AMERICAN IDOL: An "inspiring" evening falls flat
Before I get to the topsy-turvy segment of "American Idol" Tuesday night, just a reminder that tonight's show is the charity-themed "Idol Gives Back." It starts at the special time of 7:30 p.m. on KMPH Channel 26.
It also probably will include a segment shot at Goshen Elementary School, as recently reported by The Bee's Lewis Griswold. Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson visited the Tulare County campus on March 14.
Now, back to Tuesday's show. The Final 8 were supposed to sing songs that inspired them, in keeping with this week's charity theme. It's not a stellar night when I keep jotting down "good, but not great."
I'm flying solo on this one (Donald Munro, you owe me!). You can read my rants ... and let me know what your take was on last night's performances.
Overall impression?
Let's just say no one really stunk up the place, but no one shined brightly either. First of all, some of the song choices were puzzling for "inspirational" week. Carly Smithson picks Queen's "The Show Must Go On"? Michael Johns opts for Aerosmith's "Dream On"? And David Cook chooses some little known song called "Innocent" from Our Lady Peace? You know AI's planet is goofing up when Kristy Lee Cook -- she of the bottom-dwelling netherworld -- turned in one of the better performances of the night with a confident version of "Anyway" ... and judge favorite Smithson could be headed for the exit after that driving dirge-like singing she pounded out. Over and over, the judges have implored these contestants to judiciously mind their song choices. And every week, these finalists act like they've never heard that suggestion. Do we need to write it out on Post-It notes and stick those all over the rehearsal hall?
Strongest performers?
This isn't an enthusiastic endorsement: David Archuleta. He seemed to be the only one who truly connected with the theme. He chose "Angels," a song that finely fit him -- he could command it through his rich, mature voice as he played the piano. It was the evening's emotional high point. I'll give honorable mentions to Kristy Lee Cook for surprising me and again surviving past her expiration date and to Jason Castro. The judges gushed over his "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" styling ala Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's ukelele version. I wasn't nearly as crazy about it (I thought it lacked the tenderness and aching hope of Israel's) but it will do.
Weakest performers?
Easy one here: Smithson. I've written before that she brings a dark, defiant attitude to every song she sings, and that she seems more focused on showing off her vocal talent (which is immense) rather than connecting emotionally to what she's singing. Last night, it finally resulted in a total disconnection to time and place and theme. David Cook also was off his game. It's weird, though, how Simon Cowell also calls him "smug" when this happens. I just think Cook follows his own muse, no matter where it leads. Usually, it's precise. Last night? Not so much. Brooke White also was disappointing with "You've Got a Friend." I wrote down "pleasant" just seconds before Simon used the same term. (And White's fragility is beginning to worry me; she was on the verge of tears when the judges didn't leap in joy over her rendition.) And then there's Syesha Mercado. Why is she committing the sin of choosing songs so closely associated with another singer who happened to do it brilliantly? Because when she does -- as with Fantasia's "I Believe" -- she invites comparisons that she cannot win. Of the remaining 8, she has the weakest of personality, leaving little impression when she's finished singing.
So who goes home?
This is a tough call for me. It's either Smithson or Mercado ... but I say send Mercado home because Smithson deserves one more week to try to redeem herself. She has a gorgeous voice. She just hasn't figured out that, in AI land, that's not enough.
Comments:
Donald adds: Thanks for going solo this week, Felicia; I was catting around (at "Cats") last night, so I had to catch "AI" on Tivo. I agree with you that it was a pretty weak night overall. Some thoughts:
MICHAEL JOHNS: Stiff and screechy. He sort of reminded me of the clean-cut teen-age kid of your next-door neighbor who starts a rock band and tries to act like a big bad singer.
SYESHA MERCADO: Nice singing but terrible song choice. There's a severe disconnect going on here between the kind of performer Syesha wants to be and what actually takes place on stage. I think she sees herself as a belt-it-out Fantasia type, while she's actually more of a gentle, plaintive presence. I keep waiting for an emotional connection with her. She's somehow perpetually second string, as if she's an actress playing a version of Whitney Houston in a low-budget cable movie.
JASON CASTRO: Nice. "AI" continues to be unpredictable, at least, with the bottom-tier performers surprising me with credible performances. I still think Jason comes across on stage with a persona that falls somewhere between a mildly rebellious student at a performing-arts-high school and a stoned street musician at Santa Cruz's Pacific Garden Mall, but last night he really came through with a laidback and proficient performance.
CARLY SMITHSON: Weak. You call that inspiring? I like how Simon pegged the performance as "angry." Carly might have a nice voice, but she's failing wildly at figuring out the package to deliver that voice.
KRISTY LEE COOK: Again, a surprise. Her voice is never going to be exemplary. But, darnit, she strutted around on stage like an almost-star, and I think she connected with the audience in ways that several of her colleagues couldn't last night. (I liked the sparkly-top thing she was wearing, too; it's much better than the barefoot look.)
DAVID COOK: Terrible. My least favorite performance of the night. A desultory, babbling minute and a half. Hated the white jacket.
DAVID ARCHULETA: I know that the judges gushed over him, and in past weeks I've marveled at his voice, but this was just way too Sunday School for me. I had this scary flash forward of Archuleta at 30, after winning "American Idol," winding up as a pudgy, washed-up reality show host struggling with substance-abuse issues, a marriage to a lapsed Mousketeer and the slow dissipation of his squeaky-clean fame.
BROOKE WHITE: Who? I already forgot what she sang and how she sang it.
As for who's going home: My guess is Carly.
Posted by: Donald Munro at April 9, 2008 11:29 AM
While I two weakest singers left in the show, in my opinion, Kristy Lee and Jason, are the only two showing any visible improvement week to week.
David Cook was way too Bono last night, especially with the cornpone white jacket and the over-precious writing on the hand gag. All he needed was the sunglasses.
Michael, Carly, and Brooke are fine singers but utterly clueless as "artists". Syesha seems to have no idea that her best performance was when she sang Yesterday with just her and the acoustic guitar. David Archuleta is a good balladeer but he's got to work on stage presence. The few times he went for the up-tempo song he was unimpressive.
I think Michael, Carly and Brooke should be in this week's bottom 3 (Syesha will probably be in there somewhere though). Brooke should go home.
Posted by: Jason at April 9, 2008 3:08 PM
Both Jason and Donald have both criticized David Cook's white jacket ... hey, what about his new hairstyle? They really tried to puff up his thinning strands this week to the point it was kind of distracting.
But really, don't you think Michael Johns is the rocker poser in this crew? I keep seeing a pale imitation combo of Michael Hutchence and Jim Morrison when he tries to plow rock 'n' roll territory. He needs to stick with the bluesy style he showed so well the week before.
Posted by: felicia matlosz at April 9, 2008 3:38 PM
Felicia, I think you're right re David Cook vs. Michael Johns. In a cage match of rockers, David would triumph.
Posted by: Donald Munro at April 9, 2008 4:20 PM
You both seem to be forgetting that it's no longer a 'singing' competition, but rather a 'voting' competition.
Thus, David Archuleta is a shoo-in at this point to win...teenage girls vote the most.
Which puts Brooke, Syesha, and maybe maaaybe Carly in the bottom 3.
Brooke has been doomed to go home for a couple of weeks now. We just had to wait to get down the list of 'ickybland' to get to her. Brooke's tears are next (constant fragility in an industry designed to reward confidence and 'strut' is a quick way out).
Brooke goes. Then I think a guy will have to go to keep the numbers close (vote tampering??? NEVER!). So likely Jason or Michael Johns.
One thing you're both right about AGAIN is how this season's performers are SO unforgettable. And I like how Donald felt Archuleta's performance was very 'Sunday School,' considering TMZ has a tape of him singing Angel in a Sunday-school-like setting about a year or so ago.
Posted by: Stephen at April 9, 2008 9:05 PM
oops, I meant to say how this season's performers are so FORGETTABLE. What a lousy season, talent-wise...
Posted by: Stephen at April 10, 2008 1:24 AM
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