Music Review: American Idol: Season 9
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON 9 is a
collection of clean cover tunes by the top 10 finalists from
the show's ninth season. Though the songs represent real
releases by big-name artists including the Rolling Stones,
Aerosmith, Chris Brown, and John Lennon, none of the tunes
contain explicit adult content.
- Families can talk about why the finalists might have chosen to cover these particular songs. Did each Idol make the right choice -- or miss the mark?
- In cases where an Idol seemed to make a wrong choice, what alternative could she or he have chosen?
In American Idol tradition, the show has released a compilation album -- aptly titled AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON 9 -- that contains cover songs by the top 10 finalists from the show's ninth season. For the most part, each contestant chose to cover the song that earned them high praise (from the judges and the crowd), resulting in an eclectic mix of tunes that includes artists as diverse as the Cornelius Brothers, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Chris Brown, and John Lennon. Despite their diverse styles, all of the tracks have one thing in common: super-clean lyrics.
Like every season of Idol, this one features some truly stand-out artists and others who are more forgettable. This makeup is clear on this compilation album, with exceptional performances by contestants like Lee Dewyze and Casey James -- who put their own strong, unique spins on well-known tunes -- and more karaoke-like renditions such as those by Aaron Kelly and Katie Stevens. Still, the album includes some surprises: out of all of her fantastic performances, powerhouse Crystal Bowersox chose to include the overdone "Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin, while the judges' punching bag, Tim Urban, gives a fun, reggae-tinged performance of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb."
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