Rosado's Recaps: American Idol - The Cultute of Pop, DVD, Movie, TV, Pop Culture Review

Rosado's Recaps: American Idol

Posted: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 0:48:01 PST

3-09-11

Are we ready for a journey to the Top 10 or what? Good, good group this year, and it's gonna be heartbreaking from the get go to see somebody leave the Idol Class of 2011, even this early..

Let's be honest, there's always been a couple of lucky gents or kittens that managed to slide under the radar in past seasons, but uh-uh....Not this year...and I may be presumptuous in saying so, but I sincerely believe all these fine young men and women will all be successful in whatever avenue of the recording industry they choose to pursue...

Hi again, everybody....TCOP's head honcho Jeffrey Rosado back with you to comment on the first big week of AI 10, so let's dive headlong into the musical pool and relive last night's program, performer by performer...

Alaina-Hate to start off on a so-so note, but while our ingratiaigntly sweet little Georgia peach did a pleasant enough version of Shania Twain's Any Man Of Mine, it wound up sounding like a filler track on a Dolly Parton album. Steven wished she'd done something more kick-ass, Jen repeated her comment from a week back that “(She) didn't need to try,” but basically remained in agreement with Steven, and Randy did the same in kind, although adding “I thought it was good.” Regardless, I think Alaina's devoted fan base will carry her through another week.

Casey-Offers a take on Joe Cocker's version of With A Little Help From My Friends, from the Beatles' landmark Sgt. Pepper platter. Casey manages to not duplicate the Englishman's interpretation entirely, but I felt it didn't contain enough of his own personality. Apparently I'm in the minority with Randy and Steven's smiles promising great commentary before Casey even finishes. Jennifer says it blew her away, while Rands said he “hit all the notes”, and Steven says Casey's “A rainbow of talent”...

Geez, Screamin' Demon, you been reading The Book Of (Paula) Abdul?

Ashthon-(whose name I've been misspelling for weeks, and I apologise) comes thru for me by belting out a Diana Ross tune. However, she's had better nights. (and how frustrating it is to have Motown's legendary creator Berry Gordy for such a moment; it's like going hit less in front of Hank Aaron) Randy felt she sang it well, Steven feels there's a lot more inside her, and Jen praises her perfection, saying she pulled back when she was losing it...

Paul-Ah, the hometown hero...from The Culture of Pop's home base of Huntsville, AL (or as beloved talk show host David Letterman fondly dubs us, Rocket City, USA!). Team McDonald fans knew in advance he was gonna cover a Ryan Adams song, and I while I praise something in a non-commercial direction, I wished he'd picked something a bit more commercial in the early going, and begin experimental mode in weeks to com. Still, I love his stage presence, vocal phrasing, and bopping nature I'm dubbing The Paul (and I want credit for this new dance craze soon to sweep the nation..okay, McDonald?)

Insert smiley face here :-)

Steven loves the character, but feels he was just a little pitchy, Jennifer felt he really moved the audience, and like me, had never heard the song (but from what I have heard of Adams, I've liked).. but that aside, J-Lo liked it...Randy loved it, adding America's loves his character, too...Even Ryan gets into onstage, goofin' about Paul style the stage, while doing the obligatory “if you wanna vote” patter.

Again, the new American dance craze is (insert massive echo, here): The Paul. Dance to it by name!

Pia-All By Myself is Toscano's choice for tonight, and not surprisingly it's the Celine Dion version. Thus, I'm thinking, a repeat of last week's phenomenal take on The Pretender's I'll Stand By You in the guise of a different tune? Possibly. Although I haven't heard the Canadian chest thumpin' cutie's rendition in a while, Pia isn't channeling Celine too much, save for the beginning But as the chorus kicks in, Pia really brings it, along with her already trademark gusto of lung wind power..

J-Lo is at a loss for words...at first, then states Pia managed to top her performance last week. Randy feels she has the vocal qualities of belters like Mariah and Celine, while Steven feels she slammed it on International Women's Day to boot.

James-This guy won me over tonight when he told America my musical hero Paul McCartney was his as well. Bonus? He's gonna do one of my childhood favorites: Maybe I'm Amazed from the McCartney album, a song Macca wrote for his beloved (and sorely missed wife), Linda. With that high range he's blessed with, James takes McCartney's 1970 classic to the top...or“the very top” as John Lennon would say to his Beatle mates in their salad days, encouragingly.

Randy looks like he's gonna be critical at first, but no, no...he's amazed, too. Steven felt James kicked it into the middle of next week, and Jen put a bow on it, saying let the crowd keep on clapping, ending with a wonderful compliment: James has this melodic quality that the best rock singers possess..

Spot on, Jenny from the Block, spot on.

Haley-This beguiling beauty's gonna be singing a little song called Blue by LeAnn Rimes, which brings back a very special memory for me...for I was in the crowd at the very Nashville Fan Fair where they brought out this 13 year old kid to sing a song originally intended for Patsy Cline who died before it was given to her..and LeAnn blew us all away, instigating a very impressive career.

Haley's version unfortunately is a little too wavy, pitchy and not as on target as Rime's was...but still passable, although her performance pales to the stronger ones from earlier in the evening (although I must say Haley looked stunningly beautiful...but hey, can't let that affect my ears like what happened to Keith Partridge on the second season premiere of The Partridge Family; Wiki it, kiddies for the synopsis).

Steven, feels she nailed it (way to go, Steven Partridge), Jenny feels she's got diversity, but Rands agrees with me in a way, but calls it boring and sleepy. I don't think anybody could fall asleep or be bored by somebody in a fetching dress, by golly. But I really like Haley bunches, so fingers crossed for Haley's Helpers to get her back next week.

Jordan-Covering the R. Kelly barn burner I Believe I Can Fly, he's got too much vibrato on his voice at first, but as he hits the chorus, J man takes it to church with those amazing high notes, which may be showy to some, but on this show? Gotta carefully bring it, kids..week in and out. Steven can't even judge it, it's so good for him. Jennifer says Jordan makes people feel what he's feeling. Randy? He feels Dorsey's got a signature sound. Total agreement with Randy on the rough change around the B verse, but mercy, did he ever break loose in the home stretch..and such moments render mistakes irrelevant...all part of the game.

Thia-Who showed the world what I'd known and loved about her all along a week ago, eh? Last night, she took on Michael Jackson's beloved rendition of Charlie Chaplin's 1936 classic, Smile (from the legendary filmmaker's Modern Times, which I can't recommend enough).

While I think it's a bit of a comfy choice compared to last week, I did like the hip hop-ish/jazz groove she gave it after the intro...and felt her vocal was supremely sweet. Randy liked it but didn't like the jazzy arrangement, Steven felt it was a little pitchy, but felt she gave it up, and Jenny felt along the same lines of her male compadres, but liked seeing her move for the first time. Though teary eyed backstage, I've no doubt her fan base and oh so sweet charm will see her through for another week.

It's not journalistic to state, but she is a cutie pie.

Stefano- Positives first, props for choosing a semi-obscure Stevie Wonder track that only true fans know, but I thought he overworked the stage, and perhaps went a little over the top, but everybody else just thought it rocked the house..

Whatever, guys and gal. But with so many stellar vocalists this year, I think Stefano and Haley are on the fence so far.

Karen-Miss Rodriguez has been a huge fan of Selena from her childhood onward, so I'm beyond intrigued to hear her cover one of her tunes tonight, because she didn't cut the mustard last week. But tonight, she did...it wasn't perfect with some vocal inconsistencies, but much improved from a week back. Jen feels she was uncomfortable with the range of notes she had to hit (agreed) and Rands felt she was fighting the song while bringing out the sleepy phrase again (if you're keeping score at home, that's too sleepies tonight from Randy).

So depending on how much pull the judges have on America (and sometimes, they do, kids), Karen might be on the fence, too.

Scottie-Man, this guy's voice is as smooth as butter on a Cracker Barrel biscuit. Puts his own spin on a Garth Brooks tune and makes it his very own; a major accomplishment in my eyes given the Oklahoma bred country legend's signature snarl. Judges all effusive in their praise, but J-Lo nails it commenting Scottie's opening up as a performer..

Future opening act for fellow Idol alum Carrie Underwood? Tell ya what partners, I can see it.

Naima– To go from sweeping the floors of a music festival to a television sound stage in a matter of months. Remarkable. What's not? Choosing yet another Rhianna tune, so I'm a little nervous. Unlike last week? MUCH more comfortable, confident, she's got her game voice on, and groovin so naturally.

But (hey, you knew there was gonna be a but, here), Naima is still having a little bit of breathing under her vocals that's more than just a little distracting. Perhaps she'll watch the playback and hear that shortcoming. Like the Ryan Adams tune Paul covered earlier, I'm not familiar with this tune either, but I've heard enough Rhianna to know Adedpo's not doing a carbon copy. Steven felt it was pitchy, but she brought flavor, while the dancer in Jenny gave a different take by believing in her, although adds a little constructive criticism on her control (agreement from me). Wrapping up the night, Randy basically agreed, but loved the reggae feel she gave it...

So, despite a few clunker notes, another supremely entertaining week leading us to tonight's elimination with huge Idol fave Adam Lambert comin' home (lemme hear Team Lambert screeeeeem!)...and I know you guys are out there...

On the fence to me: Karen, Haley and Stefano, but it all depended on what you did, Idol Nation...

Blog ya later this eve......

 

-J.R.