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Idol Blogging
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008Final 12 this week, and the first where the men and women perform together. And it’s Lennon-McCartney night.
- Syesha Mercado. Sang “Got To Get You Into My Life.” Started a bit slow, mostly because the band drowned her out a bit, and I think she couldn’t hear herself. But she recovered nicely, and she’s a natural, comfortable performer. She sang an R&B-ed up version of the song, and early pitch problems aside, I think it worked quite well. If she hadn’t gone first, I’d say she sails. But the judges weren’t crazy about her. She shouldn’t be in trouble. But weirder things have happened.
- Chickezie. Sang “She’s a Woman.” Awesome. He had to do something amazing this week after almost getting knocked off last week. And holy hell, he did it. That was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen on this show. He started with an old-timey sound, then broke out with a rock vibe and belted out the song with some terrific soul. Guts, personality, pipes–the guy showed it all. It’s enough to win redemption for him being an ex-TSA employee (for which, he had the good sense to apologize). Fanfriggintastic.
- Ramiele Malubay. Sang “In My Life.” Tough act following what Chickezie just did. Especially with a ballad. It was pretty boring. She sang fairly well. But there just wasn’t much there. I see the judges all agree. And to be honest “boring” is about the worst thing you can be on this show. Even a bad performance can motivate your fans to vote to make sure you hang on another week. Boring breeds complacency. She actually might be in trouble, especially given the inexplicable staying power of Kristy Lee Cooke.
- Jason Castro. This guy has such a stoner personality. It’s hilarious. Sang “If I Fell.” This guy just gets more and more impressive. I thought it was fantastic. He has such a smooth transition into falsetto. Unlike Paula, though, I didn’t “feel his heart,” but I sorta’ get her point. The guy connects. And the girls love him. He’s fine for a long time.
- Carly Smithson. Sang “Come Together.” She is so damned good. Hope she doesn’t get Melinda Doolittle syndrome, where she’s so good the voters rebel. Might be the best version of that song I’ve ever heard. Including the Beatles. Just plain badass. Like I said last week, this girl has a lot of rock ‘n’ roll in her. She should embrace it.
- David Cook. Sang “Eleanor Rigby.” Didn’t do much for me this week. He probably didn’t hurt himself with people who vote, but I thought it sounded like a Creed knockoff. And let’s face it, even actual Creed ain’t that good. It picked up when he got to the chorus, but I was a little disappointed after what he did last week.
- Brooke White. Sang “Let It Be.” I was a little disappointed when the promo said what she’d be singing. Seemed a bit trite given the huge Lennon-McCartney catalog. But she has such a beautiful voice, it didn’t matter. And I love the hippie-chick vibe. She’s gotta’ be one of the frontrunners.
- David Hernandez. Sang “I Saw Her Standing There.” Hmm. Lots of playing to the women in the crowd. Some overcompensating going on, here? I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I didn’t like it. But as I’ve said before, I find this guy’s personality really unlikeable, too. He doesn’t have a rock voice, and it really didn’t work with this song. He has a full, soaring voice. It’s his strongest asset. He should have sang a ballad.
- Amanda Overmeyer. I keep finding myself rooting for her. She’s getting so much “white trash” nastiness, I want her to do well, and show some of her critics up. She sang “You Can’t Do That.” She looked much comfortable on stage this week. I thought it may have been a mistake to pick a less popular Beatles tune. But it suited her really well. Started a bit slow, but she really reeled it in toward the end. The scat was great. She probably bought herself another week.
- Michael Johns. Sang “Across the Universe.” What’s with the audience hand-waving? It looks choreographed. Badly. I liked it. There seems to be a Johns backlash going on, and I’m not sure why. I think the judges may be holding him to a bit of a higher standard than the other contestants. I’m sure he’s fine this week. BTW, the Rufus Wainwright cover of this song is outstanding.
- Kristy Lee Cook. Sang a countrified “Eight Days a Week.” Okay, so I know everyone’s been telling her to “go country.” But this was a bit much. Sounded like a commercial jingle for the Grand Ole Opry. This has to be it for her, right?
- David Archuleta. Sang (sort of) “We Can Work It Out.” Flubbed the lyrics in several spots. Missed the melody in several more, and generally looked confused and bewildered. Hey, the kid’s human. His youth may have caught up to him. Also, I don’t care if you’re 17, how can you have not know the Beatles, as he said in the intro? A solid performance next week and he’s probably back in the driver’s seat. But he stumbled badly tonight.
Here’s the top 12 as I think they’ll finish. Where they differ, I’ve put the top 12 as I think they ought to be in parenthesis:
12. Kristy Lee Cook.
11. Ramiele Malubay
10. David Hernandez
09. Amanda Overmeyer
08. Chickezie
07. Michael Johns (David Cook)
06. Syesha Mercado (Michael Johns)
05. David Cook (David Archuleta)
04. David Archuleta (Syesha Mercado)
03. Brooke White (Jason Castro)
02. Jason Castro (Brooke White)
01. Carly Smithson
Amanda did wonderful. It was a really cool show tonite. I enjoyed it from start to finish. I didnt really dig Kristys performance and am grateful im not prone to seizures. :D
Almost. I don’t understand your love for Castro. He isn’t good. Every University’s commons has a Castro or two in it right now, hemp pants and all, playing guitar with a gaggle of frosh laying on the grass, thinking that he’s such a poet and so misunderstood. Yrgh. Yeah, he’s a stoner. Hell, he’s an Aggie stoner. Big whoop. He sounds the same every song, every note. He might improve if he’d fire up a big ol doobie on stage, or even better, score some of Paula’s secret stash. Then he might get some personality.
Michael Johns appears to be a one hit wonder and is fading fast.
Smithson, White, Eze and D. Cook had the best night. Pick ‘em out of those four.
They were followed my marginal performances by Archuleta, Johns, Hernandez, Castro, Mercado & Overmeyer.
Those that have got to go: Malubay and KL Cook.
“Eleanor Rigby” is a tough song to cover…Ray Charles has covered the song, but even then I find it’s lacking…
There were rumors of a Beatles week last year, and I kept waiting for it and being disappointed when it didn’t come. I had high expectations for last night. It was the most disappointing week by a good margin.
Chickezie was great, and really had fun with it. He is more likeable each week.
I couldn’t disagree with you more on Carly. She was trying way too hard last night, and the judges’ consistent gushing turns me off.
Kristy Lee Cook and David Hernandez murdered their songs. Brooke White and Jason Castro did nice, understated versions of theirs.
The biggest surprise for me was David Archuleta. He doesn’t like songs from the 60s and 70s? He doesn’t even RECOGNIZE the Beatles songs he has to choose from other than We Can Work It Out, which he knows from Stevie Wonder? I thought every kid who was into music devoured the Beatles catalog their freshman year in high school; even if that somehow passed him by it is disappointing to hear that he is that oblivious to them. I thought he could have done some really great stuff with their catalog – “Girl” especially would have been a swoon-inducing hit.
I can’t help but love Overmeyer. She is a freakish mix of Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. Being white trash has never felt so good.
I think Chickezie absolutely kicked ass tonight. I was ready for him to be gone after his first performance of the year but he has gotten steadily better. He won’t win but he deserves to be where he is.
The huge mistake that Archuleta made was paying any attention to what the judges want. He needs to pick songs that he is comfortable with and if the songs he picks are sad and preachy then so be it. He needs to do what feels right for him and not try to be something he is not. Right now the judges represent exactly three votes. To hell with them.
Kristy Lee Cook has to be gone, gone, gone. That was a horrible performance. Maybe she is aiming for a country music contract but that kind of singing won’t even land her that.
Your bottom three matches mine except I would probably cut Hernandez and stick with Malubay one more week.
And I like Castro. But that plays into my white trash / stoner personality.
I agree with your bottom 3 but I think Hernandez goes. The ONLY reason I think K. Cook stays is some fans may want to vote for a country singer. Pickler had the same vibe a few seasons ago and she was murdering songs but stuck around to Top 6ish.
Wait, was that an implied endorsement of Creed? Because your bonafides take a serious hit when you’re potentially admitting to liking Scott Stapp’s version of “music.”
Wait, was that an implied endorsement of Creed? Because your bonafides take a serious hit when you’re potentially admitting to liking Scott Stapp’s version of “music.”
You got that from this?
And let’s face it, even actual Creed ain’t that good.
No, not a Creed fan. Or a fan of the three-dozen bands that sound just like them.
I was just listening, not watching, so I thought of things a bit different. I really didn’t like Castro’s version of If I Fell. The harmonies make that song so special in the Beatles’ version, and he just didn’t have them.
Syesha seemed like she was out the bottom of her range, might have needed a bit more level on those parts.
Hernandez hit his high water mark 2 weeks ago and has been slipping badly since. I think he’s out this week. Even though Cook’s song was pretty awful, too.
I about fell out of my chair when Simon said Cook’s performance reminded him of a state fair. I said the EXACT same thing to my daughter during the song. That was hideous. She might be able to slip by this week on looks (ala Haley Scarnatto) but she’s doomed.
I was nearly cheering during Chekezie’s performance.
Matt in Cincy – Haley Scarnatto got by on looks by exploiting them. Remember how her shorts kept getting smaller? Kristy Lee hasn’t slutted it up enough… she’s a goner.
I don’t get the Cook hating. I think she sounded fine. I thought she was better than that Irish chick, but then I really hated the Irish chick. Maybe if you really hate country…
I thought Chickezie nailed it this week. I was cheering by the end as well. I also like Castro and White. Most others were disappointing.
I like country. Some of my favorite songs are country. That, sir, was not country.
Eric:
He doesn’t even RECOGNIZE the Beatles songs he has to choose from other than We Can Work It Out, which he knows from Stevie Wonder?
He picked the third verse of ‘Imagine’ on the 2/26 show, and, technically speaking, he was quite good. That said, he doesn’t put very much emotion into his music and isn’t likely to win on AI without some -oomph- behind his words.
Don’t be too hard on the boy – I’d consider myself a lover of music, but you won’t find hardly anything by the Beatles in my top 100. Diff’rent Strokes for diff’rent folks, you know?