Before we head into the land of Idolville, I must share a treat for you over on Marcia Richard’s blog. She invited me to guest post and talk about the joys of the single life. After you’ve gotten an Idol fix here, be sure to check out A Single Gal’s Guide to the Galaxy.
I’m just gonna start the rant of early and say that this top 7 redux was one big, general MEH moment for me. Knock, knock, Idol wannabes. Does anyone even care to win this thing? It was like watching peeps “rocking out” in slow motion. Yes, there was singing. Yes, there was smiling. But behind their eyes were vacant souls, sucked into the stressed and sleepless machine that is Idol. Where is the passion, people?! Nothing makes me care less than phoned in performances.
Okay. It felt good to set that free. On to my other thoughts.
- Forget crowing one of the singers as Idol winner. Let’s give it to the violinist from Sons of Sylvia who played when Skylar sang. He looked like a possible “Twilight” character. Now there is an artist with passion. Come closer so I can help tune your instrument.
- Yikes on that last comment! See what happens when one watches Idol and the performances are so underwhelming that the mind wanders. I promise to behave. 😉
- What is the point of Randy? Yes, he’s been the “dawg” on the show since inception. Talk about someone phoning it in each week. Does he even bother to listen or just read the producer response points?
- Nice tribute to Dick Clark at the top of the show and Don Cornelius later for the “then songs” part. We’ve lost two huge legends in a year’s time. May they both rest in peace and may those of us who enjoyed their work find joy in those memories for our lifetimes.
- Hollie kicked it off with “Rolling in the Deep.” Note to all reality TV performance show contestants: STOP IT. Stop singing Adele songs. Nothing good comes of it. Though Hollie is one of my fave voices from this season, she’s been mostly misses each week. Her voice rallied back on this song–she sounded great—and I applaud her for the look of having more confidence. But I won’t listen again because I only want to hear Adele sing Adele. Meh.
- Colton brutalized us with “Bad Romance.” Who are you as an artist because I’m not believing any of it. Here’s your door prize.
- Remember what I said about Adele songs? Same goes for Alicia Keys. I don’t want to hear renditions of her hits either, especially “Fallin.” Elise went for “No One,” and though she was pushing in emotion, it was just okay to me. Felt like been there and done that. Meh.
- Phillip knocked down a stripped, acoustic version of “U Got It Bad” that wasn’t bad. He made me pay attention to a song I hate in the original version. For me, Phillip has flashes of interesting content then wallows back down into his lazy corner of relying on the guitar and growl to carry him through. I just might listen again.
- This week, they billed Jessica like she had something to “prove to America” after being the recipient of the judges’ save. Whatever. And then she did it. “Fallin.” “I keep on fallin’ in and out of love with you.” Oh do you really, Jessica? You expect me to buy that you are connecting to any of these lyrics? Can 16-year-olds have experienced romantic love? Yes. Is it anything at the level of what Alicia’s lyrics depict? No. Here’s your door prize.
- Can I add Lady Gaga songs to the list of don’t touch? Skylar delivered a country version of “Born This Way” that bored me. The song is already borrowed, repetitive drivel (yes, I think Lady Gaga bit hard off of Madonna’s “Express Yourself”) and Skylar brought nothing new to it. Here’s your door prize.
- Joshua, Joshua, Joshua. I also like Fantasia’s “I Believe.” As far as Idol winner songs go, I think that’s the best one so far. It is moving, has a great melody and build, and isn’t as schmaltzy as some of the others (though reaching a “rainbow’s end” and finding a “pot of gold” are discussed). But. Big but. I’m not so sure he should be embracing this “Mantasia” title. There are some that don’t like Fantasia, so that’s a knock. And there are others that have gotten tired of his fallback, church vocalist moments. I like Joshua and think he’s one of the best voices left. The abbreviated arrangement left him with limited song build and turned out boring. Meh.
Hollie wandered back with “Son of a Preacher Man” and she was all attitude and spunk. Plus her outfit was stylish and age appropriate. I gave her points for letting go and trying to get to the grit of the teasingly naughty song. Go, girl! I’d listen again.- Colton sucked the soul out of “September.” If you know and appreciate all the dynamic levels and happiness of this Earth, Wind and Fire song, know that what Colton did was nowhere near it. Piano dirge. Here’s your well-earned door prize.
- I’m not so sure Elise did herself any favors in pulling votes singing “Let’s Get It On.” Any voting teenage girl tuned her out and the staging looked desperate. The whole thing turned a little self-indulgent to me. The growly purr has turned boring. Where’s the fire from when she sang Led Zeppelin? Here’s your door prize.
- Phillip on “In the Midnight Hour” took me back to meh land. Stop calling this crud good, judges!
- Jessica’s choice for second song was “Try a Little Tenderness.” Once more this was a disconnected fail and her adding on deep growling attitude didn’t fix it. Here’s your door prize.
- I guess Skylar’s second song was “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” I was too busy thinking up scenarios that involved the fiddler. 😉 Meh.
- I get putting Joshua in the pimp spot was to give us a “moment” from his rendition of “A Change is Gonna Come.” Once again, it was boring. That is a moving song that—when done right—gets me from the first line. Not this time. Joshua looked like he’d checked out a bit in his eyes and there was no emotional connection. That worries me. Meh.
- The results show ramble gave us Kris Allen and LMFAO as musical guests.
- Kris—squee, he’s such a cutie—performed his new single and it sounded good. I’ll have to hear it again to see if I think it has legs. I hope he gets some much needed buzz. I loved his first album and think he is talented beyond the credit he’s received.
- As for LMFAO, at one point they brought some peeps to dance on stage in a zebra costume. Yeah, enough said.
- The bottom three was Hollie (with the previous weeks still haunting her), Elise (who is doing herself no favors with the “they are picking on me” speeches), and Colton.
- Colton? Colton?! That “ooo, ooo, OOO” you heard Thursday night was me putting out into the universe that my wishes might be close at hand. When Ryan sent Elise back to the couches, my begging reached full pitch.
- Going home this week is – Colton. As I tweeted upon hearing the results, “Thanks for using the save last week, judges. You’ve saved my ears from this self-indulgent meh.”
- I am now doing a version of the running man meets Hammertime dancing. 🙂
Image source: American Idol
What are your thoughts on the performances this week? How about Colton going home? Who do you think might be able to pull off the win now?
Barbara McDowell 