Idol Top 11: Motown night
Motown night this week, which is a totally overdone theme on this show. Let's see how well some of the more niche singers adapt.
Casey Abrams - I Heard It Through the Grapevine: I absolutely cannot stand this guy. He always oversings (or, more accurately, overgSrowls) and his performance style is completely ridiculous. This guy is a joke. He has more in common with Norman Gentle than with Taylor Hicks. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHaEdfmi0Hg)
Thia Megia - Heatwave: This has a lot in common with a Brooke White uptempo performance, in that it's nervous and robotic. However, I've said all along that I like her voice when she's not trying to be a huge diva and her voice did sound really good on this track. I liked this. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kx2DIqk7Sc) [Note to interested readers: This classic Motown track shares its name with one of my very favorite Irving Berlin songs!]
Jacob Lusk - You're All I Need to Get By: He has a good voice but completely lacks vocal control. Should note that this performance did contain more restraint than he had shown the last couple weeks, but it's still not something I go crazy over. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ8IFZgLkpM)
Lauren Alaina - You Keep Me Hanging On: In my opinion, this girl has been the absolute standout so far. And performances like this are the reason why. Like Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood she has a great ability to make songs her own while still remaining true to the originals. I thought this was excellent. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeTBFQ_W9Og)
Stefanoe & Haley: Not even worth commenting on or linking to. Both uninteresting.
Scotty McCreery - For Once In My Life: Wow, he certainly went for it. This was pretty ridiculous and I can't really endorse it but he's a really good singer and this was interesting. Certainly worth listening to. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8pnFqGI16Y)
Pia Toscano - All In Love Is Fair: She's a great singer, and arguably the greatest diva ballad singer ever on the show. All of her performances have been really good but really boring too. I suggest a change of pace next week. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGo1BxpNev0)
Paul McDonald - Tracks of My Tears: Don't have much to say here, he was competent, though he did mess up the lyrics. Wait, I do have something to say, when he says "masquerading" it sounds just like he's saying "masturbating". (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzYmMQ6Qbs4)
Naima Adedapo - Dancing In The Streets: Naima is definitely the most polished performer out of all the finalists. After a couple weeks of pretty bad performances she really needed to knock this one out of the park and she basically did. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmw3I14q3Hs)
James Durbin: Awful. Refuse to link to it.
Like so:
GREAT: Lauren Alaina, Naima
GOOD: Thia
GOOD, BUT BORING: Pia
NOT QUITE AS GOOD, BUT AT LEAST INTERESTING: Scotty, Jacob
COMPETENT: Paul, Haley
BAD: Stefano
IRRATIONAL HATRED: Casey, James
Casey Abrams - I Heard It Through the Grapevine: I absolutely cannot stand this guy. He always oversings (or, more accurately, overgSrowls) and his performance style is completely ridiculous. This guy is a joke. He has more in common with Norman Gentle than with Taylor Hicks. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHaEdfmi0Hg)
Thia Megia - Heatwave: This has a lot in common with a Brooke White uptempo performance, in that it's nervous and robotic. However, I've said all along that I like her voice when she's not trying to be a huge diva and her voice did sound really good on this track. I liked this. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kx2DIqk7Sc) [Note to interested readers: This classic Motown track shares its name with one of my very favorite Irving Berlin songs!]
Jacob Lusk - You're All I Need to Get By: He has a good voice but completely lacks vocal control. Should note that this performance did contain more restraint than he had shown the last couple weeks, but it's still not something I go crazy over. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ8IFZgLkpM)
Lauren Alaina - You Keep Me Hanging On: In my opinion, this girl has been the absolute standout so far. And performances like this are the reason why. Like Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood she has a great ability to make songs her own while still remaining true to the originals. I thought this was excellent. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeTBFQ_W9Og)
Stefanoe & Haley: Not even worth commenting on or linking to. Both uninteresting.
Scotty McCreery - For Once In My Life: Wow, he certainly went for it. This was pretty ridiculous and I can't really endorse it but he's a really good singer and this was interesting. Certainly worth listening to. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8pnFqGI16Y)
Pia Toscano - All In Love Is Fair: She's a great singer, and arguably the greatest diva ballad singer ever on the show. All of her performances have been really good but really boring too. I suggest a change of pace next week. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGo1BxpNev0)
Paul McDonald - Tracks of My Tears: Don't have much to say here, he was competent, though he did mess up the lyrics. Wait, I do have something to say, when he says "masquerading" it sounds just like he's saying "masturbating". (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzYmMQ6Qbs4)
Naima Adedapo - Dancing In The Streets: Naima is definitely the most polished performer out of all the finalists. After a couple weeks of pretty bad performances she really needed to knock this one out of the park and she basically did. (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmw3I14q3Hs)
James Durbin: Awful. Refuse to link to it.
Like so:
GREAT: Lauren Alaina, Naima
GOOD: Thia
GOOD, BUT BORING: Pia
NOT QUITE AS GOOD, BUT AT LEAST INTERESTING: Scotty, Jacob
COMPETENT: Paul, Haley
BAD: Stefano
IRRATIONAL HATRED: Casey, James