April 1

SUNDAY, APRIL 01, 2012

American Idol Top 9 Week

Once again, I need to consult the memory bank for my recollections of the 13 musical performances we saw this week. It sure was a lot easier to include more details when I live blogged this stuff last year, but at least I can keep these far briefer.

On Wednesday night, the top 9 sang songs from "their own Idols" while being mentored by Stevie Nicks and as usual Jimmy Iovine, who I have since learned was part of an item with Ms. Nicks in the 1980s. I find that sort of weird.

1. Colton Dixon- "Everything"

I did not know this song, but the advantage for these contestants with this theme is that they can telegraph just what kind of artist they want to be after they leave the Idol bubble. Even though Colton is thought of as someone who is likely to go deep into the competition this year, he has said publicly that he sees himself doing Christian Rock.

While other former Idol contestants have found themselves involved in that genre (which as a Jewish person, I have to admit I really know very little about), it is unusual for Colton to declare that is what he is aiming for right off the bat. However, if that is truly what he wants to do, I see little reason to think he would not get signed by a Christian label. I am just not sure what kind of interest Interscope or 19 Entertainment would have in him though in that case.

Anyway, on this Christian song that I did not know, I thought Colton started off pretty good on the first couple of voices, and then he hit the chorus, and I just find his voice a squeaky mess. It must be his intended style of singing, but it just does not sit right with me.

As he was ending, I remember Colton practically "Tebowing" on stage and then he was quite emotional as he was witnessing his feelings and religious beliefs in very stark terms. That is going to endear him to a large amount of Idol viewers and absolutely turn off in a major way perhaps an equal amount. As a conservative, I do not mind it, and I respect his faith and commitment to it, but I cannot help but feel there is something a bit manufactured about it all. Grade: B-

2. Skylar Laine- "Gunpowder and Lead"

Perhaps a fitting song for a hunting enthusiast. I only know of it from the duet that Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart did on it it last year, which I thought was pretty good.

This was clearly right in Skylar's wheelhouse, but I wonder if some country fans will conclude that she continues to try too hard to imitate Miranda Lambert. It was a rocking performance though as Skylar really got into the aggression of the song both vocally and physically. I notice though that she has the same three stage moves that she basically does over and over again to express emphasis. While I thought it was good, Skylar in contrast to some other females on the show, may need to show that she has the restraint to sing a vulnerable ballad nicely in the near future. Grade: B

3. Colton Dixon, Elise Testone, and Phillip Phillips- "Landslide/Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)/Don't Stop"

I have given my opinion in seasons past that Idol should not produce duets or trios on the performance night and I talked last week about how harder it was to grade everything based on the introduction of this sort of thing. I expect we will be seeing a lot more of these this season, but I suppose that is better than more Tommy Hilfiger stuff.

For this first trio, it was a medley of songs from guest mentor Stevie Nicks and her onetime group Fleetwood Mac. I know the "Landslide" portion was first, and that was a solo by Colton, right, whose night would seen be over early. I thought he sounded pretty good on that and also his harmonizing parts on the other songs. Then, Elise took on "Edge of 17", right? Or was that Colton? I have sort of forgotten, but I know Elise sounded pretty good as well. I do remember Phillip singing the final part, which is that song that brings back horrible memories for me of the 1992 election, and whether that was the reason or not, I thought he sounded off key.

Grades: Colton- B, Elise- B, Phillip- C+

4. Heejun Han- "A Song for You"

He may not be as good as Elliot Yamin once was on this Donny Hathaway ballad, but this was the best Heejun has sounded on the live shows by far. Last week, he received criticism for doing something a bit goofy and not taking the show "seriously" enough. This seemed to be designed directly to counter that perception. While I certainly remember the vocal being far from perfect with the continued pronunciation issues , I thought Heejun sounded at least credible, and set himself up to leave on a good note, if this was destined to be his end. Grade: B-

5. Hollie Cavanagh- "Jesus Take the Wheel"

She was in a dangerous predicament of needing to sing something that was not a ballad, but on a week like this, where the theme required the contestants to try to be true to what they want to do in the music world, she was maybe not left with much of a choice.

To me, this performance was quite a mixed bag. Hollie continues to show a lot of talent, but I felt like she was off her game a bit that evening, and the judges tended to agree. If anything, I was more generous than they were. For one thing, I just do not see her as a country or country-pop singer like Carrie Underwood. I also thought this song has been done better previous times when it was performed on Idol. I guess the fake snow falling on stage was a nice tough though. Grade: B

6. DeAndre Brackensick- "Sometimes I Cry"

Sometimes? He cries every week during the results show. But that is neither here nor there. I do not know this song or really anything about Eric Benet, besides for the fact that he messed up his marriage to Hallie Berry.

If you like DeAndre and his falsetto and somewhat androgynous way of performing these songs, you probably loved this. I certainly can recognize the fact that he has vocal talent. Much like Colton though, there is something about his voice that just does not sit well with my ears and my brain. Grade: B-

7. Jessica Sanchez- "Beautiful Nightmare"

Idol is all about the stagecraft and the scenery this year, perhaps feeling the need to compete with X Factor. Jessica sang in front of a bunch of doors for some reason and maybe all that kind of stuff took away from the vocals, which I thought were pretty good.

I am not very familiar at all with this Beyonce song but according to what the judges said, it appears that it might have been an up tempo track that Jessica slowed down and sang as a haunting ballad. There is not really much doubt to me that she is the most proficient technical singer of the season. It is just that that person usually does not win. Grade: B+

8. DeAndre Brackensick, Heejun Han, and Joshua Ledet- "Lady in My Life/Rock With You/P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing) "

Time for a Michael Jackson medley next and everyone sounded pretty good, though the dance choreography might not have been on point. To me, DeAndre sounded better not using his falsetto, Heejun sang a few lines reasonably well, and Joshua stood out as the best singer of the three.

Grades: DeAndre- B, Heejun- B, Joshua- B+

So, everyone had sang at least once at this point, so technically I had to consider it the end of Round 1. It is so unfair to have to compare trios to solos, but I cannot think of an easier or more accurate way to do so.

9. Phillip Phillips (trio)
8. DeAndre Brackensick (solo)
7. Colton Dixon (solo) 
6. Heejun Han (solo) 
5. Elise Testone (trio) 
4. Hollie Cavanagh (solo) 
3. Skyler Laine (solo) 
2. Jessica Sanchez (solo)
1. Joshua Ledet (trio)

9. Phillip Phillips -"Still Rainin'"

Amazing that P2 did not sing a Dave Matthews song, but instead did something by Jonny Lang, whose sister failed to make the finals of American Idol a few years ago. Of course, I do not know this song or how Phillip's version compared, but what I heard on the show, I thought was good.

I certainly was not blown away by this, and much like last year's winner Scotty McCreery, I probably never would want to sit through more than one song in a row, but when Phillip performs with his guitar and gets all crazy with it, it's an impressive sight (and sound.) I think he might has set a record for a protruding forehead vein during a song on Wednesday night. Grade: B+

10. Joshua Ledet- "Without You"

Of course this was not the Motley Crue song by that name, but the 1970s tune which has been done several times on Idol before going back to Kelly Clarkson in Season One. Apparently, Joshua's idol is Mariah Carey, (which must please Randy Jackson) and she had covered this song of course.

I am pretty sure that Joshua was the first male to ever attempt this diva ballad, but few can be surprised at that. I thought it started off a bit uneven but as he got into the chorus, he was able to power through the chorus and it was once again a powerful performance. I do not know how many more weeks of this kind of stuff he has left up his sleeve, but he definitely deserves to last longer than Jacob Lusk did last season. Grade: B+

11. Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh, and Jessica Sanchez- "Like a Prayer/Borderline/Express Yourself"

I was quite surprised to see a Madonna medley. None of her songs have ever been performed on Idol, with the small exception of something she sang in the Evita movie, but apparently, she has cleared them for this season.

This could have been like a mini 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show, but I am afraid it underwhelmed a bit as I thought both Hollie and Jessica struggled a bit vocally and looked uncomfortable moving around on stage in the group number. Surprisingly, I thought it was country girl Skylar who pulled off the Material Girl the best.

Grades: Hollie-B-, Jessica- B-, Skylar- B

12. Elise Testone- "Whole Lotta Love"

In the pimp slot was by far the oldest remaining contestant in the competition (I wonder how she feels about that), but the Idol Powers That Be, seem like they want to keep her around as long as possible.

Assuming Adam Lambert's crazy fans did not go crazy that she dared attempt to sing the same rock sing he once did on Idol, I thought this was an impressive performance by Elise. With all the ballads and softer stuff we are hearing on stage this season, it cannot hurt her to go the rock route, and with her hair, she resembled a Classic Rock Era Robert Plant. It may not be the best sort of melodic song to show off her voice, but she clearly has been performing for years and I would hate to see her get voted off anytime soon. Grade: B+

Considering only the second time the kids sang-

9. Hollie Cavanagh (trio) 
8. Jessica Sanchez (trio) 
7. Skylar Laine (trio) 
6. Heejun Han (trio) 
5. Colton Dixon (trio) 
4. DeAndre Brackensick (trio) 
3. Joshua Ledet (solo) 
2. Elise Testone (solo)
1. Phillip Phillips (solo)

Then, I had to average the two rounds together and break the ties that I had:
9. Hollie Cavanagh
8. Colton Dixon
7. Heejun Han
6. DeAndre Brackensick
5. Phillip Phillips
4. Skylar Laine
3. Jessica Sanchez
2. Elise Testone
1. Joshua Ledet

Who should have been eliminated: Hollie Cavanagh (based on the week alone)
Who I predicted would be eliminated: Hollie Cavanagh (though I thought the save might be used)
Who was eliminated: Heejun Han
As funny as I have found Heejun this season, and as improved as he might have been this week, when he was standing up there with Hollie as the Bottom Two, as I predicted, I cannot say I was at all upset to see him go.

He just has been clearly the weakest vocalist this season and while I like some of the remaining 9 more than others, I think all of them could potentially make the Final Four. Heejun was on borrowed time from the moment he got a ticket to Hollywood. I probably thought his shtick would allow him to at least last as long as Sanjaya Malakar once did though.

For the save, he chose to reprise "A Song For You", which was both his best performance but also the song that got him the least votes. It was about the same as the night before. Grade: B-. The judges were never going to save him and I think he knew that.

While Heejun can sing in the broadest sense, and could potentially improve a great deal with a lot of work, I think he is more likely to make a career for himself just being himself (or whatever character he has already created for himself), maybe in movies or tv, but perhaps more likely on YouTube in the near future. Asian-Americans are big on YouTube, and Heejun's sense of humor have contributed much to the early portions of this season.

Now, I understand he has been slamming American Idol in his post-booting interviews. Wow. Is he serious or joking? I have not been able to keep up with the story, but will have to look into it some more.

80's week is next? Very cool. Gwen Stefani is the mentor? Bad news for these kids, especially if she tries to style them. Just ask Pia Toscano.