American Idol S07E37: Top 4: Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Songs

Posted on May 6th, 2008 in Music by Erik J. Heels

AI season 7 episode 37.

Three of them have been number one in the votes? That's what Seacrest said.

Best to worst. Numbers are singing order.

5. David Cook - "Baba O'Riley." The song, by The Whos, is often incorrectly called "Teenage Wasteland." The beginning is much better than his last song. I hope he picks it up soon. When he gets the chorus, it really starts to rock, but it ends way to soon. Would it kill them to have songs longer than 1:30? Randy said it was great. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon said, "Welcome back David Cook."

2. Syesha Mercato - "Proud Mary." This song has been covered over 100 times. So why not cover it 101 times? I'm not sure this is good logic. Another copy-cat performance and she tries to channel Tina Turner. It's too slow during the first part. A better karaoke performance that David's. Very good but not very original. Randy said she was in the zone (that's good). Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon said it was a bad shrieky impersonation of Tina Turner.

1. David Cook - "Hungry Like The Wolf." Came out in 1982, the year he was born. I feel old. Did you heard that Duran Duran broke up and became two bands? Duran and Duran. I think this was a solid performance, but it's the first time he's bordered on karaoke. I would have liked to see a different take on a song. Randy thought it was just OK. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon called it copy-cat but probably good enough to make it to the next round.

4. David Archuleta - "Stand By Me." Of course he's singing last so they can save him for the finals. Too breathy, too many runs, to much liberty taken with the melody. Yuck. Perfect for Disney World. Let's ship him off there and give the AI title to David Cook. Randy said it was hot. (I say not.) Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon said he was very well placed (4th), said he struggled at the end but called it the best so far. Huh?

8. David Archuleta - "Love Me Tender." I can't listen to this. He is incapable of singing the actual melody. And, you know, some of these melodies are pretty darn good. That's why they're in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame! Fortunately, it ended quickly. Randy said it was another great performance. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon said he crushed the competition. Which is completely wrong.

3. Jason Castro - "I Shot The Sheriff." Jason admits that there are a few on the list that he knows. And that he's doing a Bob Marley song (go figure). He's hilarious. My wife liked it better than the original. My only complaint is that it ended before it started. Randy said it was karaoke. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon said it was atrocious. Simon said, "I don't know what you were thinking." And Jason responded, "I was thinking Bob Marley!" Good banter.

6. Syesha Mercato - "A Change Is Gonna Come." Nobody but Taylor Hicks should sing this Sam Cooke song on American Idol. I think this is a competent but boring rendition. She can't resist a yelling gratuitous run at the end. It takes more than one glory note to make a song. I didn't like it. Randy did not love it, said she was pushing, trying to hard, that it felt disconnected. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon agreed with Paula (who I was ignoring), which means that he liked it. Syesha cried for the sympathy votes. I am feeling manipulated.

7. Jason Castro - "Mr. Tambourine Man." I love both the Dylan version of this song and the version by The Byrds. I wanted to do it when my band did a 1960s theme gig (but I got vetoed). Something about not having a 12-string guitar. Oh no! He just butchered the song by forgetting the words! He hummed his way through it, but I don't think this is a mistake that he can recover from. That was brutal. Randy said he's not in the zone. Paula Abdul sipped from her Coke cup. Simon told him to pack his suitcase. I think he's right.

Best to worst:
David Cook
Syesha Mercato
David Archuleta
Jason Castro

Going home:
Jason Castro

American Idol S07E35: Top 5: Neil Diamond Songs

Posted on April 29th, 2008 in Music by Erik J. Heels

AI season 7 episode 35.

Best to worst. Numbers are singing order.

7. David Cook - "All I Really Need Is You." He opts for the acoustic guitar in round 2. This was a very solid performance. Rocking middle part, cool falsetto, smooth ending. Randy said he rocked the house, it was blazing. Paula is aware she's on TV. Simon said the first song was OK, the second song brilliant.

2. David Cook - "I'm Alive." Definitely not a karaoke version. I don't think it was his best performance, but it was solid. It also seemed shorter than 90 seconds.

9. David Archuleta - "America." I think he is really showing the limitation of his vocals with this one. This is not even good karaoke. He cracked on one of the notes. A needless modulation. He's a good singer, but this is not his vibe. Randy said it was good, that he is in the zone. Paula is aware she's on TV. Simon said it was a smart song choice.

5. Syesha Mercato - "Hello Again." Another week, another hair style. I think this is the first song that she's sung that I enjoyed. She nailed it. By far her best performance. She should have saved that for her second song.

8. Brooke White - "I Am I Said." She's got her singer/songwriter vibe going in full gear with this song. And she seems more comfortable behind the piano than playing the guitar. But it was not a tremendously original arrangement. Randy said she did a nice job. Paula is aware she's on TV. Simon hated the first song, liked the second song, said it was well done.

4. David Archuleta - "Sweet Caroline." Clearly pop songs are not his strong point. He is not sticking to the melody. The runs are distracting. At least he is smiling. And the trumpets sound good. Meh.

6. Jason Castro - "September Morn." I think it was good in parts, a bit off key in other parts. He seemed much more comfortable than the first song. Randy thought it was just OK. Paula is aware she's on TV. Simon said he struggled through both songs and didn't try to make them his own.

1. Jason Castro - "Forever in Blue Jeans." The start seems a bit too low for him (and lower than he practiced it in the video segment), but that's because he takes it up an octave later in the song. I like it, but I've always enjoyed his voice. This is kind of a sleep-walking performance. Not great, not a train wreck. His fans will like it, his detractors will not. Hmm, no judges comments after song #1. That's one way to save time.

10. Syesha Mercato - "Thank The Lord For The Nighttime." This is more upbeat than her first song, but I think it is more old-fashioned than the first (contrary to what Simon said). She was also badly off key in parts. Not a convincing performance for me. Randy said it was in the zone (but thought it was good for Broadway). Paula is aware she's on TV. Simon said this was the strangest show we've ever done, said she is a good actress/singer, but thinks she is in trouble tonight. She talked back to Simon (not good).

3. Brooke White - "I'm A Believer." My band does this song. We're a cover band. We have fun with it. But we're not on American Idol. Brooke was having fun with it and playing the guitar. But she wasn't adding much new to it. The ending was the best part. I predict that the judges will hate it.

In order to save time, all of the top 5 lined up to get critiqued en masse from the judges after round one. Paula provided even more comic relief than normal when she judged BOTH of Jason's songs after the first round. (He sang only one.) I'm not sure what the other judges said, and I'm not sure it matters. The judges' comments have much more impact when delivered immediately after each singer's performances.

I thought this was a weird show. Too rushed. Departure from the normal format. Who gets lost in the rush? Syesha, I think.

Best to worst:
David Cook
David Archuleta
Brooke White
Jason Castro
Syesha Mercato

Going home:
Syesha Mercato

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