July 15, 2008 
And so the Idols descend on the state of Utah – the home state of Idol Runner -Up, David Archuleta.
There are a couple of reasons why this talented young singer progressed in such a phenomenal fashion during Season 7.
First and foremost he is a prodigious vocal talent possessing grace and humility that is truly refreshing and welcomed in this sometimes jaded world of music.
Second – the fans – and there are fans a-plenty, as this show is playing to capacity audiences on both July 14th and 15th. This is one of a handful of two-stop tours and I am sure all the Idols are embracing the respite from the travel itinerary.
I am sure that this will be an exciting, spirited concert and that all the Idols will be embraced with enthusiasm and appreciation for staging one of the best tours in Idol history.
I wish that the two Davids would sing a duet – I was hoping this would happen on the tour, but who knows? Plans can change, can’t they? Pretty please?
So, let’s hear ya West Valley City! Post all your video links, comments and news links in this blog topic and, as I have previously said, I will review as many of the performances as possible.
If you wish to send me photos, you can also email me at masterclasslady@hotmail.com and I will start a photo blog for the Utah performance!
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Frogcooke Says:
July 14, 2008 at 11:25 am
Archies version of “Crazy” he performed on Good Day Utah. Audio only:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AulcSU2tsIg
Thank you so much for adding this. I moved it from the Tacoma thread.
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MCL, are you hearing the buzz about David singing “Crazy” on Good Day Utah? He was amazing. I’ll post the Youtube video (audio only) and I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you have time.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AulcSU2tsIg
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Oops, I posted this here while frogcooke posted it… sorry. You can delete mine if you wish, MCL.
People have already got this on their iPods and our ODD has increased, if that’s possible.
Also there’s an audio of Waiting on the World to Change. I’ll go look for it. Probably frogcooke will have it up by the time I get back. LOL.
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Here it is — it includes some of the interview segment and the slight flub — but worth our patience…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MrPxIHHi1DE
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Here is a youtube of Crazy and Waiting on the world in one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMV2YRc8IAQ
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Hi MCL,
Can’t wait to hear your review of Crazy and Waiting on the World to Change! Personally… I’m awestruck of DA’s “Crazy” version. He really stripped it down and brought the lyrics to a whole other level.
If DA captures the beauty and talent of his artistic gift on the upcoming cd, then we are all in for an Out of This World Experience!
It was a treat to see Dean Kaelin perform with DA. You can clearly see that he’s a kind and supportive anchor for David.
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The maturity of David A singing Waiting for the World to Change since we saw him a year ago at the auditions is amazing. He has grown and developed as a superb musician before our very eyes. His genius shines through every performance
Crazy was Crazy. It worried me a little though because his voice sounded a little strained at the end on the high note. I want it to be rested and in top form tonight because I want him to be able to sing like the Angel he is for his home folks.
I hope you can comment on this and on Apologize from Tacoma. It was phenomenal. The expresiveness, the runs, the high notes, oh my.
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Hi everyone – I have watched Crazy and it was ‘crazy good” to say the least. I will review both songs tomorrow, along with many of the performances from the West Valley City show.
I am off to watch Canadian Idol – it’s Top 10 night.
Thank you all for your links – the reviews are coming. And, I posted some reviews of David’s Tacoma performances in the Tacoma topic below.
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Thanks bunches 🙂 Have fun watching Canadian idol ^___^
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I am a hardcore David Cook fan, but when David A sings modern songs I love it. I LOVE when he sings Apologize….gotta go listen to Crazy now.
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#4 – thanks SO much for the FoxNews video of Archie. He is just beautiful (in many, many ways). I find it interesting, being the Mom of a teenage boy (19 and counting – EEK!), to see how he is physically changing. He’s loosing that ‘baby-fat’ and his torso is elongating and he looks so much less awkward. What a kid!
Anita
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First video out of utah! Angels!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCMdCe6j2BQ
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apologize- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJjJys4U4D8
sbm is out but its mostly screaming you hear. Ill post the far away WYS for now.. you can barely make out on the screen where he wipes his tears at least twice at the end… *sniff sniff*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3EhHcWmbds
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Thank you MCL – this must be a tremendous amount of work for you.
David’s version of Crazy if fantastic – and he pretty much sang it (and played it) “off the cuff” with no/little practice – just imagine what a studio version would be like.
Utah videos – great if you can get past the constant screaming!
His banter is even more relaxed and spontaneous, less of the the preprogrammed quips that he sounded awkward doing.
Wiping the tears from his eyes on his coat sleeve – before completing the WYSYLM – priceless!
Asking the crowd to give a big Utah welcome to David Cook – one class act for a 17 y/o
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sbm- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIduuqAb6rA
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Hey- look at all the links. I am going to be one busy gal today. I still have to review “Crazy” and “Waiting For The World To Change” – that will be my first project and then it is on to the West Valley concert.
Archie in tears? What a sweetheart. This must have been a monumental concert for him – there is nothing as heartwarming and poignant as hearing the cheers and adoration of your hometown state of Utah! He deserves it so much!
Looking forward to hearing all of the singers.
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Hey- look at all the links. I am going to be one busy gal today. I still have to review “Crazy” and “Waiting For The World To Change” – that will be my first project and then it is on to the West Valley concert.
Archie in tears? What a sweetheart. This must have been a monumental concert for him – there is nothing as heartwarming and poignant as hearing the cheers and adoration of your hometown state of Utah! He deserves it so much!
Looking forward to hearing all of the singers.
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here is a closer view of WYS via the big screens:
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I was going to post the link to the closer view of WYSYLM and you beat me to it Frogcooke, good job. This young man is so precious to me.
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Frogcooke Says:
July 15, 2008 at 11:04 am
Here is a closer view of WYS via the big screens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvoFTlj7bAg
When you Say you Love Me, Video uploaded by EvelynFOJG
I just couldn’t wait to review this. And, now that i have watched it, I see why I was motivated to see this performance before his earlier one on Good Day, Utah.
The look of pure joy and elation on David’s face is such a vision; this talented and humble young man still has no idea how much he has moved and inspired his fans.
His gentle spirit, his superior work ethic, his sensitivity, his compassion and his respect for the music he sings and the audiences to which he sings is something truly special.
The tears at the end of this video footage pulls at the heartstrings, doesn’t it? And the voice, the VOICE! So spectacular, even though he is so overcome with emotion. He has a voice that soars from his body, finding a new home in the hearts of his listeners.
He picked one of the most beautiful – and appropriate – songs to close his 4 song set. This song emphasizes how much he values his family, friends and fans – it’s all about them and this is why he is so warmly embraced by the media and the listeners.
Bravo David! What a joyous ride we are experiencing through your vocal delivery and passion. Extremely memorable indeed!
Next Up: Good Day, Utah performances
P.S. Still waiting for footage from the other singers. Let’s go readers. Send in those links in the comments section of this blog topic and email pictures to me at masterclasslady@hotmail.com
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Evelyn has vids for all 4 performances here is angels via the screen. ❤
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Frogcooke Says:
July 14, 2008 at 12:30 pm e
Here is a youtube of Crazy and Waiting on the world in one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMV2YRc8IAQ
Masterclass Review
David Archuleta performing Crazy on Good Day Utah
Well, this was a very pleasant surprise indeed. David was spontaneously asked to perform this song – one that he had performed to great acclaim during the Hollywood auditions of American Idol 7 but could not be aired due to copyright restrictions.
And, I have to say, it was indeed worth the wait. He stripped this song down to a bare bones version of the melody and, as he accompanied himself at the piano, it was hard not to marvel at the utter beauty and purity of his upper range voice.
This young man’s vocal artistry is difficult to desrcibe; it just is! His voice embraced the melody with tranquil ease and conveyed the emotion set forth in the lyrics with tenderness and affection. Therefore, the clarity and expressiveness of the poetic elements were just gorgeous.
And – to think he had little time to prepare this song? I can only wonder what the result would have been if he was given ample time to practice and refresh this song. This situation alone addresses his high level of musical talent. It seems that music is the companion to his soul, his life force – it is a constant presence in every aspect of his life.
Next Up: Masterclass Review
David Archuleta and Dean Kaelin performing Waiting On the World To Change on Good Day Utah
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We interrupt this broadcast of ArchuletaFest ’08 to bring you a few Cookie morsels:
“Hello”:
“Billie Jean”:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gcVHu9Hg_qw
Also, MCL, I posted this yesterday, but if you have time you should really take a look at David’s “Taste For A Cure” (cancer research benefit) acoustic performances. We don’t often see this side of the guy. Here (again!) is his rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Living On A Prayer” (we only saw a few bars of this on his audition clip, so it’s too bad he never actually performed it on the show or at least didn’t incorporate it into his tour set):
We now return you to you regularly scheduled programming…!
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Frogcooke Says:
July 14, 2008 at 12:30 pm e
Here is a youtube of Crazy and Waiting on the world in one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMV2YRc8IAQ
Masterclass Review
David Archuleta and Dean Kaelin performing Waiting For The World To Change on Good Day Utah
Audio Only with Still Pictures
First of all, there is a video of this performance over at David’s Fanblast site. Also, if you click on the info. link on this YouTube page, you will see the entire interview on Good Day Utah.
However, the audio recording is absolutely excellent and a little reverb is added to the production mix, thus rendering a clean, polished sound. I love the interaction between David and Dean – how indebted he must be to his vocal mentor.
Through Dean’s guidance, David has equipped himself with superior vocal skills and thus has elevated his performing skills to an outstanding level indeed. Without Dean’s guidance and, obviously, his parents support, David would have been just another talented young singer with good, perhaps even excellent, but never extraordinary vocal ability.
In this performance, as in his “Crazy” performance, his voice sounds rested and relaxed, as he embraces the melodic line with pitch perfect clarity. This acoustic setting signifies that David’s voice can stand alone – it becomes the focal instrument without the distraction of a busy instrumental background. This is the sign of a great vocal artist – the voice beautifully exposed in a simple and uncluttered manner.
Bravo David and Dean. What a memorable treat for the fans
Next Up: Cookie!! Later on today. Courtesy of AgainstTheDyingOfTheLight
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againstthedyingofthelight Says:
July 15, 2008 at 3:08 pm
We interrupt this broadcast of ArchuletaFest ‘08 to bring you a few Cookie morsels:
“Hello”:
“Billie Jean”:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gcVHu9Hg_qw
Also, MCL, I posted this yesterday, but if you have time you should really take a look at David’s “Taste For A Cure” (cancer research benefit) acoustic performances. We don’t often see this side of the guy. Here (again!) is his rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Living On A Prayer” (we only saw a few bars of this on his audition clip, so it’s too bad he never actually performed it on the show or at least didn’t incorporate it into his tour set):
We now return you to you regularly scheduled programming…!
This made me laugh so much.
Now, this is the way to get a point across without ranting and raving about your favorite being ignored. Laughter,indeed, is the best medicine and it resonates better in the hearts of the recipients. Way to go ATBOTL -you rock!
I have to teach a student in a bit, but Cookie’s performances in Utah, as well as his acoustic performancw will be reviewed later on this evening. hahaha. Still laughing here.
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In case you want to see another performance of “Crazy”, he was on second TV show this AM, and of course changed the song again:
Also, he performed Bryan Adams’ “Heaven”, accompanied by Dean Kalin on the electric piano, which follows Crazy in the above clip. This is a fuller version of the song, in comparison to the short snippet he was able to perform during the auditions.
His performance of Crazy was just as good as yesterday’s, but I don’t think he put as much emotion into Heaven as he did during the auditions.
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THey were talking about those were basically dry runs lol on Todays performances, pretty much the only time he got to practice them were yesterday when he perfromed the songs.. Though he didnt do heaven yesterday. lol I think during his audtion he set out to ‘Tell it to the judges and make them understand it’ lol I like this more relaxed version as well.
He did however keep his eyes open open open on Heaven. And more so today on Crazy than he did yesterday. Probably due to the audience. But its good to see he does keep them open and closes at certain points. Right mix.
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This is kinda of off topic, but I wanted to share this anyway. Daisychain(went to the Utah concert and often posts at notingdavid.org) posted this reply in response to a post over at notingdavid.
I did want to share a little story that the lady next to me told me. She lives in Murray. About two blocks from David. She said she saw Lupe in the grocery store today. Anyway, I asked if she was in David’s ward (parish) and she said no, he’s in a different stake (group of wards) It’s Utah – congregations are grouped geographically and it only takes a few blocks of houses to fill up a chapel. Anyway, she said that he sang in their ward one Christmas. She said he had a solo part with the Ward Choir. He came to the rehearsal and the choir had been practicing. They didn’t know much about him, but this kid shows up, shirttail hanging out, hair uncombed, listens to the choir for a little bit, hums a few bars and that’s it. Then came the performance, and when he sang, it was incredible – he had no music, he just sang his solo part with the choir as back up and it was so moving that the choir had a hard time keeping their emotions under control and the audience was all in tears.
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Frogcooke – great story and thank you. This is further proof that this young man is vocal prodigy. Such a moving experience for the choir. I wonder if YouTube has a video of this.
Off to do “Cookie” reviews. Maybe later on tonight I can finish the rest of Archie’s and, hopefully, other fans will post links from the oter singers.
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MasterclassLady says:
Yea Cookie Crumbs!
David Cook: “Hello” Added by AgainstTheDyingOfTheNight
The cheers and the applause before David sings this first number are unbelievable. The crowd loves Cookie and the screams are deafening. It takes a long while before the crowd settles down and then David finally begins one of the many signature numbers he performed on American Idol.
And his voice sounds spectacular – he sings with unbelievable clarity, flexing and pumping his rock-influenced vocals from the diaphragm. Even though there is so much raw intensity in his vocal timnbre, I can still hear the technical clarity of his voice. It is sublime, really, and it is a welcome change from the hysterical vocal screaming one usually has to suffer through at a rock concert.
David is an intelligent artist and his intelligence has served him well in his career thus far. He was smart enough to equip himself with the correct technical skills, knowing that this will only advance not detract from his rock performances.
Additionally the clarity of his diction – something that has always been a pet peeve of mine when listening to other rock performers- is a welcome and lauded addition to his performing style. By now, we all know that he values the English language and this has played an important part in his performing skills.
In this performance, he has added some new melodic twists with ease and flexibility. And, as he reaches the end of this song, before his final phrase, it is obvious that he is overcome with emotion because of the justified adoration of the crowd. He pauses and lowers his head and then sings the final: “Hello – is it me you’re looking for” with the gentle humility that we have come to know and love. Yes, David, it is you we are indeed looking for!
Outstanding, outstanding performance!
David Cook: “Billie Jean” Added by AgainstTheDyingOfTheNight
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gcVHu9Hg_qw
And the crowd is still cheering and convulsing. It takes a while – a long while – for the cheering to subside and then David begins the number that cemented his American Idol Season 7 win!
Once again his voice sounds absolutely amazing and he embraces this song with consummate artistry. He lives and breathes the seductive emotion of this song and handles the sustaining components of this song just wonderfully. What a marvelous charismatic artist.
Finally, a Rockstar from American Idol who knows how to deliver a song with creativity, passion and absolute respect for the music and his audience. Stellar work indeed. He always leaves us wanting for more.
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Living On A Prayer performed by David Cook as performed at Taste For A Cure
Special AgainstTheDyingOfTheNight request
This is a lovely performance by David. Isn’t it great to hear him sing in a purely acoustic setting? His voice sounds very tired, however, but this is understandable given the rigors of his schedule.
But, I really am loving that relaxed jaw and circular mouth. This guy never abandons his technique and this is what is going to conserve and advance his success over the long term.
Visually and audibly, this is a very expressive performance, as he is singing this song for a cause that has come too close for comfort in his personal life. How commendable is this? This young man is truly special and it is for this reason that he has been widely embraced throughout 2008.
And again, I must congratulate him on representing himself as a literate, compassionate role model for both young and old. Would that everyone could take a page from his book and apply it to their own lives.
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July 15th SBM – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlnWQ019j9w
He dancing is awesome xD he changed part of the beautiful girls part up a bit too.
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July 15th, Angels – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0yr43RBQmE
Changed up a few runs and his ohhhh and yeah sequence.
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July 15th – Apologize http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB8Bh7F_Z8I
WYS- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y72idrOQ5Jg
She also has anther view of sbm -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MeVw8jVv6Y
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MCL, I hope you have a moment today to review David A.’s performance from Utah, day 2. I promise, we don’t expect you to review all 51 stops on the tour, but again, this one stands out (haven’t they all?), David was stronger and better than ever. Your insight is needed here, how high can this kid go? How much better can he get? Will we ever be the same?
BTW, I saw the tour in San Jose. It was everything I hoped it would be and then some. The Davids were fantastic.
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Hi, MCL! So far, I’ve only found one video of Jason in Utah–Over the Rainbow, uploaded by cundickboys. I’ll keep looking!
To fill in until then…Jason has a new Date Night vlog up, with sleepy guest Carly! (You can also see it on his MySpace page.)
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Thanks ReReader. I just watched the “Date Night” Vlog and loved it. Jason is so appreciative about all the fan attention. He is a doll for sure! Love his genuine and exuberant communication with the fans.
Carly made me laugh. They must all be exhausted, but at the same time having the time of their lives.
Will review Jason and the rest of Archie’s performances later on. Just came in the door, so returning phone calls and then, back to the computer.
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Janey and Frogcooke. I will review the rest of David’s performances in a bit. Hang in there
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“Hello”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XFUdzrsgJgg
“Billie Jean”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0chzEsMKg4E
Day two performances. The binoculars in front of the camera gives them a really cool, old-time movie look!
Also, MCL, we KNOW you are very busy(!), but if you have time I was wondering if you could provide professional commentary to something we have discussed over at TWOP. We’ve identified several distinct “voices” that David uses in different performances.
His “normal” tenor voice somewhat resembles the singer Bryan Adams (he’s Canadian, right, so you probably are pretty familiar with him?!). He also has a raspy voice (see “I’m Alive” from F5 and “Hungry Like The Wolf” from F4), a gritty voice (this was present all over the place during finale week), and a husky voice (the best place to hear this is his 2006 indy album “Analog Heart”)
My question is this– what is the singer “doing” when they affect different vocal styles? (And I guess I could also add his “theatrical” voice on “Music of the Night” to the list too). It doesn’t seem as simple as merely trying to imitate another singer that they’ve heard before. I’m interested in your expert analysis of this aspect.
(Final note about Analog Heart: If you haven’t heard it, this is an outstanding little self-released, self-produced, self-written, self-composed, self-instrumented (etc.!) CD. David has actually authorized the free download of this album, so if you, or anyone else, is interested I can post the link. In the meantime, here are, in my view, the best two tracks (they happen to be ballads). I really do hope you get the chance to listen to them, even if you can’t comment (unfortunately, there’s no video)….
“The Truth”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PdHvLoewimk
“Silver”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=cY0J3n5gdrY
Thank you so much for all your hard work on this site, MCL. You are well-appreciated!
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MCL, sorry to do this to you, but I really like your comment on David’s “Crazy” and “Heaven”, performed on Studio 5 on Tuesday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGbYpDJa7LE
Someone posted this story about that studio appearance on notingdavid.org, a little backstage story, and could explain how tired David looked.
“After reading on many fansites of people’s concerns on David’s health and the rigors of such a long concert tour, I decided to share this story. I work in the same building as Studio-5 and took the opportunity to go see David perform on the show. It was 10:35 and I headed in back to see if I could get a sneak peak of David before the show. I saw the producers and hosts getting ready, when someone came running up and stating that David wasn’t here yet, and that in fact both David and Jeff were still asleep when the show had finally gotten ahold of them. So while everyone was setting up plan b, which was pretty much start in the big studio with the crowd for a teaser then move segment 2 and put David on when he got there. So, at 10:59am I’m in the big studio with everyone else when Brooke, the host, starts introducing the show and working the audience up into a frenzy, when lo and behold out runs David!. I was shocked. Seeing him, I definitly could tell that he must of just rolled out of bed. But he was pumped and excited and it was fun watching the show. So poor David had no warm-ups or rehersal time before the show. I got a chance to talk to Jeff Archuleta during commercial break and he claimed that somehow he didn’t hear his cell phone and it wasn’t until the station called into the room directly that he woke up. He laughingly claimed he thought it was only 7 or 8 and was shocked to find out what time it really was! Again I am shocked that they made it to the studio in time! I wonder if they had a police escort. lol.”
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MCL, if you are interested. Here is the interview before the 2 songs. I think we may have witnessed the sleep-talk and sleep-sing problem he claimed he has. lol.
http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=71&sid=3768747
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Even more charming is that he loves ALL the gifts he’s getting, not just the big ones–a family friend has posted that he won’t let his family take any of the letters or postcards home because he likes to read them! And Carly was so cute, all half-awake but still remembering to thank the fans at all the venues for turning out.
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July 15th Utah Performance of Angels performed by David Archuleta
Hey – we get to see a bit of the very glamorous Syesha and then pandemonium erupts as David ascends from the stage seated, of course, at the piano. Yikes – the dry ice surrounding him appears to be overwhelming – but it sure creates a magical, surreal ambience before David starts to sing.
And when he does, his voice manages to soar over the crowd and I can hear him breathing, working hard to access the support of his diaphragmatic muscles. What a voice – always so focused and secure. He is one of the most consistent performer I have ever seen.
And those “ya ya” sections are freely soulful, so gorgeous. His upper range sounds a little tired towards the end of this song and it is strange because I think I must have mentioned this several times during my tour reviews. This song gives him the most difficulty at times, perhaps because it is (a) his opening number, (b) he is seated at the piano and that can sometimes affect the support system or (c) the melodic line is extremely high on the diphthong (ay), as in the word “angels, “take etc.
The “ay” vowel is a difficult vowel for many singers. A singer has to lean toward the pure “eh” portion of that diphthong, while keeping the mouth round and the jaw relaxed.
Nevertheless, he sings with so much passion and heart, that the expressive artistry far outweighs any technical glitches that may have occurred in this performance. Beautiful work once again.
July 15th Utah Performance of Apologize performed by David Archuleta
Right off the top I have to say how impressed I am with his performing skills. He internalizes the emotional center of every song he sings – regardless of style. His ability to crossover from genre to genre will secure his success in the music business.
He is like a vocal chameleon, changing vocal colors at the drop of the hat and with such apparent ease. Yet, behind the relaxed demeanor that David exhibits in his performances, there is a prodigious talent and work ethic that comes along once in a lifetime. And aren’t you glad you are part of this Archuleta experience? I know I am!
I love the camera work in this video – nice and close. The lovely head voice during the upper “too late” sections provides wonderful contrast with the more resonant lower-end sections of this song. Yet, you can still hear this head voice element in his lower vocals, rendering a smooth seamless vocal timbrethroughout his range.
Another wonderful performance!
July 15th Utah Performance of Stand By Me performed by David Archuleta
David is expressing his appreciatiion to the crowd, telling them that “I want to thank you guys for standing by us” And, of course, the crowd erupts with reciprocation.
I love this funky song so much – it allows David to really navigate the depth and length of the stage, communicating with genuine ease with his adoring throng of fans. And those three steps into the “beautiful girs” segment are so smooth, so ryhthmic. I can sense that he enjoys this part of the number so much and, of course, so do we. What a great arrangement -pure genius!
Hey – the boy’s dancing feet are grooving extremely well tonight. He is adding some extra steps here and there, showcasing the innate musicality that he has obviously inherited from his lovely mother. I love this kid and his ability to share his love for the art of music with his audience. It seems as if he cannot do enough for the crowd – he gives an outstanding show night after night.
His final moments are stellar – the sustaining ability on the last “stand” is super – his entire body assists him in the vocal process and this physical energy propels the upper note on the word “stand”, followed by the ascending run with confidence and assurance.
P.S. I would insert an extra refrain of the “beautiful girls” segment – it ends just a bit too soon. Or maybe I can’t get enough of it – haha! Also, is he leaving out the “suicidal part”? Good for him – it always seemed a weird and politically incorrect word to include in this happy song.
July 15th Utah Performance of When You Say You Love Me performed by David Archuleta
Beautitful song performed by a beautiful artist. His voice is clearly meant to sing this song and I often wonder what producer David Faster must be thinking, since he programmed this song for Josh Groban.
He sings this song with stellar technique blended with his liberated soulful style. And he adds new and exciting vocal ornamentaion to this song, emphasizing the depth of his technical skills and his ability to experiment with the melodic line in a creative manner.
David has such a distinctive vocal sound – he sounds like no other – and this characteristic alone will separate him from the rest of the elite pack in the music world. Can you think of anyone else that sounds like David? I cannot! This is a rare commodity in this cookie cutter industry called the “music biz” and highlights the extarordinary career path that he will enjoy. He is a “keeper” – liitle Archie is here to stay!
Up next: Jason Castro later on today!
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be888 Says:
July 16, 2008 at 2:01 pm
MCL, if you are interested. Here is the interview before the 2 songs. I think we may have witnessed the sleep-talk and sleep-sing problem he claimed he has. lol.
http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=71&sid=3768747
I loved this interview. Thanks so much for adding the link. He must be getting so tired of answering all those questions though. 🙂
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As Randy would say, David’s head tone is CRAZY, MOLTEN HOT, lol!!!
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Rereader Says:
July 16, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Hi, MCL! So far, I’ve only found one video of Jason in Utah–Over the Rainbow, uploaded by cundickboys. I’ll keep looking!
Here you go RR!
Somewhere Over The Rainbow performed in Utah by Jason Castro and uploaded by cundickboys
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9PxVIVenCys
An extremely warm and hardy Salt Lake City welcome is heard for Jason at the beginning of this song. He sounds great and,wait a minute! Did my ears deceive me? Is he actually carrying his phrases in a longer fashion? Yes, he is! His melodic line is more fluid and there is a forward momentum to the performance of this song that was not as evident in previous performances.
He is adding some new melodic twists and he is most definitely sustaining his vowels in a purer fashion. The “eye” diphthong in many of his words- like “find”, “lullaby”, “fly”- is cleaner and more centered because he is sustaining his vocal sound on the pure “ah” vowel with increased efficiency.
And, because he has a firmer technical grip on his voice, his head voice sounds so outstanding when singing the phrase “over the rainbow” towards the end of this song. His voice soars over the crowd and is beautifully focused and centered.
And as the song progresses, so does the noticeable improvement in his technical skills. That’s it Jason – you grab those vowels! Keep going, keep going, going, a little more, more aaaaaand the song is completed. Bravo, Jason! You hit a vocal home run with this song.
And to think I didn’t get around to hearing this until this evening. What a pleasant surprise indeed! A very musical and technically sound performance.
Next up, commentary about David Cook as suggested by AgainstTheDyingOfTheLight(comment #39) and commentary about Archie as suggested by Be888(comment 41) Stay tuned – either later tonight or sometime tomorrow
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And, finally–a video of Jason’sDaydream from Utah, with lots o’ screaming fans, uploaded by stephanielynnrodgers.
(Loved that review of Over the Rainbow–I am learning SOOOOO much reading these… 🙂 )
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Rereader Says:
July 16, 2008 at 9:29 pm e
And, finally–a video of Jason’s Daydream from Utah, with lots o’ screaming fans, uploaded by stephanielynnrodgers
Thanks Rereader. I have prioritized this review, as we have very little of Jason in this blog topic. So, here goes!
Daydream: Performed in Utah by Jason Castro
Video delivered by Rereader and uploaded by stephanielynnrodgers
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=wuNE3uJa7po&fmt=18
And this video is a really good up close and personal view of our man Jason. He looks terrific – so much charisma and stage presence. He sounds great, but the audio in this footage is not doing justice to his voice.
And, I have to laugh at the girl taping this footage (or else it is someone sitting next to her) – I think she’s going to need medical attention. She loves her Jason!
He sings this song with boundless enthusiasm and joy and creates the perfect ambience for this song. He looks relaxed and comfortable on stage and has great fun with the audience during the instrumental portion of this song. I actually thought he was going to involve the audience in a sing-a-long during this portion of the song, as he raised his hand and pointed at the audience. Oh well, maybe next time, right Jason?
Vocally, he is very solid and his upper range sounded extremely good indeed.
There was just one part in this song where there was some vocal struggle – the section of the song where he sings “feels this way” in his head voice. He is noticeably tense with his jaw and, again, that darn “ay” diphthong gets these singers every time.
He needs to focus on the cleaner “eh” portion of this messy “ay” diphthong and maintain a circular position with his mouth. This would allow the diaphragmatic nuscles to work in a buoyant fashion and his voice would then just pop out of his mouth.
However, other than that, this was a superb performance once again.
Next up, commentary about David Cook as suggested by AgainstTheDyingOfTheLight(comment #39) and commentary about Archie as suggested by Be888(comment 41) Stay tuned – either later tonight or sometime tomorrow
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MCL, did you say in one thread that you wanted to kidnap or adopt Archie? I thought that was really cute. : )
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Not kidnap. Too harsh a word! (shivers) I jokingly said I want to adopt him in this thread: https://masterclasslady.com/2008/07/07/american-idol-season-7-tour-in-los-angeles-ca-july-7th-2008/#comment-6405
The offer is still on the table, but I’m pretty sure his parents are pretty happy with him at the moment. haha
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Thank you!!
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You should have Archie as one of your students. : )
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This youtube user has all his vids from SLC 7/15. The audio is fantastic and they are close up shots. You can hear all the talk in between too. Awesome! Can hear some of the runs that you might not hear so well in the other videos.
http://www.youtube.com/user/88Aladdin
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FG! – those are amazing videos. Was the videographer sitting on the stage? haha. Would that we could have this kind of footage for all the performances! Thank YOU so much for finding this link.
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Erin – he would be my ultimate dream student. I can only think of a handful of students from my past teaching history that come close to Archie’s ability, but David is truly special. One in a million!
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againstthedyingofthelight Says:
July 16, 2008 at 1:31 pm
“Hello”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XFUdzrsgJgg
“Billie Jean”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0chzEsMKg4E
Day two performances. The binoculars in front of the camera gives them a really cool, old-time movie look!
Also, MCL, we KNOW you are very busy(!), but if you have time I was wondering if you could provide professional commentary to something we have discussed over at TWOP. We’ve identified several distinct “voices” that David uses in different performances.
His “normal” tenor voice somewhat resembles the singer Bryan Adams (he’s Canadian, right, so you probably are pretty familiar with him?!). He also has a raspy voice (see “I’m Alive” from F5 and “Hungry Like The Wolf” from F4), a gritty voice (this was present all over the place during finale week), and a husky voice (the best place to hear this is his 2006 indy album “Analog Heart”
My question is this– what is the singer “doing” when they affect different vocal styles? (And I guess I could also add his “theatrical” voice on “Music of the Night” to the list too). It doesn’t seem as simple as merely trying to imitate another singer that they’ve heard before. I’m interested in your expert analysis of this aspect.
First of all, thank you for sending me those cool videos from the SLC performance. I love the “binoculars” idea and the effect was very neat indeed. The fans think of everything, don’t they?
Now, regarding David Cook’s varying vocal styles, I believe that he is a very intelligent and creative artist and this allows him to experiment with the stylistic possibilities within his voice talent. However, overall, he sings with a mixture of pure vocals and gritty or raspy vocals.
For example, the early and final segments of “Hello” is an example of David’s ability to sing with pure head voice and this provides ample contrast to the raspy upper voice “I love you” segment in the middle of this song. I always love when singers add inflection or nuance within a song performance – they sing as they would speak the words.
Finally, David has enjoyed the benefit of theatrical experience in his background and theatrical singers are very adept at changing their voice to suit the character.
For example, one of my classical students had the Lucy role in “Your A Good Man Charlie Brown” and, in an effort to avoid a classical sounding voice when singing this character’s songs, I actually made her change her mouth position and this did the trick. She adopted a slightly horizontal mouth position, one that I don`t champion over the long term, but in this instance it worked. However, in the end, her classical training was too ingrained and she had some trouble adpating to the change.
So, it is more diffcult than one might think. David has found the best of both worlds, so kudos to him!
Up next: MCL Review :The Truth”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PdHvLoewimk and “Silver”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=cY0J3n5gdrY
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MCL, thank you so much for adding your expertise to the topic of David’s different “voices”. One of the main reasons, I post here is because it’s refreshing to find a knowledgeable professional who seriously respects him as a singer. Despite his Idol win, many of us feel that he is very underrated as a singer. He often seems to be characterized as more of a great “performer” or “the total package”. He is indeed both of those things, but he is also a very fine singer.
This being said, please be gentle if/ when you masterclass “The Truth” and “Silver”! They are wonderfully-written, wonderful songs, but I’m sure you will find much to critique. His raw vocal talent is quite apparent, but he has obviously progressed a lot as a singer even in the last two years, probably from having the opportunity to spend time with Debra Byrd during the season, as she was his first professional coach.
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AgainstTheDying! I will most definitely be gemtle with my masterclass evaluation. I have enormous respect for THE COOK, so don`t worry. He is a great singer and anyone who thinks he is not is in a delusional state of mind. Ha!
Running out the door, but will get to the songs later on today.
Thanks for your kind comments. Most appreciated.
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But MCL, you have to admit Archie’s a better singer than Cook!
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They are both great singers ^___^
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Up Next: David’s “Crazy” and “Heaven”, performed on Studio 5 on Tuesday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGbYpDJa7LE
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Be888 Says:
July 16, 2008 at 1:41 pm
MCL, sorry to do this to you, but I really like your comment on David’s “Crazy” and “Heaven”, performed on Studio 5 on Tuesday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGbYpDJa7LE
Someone posted this story about that studio appearance on notingdavid.org, a little backstage story, and could explain how tired David looked.
“After reading on many fansites of people’s concerns on David’s health and the rigors of such a long concert tour, I decided to share this story. I work in the same building as Studio-5 and took the opportunity to go see David perform on the show. It was 10:35 and I headed in back to see if I could get a sneak peak of David before the show. I saw the producers and hosts getting ready, when someone came running up and stating that David wasn’t here yet, and that in fact both David and Jeff were still asleep when the show had finally gotten ahold of them. So while everyone was setting up plan b, which was pretty much start in the big studio with the crowd for a teaser then move segment 2 and put David on when he got there. So, at 10:59am I’m in the big studio with everyone else when Brooke, the host, starts introducing the show and working the audience up into a frenzy, when lo and behold out runs David!. I was shocked. Seeing him, I definitly could tell that he must of just rolled out of bed. But he was pumped and excited and it was fun watching the show. So poor David had no warm-ups or rehersal time before the show. I got a chance to talk to Jeff Archuleta during commercial break and he claimed that somehow he didn’t hear his cell phone and it wasn’t until the station called into the room directly that he woke up. He laughingly claimed he thought it was only 7 or 8 and was shocked to find out what time it really was! Again I am shocked that they made it to the studio in time! I wonder if they had a police escort. lol.”
MasterclassLady says:
Crazy
I cannot believe how relaxed this kid is when he performs. Apparently he was rushed to the studio, no prep or warm-up, and, yet, he was calm, cool and collected. Unbelievable! In his shy demeanor he said to the audience, “Let`s see how this goes“. And then, he played his opening chord at the piano amd started to sing.
And his vocal sound was absolutely gorgeous! He looked exhausted and, yes, there was some vocal fatigue, but his highly developed technical skills and his ability to adapt his technique to less rehearsed circumstances only solidified my belief that this young man is extraordinarily gifted.
At the core, was his emotional commitment to the song, the essence of which was fully internalized and then expressively released through his sensitive vocal delivery.
The simplicity of the arrangement – just simple chords at the piano adding a rhythmic base for the musicality of his vocal phrasing – signified the strength of his ability to communicate a song through his main instrument – the voice and the voice alone.
The voice is an instrument – many tend to forget this and, oftentimes, is treated as a less than important element in the art of making music. But, David puts this myth to rest every time he opens his mouth to sing.
The art of singing – few pop artists can succeed at this art – but young David Archuleta, most definitely, is part of this elite group of vocal artists.
Heaven
Aww – I love that his vocal coach, Dean Kaelin, is accompanying him at the piano. What a wonderful pair they make! And to think that last year at this time, the world was generally unaware of both student and teacher. It`s kind of scary, really, that these two talented individuals were buried in their own time and space.
However, I believe that David would have have become a star with or without Idol – I have to believe this or nothing else would make sense in my mind. Talent like this should be discovered and resurrected at every corner and teachers, like Dean Kaelin, should be applauded for their hard work and dedication in the development of young musicians like David.
David, of course sounds absolutely fantastic and, my oh my, the articulation of his words are crystal clear and precise, lending an energetic focus to his soulful vocal delivery. He weaves his way through the melodic line seamlessly, creating a signature rendition of this song like no other. The words and music truly inspire him to move his voice in wonnderfully creative directions – just beautiful!
And the camera shot of the audience, towards the end of this song, says it all. They are seated on the edges of their seats, just mesmerized, waiting at the bit to reciprocate his heartfelt performance with generous applause.
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Erin920, first, why go there? MCL and I were dialogueing about David C. David A. was not mentioned. David A. gets plenty of praise on this site, which, I might add, he richly deserves.
Second, let’s define what we mean by “better”. If “better” means a purer and prettier voice, then yes. But, if “better” means more vocal range, vocal power, and vocal versatility, then no.
In sum, as Frogcooke said, both are great singers. The season is over. Let’s wish them both the utmost success.
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David Archuleta makes it onto “So You Think You Can Dance..Good for him! 🙂 Althought you cannot see him, you can definitely hear him…he sounds absolutely wonderful! And the dancing to the music is wonderful…enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3VpP7Yzjs
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Bizzee that dance was awesome. I think it was so cool that Desmond Richardson decided to use Archie’s Imagine performance as inspriation for a dance.
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againstthedyingofthelight and Erin920,
Quote from Againstthedying:
“first, why go there? MCL and I were dialogueing about David C. David A. was not mentioned. David A. gets plenty of praise on this site, which, I might add, he richly deserves.
Second, let’s define what we mean by “better”. If “better” means a purer and prettier voice, then yes. But, if “better” means more vocal range, vocal power, and vocal versatility, then no.”
My comment, if you did not want people to go there, why did you bring up this last point? You could have stopped with the first paragraph or not even commented at all. Reading this makes me ill. Not because it is against David A, but because I have always come to this site to get insight from MCL on all the Idols. I do not want this site to become a war zone. I have never posted until now, but felt I needed to.
I am obviously a fan of David Archuleta. I do appreciate Cook and his singing voice. Do not care for his style of music. Not my thing. However, I appreciate him as an artist and would not have if it were not for MCL. She helped me understand what all the Idols brought to the show and now the tour.
Your comments on range, power and versatility! Range, as MCL has stated in the past, David is still growing, voice is changing, his range is not fully developed yet, so how can you make this comparison between the two artist? Cook is at least 9 years older. His power, not sure why you think he does not have the power. Have you heard the boy sing? Have you heard him live? He fills the room, he has power. And to think he only has one vocal chord? And versatility? Well, not sure why you do not think David A has versatility!?
“In sum, as Frogcooke said, both are great singers. The season is over. Let’s wish them both the utmost success.”
If you really believed this statement as I do, then why did you have to respond to this persons comment at all!?
I really respect both David’s and wish that here at MCL’s site that this sort of conversation would not happen.
Lets have peaceful conversations about all the Idols! They are all talented, and bring different genres of music to the table. There is room for them all, but lets not do the comparison thing! As you stated you did not want to do, but did.
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MCL, thank you so much for your commentary about David’s “Crazy” and “Heaven”. Regarding David’s vocal power as referred to by againstthedyingofthelight, I don’t know if it means the volume and richness of his voice. I had the privilege of hearing David live in San Jose concert. Hearing David Archuleta’s voice is an experience I will never forget. His voice is so strong and it soars through the entire arena, even with extreme streaming going on. I felt like I was totally overcome by this “force”. It was truly magical. To me, that is the power of David Archuleta. I did not feel the same way from any other performer during that night.
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Hey MCL! Long time lurker here. Just want to say just how much I appreciate you doing all of this. This must have been a lot of work for you (as if your reviews for AI 7 weren’t enough). Thank you for putting into words the things that we appreciate about our respective idols. It’s been such a pleasure to read your reviews.
And if you’re wondering which boat I’m on, you can say that I’m part of the “regular” scheduled programming, lol!
Now as for ERIN920, I just had to slap my palm on forehead when you started comparing Archie and Cook; because they are both excellent artists in their own right. And knowing who you are from the other forum (being the lurker that I am), I would advice you to stop making unnecessary comparisons and get over it.
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Crusherdavidarchuleta
While I do not necessarily agree with againstthedyingofthelight with the statements about those aspects (and these aspects are rather subjective), I don’t think its necessary to bring it out in the open even more. It may just invite more arguments (which I know you didn’t intend to have, but you were rather aggressive in explaining your side).
All I know is that David A. has a lot of good qualities in his voice in abundance, and that is more than enough for me. 🙂
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So moving on (and I am pleading everyone to do so…yeah, sorry for putting some fuel to do fire as well. We can now? great!)
I had the impression that this tour has been going on forever, with all the tour updates and stuff. But then I just realized that that they had around 40 more stops to go! As much as these guys are having fun, it must be exhausting for them. I hope that they remain healthy throughout this process, because touring (as I now realize) is not for the faint-hearted.
Looking forward to more of your reviews MCL! 🙂
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MCL, I have been thinking why “Crazy” Monday, “Waiting On The World To Change”, “Crazy” Tuesday and “Heaven” sound so special to me. I think I finally figured that out. They are the only David Archuleta live performances ever existed out there that are screaming/cheering free within the songs.
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Crusherdavidarchuleta,
I responded to Erin920’s post as I did, because I think if we are going to insist on throwing around generic, nebulous terms like “better”, we ought to spell out what we mean. Both Davids excel in certain aspects of singing. Many seem to equate “better” with “purer”, but I dont think the terms are synonymous.
And the Davids– either of them– are not even tops in all vocal categories. To some people “better” equals “more powerful”. If that is the case, then Carly was the “best” singer of S7. Incidentally, David Foster said she was the best, and he’s no mean judge of talent.
As was said above, it’s all subjective. And with that, I truly am done with this discussion. Enjoy your favorite singers!
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I have a headache! LOL I wake up this morning and my nice little calm site has turned into a war zone.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I never responded to the “David is the better singer” comment because sometimes, probably, oftentimes, silence is golden.
All of you are indeed correct – this is the time to celebrate the accomplishments and the talents of both Davids, as well as the rest of the Top 10.
I see very little purpose in singling out one person as “the best” – their styles are so different. Both are stellar artists and exemplary role models.
Next topic? haha Check out my review of a couple of songs from Cookie’s “Analog Heart”
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