The X-Factor is live! As expected, this is where X-Factor distances itself from American Idol. Tonight's show was slick, quick moving, mostly entertaining, and free of filler (which will surely come when the number of acts go down, I'm sure). It was rather refreshing, actually, based on what I've seen of the show thus far. Very promising start!
I probably won't be able to do a full review each week for the show, but I can this week... so onward, after the jump!
The Boys - Team LA Reid
Astro - Kris Kross's "Jump" - an awesome opener to the show. I don't like rap, but that was awesome.
Chris Rene - Rose Royce's "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" - I think I'm missing something with him. He's just so bland to me. Also, stop eye fucking me, Chris Rene.
Phillip Lomax - The Monkee's "I'm a Believer" - his intro video is all about how he's a jazz singer, so it'll be tough for him.... well, if he's a jazz singer, why is he singing this song? He doesn't have the sexy presence for what they were doing in the performance and it fell completely flat.
Marcus Canty - Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" - Eh, didn't work for me. Personally, he seemed pitchy and all over the place.
The Groups - Team Paula
Stereo Hogzz - Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" - very entertaining. Oddly current yet retro (and I totally wrote that before Failzinger and Simon said it).
The Brewer Boys - Hall & Oates's "Rich Girl" / George Michael's "Faith" - I totally dig this performance. Great harmonies. Love the simplicity… Might actually be my favorite so far.
Intensity - Cupid's "369" / Kenny Loggins's "Footloose" - you know, calling this a train wreck might be too kind. Too many people, poor vocals, clunky choreography. I mean I guess they sold it... but wow.
Lakoda Rayne - Dexy's Midnight Runners' "C'mon, Eileen" - Um, I don't think Paula understood what this song was. Completely forgettable for me.
Over 30's - Team Failzinger
Dexter Haygood - Britney Spears's "Womanizer" / Katy Perry's "Kissed a Girl" - OMG. Failzinger totally redeemed herself with all the LOL's in this performance. Sure, the guy is a Sanjaya-like joke, but you know what? Awesome.
LeeRoy Bell - Pink's "Nobody Knows" - Smooth. I love his voice… but kind of a boring song choice by Failzinger. That said, his voice is allowed to completely shine.
Stacy Francis - George Michael's "One More Try" - well, she looks like a train rack. A decent song choice even if the "subtle" parts of it felt kind of forced. Must say, though... girl can sang.
Josh Krajcik - Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" - beautiful, understated performance, if a little on the boring side. Interesting interpretive dance however.
The Girls - Team Simon
Simone Battle - Beat's International's "Just Be Good to Me" - I have no words except BAD.
Rachel Crow - The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go?" / The Beib's "Baby" - somewhat of an awkward performance due to the staging, but overall, good stuff. She's shown better vocals before, but I love her anyway.
Drew - Irene Cara's "What a Feeling" - WOW. This is a performance that will be talked about.
Tiah Tolliver - Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams" - Pitch, Tiah. Tiah, pitch. What a strange performance… And not in a good way. At all.
Melanie Amaro - Whitney Houston's "Nothing" - NO MORE WHITNEY. I like her. First keychange was rough, but she worked it out. Great voice.
Eliminations
Team LA: Phillip Lomax. Poor guy, was thrown under the bus with a horrible song choice by LA.
Team Paula: The Brewer Boys. Poor kids, thrown under the bus by a lack of staging in favor of two groups artifically assembled by the producers.
Team Failzinger: Dexter Haygood. The only choice.
Team Simon: Tiah Tolliver and Simone Battle. Again, the only choices.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
The set. OMG. I am completely in love with The X Factor set. So many lights. So many super screens. So many moving parts. I love it.
Anyone else feel like Failzinger's fiestiness towards Simon came off incredibly forced?
Kudos to host Steve Jones for moving the night along. Sure, he did so with a strange lack of charisma or chemistry with anyone else on the screen, but he moved things along. I still wish Cat Deeley got the gig, though.
I plan on buying one song on iTunes. Out of 17. That doesn't exactly bode well... but we shall see.
