Wednesday, May 13, 2009

the top three: pretty dang good...

The final three contestants turned in an overall decent show, with no trainwrecks, no obvious bus, and it's anybody's guess who's going to survive through tonight's results show, promising us a nailbiter of an episode waiting to find out who is going to join Adam in the last performance show of the year.

If there was a downside, it was, once again, the judges, who continue to act out and make the show about them more than about the contestants. And despite the cutting the final three's songs to two, the show still can't come in under an hour, insisting on filling precious minutes patting themselves on the (Idol Gives) back, a Carrie Underwood piece that would have fit nicely in next week's two-hour grand finale.

But anyway, here are my thoughts, for what they're worth, but as always from worst to first, which this week would be better titled not bad to pretty dang good.

Danny Gokey (Dance Little Sister). Paula always chooses so poorly for her contestants, and she didn't disappoint again. I hate this song. Sorry. And it's hard to fairly judge a song that one detests. But Danny did what he could. And he gets worst place, even though it wasn't bad, all because of the dancing, which he should be forbidden by law to do.

Kris Allen (Apologize). Kris also got the shaft with this song choice, and it cracked me up when Randy justified the pick by explaining that Kris had a "big voice." The performance was fine in a karaoke sort of way, but I can't help but agree with Kara that I was looking forward to a Kris arrangement and I didn't get it. Besides, I hate this song too.

Danny Gokey (You Are So Beautiful). Okay, finally a song I love. I wasn't over the moon about the arrangement in the middle, but the softer spots were done quite nicely. Danny should take a page out of Anoop's book. He seems to want to barrel through all of this performances like a bull, when he seems much better suited to softer side of songs.

Adam Lambert (Cryin'). Adam has proved time and again that he can take on any song. (In the tiny evil part of my heart, I was kinda wishing he had taken on Dream On, so that we would have a right way/wrong way to do Aerosmith film comparison. But he didn't.

Adam Lambert (One). While Paula can always be counted on to choose crappy songs, Simon always kicks ass with his choices. No difference this time. (And of the three judges selections, this one I love.) The arrangement left the song both recognizable and original. And Simon was right that if Adam doesn't make it through to the last show, it will be the biggest upset in this show's history. It will also be its biggest injustice. But I'm really not worried about that happening.

Kris Allen (Heartless). I was thrilled to watch Kris take just his guitar, shrug off the baggage of the background musicians and turn a song that I did not like into one I would buy. I have enjoyed every minute of watching the guy who was never intended to crack the top five turn into a star. And if this performance doesn't send him into a battle with Adam for the title, something is terribly wrong.

So those were my thoughts. Share yours.

I think the justified final two are Adam and Kris. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. The "go" will be put in Gokey tonight.

And I'll see you then.


14 Comments:

Blogger Dave said...

If the leaked iTunes download list is any indicator, Adam and Kris should be in the finals. I hope that everyone who detests Gokey voted overtime for Adam and Kris last night.

1:27 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous JJ said...

I did I did!!! Loved your comment to Jennifer re: title of her previous post!!! Too funny.
Jennifer.. great review.. I agree 99% with your rankings. I liked Kris singing Apologize more than I like Danny singing You are So Beautiful.. his breathiness was way too distracting and I'm not a huge fan of the song either.

1:44 PM, May 13, 2009  
Blogger Mighty Mouse said...

Adam is in the finals.

Gokey, time to go. He is a born-again Michael Bolton plain and simple and my ears are tired. What was so special about his rendition of "You Are So Beautiful"? A song I love for its simplicity. I don't get the judges positive overreaction to it. He sang the verses no differently than the original; the only difference was he added a few lyrics of his own that were so cheesey and then the screaming Michael Bolton ending with a little bit of church to take it home. What else is new?

Kris' "Heartless" was amazing. I hate this song and I was worried when he said it was his choice. Now I know that I only hated it because Kanye was singing it. And as far as "Apologize", another song I hate, what did Kara think Kris was supposed to do with such an uninspired song choice? It was apparent that there was no inspiration in Kris to do anything except sing it as best he could. And finally, I can't believe Paula had the nerve to say there was a "bum" note in his performance of the song. This coming from a woman who lip-synced through her performance last week.

I've grown tired of the judging. Paula has got to go; Randy needs to go too. If you play back all of his critiques this season, it's always the same thing: "It was just a'ight with me, dawg." , "Dawg, that was da bomb, dawg", "This is a singing competition and you can sang, dawg!". Kara was promising at first but she's starting to sink fast with me. Simon, always "colorful", I can live with that.

2:58 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the comments about the judges; in fact, the four-judge format has ruined this show. We get to hear 10 minutes of singing, no back stories, no film showing their trips home, and the rest is taken up by the stupid judges. If they have four judges again next year, I'm going to have to give up on watching American Idol any more. And this time I really mean it!

Go Kris!

betsy

4:12 PM, May 13, 2009  
Blogger jennifer said...

I agree that four judges is one too many. The hometown videos will be shown tonight. They always save them for results night, but normally we get to see a little more than just the song choice.

4:18 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wonder if the Billy Jean debacle will be shown?

(not)

4:46 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really hope kris makes it to finals and I don't care which one of the other two gets in - kris works hard on his songs each week and the other two just think they will automatically make it in because of all the praise the judges give them and nothing would make me happier than if they replaced all four judges with Bruno, Len and Carri Ann with paddles and all. I cannot stand to watch idol anymore simply because of the judges.
connie

4:55 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Adding a fourth Judge was a HUGE mistake.
It slows down the pace of the show, and Kara had absolutely nothing of substance to say.
Randy and Paula are pretty much useless, (I mean, she said Danny Gokey would be performing in sold out arenas? C'mon, this woman is definitely a substance abuser). Simon was completely disinterested and so busy playing footsies with Paula, I don't think he half paid attention to the contestants.

7:37 PM, May 13, 2009  
Blogger Dave said...

It makes you wonder why they added the fourth face. Who is on their way out the door?

Paula is the obvious choice, although I think Randy is the most useless of the panel. Simon has not committed to anything past next season. I think either Randy or Paula will step aside after this season, but I can't say for certain which one it will be.

What is clear is that one of them needs to go.

7:48 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Julie said...

I thought Simon said he would not do the show without Randy and Paula, so that would leave Kara going bye bye.

7:58 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

But Simon has repeatedly said on the talk show circuit that Kara would be back next season....

8:33 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is true.
Simon did say on several occasions that he wouldn't do the show without Randy and Paula.
These three can talk nice about Kara all they want, but I don't think she's liked by any of the other three despite what they say to the media.

8:43 PM, May 13, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Future record sales:

Kris Allen: 100,000 1 recording

Adam Lambert: a gazillion


and THAT's the bottom line


Kris is going nowhere.

4:10 AM, May 14, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I totally agree with what Anonymous said right up there! :)

6:21 AM, May 14, 2009  

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