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Episode Recap: Long Live Rock!
Hey guys, Mickey O'Connor here tonight filling in for Erin Fox, who is sunning herself this week far away from the screams of the Arch-Angels, and who was filling in for Nina Hammerling-Smith, who is, I'm sure, teaching her new baby the lyrics to "Hungry Like the Wolf" as we speak. I'm an avid American Idol watcher who is sad that Carly is no longer with us ("Superstar" indeed!), but I'll buck up and turn my attention to our talented final four and their foray into... RAWK! One warning: I usually agree with Simon -- sorry!
The contestants had to choose from the 500 most influential rock songs, as determined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was hoping to hear some Led Zeppelin or Stones tonight, but then I remembered that Michael Johns and Amanda Overmyer have already been eliminated, and my hopes were momentarily dashed. Would the final four truly rock me tonight? Let's see!
David Cook: "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran
This isn't necessarily a criticism, but sometimes it seems like David is doing Chris Cornell's version of every song he sings, doesn't it? In this case, I missed the synthesized goofiness of the original, but the growly, harder edge that David brought to the song was a good fit. It even left Paula with "a big appetite," which can't be a bad thing, right?
(TiVo Check: Did anyone notice that Tiffany –- who also recently showed up in Robin Sparkles' "Sandcastles in the Sand" video -- plays Meatloaf's wife in that AT&T GoPhone ad?)
Syesha Mercado: "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner
I get nervous when a contestant takes on such an iconic song, as Syesha did once before when she sang "I Will Always Love You" during Dolly Parton week. It's hard to avoid comparison, unless you pull a Blake Lewis and beatbox over Bon Jovi or something, but that's not Syesha. She was worried about getting the signature choreography right, which perhaps led Simon to observe that she had delivered a "bad, shrieky impersonation of Tina Turner," which might be a little unfair, but it begs the question: Why risk it? I would have preferred a more stripped-down arrangement instead of the safe, adult-contemporary rendition Syesha chose. "Proud Mary"'s genius lies in the quiet that eventually explodes into madness. Nevertheless, Syesha –- perhaps more than her three competitors –- really knows how to perform rather than just sing. She has fun, incorporates the band, and really commands the stage.
What’s up, Carly? We (I) miss you!
Jason Castro: "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley
Let's face it: Bob Marley songs are great because of the way Bob Marley sang them. Unfortunately, Jason lacks the depth and warmth in his vocal tones that Marley brought to this classic reggae ditty, so at times it seemed a little speak-sing-y to me. And as the judges are fond of pointing out, at this stage in the competition, you need to choose songs that show off your vocal talents, which I don't think this song did for Jason. I'm not sure I'd call it a "karaoke bomb," as Randy did, or "a first-round audition massacre," as Simon did, but I definitely understand why they were disappointed.
David Archuleta: "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King
I liked the way David changed up the arrangement of this maybe-too-familiar-for-Idol song. The bongos were a particularly nice touch, and his voice really soared over the softness of the backup singers. David proved that he has the vocal chops to modulate his singing as is appropriate for the song, without resorting to annoying theatrics. Overall, it was a very restrained performance that still entertained me. Paula, naturally, agreed that this 17-year-old is "way beyond [his] years… seasoned already." That said, the audience was particularly scream-y tonight, no?
David Cook: "Baba O'Riley" by the Who
This was a pretty brave choice, in that its distinction -– like "Proud Mary" –- lies in its slow, roiling build-up. Unfortunately, I think you really need to hear more than 90 seconds of it to understand its power. As a result, I thought David's opening was a little weak, but once it opened up into the chorus ("Teenage! Wasteland!"), it made me want to hear more. But, you know, then it just sort of ended. Despite its brevity, David turned in a solid performance without any major gaffes, leaving Paula "humbled to sit here and watch [his] soul" and Simon to say, "Welcome back, David Cook!" Wait, where did he go?
Syesha Mercado: "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
I was kind of with Randy on this one when he said that Syesha was "trying to [make the song] something that it wasn't." I think when you decide to sing a song so tied up in its civil rights origins, you need to bring some reverence to the stage. And while it was clear that Syesha understood the gravity of the song, to me, her performance came off more sultry than serious. Remember when Katharine McPhee sat down on the stage, dressed modestly, and sang a clear, emotional rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"? That's what Syesha needed to do. Wearing a floor-length gown and singing about the suffering and steadfastness that the song's "change" implies doesn't really match up. So it surprised me that Simon actually praised her performance, even going as far as to berate Randy for making Syesha cry.
Jason Castro: "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan
Jason's second choice was a little simple. But I kind of liked it, and I was bummed that he forgot some of his lyrics because it made him an easy target for the judges' brutal critiques. Randy said he wasn't "in the zone tonight." Simon even went as far as to encourage him to pack his suitcase. Yes, the arrangement was a little too sped up for my taste, but had he opened it up to the audience a little more, as he did with his first song, instead of remaining stool-bound, he might have pulled off a decent performance.
David Archuleta: "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley
I haven't been a big Archuleta fan thus far, but after this song, I think I get it. He sang it well, distinguished it enough from Elvis' version to avoid copycat accusations, and practically sexually assaulted the cameraman his performance was so impassioned. Seriously, could the camera have gotten any closer? Randy, too, received some Archuleta love, pointing out that he "caressed every word." Simon summed up the evening well by stating simply that he "crushed the competition tonight."
What did you think? Who were your favorites? And did Syesha or Jason do well enough to upset the seemingly inevitable David-David finale?
Related:
• Cheers & Jeers pulls a Simon on Jason Castro.
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May 6, 2008 9:52 PM
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am i first??? yea! lol
Hi mickey....nice job filling in 
So I thought tonight was fairly well overall but I too was hoping to hear some better songs overall...right to it:
David C- I was kinda disappointed w/ him overall tonight but I think he said it best when he said he set the bar too high for himself, i'm sure that most of the songs he's sang this whole competition have been in the hall of fame so he really did put the bar high. I hope he pulls thru the vote.
Syesha- I like her more and more its too bad that I already have my favorites picked. Had she been this good earlier on she would be a stronger contender right now. Although I kinda agree w/ randy that "a change is gonna come" should have been more reverential than how she did it.
Jason- I dont think this guy will ever be what the show wants, he doesn't have a powerhouse vocal, so when you forget all that he is actually quite good doing what he does. He reminds me of what you hear when you go into starbucks. Whatever happens he'll be fine after this competition.
David a- I thought he did really well tonight. The judges absolutely love him, but tonight he did prove that he deserves some of that praise. I liked Stand by Me better than Love me tender, but both were really well sung. That boy knows how to emote!!!
My pick for going home...I think jason did the worst but since Simon told him to pack his bags that will prob motivate his fans to vote that much more for him. Syesha maybe in trouble. Or perhaps a David C shocker exit??? I hope not but I did find it interesting that Ryan gave a shout out to the other surprise final 4 oustings from years past. Vote people!!!
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May 6, 2008 10:14 PM
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Mickey - great, great blog!!!! Now, can you go over to Battlestar's recap and take that on too while Erin is away? At this stage of the game just about everyone has favorites (myself included) but I try to keep an open mind. I really like David Cook - but I don't understand why he didn't do more with Hungry Like the Wolf. (And I was a huge Duran fan in the 80's... but I am dating myself now so I'll stop). Did any of you watch Rock Star? If so, do you remember when Marty did Britney's Hit Me Baby One More Time? It was AWESOME. I really wish David had mixed it up more - kind of in that fashion - but to be fair, he seemed to know it. I don't have much to say about his second song other than the downloads have the entire song on them and I've noticed a few times when David does a song it translates better in the complete version rather than the shortened one on stage. (Yes, yes, I know this is a live show). I think Syesya did enough to make it to the final three. Jason - sigh. I didn't think his first song deserved the smack down he got from the judges but his second song showed his nerves big time. I think he should be VERY proud that he made it this far & I hope he does really well. I'm sorry, but I did not love Little David tonight. Sure, he sang nicely but.... EVERY.SONG.SOUNDS.THE.SAME! It's all nice but it is not for me. (sorry catlovergirl - I know we've been bonding so don't be mad!)). Syesa gets slammed by Randy for messing with Sam Cook ("the best singer EVER") but Little David takes a turn with Elvis and it is "the bomb" - granted, Little David did a good job - who knew Love Me Tender could sound just like Stand By Me and still sound good? My husband says he is the perfect vehicle for the sappy Idol songs that go on the winner's CD... maybe that is the appeal for the judges. I just don't get it.
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May 6, 2008 10:45 PM
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The 50 most influential rock songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and this was the best they could come up with?? I really didn't care for any of them. It made me really miss Michael Johns.
I don't know what it is about Jason, but he definitely has something going for him and I don't think it's his voice. Every season there are those that make it to the final 5 or 6 that have driven me crazy and made me not want to watch it anymore. But this season I can't "get mad" at this guy!
I believe he should have gone home long before Michael or Carley, yet I'm not screaming at the TV and throwing pillows across the room when Ryan tells him he's SAFE. It's not his looks either because I'm over 40 and not into the dreadlocks. But for the life of me I can't figure out why I seem to tolerate him. Of course my feelings might turn a little hostile towards him if my favorite, David Cook
is sent home!!!
Simon was really hard on Jason, plus the fact that he forgot the lines may get him plenty of sympathy votes. If he doesn't go home, then I'm hoping it's Syesha even though she's really done much better the past 2 weeks. I'd like to see a David vs David finale.
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May 6, 2008 11:05 PM
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I agree with pretty much everything you said, Mickey.
I kind of agreed with Randy on Syesha's second song too. I really enjoy that song, and I just did not like the arrangement of it tonight.
And I kind of enjoyed Jason's second performance too.
I say it's between Syesha and Jason to go home. But Syesha will be safe once again. (She has escape elimination numerous times!) Jason will be the one leaving.
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May 6, 2008 11:13 PM
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Baba O'Riley was definitely my favorite of the night. It was the only thing with some energy. Well, Jason had energy on WSTS but it was all the wrong kind. He seemed goofy and HAPPY and it's like, man, this song is about evil and shooting down The Man, not bopping around with your hair swinging and looking more like a GoGo than a dreadhead.
Archie does nothing for me. I agree that "Stand By Me" sounded exactly like "Love Me Tender" (it took me a minute to remember what the second song was, because it sounded ex.act.ly like the first one) and I DO NOT GET the tongue baths from Randy, especially, or Simon telling him he crushed the competition. I guarantee you that if he had been first and Syesha 3rd and Cook 4th, with the band and lighting supporting them the way they supported Archie and only Archie tonight, everybody would think that Syesha and Cook were the best two of the night.
Archie has performed in the first half of the show ONCE. This whole season. ONCE. I haven't figured out why Nigel and Co. want him to win, but they aren't being very subtle about it, are they?
Meanwhile, time for Jason to go home. He was baaaaaad on Sheriff and actually pretty good on "Tambourine Man," but that is a snooze of a song, anyway, and he biffed the lyrics bigtime. No excuses. Time to go!
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May 6, 2008 11:14 PM
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Wow, tonight was a disappointment for me. I love David Cook more than anything, but something was off with him. His whole demeanor wasn't the same. I noticed on the playback that the first song was better than what we saw on the live show. I agree with most of the comments about they hype for David A. He only sing ballad and I'm tired of listening to him before he starts. My friend really loves Elvis so as far as she's concerned he was the best. I beg to differ. I hope the "Jasonettes" don't get their wish and Jason is finally sent home. He should have been gone long, long, before now. Reminds me of the Sanjaya fiasco last season. I'm hoping for a David Cook and Syesha finale. I know it's against all odds, but a girl can dream.
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May 6, 2008 11:26 PM
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Welcome, Mickey!
Round 1-
My future husband: I mean David Cook... I will admit it, I'm biased. The man can do no wrong. What bothers me is that Simon called the performance "copycat" when that's what every other contestant comes out and does every week. It wasn't his best performance, but I still enjoyed it.
Syesha: The first thing my mom said after this performance was, "That was like a bad Tina Turner impression." I was glad that Simon agreed. I just wasn't feeling it... Not the dancing, the shrieking at the end... I did like her dress though.
Jason: Is he actually high? What is he doing with his arms the whole time? Not. Good. And I used to be a fan.
Archie: One of my all-time favorite songs, but a predictable choice. He sounded good until he went into his false at the end. And for goodness sakes, can the kid please stand up straight for once?
Round 2-
DC: Loved it. Amazing. Incredible. Why did he stop? It was so short!
Syesha: I think I may have a heart of stone or something, because Syesha did not make me want to vote for her when she started crying. She's better than Jason, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if she went home.
Jason: I was kinda digging this up until he forgot the lyrics. It could've been really cool, but it wasn't.
Archie: I'm surprised I couldn't see nose hairs with how close the camera got. The kid has a decent voice, but I wouldn't call him a star.
I definitely voted for David Cook 400 times in order to avoid another Daughtry fiasco. I will not let Jason Castro outlast my beloved DC.
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May 6, 2008 11:31 PM
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I don't get the love for David A. I get that he's a good singer, blah blah blah. But, seriously, in my opinion he has zero personality and gives very uninspiring performances. His voice just kind of annoys me at this point, and I can't figure out what kind of record he would put out or who would buy it. I do think he would fit in very well on the Disney Channel. I, like one of the previous posters, do not understand why Randy lays the love on SO damn thick every week no matter what he does. Weird.
I also don't understand why the judges are so hard on Jason. I agree that the criticism was warranted for the first performance, but aside from the little lyrics flub, I quite enjoyed the second song. The thing that I just don't get is that this is who he is and always has been. I have trouble distinguishing the second performance from tonight from earlier performances that got rave reviews. I get that sometimes it seems like J could care less if he stays or goes, but I guess I was just puzzled by the beating he took from the judges tonight.
All in all, tonight I was just...bored. I do think David Cook is great, but this group headed toward the finals just does very little to excite me. I think there was the potential for a really amazing final four w/ Carly and Michael Johns, and it makes me sad to think about what could have been...
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May 6, 2008 11:44 PM
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Hard to believe some of these songs were the best folks could do with all they had to choose from!
David C.-
Hungry Like a Wolf - Lacked Excitement.
Baba O' Riley - I would have loved to hear him do the whole song, I loved it!
Syesha -
Proud Mary - Nice impersonation. If you can do Tina that well, why not?
Change is Gonna Come - She looked lovely and sounded pretty.
Jason -
I Shot the Sheriff and Mr. Tamborine Man - Really???
Um, well...Two really dumb song choices performed like he was sleep walking.
David A.-
Stand By Me - I loved it.
Love Me Tender - I didn't think it was fantastic, but it wasn't half bad.
Surely Jason is going home tomorrow.
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May 6, 2008 11:52 PM
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Clearly, the judges were angry with Jason for the interview he gave last week where he said he pretty much wanted to go home, hadn't really bothered to rehearse, found fan interest "weird", and generally blew off the show. He deserved to get beaten up a little, since he may have "thrown" his performances tonight.
David Archuletta's father is a very smart man. He knows that the "Idol" now skews to the "Boomer" audience and he picked to familiar songs, which David performed in a blandly competent manner. Of course, the minute David talks about never having performed the songs, I wonder how long before someone turns up YouTube footage of him doing at high school or on Star Search.
You always hear Simon talk about "Self-Indulgence" and I think that's what happened with my David Cook this week. He took two songs and then sort took out the part that the listener really gets into; you could hear the crowd amp up as he started into the chorus of the "Who" song (y'know, the "CSI" theme), but then he just dropped it. Too bad.
I thought Syesha did a decent enough job, -she certainly tries harder than anyone else, -but her song choices show the usual lack of strategy, and that whole crying scene left me with mixed emotions.
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May 7, 2008 12:03 AM
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With all the songs available to them, I was hoping for 8 knockouts and only got 2.5.
Jason couldn't buy a break tonight.
His first performance was so so, but his second one would have been fine if not for forgetting the words. I wouldn't doubt if Simon's criticism played a role in his lapse.
Cook chose poorly for his songs, but did a good job with them. The second song had the makings as one that could join the AI Hall of Fame, but it ended too soon. The singtestants need to remember to choose "singer" songs, not just songs they like, and David suffered from that tonight.
Syesha was ok, but she looked damn fine. I wonder why they let her filibuster at the end of her second song. They've had people in tears before, why give her so much time to yap?
Archuletta made the best choices of songs and did the most with him. I thought his first song was overdone and the second song beyond him, but still he had about 1.5 good performances between the two songs.
Cook may have handed the title to Archie tonight, and I almost wonder if it was self sabotage. I like Duran Duran a lot, but with all of the song choices available, choosing that one seemed, as Simon surprisingly DIDN'T put it, indulgent.
If anyone other than Jason goes home, it'd be a shocker. Too bad Michael wasn't still around, he'd have given at least one stand out performance...and probably chosen poorly for the other one.
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May 7, 2008 12:13 AM
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Jason's performances are infuriating because he's not even trying to win. He has this great opportunity to showcase his "talent" and he continues to squander it week after week. That is a slap in the face to all the other people who he beat out that would love to be in his shoes. I feel like he'd rather be hanging out on the quad playing hackey sack.
David Cook is a great singer and performer, but his songs always sound so stalkerish to me. Lets hope he doesn't suffer from Umatitis....
Syesha has a habit of picking signature songs. But in her case I think she does it to show off her range. She knows she's not going to win the competition, so she wants to create as much buzz as she can through her performances and song choices.
David Archuleta has a great voice, but the whole "they really like me" bit after each song is way past being cute. He's already won Star Search, so it's not like he doesn't know his own talent. Plus whenever they show his dad it disgusts me a bit to think of him getting his grubby mitts on David's future income.
All in all, this season is not living up to the hype that they keep perpetuating. Tonight is the first time I've voted, and that was only to keep Syesha from getting booted by those Jason fans.
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May 7, 2008 12:13 AM
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so tonight's show was a bit of a let down. I came ready to rock and got what? song selection was a big problem.
my picks for what they should have sung
DC: sweet dreams or sunshine of your love
Syesha: you can't hurry love or be my baby
Castro: my girl or once in a lifetime
Archie: god only knows or more than a feeling
i just don't think that the song choices were iconic enough for this to be a really exciting show
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May 7, 2008 12:15 AM
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First I want to say that I was just looking at the Idol Power Rankings slides for this week and I was so THRILLED and EXCITED to see that my quote had been chosen as the one in support of David Cook! Out of all the hundreds and hundreds of quotes, you picked mine, so THANK YOU TV Guide staff!!!
Now about tonight's show . . . Oh My GAWD, Jason was BAAAAAADDDDDDD. But I have a theory! Entertainment Weekly had an article on the Idols this week and in it, Jason told the report that he was kinda of ready to go home. I personally think that he may have purposely sabotaged himself so he'd get voted off. Maybe not "consciously," but certainly I think he could have that desire running through the back of his mind, making him not try as hard as he did at the beginning. Also, I think he's just a laid-back person who takes life as it comes, so I don't think this competition is as do-or-die to him as it is to so many of the other contestants.
I agree with Randy that David Cook was not his normal self tonight. I enjoyed his second song, but his first had me scratching my head a bit. I'm a child of the 80s, so Duran Duran are MY music gods. I didn't have a problem with him covering the song. I just needed to hear him put his personal stamp on it, which I don't think he did. STILL, with everything he's done this season, he absolutely deserves to stay in the competition.
David A. was particulary good this week. Not only did he select EXCELLENT songs (Stand By Me) is one of my all-time favorites), he performed them extremely well. He'll definitely be back.
Lastly, Syesha left me wanting on the first song. I preferred Treynece's version in Season 2. But I was blown away by her second performance and so was my husband. That was the first time in this entire competition where I felt like she owned a song so completely that she couldn't be compared to anyone else. She was lovely, and I was so p-i-s-s-e-d at Randy for tearing into her. He was WAY off base with his critique. What the heck was he listening to?!?!?! Because it certainly wasn't what the rest of us heard. Bravo, Syesha!
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May 7, 2008 12:23 AM
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