Make sure to download the newest episode of the pmaCAST: Looking Better, Shining Brighter Than You Do, featuring Four Tet, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The xx, Yeasayer, Department of Eagles, Hot Chip and more.
Here we are. Same beginning, same Seacrest. Sounds like we’re doing “Music From the Movies” and Quentin Tarantino is our guest judge (he even says, “This… is American Idol).” How bad do I hope that somebody gets up there and whistles that haunting nurse whistle from Kill Bill Vol.1?
The band is out on the stage this week, and Ryan banters with Ricky Minor. He then welcomes the judges, who are sitting at the judging table (Paula’s wearing some shiny neck dress thing). This is a really, really slow opener (feels like we’re filling time). Ryan tells us it’s a historic evening… I guess since AI ran over last time (to the chagrin of Tivo’s everywhere), they are only allowing the judges to speak two at a time (I have an idea… how about only having 3 judges? What an idea!). I have no clue how this qualifies as historic, or who really cares, but whatevs.
Ryan introduces the top 7, who walk out on stage clapping. Gokey is missing his glasses, Anoop is wearing some letterman jacket thing, and Lil has straight hair (which looks nice). We then see a montage of Tarantino’s work (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, Death Proof, Kill Bills, etc.). I love QT’s work, but he personally kind of drives me nuts. He rambles like crazy uses his hands way too much when talking.
Allison starts us off, and she’s singing, “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” QT pretends like he has a clue what’s going on with the music, and says she’ll do a great job. Here’s Alison, and she’s wearing a black tunic that is cinched at the waist with a red belt, and red pants. It’s quite hideous. She’s doing a nice job. I don’t particularly love this song on her. I mean, I like it vocally, but body language-wise it’s kind of weird. She’s stamping with the whole notes, and swinging fists around. She looks stupid, but sounds great. Paula says she has the same special sauce as Adam. Si-guy thinks it was hot, spicy, and that she is the girl’s only hope left in the competition (there’s only two left though, so Simon’s just playing the odds here).
Anoop is up and ready to dazzle QT with his presence. He’s singing “Everything I Do.” QT wants Anoop to kill us with a big vocal and then calls him mate (which sounds out of place and weird). Anoop’s singing now and it turns out that the jacket that I thought was a letterman jacket, is a suit jacket with after market white sleeves stitched onto it. Yuckersville. Anoop sounds good, but this song is just boring to me… it doesn’t help that Anoop is a pretty boring dude. Boring dude + boring song = bottom 3. Randy calls him Anoop dog, which I still hate, and says that Anoop did a really good job. Kara says he stands out on pop songs and says it was one of his best vocals. Neither seem overtly excited, despite their best efforts to say otherwise.
Here’s Adam who’s singing “Born to be Wild.” He’s wearing what looks like the Hope diamond around his neck. QT says something about tasting Adam (gross), and we’re off! Adam is singing and he’s wearing a leather jacket, leather fingerless gloves, and guyliner. He sounds awesome (of course)… although… he’s trying to rock with the band, and he really shouldn’t. Actually, I think that’s the most amateurish I’ve seen Adam look on this stage! He interacts great with the crowd, but looks like a total homer when he tries to rock this hard individually or with the band. Despite the lameness of his delivery, he certainly has the pipes to blow everyone in this competition away. Paula says he “dares to dance in the path of greatness” (which is a phrase she clearly had somebody write for her). Simon says it was vocally incredible, but that it was like watching the Rocky Horror Musical in parts (that puts what I was trying to say in words pretty well… sorta). Overall, Simon doesn’t think that this performance will be as popular as last weeks (agreed).
Matt is up and he’s singing another Bryan Adams song. He’s wearing a cowboy vest with a pocket watch chain. He didn’t shave this week, and he can’t pull that off. He’s singing “Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman.” Matt and QT blather about heart and stuff, and we’re back on stage. Matt is at the piano, and he’s singing. I don’t like it already. It’s kind of a boring song, and he’s not singing it all that well. I mean, it’s not drunk uncle bad, but it’s not final 7 good either… as it picks up, he sounds better, but I’m still not a fan of this song choice. Randy says that it was interesting, and that the bridge suffered. He says that Matt fell down in the song too many places. Kara says that he’s trapped in a struggle between the soul/rock choice. She didn’t like it.
Gokey is up and he’s sans glasses. Good. I think many of us have been getting sick of his spec changes. He’s wearing a white t-shirt, a (too big for him) powder blue jacket, and a gigantic medallion around his neck. The whole get up screams Miami Vice. We cut to QT and Gokey and he’s singing “Endless Love” (“What? Friends listen to Endless Love in the dark”). He makes a whopping mistake right off the top, and when we zoom in on his face, you can tell he knows it. This version of the song is boring, and all the forced emotion in the world isn’t going to fix that Gokey. It was like Matt’s… good, but absolutely no sizzle. Paula says that he pulled it together about half way through. Simon says he can’t fault the way he sang the song, but he is disappointed with the traditional aspects of the song. He says it was boring.
Kris with a K is here and he’s singing “Falling Slowly” from the movie Once. What are these song choices? Allison and Adam are the only ones (I think) that have chosen songs anyone wants to hear. Whatever… here we go. Kris has like 4 too many bracelets on, but my wife assures me that he’s looking extra delicious tonight (despite his popped collar’s best efforts). This rendition is slightly less boring then it’s too predecessors, but Kris with a K pulls it off better than the other two. He also has a slight Ryan Adams quality to his voice that sounds nice. Randy says it was pitchy from note one. Kara says it was one of his best moments. Split decision! Still, don’t worry fans. Teenagers everywhere are already calling. He’ll be fine.
Lil Rounds is up and she’s singing “The Rose” which she goes gospely on us. QT wants commitment to the normal part, and the gospel part. She’s up with a single spotlight on her. Her extensions are looking good tonight. She sounds nice, and then starts nailing the gospel change up. Whoa… she just went strikingly off tune… yikes. She recovers, but that was at a big moment to mess up. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see what the judges think. Paula says nothing with a whole lotta words, and I have no idea if she liked it or not. Simon says Lil got it all wrong and that it was too middle of the road for her… okay, I can’t imagine what Lil’s thinking right now because I don’t think anyone has a clue what they want from her. It seems like they tell her something different every week. Lil basically says all of that to Simon (good for her), and we rush to finish before Tivo’s start ruining lives across the country.
(Sorry… I can’t find video of Lil)
So tonight, what is the verdict?
Worst contestant: Matt.
Best 2 contestants: Adam (although this week someone could have outdone Adam if they’d have stepped up) and Allison
Ugliest jacket: Gokey and his Miami Vice Easter jacket… wait, no. Anoop and his after market sleeve thing.
Bottom 3: Anoop, Lil, Matt.
Going home: Anoop (Too boring… I don’t think he has the fan base. Sorry Anoop DAWWWWWG… ugh).
Well, that’s it for the final 7. What do you think? Who’s going home tonight? What did you think of Adam’s performance?
Come back tomorrow and find out how accurate our predictions are!
Tags: American Idol
I HATED Anoop’s jacket but agreed w/ Kara(?) that it was his best vocal performance yet. I’m kinda thinking Lil might be going home. I loved Adam and didn’t mind his rocking out-ness.
I think it’s crazy how they keep going over time-wise. They cut judges comments in half and they STILL go 4 MINUTES OVER. That is an ETERNITY in live TV time. It’s certainly a TiVo issue but it’s also SCREWING local Fox 10pm newscasts across the country who suddenly have to cut that time out of their show. It effects live shots, delicate satellite windows and this big one — advertising dollars. Commercials aren’t making the slots they were promised. It’s a mess. I realize I’m probably one of few who cares/notices this, but every week I do and it blows my mind. Seacrest has got nerve to do it week after week. (It’s not all his fault… but a LOT his fault.)
I am gonna agree with bottom three and with your wife’s super delicious comment, but I am saying Lil’ heading home…but both her and Anoop have been barely hanging for awhile, so neither will be around for long.
OK Jeff. You know I’m a major
Obama for gaysAdam Lambert fan, but I didn’t love it this week. The hand bouncing with the band was just silly. And the vocals, while spectacular, were predictable? I love him, he will always have my vote, but I need something different next week.For me, this week goes to Kris with a K. I LOVE that song from Once, and I thought he hit notes that were truly beautiful within the harmonies. When Randy started talking “pitchy” and “spotty, dog” I was seriously perplexed. It was the closest thing to flawless we heard all night coughGokeycoughMattcoughLilcough.
I know I brought this up before, but I have to back you up. WHAT THE HELL DO THEY WANT FROM LIL? Kara needs a Katscan because I’m pretty sure she has told Lil, over the course of the last 7 weeks, to be more like Beyonce, Tina Turner, Mariah, Mary J, Celine Dion, and Bette Midler, and then be NOTHING LIKE Beyonce, Tina Turner, Mariah, Mary J, Celine Dion, and Bette Midler.
Anoop. Snore.
Let’s Roll…..
Yeah Evan (great comment btw), after listening back to Kris with a K, I agree with you. He was better than I gave him credit to in my post. He’s right up there with Allison.
And (not to beat a dead horse here) I really feel that Lil’s getting screwed by the judges. She’s become the whipping boy of this competition, and it’s not fair. I think she’s done a better job than they give her credit for, but continually gets beaten up. It’s annoying.
@DC Diva- it may have been his best performance yet, but he’s just so boring. It’s like his lameness cancels out whatever he’s singing and all we’re left with is his silly jackets, horrific hair, and bad attitude. I could totally do without the Anoopster.
Lil didn’t have a video easily found =/ Sounds like she might be going home. I kind of feel like people do like Anoop if they’re very frat like or Indian. I really think it’s all the judges faults for the time going over. Particularly Paula being crazy and Simon and Ryan’s bitchy backhanded homosexual comments. Some of it’s ok, but it’s become party a circus sometimes. And it cut a bit off of Fringe.
Evan, I feel like we’ve come to terms with each other and I totally back your comment this week. I kept saying last night how great Kris with a K was! I of course have been beating the Kris drum all along, but particularly loved last nights performance and I too was perplexed by Randy’s comment, but glad that Kara gave him props.
Adams vocals are sick. His performance was lacking and forced.
I know Allison has amazing vocal skills, but what is it about her that doesn’t do it for me? I think Simon put it well a few weeks ago when he said something to the effect that she needed to fix her personality or America wasn’t going to keep voting for her. Agreed.
As for tonight…by by Lil. Oh, I just realized it’s on right now. I’m out.
Ming, you and me are like THIS (I’m crossing my fingers together as tight as can be)!
And Jeff – you beat that horse as much as you want. Lil might not be winner-material, but she’s got the chops and the judges have it in for her for some reason. Maybe at the request of producers for some drama?
More like LAMErican Idol. AmIright?