American Idol 7 / Week 12
It's the top four, and it's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night.
I'm interrupting a great game of Pokemon Snap for this, so it better be good. Seacrest starts out by letting us know that three out of the four remaining contestants have held the number-one vote spot. The Davids I can see, but which of Jason or Syesha got the top votes?
We get a package that is an incredibly brief history of rock and roll, and of the museum dedicated to it. Then Seacrest lets us know that critiques will follow each performance (thank goodness for Paula's sake).
David Cook 1: Here I was hoping that Duran Duran would be represented, and my wish comes true right off the bat. He'll be doing "Hungry Like the Wolf", and I'm intrigued to see what he does with it. The answer? He doesn't change it up too much, just increases the tempo and sings it with his full-on grunge rock voice. It also sounds like he's a little behind the beat, and he mixes up his words at the very end. It's decent, but not an enthusiastic performance like he usually gives. Randy calls it OK and solid, but doesn't put it in the "mad hot vocals" category. Paula babbles and makes no sense. Simon agrees a bit with Randy, but calls it good enough.
Syesha Mercado 1: She's on the stools, and they speak of the tour -- she's looking forward to meeting all of her fans. She has fans? Her first song is "Proud Mary", which she tells us has been covered over 100 times. She starts all slow, with these grand fake-sexy moves (because she's actually about as sexy as cottage cheese). Then it gets all fast, and she does these horrible spins and a ton of hip wiggles as she shouts the song. It's like a drag rendition of a Tina Turner impression. But Randy thinks she's "in the zone" and Paula babbles lovingly. My hero Simon, however, calls it a "bad shrieky impersonation of Tina Turner", and once again he's in my good graces.
Jason Castro 1: He's doing "I Shot the Sheriff" ("Bob Marley, go figure," He shrugs). The performance is ... weird. He's straining his tiny boy-voice, and the cadence is all screwy, and it's not very melodic. Before Simon can say it, I'll say it: I just don't get it. Randy calls it really karaoke, and says there was nothing special. Then he says he didn't get it. Paula gives him kudos for performing to the audience, but then babbles about it being so-so. Simon tells him to stand back, then calls it utterly atrocious. Then he calls it a first round audition massacre. Very true.
David Archuleta 1: He's doing "Stand by Me". It's a song he sings in his room to himself. He delivers it with his usual style, and it's a decent performance as usual. He does charm the ladies in the front row with a line about "beautiful girls", so that's a nice touch. Though it's no sex-me eyes from Constantine Maroulis. Randy says he's the only one of the four who brought the hot mad vocals and put it on the line to win. Paula babbles about his age and improvement in the eye-communication department. Simon slams on Jason's previous performance, then opines that there was some struggling at the end. Then he declares it the best performance so far (which doesn't say much).
I miss Brooke White. In that I just want to see her cry.
David Cook 2: He's on the stools, and Seacrest comments that this should be Cook's element. But Cook is feeling weird, because of the very same reason. His second song is "Baba O'Riley", which I think is a fantastic fracking song. In his package, he says that the song has never been done on the show. Really? Due to time constraints, of course, we have to pass over all of the awesome opening. He launches into the verse at a very slow, mellow tempo that I don't mind. Then by the first "teenage wasteland" he gets into it with the big voice. Man, this is a hard song to cut down to a minute-plus. Randy likes it, it's more like the David Cook he knows and loves. Paula wants more, more, more. Simon welcomes him back.
Commercials: So You Think You Can Dance is right around the corner, and I couldn't be happier. Back from commercials, Seacrest points out Rascal Flats (I know there's a double letter in there somewhere, but I don't care) and I have to wonder, did they see this show first, or did they go perform on Dancing with the Stars first?
Syesha Mercado 2: Her second song is "A Change is Gonna Come". She's changed into a quite lovely gown, and starts out with a power note. then it gets kind of boring for a while, and maybe the bulk of the song is too low for her, but it sounds kind of tuneless and monotone for a while. Then she hits another power note at the end, but they just serve to bookend the boredom. Randy doesn't love this one as much as the first; he didn't like the arrangement of the music or the melody. Paula stands and claps, then babbles about change and dreams. Syesha starts crying (but not as prettily as Brooke). Simon says he has to be fair, then agrees with Paula. What? I guess I'm with Randy on this one. Her tears have rinsed off her makeup in weird ways -- man, that crap is caked on!
Jason Castro 2: He's doing Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man", and I have to say before starts, no cover will ever be as good as William Shatner's. He starts out all right, but then has a brain fart and forgets a line. He's real smooth, covering it with weird hums. The rest is uneventful, and I can't wait to hear what the judges say. Randy asks him what he thought, and just leaves it at "Jason's not in the zone tonight". Paula babbles with her backhanded compliments. Simon tells him to pack his suitcase.
David Archuleta 2: He's singing "Love Me Tender". He wasn't familiar with the song, but he's excited to sing a love song on the big stage. He's sitting out there on a stool with just the big piano behind him, and it's actually pretty good. He hips it up just enough, but retains much of the original melody. It's not as cheesy boy-band as his usual stuff, and I like that -- he takes his time and really savors the song. Definitely this is the best song of the night. Randy likes the tenderness, and how he caressed each word. It's one of Paula's favorite Archuleta performances. Simon tells him he didn't beat the competition tonight -- he crushed it. Yes.
Recaps: Cook gave a slight rock treatment to Duran, then did a decent job with Baba. Syesha did her big fake showy Tina Turner impression, then bored me. Jason mangled Marley, then forgot Dylan. Archuleta started out all right, but then kicked the show's ass at the end.
I have a feeling we'll have many of the same predictions this week. Jason and Syesha are definitely the bottom two, and hopefully America won't be stupid and put through someone who sucked. I'm sending Jason home.
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the_missy) wrote,
