AI7: Cats Can Sing?

It was a fun night on Idol as Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber schooled the contestants in an honest and often sassy way.  It was also quite entertaining with some really good performances, a dramatic stutter-start, and a bit of a train wreck.

Of yesterday's "advice" post, myself and EW's Michael Slezak only had one of our song suggestions each taken on by the Idols... and both were successes.  As predicted, we didn't get through the night without ALW's most iconic song sung... but who ended up doing "Memory" was the Idol who I least expected to take it on... and the result, well...

Here is my Top 3... or should I say, Top Half... things are getting down to the wire:

David C ("Music of the Night" from Phantom) - I thought this would be a good fit for David thinking he could "creep" it up pretty well.   However, I was expecting he would give it his usual rock edge, but for the first time this season, David sang it pretty much "as is."  And not going for the change-up, was well... a nice change. 

Syesha ("One Rock 'n Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express) -  I have not been shy expressing my disdain from Syesha for most of this season... but if last night was her "true self"... well, where the heck have has this been?  She wisely stayed away from the predictable (the big diva song)... didn't go for a note that reached to the stratosphere and back... but delivered an entertaining performance and looked great doing it.  With the numbers dwindling and her overall popularity in question, staying out of the Bottom 3 from this point on is going to be a challenge... but she certainly deserves to stay based on this performance.

Carly ("Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar) - I got a little excited when Carly started her "master class" with "All I Ask of You" (one of my all-time fave ALW songs), but when the Lord poo-poo'd her opening notes and suggested she try the rock anthem and Slezak's suggestion of "Superstar" it proved to be the far better choice pretty much instantaneously.  It was nice to see Carly feel comfortable out there and genuinely happy... sure it got a bit shouty, but ALW's stuff (particularly his earlier work) does tend to go there.  One of my all-time favorite theater moments was at an intermission for Evita when an elderly gentleman seated next to me turned to his wife and asked... "Why does she have to sing so loud?"

David A ("Think of Me" from Phantom) - While I don't think he is any danger thanks to his adoring tween fanbase, "Archie" didn't blow me away last night.  While I was impressed that he did turn this song sung by and operatic diva into a pretty contemporary sounding pop ballad... it ultimately was a bit too snoozy for me and didn't allow him to hit those trademark soaring notes that make him stand out.

Brooke ("You Must Love Me" from Evita) - Oh boy, where do we start?  I am not a fan of the song.  This was one of those add-on songs for the movie version.  These days whenever a musical makes the transition to the big screen a song is added, pretty much with intent of earning an Oscar nomination for best original song.  But even when Madonna as Evita warbled out this angsty dirge, the overwhelming thought running through my head was... DIE ALREADY!   

But back to Brooke.  I simply guffawed (yes, guffawed!) when ALW said of Brooke's initial run-thru... "I don’t think that girl had a clue about what she was singing about."  Snap!   So granted she does get to capturing the desperation of the song, but then we get the performance and she freezes on the first line and requests the band start over... marking her third re-do... the first one during Hollywood week and marginally forgivable a few weeks back during "Every Breath You Take" when she was only had to re-boot her own piano opener, but an entire orchestra?!?  Eeek.  While I feel bad from her, she is cracking under the pressure and it is pretty cringe-inducing.  She's not cut out for this anymore and I hope the voting public did her a favor and didn't send sympathy votes her way... that said, the implosion was not enough to land in my bottom spot of the night...

Jason ("Memory" from Cats) - As I keep saying, I knew someone would sing it... I just never in my wildest imagination thought it would be Jason.... and I am sure most people would agree, Jason included, that there were probably better choices out there... if we were only let in, ala Carly, what his "second choice" song was maybe we would have known what could have been.  That said, it could have had potential okay, but the confidence wasn't there and it's just too much of a big-belting show-stopper to be successfully reinvented.

That said, I enjoy the kid... and best. bumper. EVER!  I won't embarrass myself to tell you how many times we re-wound it, just to watch Jason say of the song "I didn’t know a cat was singing it"... the facial expression and stoned/duuuude delivery was priceless.  Also highly humorous was Jason's face when ALW told him a "ancient old glamourpuss" sings the song... or Jason timidly said "Oooh, I'm kinda nervous... it's like... a popular song."   This alone was worth the price of supremely bad song choice.

As far as tonight's elimination, from this point on it seems that anyone not named David is in danger... though when it does happen, and it likely will, I suspect Cook will land in the bottom group before Archuleta.  Given the above, I don't feel Carly or Syesha deserve to go... but at least one of them will under the dimmed lights... Jason seems primed for a second trip to the bottom, but given she was alone with Kristy Lee last week, I'm guessing America is probably done (and lost patience) with the Nanny Brooke.  But I've been wrong pretty much every week of late, so who knows...

Comments

[Jeff]

Yay, Carly!

David C didn't blow me away, but it was a very straight-on performance of "Music of the Night," which I have to admire. Yeah, I think Brooke might be next to go, which is sad — I really like her voice, and there were actually a few moments in the middle of "You Must Love Me" where she finally looked confident and strong — but she's been kind of waning.

[Scott-O-Rama]

Ugh. I can't stand most of Andrew Lloyd Weber's stuff. Outside of a few good songs, he's the most overrated composer EVAH!!!