Welcome back to Idol thoughts. I have to be honest this might be a tough season. I know Simon said there were three guys worth praise last week, but I saw exactly ZERO Idol finalists (this includes the females) that I’m itching to root for. Sure there were one or two performances that were passable, but none that I found myself saying, WOW! And just so you don’t think I’m always this harsh, this is the first time that has been the case. I’m scared, scared that I won’t care this year, although that actually might be a nice relaxing change of pace, not seeing my favorite voted out at the final 4.
A list of the sure to be mediocre performances of the evening:
Michael Johns, “Go On Your Own Way” – Right off the bat, confirmation of my fears, he seems to be a decent performer, but the vocals were reaching, and I came away from the song saying “meh”. In fact if the overall mediocrity continues, I will heretofore refer to this show as A-meh-rican Idol. (C+)
Jason Castro. “I Just Want to be Your Everything” – If you can see past the dreads this kid is a dead ringer for John Travolta, and for some reason I can’t get past this. Last week, he was the best performance of the night in my opinion (a solid B), but tonight he missed so many notes and he seems so plastic, oh and the song was BOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIING. (B-)
Luke Menard, “Killer Queen” – Well at least it was a nice risky song choice, so it wasn’t boring, it just wasn’t, I don’t know, GOOD! Be honest, that was some horrendous singing. ARGGG, I feel like such a hater, but I’m not going to root for someone just because they are the best of the mediocre. (C+)
Robbie Carrico, “Hot Blooded” – That was OK (just like the first 3), but seriously, if Daughtry or even Bo Bice had done that, the roof would have come off. He hit most of the notes, but there was nothing about it that was close to exceptional. (B-)
Danny Noriega, “Until You Come Back to Me” – Alright, the dude is more feminine than half of the girls in my high school graduating class (and those are some girly girls) but I will not hold that against him in this critique. I actually thought that was the best vocal of the night so far, but there was nothing to it, no oomph, no pizaaz (to put it in Noriega lingo). (B)
David Hernandez, “Papa was a Rolling Stone” – OK, now we are getting somewhere, I’m still not gonna call it, but that was a very good performance. The only thing that holds me from calling this a WOW performance, is that it just seemed a bit rehearsed (which I’m sure it was, but it shouldn’t feel that way.) Still easily the best performance of the season (A)
Jason Yeager, “Long Train Runnin” – That was the definition of karaoke for me (typed before the judges and my wife said the same thing). If you still have it DVRed (actually they will probably show it 3 times in the results show Thursday) watch it again and think bar stage karaoke, it’s a perfect match. Let’s just move on. (D)
Chikezie, “I Believe” – OK, I’m no fashion guru, but I swear he stole that shirt from a Cedar Point worker (see pic above) . I really didn’t like this guy last week and I still don’t like him, but at least the vocal was better and it was definitely a clever song choice. (B)
David Cook, “All Right Now” – I thought I would like having the instruments available, but it seems like when they play it’s more of a distraction, and I just haven’t been that impressed. Maybe they were right in keeping the instruments off the show after all. I think he did alright with this, but just alright. (B-)
David Archuleta, “Imagine” – Boy, I know I’m gonna take flak on this one. I do not get this guy and it’s hard to see people go crazy for him when I thought it was just a good performance of a good song. Hmmm, I’m so out of touch with what makes him the favorite, of course in this group I don’t necessarily disagree that he is. Look, I understand he’s a great vocalist and he hit the right notes, I just don’t buy it. Give me another week, maybe I’ll come around. (A-)