March 26th, 2008 12:30 am |
Hello everyone! We’re down to the Top 10. What surprises are in store for us this week? Will Kristy Lee Crap make it to the Top 9. With the departure of Amanda mean for better group songs in the weeks ahead?
Let’s get things going. Tonight’s theme is the year they were born!
Up first?
Ramiele Malubay – September 6, 1977
Alone – Heart
I always laugh when I see someone in the audience start the arms-in-the-air swaying. The singing sounds good so far, but its too simple. Will she step it up? Watch the notes there Rami….you’re off on the high notes. I like the look tonite. I think you need stage presence. You mentioned something about karaoke singing, tonite was kinda like that. This is the Top 10 – you have to step it up! Yeah…Carly sang this song already this past season. DON’T repeat songs already sung this season. Randy wasn’t so into it. Paula was looking for the positive in everything. Simon seems to disagree with Randy and said she still needs to be better.
Score: 6
Jason Castro - March 25, 1987
Fragile – Sting
It’s your birthday tonite! Happy Birthday Jason. So you dad looks like Ray from Everybody Loves Raymond. So you have the guitar in front of you again. I guess this is your thing. Sounds good so far. I have to say I have a certain prejudice against you that I haven’t been able to get past. Many at the office like you. Tonight might be the night that changes my mind. Vocals are strong, you’re making contact with the audience and the camera. So maybe this is your niche and this is where you need to be. Randy loves that song, he said it was good. He noticed a slight Spanish touch tot he arrangement and liked it. Paula said he was being true to who he is. Paula and Randy said there was no WOW factor, but it was good. Simon said he needs to be more serious. He equated the performance to a performance in front of the subway station.
Score: 8-
Syesha Mercado - January 2, 1987
If I Were Your Woman – Stephanie Mills
I have mixed feelings about this song. I’m not sure this was a good song choice for you. You need PUNCH as this point of the game. No caberet performances allowed. The vocals were good and you were strong, but I don’t think it was the right song. I’m sure the judges will disagree. Randy loved it, he said it was the BEST he has heard since her audition. Paula said this is where she flipped it and will sail on thru to the top. Simon thought she was stretching herself vocally.
Score: 7+
Chikezie Eze – September 11, 1985
If Only for One Night – Luther Vandross
Weird. There were moments in the beginning where I thought I was listening to Luthor. I think ballads and soft R&B is where you want to be. THe vocals are strong and you certainly have the audience’s attention. Look wise you look good tonite. Nice jacket! The performance tonite was ok, but I wans’t jumping out of my seat applauding. That’s what I don’t understand. It’s the Top 10, everyone should be kickin it at this point and so far,Syesha is the closest to something worth applauding for. Randy said it was old-school. He wanted Chikezie to bring it forward and modernize it. Paula disagreed and liked his performance. Simon said it as sung well, but the performance was cheezey.
Score: 8–/7+
Brooke White – June 2, 1983
Every Breath You Take – Police
Come on Brooke, surprise us all and blow us away! Awww…you screwed up at the beginning. But now that you have picked up from that, its a nice “unplugged” version with just you and the piano. I wish the audience would stop with the arm swaying! Listening more closely there is a certain raspiness of your voice that is growing on me. I don’t think I’ve heard this song sung the way you performed it tonite. I think this was my favorite so far tonite, even with the “hiccup” at the beginning. Randy thought the front part was good, he didn’t want the band to come in in the middle. I think so too. Paula enjoyed it over last week’s performance. Simon agreed with Randy. Keep it simple.
Score: 8+
Michael Johns – October 20, 1978
We Will Rock You/We are the Champions – Queen
Lots of energy. This is what I ahve been waiting for. FInally someone brought something to the table! Nice idea to make it a mini-medley of the two songs. You haven’t been my favorite singer this season, but tonite was a great. You got eh audience out of their seats and got everyone excited. Randy said finally he believed in himself and channeled it. It was Randy’s favorite performance of his. Paula said this was his moment. Simon said this was the first time he saw star potential. The only memorial song of the night according to Simon.
Score: 8
Carly Smithson – September 12, 1983
Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler
I always laugh when I hear this song. Oddly, I heard it three times tonite – and each time I hear it I think of the Old School performance with Will Farrel. The background singer(s) were very distracting. Nothing to fancy with this arrangement. I keep thinking about the movie. Your vocals were on track, but you lost me at the end of the song and you went all swirly on the last note. Stop already. You could have left that off and it would ahve been great. I don’t think this was your best performance, it was just ok. randy said it was a bad song choice and that it was just ok. Paula admires that she can take a song and make her buy it. Simon said it didn’t work. He sensed tenseness on Carly’s part. Score: 7+
David Archuleta - December 28 , 1990
You’re The Voice – Heart
I didn’t know this song so I went to iTunes and it was a song performaned by Heart. I just listened to the Heart version and I like David’s much better. I’m sitting here bouncing in my seat listening to him sing. David your vocals were on target with a few notes a bit sharp, but overall, this song had me moving in my seat and I want to play the recording over and over. Very upbeat and a nice conversion to a male performance. Great job! Randy said it was a weird song choice, but he luved it. Paula said he can sing the phone book and we’d fall in love. Simon said he sung it well in parts, but didn’t like the performance overall. He said it was a theme park song. I liked it.
Score: 9
Kristy Lee Crap Cook -Â January 18, 1984
God Bless the USA – Lee Greenwood
Ok…well you stuck to your country theme. You’ll probably make it to the Top 9 since you picked a patriotic song with the war in the Middle East. Actually from a vocal point, you actually sang the song well. THere were no extra flourishes and you kept it single and it was actually an ok performance. Oddly. Randy said good song choice. Paula said it was poignant and respectful. Paula sais she sounded stronger tonite. Simon it was her best performance. That will push her to the Top 9.
Score: 8-
David Cook – Decemer 20 , 1982
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson (Chris Cornell version performed)
I don’t know what I didn’t know that Kristy Lee and David share the same last name. Interesting version. I would never think of taking a song like Billie Jean and turning it into a slower rock version of the Michael Jackson version. Vocally I think you are right up there with David on vocals. Excellent performance, you were focused and this was your night! Randy said the most original and bold contestant ever. Randy said it was molten hot! Paula said she was blown away. Simon said it was brave and said it was amazing.
Score: 9+
So I am torn between the two Davids! That version of Billie Jean really took me by surprise and it grows on me second by second! Well done Archuleta and Cook!
So who do I think is going home? I think it will be Ramiele. However, with Filipinos across America voting, will it be enought to keep her in the Top 9?
That’s it for tonite! Come back tomorrow night for the results!
Filed under:
American Idol
I had planned to be in DC for the Opening of the new ballpark for the Nationals, but was unable to get out of town. There was alot of pomp and circumstance today in DC and President Bush made the opening pitch. Let’s just say there were lots of jeers in the crowd and it wasn’t because of his pitch.
At lunch today, I watched a little bit of the LA Dodgers game against the Giants with a 5-0 win. Brad Penny pitched for about 6 innings and was replaced for the rest of the game. I had lunch at Casa Franco and the game was on the plasma! Yea!
The Angels didn’t do as well against the Twins with the Twins coming out on top 3-2.
Chikezie goes home tonite. It was a good journey for you bud. I thought you would make it further, but America thought otherwise. You’ll go far!
