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

Rosado's Recaps-American Idol

Posted: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:09:22 PDT

                                                       FOX

Week of April 11th, 2011

“They're gonna put me in the movies...they're gonna make a big star out of me...”

Act Naturally-The Beatles (w/ Ringo Starr on vocals)

...or more like sing naturally, this week, kiddies.

Songs From The Movies night on Idol can either be a stellar evening of performances or tougher to get through than a no-news presidential news conference. Happily the former proved to be the case for the.....well....I'd say 5 out of the eight performances, with tepid reviews for the sixth and seventh...as as for the 8^th I didn't care for at all?

Well, in true cinematic multiplex fashion, let's dim the lights, set our cell phones to vibrate, and enjoy the show...(with nice, cold, refreshing Coca-Cola.....Can you have a couple of cases sent my way, Ryan? Hey, you're from Atlanta; you've got connections, brother...Make it so!)...

Paul: Yet another custom made Nudie suit by way of Nashville as Paul cuts loosey goosey on Bob Seger's classic Old Time Rock and Roll which was given a second life thanks to some guy named Tom Cruise boogeying in his underwear when his wife was...man, was Katie Holmes even born at the time of Risky Business? Don't tell me, Great Pumpkin...I don't wanna know...

While I thought Paul's raspy throat was perfect for this song, he could have sang it even better had he put on an electric six string and stayed on stage with that honey of a sax player (I wouldn't have left her side to start with, actually). Instead, I felt he was only working with limited lung power while running around all over the place. So while it wasn't a mixed moment like Rocket Man, it certainly wasn't the home runs he's had with Tracks Of My Tears and Folsom Prison Blues.

Jeff's Grade: B

Lauren: After a misfire to my ears with Natural Woman a week ago, she's got her hair age appropriate again, and speaking of which, she's doing a perfect fit of a tune courtesy of fellow teen Miley Cyrus's The Climb. Like the judges said, the Lauren from Nashville is back again; complete agreement...and she sang this song perfectly with emotion and that teardrop in her eye which a canny Jennifer Lopez was wise to point out...

...and for the first time in the competition, I see a singer who is going to be a dream to market, and if any good came out of last week's Pia disaster, it's the chance to give this gifted kid a chance to really shine...and I would not be surprised if Carrie Underwood-like moments await her...Well done, Lauren!.

Jeff's Grade: A

Stefano: Yep, my sneer and folded arms were in force as I sat in my living room. He knew his fan base saved him after a rotten last couple of performances. But you know what? Talk about a wise song choice (Boyz 2 Men's End Of The Road). He hit all the right notes, concentrated on singing instead of posing, had great stage presence from start to finish, and a nice key change at the end.

Color me impressed....and like J-Lo said, Stefano was singing to stay...and now, he's singing to win. In the end, the result is stunning..and although I don't think he's strong enough to win this competition, I do think a top four finish may be within his reach, which is a long ways away from what I predicted a few weeks back.

Jeff's Grade: A-

Scotty: The snooze alarm performance of the week. McCountry's take on George Strait's romantic classic Cross My Heart is from a movie called Pure Country. But Scotty's take left me Pure Bored. Artistically? Like treading water and above average karaoke.

However, I didn't hate it...but, I didn't love it...and in my best Jeff Probst voice, it may be Scotty's time to go.

Jeff's Grade: C

Casey: In one of the gutsiest moves I've watched in the history of the show, the bassy loving gent had the balls to go against weekly mentor Jimmy Iovine who wanted the bearded boy to do In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins...and I'm going NO, in much the same fashion as Randy when Pia's fate was announced last week.

While his voice leaves a bit to be desired, and it's a fault I think he should work on, there's no denying the heart of a true artist who's daring do and love for his instrument that makes such flubs dismissible..I loved it...and Casey did what four innovative musicians did when their producer forced them to record a paint by numbers pop song in a rendition so vapid, their original song got a second chance..

To paraphrase The Beatles, Casey sure pleased pleased himself, and us diverse music lovers as well.

Jeff's Grade: A

Haley: Following two weeks of well received performances, it appeared my “curly girl” was on her way to a potential Top Five (or further) finish (especially with Pia gone). But, Haley took a bit of a step back with a hit 'n' miss romp on Call Me. At times, she nailed the difficult vocals..but at others? She was doing more shouting than singing.

Oh no, it wasn't a train wreck at all, but did it pale to her best performances (You Really Got A Hold On Me, Piece Of My Heart, and fan fave Bennie and the Jets)? Absolutely. So she could be in serious trouble along with Scotty.

Jeff's Grade: C+

Jacob: Perhaps my biggest let down of the evening. Because this kid has the pipes to follow in the footsteps of Jackie Wilson (whom he so reminds me of, at times) and Jeffrey Osborne; if you listen carefully, you can hear echoes of those two lengendary vocalist in him.

But in singing against the beat combined with a pretty bad arrangement of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, I wasn't impressed at all...and it's really the only me vs. the judges moment of the night, but maybe I just need to hear Jacob's performance again...but honestly? I don't think my ears will be swayed...and Jacob's time may be gone, too.

Jeff's Grade: C

James: Another rebel child daring to go against the Church of Iovine, opting to let 'er rip with the rarely heard on radio anymore 1980's FM classic Heavy Metal (One Way Ticket To Midnight) from a pre-Van Halen Sammy Hagar. Together with surprise special guitar guest Zak Wylde, Durbin gave yet another flawless performance to rank up there with Maybe I'm Amazed, You Got Another Thing Coming, and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting...

..and in my gutsy move of the moment, I'm gonna call it now. James Durbin will be your next American Idol...if he can continue to deliver high octane performances and pull out a couple of innovative change of pace moments a'la Adam Lambert, I do believe we'll see Durbo have confetti in his eyes come the last week of May.

Jeff's Grade: A+

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