Carole King week! Somewhere in my dreamy idol fantasy this theme week has appeared before. In the era of “songs from your birth year” and “Billboard top 100 Hits” themes–themes that gave no specificity and let contestants choose their own path–I never would have believed this would actually happen. Have I mentioned that I heart Carole King? Well I do. So I am pumped.
In addition to the top 6 performances, to fill the extra half hour of the 90 minute show, they will all sing duets. Its like bonus group songs on performance night. Will we see another Slow Ride Allison/Adam duet? I hope so – bring me magic, idol duets!
1. Jacob Lusk
“Oh No Not My Baby” by Carole King – Um, Carlton Banks called and wants his clothes back. The fashion police should be alerted to the plaid jacket bow tie combo. And the music police should be alerted to his last off-key note. Being in the dead-man’s spot, and having Jimmy Iovine telling you to pack your bags, things aren’t looking good for him. But Jacob gave it his best go given the situation. I actually found it less obnoxious than I have found him previously, but I hope he is packing his bags tomorrow.
2. Lauren Alaina
“Where You Lead” by Carole King – I loved the arrangement of this for her (and she picked the Gilmore Girls theme song, which means that the little girls will know the song – smart!). I was hoping for something gut-wrenching and emotional, and instead we got another upbeat jumpy number. It was pretty good – but she could still do better. She needs to sing something with more meat next time.
Haley/Casey DUET
“I Feel The Earth Move” by Carole King – My greatest fear would have been Haley coming out and singing this solo, so I was relieved that this was relegated to the duet lineup. That said, I had much higher expectations for the Casey/Haley duet and it didn’t really deliver. Maybe it was that Casey lost his way in harmonizing and was overall distracting me. It wasn’t bad. And their video package was cute, but the performance was lacking.
3. Scotty McCreery
+1/2
“You’ve Got A Friend” – Finally, Scotty sings a song that isn’t country. And finally I don’t hate him. This song showed that he has no vibrato, so I guess I appreciate that what he does, he does well. However, Randy actually finally gave a valid critique that he shouldn’t fall off the notes so drastically.
4. James Durbin
+1/2
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” by the Shirelles – This is the first hint os song rearrangement we have gotten this season. And I totally appreciate it. Go Durbin! The last note was *almost* cringeworthy. But everything else, including the vocal, was great. High five, James.
Lauren/Scotty DUET
“Up On The Roof” by The Drifters – Lauren should have sang this for her solo performance. Her voice sounded amazing, especially on the first line! Scotty singing harmony didn’t exacty bode well for him. Lauren made this one for me
5. Casey Abrams
“Hi-De-Ho” by Blood, Sweat, & Tears – Seriously, I loved this! I was a little bit hoping that he would pull it back at the end…but I thought everything about it was awesome. I loved the band and the way he worked the stage.
6. Haley Reinhart
“Beautiful” by Carole King – At first I thought the arrangement was kind of weird with the horns, but it grew on me throughout. And the ending! The ending was amazing. Week after week I feel like she shows her big vocal chops. Pia may have been the balladeer, but Haley can hit those money notes just as well. Pimp spot was well-deserved.
James/Jacob DUET
“I’m Into Something Good” by Carole King – I didn’t think it could get more awkward than the Danny Gokey/Kris Allen duet in Season 8. But it did! The Lusky stank reared its ugly head until the last note! Yikes – that is all I will say about that.
How can I summarize tonight? Pretty damn good. The last 3 solo performances – Haley, Casey, and James all did awesome. Scotty did well for Scotty. Lauren still needs some work. And Jacob? Well we just won’t go there. Performance order seemed to rank them from worst to first pretty well tonight.
What are your thoughts on this week of the awesome songwriter? Leave your comments below!
The kids are singing songs of the 21st Century. But before we get to the real performances we get some performance night filler!
I liked this little ditty from the voted off idols. Except Paul should just not have his mic turned on, because the girls sounded great and Paul? well he just totally ruined it.
1. Scotty McCreery
+1/2
“Swinging” by Leann Rimes – So this is the first week I actually can say that I wasn’t annoyed at the Scotty vocal. I wouldn’t say I loved it, but at least it was more exciting than last week. I didn’t enjoy that he overcompensated with the eyebrows and mic holding. I also felt like he was finally called out by the judges. Although IDK what their answer would be to their judging last week i.e. Randy going from “If it ain’t broke don’t even think about fixing it” to “At this point you need to step it up.” If I was a contestant I would be confused.
2. James Durbin
+1/2
“Uprising” by Muse – Ok, I get the vision, I love the artistry, and I give him total credit for this. Marching band and all! However, I just don’t think he pulled the vocal off. He wasn’t way off or anything, but I’ll say this – he is no Lambert.
3.Haley Reinhart
“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele – Um, can I start chanting? Ha-Ley! Ha-Ley! Ha-Ley! I know, I know. But wasn’t she good? I agree that I was a little concerned during the first phrase – she was a little bit timid at first – but she brought it in the middle, and she had those backup singers clapping, and her vocal was pretty amazing overall. Go underdog!
4. Jacob Lusk
“Dance With My Father” by Luther Vandross – It is never good to miff the words on the first line. I did not love this at all. I don’t love the song to begin with, and the crazy needs to be reigned in. I 100% disagree with Randy – dude does not need to let loose – dude needs a strait jacket. For the good of America, please don’t allow the crazy to get out. Blah.
5. Casey Abrams
+1/2
“Harder to Breathe” by Maroon 5 – Casey went in for the Kill with JLo! I actually loved Casey singing this song. He showed his guitar chops, his vocal was actually very good, and he kept the crazy faces in check. I approve, buddy. I approve.
6. Stefano Langone
“Closer” by Ne-Yo - Well, I can’t deal with the crotch thrusting or the random red suspenders. The vocal was ok, but the visual was not anything to write home about.
7. Lauren Alaina
“Born to Fly” by Sara Evans – This was a cute song choice for her! It didn’t do enough to showcase her voice, but she sang it really well. And I don’t understand what she is talking about not being able to hit crazy notes, because she totally has! Bring up that confidence, Lauren. You can do it!
Best Tonight: Casey! Followed by the ladies, where I would probably place Haley a hair above Lauren.
Worst tonight? For me it was Jacob. I also did not love Stefano. I wonder how Scotty will do with his combo of dead man’s spot + judges criticism. I’m guessing he will be just fine.
Overall I didn’t love love anyone (notice the lack of any performance receiving a “smiley with teeth” rating above.) So it is very true that it is really anyone’s game at this point. Each of these people need to Bring. The. Awesome. next week.
I’m not kidding, final 7. Bring it or go home. Except Scotty. If you don’t bring it, you probably won’t go home.
So….thoughts from you guys? Who do you love? Who do you hate?
Per usual I have (my second to last) class and will not be live-blogging the show. This will serve as a placeholder until I can download and watch on Friday. Please let Haley be saved tonight. Fingers crossed.
Are you ready for this? Are you? Today, we are going to vote for which version of Call Me you like the best.
In case you’d forgotten, the original was released by Blondie in 1980, it was written by Debbie Harry and Giorgio Moroder, the electronics production genius behind so many disco hits. In keeping with the original, both singers below are blondes although they come from different musical backgrounds, country and jazz respectively. If you’re playing a game or two at Cheekybingo.com, see which version distracts you more. A really good song will make you stop what you’re doing and grab your attention completely.
From Season 2, Carmen Rasmusen. (Side note: I was at this taping back in 2003!) View at your own risk.
And from last night (which should look so much better in comparison!) Haley Reinhart. I’m not biased or anything.
Let this post be a lesson that this song doesn’t lend itself very well to an idol performance.
Tonight is cinema night. And the most beautiful woman in the world appears to have grown a superfluous poof on her dress. Quick, someone remove it before it eats her.
1. Paul McDonald
“Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger – The consumate wedding reception song! Everything about the performance I loved…except the most important thing….the vocal was SO BAD. SOOOO BAD. I would vote for the sax player, I would vote for the suit, I would vote for his stage presence, but his vocal was HORRENDOUS. He did not hit one on-key note the entire time. He was under the pitch, over the pitch. And he got no comments on this. #judgesfail
2. Lauren Alaina
“The Climb” by Miley Cyrus – Iovine speaks the truth! Lauren is a much better singer than Miley could ever dream to be, and she needs to fight for Pia’s votes. I loved this performance – it is awesome when you can usurp the original, and she did. I was waiting for some more money notes, but there were enough to make me happy.
3.Stefano Langone
“End of the Road” by Boys II Men – Stefano’s performance did actually feel reinvigorated tonight. However, it isn’t like we haven’t seen the passion before – he sang an amazing wildcard vocal 5 weeks ago. And quite honestly, I don’t think this vocal was as good. However, it was the best of his last few weeks. Therefore, I like, but not love. And the most beautiful woman in the world just said sh*t on live tv. Word to JLo.
4. Scotty McCreery
+1/2
“I Cross My Heart” by George Strait – Scotty said “I’m going back to my country roots” – when did he ever leave? I actually thought his vocal was pretty good, and he stretched his vocal ability with that long money note at the end. I guess I have to give props where props are due.
5. Casey Abrams
“Nature Boy” by Nat King Cole – He dropped some Phil for some Nat. This performance was a little weird for me, because I thought the beginning was awful, then everything post-scat was awesome. This was no reason for a judges standing O, however. #judgesfail
6. Haley Reinhart
“Call Me” by Blondie – I do not love this song choice for her. I agree with the judges. The verses give no room for her to show off her chops. This song gives me bad memories of Carmen Rasmusen (gahhh I can’t believe I talked about goat girl in the same sentence as Haley). At least if she was going to have a bum performance, she did it in purple suede thigh-high boots.
7. Jacob Lusk
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel – First of all, I would like to tell my friend Amy I told you so. Bridge Over Trouble Water is a gospel song on Idol. Second of all, thanks to Jimmy Iovine for a. Calling Jacob out on his preaching to America last week, and b. Thwarting the “Impossible Dream” disaster. That said, Jacob’s Performance gave me nothing. It was the same blah from him, and I didn’t love it. I could compare this to Clay (man, so many season 2 comparisons tonight!) but it wouldn’t hold a candle to the full-on gospel choir in robes. Jacob has run his course on this show.
8. James Durbin
“Heavy Metal” by Sammy Haggar – JLo doesn’t know what the performances sound like at home – so I will tell her. Clearly I am not hearing the same show as she is. I thought the whole performance was amateur. Zach on the guitar was great, but James had a karaoke vocal, not on pitch and kind of whiney. All in all, I found it kind of annnoying.
All in all i think this could have quite possibly been the most obnoxious performance show in recent history. The judges were giving unwarranted standing Os, Haley disappointed, there was a bunch of whining, and Casey cried like a middle school girl.
As much as I hate to admit it, Scotty was the best tonight. Followed by Lauren with the silver.
Paul gets the worst of the night award, but he is in good company on that lower tier, including Jacob, James, Casey and (unfortunately…very very unfortunately…) Haley.
I fear for Haley tomorrow. Come on voters – get the save Haley vote on! Keep the female race alive!
I am still recovering from the shock. Like I said last night, I have never been more blindsided by an elimination in the history of this long and sordid ten year show. Daughtry? I could see it coming. J Hud? Surprised but not shocked. But Pia? never.
So rather than a recap that is a day late and a dollar short, which would include things about the shriveled and methed-out Iggy Pop (why, dear God, why?), or the fun mash-up group song, complete with *pointy finger* pose at the end, I will offer a hypothesis as to how Idol came to this shocking ouster.
There appears to be a growing disconnect between the viewing public and the voting public. Of all of the people I know personally who watch the show, very few of them are actually voting, or at least they are not spending two hours post-show voting. This obviously causes situations like Pia getting voted off. There appears to be mad outrage on the internets (last night there were more comments on this blog than I have received the whole season thus far), but how many of those people actually picked up the phone and voted 2 hours for her?
I know I certainly didn’t. Guilty as charged.
However, I do enjoy watching her on tv each week. And perhaps Nigel & Co. should take into consideration that they need to satisfy the viewers rather than just the voting-viewers.
I think it could also be debated that any disconnect made little difference in the early days of the show. The excitement and newness of the reality TV genre was still unprecedented and I suspect that a greater percentage of the viewing population were actually voters back in season 1-5. The novelty of the “call in and vote” reality show has clearly worn off after ten years, and you are left with the texting teeny boppers and middle aged women controlling the fate and careers of potential recording artists. I am in no way knocking these two demographics (for one day soon, I, too, will be a middle aged woman!) but this is not a fair cross section of the viewing public. Sidenote: why can’t women idolize and admire other successful women, but rather feel them as competition? This is disconcerting as a female in the US. Sidenote over.
That said, I think that Pia missed an awesome opportunity this week to have her breakout Carrie-Alone moment, and failed to deliver. I have read several theories that she was ousted because she wasn’t doing a ballad, and I totally disagree. She needed to do a big rock number: Pat Benetar, Bon Jovi, Heart, Journey maybe.
This coupled with her awkward stage moves and (possibly) some of the voting demographic comparing her rendition to the recent Glee cover (which in my opinion, was far superior), she kind of shot herself in the foot.
Was this failure boot-worthy? Obviously not. I mean, Carrie sang Hello Young Lovers (remember that hot mess?) and never cracked the bottom 3–everyone should get the opportunity to screw up.
But much has changed since season four, so something’s gotta give. Either the voting process has to be completely overhauled–perhaps a Dancing With the Stars strategy where the public only makes up 50% of the vote. Or perhaps the judges get more than one save. At any rate there should really be an “electoral college” of idol. If not, I think it will be very difficult for female contestants to have a good shot of taking home the crown in future seasons. Which is unfortunate considering that Kelly and Carrie are still the most viable and successful artists to emerge from this show.
So, with all this out there, where do we go from here? I can honestly say there are no frontrunners at this point. I am rooting for Haley and Lauren, but they could very easily be the next two to go. Scotty has a consistent fan base, but usually contestants like that don’t pick up any votes as the season goes along. As other contestants are eliminated, their fans tend to vote for mainstream, non-polarizing contestants. This is why Adam didn’t win over Kris – Kris kept picking up votes from other fallen contestants, while Adam was more controversial and didn’t pick up anyone new. I see Scotty on a similar path–Scotty and someone else in the finals, with someone else winning. Who that person will be is a mystery.
I am done with my theories for the evening. Tell me what you think…
