'American Idol': Top 9 perform
On tonight's American Idol, it's an open kind of theme: The Top 9 can pick any song as long as it's a popular download on iTunes. Hmmm ... interesting. Now we'll see what they're really made of! Or something.
Anoop Desai is first, and he'll be singing "Caught Up" by Usher. It seems like a good idea in theory -- it's more upbeat, and more his style, I guess, but something about it doesn't quite work for me. I feel like he thinks his stage persona is a little stronger than it actually is, and that makes it a tad bit awkward. Vocally, it seems good, though some of the runs are a bit overdone. The audience is behind him 100 percent. Randy Jackson said he "picked up your swagger" and he thought the vocals were good, but the song choice was a little off, so he's torn. Kara DioGuardi says if you pick Usher, you have to do crazy riffs, and she says it feels like "a bunch of frat guys dared you to get up and sing Usher or something." Paula Abdul says he needs to work on his stage presence and "create some signature stabs with the band." Simon Cowell looks as perplexed as I am by that. He says, "It was a complete and utter mess. ... You came over as a wannabe. I didn't see any originality. ... It actually gave me a headache." Ryan gives Anoop a chance to talk back, and that was probably not a good thing. He gets mouthy with Kara about how he wants to be an R&B artist and he disagrees with her. Special guest visitor, my mom, says, "It was boring, Anoop, and I like you." Word.
Megan Joy Corkrey plans to sing "Bob Marley/Lauryn Hill's 'Turn Your Lights Down Low.'" She says she's excited to sing something she absolutely looooooves. While this seems like it suits her voice better, it's just not working for me. I think she's out of her league. But it's way better than "Rockin' Robin"! Kara says, "I really like you, but I think you're in trouble. ... I want to hear Adele, 'Chasing Pavements' ... That part of your range was getting irritating." Paula says at this stage, she needs to "take us by surprise and dig deep to an area that might not be comfortable." Simon says the problem is that the song was boring, indulgent and monotonous and that everything they liked about her is disappearing. Randy says it was like watching paint dry, even though he loves the song. He calls out Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele as people whose songs she should be singing.
Danny Gokey is next. He's taking on "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. It's clear he's chosen the song for the meaning of its lyrics, but he's having trouble vocally. He's uncharacteristically shrieky at times. Paula says she would hit repeat in her car. Simon says they weren't on the same page last week, but this, he believes was his best performance of the competition. Really? Randy says tonight's show starts right here. Kara says he moved everyone emotionally and that she had some goosebumps. (I believe Simon asks her, "Where?" Classy.) Guest mom is with the judges on Danny, so maybe I'm just out of sorts tonight?
Allison Iraheta is busting out the guitar for No Doubt's "Don't Speak," which she says she "grew up listening to." Oh, yes, she is so young. For the first part of the performance, she plays guitar and sings it quietly, and she rocks every second of it. The second part is a little rough, but still good. Randy says she got a little ahead of the beat and talks about the performance, "but, dude, what are you wearing?" Kara says the rock comes out of her no matter what's she's wearing, so she doesn't have to "put all that on yourself." She closes saying it was a good performance, but not her best. Paula is glad to see her guitar and that she has great vocal prowess. Simon says they can't ignore the outfit because it made her seem like a precocious daughter trying to dress and act like a rock star, which overpowered part of the performance. He adds that she shouted the song, but the other judges aren't with him on that.
Scott MacIntyre is going to sing Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." So I really think Scott is out of his league here, too, though he has some decent moments with the song. But overall, not fab. Kara says he made some smart decisions by picking that song, stripping it down and just singing it from an honest place. She also loves his look, including his big hair. Paula says she is most proud of Scott, "and it has nothing to do with your challenge." She says it was a risk without the orchestra, but it paid off. Simon says this was his best performance so far "by a country mile." Randy calls him one of the best of the night.
Matt Giraud is going to sing The Fray's "You Found Me," the most current song we've heard on Idol in a long time. He's on the keyboard off to the side surrounded (like really close) by audience members who, by the way, can't figure out which beat to clap on. He mixes the song up a little so note-wise it doesn't sound exactly like The Fray, but somehow, his enunciation sounds very, very similar to the original, which is a strange choice. Paula says she appreciates the contemporary choice, but he didn't riff or use his falsetto enough. She says it was a soundalike to the singer. (Hey, I agree with Paula for once.) Simon says he should be happy they don't like him this week since that usually means he's safe. He says it felt put on, especially "the gravel in your voice." He says he should have chosen a great song and done what he did best, it would have worked. Randy says it isn't "you. ... You aren't a rock kind of singer." Kara says he's going back and forth between the rock and R&B sides of pop, and they are confused about what kind of record he would make. That said, she says, he doesn't deserve to go home. Guest mom says she thought he sounded like the lead singer of The Fray, but he still sounded pretty good.
Lil Rounds says she had a hard time picking this week because she's gotten dinged over and over again on song choice. So she's going to sing Celine Dion's "I Surrender." WHAT? The judges want her to be like Mary J. or something, so I think they are going to slaughter her for this choice. The fact that she's off-pitch for part of the song doesn't really help. Big song, but not the right song. Randy says this wouldn't have been his choice for her, but he thinks she did well with it. Kara says she was surprised, too, that Lil was better than she expected when she heard the song choice. Paula says she doesn't want to see an adult contemporary Lil Rounds. Simon says this was her singing to stay in the competition with a safe song, too soft. Ryan asks one of Lil's daughters what she thought about Randy being mean, and she doesn't know what to say. Her other daughter volunteers to go over to him, and she gives him a giant hug. Awwww.
Adam Lambert is next with Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music," which he intends to make current. Hmm. OK. He slows it down some, including the first part of the chorus, and then goes back to regular speed for the rest of the chorus, and he brings back his shriek-rock vibe a few times (Note: Not a plus, as far as I'm concerned, regardless of how technically proficient he might be). The audience goes bananas. Paula says true genius shatters expectations and then she compares him to Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler. Simon says it got rid of some of the karaoke nonsense from earlier in the day. Randy says he was afraid it would be corny, but he is "definitely in the star zone." Adam thanks Ricky Minor and the band for the arrangement. Kara says she can't wait to see what he's going to next every week.
You know, without all that mentor footage, the show goes a lot faster. More than half an hour faster, even. I wish it was always an hour and 25 minutes. Sigh.
Kris Allen says he likes to make old songs current, and he's going to try to do that this week with "Ain't No Sunshine." He says he's trying to create "one of those moments." Also, he's playing piano instead of guitar this week, and he's accompanied by a string section. He does, I have to say, a great job with the song. We'll see what the judges say about his taking on an iconic song. Randy says he's loving him. Kara says she has three words for him: "That is artistry." Paula says he made a 30-year-old song sound new and it was his best performance so far. Simon says it was a good, clever arrangement and agrees it was his best.
So what did you think? Who's in trouble? Who's got it made? Who'd you vote for?
Comments
Adam Lambert - "shriek rock"?
Ok, here's the plan - you go back and listen to your Michael Buble records and I'll go listen to Adam Lambert rock the house.
Anyone who says Adam is "shrieking" on those big notes must have never listened to a note of metal music in their lives.
It's called rock and roll man. calling it "shrieking" just makes you seem ignorant.
SKK: I like rock and roll. That does not require that I be a fan of Adam Lambert.
Posted by: Bill Mitchell | March 31, 2009 10:43 PM
I hated Anoop.
I thought Megan was bad, but better than Anoop.
I liked Danny's performance a lot.
I thought Allison was okay.
I liked Scott the most I've ever liked him.
Matt was painful and could be in trouble.
Lil was okay but boring.
Adam was as gay as ever.
And Kris was good.
Bottom 3: Anoop, Matt, and Allison, with the shocker being that Megan is not part of that group.
Allison will be the one saved first.
Anoop and Matt bottom 2.
Anoop goes home.
Judges don't save him.
Posted by: Dan | March 31, 2009 10:54 PM
Adam IS "shriek rock"… Horribly painful to listen to. Maybe he's a "love him or hate him" type... I hate him (well, his signing anyway, not him personally). Scott sucks and I think the judges are easier on him “because of his challenge.” He’s not judged equally. I really like Matt, but he was disappointing this week. I know he can do much better. Winners tonight are Kris and Danny. Kris was awesome!
Posted by: clementsa | March 31, 2009 11:23 PM
Anoop and Megan real bad. Adam still scarey as hell. Kris ok but a corky way of singing. So since most had a bad night, I'm still sticking with my favorite, Matt. Althrough he also wasen't his best he still wasen't as bad as the above mentioned. VOTE VOTE for Matt. Still soulful! baby
Posted by: Brandi | March 31, 2009 11:25 PM
THE ADAM LAMBERT SHOW
Posted by: charles | March 31, 2009 11:37 PM
Adam was the best by mile! I also like Kris. Scott was better than ever, but I still don't like him too much. Allison was ok, but not great. Everybody else - nothing special
Posted by: Ella | March 31, 2009 11:38 PM
I don't think Danny has that good a voice. I'm guessing Adam and Kris in the finals. Kris is really beginning to impress me. Allison didn't do as well as last week but I like her as well.
Anoop is a college frat guy and should go back to MBA school or whatever grad school he was doing. Not a star but will probably hang around a couple more weeks.
Lil, like Gokey--- nothing special.
I think either Matt or Megan is going home. Poss Scott , although he did reasonably well tonight.
Posted by: sally | March 31, 2009 11:51 PM
I agree on you about Danny, I think he oversang it, and was pitchy in spots. But better than last week, which is good for him, because I think he's been treading water since the finals began' he hasn't stepped up his game befitting his front-runner status. And he did step it up by picking a particularly difficult song to sing.
Anoop is believing his own hype too much. The eye-daggers he threw at the judges' panel for their disses of him were murderous.
Adam is still entertaining, athough I believe he did overdo his runs a bit. But he looked great, so that counts for something.
Kris is forcing fanhood on me dammit. I imagine the other guys in the holding room were cursing after his performance tonight.
Posted by: Julie | April 1, 2009 12:21 AM
WOW!! Dan knows his American Idol. Megan needs to go home;however Anoop was very very mouthy at the end. No save for him. I guess my ears could take Megan one more week. I rather see her and not hear her or Anoop.
Posted by: Flo | April 1, 2009 1:10 AM
Quick question, why hasn't Megan gone home yet? I think she has been really bad the last few weeks... She doesn't know where she's going with her music. I think she needs to identify what her strengths are (Adele type songs, definitely) and go with those permanently.
Posted by: Sarah | April 1, 2009 3:11 AM
I'm with you on Adam. He's just a shrieky poser that the judges want to keep around because he's not boring. Reminds me of Blake the "beat boxer" - shallow gimmickry.
At least Kara had a correct count on her words this week!
Posted by: TomM | April 1, 2009 7:27 AM
I suspect Megan will have time to get the other arm tattooed befoe the tour starts. I'm gonna miss her, though.
Scott is starting to remind me of David Archuletta, by the way. Every song sound like every other song.
Posted by: Bucky | April 1, 2009 9:29 AM
FYI, Adam only had 24 hours to work on that performance. He was apparently originally given clearance to sing "Crazy" but was told Monday that he had to pick another song.
It wasn't his best performance, but Adam's worst is still leagues better than other's best.
Kris was really good as well. I liked Allison's version, too. Danny was even likable tonight.
Posted by: bd | April 1, 2009 9:53 AM
Vocally and musically, Adam is the best. He has control that is to die for and yes, he can mix it up and do just about anything and do it WELL.
However, Kris surprised me last night. I was initially afraid that he would screw up one of my favorite songs and turn it into Bill Withers' Boy Band crap, but the kid has some soul there underneath it all. Kudos to Kris.
Allison is amazing. However, "Don't Speak" didn't serve her well.
Danny was just OK for me, dawg.
Lil. How uncomfortable were you when Ryan was talking to her cute little girls? Keep the kids out of it, OK, Ryan? You're an idiot. I think she is in trouble.
Scott. Blech. Hate his voice.
Matt. Same. Not good at all, which is too bad since I think he can do much better.
I do like Anoop, but I like him better singing ballads. His voice is good, but lacks control.
Megan. Ugh. She makes me ill.
Another comment about the judges. Can Kara please go home now? She is so rude. The cameras kept panning over to her whispering in Randy's ear when Paula or Simon was talking.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 1, 2009 10:41 AM
Bottom Three are Anoop, Megan and Matt, although Lil might squeeze in there. Either Megan or Matt go home, but I expect VFTW to save Megan at least one more week.
Best of the week was Kris, with Danny and Adam a ways behind. I liked Adam's performance, but I thought it was Broadway, not American Idol.
Posted by: Brian Combs | April 1, 2009 3:10 PM
These performances made me wonder about whether the instruments help or hurt contestants...For someone like Scott with a weak voice, the piano seems to keep him alive. However, for those like Allison, Matt, and Kris with terrific voices, I wonder if they would perform better if they just focused on vocals...
Neither Kris's piano playing nor Allison's guitar playing really added anything to their performances. To his credit, Matt is a very accomplished pianist. But he needs more confidence and I wonder if it would help if he ditched the piano and worked the stage more.
Posted by: liz | April 1, 2009 4:47 PM