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Last night’s elimination episode of American Idol scuttled its chances for drama once again, with the final “who’s in the top 12″ showdown being between the heavy favorite (this time, Adam Lambert, above) and the week’s comic relief (Nick “Normund Gentle” Mitchell) for the second straight week. Given that there was an actual surprise during the proceedings—babyfaced worship leader Kris Allen, who performed a shaky rendition of “Man In The Mirror” on Wednesday, made it to the finals despite stronger performances by at least two young ladies who didn’t make the cut—you’d think the producers would try and sequence the show so that people would be inspired to tune in all the way through. Perhaps they haven’t looked at the ratings from Wednesday yet?
Also making it through was Allison Iraheta, the Hot Topic-shopping 16-year-old who rode a competent, yet hollow, version of Heart’s “Alone” into the finals. Which, whatever, she’s only 16, we’ll be hearing that all season. The top 12 is looking pretty white-bread so far, no? Not to mention that you have the self-proclaimed “blue-eyed soul patrol” making it through en masse last week, and this week you’ve got a dude whose fans call him “White Chocolate.” (Look at the tags on the entry linked above.) Perhaps that’s why the producers had the group sing be Ne-Yo’s “Closer”:
How psyched does Matt Giraud look? Good thing the producers put this at the part of the show that comes before crushing everyone’s dreams.
American Idol [Official site]
["Closer" video via MJ]
[Pic via Top Idol]
I forgot to comment yesterday, and this is my department, so I’ll just throw it in today:
Technically, if the theme of these semifinal rounds is “Billboard Hot 100 hits,” at least one contestant cheated. Matt Breitzke’s choice, Tonic’s “If You Could Only See,” never appeared on the big chart; it fell into that misbegotten late ’90s period when “album cuts” weren’t allowed on the Hot 100, despite huge pop and rock radio airplay.
I had to check the other chosen songs to make sure they weren’t cheats, too, but actually all of them made the big chart — albeit occasionally at very low positions (which is fine). Even the country record from last week, Jason Aldean’s “Hicktown,” made the list, along with such low-charters as Elvis’s “A Little Less Conversation” (No. 69, 1968); and Leon Russell’s “A Song for You,” which missed the chart in both its original and beloved Donny Hathaway renditions but scraped the list in 1971 thanks to, no kidding, Andy Williams.
I’ve commented here previously about this, and I’m sure I’ll write elsewhere about it too, but is anyone else as pleasantly surprised and impressed as I am over Idol’s semi-serious attempts to get hipper and more contemporary this year?
* new judge who is actually involved in producing music that is actually being heard on the radio right now
* judge advises contestant to take on not a classic track from Mariah or Stevie but a track from Sara B.
* More than half the songs performed on Wednesday nite came out within “roughly” the last decade (!!!)
* the group sing on Thursday was a freakin’ Ne-Yo song that was actually a huge chart hit within the last 12 months
P.S. Please let the group-sing mean that Ne-Yo will be a “mentor” this season…that would be awesome…
P.P.S. comments on Brooke White? She was less annoying than I remember, but not less-annoying enough (yet) for me to buy her record…
@Rob Murphy: Brooke White really, really wants Carole King’s career in 1971. That song even included a few Tapestry-like chord changes, to say nothing of her piano-playing and overall look/vibe.
I liked, didn’t love, the song. It had a solid hook and, with the right production, could work on A/C or Adult Top 40 radio, but it could’ve used a couple more mini-hooks; I felt like it ran its one hook into the ground.
I’m veering dangerously close to outright annoyance with Kara’s general presence, demeanor and (lack of?)contribution to the show but I don’t know…at the same time, her résumé demands respect. And plus, someone seems to have told her not to scream into the mic.
Speaking of hipper and more contemporary, my latest never-in-a-million-years-American-Idol-related dream is to see a female contestant rock “Cradle” by the Joy Formidable. Alexis? Allison Iraheta? I know “Alone” was a tired choice, but I think she can rip. Or perhaps the quirky voice (and weird dance moves) of Megan Corkey would work better?
What I’m really trying to say is, Maura: thanks so much for the heads up on the Joy Formidable – the mini-LP is brilliant!
@Chris Molanphy: Too true about Brooke wanting to be Carole King circa-Tapestry. The song was just ok, but the lyrics were dreadful.
@chim_richalds: To the Joy Formidable: Please come to America ASAP! I am about ready to wear out the 1s and 0s that comprise your album on my iPod! Thx.
you know, i’d never watch these results shows if i weren’t writing about idol. dull, dull, dull.
[blogs.houstonpress.com]
Even fastforwarding through it on 3-speed was a total chore.
It may be white-bread, but on the plus side, it’s at least 150% more gay. If only Danny Noriega were around to see this.
@chim_richalds: I liked 16 a lot, too. She reminded me of Kelly Clarkson. She even looks a bit like Kelly.
I’m sorry, but I must bring this to everyone’s attention:
[gawker.com]
@Rob Murphy: dude, we posted this months ago.
[idolator.com]
@Maura Johnston: No…maybe it didn’t load properly for you, but that’s a link to a comment on that post. If it still doesn’t come up right, look for a comment from commenter “uninspired”.
@Rob Murphy: ohhhh. wow.
@Chris Molanphy: I was fast-forwarding through the show and slowed for a few seconds to see what Brooke was performing (I had actually liked her a lot during her season) and I thought, “huh, this must be a Carole King song I don’t know” and hit the right arrow again.
@Chris Molanphy: I was fast-forwarding through the show and slowed for a few seconds to see what Brooke was performing (I had actually liked her a lot during her season) and I thought, “huh, this must be a Carole King song I don’t know” and hit the right arrow again.