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'American Idol': Casey Abrams doesn't quite 'Smell Like Teen Spirit'
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Before Wednesday (March 16), no one had ever covered a Nirvana song on "American Idol." Casey Abrams' version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" may have inadvertently shown why that had been the case.It's not that Casey's version of the song was bad technically -- it was faithful to the original, and though judge Jennifer Lopez correctly pointed out that he got a little "screamy-screechy" in spots, his vocals were otherwise fine.
But "Smells Like Teen Spirit," along with any number of other Nirvana songs, is not really about whether the vocal sounds pure and on-pitch. It's about taking all the disaffection, boredom, anger and all those other lovely early-'90s, Gen-X emotions and letting them out in one big, cathartic wail (backed by a great hook). And based on what we've seen of him so far, Casey just doesn't seem that disaffected, bored or angry, so we didn't really buy the attitude he was trying to push. It was a competent cover but not much else.
Video of Casey's version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is below. What did you think of the performance?
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Photo/Video credit: FOX
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I actually really LOVED it!
He did it so well..
He is an amazing artist and he has balls to do it!
Go Casey! Go!
CASEY ABRAMS IS DEAD TO ME.
No WAY did he just take one of THEE best tunes in the HISTORY of music and turn it into nothing more than a circus-like FREAK show?!?!
Anyone who dug this must be about the same age or younger than Casey because if you knew, actually KNEW what Nirvana was about, you'd know that NOBODY could do Nirvana like Nirvana. Cobain is spinning in his grave...
so sad.
I thought it was horrible. If you close your eyes, and think you're listening to a garage band, its not a showcase for "America's next big thing". OH SIMON HOW I MISS YOU!!! (Randy as the primary judge? PAINFUL)
if mrc was a real nirvana fan he would know that teen spirit was probably the worst song on nevermind. Casey did what he could with it, it was more about the fact that he chose the song and not the performance.
You must be stupid if you like this song Kurt just shot himself again
I love Casey I really do but I think Joe(from the comment bellow) is totally right, it's like hearing a random band jam. It was terrible :( I'm so sad, he is losing why made him enter the show in the first place
Casey is the only one with guts to step out of his comfort zone and he deserve props. He is better than any of the other contestants because he has true musicality and is a genuine artist. Scotty sounds like any other country singer (whether they be a star or a wannabe) and, like all the others, plays it safe every week. Casey is better than this show and his talent is far too great to be limited to any ridiculous 'theme' week.
Casey is the only one with guts to step out of his comfort zone and he deserve props. He is better than any of the other contestants because he has true musicality and is a genuine artist. Scotty sounds like any other country singer (whether they be a star or a wannabe) and, like all the others, plays it safe every week. Casey is better than this show and his talent is far too great to be limited to any ridiculous 'theme' week.
mrc, I agree 10000000000% with you. Casey deserves to go home and never sing in public again after this atrociousness. It was like he was making fun of the song or something. And Jennifer Lopez should be completely ASHAMED of herself for saying Kurt has some big shoes to fill after this performance! She should go home, too, just for saying that!!!!! UGH!!!
hey J man- you don't have to be an *** because i dissed your boy. and that song was in my opinion iconic. tonight, however-- it was hard to listen to the whole way through. I agree with you totally that he did what he could with it. But what he did with it was NOT ALOT of GOOD. You know, I have been a Casey Abrams fan since the beginning and I still am... it's just that he REALLY misstepped on this and he deserves to be called out on it. Straight up. And yeah, did Jennifer REALLY say that about Kurt having some big shoes to fill after that? I didn't hear it. But...crap. That comment was like, INSANE.