It was Country Music night on American Idol...or should I it was the OC...no
not that other Fox show...but over-correction night! George didn't dip, Fantasia wasn't funky, John Peter didn't spazz out, Matt knocked it down a few notches, and Amy finally sang a song that befit her hair color!
Bottom Bunch
We didn't need Simon to tell us that Camile's nerves still have the best of her... shaky vocals once again will likely put her where she belonged last week...in the bottom three "we'll find out after the commercial" torture chamber. She would be my vote "out" at this point.
After rebounding on my list last week Jon Peter falls back down with a truly awful song choice - Kenny Rogers "She Believes in Me"... very shallow sounding...after the line-dancing segment, I was thinking he really should have sang "Achy Breaky Heart" ...I know he was trying "different"...but it just reminded me that, without all those distractions, his vocals are not great.
I am going to go out on a limb and place Jasmine Trias in my bottom 3 this week...though I certainly don't think she deserves or will go. Just a so-so version of Faith Hill's "Breathe"...I think the problem with picking such a popular and contemporary song is that it begs to be compared with the original...and in that sense I don't think Jasmine got even close to Faith.
Okay John Stevens almost made it to my middle group this week - he picked a song that was well in his comfort zone and his "King of the Road" was probably my favorite performance of his thus far. That said...still utterly expressionless and painful in the performance department.
Middle Earth
I like the mellower Matt Rogers. I agree with Randy that is was his best vocal performance thus far... which should earn him at least a couple more weeks in the competition...and no verbal smackdowns with Simon this week...I hope this is a sign of things to come.
I like Jennifer Hudson and thought she did a good job last night, but given last week's results show I would not be surprised at all if she is the one to go this week. Can't put my finger on it - I think she rubs folks the long way...despite being one of the better singers, I think she is not distinctive enough in this group.
Not much to say about George Huff...he kind of wimped out by picking a country song that is perhaps more better well-known for its pop/soul incarnation...but he did a good job with it. As Randy says "Aaight"...just a bit "safe" as they say.
Amy Adams seems like a fun girl and it was finally good to see her have some fun on stage with the Dixie chicks' "Sin Wagon." She needed to break out of her balladry and there was no better song to do it with than this one...and she sounded great to boot. Just as a sidenote, there was a little censorship going on ... the songs real lyrics talk about doing some "mattress dancing" (i.e. the horizontal tango)...but I guess even Fox was too afraid of the wrath of FCC and opted to for substitute some "crazy" dancing.
There is little doubt that Diana DeGarmo has perhaps the technically best of the group...the "technically" is perhaps what will get her in trouble...effortless but lacking some human emotion. But what can you say about that incredible last nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooote.
Top 2
Boring, boring, boring...but...
LaToya was on fire with her take on Garth Brooks' "Ain't Goin' Down"... totally channeling Tina Turner...half expected her to break it out into a "Proud Mary" mega-mix. Hard song to do with more than a mouthful of words...and poor Josh Gracin had to actually be in the audience to see his own personal best performance quite easily eclipsed.
Always On My Mind is one of my favorite songs and Fantasia certainly did not change that. A stirring and soulful rendition...and she really performed it...put emotion in it...and as was said proved that she wasn't a "one trick pony"...real nice change-up.
Shack at TWoP has a wondeful re-cap of last night's show ... go here to check it out. I only wish I could be that observant and witty!