Long Live Rock!
Hey guys, Mickey O'Connor here tonight filling in for Erin Fox, who is sunning herself this week far away from the screams of the Arch-Angels, and who was filling in for Nina Hammerling-Smith, who is, I'm sure, teaching her new baby the lyrics to "Hungry Like the Wolf" as we speak. I'm an avid
American Idol
watcher who is sad that Carly is no longer with us ("Superstar" indeed!), but I'll buck up and turn my attention to our talented final four and their foray into... RAWK! One warning: I usually agree with Simon -- sorry!
The contestants had to choose from the 50 most influential rock songs, as determined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was hoping to hear some Led Zeppelin or Stones tonight, but then I remembered that Michael Johns and Amanda Overmyer have already been eliminated, and my hopes were momentarily dashed. Would the final four truly rock me tonight? Let's see!
David Cook: "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran
This isn't necessarily a criticism, but sometimes it seems like David is doing Chris Cornell's version of
every song he sings, doesn't it? In this case, I missed the synthesized goofiness of the original, but the growly, harder edge that David brought to the song was a good fit. It even left Paula with "a big appetite," which can't be a bad thing, right?
(TiVo Check: Did anyone notice that Tiffany - who also recently showed up in Robin Sparkles' "Sandcastles in the Sand" video -- plays Meatloaf's wife in that AT&T GoPhone ad?)
Syesha Mercado: "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner
I get nervous when a contestant takes on such an iconic song, as Syesha did once before when she sang "I Will Always Love You" during Dolly Parton week. It's hard to avoid comparison, unless you pull a Blake Lewis and beatbox over Bon Jovi or something, but that's not Syesha. She was worried about getting the signature choreography right, which perhaps led Simon to observe that she had delivered a "bad, shrieky impersonation of Tina Turner," which might be a little unfair, but it begs the question: Why risk it? I would have preferred a more stripped-down arrangement instead of the safe, adult-contemporary rendition Syesha chose. "Proud Mary"'s genius lies in the quiet that eventually explodes into madness. Nevertheless, Syesha - perhaps more than her three competitors - really knows how to
perform rather than just sing. She has fun, incorporates the band, and really commands the stage.
What's up, Carly? We (I) miss you!
Jason Castro: "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley
Let's face it: Bob Marley songs are great because of the way Bob Marley sang them. Unfortunately, Jason lacks the depth and warmth in his vocal tones that Marley brought to this classic reggae ditty, so at times it seemed a little speak-sing-y to me. And as the judges are fond of pointing out, at this stage in the competition, you need to choose songs that show off your vocal talents, which I don't think this song did for Jason. I'm not sure I'd call it a "karaoke bomb," as Randy did, or "a first-round audition massacre," as Simon did, but I definitely understand why they were disappointed.
David Archuleta: "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King
I liked the way David changed up the arrangement of this maybe-too-familiar-for-
Idol song. The bongos were a particularly nice touch, and his voice really soared over the softness of the backup singers. David proved that he has the vocal chops to modulate his singing as is appropriate for the song, without resorting to annoying theatrics. Overall, it was a very restrained performance that still entertained me. Paula, naturally, agreed that this 17-year-old is "way beyond [his] years seasoned already." That said, the audience was particularly scream-y tonight, no?
David Cook: "Baba O'Riley" by the Who
This was a pretty brave choice, in that its distinction - like "Proud Mary" - lies in its slow, roiling build-up. Unfortunately, I think you really need to hear more than 90 seconds of it to understand its power. As a result, I thought David's opening was a little weak, but once it opened up into the chorus ("Teenage! Wasteland!"), it made me want to hear more. But, you know, then it just sort of ended. Despite its brevity, David turned in a solid performance without any major gaffes, leaving Paula "humbled to sit here and watch [his] soul" and Simon to say, "Welcome back, David Cook!" Wait, where did he go?
Syesha Mercado: "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
I was kind of with Randy on this one when he said that Syesha was "trying to [make the song] something that it wasn't." I think when you decide to sing a song so tied up in its civil rights origins, you need to bring some reverence to the stage. And while it was clear that Syesha understood the gravity of the song, to me, her performance came off more sultry than serious. Remember when Katharine McPhee sat down on the stage, dressed modestly, and sang a clear, emotional rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"? That's what Syesha needed to do. Wearing a floor-length gown and singing about the suffering and steadfastness that the song's "change" implies doesn't really match up. So it surprised me that Simon actually praised her performance, even going as far as to berate Randy for making Syesha cry.
Jason Castro: "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan
Jason's second choice was a little simple. But I kind of liked it, and I was bummed that he forgot some of his lyrics because it made him an easy target for the judges' brutal critiques. Randy said he wasn't "in the zone tonight." Simon even went as far as to encourage him to pack his suitcase. Yes, the arrangement was a little too sped up for my taste, but had he opened it up to the audience a little more, as he did with his first song, instead of remaining stool-bound, he might have pulled off a decent performance.
David Archuleta: "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley
I haven't been a big Archuleta fan thus far, but after this song, I think I get it. He sang it well, distinguished it enough from Elvis' version to avoid copycat accusations, and practically sexually assaulted the cameraman his performance was so impassioned. Seriously, could the camera have gotten any closer? Randy, too, received some Archuleta love, pointing out that he "caressed every word." Simon summed up the evening well by stating simply that he "crushed the competition tonight."
What did you think? Who were your favorites? And did Syesha or Jason do well enough to upset the seemingly inevitable David-David finale?
Related:
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Cheers & Jeers pulls a Simon on Jason Castro.
