- Not That Exciting, But Generally As Good As Always: Crystal, Siobhan, Big Mike and Lee did nothing to put themselves at risk this week.
- Not That Exciting, But Certainly At Least Competent: Aaron and Tim were both just about the best I've seen them, though like Katie each was a bit boring.
- It's Time To Go: Sorry, Andrew Garcia, but that Vegas-y arrangement of "Can't Buy Me Love" just killed you. And with three women leaving in a row already, the axe is due for you.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
DIDGERIDOO, OR DIDGERIDON'T? What started off as Lennon/McCartney Night wound up as Ethnic Wind Instruments Night (next week: nose flute!) on a decidedly above-average night of American Idol. If only The Outlaw Casey James approached greatness with his earnest take on "Jealous Guy," certainly, at least no one totally sucked. I'd group the other performers as follows:
I'm ok with the didgeridoo (but that might just be because I think Bowersox can do no wrong). The more important question for me: "Bagpipes? Really?"
ReplyDeleteI'm only done through the second song, but I'm pretty sure that version of Let It Be that Katie just did is the exact same one that Jennifer Hudson did for the Hope for Haiti episode. JHud was, shall we say, a bit vocally stronger on it, though.
ReplyDeleteWhich is what I said to Jen while it was happening. This was, um, better:
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Damn. I'm on the fourth song, and it's the third one so far that was done better in Season 7, These contestants need to learn not to pick songs like Let It Be and Eleanor Rigby that other Idols have already gotten big plaudits on. And I'm not a big Archuleta fan, but I'd listen to his version of the Long and Winding Road ten times in a row before listening to that version by Aaron again.
ReplyDeleteCasey and Crystal were AMAZING tonight. And (although I hate to admit it), I thought Katie's version of Let It Be was sweet and clear. Got to disagree about Mike -- didn't like it at all.
ReplyDeleteOMG. I didn't watch that season -- this is amazing! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHey, Tim Urban is neither sucking nor missing the point of the song that he's singing. I won't be utterly appalled when he avoids being eliminated this week.
ReplyDeleteIt's from the Haiti telethon a few weeks ago, not AI3.
ReplyDeleteI liked Casey and Siobhan more than I normally do. And I'm wondering why they keep giving Lee such massive passes on his botched notes. Is it just that they think that he might actually have some commercial appeal, so they want him to do well enough to push a career?
ReplyDeleteI actually liked Andrew this week (up is down, left is right) and felt like Siobhan (look! I'm being objective!) and Lee turned in the worst performances of the night.
ReplyDeleteThe bagpipe was about the dumbest move, and only redeems itself if Lee goes top 2 and decides to do Hey Jude again with like a bagpipe CORPS marching down the stairs at the end. Call Carnegie Mellon, Lee.
Also, Big Mike and Tim were awesome! UP IS DOWN, y'all.
ReplyDeleteI was so annoyed at Tim for not sucking this week, because we're running out of people who are not him whom I will not miss when they are gone.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I did not like Lee's performance at all, but the bagpipe thing totally won me over because my high school mascot was the Highlander. That describes very little of American Idol's audience though.
Considering that Lee's biggest problem appears to be a lack of confidence/wicked nerves, I gotta give him credit if the bagpipes were his idea. While I found them completely unnecessary and definitely distracting, their inclusion is the decision of someone gaining confidence as a performer.
ReplyDeleteAnd from his first karaoke-infused note of "Power of Love," I'm rooting for Casey. I really enjoyed "Jealous Guy" and actually picked up the phone.
Don't watch the show, but I think a band of didgeridoos, bagpipes, and some baritone saxes would be cool. I'd probably also add an accordian and maybe a cello.
ReplyDeleteTwo things: first, what was up with the Pimping of Katie? Second, did I listen to a totally different version of Lee than the judges did? It seemed like the first third of the song was totally off key - and then he turned away from the audience, then turned back and started singing on key. Am I just making that up?
ReplyDeleteYeah, but his voice completely gave out! Lee could have picked a key in a lower register and been completely fine, instead of hitting all that gravel.
ReplyDeleteTim surprised me, and B.M. made me sit up on the futon.
No, you didn't. I feel very much like the bagpipe was spectacle and skullduggery to cover up a lukewarm performance.
ReplyDeleteI meant "aren't."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was disappointed in Hey Jude and surprised Lee got a pass. ... I thought - "wow, worst performace of the night, which is too bad, because I l really like him." Perhaps they didn't want to take a chance they would shatter his confidence that is finally seeming to build. I agree re: Casey and I always love Crystal. I hated Big Mike's Eleanor Rigby because I didn't think it approached being as good as David Cook's Eleanor Rigby, although I am interested to see that many here disagree. Perhaps I need to listen again. It would be easier to get behind Katie if I found her remotely likeable, and I still don't want to see Aaron go home yet, because my kids like him.
ReplyDeleteI generally thought that songs done in both Season 7 and Season 9 were done better Season 7. YDA > Aaron; DCook > Big Mike; Brooke > Katie. (Also, JHud > Katie. Also Kris > Katie.) I was a bit torn on Carly vs. Crystal---I'd probably give Carly the edge, but it's debatable. I also think that Michael Johns vs. Siobhan is debatable---I like his voice better, but I do tend to think that that song is hard to cut down to Idol length, which makes it hard to judge either performance. That said, while I think that it was maybe an error for folks to have picked songs that were already done so well previously, I still enjoyed some of the repeat performances. Aaron was awful, and I'd have picked another song for Siobhan, one that cut down better. But I liked Big Mike's performance, thought Crystal did well, and thought that Katie was fine. Also, I didn't mind being reminded to go back on youtube and watch DCook's Eleanor Rigby and Brooke's Let It Be again.
ReplyDeleteI don't love Casey's voice---a bit too much goat-boy vibrato there, to me---but this was the first time that I felt like he did a performance that I would not describe as bar band, and the first time that I felt like he made a real emotional connection to the song. It was a very complete performance.
Bottom 3.... I'd think Aaron, Andrew, and Lee (who was terribly, terribly off-key). I wouldn't be surprised to see Tim or Katie there instead of Lee. I'd send Aaron home. I thought that this was at least his third song where he was really off-key, and he has zero artistry or imagination for song selection. Yet another teenager on this show who might have really benefitted from another couple of years of vocal and artistic growth.
I thought Casey had one of the best performances of the season. First time he showed he could be something other than a glorified bar band singer -- Taylor Hicks with better hair.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, can Kara please stop screwing with Andrew's mind? How can she ask him to show a "different side" when she's been hectoring him since Hollywood to just redo "Straight Up" every week. (And speaking of idiotic judges' comments: There's no way Katie's version could be considered "country.")
Lee (whom I rooting for) and Siobhan had off nights -- but I'm betting that if one of them winds up on the bottom, the judges will save them. Not sure if they'd use their save for Andrew, though.
Jenn, I think you're totally right. Surely the Lennon-McCartney Songbook includes more than the dozen songs we've already heard on Idol. That was one reason why I liked Casey's performance so much. It was a treat to hear something that felt new (or at least new to me).
ReplyDeleteI think they give Lee a pass because the tone of his voice feels current. He really does feel radio-friendly in a way that Tim and Keith don't.
ReplyDeleteI think we're in line for a shocking dismissal tonight. Nobody really got hammered last night- even the criticism of Andrew was still couched in nice tones -and nobody aside from Casey James really stood out as incredible. Props to him on that song choice, being the only one stray outside of The Beatles' discography.
ReplyDeleteMy money is on <span>Siobhan</span>. Her performance was forgettable, and her schtick has gone cold. Even if it's not her, I'm willing to bet it's somebody decent. If we ever see the judge's save this season, tonight is a good a chance as any.
I thought that I heard a little more than a little country twang in Katie's cover before Simon spoke and predicted it was likely that he'd comment on it. Count me idiotic too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they wouldn't use their save for Andrew (unless it was the last night they could use the save - they proved last year that they'd use it then just to show that they would). They'd use it for Siobhan, Lee, Casey, Crystal (in the unlikely chance that they'd need to), and possibly Big Mike.
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