American Idol-Season 7 Part 2

[cruzila]

^ totally!!!

 

[Lila64]

What I wouldn't give for a shocking upset this week and see Archie take a hike.

Of course it won't happen. I heard Syesha wasn't her best tonight.

And watch out for boo

 

[AngelofHarlem01]

Hmm the only performance of the night that I thought was particularly good was David A's first song. Everything else just seemed rather routine.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I hate to say it, but D. Cook was the best tonight.

His 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' was not only the strongest performance of the night....it was easily my favorite performance of his throughout this ENTIRE competition. Good pick, Simon.

I freakin' LOVE 'I don't want to miss a thing' and it's kinda hard to screw that one up.

But, unfortunately, Cook did screw up when he picked that shitty arrangement of that shitty Switchfoot song. Switchfoot? Seriously? Give me a little bit of a break, David Cook. Still, he was the best of the night.

Syesha was very, very sexy on 'Fever'. I enjoyed that performance, but she's gone.

Archie singing Dan Fogelberg might not be the best choice but 'Longer' is a gorgeous song, even though it seemed like maybe Simon had never heard it
before.

So I guess congratulations are in order for David Cook.......I'll still give him one of these, though.

 

[Lila64]

I don't know the Switchfoot song - watched it once on YouTube earlier today. I do know & like the Collective Soul song I thought he was rumored to do. I'll have to be a-votin' tonight for DC

 

[U2isthebest]

Syesha needs to go. Broadway is calling.

 

[Lila64]

 

[Allanah]

Alcohol + Idol = happy fun times! I'm bored and not tired in the least, so this'll be long.

Round 1 -

Archie: I feel a little silly for not knowing "And So It Goes," (maybe if I heard the original I'd recognize it) but I thought it was really, really pretty. Probably my favorite performance of his, honestly. Very nice, and a great song choice from Paula. Archie needs to work on his breath control, though. He was almost gasping between each line. Still, good work, grasshopper.

Syesha: I'm surprised that I really, really liked this. I love me some Alicia Keys, so the song choice was a strike against her in my mind -- you just can't compare to the original. But her voice was great and she actually changed up the melody a bit. Good for her. And she looks freakin' gorgeous. Wow.

David Cook: I figured this would be awesome or a trainwreck. Fortunately, this was very, very awesome. Goosebump-y, even. Simon knows how to pick a song. I would actually buy this from iTunes, even. I love this song, and David's rendition was really beautiful.

Winner: all three of them brought it, but Cook by a mile.

Round 2 -

Archie: Okay, listening the whitest boy who ever whited sing "my boo" and "shawty"? Is comedy gold. I liked that he tried something recent, but it was Just. So. Wrong. And the low notes were horribly off-key. Vocally, his worst of the season. I also caught some flubbed lyrics, and I felt like he was rushing to keep up with the tempo.

Syesha: Was this cabaret? Very. Do I care? No. I really love how she's come out swinging here. The judges were absolutely dead-on with the "This is not current" theme, but honestly, Syesha is a future Broadway star. This is the kind of thing she needs to sing. And once again, her vocals were spot-on. No shriekiness, and her high notes didn't go sharp for once. Work it, girl.

David: Surprisingly, Paula(!) nailed the critique on this one -- 90 seconds is not long enough for "Dare You To Move," which I shamefully actually like. The song is all about that slow build to the chorus, so the truncated version sounded like it ended too soon. Would have been a good choice if he'd had three minutes. And his high notes were strained and a little off -- he's either getting sick or his voice is just shot.

Winner: Syesha.

Round 3 -

Archie: I remember liking this song when I was 5 years old. I have since realized that it sucks. You know how some songs are cheesy? Well, that was the musical equivalent of Velveeta. What the hell, producers? He did sing it well, and I wouldn't put it past the kid to pick this kind of song for himself. Well-sung but incredibly boring.

Syesha: Yet another sandbagging by the producers. I actually liked this; Simon was right in that it's young and fun. He was also right in that it's not the kind of "moment" song that you want to end the night on. She sang it well, though, and was the only contestant of the night to not go off-key at any point. Well done. It's the Idol That Wouldn't Die! And deservedly so, based on tonight.

David Cook: Remember when Josh Gracin sang this? Yeah, that sucked. Thankfully, this didn't. Really well-sung. The violins were kind of weird and intrusive instead of a pretty background, but I hate this song anyway, so what do I know? Another one of those "moment" performances, even if I'd take "Little Sparrow" over this any day. I'm judging this on an Idol-scale, not a what-would-I-buy scale. Diane Warren blows.

Winner: David Cook. Shut up, Randy. You're an idiot. I know you're biased towards Archuleta, but calling his last song "the bomb"? Sorry, not buying it. Simon is biased towards Cook, but at least he's right.

If this show was fair (and it isn't), Cook and Syesha would go through to next week. I still think it'll be a David vs. David finale, though. And a giant gold star goes to Paula, for being the most coherent(!), impartial(!!), and thoughtful(!!!) judge of the night. Who'da thunk it?

And for God's sake, these kids need a nap. They all look exhausted.

 

[corianderstem]

Color me old, but I am absolutely shocked that neither Lila nor Allanah had ever heard Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" before.

 

[Allanah]

Heh. I surprised myself a little with that one, because I pride myself on being fairly musically savvy. I can only think of one other song this season that I didn't know (Archuleta doing "You're the Voice"). It's weird to immediately recognize a Roberta Flack song that's older than I am but not know some Billy Joel.

But... I have this thing about Billy Joel. Meaning I kind of hate him through no fault of his own. I used to work in a restaurant/bar that played the same goddamned CD every day -- it was about an hour and a half each of Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, and Bruce Springsteen. I could handle the Boss and Sinatra, but by the end of the Billy Joel set I was ready to stab myself with something sharp and rusty. And even when he writes good songs, I don't care for his voice (I run into the same thing with Bob Dylan and Neil Young).

But like I said, I might know the song if I heard the original. Archie seems to be allergic to singing the melody of any song he takes on, so not recognizing it didn't surprise me. As far as "old" goes -- I'm 25, if that helps any.

 

[Lila64]

I've always disliked Billy Joel, so don't be surprised that I don't know this. I know his few hits, and that's a few too many

And cori, don't go changin' to try & please me

I really enjoyed Cook's performances tonight. Watched the first and third ones twice. I really want to hear a full version of
'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'. I thought it was a brilliant song choice last week when I read it, and thought he'd perform it well. As Simon said, round one went to Cook & Cowell

 

[CTU2fan]

Pretty much agree with everything Allanah said about last night (which saves me some typing heh). Except for the Paula part...once again she completely pissed me off. Hello Paula, if you insist on spending the entire season in a stupor where you're so artificially positive that you'd praise the originality of a dung-flinging monkey onstage you can't suddenly start offering criticism to a particular singer (Syesha) without sounding like you have an agenda. FOAD Paula.

Oh and it's official, Archu sucks. He really does. Not in the "can't sing" sense, because he can sing...but Jesus Christ he actually managed to water down Dan Fogleberg AND Billy Joel.

I think Syesha needs to get some credit here for stepping up her game for several weeks running and outlasting people to get to the final 3. It's kind of like when a team unexpectedly makes it to the Final 4 in the NCAA's. It's been written in stone for months now that Cook and Archie are booked for the final, so being the best of the rest is an accomplishment.

If it really ends up being the Davids in the final I may break down and vote...for Cook...until my fingers bleed.

 

[Bonochick]

David Cook needs to win.*

Syesha needs to go on Broadway.

David Archuleta needs to get off my TV.

*He'd probably be better off actually not winning and doing his own thing...but I just hate to see either Syesha or David A. beat him when I like him so much more.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

David Cook needs to win.*

Syesha needs to go on Broadway.

David Archuleta needs to get off my TV.

*He'd probably be better off actually not winning and doing his own thing...but I just hate to see either Syesha or David A. beat him when I like him so much more.

how the hell did you get inside my head like that BC....

 

[Golightly Grrl]

American Idol-Top Three Perform

Before we get to the night’s proceedings Ryan let’s us in on the thrilling three’s day jobs. David A is daddy’s puppet. Syesha toils as a mean girl. And David C works as a broke-ass musician (AKA bartender).

But which one will call “Idol Winner” their new job? A lot hinges on Tuesday night’s performances. The contestants will sing three songs, one chosen by the judges, one chosen by themselves, and one chosen by the producers. This should be interesting...I hope.

Round One-Judges’ Pick

Paula chose Billy Joel’s “So it Goes” for the boy king, David A. Well, Paula must have had a lucid moment because this was actually a good choice. I like how David started singing a cappella. It showcased the richness of his voice. Plus, his performance was void of the usual overwrought boy-bandish embellishments that have marred his previous performances. I guess not being under the smothering influence of Daddy Dearest Archuleta has paid off. David’s first performance was a great way to start the night. Hey, Mildred, what’s that? Are pigs actually flying?

Randy chose Alicia Key’s “If I Ain’t Got You” for Syesha. If I ain’t got you, Syesha, I guess I’m doing okay. As I’ve mentioned before, Syesha has a lovely voice, but I feel nothing when she performs. She never seems to connect with the song. She’s a performer but not an artist. Plus, I don’t think this is a good song choice. Syesha can’t help but get compared to the notable Alicia Keys and it’s not in her favor. And on a shallow note, I miss her natural afro. This weave makes Syesha look so generic.

Simon picks Roberta Flack’s classic “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” for David C. To be honest, David looks less than thrilled what Simon chose for him to sing. It could be a stretch for this season’s rocker boy. However, all doubts are dissipated once David starts singing. Though this song is different than what David usually sings, he’s up to the challenge. His voice shows range that I don’t think we’ve ever heard before, and he conveys both the tenderness and vulnerability of the lyrics. The contestants are often told to make a song their own, and David actually does it. Granted I’m a bit biased because David is my favorite of this season but I think this is one of the best performances in the season. And is that Mama and Daddy Cook in the audience? Aww, it’s so sweet.

Round Two-Contestants’ Pick

David A decides to go contemporary and sings Chris Brown’s “With You.” It’s good to see David sing a more upbeat and sing a catchy song, but it’s so odd to hear this human Wonder Bread use the word “boo.” And I also think he messed up some lyrics but I’m not sure. His voice seemed to falter over some of the words. Hip-hop flavored R & B is just not the right genre for him. However, if the producers of the KidzBop CDs need someone sing this song for their next release of watered-down musical covers, David is their boy.

Syesha sings “Fever” and that rumbling is Peggy Lee rolling in her grave. I think it would be funny if Syesha fell off her chair (and you call Syesha a mean girl, GolightlyGrrl?). Syesha vamps it up like a two-bit chantoosie and once again my mind wanders during her performance. I can only think of how other contestants would sing this song. If I’m not mistaken, Paris from season 5 sang “Fever” and did a fabulous job, and she’s nearly ten years younger than Syesha.

David C sings Switchfoot’s “Dare You to Move.” I’m not very familiar with this song. The song seems too low in the beginning for David’s register. And just as the song gets going it ends. It really didn’t show David’s skills as a singer and performer. I found this round very tepid, not even his electric guitar excites me. I hope the next round is better.

Round Three-Producers’ Pick

David A sings “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg. I’m not a fan of this lite-AM 1970s song, but I’m sure baby boomers everywhere are getting misty-eyed with nostalgia. “I danced to this song at my prom, man.” Not surprisingly, David makes this song very sickly sweet and now I have diabetes. Thanks, kid. And the waving hands in the mosh pit are really starting to get on my last nerve. Do these young whippersnappers know what actually happens in a mosh pit?

Syesha sings”Hit Me Up” by Rihanna. Oh, don’t tempt me. Sure, the song is catchy but I can barely recall it only a minute after she performs. At this point in the game Syesha has to bring the “Wow Factor.” Instead, she brought the “meh factor.” If it's up to me, Syesha won’t make it to next week.

David C sings Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing.” Gee, what are the producers smoking? They have just picked the most boring songs for the contestants to sing, including David’s schlockmeister pick. Of course, David brings this song his all and does a decent job. However, it can’t compare to his first performance of the evening. I think it’s that performance that will carry him to next week.

Well, performance night was an odd night. I liked the two Davids’ first round performances but most of the night was a bit lacking. I was hoping the contestants would have better song choices but they disappointed me. And the producers totally threw the contestants under the bus with their piss poor choices. David C, David A and yes, even Syesha deserved better.

 

[Bonochick]

David A decides to go contemporary and sings Chris Brown’s “With You.” It’s good to see David sing a more upbeat and sing a catchy song, but it’s so odd to hear this human Wonder Bread use the word “boo.” And I also think he messed up some lyrics but I’m not sure. His voice seemed to falter over some of the words. Hip-hop flavored R & B is just not the right genre for him. However, if the producers of the KidzBop CDs need someone sing this song for their next release of watered-down musical covers, David is their boy.

 

[U2isthebest]

Your recaps are better than the show.
Btw, not to nitpick, but Paris was 16 in her season, so she's 18 now. Syesha's 21, so there's only a 3 year age gap.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I freakin' can't wait for Ms. Carrie Underwood's obligatory appearance at next week's season finale....

She gets three drools from me. What a sweetheart. I'm gonna ask her to marry me one of these days.

 

[Sicy]

I always thought you were a girl

 

[corianderstem]

He likes Girls Aloud partly because they're hot.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I always thought you were a girl

Haha no it's all good Sicy.

I kinda sorta regret picking this as my user name....Not really, though.

Anyway, yeah, I'm a healthy 22 year old young man.

And I like British pop music and I haven't missed an episode of American Idol in its 7 year existence........a little bit weird, yeah, so I could totally see how you thought I was a girl.

 

[Daddysgonnapay]

I agree it was a strange night on AI last night

Why would a 21 year old girl pick that song to showcase her talent?
Why would a 17 year old boy pick a hip-hop song with the lyric of "my boo" in it? the most unbelievably lame song he could have picked
Why would DC pick a song no one has heard and then sing it so boringly?

and I agree...what were the "Producers" smoking to pick ANY of those songs?

this has been the most unexciting season of AI that I can recall...I really don't care who wins at this point and it almost seems that neither do the contestants

 

[Sicy]

Haha no it's all good Sicy.

I kinda sorta regret picking this as my user name....Not really, though.

Anyway, yeah, I'm a healthy 22 year old young man.

And I like British pop music and I haven't missed an episode of American Idol in its 7 year existence........a little bit weird, yeah, so I could totally see how you thought I was a girl.

Right on

 

[LemonMelon]

David A sung about shawties??? Holla

 

[joyfulgirl]

David Cook's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was memorable. Everything else was a snooze.

 

[Daddysgonnapay]

^I agree DC sounded great on that song

 

[Zoots]

this has been the most unexciting season of AI that I can recall...I really don't care who wins at this point and it almost seems that neither do the contestants

I agree. Granted, I've only been watching since last season.

 

[Slipstream]

I freakin' can't wait for Ms. Carrie Underwood's obligatory appearance at next week's season finale....

She gets three drools from me. What a sweetheart. I'm gonna ask her to marry me one of these days.

I didn't think much of her when she was on the show but wow, has she got hot!

 

[Daddysgonnapay]

Fantasia

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

"Next week will be a humdinger"