America’s Got Talent Semi-Finals

I’m tiding over the time between So You Think You Can Dance? and the next season of American Idol by pretending to actually be interested in America’s Got Talent (not to mention catching the X Factor on youtube…but that’s another post entirely). Believe it or not, there are actually a handful of acts worth watching this season, including some good singers, one of which I think is actual AI quality. Which brings me to…

Where on earth has ELI MATTSON been hiding?? They really made us wait after not airing anything about him since his initial audition, which was back in July or something. This guy is good enough to make the top 10 on Idol, and I have a feeling he’s the “great talent” that Simon was talking about before the season started. Last night he sang a song I’ve always loved, “Nobody Knows it But Me”, and he totally made it his own. Listen:

And a few of the other noteworthy acts:

Donald Braswell

He’s one of the many popera/contemporary classical singers this year, and the poor guy has been bounced around like crazy after being booed by the audience for the first half of his audition and then getting the boot by the judges, only to be brought back as a wild card. Wednesday night was the first time I really appreciated him. He SANG that song like it was nobodies business; and “The Impossible Dream” is one of the hardest songs to sing. Sure, it was a bit Broadway and over the top, but that’s a good route for him anyways. There’s still something about the tone of his voice that I don’t like though.

Nuttin But Strings

These guys have been one of my favorite acts since the auditions. And as much as I like Eli, I’d have to give best performance of not just the night, but the entire semi’s to them. I could listen to this stuff all day.

Baton Boy

I seriously love this kid! What he does is so amazing, and he knows how to put on a show at the same time. Tuesdays show was absolutely brutal until he came out.

Generic Opera Singers

There were (past tense) two heavy set popera singers on the show. I’m still kind of annoyed at them trying to recreate Britain’s Got Talent by having Neal E. Boyd come out and sing the SAME song that Paul Potts did, not to mention have a similar background, and the similarities between Katelyn and Connie are sort of just the icing on the cake. But with that aside, GOG #1 (generic opera guy) doesn’t really do it for me. He’s didn’t sound as good as Paul on “Nessum Dorma” and his voice didn’t flow as well as, say, Rhydian’s on “Somewhere”; been there, seen that. But I think the public loves him and will probably vote him through to the end.

And then there’s GOG #2, Michael Stelo-Smith who is officially having the WORST week ever. Oh boy, this was a lesson in humility if I’ve ever seen one! Homeboy decided to be rude and talk back to the judges after his performance, and what happens? He winds up in the 5th/6th spot which is decided on by none other but the judges. In other words, GOG #2 is no longer with us. [video]

Blonde Country Singers
There are also two blonde country singers; Sarah Lenore and Jessica Price. I much prefer Sarah; she’s a bit edgier and I liked what she did with “Before He Cheats” for her audition. Jessica is cute and has improved miles since her audition.

Flambeaux
And then that brings us to the most BIZARRE thing I’ve ever seen on television. Don’t even ask me to explain this:

Yeaaaaah. I sat there like o_O through the entire thing. Dangerous minds, opera, lots of fire, bums in an alley, big gothic flaming wings, and NOTHING EVER HAPPENS. Seriously, there were only four people who deserve to make it through from Wednesdays show. I kind of hope this guy gets the fifth spot. That should teach them to stop putting so much cannon fodder on tv.

The Final 4 Should Be: Nuttin But Strings, Eli, Baton Boy, ?????? (don’t really care about anyone else…)
The Final 4 Probably Will Be: Nuttin’ But Strings, Eli, Katelyn, Neal E. Boyd/Donald Brasco