- Aaron Kelly, "Fly Me To The Moon": While another singer (Sinatra, Fitzgerald, even Connick himself) might have taken us "Idol" viewers on a silky-smooth, commandingly beautiful ride through the stars while crooning this tune (even Sinatra...who I don't particularly care for at times), 16-year-old Aaron sent us crashing down to earth. His pitch was pretty good (something I couldn't say for previous outings like "I Believe I Can Fly" during Top 7 Week...oh gosh, I think I just threw up a little remembering that horror), but his tone was off, and his emotional investment in the song was zero. It just didn't work...and while the judges did FINALLY start going to town on Aaron's lack of conviction and uneven performing style, they still frustratingly sugercoated their critiques with compliments that Aaron is "likable" and "tries his best." Yes, he's likable. But watching and listening to him sing is painful at times. And yes, he tries his best. But his best is nowhere near good enough. Sorry, folks...but if Aaron hopefully goes home tonight, the Top 4 will be a lot better for it. Who cares if he's young and smiling? For an "Idol" success story, personality is key, but talent is key as well, and Aaron just doesn't have enough of it.
- Casey James, "Blue Skies": I don't know why. I don't know how. But despite Casey's admittedly ghastly performance last night of "Blue Skies," I desperately want him to stay in the competition. Here's why: seeing as one by one, my favorites (and sort-of favorites) have been detonated before my eyes (Siobhan, Katie, Lilly, Katelyn, Alex, and Janell...plus, on a good day, Andrew...we hardly knew ye), and there's slim pickings aside from Crystal in terms of an actually consistent contestant whose songs I can actually stand, I've latched onto Casey. While he's had quite a few middling weeks, his two best performances--"Don't" last Tuesday during Shania Twain Week, and "Jealous Guy" during the Beatles--are two of the most beautiful things (aside from Crystal's goodness) I've seen by a contestant this season that still remains in the competition. When he's good, he's GOOD. But sadly, when he tanks, he really tanks. And last night, it was certainly the latter case...despite a killer arrangement by Harry Connick, Jr. (isn't it awesome how he arranged everyone's songs? I rather liked it, though seeing as I've grown up on his deliciously distinctive arranging style, I'm kind of biased), Casey just didn't make it. OK, perhaps that killer arrangement was actually partly to blame. While it really soared musically, Casey seemed to get swallowed in it. I kept imagining him really taking things off with a softer, more acoustically-driven setting. It would have been better for his voice, for sure. Sadly, that's not what played out last night, and Kara was unfortunately right on the money when she remarked that Casey's vibrato was reminiscent of "a lamb." Still, I reserve my right to buck reason and be irrational (heck, "Idol" voters have been doing it all season...grrr...) when I say that Casey deserves to stay. He's Season 9's last hope besides Crystal for salvation, and if he goes, there's not much at all left to like.
- Crystal Bowersox, "The Summer Wind": Here is where I get angry. Immensely angry. All season, I've been surprisingly mild with the judges and their crazy feedback--OK, not necessarily mild. But compared to last season and my weekly furor with the 4 idiots behind the "Idol" judging table, my disagreements with Randy, Kara, Ellen, and Simon, have been relatively few, for the most part. (The voters on the other hand...let's not get started there.) But tonight was one of the first times all season that I've point-blank gotten flat-out mad over their critiques. Crystal gave an affecting, beautiful performance tonight. I was kind of doubtful if Harry Connick Jr.'s talk about how he was curious to know more about Crystal's interpretation of the lovely standard "The Summer Wind" would actually pan out on the "Idol" stage. But Crystal sang wonderfully, with beautiful nuance, and with an emotional heft that I couldn't quite place, but left me very touched and delighted after she sang. (The spicy horn tag that drove the arrangement didn't hurt either.) It just worked--I don't know how, but it did, and it was by far one of my favorite performances of the season. But the judges were completely in another world, it seemed--Simon and Kara remarked that it wasn't Crystal's best performance (though to Kara's credit, she very accurately complimented Crystal on her impeccable phrasing), and Ellen said something vague about it being too understated. And most furiously of all, Randy spouted nonsense about it being too "sleepy" and "jazzy." All of them seemed to be missing the mark--it's JAZZ, Randy. JAZZY IS THE DANG POINT. And just because something doesn't slap you in the face with its sheer power and energy, does not mean it is sleepy. Katelyn Epperly's performance way back in the semifinals of "The Scientist" was not 'sleepy.' Didi Benami's take on "You're No Good" during Top 11 Week was not 'sleepy.' And Mr. Jackson, you can sure as hell bet that "The Summer Wind," as masterfully sung by Crystal tonight, was NOT EFFING SLEEPY. It was BEAUTIFUL. And if you and your 3 misguided colleagues behind the table fail to realize that, it is your loss. And if Crystal is the victim of a surprise elimination tonight because you four fooled America into thinking we have a weak, haughty contestant on our hands when really she's a terrific, assured vocalist who has the potential for utterly great things, I hope she goes on to prove you all wrong. Because you all definitely deserve it.
- Michael Lynche, "The Way You Look Tonight": Well, that was a long rant, wasn't it? I'll try to keep things simple with my words on Michael's performance. Oddly enough, I liked it. I haven't cared for a single performance by Michael (I'm not going to call him Big Mike, y'all...it's just too annoying a nickname for a guy with such an off-putting personality) since Hollywood Week (and even then, he was falling out of my favor). But this week, the vocals just clicked. His on-stage mannerisms were still 1-800-Way Too Freaking Much. But his smooth voice soared, surprisingly, even on this done-to-death (heck, I've even sang it in public) standard. And against all odds, it became the first Michael Lynche performance of the entire season that I downloaded off of Rickey.org. It's way too late for me to latch on to Mike (OK, I'll go halfway on the nickname thing) and his brand of stagey nonsense, but at least he gave a good performance. That made watching "Idol" last night a bit easier to swallow.
- Lee DeWyze, "That's Life" (ain't that the truth...): I have little more to say about Lee that I haven't already said. ("Ranted" might be a more accurate term...) Nevertheless, I'll slightly repeat it again. He's not half as good as the judges' sparkling praises paint him as. He's hit less than 50% of his pitches over the ENTIRE SEASON. His voice sounds like constipation crossed with nails on a chalkboard, sandpaper, and a sausage grinder. (A bit too much, but indulge me.) His personality is weak and lifeless. And above all, HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO WIN THIS COTTON-PICKING SHOW. NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST. His performance of "That's Life" last night was something akin to that of a drunken sailor, and I mean that quite literally, I'm afraid. The notes were all over the place. The emotion injected into the piece was inconsequential. It just. Didn't. Work. Yet the judges fell all over it with praises like "best of the night!" "In it to win it!" "Bring down the choirs of angels!" (OK, I might have made up that last one, but it's right up the judges' alley.) Why in the name of Kris Allen are they treating Lee like he's the best thing since sliced bread? He's not. Except for "The Boxer" during Top 7 Week, Lee hasn't given a tolerable performance yet in either the finals or semifinals, and that's a worse track record than even Tim Urban (may he rest in peace...OK, not really...), which is saying something. (And even "The Boxer" wasn't amazing. More on that when I start up my individual contestant spotlights...yes, I actually kind of liked a Lee performance. Miracles can happen...it was Inspirational Songs Week, after all. :) ) It's probably too much to hope for that Lee will be surprisingly eliminated this week--he did perform last, and while that isn't foolproof, the judges' fawning and the audience's loud reaction probably are good signs that he'll be sticking around for at least another week. Gah. GAH, PEOPLE...
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
"Idol" Top 5: Blue Skies
As usual, I've been horribly neglectful of this blog. For 5 or 6 straight weeks (ever since Didi Benami so sadly left us on Top 10 results night of "American Idol"), I have been wanting to blog and rant and rave about either of the two reality shows I set out to recap, yet have failed to do so. I'll take care of those missing weeks when the season is over with a feature I have planned where I discuss each contestant and all their respective performances (I have this planned for "Idol" only, but I may branch out to "DWTS" as well), but for now, I'm going to save all my "Katie's gone! SIOBHAN'S GONE!" angst for later and just jump in to yet another frustrating but oddly satisfying (in a way) night on the "Idol" stage, this week (Frank Sinatra Week) led by the utterly excellent mentoring skills of jazz star Harry Connick, Jr. (Viva la Connick!)
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