The Next Great American Band

Making everyone play a song by the same artist is limiting. It would be interesting if they made everyone do 1 original and 1 cover, but let the bands choose any artist for the cover song. You'd really get some variety and creativity in that format.

Did you hear the Idol announcement that on this year's show they're going to let musicians play their instruments while singing?

I'm surprised Light of Doom (and Dot Dot Dot) made it as far as they did. I would have liked to see Franklin Bridge and Old No. 7 go further.

At this point, based on the judges comments and crowd reaction, I think the Clark Brothers have it. They're young, passionate, and the chics dig the lead singer. I'm not a fan of their originals, though....it's right out of a country playbook...and the slide player does the same "banjo style" riff in every song after they have built momentum. Sixwire are incredible session musicians/songwriters, but maybe a bit too polished for this generation. I loved their rendition of Reelin in the Years....that is a difficult song to cover, and they managed to put their own cool spin on it. I'd buy their album. Denver and the MHO are just too wedding band cheesy....kind of like a modernized Spandal Ballet from the 80s, particularly the singer.

I'm surprised this show isn't more popular. It is interesting how all three bands of the last band are from Nashville.

Have you noticed the white Taylor Electric that the guys in Sixwire have been playing? I need to go to Guitar Center and check that baby out. Of all the bands, Sixwire have the coolest guitars (Fender Relics, Taylors, PRS...)!

__________________
THIS SPACE FOR RENT

I saw the show and felt the same way. I loved Sixwire's rendition of Reelin in the Years. That's a great song and their interpretation was very cool. I found it interesting that Mr. Goo Goo Dolls said he "wasn't a fan of progressive rock." Reelin in the Years is a better song than anything the Dolls have ever released, IMO.

The Clark Brothers are very talented but you're right - I've grown tired of the slide player always doing the same thing on the same guitar. I'd like to see him do some slide work on an electric -- or see what he can do without the slide in his hand.

As for the Mile High Orchestra, they are very tight and polished, but they'll always be limited by their own style. Having said that, their guitar player put down some nice lead work on that ES-175 he plays, with a surprisingly overdriven tone. Almost sounded like the tone Ted Nugent gets out of his Byrdlands.

Overall I like the show a lot, and I will watch it again if it comes back for a second season, but when it does I hope they loosen things up a bit and give the bands more room with their song choices.

With the writers strike, I think we can count on a few more music oriented reality/performance show as early as next season.

I attended a songwriters' workshop a few weeks ago that was a pretty cool idea for a TV show. They put people in teams to write and record a song within 24 hours, getting critiques from established artists. The winning group got to perform it live and a bunch of cool gear. If there were a show that did that every week, I'd TIVO every episode and study it like the gospel.

__________________
THIS SPACE FOR RENT

And we have a winner...the Clark Brothers.

If you missed the final episode you missed what I thought was one of the coolest moments in "reality TV" -- the reaction of the Clark Brothers when it was announced that they were the winners. They literally fell to their knees on the stage, and the looks on their faces were priceless...shock, amazement and pure joy.

Later, one of them said that they had NEVER PLAYED OUT before this show started. All of their prior experience was in their own living room!

Maybe I'm a sucker, but I thought that was really cool and I'm very happy for those guys. There's a lot of crap on television, but this was just pure, feel-good entertainment. And what the hell is wrong with that?

Congrats to the Clark Brothers. I hope they do well and I'm anxious to here their first album. (I hope it's not too wimpy. I like their up tempo numbers better than their ballads.)