Another Wednesday. Another night of American Idol. We are just three weeks away from the finale. Who's it going to be? My money is on a showdown between Scotty and James. However, I think Lauren could sneak in there. Possibly Haley could too.
The theme for this show is Now and Then. Each contestant will sing two songs tonight. One a current song. The other from the 60's. That's a lot of music to choose from! Sheryl Crow came in to mentor the kids. And here we go:
James (now—Closer to the Edge): Judges loved it. I was not impressed. Maybe one of my least favorite James performances. But to be honest, it may have more to do with song choice and music style. Best I can give him is a 4.0 out of 5.
Jacob (now—No Air): Hmm. I thought he sounded like he had no air. Little bit of disagreement among the judges. It really didn't work as far as I'm concerned. Guess I'll give him a 3.2.
Lauren (now—Flat on the Floor): Sing it, girl!!! Way to go, Lauren. She knocked that one out of the park. Carrie outta be proud. She's getting a 4.9 from this judge.
Scotty (now—Gone): Another great performance from Scotty. Woohoo!!!!!!!! I am always amazed at this kid's assurance on the stage. He's pretty much cured himself of that odd way of holding the mic, too. I'll give him a 4.9 as well.
Haley (now—You and I): This unrecorded Lady Gaga song was a good match for her voice and style and growl. I can't say it was a song I would hurry off to download from iTunes, but I can recognize a solid performance when I see and hear one. Judges gave her a mixed bag of feedback and didn't seem to think the song did her any favors. So I guess I liked it better than they did. She's getting a 4.4.
James (then—Without You): Okay, he cried. Talk about tugging the heart strings. While not an absolutely perfect performance (little pitchy in spots), it was beautiful. "Emotionally perfect" Randy called it. Who can't love a man who loves that much? 4.8
Jacob (then—Love Hurts): Oh, that sounded awful through my TV. Off-key. Pitchy. Screamy. Smarmy. Judges noted his bauble in the middle but said his passion came through. Sorry. Didn't make it to Boise. Although it was better than his first effort. He gets a 3.5.
Lauren (then—Unchained Melody): Oh, my. Was that a lovely dress or what? I danced to this song at my very first high school dance. I even remember the pink dress I was wearing. That was in the 60's, long before the movie Ghost. I wasn't crazy about the arrangement, but she did a beautiful job with it. I'll give her a 4.6.
Scotty (then—Always on My Mind): I got goose bumps on a few of those low notes. Very subtle and tender performance. (Too bad somebody didn't fix that cord on his ear piece that was sticking out a mile.) He did have a few pitchy notes, I think, but overall terrific. He gets a 4.7.
Haley (then—House of the Rising Sun): Hold it. I'm having a flashback. Talk about a perfect song for a singer. Made to growl. And that last note. WOOOOOOO. A standing O from the judges. There was one little spot that keeps it from getting a perfect score, but not by much. 4.95
TONIGHT'S COMBINED RATINGS:
- Scott 9.6
- Lauren 9.5
- Haley 9.35
- James 8.8
- Jacob 6.7
Obviously you can tell who I think should go home tomorrow night. And my favorites this week are:
See you Thursday, Idol fans.
~robin
