Only three people left on American Idol! And it was the 300th episode! And there was a shoutout to “Idol Gives Back” even though that episode was canceled last year! And the judges spent way too much time fighting, because they are a bunch of children who can’t stand the idea of their time in the spotlight coming to an end next week. Ratings and reactions after the jump.
3. Danny Gokey. Bringing the wedding-band vibe to the night with his soul-yarled version of Terence Trent D’Arby, who, if he was watching last night, must have been punching a soft object nearby. (P.S: Do you think Paula knows that D’Arby has a new, self-released album out under his new name, Sananda Maitreya? Wouldn’t you rather see him perform tonight than Katy Perry?) I also detected a few muffed lyrics in there, or maybe just him not keeping up with the backing singers properly. Also, Simon’s comment about Hokey putting on a “vocal master class” with his raspy, syrupy version of “You Are So Beautiful” was astonishing in its pandering–call me crazy, but I thought his voice sounded super-tired.
2. Adam Lambert. Trying to imagine the scene where Simon was lobbying Bono for the rights to let Adam sing “One” is entertaining. And Adam’s performances were OK; his “Cryin’” was pretty much flawless, and it seemed like a big, black-nail-polished middle finger in the direction of Mister Gokey and his disastrous screeching last week. I did wish that he’d held back a little more on the buildup in “One,” and I was wondering if Simon’s naked plea for people to get out and vote for him after “Cryin’” was a sign that he was throwing his weight behind a Kris/Adam finale.
1. Kris Allen. I felt bad for Kris getting saddled with “Apologize,” a limp noodle of a song, by Randy and Kara (aw, second-tier judges, so sad); his voice never opened up like Ryan Tedder’s does on the studio version of the track, and the performance was, in the end, shrugworthy. But his cover of Kanye West’s “Heartless” was one of those put-it-all-out-there moments, even if it did match up pretty closely with the Fray’s cover, which the band’s publicist helpfully e-mailed to people early this morning:
Kanye West was occupied with getting mad about people impersonating him on Twitter and has not yet commented, but he’s “TOO BUSY BEING CREATIVE” to keep up with silly things like Idol, so give him time. And yes, the cover-someone-else’s-cover schtick was employed to much greater effect by David Cook last year, but I thought that putting himself out there with just the guitar, and no stupid dance moves, was much more effective, and at least brought the show’s aesthetic sort of in line with what music consumers–you know, those people who buy those records that are supposedly the prize at the end of the line?–are into right now. If nothing else, Ryan Seacrest’s overjoyed reactions to Kris’ continued presence in the competetion should have tipped that off; part of Ryan’s duties as the most overemployed man in America put him in touch with current pop trends, and I’m starting to wonder if he should maybe be the new judge who shows the more-tired-by-the-day Randy Jackson to the door.
WHO I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR: Kris and Adam. Stupid two-hour window.
WHO SHOULD GO HOME: When someone whose name starts with “Go” unjustly persists for so, so long, the jokes are hard to resist. Good thing he doesn’t care about all the oh-pinions out there, right?
WHO WILL GO HOME: I don’t know, you guys. I have a nagging feeling that there might be some “Cryin’” tonight.
REVEALING DIOGUARDISM OF THE NIGHT: “Have you ever interpreted a song in your life??” to Simon, who primly thought that Kara and Randy should have re-arranged “Apologize” for Kris, just like he did for Adam’s take on “One.”
[Pic via Rickey]
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I’m worried about Adam, too, especially because The Goke half-redeemed himself with the final performance, which I liked a bit (a bit) better than you. So did Ann Powers at the L.A. Times (and she is most decidedly not a Gokey fan):
“…he touched that empathetic nerve with his rendition of Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher’s ‘You Are So Beautiful,’ a great song that, over the years, has become a greeting card but that through his surprisingly subtle delivery, was renewed. As always, Gokey wasn’t too original, and though Simon Cowell stated otherwise, his technique was just OK. Still he conjured the Kleenex. It was the night’s shrewdest move.”
My only disagreements with the above:
1. “YASB” isn’t a great song; it’s a canonical song that has become so through ubiquity, a song that is in essence awful but by its total lack of guile and pretense has ingratiated itself and become undeniable.
2. The night’s shrewdest move wasn’t Gokey’s, it was Allen’s — the Kanye perf wasn’t just first-rate, it was like a gambit, a total game-changer — like the kid suddenly remembered he was on a reality show and pulled his first true gotcha! of the whole season.
What I loved about the moments after the performance wasn’t just the audience’s and judges’ reactions; it was the well-earned shit-eating grin on Kris’s face, like he had just played the game better than his two competitors for once (and negated Kara’s insipid where’s-the-guitar whining at the same time). Hey Simon — you wanted the kid to have swagger? There’s your swagger right there.
Oh, and P.S. - If it makes you feel any better, I texted like crazy for both Kris and Adam.
I figured that Kris’s version of “Heartless” was something that 5 bands fronted by doofy white guys had already done - you know, the “ironic” rap cover - but nonetheless, for Kris to do that on AI was quite stunning, and I think he pulled it off very well. I was all set for the judges to lambast him, both for song choice and performance, and I was pleasantly surprised when he received praise from all of them.
Was the IGB package really necessary? Really, Powers that Be? You can’t figure out how to do 4 judges/standard amount of songs, but you can shoehorn in a totally out-of-place package to waste time?
I guess it’s about time Katy Perry showed up to assault the Idol audience, huh?
Did anyone else notice that nasty stain on Simon’s t-shirt? Ugh.
Pulling for Kris in the end, and at least a Kris/Adam final. Adam’s vocal chop is undeniable, ditto stage presence (he’ll totally play Tommy in the next revival) but he Lambertizes every song and I’m a little tired of it. I think Kris is more versatile — plus I love a contestant who plays an instrument.
How come no one’s done an “Adam Lambert Sings the Hits!” skit yet, with him screeching midway through random songs? He’s just as hilarious as any of the melisma queens that sings 25 notes where there should be one. Also, his tongue has gotten enough airtime this season to qualify for a primetime Emmy on its own.
In any case, I think last night’s show illustrated once again Idol’s problem in recent years: the two singers they’ve been pushing all season were revealed to have far, far less commercial appeal that the “darkhorse”. I can’t think of a universe where Adam’s “One” or Danny’s “You Are So Beautiful” are on the radio, whereas Kris’s cover of “Heartless” is more the sound of 2009 than either.
@Lampbane: That was from Paula’s make up.
Put The *GO* In Gokey.
Ok, Adam, please lay off the hysterical screaming schtick, you’re in the finals.
@righteousmaelstrom: Up until last night I had liked, if not floved everything Adam had done. His take on “One” though…I disliked it intensely. It didn’t need the drama. It didn’t need the rocker scream (especially since he was following it up with Cryin’, which, let face it, might as well be one long rocker-scream song). It needed the Mad World treatment, and for some reason Adam didn’t do that (shall we blame Simon arranging it for him?)
Also, one thing of note….I think that marked the first time in eight years of watching this show, that Simon directly told the audience to vote, and who to vote for.
I watched the whole show for the first time this season, and I honestly can think the 3 are all equally blah. I can’t really tell them apart.
And to me, as someone who didn’t know “Heartless,” and didn’t know it was a Kanye song, Kris’s performance was just dull.
To quote Mugatu, “I feel like I”m taking crazy pills” when it comes everyone’s adulation of Adam Lambert. You all realize he absolutely terrible, right? I mean, if a guy like him were not involved in this competition and made a record involving the same overblown, predictable (is he going to slow it down or is he going to Axl Rose it up?), Rocky Horror, rock-theater parody act, you’d all be crying foul or you simply wouldn’t care? Do you all put up with this because of the fun involved in following this competition? If so, that’s totally fine. It’s just that every week I try to put my head around why so many ostensibly shrewd and tasteful people rave about this dipshit’s ridiculous performances.
Kris Allen is ok; not great and not bad. But I have to agree with Varina above and ask: isn’t the goofy jam-band guitarist cover of a rap song almost unforgivable now? It’s like when Jason Mraz slips some hip-hop slang into one of his cutesy little hippy pop songs. Cringeworthy. Additionally, the rappy nature of the verses in “Heartless” don’t really lend themselves to “singing”. I thought they were pretty rough. The perfect way for a guy like Cris to get involved with a song like that is to play the Adam Levine role and sing the choruses. Those actually sounded good.
I know everyone is down on the Gokester, but he’s the only one left that can actually sing well. Adam is all mannered flash and pomp and whimpering bathos. He’s up there dressed in his “rocker” “alternative” outfit, but it’s obvious that that has nothing to do with him in reality. It’s like casting the role of the bald punk girl in Empire Records with Robin Tunney. He’s a studio head’s version of what a rocker is.
I’m really hoping that the finale is between Danny and Kris, so that we can watch and listen to two people get up there and actually sing for the prize. I know this is AMERICAN Idol and all, but I’m sick of all the oversimplified big flashing lights spectacle that seems to rake the lowest common denominator into Adam’s camp. Fireworks are stupid and Adam Lambert should only be seen or heard in an actual high school musical.
@anibundel: I agree with much of what you said about Adam and “One.” That should’ve been a whole lot better, and less Lamberty.
Re: Simon, he’s not only on record predicting Lambert’s win, I also think he just has too many memories of his favorites getting dumped. Weirdly, the contestant who jumps to mind isn’t Tamyra Gray or Chris Daughtry but third-place season-six finisher Melinda Doolittle. I have this memory of Simon saying, the night she got dumped (paraphrasing), “America really got this wrong, and you’re an incredible singer.” I’ll never forget his look of horrified shock when Ryan announced Mindy Do’s departure; he seemed totally appalled, in a “I’ll never be complacent about this again” way. Hence, the Adam-related urging last night.
I’m gonna say it — I want Adam to go home tonight. He does one thing, and it’s been irrelevant to music since 1992. He had a potentially transformative moment with “One” and he took the song and ripped it to shreds. I love the guy, but he needs to rein it in big time. He’s this season’s Blake Lewis, and the screech is the new beatbox.
I kinda want Gokey to win and put American Idol out of its misery.
@ThreeGreen: “He’s this season’s Blake Lewis, and the screech is the new beatbox.”
i don’t know if i 100% agree with this assessment — i think that adam has a really great stage presence, for one thing — but i do think that it’s an interesting comparison of two kinda-outdated styles that impressed the judges despite not having much of a commercial track record currently.
@krisskraft: I currently enjoy or have enjoyed Hedwig & the Angry Inch, The Darkness, and Maxi Geil & Playcolt, 80s hard rock, so yeah. I’d buy a Lambert album. I do have to agree that he is doing some dress up, but in a rare first for Idol, is toning it down… a lot.
Danny Gokey is terrible as an artist. He has the affect and voice of a back up singer. I didn’t mind him before, but his continued presence grates.
Man. I’ve been on Team Lambert for as long as anyone, but he just murdered “One.” I can’t even pretend. The whole reason “One” works is because it’s understated, and he goes and shriekifies it. And then he has to go and delve into Comeback Aerosmith, the worst sort of Aerosmith, and it just…ugh. Ugh. When I come away from the first three songs thinking that Gokey might have actually done better than Lambert…I don’t even know anymore.
Lambert’s going to have a fine commercial career, but it’s only because teens aren’t going to know better at first. If he lasts for more than one album, it’ll be because he realizes shrieking will only take you so far. That, or The Gays!
But kudos for Kris for stealing the show! What I liked about it was that it wasn’t just a white guitar player “ironically” playing a hip-hop song, but that he actually dug into it and pulled some heart and soul out of the original. Coulda done without a bit of the smiling, but far and away the best performance of the night.
All the judges should be shot.
@janinedm: My fianceé got me into both AI and Dancing with the Stars this season. (She, as a musical theater lover and dancer, is totes on Team Lambert.) I don’t know if you watch DWTS at all, but there’s this woman, Melissa, who is famous for being dumped. She does very well on the show — technically flawless, but there’s a huge lack of artistry, spirit or soul.
Gokey is the Melissa of Idol, except that Gokey is also a sweaty douche.
I have never been a fan of Adam, but I will acknowledge that the “thing” he does, he does quite well. But I am so over it. He does the same thing on almost every song, and it really grates on me. I think it actually ruined both of his songs last night. Honestly, I would not be “shocked” if he goes this week.
I, too, really liked Kris this week. I so hope he pulls the upset over Adam.
Also, last night’s show felt blah for me. Having three dudes battle it out for final top 3 spots just seems…off. I — and the show — really miss Allison. (I’m not the only one who feels this way. Fox’s DC affiliate’s Idol Panel O’ Experts all brought it up this morning, and I’ve seen it in a few reviews on the ‘Net this morning.)
But what do I know — I’m actually looking forward to seeing Katy Perry tonight.
/ROCK THE RED! GO CAPS!
@ThreeGreen: When has “reining it in big time” ever gotten anybody anywhere on American Idol?
“the “thing” he does, he does quite well. But I am so over it.”
I have to agree. I think Adam’s shining moments during the season were when he sang Tracks of My Tears and Mad World. I even liked Ring of Fire in a twisted kind of way. Last night I had hoped to see both sides of Adams talants, the soft ballads that won my heart and a little theatrical excitement thrown in for good measure, but not both sides in both songs! Made me question my dedication to Adam because one can only watch him scream and flick his tongue so many times without thinking it’s a bad imitation of KISS. I actually liked Kris, although he really needs to do something about that lopsided jaw jut. Poor Danny - although he won my heart at the beginning of the season, I think there’s only so much rasp any one person can take. I’m sure they all have wonderful futures ahead of them. Personally, I think the season ended last week when Allison left the show.
When Adam started “One” I thought, wow, something understated, this could be interesting. That didn’t last long.
Although I was not an Adam Lambert fan from the start, he did grow on me but last night just threw back into the not a fan circle again. Awful still I rather see him in the top two then Gokey.
Kris blew me away. His version of Apologize wasn’t great but his response to Kara when she asked him why he didn’t sing with a guitar like he did for Heartless, won me over completely. I, surprisingly, agree with Randy in thinking that Kris’s version of Kayne was better then the original and The Frays.
“Go Home” Gokey. That’s all that needs to be said. He is one dimensional who comes off as a self-absorbed ego maniac.
My choice for top two; Kris and Adam.