AMERICAN IDOL: You call Tuesday's mess rock 'n' roll?
After weeks of shaky themes that rattled most finalists' confidence, you would think a rock 'n' roll week would infuse some fun and verve back into this downward spiralling season of "American Idol." No such luck.
It was a night when usually inventive David Cook -- who should have flourished with a theme set up for him like a fat pitch over home plate -- seemed disinterested and disengaged.
But he just reflected an overall ennui as AI trudges to its finale. The series is creaking and groaning from the weight of its own self-importance, and Season 7 will go down as one of the most uninspired and disappointing. AI needs a renewed spirit and sense of purpose that won't come just by dumping Paula Abdul or Ryan Seacrest.
Tuesday's listless show committed the tacky mistake of making rock 'n' roll boring ... and that's a label that AI is perilously close to having tacked permanently onto its own cracking ego.
First things first, however: Donald Munro and I dissect Tuesday's performances.
Overall impressions?
Donald says: I have to give points for what you might call the television aesthetics of this week's show. Compared to last week's travesty (Paula judging songs that weren't there, a comatose Neil Diamond, too many songs crammed into too little time), this week seemed smooth and -- well, almost professional. Still, I'm underwhelmed by these Final Four contestants. I can't help but wonder: Are these the cream of the crop of all those tens of thousands of contestants who turned out in the preliminary rounds?
I'm bored, because it's pretty obvious to me that we'll come down to the two Davids competing in the final.
Felicia says: Can I say it now? That I can't wait for this season to be over? Tuesday's show exemplified so many things that are wrong in AI's world: Finalists lacking sparks of charisma. Stiff and -- in Jason Castro's sorry case -- stupifyingly dreadful performances. And what about those song choices? They had the the rich and vast Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame songbook before them, and they pick the safe or puzzling. Seriously, what was Cook thinking by selecting "Hungry Like the Wolf" from Duran Duran? Yeah, that's one I've loaded that onto my iPod -- NOT! I can't even muster up the energy to fully thrash Tuesday's proceedings. I take no joy in it.
Strongest performers?
Donald says: Cook is growing on me. I'm still not sure if he's an Idol who can sell records, but maybe he can pull a Chris Daughtry on us.
Felicia says: Donald, you need to re-watch Cook. He acted like he couldn't be bothered this week. So, by huge default, the strongest finalist was David Archuleta. His version of Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" sounded more brilliant than it actually was because the rest of the night was so dismal. But I will say it was heartfelt and a fine match for Archuleta's lovely, husky vocals (though he continues to show no stage presence, whatsoever). I also give him points for trying. The same holds true for Syesha Mercado. She tried, too, but to poorer results.
Weakest performers?
Donald says: Archuleta is not growing on me. Weeks ago I praised his voice, and I suppose I could still do that, but his obvious vocal talent is being eclipsed by his vapid stage presence. I am not enamored of Syesha this week, either. Unlike Archuleta, she DOESN'T have a great voice: I listened to both of her songs again on TiVo and shuddered at how much of what she sang was actually out of tune. I'm thinking (and hoping) that Jason finally sealed his doom by actually standing up and trying to integrate some rudimentary movement into his first performance rather than sit frozen on a stool. We finally got to see how clumsy and downright amateur he is.
Felicia says: Hands down, it's Jason, with his weak pipes and awkward posturing. His "I Shot the Sheriff" (by Bob Marley) was cringeworthy. But then he topped it with a super-hideous rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," including forgetting the words at one point. Has there been an AI season in which contestants botched lyrics as much as this one? Syesha's version of the Ike and Tina Turner classic "Proud Mary" was a pale, pale, pale rendition. For those who haven't seen and heard the original, Tina roars and performs with an unbelievable and brash energy. In comparison, Syesha was a soft, lackluster copycat. As for Cook, he could pay for his sleepwalking turn.
So who goes home?
Donald says: Jason. If he doesn't, I say we go on a hunger strike.
Felicia says: I totally agree on Jason, but I balk at a hunger strike -- there's no way I make it through the day without chocolate. But I'll add this: Archuleta's the only safe one of the bunch this week.
Comments:
Well, last night was, to say the least...amazing. And not in the good way.
Cook was totally lackluster during his first performance (Duran Duran?! A list of 500 delicious songs from decades of yore and he picks Duran Duran?!), but definitely stepped it up on "Baba O'Riley" (and maybe I am biased because I'm a HUGE Who fan- but It felt that was the best performance). This is probably his biggest 'meh' performance but he has the solid fan base to keep him there until the finale.
I haven't had much to say about Syesha all season long. I still don't. I have a feeling the water works will bring in some votes, but I'm not sure how much.
Oh, Jason...how I'm going to miss him. While I agree that "I Shot The Sheriff" wasn't a great choice, I thought "Mr. Tamborine Man" WAS good...until he forgot the line. And maybe I will be alone at this but he made it work. He didn't stay silent and he didn't stop (Unlike Brooke, who TWInCE the judges let her slide on) all together. Jason is another one who has a large (and rather rabid) fan base and could very well be the upset in the final 3.
Archuleta: I don't really get the kids appeal. I get that he has a great voice but he doesn't challenge himself at all with his song choices. Every week he sounds the same. Same. Same. Same. And every week Randy calls him "Da Bomb" (I'm conviced Daddy Archuleta is paying Randy off. Or having an affair with him). It really burned me when Simon said that he "crushed" the competition. I'm sorry, but in my opinion "Stand By Me" and "Love Me Tender" are not crush-inducing songs. And I'm kinda scared for him, if he actually wins this thing I'm sure he's going to just fall over dead (why does he nearly pass out after every judge talks? Oh, maybe to make the girls ~*squeal*~).
Bottom Two: Syesha and Jason.
Going home: A toss up.
Obvious: Jason
2nd obvious: Syesha
Shocker/Daughtry elim: One of the Davids.
Posted by: T. at May 7, 2008 9:02 AM
Jason and JarJarBinks, separated at birth?
Posted by: Steve Britton at May 7, 2008 9:44 AM
Here's my take: Everybody is tired.
The Producers are tired, and their themes are at their weakest. Even Webber, the best mentor, didn't help anyone actually choose America's POP Idol. Just cuz Fantasia and Clay, etc have made it to Broadway, it's not the gist of the show.
The performers are WAY tired. Tired of theme weeks where THEY DON'T KNOW THE SONGS! How are they supposed to make good choices from 500 rock classics when Jason, Syesha and Archuleta aren't old enough to know more than a few Beatles tunes.
The fans have to even be tired. Same forced hand-waving, same booing Simon, cheering everyone.
Only people not tired are the onstage band members. They and the set/lighting folks are the only things keeping the show professional, as you noted, Donald.
On to the performers.
I liked Syesha's second song VERY much. I actually tried to vote for her, but I forgot I tivo'd the thing and it was too late. I never vote!
But I wanted to vote because Jason has given up. He knows how terrible he was, and didn't even try like he has before. He must intrinsically know that his gift stopped giving a couple weeks ago, and this show just isn't for him. Paula's right (!!) in that Jason has a niche and will go on to perform after the show somewhere (Karaoke King TV Show?), but his time on Idol is through. He'll be the most upset of them all if he's safe this week.
Archuleta really gets props for his 'Love Me Tender,' because, as Paula said (!!), he is really listening to everything he's been told and is trying. You could actually hear his brain telling his eyes to stay open.
David Cook's face after 'Teenage Wasteland' (The name EVERYONE calls it) said it all. It took all he had not to cry like Syesha...when a fan screamed for him, his smile had to be forced out, because he knew he blew his chance to win AI during what should have been "David Cook Week."
I'll go on a hunger strike if they don't do better by the show next season.
To answer the question, I think these folks AREN'T necessarily the best of the 10,000 who auditioned. But the lower-level producers are also tired, and auditioners have to go through lots of peeps to get to see the judges. With 40% of so thrown in just cuz they're SO bad, the producers have to try to pick the best out of the huge loads of people singing just 6-8 bars in makeshift curtained cubicles in a huge arena.
Got to be really easy to miss out on better talent using that process. My idea is satellite auditions held by radio stations locally, using Idol-Approved judges like Debi Ruud and Vince Warner, etc. (NOT radio DJs!)
Anyways...goodbye Jason!
Posted by: Stephen at May 7, 2008 11:07 AM
Stephen, if Jason survives another week, this will be worse than all those weeks with Sanjaya. I was flabbergasted when Jason said he looked at the long list of Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame songs and there were only a "few songs on the list that I knew." And then he proceeded to slaughter them.
I'm just really worried that Cook's complacency could result in another Chris Daughtry-early exit stunner tonight. I see your point about people associated with the show being tired. But, at this point in the competition, they need to get their act together. Otherwise, this is just too insulting to our intelligence.
Posted by: felicia matlosz at May 7, 2008 3:09 PM
Post a comment
(read the comment policy before posting)