Last week on American Idol.... my weeks-old prediction finally came true with Stefano going home. His elimination shows that it's down to crunch time for American Idol 10, as it was probably his strongest performance in weeks. All things considered, this top 6 is probably pretty close to what I would have figured the top 6 would be, had I made a list at the beginning of the competition (though I probably would have swapped Jacob and Pia).
This week, the Idols tackle the songs of Carole King. I LOVE Carole King, so this could be a real interesting week for me. Hopefully it's along the lines of the Elton John week, another of my favorites, where everyone came out pretty strong. I didn't watch the live show, instead am watching via the magic of Youtube. Without further adieu...
Jacob - Oh No, Not My Baby
I've made it very clear that I am NOT a Jacob fan. I typically find his vocals ridiculous, and his performance style is not my cup of tea at all.... but this performance? Dare I say, fantastic. The vocals and performance worked perfectly for the song, easily Jacob's best in weeks. He looked to be having a blast, which helped immensely.
Lauren - Where You Lead, I Will Follow
Not the most exciting song choice by Lauren, but very cute performance. Lauren's getting her confidence back, and it shows big time. Good stuff, but nothing really all that memorable here.... could be trouble given how early she's performing.
Casey & Haley - I Feel the Earth Move
Ah, in-competition duets. Mini-rant to follow! Anyhoo.... this is a GREAT song choice for Haley. She's allowed to do what she does best without being distracting. Casey, on the other hand? He's back to crazy Casey, I guess. Tone it down, Casey.
Scotty - You've Got a Friend
Before I watch... this is a great song choice, in theory. After I watch... confirmed. The song went on a bit too long, meandering a bit towards the end, but otherwise a very, very strong performance. Which, at this point, is the norm for Scotty. He really needs to work on not mugging for the cameras, though....
James - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
I saw this performance as the show aired, and re-watching it reinforced how truly fantastic it really was. The whole thing was very Beatles-like, but original at the same time. James has created artificial moments over and over again this season, from a flaming piano to a drumline to showcasing his junk... but this performance created an organic Idol moment. Best of the night.... and probably one of the best of the season.
Scotty & Lauren - Up on the Roof
The previous Scotty/Lauren duets have come off really awkward... but this one was MUCH better, chemistry wise. My problem is that while their styles obviously blend, their voices don't really work together. This duet came off as two singers happening to be singing at the same time, as opposed to a coherent unit where two voices become one. Disappointing.
Casey - Hi Di Ho
Entertaining enough performance... but just weird. Only Casey would do a performance on American Idol that would appear quite normal in a somewhat modern film noir. I don't even know how to critique this... such a strange performance for a show like this. *shrug*
Haley - Beautiful
First... what is Haley wearing? Second... LOL at Seacrest getting trapped on stage. Onto the performance... the end of the song was FANTASTIC. Haley put all her vocal skills on display... but the rest? Kind of paint by numbers. Not the best time for Haley to be giving a 'just ok' kind of performance...
Jacob & James - I'm Into Something Good
Speaking of James's junk.... tight white pants are meant to showcase one area. Yeah. Fun performance, overall. Not the best vocals, but it was clear both Jacob and James were having a good time, which in this case was infectious. I'll go no further about the wardrobe, except to say that there was lots of bad choices involved.
Duets rant!
I like the Idol duets. I really do... but not in competition. It hasn't really happened yet, but what happens when one contestant flubs the lyrics or the melody or something epic, throwing both contestants off? Sure, it'd be impossible to tell if it cost the "innocent" contestant votes, but you never know. With all the duets and trios and such they've been doing on results shows thus far, the duets in the competition would be eliminated this year... but apparently not. Coincidentally (or not), you've had contestants that can be paired off so far in the duets part, but what would have happened if you were left with two completely incompatible contestants? It's just one major disadvantage waiting to happen... and I hate it. Anyhoo.
Let's waste no more time, shall we?
Winner of the Night: I gotta go with James. I really think he's found his "Idol moment", so for the night, he's tops. The challenge comes next week when he has to keep up the high level, or, dare I say it, top it. Honorable mention to Jacob, who was impressive in both performances, possibly saving himself for another week.
Loser of the Night: It pains me to say this... but Haley. While her performance wasn't weak by any means, she did nothing to raise her game. I think she had her Idol moment last year, and floundered this week because of it. Not a good thing.
Prediction: I'm sensing something shocking. Everyone is seemingly too close right now for the bottom 3 to continue progressing the way it's going. If it progresses.... your bottom 3 would be Casey, Haley and Jacob, with Haley likely going home. I'm going to make that scenario my prediction (begrudgingly...), but none of those three going home would surprise me.
