to see a judge finally catching up. Maybe he's reading this. Good job Dicko. His comments in the taping were a bit longer, and were edited for TV, but they did get the gist of what he said. It was also refreshing to hear Sheila finally make a comment about tempo.

Denver & the Mile High Orchestra

Song: Baby Jane

• Vocals: 4 stars. Pitch was good. There was way more character than before, but his vocals are a touch vanilla. However, he did bring some more aggression, and it works well. It was also controlled, and, even when he's pushing himself, the requirements of pitch and timing are still well executed.
• Tempo: 5 stars. Locked into the pocket, and a great vibe and groove. No drift at all.
• Sync: 5 stars. They were right on. The bass, drums, guitar and keys were perfectly in sync, setting up the vibe for the whole tune.
• Arrangement: 4.5 stars. Every week the horns are fully arranged by Denver. Dicko was right about the chorus getting a little lost, and, while it didn't loose energy, it didn't build as much as it could have. Still, the vocals had great space, and it was awesome to hear the rhythm section (and guitar) clearly arranged for.
• Overall Musical Impression: 5 stars.

It was refreshing to hear all three judges have positive comments. Last week it really felt like The Mile High was unduly picked on. To finally have Rzeznick say they played well is refreshing, although his opinion - being very Paula Abdulesque - doesn't carry a lot of weight.

Sixwire

Song: Hot Legs

• Vocals: 5 stars - it was great to hear the bgv's on - which is key for these guys. So much hinges on their vocal harmonies, and they were toned down a bit.
• Tempo: 5 stars - tight as ever, with no drift.
• Sync: 4.5 stars, the bass and drums drifted just a touch at one point, but they are such a mature sounding band, that it's hardly noticeable.
• Arrangement: 5 stars - I liked having each band member solo - missed the drums though. The bass solo rocked, and is in the same place as the original, so Sheila was almost right. I don't like where it is, separated from the other solos, but it's true to the original. Also, lightening up the BGV arrangement made more room for the rest performance to shine, and really showcased the player's abilities.
• Overall Musical Impression: 5 stars. How can you not like these guys. A real band, real talented, and deserving of making it to the last show.

The really strong bands are standing out, and the others are simply hoping for votes. I love the fact that the best three bands (musically) are all from Nashville. While I'm not a country fan, the musicality that they are all bringing far surpasses that of all the other bands thus far.

Clarke Brothers

Song: You're In My Heart

• Vocals: 4.5 stars. In Ashley's case, the passion makes up for the pitch problems - almost.
• Tempo: 4.5 stars. Some drift when the chorus came up - a little speed up, but it translates so well musically that it doesn't detract from the song. The question is, do we chalk that up to a musical decision, or did they get excited?
• Sync: 5 stars. They play very, very well together.
• Arrangement: 5 stars. I felt the instrumentation for this song was perfect, in spite of the Dicko's comments about needing a fiddle. It was light, and left room for the feeling in the vocals. In weeks past the performances bordered on chaotic at times, and this week was much nicer. It connected with a broader audience.
• Overall Musical Impression: 4.5 Stars. I couldn't quite get past the pitch problems. But still, another goose bumping performance for me.

Dicko shocked everyone by changing the rules of the show and saying they could bring more band members. Certainly it would help them. However, it was unfortunate to put them on the spot like that, because to the best of my knowledge every band thought they were locked in when it came to players. I'm also wondering if, at this point, it wouldn't be better for them to stay as they are. They've built up their "following" as they are. (Recordings can be fleshed out in the future). Would adding another player this late in the game add a sense of desperation, when this band could be the one to beat as they are?

Light of Doom

Song: Infatuation

Seriously, I'm closing my eyes and just listening.

• Vocals: 2 stars. Not as many pitch problems as last week, but there was less singing and more rhythmic talking near a pitch.
• Tempo: 2 stars. Better than average for these guys, but still a lot of drift, and no pocket. None. Within the first 4 bars, their tempo sped up.
• Sync: 0 stars. They are so immature at this it's almost unfair to consider it, but they want to compete at this level. It is probably the most important part of the definition of a good band. Being able to play together. They don't listen to each other at all, and it shows.
• Arrangement: 1 star. No vocal harmonies. Just doubling. The verses felt really cut off, and the chorus was monotonously boring.
• Overall Musical Impression: 1.5 stars. Improved, but still far, far from deserving to be on the show.

I can't say this enough. They shouldn't even be on this show. I can't get over the gimmick. I can't get over the parents. I can't get over their unoriginality. I can't get over the lack of musicality. Actually, all of these things I can get over. What I'm struggling with is that they have been given the appearance of validation. The show is implying they can compete with real bands. It's disheartening. It's also a shame.

Those of you who are Light of Doom fans, I'm ok with your disagreeing. But it's important to be honest when it comes to the future of these kids. And they are being lied to, or at least, being misinformed.

Also, Sheila asked two questions that were cut from the show. "Who picked this song?" and "Do you know what "Infatuation" means?" Both times the band answered the same way... "uhh... I don't know..." Of course, that makes them look bad on TV, so it should be cut. It doesn't fit in with the "kid-glove" approach to the handling of these boys.

Final Thoughts

It's getting down to the end. There are three bands that are clearly better than the others. I hope America votes that way.

Since better than 50% of the bands left (3/5ths) are from Nashville, why not make it easier on the rest of the country, and the majority of the bands left, and film the remainder of the show in Music City? I know that will never happen, and probably hasn't even crossed the producer's minds, but it would be cool. The facilities are here, and there is a more diverse fan base as well. (The audience wouldn't be filled up with Light of Doom parents and friends of the parents.) The audience would better represent the bands that are left.

Oh, and I wouldn't have to fly out each week.

thanks for reading...

chs

Heading back to LA. Could it be the last time?

One of the big questions I have right now is, "Did enough people vote enough times for Denver & the Mile High Orchestra?" I'm leaving for LA tomorrow and am going to find out. It's been quite a ride so far, and I still have hope.

I was never under the delusion that contest/reality television is about finding the most talented individuals or members of anything. It's about ratings. My concern about The Next Great American Band is that, because the ratings have been so bad, they are willing to do whatever it takes to increase them (short of spending money promoting the show).

My unease stems from recent rumors I've heard about song selection and whether the bands on the show are going to be able to play originals. Denver's strength is in their originals. They have a huge catalog to draw from, and can address the "core proposition" that Dicko keeps referring to. Other bands do not have that depth, especially the "gimmicky" ones that seem to keep making it each week.

Well, we'll see. I voted, even though it was a holiday week. Did you? If so, thanks. If not, please vote as much as possible this week for the most talented band. I've never met anyone who is completely happy with the music industry, let alone the entertainment industry. We always gripe and complain about what they are offering us. So, it's time to step up. And, with whatever impact it has, send a message.

See you from LA.

chs