American Idol - The Guys Rule

It was tough not coming right into the office to write about American Idol as soon as it ended, but then there was House - and ooh, they actually lost a patient and especially broke out of the more traditional mystery illness of the week - and there was the tape of Gilmore Girls.  Finally, here I am.

What an episode.  It’s going to be a contest between Katharine slipping that badly and being the hands down worst of the night, and the anti-Paris sentiment that she has evaded so remarkably.  Not to mention the common feature whereby someone with an unexpected good performance - for them - gets voted off that week.  Plus Katharine can’t go; she’s one of the annointed.  But it’s clear, if nothing else, the guys won the night and none of them will be leaving.

Last week I joked to Deb that Taylor should do Play That Funky Music, which as I recally horrified Deb, and of course seemed too surreal to be possible.  I was kidding.  Today I saw alleged spoilers on the newsgroup claiming knowledge of the songs being performed tonight, and it freaked me out to see that there.  Of course, the list had to be wrong, since Something was on the list, and that was a Beatles song - ah, but apparently it’s not “Beatles” so much as the Lennon/McCartney collection that’s off limits - as well as not current.  But wait, there are all kinds of crazy things on some Billboard chart or another, so it and the entire rest of the spoiler list proved true.

Elliot has sprouted a personality and broken his mold, or at least bent it, doing an excellent rendition of the George Benson cover of On Broadway.  I found it entertaining, and for the first time felt I’d want to see him perform or maybe hear his album.  I had no such urge before, no matter how good his voice (and this is Kat’s big problem, maybe more so).  On his second song, something about wanting to go home, I joked about not asking to go home, channeling Simon in advance.  Again, more expressive, sincere, well done.

Paris did a Prince song alien to me that worked when it ought not have.  She also hit the entertaining button.  The second song suited her, also worked pretty well, and didn’t bore or turn me off, even if I am not in the market demographic.  I think her future is assured, and would be even without being from a musical family.

Renegade is one of my favorite Styx songs, from the year I graduated high school, and one I have seen performed live by the original artist.  Chris just nailed it.  My notes simply say “wow!” A shame it was truncated.  Easily the best performance of the night so far.  His second song, I Dare You, made me think of the lead singer of The Calling during the first lines.  I liked it, but it did get a bit shouty and strained; no surprise his voice is going.  The sound could be shouty and remain compelling though, so he loses nothing having a good performance on top of an outstanding one.

Phil Collins is hardly my favorite, but against All Odds is an okay song that Katharine should have been able to handle, yet butchered instead.  As one of the judges said, it “ran away from you.” It was the first lousy performance of the night, and the only one of the first set.  She recovered some for her second number, bizarrely performed on her knees, with unclear lyrics.  She was having serious diction trouble tonight.  It sounded like the song could have been catchy in better hands.  Having the worst and arguably the second worst performance tonight could mean so long for Katharine, but she has an inexplicable fan base, and has whatever propulsion TPTB annointment can convey.  It will be between her and Paris, and frankly on this week’s performances only, Paris edges her out for another chance.  This has to mean Paris is gone tomorrow.

Taylor gets huge points for making Play That Funky Music work for him and pulling off a great performance.  It fit his abilities and his style wonderfully.  This is the kind of thing that explains Taylor fandom, thought you still have to be pretty die hard to have ignored - or from what we’ve seen at other blogs, grossly misheard - some of his rock bottoms of other weeks.  Finally. Elvis does George Harrison, passably and with his own style rather than making it worse by playing straight.  Ballsy.  (What’s a ballsy?) I hated the embellishment at the end, where he did something approximating his “woooo!” routine.  Maybe that was my problem with Taylor; my first exposure going something like “and he shall be Levon - WOOOO! - and he shall be a good man - WOOOO!” That’s enough to turn off anyone with an appreciation of music and music-like sounds.  But I digress.

Clear bottom is Katharine.  Top is arguably between Chris and Taylor, probably depending on fannish predisposition or preconception.  Elliot is very close to those two, this time, and Paris trails him but exceeds Kat.  Paris is likely toast.

Now to go see what other blogs had to say…

1. i can’t believe i forgot to check here this morning. you’re always one of my favorites to read. updating my links…

   Posted by sarahk  on  05/03  at  03:55 PM

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