Normally, there’s at least some consensus about which performanes were good and which were bad. This week, though… that’s not quite possible. There’s a strong degree of Your Mileage May Vary this week. Stronger, perhaps, than any other week in Idol history.
The vocals of the top four were, to be honest, pretty close. The big difference was in how they made use of it – the overall artistry, the personality – etcetera. This was, really, a good test of the overall musical IQ of the contestants. In that category, there was one who clearly stood out.
Of the top four, the best was Allison Iraheta. This was a poised, confident, powerful performance. Her vocals were excellent, the arrangement allowed her to bring her power to bear… as well as a degree of finesse that we haven’t seen from her before. It’s not the usual rock performance that’s expected of Allison, but a little flexibility can sometimes work on Idol. It certainly did for her.
It’s usually Kris Allen who takes a song, slows and strips it down, and makes it work for his vocals – but Danny actually outdid him in that category. I personally liked the slower portion of the song much better than the end – Danny just cannot bring in the power without sounding like he’s shouting. As for Kris, it wasn’t a bad effort, but it didn’t have the special flavor that his best performances have had. Still, it was a respectable showing, and vocally it was pretty good. Very restrained, excellent control – it was a technical masterpiece, but there’s more to good performances than that.
As for Adam, well… I didn’t care too much for the white suit, but then again I tend to associate white suites either with fried chicken or Fantasy Island. That said… it was a typically Adam performance. Over the top, very theatrical, good vocals. However, while the glory note at the end was clearly meant to show off his vocals, but it was more than a bit painful to listen to. Not because it was bad, but because some human ears – ours included – can be a little sensitive.
Worst of the night was, clearly, Matt Giraud. One little bit of advice: it’s probably not a good idea to do a song that was one of Melinda Doolittle‘s best performances. It was emotional… but that was about it. The vocals were not up to the task of the rest of the field. Simon thought this was his brilliant? What was he on?
Overall, though, it was a pretty good night. The excessive amount of filler – only five performances in an hour – notwithstanding, it was a worthwhile show. I didn’t care much for the material, to be honest, but there’s no arguing with the quality – Allison was outstanding, Matt wasn’t a complete disaster (about the best you can expect from him right now), and the rest were good, but not really outstanding. We’ll take it, though.
Mr. Cowell, the strings are showing: Favoritism from the judges is a long-standing Idol problem. Rarely, however, was that more on display than this week.
It’s possible to say that Kris and Allison weren’t as good as Adam and Danny. However, the spin that Simon Cowell put on it was manipulation of the worst kind.
Neither Kris and Allison were favored at the start, and both – particularly Kris – can interfere with the cherished Adam-Danny finale. The judging was a pretty blatant attempt at trying to derail either one early. So, too, was the overpraise for Matt Giraud.
The Idolsphere is on to your shenanigans, Simon. We still haven’t forgotten, say… Syesha Mercado. If you think you can get away with this without any repercussions… you may think so, but there will be consequences.
The obvious pick… maybe?: The main question this week, as far as the picks go, is Matt Giraud. Did he do enough to save himself – or, alternately, will external factors save him?
Normally, this should be an open and shut case. He was definitely not as good as the rest of the field, his fanbase is suspect… there’s no reason he should go.
However… this is Idol-land, where the abnormal is normal. Can you really rule out an exit by Allison or Kris?
This time… probably. All the praise in the world won’t change the fact that Matt was the worst last night. Sure, he wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t as good as the rest.
Also, comments like the one Simon made can backfire. I have more confidence in the strength of Allison’s fanbase than I had a few weeks ago. Yes, she was bottom three last week, but Matt received a huge bounce from his save then. Simon’s comments are just the type that can rally, not depress, a fanbase. In addition, the unfairness of the comments will also help Allison’s vote totals.
These picks are getting trickier as the season goes on, and I would like to keep my excellent prediction record. I’ve only been wrong about the save, but I’ve put the right person in the bottom all season long. For now, though, the pick is…
Matt Giraud to go home.
Tags: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Matt Giraud, Performance night
This author has got to be delusional, there is nothing MEDIOCRE about Adam’s performances. If I hear another person describe Adam’s singing as shreiking/screaming I think I will become ill. Please check out San Diego opera professionals critique of Adam’s performance. You will find, they, who actually KNOW about music, prize his tenor and falsetto ability and give him very good reviews although I do not understand why they did not critique some of his prior work such as “Is Anybody Listening” and “Come to me, Bend to Me” which are just beyond fabulous. Isn’t it knit-picking a little to crack on the “white suit” I guess anything is fair game, but this is actually supposed to be about “singing ability i.e TALENT. Godpeed, Glamey! “You got it!”
This author has got to be delusional, there is nothing MEDIOCRE about Adam’s performances. If I hear another person describe Adam’s singing as shreiking/screaming I think I will become ill. Please check out San Diego opera professionals critique of Adam’s performance. You will find, they, who actually KNOW about music, prize his tenor and falsetto ability and give him very good reviews although I do not understand why they did not critique some of his prior work such as “Is Anybody Listening” and “Come to me, Bend to Me” which are just beyond fabulous. Isn’t it knit-picking a little to crack on the “white suit” I guess anything is fair game, but this is actually supposed to be about “singing ability i.e TALENT. Godspeed, Glamey! “You got it!”