American Idol Top 5 - 5/4/11
Disclaimer: This recap is written under the influence of Vicodin, muscles relaxants, and various pain killers. Apologies in advance if I miss something. Of course, the way I write, no one will know the difference.
Judges enter - Randy in suit coat, J Lo trying for the Latin ingenue look, and Steven wearing exactly the same flower as J Lo, but with a tacky red leather jacket over a T-shirt. Seacrest is per usual. Hannibal Lecter is in the audience again...hopefully he's here to have Jacob with some Chianti and fava beans...
Top 5 enter - we are THREE weeks from the finale. Jacob has Randy's Captain Kangaroo/valet jacket from last year, and James is dressed as an 80's rocker. Randy is asked to give his thoughts:
"Dawg, Yo. I'm turning the other cheek, and I'm a bit pitchy sharp this time. It's all about WHO IS IN IT TO WIN IT. NOW is the time. What's up? Did you know I was in Journey for three whole months?" Or something like that.
Since we need even more mentors, Sheryl Crow is in the rehearsal sessions this week. We see her as backup singer for Michael, stealing a whole bunch of songs for her debut album, and hoping Scotty is old enough to date. Oh, and nice Evel Knievel suit.
Tonight's theme is "Then and Now", where the Idols will sing a newer song, followed by a "classic". Then: Randy weighed over 300, had hair like Kid N Play, and was on stage with Journey. Now: struggling for relevance on a fading singing show. Then: J Lo as dancer, singer, choreographer, and part time hack actress. Now: Pretty much the same, with a People magazine cover. Steven Then: young man full of brass and sass and kicking ass with a great rock voice. Now: Your crazy aunt who drinks too much and tries to hit on your boyfriend (or girlfriend).
James Not Lame opens with "Closer to the Edge" by Ten Minutes to Midnight, or A Quarter Til Five, or 30 Seconds to Mars, featuring Jordan Catalano. The idea here is to sound as current as possible, but the outfit and the Bon Jovi-esque vocals make him sound more dated than ever. When he runs through the audience, his control suffers. Hits a few big notes, but this wasn't up to his standards. Steven doesn't care: "You kicked that song's ass...nice going, beautiful...you're ready for Freddie." Ready for Freddie? Mercury? Flintstone? MacMurray? What does that MEAN? J Lo says he's ready for stadiums. "Showed us the last few weeks that you WANT it...grab it, take it." Randy labels it a "great contemporary rock song...showed us what kind of artist you can be...in it to win it...he wants it Ryan!" That doesn't mean what you think it does, Peaches...settle down.
Jacob the Fake Cub says he definitely thinks he can win, and that he still feels like an underdog. "No Air"?!?!? As in "previous Idol winner Jordin Sparks' song? As in, "duet"? Doesn't matter - he has enough ego for two parts, and he's kind of androgynous anyway. Blue clouds...he starts out low, and is going to sing both parts, but once he goes up, he stays there. Honestly, this feels like Drag Queen Night at the local karaoke bar. "No Air" for Jacob? I'd vote for that. J Lo is "glad you said this is the type of song you'd record...no doubt you have one of our best voices...important to pick songs that represent who you are to the audience..cultivate who Jacob is...help you get to finale." Randy disagrees: "I don't think that is the direction for you...kind of corny...whole thing kind of sharp...don't see you as that kind of song...more Luther or gospel...) J Lo interjects that Jacob has to find out who he is and stick to it. Steven is "waiting for you to find your niche...that certain something that is 100% you...but I love your voice. Jacob insists that he thinks he's an artist that should appeal to everyone.
Lauren the Borin' is taking on Carrie Underwood...risky at best, foolhardy at worst. "Flat on the Floor" As always, she gets counseled to focus on power. She comes out strong, all attitude and black outfit with fringe. After doing Kelly Clarkson for a few weeks, now she's trying to show the "Carrie" side of things. A bit shrill here and there, some decent vocal runs, and sort of generic country overall. Not bad, but not great either. Randy: "That is the direction for you...I agree with that 100%...showed your energetic side..amazing...Lauren IS IN IT!" Steven: "Found your niche...sky is the limit...I think you're 'IT'." J Lo loved it: "You ate that up...we keep looking for who's going to rise to the top...that's how you do it, every time!"
Teaser from Ryan: tomorrow we will see Lady Antebellum (again), and J Lo will sing, which means someone backed out.
Scotty the Snotty is next, with Montgomery Gentry's "Gone." Iovine likes the choice, and the range of the song. Scotty enters through the audience, and immediately gets into it, showing more energy during this performance than every other week combined. Works the stage, mostly stays away from his usual stagecraft, although he can't help his eyebrows. Shows he can do current country well. Steven: "Up until now, you were a Puritan, but I saw you dance with the devil tonight (anyone else think of Batman just now?)...really beautiful." J Lo "lost it there for a second...so excited...owned that stage...that's some American Idol stuff right there, baby!" Randy "felt like we were in a Scotty concert...he's IN IT TO WIN IT, TOO!"
Haley Fail-y ends the first round with an odd choice, an unreleased Lady Gaga song called "You and I." Sheryl Crow says it will be her "moment." The first verse is sort of Adele/Edie Brickell/Didi Benami again, but a bit off pitch. She tries to infuse some blues into the second verse, with a lot of growling and shouting, but it doesn't work...the song is clearly not the best fit for her. Definitely not the moment she sought. J Lo "loved the way you sounded...some good moments, but I'm not sure that was the best advice that Jimmy gave you...need to connect with the audience, and showcase YOU every week." Randy is "not sure it's that good of a song...I think of you in a Joss Stone sort of way...so risky to do something people don't know...didn't do you any favors." Tyler still thinks he has a shot with her: "When someone can take a song they don't know and make it work, that's a beautiful thing...you're one perfect song from being the American Idol...you gotta find that."
Round One Summary: No one stood out other than Scotty. Lauren was decent. James and Haley weren't as good as usual. Jacob was awful.
Round Two: Then:
James is going to sing "Without You", made famous by Harry Nilsson (and later Mariah Carey). The lyrics cause him to break down during rehearsals. He's dressed down for this one, and starts out singing this as originally written. He is shaky vocally, and obviously connecting with the message of the song. The final chorus is all over the map pitch-wise, but his on stage tears are winning him tons of points across the country right now. Randy thinks "the mark of a great performer is fighting through emotion...some off notes, but emotionally perfect...the competition is yours to lose." Steven notes that "when you can sing that well, and the song gets the best of you...crazy, beautiful." Lopez claims he is "not just a guy who can wail up into the stratosphere...not just a rocker...heart and soul to back it up...amazing." James says he tried to be professional and left it all on the stage.
Sanjacob with "Love Hurts", the Everly Brothers song made popular by Nazareth in the 70's. When he hears Sheryl sing it, he loses it completely and suddenly "gets the song." Silver suit, "Barney" shirt...the first verse is OK, sort of an Aaron Neville tone to it. But then the wailing and the over-emoting begins. Horrific note after the bridge. He loses his way, and winds up screaming at us at the end. The vocal run to finish is not good at all. Steven is deaf. "I'm a sucker for passion...got lost in you because you got lost in the song." J Lo "heard the bubble in the middle...but you took the end to another place." Randy says he "redeemed [your]self...might have been the highest note ever sung on this stage." Ugh.
Kelly Preston in the audience, and all I can think of is "Jerry Maguire"..."if you wanted me to be with another woman, I'd do it."
Lauren is singing "Unchained Melody", claiming it's her parents' "song." Iovine calls it a love song that everyone knows...Lauren needs to re-translate it." Light blue dress, Paula Abdul style flower ring. She stays in her limited range, and doesn't push on any of the higher notes, which somewhat robs the song of it emotion. Every time there is a big note, other than on "mine", she plays it safe. It's not a bad performance, but there's nothing special about it. J Lo says "there is nothing to judge there, beautiful song done beautifully by you." Randy comments that she "can sing like a bird...I like this other side of you...very tender moment." Steven is a bit creepy: "So ripe, so there, perfect...I could listen to you all night...just beautiful."
Scotty is covering "Always On My Mind", and is most familiar with Elvis' version. Iovine likes that he's being true to himself. Scotty is seated, and sings the song...very...slowly. I didn't think it was possible to sound more country than Willie Nelson. This performance is all eyebrows,earnest looks into the camera, and microphone tricks. Another good, not great version. J Lo thinks he showed "how well-rounded an artist you are...rocked out, then captivating the audience with a sweet vocal...comfortable in your own skin." Randy calls Scotty "our youngest veteran..if it ain't broke...when you do the simplest things, you get the loudest reaction...saying what kind of record you want to make." Steven tells us that "America loves your voice...beautiful rendition (that's 14 uses of 'beautiful' by Steven tonight)...can't pick it apart. Scotty is 1/4 Puerto Rican? There's his grandma Chiquita, who gets put on the spot. She simply says, "That's my Scottie."
Last song of the night is "House of the Rising Sun", sung by Haley. Jimmy says it's straight out of her book. She's reclining on the stairs, surrounded by red clouds. Starts a capella, then goes full on torch singer. Smoldering looks at the camera...sort of a female Constantine here. It's all rasp and volume, and it's going to get overrated, although it's still fairly good. The judges give the standing ovation. Randy: "What I love about this show...every week someone comes out like they want to win and then just slays it...best of the night!" Steven labels her "sweet, sour, raspy." J Lo notices that Haley "came out a little angry, like 'I don't care...I'm going to sing my butt off" (clearly J Lo has never tried this idea) "That song has never been sung like that before." (Um...Siobhan Magnus, anyone?)
Round Two Summary: Haley stood out, James cried, Lauren undersang, Scotty sang for a half hour, and Jacob gave us some Lusky Stank, minus the Lusky.
Overall: James was hit and miss, Jacob bombed twice, Lauren was good enough, Scotty was decent, and Haley was one bad, one good.
James could be making his first appearance in the bottom two/three, but my hunch is that it will be Haley and Jacob, with Jacob, at long last, going home.
Judges enter - Randy in suit coat, J Lo trying for the Latin ingenue look, and Steven wearing exactly the same flower as J Lo, but with a tacky red leather jacket over a T-shirt. Seacrest is per usual. Hannibal Lecter is in the audience again...hopefully he's here to have Jacob with some Chianti and fava beans...
Top 5 enter - we are THREE weeks from the finale. Jacob has Randy's Captain Kangaroo/valet jacket from last year, and James is dressed as an 80's rocker. Randy is asked to give his thoughts:
"Dawg, Yo. I'm turning the other cheek, and I'm a bit pitchy sharp this time. It's all about WHO IS IN IT TO WIN IT. NOW is the time. What's up? Did you know I was in Journey for three whole months?" Or something like that.
Since we need even more mentors, Sheryl Crow is in the rehearsal sessions this week. We see her as backup singer for Michael, stealing a whole bunch of songs for her debut album, and hoping Scotty is old enough to date. Oh, and nice Evel Knievel suit.
Tonight's theme is "Then and Now", where the Idols will sing a newer song, followed by a "classic". Then: Randy weighed over 300, had hair like Kid N Play, and was on stage with Journey. Now: struggling for relevance on a fading singing show. Then: J Lo as dancer, singer, choreographer, and part time hack actress. Now: Pretty much the same, with a People magazine cover. Steven Then: young man full of brass and sass and kicking ass with a great rock voice. Now: Your crazy aunt who drinks too much and tries to hit on your boyfriend (or girlfriend).
James Not Lame opens with "Closer to the Edge" by Ten Minutes to Midnight, or A Quarter Til Five, or 30 Seconds to Mars, featuring Jordan Catalano. The idea here is to sound as current as possible, but the outfit and the Bon Jovi-esque vocals make him sound more dated than ever. When he runs through the audience, his control suffers. Hits a few big notes, but this wasn't up to his standards. Steven doesn't care: "You kicked that song's ass...nice going, beautiful...you're ready for Freddie." Ready for Freddie? Mercury? Flintstone? MacMurray? What does that MEAN? J Lo says he's ready for stadiums. "Showed us the last few weeks that you WANT it...grab it, take it." Randy labels it a "great contemporary rock song...showed us what kind of artist you can be...in it to win it...he wants it Ryan!" That doesn't mean what you think it does, Peaches...settle down.
Jacob the Fake Cub says he definitely thinks he can win, and that he still feels like an underdog. "No Air"?!?!? As in "previous Idol winner Jordin Sparks' song? As in, "duet"? Doesn't matter - he has enough ego for two parts, and he's kind of androgynous anyway. Blue clouds...he starts out low, and is going to sing both parts, but once he goes up, he stays there. Honestly, this feels like Drag Queen Night at the local karaoke bar. "No Air" for Jacob? I'd vote for that. J Lo is "glad you said this is the type of song you'd record...no doubt you have one of our best voices...important to pick songs that represent who you are to the audience..cultivate who Jacob is...help you get to finale." Randy disagrees: "I don't think that is the direction for you...kind of corny...whole thing kind of sharp...don't see you as that kind of song...more Luther or gospel...) J Lo interjects that Jacob has to find out who he is and stick to it. Steven is "waiting for you to find your niche...that certain something that is 100% you...but I love your voice. Jacob insists that he thinks he's an artist that should appeal to everyone.
Lauren the Borin' is taking on Carrie Underwood...risky at best, foolhardy at worst. "Flat on the Floor" As always, she gets counseled to focus on power. She comes out strong, all attitude and black outfit with fringe. After doing Kelly Clarkson for a few weeks, now she's trying to show the "Carrie" side of things. A bit shrill here and there, some decent vocal runs, and sort of generic country overall. Not bad, but not great either. Randy: "That is the direction for you...I agree with that 100%...showed your energetic side..amazing...Lauren IS IN IT!" Steven: "Found your niche...sky is the limit...I think you're 'IT'." J Lo loved it: "You ate that up...we keep looking for who's going to rise to the top...that's how you do it, every time!"
Teaser from Ryan: tomorrow we will see Lady Antebellum (again), and J Lo will sing, which means someone backed out.
Scotty the Snotty is next, with Montgomery Gentry's "Gone." Iovine likes the choice, and the range of the song. Scotty enters through the audience, and immediately gets into it, showing more energy during this performance than every other week combined. Works the stage, mostly stays away from his usual stagecraft, although he can't help his eyebrows. Shows he can do current country well. Steven: "Up until now, you were a Puritan, but I saw you dance with the devil tonight (anyone else think of Batman just now?)...really beautiful." J Lo "lost it there for a second...so excited...owned that stage...that's some American Idol stuff right there, baby!" Randy "felt like we were in a Scotty concert...he's IN IT TO WIN IT, TOO!"
Haley Fail-y ends the first round with an odd choice, an unreleased Lady Gaga song called "You and I." Sheryl Crow says it will be her "moment." The first verse is sort of Adele/Edie Brickell/Didi Benami again, but a bit off pitch. She tries to infuse some blues into the second verse, with a lot of growling and shouting, but it doesn't work...the song is clearly not the best fit for her. Definitely not the moment she sought. J Lo "loved the way you sounded...some good moments, but I'm not sure that was the best advice that Jimmy gave you...need to connect with the audience, and showcase YOU every week." Randy is "not sure it's that good of a song...I think of you in a Joss Stone sort of way...so risky to do something people don't know...didn't do you any favors." Tyler still thinks he has a shot with her: "When someone can take a song they don't know and make it work, that's a beautiful thing...you're one perfect song from being the American Idol...you gotta find that."
Round One Summary: No one stood out other than Scotty. Lauren was decent. James and Haley weren't as good as usual. Jacob was awful.
Round Two: Then:
James is going to sing "Without You", made famous by Harry Nilsson (and later Mariah Carey). The lyrics cause him to break down during rehearsals. He's dressed down for this one, and starts out singing this as originally written. He is shaky vocally, and obviously connecting with the message of the song. The final chorus is all over the map pitch-wise, but his on stage tears are winning him tons of points across the country right now. Randy thinks "the mark of a great performer is fighting through emotion...some off notes, but emotionally perfect...the competition is yours to lose." Steven notes that "when you can sing that well, and the song gets the best of you...crazy, beautiful." Lopez claims he is "not just a guy who can wail up into the stratosphere...not just a rocker...heart and soul to back it up...amazing." James says he tried to be professional and left it all on the stage.
Sanjacob with "Love Hurts", the Everly Brothers song made popular by Nazareth in the 70's. When he hears Sheryl sing it, he loses it completely and suddenly "gets the song." Silver suit, "Barney" shirt...the first verse is OK, sort of an Aaron Neville tone to it. But then the wailing and the over-emoting begins. Horrific note after the bridge. He loses his way, and winds up screaming at us at the end. The vocal run to finish is not good at all. Steven is deaf. "I'm a sucker for passion...got lost in you because you got lost in the song." J Lo "heard the bubble in the middle...but you took the end to another place." Randy says he "redeemed [your]self...might have been the highest note ever sung on this stage." Ugh.
Kelly Preston in the audience, and all I can think of is "Jerry Maguire"..."if you wanted me to be with another woman, I'd do it."
Lauren is singing "Unchained Melody", claiming it's her parents' "song." Iovine calls it a love song that everyone knows...Lauren needs to re-translate it." Light blue dress, Paula Abdul style flower ring. She stays in her limited range, and doesn't push on any of the higher notes, which somewhat robs the song of it emotion. Every time there is a big note, other than on "mine", she plays it safe. It's not a bad performance, but there's nothing special about it. J Lo says "there is nothing to judge there, beautiful song done beautifully by you." Randy comments that she "can sing like a bird...I like this other side of you...very tender moment." Steven is a bit creepy: "So ripe, so there, perfect...I could listen to you all night...just beautiful."
Scotty is covering "Always On My Mind", and is most familiar with Elvis' version. Iovine likes that he's being true to himself. Scotty is seated, and sings the song...very...slowly. I didn't think it was possible to sound more country than Willie Nelson. This performance is all eyebrows,earnest looks into the camera, and microphone tricks. Another good, not great version. J Lo thinks he showed "how well-rounded an artist you are...rocked out, then captivating the audience with a sweet vocal...comfortable in your own skin." Randy calls Scotty "our youngest veteran..if it ain't broke...when you do the simplest things, you get the loudest reaction...saying what kind of record you want to make." Steven tells us that "America loves your voice...beautiful rendition (that's 14 uses of 'beautiful' by Steven tonight)...can't pick it apart. Scotty is 1/4 Puerto Rican? There's his grandma Chiquita, who gets put on the spot. She simply says, "That's my Scottie."
Last song of the night is "House of the Rising Sun", sung by Haley. Jimmy says it's straight out of her book. She's reclining on the stairs, surrounded by red clouds. Starts a capella, then goes full on torch singer. Smoldering looks at the camera...sort of a female Constantine here. It's all rasp and volume, and it's going to get overrated, although it's still fairly good. The judges give the standing ovation. Randy: "What I love about this show...every week someone comes out like they want to win and then just slays it...best of the night!" Steven labels her "sweet, sour, raspy." J Lo notices that Haley "came out a little angry, like 'I don't care...I'm going to sing my butt off" (clearly J Lo has never tried this idea) "That song has never been sung like that before." (Um...Siobhan Magnus, anyone?)
Round Two Summary: Haley stood out, James cried, Lauren undersang, Scotty sang for a half hour, and Jacob gave us some Lusky Stank, minus the Lusky.
Overall: James was hit and miss, Jacob bombed twice, Lauren was good enough, Scotty was decent, and Haley was one bad, one good.
James could be making his first appearance in the bottom two/three, but my hunch is that it will be Haley and Jacob, with Jacob, at long last, going home.