AI6: Les Miserables Part Deux

Oy!  Another really rough night for the guys on American Idol last night.  Since I've been doing these recaps, I don't think there has been a performance show where at least one person didn't impress me even just a little bit... well, last night was that night.  I agree with the judges' assessment that 6 guys don't deserve to make it to the finals... I'd go with just three... Blake, Chris S, and Chris R.

Onto the rankings:

#1 - Chris S. ("Wanna Be Loved"/D.C. Talk) - For the first time someone other than Blake gets the top spot, but Chris doesn't necessarily earn it.  Good vocal that wasn't boring, that's about what it took this week.

#2 - Blake ("All Mixed Up"/311) - I am still a big fan of Blake... but as Randy would say, just wasn't feelin' it tonight, daaawwwg!   It was edgy, cool, and different... this we've come to expect from Blake and maybe that's why he's my runner-up this week.  Now, let's see what happen when he gets stuck in genres of the "big show"... he'll probably handle it much like Chris Daughtry... staying true to his sound/spirit.    

#3 - Chris R. ("Tonight I Want To Cry"/Keith Urban) - I have said week after week that Chris is really not one of my faves, but he still keeps landing near the top of my rankings.  I didn't think the slow song worked for him at all... Randy applauded his "runs" but I thought they were really shaky (or does he just have good vibratto?!).  The end of show review clip was particularly bad, which made me question my ranking yet again. 

#4 - Brandon ("I Just Want To Celebrate"/Rare Earth) -  Oh, Brandon... unlike Melinda perhaps being a back-up singer is your calling.  This was probably his best performance in the semis, but it still lacked any originality... karaoke-ish for sure.  And it's not a good omen on Week 3 when Simon starts off his critique by calling you "Travis"...where did that come from?!

#5 - Jared ("If You Really Love Me"/Stevie Wonder) - Jared's performance also suffered from karaoke syndrome... heck, if Paula is calling you on not doing anything special that's not a good sign.  Found the whole thing to bit too earnest... look at me smile, look at me move.

#6 - Sanjaya ("Waiting On The World To Change"/John Mayer) - Yes, I have two guys ranked lower than Sanjaya... it was that kind of week!  But I did think this was Sanjaya's best vocal by far... though still largely a timid performance, he did open up a time or two and show some of those vocals that got him in the running in the first place.

#7 - Sundance ("Jeremy"/Pearl Jam) - So was last week a fluke?  It's looking like that with Sundance. He had a moment or two, but it was largely a lot of shouting, posturing, and trying to figure out what to do with the microphone.  It also makes me cringe when edgy bands like Pearl Jam are "covered" on Idol... with few exceptions (Chris Daughtry? Bo Bice?) the end result is usually pretty bad.

#8 - Phil ("I Need You"/LeAnn Rimes) -  Oh my gosh, this was just AWFUL.  I had to look over to Todd during the song to see if he was thinking the same thing ... and mercifully when it was over, I said "the judges better think this is bad or else I know absolutely nothing"... his lower register was totally off, his high notes were sharp... just an all over the place mess... and we won't even get talk about that hat!

Elimination Prediction:  Simply a process of elimination.  I am fairly confident that Blake, Chris S, and Chris R are safe on both on popularity and vocals... Sanjaya, Sundance, and Phil get the popularity nudge... so that leaves middle-of-the-road, nothing particularly special Brandon and Jared at the top of my list.  Dial Idol is showing no one "statistically" safe.    

Comments

[Scott-O-Rama]

I don't watch American Idol and never have, so I can never comment on your posts about the show other than to say it cracks me up when you put an X on someone's face.

[jen maiser]

I was watching last night with a 9 year old and a 12 year old and even they knew how terrible Phil was. It was painful.