American Idol Final Four: Katharine’s Death By Elvis
I’ll just copy and paste from my spoiler post earlier and comment on the performances, which did wind up being of those songs.
Taylor: Jailhouse Rock and In the Ghetto
Amazing performance on the first one; easy to see why he has such a fan base when he’s at his best, and that was about his best of the season. I’d happily see him perform it live. Hold that thought and see later in this post.
Oh, Valerie watched him intently during this performance, but didn’t make a sound.
His second song, not so much, and disappointing compared to my expectations from Taylor. I love that song and know it pretty well, and didn’t like how it was changed - and I don’t mean the trimming to fit the required duration. It was okay, even good, but not all that to me. Deb had a more positive impression, and we talked about how different our perspectives are on Elvis, given that she’s not old enough to remember him being alive.
Chris: Suspicious Minds and A Little Less Conversation
I wrote earlier: “The first is perfect and can really show some range for Chris.” Wow. He so totally nailed it, and got the red-blooded American women Deb speaks of when he performs warmed up for what was to follow later. I said above I’d enjoy seeing Taylor live covering Jailhouse Rock. The difference is that Chris could have a radio hit covering Suspicious Minds. Looked at like that, no comparison.
Valerie started cooing at Chris in response to this song! We just abount flipped. I don’t know if I have mentioned how much she loves music and how strongly opinionated she seems to be about what she’s hearing, but there you go. Taylor she was rapt and quiet. Chris she was rapt and audibly approving.
I found the second one to be a station turner when it was hot a few years back, when someone discovered it mouldering in a vault and got it high on the charts posthumously. I’d never heard it before then. No appeal. No interest. Chris made me like the song. Elvis? Not so much. It doesn’t get much better. Deb strongly invoked the red-blooded American women factor.
Elliott: Trouble and If I Can Dream
But not in that order. I loved If I Can Dream, and he performed more appealingly than ever tonight. Not so much my song, but he was great. I’d really like to hear Mandisa do it, with its gospel leanings.
Valerie went nuts for Elliott’s performance, cooing and ahh-gooing and just loving it.
With his second performance, Elliott won the night. He deserves first place this week. If he is voted off, it will be more than just another case of people getting voted off the night they do unexpectedly well, it’ll be tragic.
Katharine: Hound Dog/All Shook Up and Can’t Help Falling In Love
That was really bad. Started not so bad, but it was utter folly to make it a medley, never mind forgetting words and getting breathless. I think I actually liked it a lot better than Deb, if I am remembering right. Just not enough to keep it from being hands down worst of the first set and probably the night.
Valerie opined on Katharine too. It made her cry. That was funny.
Her second performance wasn’t much better. If it wasn’t worse. Sure enough, she picked an easy song for me to be unimpressed with, and succeeded in unimpressing me.
So tonight there is no question that Katharine was the worst. It’s not even close. First through third we’d say it’s Elliott, Chris, and Taylor. Which probably means Elliott and Katharine will be bottom two, but it’ll be a major shocker if Katharine doesn’t go home.
After she’s gone, as Deb says, any of the remaining three could win and we’d be happy. They are all that good.
Now to go see whether other bloggers were on hallucinogens or agree with me this week…
Update:
Has the DEA checked the water supply nationally for hallucinogens? They appear to be widespread in the populace…
I was really bored by Chris tonight. Just no oomph in him at all. Elliott owned everyone, even Frank said so, and he’s never really “gotten” Elliott - he knows he’s supposed to like him because I tell him E’s got the best voice, but he’s not really been that big a fan.
Posted by sarahk on 05/10 at 12:51 AMelliott sucked. Period. His vocal performance was just flat. But not as flat as Katherine. Who should be going home.
Posted by caltechgirl on 05/10 at 12:59 PM
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