AI7: DollyWoody

Ok, back to the usual fluff... overall I thought it was a pretty good night as the Idol opened up the Dolly Parton songbook (though there was no reference to a "songbook," perhaps only Lennon and McCartney have it).   

I rarely say it but the show was pretty rushed last night.  Heck, even my TiVO setting of two minutes over the scheduled end didn't get through all the phone number review (and when I "finalize" my rankings/groupings).   I would have liked to have seen more Dolly but 9 performances in an hour didn't allow much "mentoring" to be shown... other than Dolly giggling over the performances and giving a one-liner about each finalist.

It was a good night for the early favorites and for the first time in weeks, David Cook didn't make my top three (though just barely)... 

Michael ("It's All Wrong, But It's All Right"")
David A ("Smoky Mountain Memories")
Carly ("Here You Come Again")

Don't read too much in the order of the above... at one point or another, I thought each of them was the top performance of the night.  I think Aussie Michael is re-emerging as contender following up his crowd-pleasing Queen medley last week with an impressive sexy white soul rip on this Dolly tune.  I really loved Carly's slowed/stripped-down version of "Here You Come Again" which I was initially bit "huh?" about since Dolly's version is so bouncy... but it totally worked for me.  Finally, David A, in my opinion, had his best showing since "Imagine" in the semis... not that he has been in any danger with the screaming fanbase... again I have to give a shout-out to Michael Slezak at EW for his take on David...  "performed as if he were the hands-down champion in the talent portion of the Little Mister Sunshine Pageant."

Middle Group
David C ("Little Sparrow"")
Jason ("Travelin' Thru")
Brooke ("Jolene")

As mentioned, David Cook just barely falls out of the top group for me this week... funny enough, after coming under fire for borrowing many of his re-arrangements from others, it is his own take on Dolly that has him tumbling out of the top group... but it was good enough that I would consider an iTunes download.  It also was a good example of what I feared Simon would think of tonight... it was pretty safe to say he's not a country nor would be a Dolly fan so I was just waiting for a comment like his ''If you can make a song about sparrows good, congratulations."

I still think Jason doesn't have the chops to stick around much longer, but I am such a fan of this song (one of Dolly's more recent hits -- and Oscar nominated)... and fits right into Jason's niche, that I had to give him a bump up this week.

I was wondering who would win the battle for "Jolene"... I was actually thinking Carly would have done something quite good with it... but wasn't surprised when Brooke kicked off the show with one of Dolly's biggest hits.  It was a good, straight-forward take on it... but for me it lacked some connection or didn't quite get the right emotional tone on it.

Bottom Group
Syesha ("I Will Always Love You")
Kristy ("Coat of Many Colors")
Ramiele ("Do I Cross Your Mind")

I am pretty sure I heard a collective groan across the country when it was announced that Syesha would be singing "I Will Always Love You"... of course, she would!   It was promoted as a mix of the simple Dolly version and the bombastic Whitney cover.  I am a fan of both versions, but thought she wasn't holding the notes all that well in the slow parts... and while she did hit the looooooooooooongest and biggggggggest note of the season, it struck me as total grandstanding.

I almost considered swapping Kristy with Brooke's position... as the "country" contestant this season Kristy certainly brought the appropriate twang to another of Dolly's most famous songs... but it is also a song that doesn't make one think "wow, what a great singer"... and I do honestly prefer Brooke, so I will factor that in.

And there is really nothing left to say about Ramiele... each week I think she has to be bottom three this week, but no such thing... given the remaining contestants, I'm thinking her luck has to run out this week after another karaoke-ish performance.

Comments

[Jeff]

Yeah, my favorites this week were Michael and Carly. Everyone else was kind of blah to me. Jason did OK; it's like he finally came out of his shell, a little bit. I think the right person (one of them, at least) went home this week.

[my minivan is faster than yours]

SOOO great meeting you on Bossy's Road Trip last night! More later, but just checking in to say, "GO DAVID A.!" And I anticipate David C. being back in your top three after Tuesday. Mark my words!