I’m happy to report that my back is much improved. Amazing how great it is to have pain start going away and be able to move more freely and do more regular stuff. I must start doing my stability ball crunches again. Need that core strength.
Tonight’s theme is music from the 21st century (must have recorded in the 21st century, so actually the songs can originate from the 20th). Wonder how many songs I’ll know? But they started the night with a group sing from eliminated finalists (Ashthon, Karen, Naima, Pia, Thia, and Paul). Have they done that before on a performance night? If so, I’ve forgotten. The girls actually sounded pretty great, but this wasn’t the song for Paul.
Scotty (Swingin’): Okay, he does hold the microphone funny. No argument there. Vocally, I thought this was very fine. Country to the toes. Showed off that bass I love. But I agree with the judges. It was too safe. I think he needs to do more at this time, which is what J-Lo said. The performance was tame, though technically the singing was good. Still, I’m giving him a 4.2. [Knew the song.]
James (Uprising): I’ll bet those drummers right behind the judges made it hard to hear. Performance wise it is the opposite of Scotty. This was full out and showy. But he got screamy, and I don’t think the song itself showed his voice in the best light. J-Lo bets it will be the most theatrical performance of the night. Judges seemed to love it as did the audience. Sorry. It didn’t do it for me. I was going to give him the same score as Scotty (one had the voice; one had the performance) but then I heard the scream again and knocked off a bit. 4.0. [Didn’t know the song.]
Haley (Rolling the Deep): Oh, she wasn’t wearing a super short skirt that was in danger of exposing way too much. That was nice. And I liked the singing fine. Not a blow-me-away performance but nice. Hmm. I find myself not very excited. Oh, why not. I’ll give her a 4.2. [Didn’t know the song.]
Jacob (Dance With My Father): The pre-performance showed him all choked up in rehearsals. There’s a flub (I don’t think he could hear in his ear piece). But he recovered quickly. Still, he didn’t move me emotionally, and I didn’t think the song showed off his vocals. Judges seemed pretty moderate even as they said it was good. Well, he gets a 4.0 from me. [Didn’t know the song.]
So far, this is not a night that’s going to go down as a favorite. Why is it, with all of this talent and kids who are having fun this year and a fun-loving (if not constructively critical enough) judging panel, that I go week after week without a real WOW moment? That’s not to say there haven’t been performances I’ve appreciated but I would really like to be blown away.
Casey (Harder to Breathe): Hmm. I’m getting a little tired of the gritted teeth with every song. I mean, sometimes it just feels wrong. I guess he was having a really, really good time, and he did kiss J-Lo’s cheek at the end. (I think she was embarrassed.) But I was not impressed, although it wasn’t awful. Maybe I’m in a mood. Sigh. 4.1. [Didn’t know the song.]
Stefano (Closer): Yes, I really must be in a mood. Didn’t like this. He was off-key more than once, and the song did nothing to show off what he can do. So far my least favorite of the night. 3.8. [Knew the song slightly.]
Lauren (Born to Fly): Very good. Perfect kind of song for her. And she does have more voice than she thinks she does. But once again, I thought this was rather safe. Might as well stick with the tried and true. 4.2. [Knew the song.]
Favorites tonight? I really and truly had no favorite tonight. At the end of the night, the judges raved about what a great night it was. Really?
In danger? I’m thinking Stefano or Jacob.
~robin
It was a “safe” night in my opinion. No one really outdid themselves (though I actually enjoyed Casey’s performance.) I like Scotty the best, but he definitely could have picked a better song and blown everyone else away. I was not impressed by his performance in the least, although I knew the song–the ORIGINAL version from the 70s/80s.
If others think it was a safe and ho-hum night, it could be interesting who goes home tomorrow. I'm just hoping for a totally blow my socks off week next week.
Haha. You didn’t like much of anything last night, did you? I’ll agree that it wasn’t a fantastic night. But I’m a big fan of Muse, and I listened to the song by Muse after the show was over, and James did a really good job on it. A couple of the high notes were a little off. But I remember, you never liked Adam’s screeches, either. 🙂 And that’s fair enough. Those are the kind of things you either like or don’t like…not much middle ground. I though Haley nailed “Rolling in the Deep.” Again, there was one specific note that troubled her a couple of times, but otherwise, I think it was a perfect song for her. I do hope we are both right about who leaves tonight, though. See you then!–Jeff
No, I guess I was Miss Grumpy Pants last night. <g> Actually, I've given both much higher and much lower scores in the past. Last night everybody (to me) felt grouped in a B+ or A- area. Nobody was awful. Nobody to me was a stand out. Although James did perform the heck out of that song and he very much looked the part. Nope, never liked Adam's screeches either (or any of their predecessors).
I will be stunned beyond words if someone other than Stefano or Jacob goes home tonight.
I kind of thought it was cheating for Scotty to do a John Anderson song from the early eighties, say it was a Leanne Rhimes song because she happened to record it this millennium, and then do the John Anderson version. In that case, why have a theme? You’ll probably be able to find a rerecording of pretty much any somewhat popular song you want to sing to get past the already very mild restrictions…
Plus of all the country songs in the world, why that one? I never liked Swingin’ – it is so monotonous. The verse is pretty much three notes repeated over and over again. Not a song to showcase anything. And then I don’t think he sang it well on top of that. Pfft.
I didn’t like James’ song, and thought that whole performance was just over the top. But I do like James.
Jacob was bearable last night – he has a good voice, and the vocal histrionics and odd facial expressions were absents. I wanted to yell at Randy that, no, please, don’t tell him to go ‘full out’, because I hate it when he goes into full overblown mode. This was his best performance in a while.
Haley sounded beautiful on the verses, but had a few pitch problems during the chorus. When she sings well, she sings very, very well.
Stefano does nothing for me. Never has.
Lauren just seems out of her depth, but she did passably well, and since she was in the ‘sweet spot’ at the end I don’t think there is much risk of her going home. But she might take some votes from Scotty in the country crowd, and I could see him ending up in the bottom three this week with that performance.It might be a nice wake-up call for him. But he probably won’t. ;0)
I liked Casey’s performance – I like when a contestant takes a song and makes it something totally different, but in a good way. (Adam Lambert’s Ring of Fire comes to mind as an example of doing a different thing with a song in a really bad way.)
I want Stefano going home, but I’d not miss him, Jacob, Lauren or Scotty that much.
Wow, Birgit. Thanks for sharing your review of the show. (Tell us how you really feel. LOL!!) No, seriously. I love reading the other opinions of viewers. Sometimes they even make me change my mind a little. Although I wasn't totally an Adam Lambert fan, I do remember he did a few songs that totally blew me away, and it was when he took a song and turned it on its ear.
I, too, wasn’t overly impressed with anyone last night. Scotty has been my favorite since auditions, and, like you and all your commenters, I was disappointed in his song choice. Boring!!
For me, James was the best of the night, even though I don’t like that kind of music. Actually, I hated James in the auditions…can’t stand that scream. But he has grown on me through the weeks, and I really like him now, even if I’m not wild about his genre.
I actually am predicting Scotty and Lauren in the bottom 3 this week…Jacob too. And Jacob will go home.
By the way, just have to say this…with regard to the group singing appearance. This is a big pet peeve that I have. Paul was fully clothed, but all the girls had on very trampy-looking outfits…super tight, super short, super low-cut. I don’t understand why women dont’ realize they can be sexy without baring nearly their whole body. I thought every single one of them looked sluttish…and there was Paul fully clothed.
Though she does not deserve it I suspect that Haley will at least be in the bottom three and possibly go home.
The bottom 3 for me was Lauren, Stefano and Scotty.. I am simply not all that country. Even though I am not a fan I thought Casey did pretty good.
Suspect that, in the end, Scotty and Lauren will survive and make it to the top 3. Of course I am usually way off. 🙂
Oh, most of the time he was great and did good things with the songs he picked. Making “Ring of Fire” a sort of middle-Eastern ballad didn’t sound so great, though… ;0)