This Week In Tonight In American Idol [25 March 2008]

8:00 PM: We're back for more Idol live-blogging. Tonite's theme is "Songs From The Year You Were Born".

8:01 PM: First up is Ramiele, born in 1987. She's taking on "Alone" by Heart.

Ramiele starts off her usual moussy self. When the "rock" part of the song kicks in, she brings the power better than she has all season.

But she's waaaaay off pitch. And shouty.

Randy agrees: not the right song choice...a little too big of a song...not quite your thing...pitchy...
Paula: I'm glad America has heard your big voice...I hope you make it through, because you're a big talent in a small package...
Simon: I don't think it was as bad as Randy said...a little bit shrieky and shouty in the middle...but after surviving last week, I think you'll make it through on that performance...

And what up with those fingerless black "Breakfast At Meth-Head Tiffany's" gloves Paula is wearing???

8:10 PM: Next up is Jason, born in 1987. "I've been TOLD I'm an Aries". WTF??? Jason takes on "Fragile", by Sting.

Jason also is playing a guitar. He's better than he was as a kid, obvs.

I must admit I'm not familiar with the song. So I looked it up and found this interesting info at SongFacts: "People who dig this song also like 'Every Breath You Take', 'Shape Of My Heart' and '(I've Had) The Time of My Life'". RUH ROH!

There's a nice Spanish run that actually reminds me of Enrique Eglesias. To the judges...

Randy: one of my favorite songs...very good choice...didn't do anything different with it...I'm still waiting for that breakout vocal from you...nice
Paula: staying true to who you are...beautiful song...didn't see anything different that made us go "wow"...playing it safe...that's who you are...
Simon: you've had two bad weeks, and it's time you start taking this a little more seriously...that was the equivalent of someone singing outside the subway system...too clumsy, too laid back, too much in your own world...you're someone who's proved you're potentially a winner, but you're not gonna win if you keep doing that week after week...

I have to agree with Simon. Jason has talent, but his laid-back hippie-stoner schtick is only gonna take him so far on this show, and I can't see him developing much of an enduring following post-Idol with that.

8:16 PM: Next up is Syesha, who was born in 1987. Syesha takes on "If I Were Your Woman", by Stephanie Mills.

Okay, I already think this is the best performance of the nite so far, and it's just started.

I've been a bigger fan of Syesha than some of the other Idol boards have been, but that was really good.

Randy: the best I've ever heard you sing...stellar...I'm shocked, I'm lovin' it...another competitor in the competition...
Paula: this will be the moment everyone remembers where Syesha "flipped it" and became the Dark Horse...pitch-perfect...brilliant...
Simon: definitely the best so far...I don't think the ending was as good as Randy thought...there's a limit to your vocal, and that song stretched it...

8:26 PM: Next up is Chikezie, who was born in 1985. Chikezie takes on "If Only For One Night", by Luther Vandross.

Chikezie won't win this competititon unless he REALLY catches fire, but he could easily be what TPTB wanted Ruben Studdard to be -- a handsome, quality modern "true" R&B singer.

That was good, but I still think Syesha was better.

Randy: interesting that you followed Syesha with another old-school number...she moved it around and made it younger-feeling...but you just sounded old-school...i didn't love it for you...it wasn't that hip Chikezie full of energy...boring...
Paula: you are a throwback, but it's a good throwback...I think you did a great job...you did amazing with the textures of your vocals...
Simon: I think you sang it well...the performance was very cheesy...you have to show originality, and I didn't see anything original other than someone trying to copy the original...i miss your personality...

8:37 PM: Next up is Brook White, born in 1983. Brooke's parents are named Kaylene and Brad. It's important that you know that.

Brooke is taking on "Every Breath You Take", by The Police.

ZOMG! Brooke has turned this song into a Tori Amos song!!!

Okay, it's "beautiful", but HELLZ TO THE NO!!!

Also, something happened at the beginning, and she had to restart after a second or so. But she handled it with aplomb.

Randy: very interesting song choice...[compliments her on her professionalism in starting over]...I didn't like the arrangement with the bad...I wish you had continued with just you on the piano...it was just okay for me, a'ight...
Paula: I enjoyed this performance so much more than last week's...we've always wanted contestants who are unique, and have their own niche...and you do...it was consistent, great...
Simon: I totally agree with Randy...should have kept it a piano solo without the band...when the tempo picked up and the band joined in, it made it very old-fashioned...definitely good enough to keep you in for another week...first half with you alone was fantastic...better than last week...

[behind the clock because of a phone call and a quick break]

Insta-ranking, the first five:

1) Syesha
2-3) Brooke, Chikezie
4-5) Jason, Ramiele

Looks like we're only 90 minutes tonite? Thank Gawd!

8:47 PM: Next is Michael Johns, who was born in 1978. Michael, obviously, is the oldest competitor in this year's competition. Will his older song choice be a handicap this week?

Michael is taking on "We Will Rock You", by Queen, and it's a good fit for Michael's style.

Oh, now it's a medley, with "We Are The Champions". Is that a good call???

That might be Michael's best performance yet.

Randy agrees: finally, you believed in yourself and used that voice you've got...for me, that was your best performance yet...
Paula: any time any one of us said you haven't found your right song, we can shut our mouths...fantastic...
Simon: this is the first time with you I saw star potential...tonite, you just got it right...comfortable...for me, the only memorable performance of the nite so far...

8:52 PM: Next is Carly, born in 1983. Carly's parents hadn't settled on a name before she was born. When they were on their way to the hospital, they heard Carly Simon on the radio, and decided that was the name.

Carly is taking on "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", by Bonnie Tyler. It's probably perfect for hear -- she's probably been singing it for years.

Carly is, of course, technically perfect. Do I hear a Celine influence there?

Carly gets the biggest crowd reaction of the nite so far...

Randy: very interesting song choice...liked it, didn't love it...a little harp on the final note...it was a'ight for me...
Paula: what I admire about you is that you could probably take every song I don't like it and make me a believer and make me go buy it...I loved what you did at the end...you stretch yourself...

Randy and Paula are bickering...Randy didn't like the run or the rock song choice...

Simon: something didn't quite work...you were tense, uptight...I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would enjoy it...you've got to lighten up a little bit...

Will Carly hit the bottom three again this week?

9:02 PM: Next up is David A., who was born in 1990.

Uh, yeah. 1990.

David is taking on "You're The Voice". The song was actually written and recorded -- and was a huge hit in Australia -- several years earlier. But David's hook is that it was covered by David Foster and Jeff Pescetto in America in 1990.

Hey! David Foster? Wasn't he just on Idol TWO FREAKIN' WEEKS AGO with Kat McPhee???

I am so bored by David Archuleta.

And this performance is doing nothing for me.

He's obviously safe.

Randy: strange song choice...but you can sing whatever...very nice...
Paula: all of us were trying to figure that out...you could sing the phone book and we'd fall in love with you...
Simon: I didn't like the performance at all...it was reminiscent of a theme-park performance...ghastly...I'd be amazed if you chose that song yourself, because it's not you...

9:12 PM: Next up is Kristy Lee Cook, born in 1984. Kristy Lee is singing -- and I SWEAR I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP -- "God Bless the USA", by Lee Greenwood. This song is the worst "patriotic" song in the history of "patriotic" songs.

Kristy Lee's version is...what...somewhere below karaoke-rific??? Technically fine, but this song is supposed to soar, and that just...floated...

Randy: great song choice...a few pitchy spots in the middle, but a very nice performance...
Paula: very good choice...I've seen better performances from you, but your voice is sounding stronger...
Simon: your best performance by a mile...most clever song choice I have heard in years...Lee Greenwood, brilliant songwriter, brilliant song...a good performance that will keep you in the competition...

9:20 PM: Last up tonite is David C., born in 1982. David is taking on...wait for it..."Billie Jean", by Michael Jackson.

As has been noted elsewhere, David is not really covering Michael J.'s version of "Billie Jean". Instead, David is covering ex-Soundgarden and ex-Audioslave singer Chris Cornell's 2006 version of "Billie Jean", which version was brilliant, in my opinion.

David's performance is a perfect carbon copy of Cornell's performance. And even knowing that, I still think it was the best of the night...

Randy: you're probably the most original, most bold contestant we've ever had...on that performance right there, you might be the one to win the whole lot...HOT!!! BLAZING MOLTEN HOT!!!
Paula [giving standing ovation]...I'm blown away...I can't sit down...I gotta tell you how smart you are, how brave you are, and how willing you are to stretch the boundaries...and you do it right to the edge without going over...[incomprehensible gibberish]...
Simon: that was brave...it could have been either insane or amazing, and I have to tell you, it was amazing...

Insta-reaction, second five:

1) David C.
2) Michael
3) Carly
4) Kristy Lee
5) David A.

* * * * *

So, I've gone back and listened to Chris Cornell's "unplugged" cover of "Billie Jean", and I actually think David C. got the better of Chris tonite. David C.'s rendition of the song might not have been "original", but most of the people who've heard Chris Cornell's haunting version no doubt consider themselves too cool to watch American Idol. So David C. will probably get lots of goodwill over the next few hours from voters who think he "took a chance" and nailed it.

I'm finding it quite the challenge to Insta-Rank the top 10 tonite. The first five to go were largely bland and forgettable, and there were some spectacular performances from the second five.

Biggest Improvement tonite were probably -- surprise! -- Syesha and Kristy Lee. Biggest Un-Improvement tonite were probably Jason and David A., who both continue to underwhelm me. Ramiele was just Ramiele, which means that she once again failed to bust out the big performance she SHOULD need to stick around much longer.

Insta-Rank The Idol Top Ten Performance Show:

1) David C.
2) Michael
3) Carly
[length-of-Soundgarden-era-Chris-Cornell's-hair-sized-gap here]
4) Syesha
5) Brooke
6) Kristy Lee
[length-of-Audioslave-era-Chris-Cornell's-hair-sized-gap here]
7) Chikezie
8) David A.
9) Jason
10) Ramiele

Insta-Prediction As To Tomorrow's Voted Bottom Three:

3) Carly
2) Syesha
1) Chikezie

* * * * *

Chris Cornell, "Billie Jean" (Unplugged) [mp3, via YSI]
Chris Cornell, "Billie Jean" (Unplugged) [mp3, via zShare]

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This Week In Tonight In American Idol [12 March 2008] -- Part I

No liveblog tonite, because, what's the point of liveblogging a one-hour "results show", in which only one Idol finalist gets the bad news, and that won't be until the last 2 minutes???

[Also, family business -- Ed.]

But there will be a report later, here, and elsewhere.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot -- did you check out Idolator today? I reported on last nite's performance show in Maura's absence, and I'll provide tomorrow's results-show write-up.

And exxxtra special thanx to Maura -- and Jess -- for the chance, and the exposure...

Great to see you all again, and let's see each other again later...

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This Week In Tonight In American Idol [11 March 2008]

7:55 PM: It's finally here! Idol begins it finals tonite as the Top 12 take on the songs from the Lennon-McCartney songbook -- but just the pre-Sgt. Pepper stuff, alas.

We'll be live-ish-blogging tonite. So join us live or stop by after the fact and see how stupid our insta-reactions were.

Oh, and one more thing...

Last week, Maura Johnston, editor of our favorite music blog [ahem, our SECOND favorite --Ed.], Idolator, asked me to produce the site's day-after write-ups of this week's shows. I'm super-stoked about this, of course, so make sure to swing by over there tomorrow and Thursday to see my more-considered view of this week's shows.

8:02 PM: The new set, "bigger and better than ever!"...elicits yawns from me...

8:03 PM: The Beatles were apparently pretty good songwriters back in the 60's...

8:06 PM: But Simon disses "She Loves You". Ooh!

8:08 PM: Syesha Mercado opens the nite with "Got To Get You Into My Life", which I had predicted Chikezie would take on. It's quite flat at the beginning, but she picks up the steam, and the finish is okay for me.

Randy: started rough, pitchy, but you started having fun with it...it was alright for me...
Paula: started off pitched, but midway through, you found the song...and then, there was Syesha...look great, sounded fantastic...
Simon: I thought it was better than "alright"...great choice of song...you looked nervous, but you were much better than last week...

8:15 PM: Okay, I still can't get over this new JC Penney ad featuring Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' "Killing The Blues".

Raising Sand. HEAR IT!

8:18 PM: Next up is Chikezie, who takes on "She's A Woman". Ryan promises it will be "original".

Chikezie starts off with a Blue Grass-Americana vibe, with banjos and such. Then he rocks it out fiercely!

HOLY COW!!! He's got this place on fire!

That was dynamite!!!

I predicted last week that Chikezie would step it up a bit, and he's doing it.

Randy: loved the arrangement...who knew 6you had that falsetto...CHIKEZIE SMASHED IT!
Paula: when Ryan asked me what people should do, and I said those who take a risk, the greater the reward if they change it up...I knew once you hit the top 12, this was what was going to happen...the reward paid off, my dear...
Simon: I'm really surprised that I actually agree with these two...
[Chikezie starts whooping!]
Simon:...what I really liked about that, is you've actually changed over the course of the week...you controlled the stage, it didn't control you...you were terrific...

8:24 PM: Poor Ramiele Malubey, a "favorite" of mine, but not in the I-think-she's-gonna-win way, is gonna have a really tough time following that!

Ramiele takes on "In My Life". It's definitely a change-of-pace after Chikezie's Ruben-Studdard-on-Taylor-Hicks [eww -- Ed.] routine.

It's a very nice jazz-lounge-esque take on the song, but it's just a little too slow and winceful for my tastes.

But she does look great in that dress.

Randy: it was kinda pretty, but it was also kinda pretty boring for me...I was waiting for you to do something special and interesting with it, but it just kinda laid there for me...
Paula: you look very pretty tonite...
[it's always a bad sign when the first thing Paula tells you is that you look very pretty -- and she sounds like she's struggling to say something nice]
Paula:...you're an amazing singer, and your voice allows you to go lots of places, and you need to take advantage of that...i think your holding back...
Simon: I was bored to tears throughout the entire song...dreary song choice which did absolutely nothing for you...forgettable, boring, and I expect a lot better from you, because you're better than that...

Even Randy is not sure if she'll make it through. Ruh-roh.

8:35 PM: Next up is Jason Castro. He'll shine in comparison to that dreary performance. Jason tells us in the intro that when he first starting to sing, he fell in love with "Yesterday". Which obviously explains why he'll be performing "If I Fell".

Note to self: "dreadlocks-and-acoustic-guitar" is the new "frosted-tips-and-beatboxing". Check.

Eh. I didn't like that all. But he's got the girls screaming, and that's worth something, eh?

Even his strumming is sleepy.

Jason feels like he's been coasting a bit recently.

Randy: I like it, I didn't love it...with a melody that classic, you just gotta sing it with a more heartfelt thing...the switches in the melody didn't do it for me, I just kinda tuned that out...
Paula: I disagree with Randy...I think it was heartfelt, and I could feel your heart, and the audience could feel your heart, and I wanna perform open-heart surgery on you right now...oh wait, I mean your special and unique, and that's why we've made a special connection...to you and your heart...
Simon: last week you were incredible...this week, it was all a little bit "student in a bedroom at midnite"...the song was quite boring...Jason is very unique, very different, I'm a big, big fan...will he make the same big impact this week he did last week, no...you need to choose brilliant songs...good enough to stay another week? Deffintely, but not as good as last week...

Someone who looks like Kim Kardashian is in the audience cheering Jason on, and then Ryan and Simon get into another of their "innuendo-wink-wink" fights about getting out of the student dorm at midnite. Did I miss something on TMZ today???

8:45 PM: Next up is Carly Smithson.

Either Nigel misspoke, or something changed at the last minute. Carly will be taking on "Come Together", from the about-as-far-away-as-possible-from-"early"-Beatles Abbey Road. Did Carly and roommate Amanda Overmyer have to fight over this one?

Carly says she performs this song to an acoustic arrangement all together, but tonite she's changing it up a bit.

I'm really not sure about that. It was technically perfect, and her voice is HUGE and STRONG. But I actually think she might have oversang it a bit. I'd like to hear the acoustic version.

But the audience is eating it up, and, of course, the judges can't find enough compliments for Carly.

Randy: confident...not a note out of tune...stellar performance...
Paula: watching you up there, I thought I was already watching a star...I couldn't wait until you made it to the top 12, so you could really shine...
Simon: week after week so far, I think you've chosen the wrong song...until now...this reminds me of Kelly Clarkson 6 years ago...

8:55 PM: Wrapping up Hour One is David Cook. David takes on "Eleanor Rigby"

David nixes the strings and chamber-music sensibilities of the original for an almost-but-not-quite-over-the-top Daughtry-esque rocker. This is pretty powerful, and Daughtry's fans will eat David up this season.

By far, the best performances of the nite have been the near-the-top rockers.

The audience is going nuts!

Randy: started a little pitchy, but once you hit that chorus, it was rockin'!...let it go!...
Paula: I've been saying you're the darkhorse in this race...more than one horse in this race...
Simon: I thought it was brilliant...if this show remains a TALENT competition rather than a POPULARITY competition, you actually could WIN this entire show...

And Simon is right...

HOUR 1 QUICK PIX:

1) David C.
2) Chikezie
3) Carly
4) Jason
5) Syesha
6) Ramiele

9:05 PM: Brooke White kicks off Hour 2. Brooke will take on "Let It Be", and I'm already dreading the thought of this.

This has always been one of least favorite Beatles "classic", and Phil Spector probably shares a lot of the blame for that.

Brooke's performance is nice, and stronger than the other "slow" numbers tonite. Allowing the contestants to play instruments really does add something to the show, I think.

Randy: I love that you have all this conviction, and you take a song sung by everyone, and you make it heartfelt...
Paula: the emotional connection is what makes people fall in love you...
Simon: once again, one of the best performances of the nite...there's a difference between karaoke and making the performance believable, and that was believable...three weeks in a row...

Brooke left her shoes over by the piano, and Ryan offers to retrieve them for her. This causes Randy and Simon to throw up all kinds of red flags for Ryan, which is obviously another reference to what might be in Ryan's "closet".

9:16 PM: David Hernandez is next, and he takes on "I Saw Her Standing There". Which probably has Simon chuckling right about now.

David H. is insistent that HE, and not Chikezie, will be the one vieing for the votes of Taylor Hicks' "Soul Patrol" this season.

Yeah, too Taylor-esque for me.

Randy: for a song so simple, you tried to do too much...too overdone...
Paula: you know I love your voice, and I think you kinda overdid it a little bit...too many runs...
Simon: no, no, no...corny verging on desperate...it just wasn't very cool...not a particularly strong performance...

Ryan alludes to a "stressful week" and wonders whether David might have "overanalyzed" his song choice. Heh.

9:26 PM: Tomorrow night's filler-filled results show will be 1 hour long, at 9/8 PM. "Kat" McPhee and David Foster will perform.

Amanda Overmyer will perform "You Can't Do That", and after she tells us she's never heard the song before this week -- so who chose it??? -- I'm very worried for her.

Amanda's Janis-by-way-of-Aretha-and-Tina interpretation is, horrible? Is that the word I'm looking for here?

Spirited, but just not good enough for me.

Randy disagrees...: took a Beatles song to a Southern bar and rocked it out...I loved it...
Paula: you're smiling, you look fantastic...you're a star up there...
Simon: I didn't think it was as good as last week...I could only understand about 30% of that...it's a good thing you're in this competition, because you're like a breath of fresh air...but week-on-week, not as good...

9:36 PM: Michael Johns is up next, and he's taking on "Across The Universe", which is a beautiful, but difficult song.

Michael starts out with the backing of only an acoustic guitar, but gradually adds instrumentation, and makes it powerful.

For me, Michael is okay, but, like Carly, he always seems to be...lacking...something.

Randy feels it too...:wasn't your best performance...I kept waiting for something to happen...a little sleepy, just "a'ight"...
Paula: I disagree...you sing beautifully...your quiet confidence, and the way you connected...brilliant...
Simon: I agree with Randy...it was solid, but monotonous...Carly did something brilliant -- now is the time when you have to do something different...I keep waiting for you to do something different...

9:42 PM: Next up is Kristy Lee Cook who, in a SHOCKING! move, will turn "Eight Days A Week" into a country song.

Wait, isn't this Lurleen Lumpkin singing "I Finally Bagged Me A Homer"???

A country-fied version of "Faithfully" was interesting last week. This is horrible. This would get no where near country radio today. Or ever, one hopes.

Randy: i actually liked the arrangement, but I think you were trying to force some runs into it...shoulda kept it like a jig...I'm torn by that...half of me likes it, half of me doesn't...
Paula: I didn't enjoy it, and I'll tell you why...
[whoa! I can't remember the last time I heard Paula say "I didn't like it"]
Paula:...you can't take what we say -- "go for the country thing -- too much to heart...you've gotta make it your own...
Simon: horrendous...sounded like Dolly Parton on helium...very brave but probably foolish thing to do...that song doesn't work in that style...

9:52 PM: We're racing against the clock now. Last up tonite is David Archuleta. David, because he's only like 12 years old, is not familiar with the songs of the 60's. He chose "We Can Work It Out" because he loves Stevie Wonder's version.

BREAKING! DAVID ARCHULETA forgets the lyrics.

David Archuleta will not win this competition.

Also, this is a pretty weak performance. even without the forgetting-the-lyrics, it would be hard for the judges to pimp this with a straight face.

Randy: you know I like you...this week was not on point for you...this is not your style...it felt forced...
Paula: not your best week...forgetting the lyrics -- never let it show on your face...
Simon: that was a mess...your weakest performance so far...

10:00-ish PM: There will be mentors! Ugh.

Wow, Hour 1 ended with such a bang, that Hour 2 was a real let down. Or maybe it's just hard for me to liveblog for 2 hours.

HOUR 2 QUICK PIX:

1) Brooke
2) Michael
3) David H.
4) Amanda
5) David A.
6) Kristy Lee

* * *

BREAKING: AMERICANS WHO STILL HAVE "MODEMS" IN THEIR "'PUTERS" SRSLY LURVS THEM SOME DAVID ARCHULETA: America's 60-year-old grandmothers, their 10-year-old granddaughters, and disillusioned Ron Paul supporters feared on Tuesday nite that poor little David Archuleta, after bravely overcoming his fight with winning Star Search, might lose his chance to be America's Next Top Idol due to forgetting the words to his song, more than once. America-Hating "judge" Simon Cowell called Little David's performance "a mess" and "your worst performance so far", but that didn't stop our nation's robo-dailers from casting their "votes" for Little David. The polls may now be closed, in both Mississippi and Texas, and on the internets, and here is what you had to say:

1) David Archuleta ("Not predicted to be voted off")
2) Brooke White
3) Chikezie
4) Carly Smithson
5) Amanda Overmyer
6) David Cook
7) Kristy Lee Cook
8) Jason Castro
9) Michael Johns
10) Ramiele Malubay
11) David Hernandez
12) Syesha Mercado

It may or may not be too bad for David A.'s "modem-loving" demographic that no one has a "modem" or even a "computer" anymore. Everyone now votes for the favorite Idols using iPhones and "i hrt crly" "SMS" thingies. Hooray!

We'll talk again on Wednesday / Thursday.

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