SAIL ON, SILVER GIRL: Tonight's Idol was a mess. The definition of "songs from the movies" got stretched from "oh, wait, that Simon & Garfunkel song was used forty years later in a Will Smith movie" to "I think Mike Tyson sang that in The Hangover" to "wait, Boomerang had a soundtrack?"
As for the performances, y'all know I'm all for idiosyncratic, personal and not-been-performed-before stuff. But, sheesh: Casey's indulgent "Nature Boy" had notes in all sorts of weird places; James's "Heavy Metal" may have had more Zakk Wylde than James; Scotty did a George Strait song which put America to sleep.
Look, if a TMZ report is to be believed, it's all Scotty/Lauren/James anyway, with James presumably sweeping up all the non-country votes to enter the finals. But let's pretend the singing matters for a minute: only Lauren and Haley did anything even marginally interesting in terms of selling a song; Stefano, Paul and Casey just didn't sing well; and when Scotty proclaims it's time to "return to his country roots" after his wildly eclectic run to date, ugh. And the judges, of course, didn't judge (except for Haley). A bad ninety minutes of television, and that's without wondering when will.i.am joined the cast.
Bottom line: when you sing a song titled "End of the Road" it will be, Stefano.
I'm still catching up on DVR, and Casey's performance was good, but it was just weird. It was something I'd enjoy hearing, but I'm not their main audience, which is pop fans. He's a good artist, but this isn't the right stage for it.
ReplyDeleteBut honestly, and I may be in the minority here, I thought Lauren Alaina sang that song better than Miley. Miley sings like a goat.
I have never in my life voted for an American Idol contestant. (I can't say the same for the wife and daughter who are the reason I watch the show anyhow.) But with God as my witness, if they would change the rules to allow voting to throw someone off, i would max out every possible voting method to register my contempt for the crimes against Simon and Garfunkel committed by Jacob tonight. UGH. On a horrid night of mediocre performances and more Lake Wobegon judging, that was the lowlight. By a lot. Please, please, please send Jacob home.
ReplyDeleteAs I tweeted, it made me miss the Clay Aiken version, and I fucking HATED Clay Aiken.
ReplyDeleteTweeted most of my thoughts tonight, but yeah. This one was full of suck. How long until SYTYCD starts?
ReplyDeleteHell to the yeah. That was a crime against Simon & Garfunkel. And the answer is: vote at least once for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'm going to make it until the end. Is there such a thing as American Idol fatigue? Watching this show is becoming a chore and yet I keep tuning in each week.
ReplyDeleteI really wouldn't mind hearing Simon say "it was all a bit worthy" in his snooty English accent. Or anything, really.
The best performance by about a mile was of a Miley Cyrus song. You've got to be kidding. And the only person that they really critiqued was Haley? Um, really? Nothing for the off notes and weird faces of Casey? Nothing for Jacob raping Bridge Over Troubled Water? Nothing for Paul Pauling up yet another song? Nothing for Scotty abandoning a good song choice for a trite song that was way-too-much-in-his-wheelhouse? Nothing for yet another blah Stefano performance of a blah song?
ReplyDeleteGood plus: Lauren
[gap]
most everyone else
[rather large gap]
Paul
Stefano
[abyss]
Heh. Apparently, I thought that Jacob was so far behind that he didn't make my email.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm in the minority, but I sorta liked Jacob. It's a gospel song, and he's got a gospel voice. I think the real crime against Simon and Garfunkel (mostly Simon) was the arrangement: The best part of the song is the way it builds to a climax, and they cut that whole section completely, which meant that Jacob had to go for the glory finish on a part of the song that wasn't written for the glory finish.
ReplyDeleteMay 26, thank God. There was a Mary Murphy SYTYCD ad, takeoff on Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues video with the cue cards.
ReplyDeleteThe only season I quit was the Taylor Hicks season, after Mandisa went. This isn't that bad, yet, but prepare for an all-country finale.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else notice J-Lo telling Lauren, "You don't need anyone else's votes! You're getting plenty of your own!"
ReplyDeleteAlso the rather curious fact that while Lauren and Scotty have never sung in the pimp slot, James has done so twice in four weeks. I wouldn't rule out either of the girls going home.
Paul was awful (and I usually adore him), Lauren picked an OK-but-predictable song and sang it OK-but-predictably, Stefano was his usual amusing self*, Scotty totally should've done the Nilsson, Casey had half of an excellent performance and half where he was doing a bad Pacino, Haley was karaoke as hell but at least hit her notes, which is more than I can say for Jacob, and James was easily the best of the night, for me for you, dawg.
* when muted and played at double time
Oh, also, Michael Slezak featured Nigel's tweet to Adam on Idoloonies...
ReplyDeleteFWIW, the WTNS consensus scores, followed by mine in parens:
ReplyDelete<span>Paul: 20 (30)Lauren: 63 (60)Stefano: 58 (25)Scotty: 45 (50)Casey: 39 (30)Haley: 46 (55)Jacob: 43 (40)James: 71 (40)</span>
Wait, does that mean Mary's back on judging? I never missed the "Hot Tamale Train" or whatever that was, but she gave much, much more insightful critiques, in retrospect, than Mia or Adam often did.
ReplyDeleteThere is AI fatigue. I've only watched a handful of episodes since last year's midway point. Every time I try to get back in, they keep pushing me out.
ReplyDeleteI think it does mean that she's back on the judging panel. I agree with you. The hot tamale train was ridiculous and the too-frequent yelling got on my nerves, but Mia and Adam should stick with the choreography and stay away from the judging.
ReplyDeleteAt one point in the season I thought Paul was going to be good. I think the fact he picked a Ryan Adams song influenced me. But, he just sucks. Like the rest of them
ReplyDeleteHe's a one trick pony and we got tired of the trick.
ReplyDeleteI thought about giving up Idol, but then people sounded positive about the new season, and I do enjoy talking about it and reading commentary. In addition to the people here, there are a lot of insightful, funny, interesting people who spill a lot of digital ink about Idol. Frankly, it's worth watching Idol this year just to read Paul F. Tompkins on Vulture discuss it. Plus Slezak, the EW.com people, Jim Cantiello, the folks at What Not to Sing, and of course, Dan. (I'm still cracking up from Jim C's commentary on Jacob Lusk: If Jacob's "Bridge" is Taco Bell, Clay Aiken's "Bridge" is Chipotle, and Aretha Franklin's is any restaurant owned by Rick Bayless.)
ReplyDeleteDammit, Idol. I just can't quit you.