Ah, a rock theme on Idol. This is a first for the show and I don't think they've ever had a more reluctant mentor on the show than Slash. I don't really think he was all that thrilled in being a mentor, however, he made the most of it. I actually enjoyed that he had the whole band playing while the contestants sang. It truly was a nice effect. With that being said, we are getting closer and closer to the finale; only three weeks away! Hard to believe how quickly this season has come to a close. And with all things considered, we really haven't had a shocking elimination yet this season. Could that still be in the cards after this week's performances? Only time will tell. Let's get on with the recaps, why don't we?
Adam Lambert - "Whole Lotta Love" : For the first time this season, Adam is performing first. I think Adam is going to do quite well this week with the rock theme. I mean, people had the same thoughts going into disco week and he did well with that particular theme. He definitely picked the right song to fit his rocker-mentality and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. It's a very powerful performance with stellar vocals and he certainly has that rock star swagger. He's working it out tonight and this rock theme fits Adam like a hand fits a glove. I would say he's a bit more toned down than I thought he would be - not as many rock wails like he's known for. All things considered, Adam did very well tonight and it was a great way to start the night out.
Allison Iraheta - "Cry Baby" : No surprise here, but another one that should do quite well with this theme is Allison. I believe she's the first female rocker to make it as far as she has in this competition. Usually we have the R'nB Diva's to advance further, but not this season. Like with most of her performances in season eight, she had a few enunciation issues, especially earlier on in her performance. However, everything else about it was great. She's very confident on that stage and I will agree with Simon insomuch as to her growth from the beginning of her live performances to now. I mean sure, it's not the most familiar Janis Joplin song ever, but she really worked it out and made it her own. I believe she did a very smart thing in not picking "Another Little Piece of my Heart" because it had been done numerous times on the show. Well done Allison, well done.
Kris Allen & Danny Gokey - "Renegade" (DUET #1) : Now we come to the very first duet ever performed during a live performance show, other than the finale results show. And I've got to say, this will be a very interesting pairing, considering that this genre doesn't fit Kris or Danny all that well. They are more known for the Christian Contemporary music. I will agree with Randy in that their harmonizing together was wicked good. But their solo efforts in the song fell particularly flat. I heard a few off-pitch notes from both Kris and Danny at times. I didn't think they complemented each other that well on this duet. Maybe another song would've suited them both better. And Danny just might have taken the lead and picked this song without much input from Kris, seeing as they were having a difficult time choosing a song. And I didn't think Kris was that bad - he was probably about equal to Danny's performance.
Kris Allen - "Come Together" : It's kind of unfair how Kris had to sing back-to-back like this. The song order was especially odd and Kris is at a bit of a disadvantage this week because of it. I remember Carly Smithson's version of the song last year and she did an absolutely phenomenal job with it. Will Kris leave the same impression? I agree that this hard-rock genre doesn't fit Kris all that well. However, I really think he worked it out and it wasn't as bad as the judges made it out to be. I really loved his electric guitar playing skills and he is truly this season's musician. I didn't really notice a lot of pitchiness except for one note about two-thirds of the way through. I really enjoyed it when he slowed the tempo down for a brief moment and sung at a lower octave and encouraged the audience to clap along. Yes, this isn't the type of music suited for Kris, I get that. But quit throwing him under the bus just because he's not a judge's favorite.
Danny Gokey - "Dream On" : We are getting a lot of repeat song choices from season seven this week. Danny picks a classic Aerosmith song chosen by Michael Johns in season seven; the song that got him booted out in a shocking elimination. Could the same fate be set in stone for Danny? If that last note in the taped piece with Slash is any indication, this could be a total train wreck for Danny. I love the song but I think it's simply too big for Danny. He does a classic interpretation of the song from the start; as it's supposed to sound. He doesn't make a whole lot of changes with the melodies. He gradually builds the song up to its classic rock-sound. And then he sings the chorus over and over again. Finally, we get to the last few notes and oh my god ... my ears! It's like a combination of a fire alarm going off and a chorus of cats screeching. It really is that bad. I believe he should be eliminated simply because of that horrendous performance.
Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta - "Slow Ride" (DUET #2) : Thank god for this last duet; I can't imagine the show ending with Danny's horrible performance. The Adam and Allison pairing is like a match made in rock heaven. These two had the best solo performances of the night and I agree with Kara in that they complemented each other very well and pushed each other to do better. It was an outstanding vocal from them both and honestly, what more is there to say? They are truly in their element with this theme. I think the addition of duets this season is an interesting change and it obviously worked well for some contestants and not for others. It all comes down to being paired with the right people and the producers knew exactly what they were doing with this pairing. It ended up being the perfect way to end the show. Adam basically book-ended tonight's performance show!
Ah yes, now to the all important performance rankings. Who was the best and who did the absolute worst? Here are my picks:
1.) Adam Lambert (officially eliminated - 5/11/09)
2.) Allison Iraheta
3.) Kris Allen (eliminated)
4.) Danny Gokey (bottom two)
I included a space between Kris Allen and Danny Gokey in the rankings because Danny was just that bad. I think if he didn't push that final note, it would've been a little tolerable of a performance than it was. Obviously he had to know it wasn't going to work. I mean, even while Slash was mentoring him, it sounded horrendous. How could he be so misguided? Taking all things into consideration, I don't believe Danny will get voted off even though he was horrendously bad. The judges threw Kris Allen under the bus for a second consecutive week - in fact, I think overall they all were rather harsh with him. And of course, they are still pimping Danny for the finale even though he had a pretty rough night. They could've told him it was his worst performance to date or even said they simply did not like it. But no, they have to tell him they'll give him an A+ for effort and they commend him for taking risks. What is that all about?! Obviously I'm not very happy because I have a strong feeling Kris will get the boot and Danny will be saved. I HOPE I AM WRONG!
Please be sure to enjoy tonight's results show! Unfortunately I cannot watch it live and will have to watch it back later. Here's hoping Danny finally gets the boot!
Showing posts with label top 4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label top 4. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
American Idol 7 - Top 4
With two weeks remaining in the competition, we are closing in towards the finish line of season 7 of American Idol. There are no more mentors remaining - just the contestants singing songs and trying to get the viewers at home to vote for them. Of course it always helps to sing the best they possibly can, but this year it seems to be more of a popularity contest than anything. And I hate that I'm saying that because I usually cringe to myself when critics say that about this show. But they are right about this season (except for the two David's, who I must say are the last two remaining singing talents left). Tonight, the contestants choose songs from the vast collection from the artists inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. No, they aren't necessarily rock songs, otherwise David Cook would win this night for sure. There's a wide variety of genres of songs at the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and I'm sure we will see more than just rock songs during tonight's show. On with the review!
David Cook - singing "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran. A very interesting song choice for David as I never really pictured this to be a true rock song. But that is where David is always amazing at changing around the whole vibe of a certain song. He definitely brings on a more rocker-edge to the song unlike what the original sounded like. It's a decent song to show off David's rock 'n roll skills but it doesn't necessarily help him show off his usual stellar vocals. I'm not particularly blown away by it and he bascially sang it how it's supposed to be sung. However, it's very consistent to how he performs and it looked like he was having fun on stage. Not great, but definitely good.
Syesha Mercado - singing "Proud Mary" by Ike and Tina Turner. Syesha is looking very stylish and quite beautiful in her dress tonight. I tell you, ever since Andrew Lloyd Webber week, she has really turned up the heat in this competition. She is totally embracing who she is and her personality is finally coming to light. She is looking very sexy and sassy while singing this song. She is also displaying a massive amount of personality - more so than ever before! This is the perfect song choice for her, because she starts off really slow but just as in the original version, the tempo picks up part-way through and things really get moving on stage. Just as with David Cook's performance, Syesha looks like she's having a lot of fun with this song. I am very impressed with this first performance from Syesha.
Jason Castro - singing "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley. Okay, I think when most people think of this song, they are most familiar with the cover done by Eric Clapton (then again, maybe not. But at least for me, I think more of Clapton's version over anyone elses). So this should be interesting to see how Jason interprets Marley's original version. Just as the judges said, it was just okay for me. The arrangement was pretty crazy at times and Jason seemed to flounder on some of the notes. I will say this, however, he did inject a funky, soulful vibe to it and that made it interesting to listen to. He does sound "airy" at times, as if he's breathing too much while trying to sing at the same time. But I think that's actually how Jason typically sounds. I thought it was decent, but definitely not blown away. The judges absolutely hated it and it'll be interesting to see how Jason's able to compose himself for the next song.
David Archuleta - singing "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King. Great song choice for David because it's a very recognizable song and many generations of people are familiar with it. That could prove to be a double-edged sword, however. Because it is such a popular and well-known song, if he doesn't do well with it, the karaoke reference will be appropriately used. But I am confident that Archie will be able to pull this one off. It starts off really great; actually quite amazing. The vocals are superb and the Stevie Wonder-like runs he does are spectacular. And did anyone else catch the brief injection of Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" into the song towards the end? That was such a genious move! In fact, as the performance ends, I get chills. It was absolutely amazing. Finally, FINALLY, a moment to rival "Imagine." It also looked like he was having fun on stage which also added to the moment. Absolutely superb.
David Cook - singing "Baba O'Reily" by The Who. So Cookie starts off round two with a song more suited for him. That's not to say "Hungry Like the Wolf" wasn't a good choice for him, but it didn't allow him to do his usual vocal masterpiece. It actually sounds quite soulful to start off and he's also playing the guitar. Usually his performances are the best when he's strumming away on the guitar. This is sounding REALLY good. It definitely blows away his first song by a mile. It also seemed like he injected more personality into this song, which is definitely a plus. I am not totally familiar with the original, but to me, this sounded much more current and contemporary. The judges are absolutely loving it and rightfully so. He really rocked out with that song choice.
Syesha Mercado - singing "Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Wow, a change of wardrobe for Syesha and she's looking even more elegant than before. I tell ya, she really looks great with her hair straightened like that. So Syesha chooses a ballad for round two which allows her to take her time on the vocals and hit those powerful notes littered throughout the song. She's definitely having no trouble with this one and it appears she knows it well. She is clearly showing off her vocal power with those higher notes, albeit sounding a bit strained at times. She also sounds a bit screechy but not nearly as bad as earlier in the competition. This might not have been quite as good as her first song choice - but it is still a very solid performance.
Jason Castro - singing "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. I was really looking forward to Jason's take on this song because "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a true classic. But partway into the song, he makes a terrible blunder - one we've seen fairly recently on "Idol." Jason forgets the lyrics to the song!! The first two words I write on my notes for Jason's performance are "He's sunk." And I thought he was doing quite decent up until that point. After that, I really didn't pay much attention to the performance because honestly, what's the point? His first song was just okay and forgetting the lyrics to his second song will not help him at all. Now if his first song was superb, maybe, then maybe Jason could be saved. But two performances that are just blah will not cut it. I really don't see how Jason could be spared after this week.
David Archuleta - singing "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley. From the rumor mill in Internet-land, Archie is actually doing a cover of this song by Norah Jones, which will be more of an acoustic sound. I'm actually kind of nervous for David because I don't want him to see what happened to Jason throw him off. He starts off the song in a different position than usual; sitting on a stool in the center of the stage. He is singing the song ... well, quite tender, actually. It shows off a more vulnerable, pure side to him (not that he already isn't). It's basically acoustic but with the piano playing in the background. David comments in the video prior to his performance that he's never tackled a truly "romantic" song. But he definitely pulls this one off without a hitch. He had a bit of a hiccup with the last note which was quite high for David's standards, but he's definitely going to be okay. By far, the best two performances of the night and just as Simon said, he crushed the competition. Way to go David!!
My goodness, I am more pumped after tonight's American Idol performance show than I've been in some time. I guess it's probably because David Archuleta did so great tonight and I am absolutely ecstatic that he did so well. In my last blog, I said that unless Archie really blows away the competition, David Cook will win it. Well I am happy to say that tonight, David A. blew away the competition and he is once again the favorite to win! Oh man, the David vs. David finale is going to be so epic, especially if these two keep duking it out the next couple of nights. So for tonight's Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame night, I'll give it a rating of nine out of ten. Have I shown off enough Archie love for one night in this blog? I know, I know, I shouldn't be so blatent with it, but this is one night I've been waiting for for awhile. It's great to see David Archuleta finally step it up and blow away the competition. I don't want to say he hasn't been great since the top 12 because he has (okay, except for "We Can Work it Out"). But I think he's been too consistent and hasn't really mixed up the arrangements of the songs or made them original much. However, after tonight, nobody can say that now. Here's tonight's contestant rakings!
#1: David Achuleta - best of the night (by a mile!)
#2: David Cook
#3: Syesha Mercado
#4: Jason Castro - eliminated (eliminated - 5/7/08)
So there you have it; the top 4 is now in the books. And if the voting holds up and Jason is sent packing, we won't have an all-male final three like I had originally thought a few weeks back. Syesha is waaaaaaaay more deserving to be in the top three than Jason, so if Jason is spared tomorrow, I will call blasphemy like you've never seen. It's time for people to vote for people with the best vocals each and every night they perform. That is so crutial at this stage of the game. Vote for David Archuleta, vote for David Cook, and vote for Syesha Mercado. But for the love of god, DO NOT vote for Jason Castro. He deserves to go after tonight!
Be sure to check in tomorrow after the results for an update to this blog. Until then, see you next time!
David Cook - singing "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran. A very interesting song choice for David as I never really pictured this to be a true rock song. But that is where David is always amazing at changing around the whole vibe of a certain song. He definitely brings on a more rocker-edge to the song unlike what the original sounded like. It's a decent song to show off David's rock 'n roll skills but it doesn't necessarily help him show off his usual stellar vocals. I'm not particularly blown away by it and he bascially sang it how it's supposed to be sung. However, it's very consistent to how he performs and it looked like he was having fun on stage. Not great, but definitely good.
Syesha Mercado - singing "Proud Mary" by Ike and Tina Turner. Syesha is looking very stylish and quite beautiful in her dress tonight. I tell you, ever since Andrew Lloyd Webber week, she has really turned up the heat in this competition. She is totally embracing who she is and her personality is finally coming to light. She is looking very sexy and sassy while singing this song. She is also displaying a massive amount of personality - more so than ever before! This is the perfect song choice for her, because she starts off really slow but just as in the original version, the tempo picks up part-way through and things really get moving on stage. Just as with David Cook's performance, Syesha looks like she's having a lot of fun with this song. I am very impressed with this first performance from Syesha.
Jason Castro - singing "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley. Okay, I think when most people think of this song, they are most familiar with the cover done by Eric Clapton (then again, maybe not. But at least for me, I think more of Clapton's version over anyone elses). So this should be interesting to see how Jason interprets Marley's original version. Just as the judges said, it was just okay for me. The arrangement was pretty crazy at times and Jason seemed to flounder on some of the notes. I will say this, however, he did inject a funky, soulful vibe to it and that made it interesting to listen to. He does sound "airy" at times, as if he's breathing too much while trying to sing at the same time. But I think that's actually how Jason typically sounds. I thought it was decent, but definitely not blown away. The judges absolutely hated it and it'll be interesting to see how Jason's able to compose himself for the next song.
David Archuleta - singing "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King. Great song choice for David because it's a very recognizable song and many generations of people are familiar with it. That could prove to be a double-edged sword, however. Because it is such a popular and well-known song, if he doesn't do well with it, the karaoke reference will be appropriately used. But I am confident that Archie will be able to pull this one off. It starts off really great; actually quite amazing. The vocals are superb and the Stevie Wonder-like runs he does are spectacular. And did anyone else catch the brief injection of Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" into the song towards the end? That was such a genious move! In fact, as the performance ends, I get chills. It was absolutely amazing. Finally, FINALLY, a moment to rival "Imagine." It also looked like he was having fun on stage which also added to the moment. Absolutely superb.
David Cook - singing "Baba O'Reily" by The Who. So Cookie starts off round two with a song more suited for him. That's not to say "Hungry Like the Wolf" wasn't a good choice for him, but it didn't allow him to do his usual vocal masterpiece. It actually sounds quite soulful to start off and he's also playing the guitar. Usually his performances are the best when he's strumming away on the guitar. This is sounding REALLY good. It definitely blows away his first song by a mile. It also seemed like he injected more personality into this song, which is definitely a plus. I am not totally familiar with the original, but to me, this sounded much more current and contemporary. The judges are absolutely loving it and rightfully so. He really rocked out with that song choice.
Syesha Mercado - singing "Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Wow, a change of wardrobe for Syesha and she's looking even more elegant than before. I tell ya, she really looks great with her hair straightened like that. So Syesha chooses a ballad for round two which allows her to take her time on the vocals and hit those powerful notes littered throughout the song. She's definitely having no trouble with this one and it appears she knows it well. She is clearly showing off her vocal power with those higher notes, albeit sounding a bit strained at times. She also sounds a bit screechy but not nearly as bad as earlier in the competition. This might not have been quite as good as her first song choice - but it is still a very solid performance.
Jason Castro - singing "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. I was really looking forward to Jason's take on this song because "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a true classic. But partway into the song, he makes a terrible blunder - one we've seen fairly recently on "Idol." Jason forgets the lyrics to the song!! The first two words I write on my notes for Jason's performance are "He's sunk." And I thought he was doing quite decent up until that point. After that, I really didn't pay much attention to the performance because honestly, what's the point? His first song was just okay and forgetting the lyrics to his second song will not help him at all. Now if his first song was superb, maybe, then maybe Jason could be saved. But two performances that are just blah will not cut it. I really don't see how Jason could be spared after this week.
David Archuleta - singing "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley. From the rumor mill in Internet-land, Archie is actually doing a cover of this song by Norah Jones, which will be more of an acoustic sound. I'm actually kind of nervous for David because I don't want him to see what happened to Jason throw him off. He starts off the song in a different position than usual; sitting on a stool in the center of the stage. He is singing the song ... well, quite tender, actually. It shows off a more vulnerable, pure side to him (not that he already isn't). It's basically acoustic but with the piano playing in the background. David comments in the video prior to his performance that he's never tackled a truly "romantic" song. But he definitely pulls this one off without a hitch. He had a bit of a hiccup with the last note which was quite high for David's standards, but he's definitely going to be okay. By far, the best two performances of the night and just as Simon said, he crushed the competition. Way to go David!!
My goodness, I am more pumped after tonight's American Idol performance show than I've been in some time. I guess it's probably because David Archuleta did so great tonight and I am absolutely ecstatic that he did so well. In my last blog, I said that unless Archie really blows away the competition, David Cook will win it. Well I am happy to say that tonight, David A. blew away the competition and he is once again the favorite to win! Oh man, the David vs. David finale is going to be so epic, especially if these two keep duking it out the next couple of nights. So for tonight's Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame night, I'll give it a rating of nine out of ten. Have I shown off enough Archie love for one night in this blog? I know, I know, I shouldn't be so blatent with it, but this is one night I've been waiting for for awhile. It's great to see David Archuleta finally step it up and blow away the competition. I don't want to say he hasn't been great since the top 12 because he has (okay, except for "We Can Work it Out"). But I think he's been too consistent and hasn't really mixed up the arrangements of the songs or made them original much. However, after tonight, nobody can say that now. Here's tonight's contestant rakings!
#1: David Achuleta - best of the night (by a mile!)
#2: David Cook
#3: Syesha Mercado
#4: Jason Castro - eliminated (eliminated - 5/7/08)
So there you have it; the top 4 is now in the books. And if the voting holds up and Jason is sent packing, we won't have an all-male final three like I had originally thought a few weeks back. Syesha is waaaaaaaay more deserving to be in the top three than Jason, so if Jason is spared tomorrow, I will call blasphemy like you've never seen. It's time for people to vote for people with the best vocals each and every night they perform. That is so crutial at this stage of the game. Vote for David Archuleta, vote for David Cook, and vote for Syesha Mercado. But for the love of god, DO NOT vote for Jason Castro. He deserves to go after tonight!
Be sure to check in tomorrow after the results for an update to this blog. Until then, see you next time!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
American Idol Top 4
So, were you wondering where my American Idol recap was last night? Yep, it's a bit later than usual due to traveling back to Marquette after spending the weekend at my parents once the show concluded last night. So I didn't have any time to write the recap until I got home from work this afternoon. But enough about that (and I'm sure you're all bored to tears), let's get to the recap!
Ahh, I absolutely love this week's theme. The Bee Gees are one of my all-time favorite bands. I know many of their songs, including all from their most recent album several years ago. My mom got me hooked on listening to them and they've produced an amazing amount of music during the past 50 years. Probably one of the saddest days was when Maurice Gibb, one of the three Bee Gees passed away a few years ago. I knew then that the Bee Gees would never be the same. They haven't even produced a new album since - and I don't think they ever will under the name "Bee Gees." However, they have nothing to be ashamed of, considering the critical success they've endured over all these years.
The evening starts off with Melinda singing "Inside Out," a song very unfamiliar to me (why pick a song that's completely obscure). Gosh, I wasn't even paying attention to it much as I was looking at pictures from my parents trip to Las Vegas that my dad was showing me. I caught the tail end and I thought the performance was boring and lacked any sort of originality. She could've picked a much better song from the Bee Gees and really brought it home, but instead performed a very safe song.
Blake steps to the mic next and sings "You Should be Dancing." Blake did such an amazing job last week making Bon Jovi's song sound contemporary and new that I was hoping he'd blow me away again. But this week didn't live up to those expectations and I was left disappointed. He sang the song in falsetto like the Bee Gees sang it and I did not like it at all. The falsetto just sounded so awkward coming from Blake. It probably wasn't the best song for him, and then you add the beatboxing which really didn't work well this week. Blake just wasn't up to par on this song.
Going third was Lakisha, and she sings "Stayin' Alive," the 70's classic from the Bee Gees. I am just not impressed with Lakisha anymore. It seemed to me that Barry Gibb wanted Lakisha to sing the song at a higher octave than what she wanted, yet she did not follow his advice. I think it might've worked better for her if she would've listened to him. I didn't think it was a very good performance. She did tend to shriek at times, especially during the runs of the song. She went backwards this week (compared to last).
Jordin is up next singing, "To Love Somebody." Definitely the best performance of the night, thus far. In fact, she was in a league of her own compared to the other singers. Barry Gibb gave Jordin amazing praise for her performance of this song in rehearsals, saying it was the best he'd ever heard from the countless numbers of singers that have covered it. I don't know if it was necessarily as good as he said, but Jordin definitely did a nice job with it. The one thing I love about Jordin is that she sings a song the way it's supposed to be sung, and she proved that with this song.
Oh were not done folks, as all of the singers come back again and try to redeem themselves with a second song. Melinda steps to the plate and performs "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." I thought it was much better than her first song of the night and wasn't nearly as boring (maybe because it's one of the Bee Gees more recongnizable songs prior to the disco era). It's such a great song and Melinda did a nice job with it. I think she does better with more up-tempo songs rather than the ballads. I enjoy it when she really blasts a song with her amazing vocals.
Going next was Blake singing, "This is Where I Came In." I am overjoyed when I hear he picked this song. I know it well and it's one of my favorites from the Bee Gees most recent album. That's probably why nobody is all that familiar with it, because their last album did not do as well. It's the cover song from that album and the Bee Gees did such a great job with it. As for Blake's rendition, I didn't care for it as much. I think he deviated from the original melody way too much and made it sound awkward. I thought the arrangement was excellent, though, and he made it sound edgier, up-beat, and more current. The judges didn't seem to think that highly of it, however.
Lakisha is next singing "Run to Me." Another song I am not that familiar with and I end up being bored by her. I think she puts herself in a very vulnerable position this week - something to which she may not recover from. Not including last week, Lakisha has really taken a slide ever since the very start of season six. She has gone from good, mediocre, bad, and now to worse. The little run at the end of the song was nice, but that is about all I can compliment her on with this performance.
Last but not least, Jordin Sparks. She sings "Woman in Love." Yet another song I really do not know all that well. Despite that, I thought she did a nice job with it. Probably not quite as good as her previous song, but she proved to be the most consistent performer of the night. She definitely belongs this far into the competition and should have very little trouble reaching the finale. And make it two weeks in a row that Randy did not mention Jordin's age. I think he's finally over it!
Now I bet you all want to know who I think will be voted off this week. Alright, here goes. I think it's going to be really close between Blake and Lakisha. Judging the performances from these two last night, I'll say Blake goes home tonight. Neither one of his songs really "wowed" the judges and they at least had some good things to say about Lakisha's second song. I would much prefer that Lakisha goes first before Blake and that very well may happen. But I have a gut feeling Blake will be given the axe tonight. He had a nice ride, I must say.
Ahh, I absolutely love this week's theme. The Bee Gees are one of my all-time favorite bands. I know many of their songs, including all from their most recent album several years ago. My mom got me hooked on listening to them and they've produced an amazing amount of music during the past 50 years. Probably one of the saddest days was when Maurice Gibb, one of the three Bee Gees passed away a few years ago. I knew then that the Bee Gees would never be the same. They haven't even produced a new album since - and I don't think they ever will under the name "Bee Gees." However, they have nothing to be ashamed of, considering the critical success they've endured over all these years.
The evening starts off with Melinda singing "Inside Out," a song very unfamiliar to me (why pick a song that's completely obscure). Gosh, I wasn't even paying attention to it much as I was looking at pictures from my parents trip to Las Vegas that my dad was showing me. I caught the tail end and I thought the performance was boring and lacked any sort of originality. She could've picked a much better song from the Bee Gees and really brought it home, but instead performed a very safe song.
Blake steps to the mic next and sings "You Should be Dancing." Blake did such an amazing job last week making Bon Jovi's song sound contemporary and new that I was hoping he'd blow me away again. But this week didn't live up to those expectations and I was left disappointed. He sang the song in falsetto like the Bee Gees sang it and I did not like it at all. The falsetto just sounded so awkward coming from Blake. It probably wasn't the best song for him, and then you add the beatboxing which really didn't work well this week. Blake just wasn't up to par on this song.
Going third was Lakisha, and she sings "Stayin' Alive," the 70's classic from the Bee Gees. I am just not impressed with Lakisha anymore. It seemed to me that Barry Gibb wanted Lakisha to sing the song at a higher octave than what she wanted, yet she did not follow his advice. I think it might've worked better for her if she would've listened to him. I didn't think it was a very good performance. She did tend to shriek at times, especially during the runs of the song. She went backwards this week (compared to last).
Jordin is up next singing, "To Love Somebody." Definitely the best performance of the night, thus far. In fact, she was in a league of her own compared to the other singers. Barry Gibb gave Jordin amazing praise for her performance of this song in rehearsals, saying it was the best he'd ever heard from the countless numbers of singers that have covered it. I don't know if it was necessarily as good as he said, but Jordin definitely did a nice job with it. The one thing I love about Jordin is that she sings a song the way it's supposed to be sung, and she proved that with this song.
Oh were not done folks, as all of the singers come back again and try to redeem themselves with a second song. Melinda steps to the plate and performs "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." I thought it was much better than her first song of the night and wasn't nearly as boring (maybe because it's one of the Bee Gees more recongnizable songs prior to the disco era). It's such a great song and Melinda did a nice job with it. I think she does better with more up-tempo songs rather than the ballads. I enjoy it when she really blasts a song with her amazing vocals.
Going next was Blake singing, "This is Where I Came In." I am overjoyed when I hear he picked this song. I know it well and it's one of my favorites from the Bee Gees most recent album. That's probably why nobody is all that familiar with it, because their last album did not do as well. It's the cover song from that album and the Bee Gees did such a great job with it. As for Blake's rendition, I didn't care for it as much. I think he deviated from the original melody way too much and made it sound awkward. I thought the arrangement was excellent, though, and he made it sound edgier, up-beat, and more current. The judges didn't seem to think that highly of it, however.
Lakisha is next singing "Run to Me." Another song I am not that familiar with and I end up being bored by her. I think she puts herself in a very vulnerable position this week - something to which she may not recover from. Not including last week, Lakisha has really taken a slide ever since the very start of season six. She has gone from good, mediocre, bad, and now to worse. The little run at the end of the song was nice, but that is about all I can compliment her on with this performance.
Last but not least, Jordin Sparks. She sings "Woman in Love." Yet another song I really do not know all that well. Despite that, I thought she did a nice job with it. Probably not quite as good as her previous song, but she proved to be the most consistent performer of the night. She definitely belongs this far into the competition and should have very little trouble reaching the finale. And make it two weeks in a row that Randy did not mention Jordin's age. I think he's finally over it!
Now I bet you all want to know who I think will be voted off this week. Alright, here goes. I think it's going to be really close between Blake and Lakisha. Judging the performances from these two last night, I'll say Blake goes home tonight. Neither one of his songs really "wowed" the judges and they at least had some good things to say about Lakisha's second song. I would much prefer that Lakisha goes first before Blake and that very well may happen. But I have a gut feeling Blake will be given the axe tonight. He had a nice ride, I must say.
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