That's right, my night off and nothing to do. So I've got the Idol report a bit early this evening. It's the guys again, which, after last week... couldn't be worse... could it?
Plus, since I'm an Idol veteran now, I can buzz through the show with very little trouble. Don't care about backstories, don't care about interviews with Seacrest. So here goes.
If you're like me and you don't like Phil Stacey, this evening's performance probably didn't change your mind either. If the audience hadn't been coached I don't think he'd have sounded as successful or "likable" as he came off. In fact, I'm sure I'll forget he's even in the contest... AGAIN... until next week. Jared Cotter's take on Marvin Gaye was much better than I expected from him, not to mention ridiculously gutsy. When I heard Seacrest tease it, I was worried, but he did exactly what the judges have been saying and took a huge chance. I think it paid off.
AJ Tabaldo had another achievement, however, he was horrid two weeks in a row. The song had absolutely no flair. I went back and watched it again to see what the judges were talking about when they praised him... I just didn't see it. America, if you decide to keep him around for the next week, please at least add a signing statement mandating he not dance.
Sanjaya Malakar, with his Diet Michael Jackson look, improved on last week. I don't think it matters he's picking more vintage tunes, despite the judges' criticisms. He came out of his vocal shell a bit more this week, too, which I'm happy with. I just worry how he'll fare in the later rounds.
Chris Sligh also made some strides, though I wouldn't exactly say his song was amazing, but he put on the best vocal performance so far tonight. Nice smoky jazz club tune from Nick Pedro, but even though he sounded great, he looks like every cat from Long Island and he needs to stand out a lot more.
Soon as the piano line kicked in I was proud of Blake Lewis, who did everything right, except maybe hit a few notes. Great song and a bunch of energy. (Note to Simon: that's a hard song to be original with, as original as Jamiroquai is).
But oh, oh dear, Brandon Rogers. Cyndi Lauper does not suit you. I offer a plea to my few readers not to fault him for the tune he just did for his gramma. He's among the best there, but he fell off REAL far against some really stiff competition. In the interest of saying something nice... nice... um... nice shirt, dude? Chris Richardson came off a ton better getting to follow Brandon. I'm not really a fan, and I don't think he was necessarily the best like Simon said.
Sundance got to close the show, a slot that he actually deserved this week. Probably the first good performance (we've seen) from him since the initial auditions.
I must address the dedications they all were probably coached into. Each one makes the one before it seem less and less sincere and provide none of the insight into these guys that they're supposed to. It irks me that America falls for this cheese. If it were me up there (aside from making the mistake of choosing songs no one watching the show would recognize) I'd dedicate my song to my dog. That'd get some votes from the over-50 demographic...
Side note: The characters the judges have created for themselves are more disingenuous than the contestants' dedications were.
In summation:
Thumbs up: Jared Cotter, Nick Pedro, Blake Lewis
OK: Phil Stacey, Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, Sundance Head
Thumbs down: AJ Tabaldo, Brandon Rogers
Should go home: AJ and Phil
Will go home: AJ and Brandon
Plus, since I'm an Idol veteran now, I can buzz through the show with very little trouble. Don't care about backstories, don't care about interviews with Seacrest. So here goes.
If you're like me and you don't like Phil Stacey, this evening's performance probably didn't change your mind either. If the audience hadn't been coached I don't think he'd have sounded as successful or "likable" as he came off. In fact, I'm sure I'll forget he's even in the contest... AGAIN... until next week. Jared Cotter's take on Marvin Gaye was much better than I expected from him, not to mention ridiculously gutsy. When I heard Seacrest tease it, I was worried, but he did exactly what the judges have been saying and took a huge chance. I think it paid off.
AJ Tabaldo had another achievement, however, he was horrid two weeks in a row. The song had absolutely no flair. I went back and watched it again to see what the judges were talking about when they praised him... I just didn't see it. America, if you decide to keep him around for the next week, please at least add a signing statement mandating he not dance.
Sanjaya Malakar, with his Diet Michael Jackson look, improved on last week. I don't think it matters he's picking more vintage tunes, despite the judges' criticisms. He came out of his vocal shell a bit more this week, too, which I'm happy with. I just worry how he'll fare in the later rounds.
Chris Sligh also made some strides, though I wouldn't exactly say his song was amazing, but he put on the best vocal performance so far tonight. Nice smoky jazz club tune from Nick Pedro, but even though he sounded great, he looks like every cat from Long Island and he needs to stand out a lot more.
Soon as the piano line kicked in I was proud of Blake Lewis, who did everything right, except maybe hit a few notes. Great song and a bunch of energy. (Note to Simon: that's a hard song to be original with, as original as Jamiroquai is).
But oh, oh dear, Brandon Rogers. Cyndi Lauper does not suit you. I offer a plea to my few readers not to fault him for the tune he just did for his gramma. He's among the best there, but he fell off REAL far against some really stiff competition. In the interest of saying something nice... nice... um... nice shirt, dude? Chris Richardson came off a ton better getting to follow Brandon. I'm not really a fan, and I don't think he was necessarily the best like Simon said.
Sundance got to close the show, a slot that he actually deserved this week. Probably the first good performance (we've seen) from him since the initial auditions.
I must address the dedications they all were probably coached into. Each one makes the one before it seem less and less sincere and provide none of the insight into these guys that they're supposed to. It irks me that America falls for this cheese. If it were me up there (aside from making the mistake of choosing songs no one watching the show would recognize) I'd dedicate my song to my dog. That'd get some votes from the over-50 demographic...
Side note: The characters the judges have created for themselves are more disingenuous than the contestants' dedications were.
In summation:
Thumbs up: Jared Cotter, Nick Pedro, Blake Lewis
OK: Phil Stacey, Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, Sundance Head
Thumbs down: AJ Tabaldo, Brandon Rogers
Should go home: AJ and Phil
Will go home: AJ and Brandon
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