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

Rosado's Recaps-American Idol

Posted: Thu, 5 May 2011 1:24:38 PDT

Week Of May 4^th, 2011

 

         Michael Brecker/Fox

Well, let's see if returning to writing is like riding a bike, shall we?

Greetings from Alabama once more, loyal readers and followers. Yes, we're still a little heavy of heart down here, picking up the pieces...but like the words of a favorite song of mine, the heart of Dixie is “feeling stronger every day” (now, THERE'S a song I'd like a future Idol hopeful to do...why not a Chicago night next season, Nigel & Ken?!)

Thanks to the folks at FOX and my local FOX affiliate WZDX, I got the chance to see last week's Carole King night and companion results show, so some brief thoughts before I begin this week's recap:

Jacob made an amazing comeback with a stunning Oh No! Not My Baby (one of my all time fave King compositions), Scotty did a halfway decent You've Got A Friend and James did a way cool take on Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow....Lauren and Haley were not bad but certainly not memorable with their song choices, but boy, Casey wasn't one to forget...and not in a positive way (although kudos for picking a semi-obscure cut in Hi-Dee-Ho (That Old Sweet Roll)

But you know what? Casey came as far as he could go...I tip my hat and wish him nothing but the best for what will no doubt be a musically interesting debut record...I certainly wanna hear it, I'll tell you that...

Now, movin' on...

Is it Top Five Week already? Three weeks 'til the annual guest star loaded shebang? (no William Hung jokes, please..) – Wowzers. Pia Toscano we hardly knew ye.

James-Two words. Absolute. Roll. What can stop this guy? Well, we found out this week...slightly. But, at first during a night when all five performers had two turns in the center ring, Durbo worked the crowd like a master showman belting Thirty Seconds To Mars' recent smash Close To The Edge in yet another winner of a showcase.

But talk about doing a 180 in his second appearance. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect James to perform something so alternately tender and emotion packed as Harry Nilsson's Grammy winning masterpiece Without You (co-written by Beatles protegees Pete Ham and Tommy Evans from the sorely underrated power pop band Badfinger).

Thinking of his wife and young son, James barely kept his tears in check resulting in a performance that wasn't technically winning...but on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of emotion? Heartfelt salute from me. Given his amazing consistency all season long, I know I'm not alone in his enormous fan base in saying it's more than okay to be so achingly open when you feel like it. Personally, I don't want a paint-by-numbers emotionally defunct singer at the finish line of this competition...I want a real person...and James is beyond real...He's the real deal to me.

 

Song One: A-

Song Two: B

Final Grade: B+

 

Lauren-Been a tough last few weeks for Mrs. Alaina; gotta be so frustrating when you're giving it your all only to have the judges bring you down (without meaning to, of course).

But the constructive critiques paid dividends last night. Two wonderful performances from Lauren, especially her cover of Carrie Underwood's Flat On The Floor which displayed a playfulness in her stage presence that's been lacking lately. Unchained Melody sounded equally impressive, though I have to dock off a few points due to a homestretch that sounded like it was going to evolve into a Fantasia/Summertime moment, but Lauren either couldn't or wasn't going to attempt an untried high note. Still, she looked beyond beautiful and delivered an above average take on what can be either a killer cover song or over the top momentum killer.

 

Song One: A

Song Two: B

Final Grade: B+

 

Jacob: Another “whaaa?” moment from me at the end of Jacob's first performance (his cover of Jordin Sparks' No Air, the duet with that guy). Why does Randy wanna play Dr. Frankenstein and mold Mr. Lusk into the next Luther Vandross? What's wrong Jacob with being himself?

So, two back to back performances with such quality and individuality from last week to this point had me thinking oh, man! What's the comeback kid gonna do for song two tonight?!

End result: Like Cinderella's coach going back to pumpkin (Love Hurts, indeed). Over the top theatrics returning in abundance and a mouth wider than Charlie Brown's ARGH! moments on the pitcher's mound.

Seriously, when the judges started critiquing, and the cameras alternated between Jacob and them, I thought Lusky was on the verge of either having an aneurysm or about to collapse Marie Osmond/Dancing With The Stars-style on the stage.

 

Song One: A-

Song Two: C-

Final Grade: C

 

Scotty: Okay, okay; I'll quit being all Len Goodman-ly on Mr. McCreedy...But doggone, his country commotion-in' all over the stage fit the Montgomery Gentry tune Gone rather effectively. Better? A nice, faithful cover of Elvis Presley's Always On My Mind (via the hit Willie Nelson arrangement of 1982).

Way to cut down on the sneers and vocal runs, kid...But what's with the Scotty The Body stuff, huh? Eek.

 

Song One: A-

Song Two: A

Final Grade: A

 

Haley: Over the last few weeks, I've really had my feelings change about Haley...Yeah, I'll admit to it: Those ready made cover girl looks really drew me in/determined my gradings at first...But now? I'm hearing the soul of a young lady who really wants to be an artist, and a rootsy one at that.

Last night, she succeeded with me on two levels. For starters, how courageous is it to perform an untested tune by one of the hot musical flavors of the moment in Lady Gaga? So, you're out there trying to do justice to a song that hasn't been heard before (You and I), and there's also the disadvantage of doing a tune that hasn't been embedded into your brain 10,000 time prior. Given those circumstances, it wasn't half bad.

Then, coming back out, and doing the best cover of House Of The Rising Sun since The Animals did it way back in '64? No flat notes, beyond authentic, brilliant! In other words, Haley not only had her Fantasia moment, she may have just put herself in the running to be in the final three.

...and okay, she's still hot, all right?!

 

Song One: B-

Song Two: A+

Final Grade: A

 

So, my picks for bottom three status?: Jacob, Scotty and James...and my pick to say see ya?: Jacob.

Respond with your thoughts via my Twitter and Facebook hangouts via those magical icons above, brethren...and remember, like Reverend Randy would say, live your life like you're “in it to win it!!!!”

 

 

RETURN TO HOME PAGE-BOOKMARK US!