Team Plaid

The lack of buzz about season 6 since the finale aired has been astounding - in case you can’t tell by our meager June archives. However, now that the tour has started and recaps are starting to come in from just about every city, we’re finally starting to gear back up with some AI news regarding the tour - and a little info about the albums.

Why management and recording deals haven’t been announced yet for Blake OR Jordin is anyone’s guess. Right now, all we can do is speculate, since the people who DO know aren’t talking (as well they shouldn’t be, since there has been no official announcement). Hopefully, we’ll get some news soon, because I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m really anxious to know what’s going on with the albums.

However, in the meantime, here’s a little mini interview with Blake that a reporter from the Houston Chronicle was lucky enough to snag before the PopTarts show in Houston on Sunday (the link will also give you snippets of his interviews with Lakisha, Gina, Phil, and Haley). Here are the highlights about Blake’s album from the link:

Lewis describes his upcoming disc as “2000-’80s.” He was listening to rough mixes of new tunes on his IPod and graciously offered to–gasp!–let me hear a few.

“I haven’t let anybody hear this yet,” he said. My hopes were high.

It was an expectedly eclectic, electro-pop mix, ranging from Kylie Minogue-esque club grooves to a quick sample of ’80s hit Owner of a Lonely Heart. Killer stuff.

“I try not to be put in a box,” he says. “I’m inspired by everything. I’ve got six tracks done. I’ve got a track that’s very Erasure-sounding, a track that’s Sting-meets-Neverending Story and a track that’s very electro-poppy Depeche Mode. It’s all over the map.”

Sound awesome (ding!) to you? It does to me! I definitely can’t wait to hear this album!

It’s also been discovered that not only is Blake working on his album with a producer he’s said that he’s always wanted to work with, BT, he’s also been in the studio with Ryan Tedder of One Republic. Check out his myspace for more info on the artists he’s previously worked with and is currently working with. Also, check out the song “Apologize” on One Republic’s myspace. I heard it for the first time last week (yeah I know, I’m always behind) and it’s a hot song, fo sho.

Also, Blake got a mention in an article about 311 in the Palm Beach Post. Check out the full article - it’s really great. Here’s part of the bit that mentions Blake:

This past spring, a whole new group of people got an education in 311 - American Idol fans, via the relatively adventurous musical tastes of Seattle’s Blake Lewis. The band was contacted by the show’s producers for permission to let Lewis sing its All Mixed Up. Mahoney says they agreed but didn’t realize how much mileage they’d get.

“We didn’t know (Lewis) was such a big 311 fan. He really kicked a— on All Mixed Up,” he says. “After he sang the judges said they didn’t know who we were, and he said ‘They’re my favorite band. They’re great.’ It was the best publicity ever.”

And after that, 311, in turn, became big Blake Lewis fans - “Nick went a couple of times to the tapings of the show and hung out with (Lewis) and made friends with him,” Mahoney reports, adding that the diminutive beat-boxer also covered their version of Love Song.

Last but not least, for star, because she’s awesome (ding!) and got us some killer video from Nashville last week.