Week 4 AI – Top 12

It’s time, my friends. American Idol. Tonight – the Top 12. The Lennon-McCartney songbook as the theme. And a new set. Woo. Okay. Let’s get this going.
Oh. The new set. Um – not that exciting, really. Meh. Not that impressed. (Who is Andy and who is John?) Now, that’s actually cool. The band is in a ‘penthouse’ type of thing. I like it. The band above the singers. Nice. A mosh pit? Really? WTF? >___< (Simon is wearing a WHITE shirt?! The world is ending...) What the HELL are some of them wearing? That was a full-on, complete sequin top. Holy shit. One of the girls is stuck in last week’s theme – the 80’s. Background on Lennon and McCartney. I didn’t know they wrote songs for their competition. Neat. (Did Randy just say Lennon and McCartney put it DOWN? Wow.) Syesha Mercado – Got to Get You Into My Life
Well. The band is hot. That’s all I got. Love me some horns in a song. Srsly. She’s utterly forgettable to me. It’s nothing to write home about. But the band is hot! (=
Randy: Nice arrangement. Pitch problems at the beginning. Fun in the middle. Loosen up. It was alright.
Paula: You are a good singer. Started off pitch. You sounded great middle to the end.
Simon: Great choice of song. Better than alright. You looked very nervous. Much better than last week.

Chakezie – She’s A Woman
(He’s going to put funk on it? Oh boy…) This seems to be at the top of his range. The beginning there. I kind of feel like he’s screaming at me. I admit it. I am not Diz. I do not know the songs. But, I feel like any Lennon or McCartney song wouldn’t make me feel like I’m being – screamed – at. (IE Linkin Park songs, like I’m About To Break.) Eh. It’s ai’ight.
Randy: Dawg! Thoroughly entertained. Love the arrangement. Chakezie smashed it.
Paula: Those who take a risk, the greater the reward. I’ve been waiting for this. The reward paid off.
Simon: Really surprised I actually agree with these two. What I loved about it – other than you looked drunk on stage – you’ve actually changed over the week. Terrific.
(Apparently, I’m the only one who wasn’t a fan. Ryan is out of breath. That – uh – is disturbing.)

Ramiele Malubay – In My Life
(The crowd is doing the double hand wave. Save me.) She’s singing it well. But – that’s about it. It’s got a whole – high school talent show “vibe” to it. You know how that goes.
Randy: Kinda pretty and kinda pretty boring. Waiting for you to do something special. Didn’t move any earth for me.
Paula: You look lovely tonight. (She has nothing good to say when she goes there.) It was pretty safe. Take advantage of your own voice.
Simon: I was bored to tears throughout the entire song. Dreary song choice. Did nothing for you. Forgettable, boring, and I expect a lot better from you.

Jason Castro – If I Fell
(He’s back on the guitar! >__< Seriously, the dreadlocks are NOT a good look. They aren't. Stop. Stop now.) Is it me or does this song seem out of his range? I don't know. It sounds like he can't reach the notes. And, seriously, they can arrange it however they want. So - why pick a key that makes it sound like you are struggling to reach the notes? Ergh. Yeah. Not a fan. Because it just sounds like he can't - sing - it. :/
Randy: I liked it, I didn’t love it. Sing it with more a heart-felt thing. It was alright.
Paula: I disagree. What is so special and unique is that I feel your heart. (Wonder if you feel more than that, Paula….) You have an emotional connection to the songs you pick. (What?)
Simon: Last week you were incredible. Tonight, this was all a bit student in a bedroom at midnight. I thought it was quite boring. Unique and different. Not the same impact this week. Choose songs to suit your style.

Carly Smithson – Come Together
I like it. Sounds good. The song suits her. I have to say, I think she’s the first one to pick a song that really suits the singer. But – what the hell is she wearing? O_o Anyway. I like it. The singing. So did the crowd. But they love everyone.
Randy: Yo! You were strong, you were confident. There wasn’t a note out of tune. Stellar performance.
Paula: I felt like I was already watching a star. You’re amazing. (Thus proves my point. Paula only says someone looks good when she doesn’t have anything nice to say.)
Simon: Week after week, I thought you had chosen the wrong song. Until now. This reminds me six years ago – Kelly Clarkson.

David Cook – Eleanor Rigby
Wow. Flashy. So like a rock show. I am not digging his performance. What is he doing with the mic stand?! O_o The singing isn’t bad. I’m utterly distracted by the mic aerobics, however. o_O And the light show. Dude. Diz! Help me! >__<
Randy: Check it out. You can definitely rock out. Pitchy at the begining. Rocking at the chorus. You got this!
Paula: You are the dark horse. This is proving it. I think you are fantastic. I love seeing you as a front man.
Simon: I thought it was brilliant. If this show remains a talent competition rather than a popularity competition, you could actually win.
(I was totally distracted. I guess I missed the “brilliant.”)

Taking a break after each person is starting to piss me off. A lot. >____< Brooke White – Let It Be
Holy shit. A song I actually know. Let’s see if she butchers it. (I’ve not been a fan of hers – at all.) And – she’s not butchering it. At all. I do think, however, she is being really safe with it. I think she’s going to get called on the carpet for it. She’s singing it well, but – again – like Ramiele, very high school talent show. I think this is the first performance I’ve actually – liked – out of her, safe as it is. (Is she barefoot? She is! She can’t play piano with her shoes on. Huh.)
Randy: I love the fact that you have all of this conviction. You gave a very heartfelt performance. I’m a fan!
Paula: This is your niche. Picking songs where we can feel your heart. It’s having that emotional connection.
Simon: I thought it was, again, one of the best performances of the night. Brilliant choice of song. It’s believable.
(Okay. So – I am – uh – not doing well at predicting the responses of the judges tonight. Total suck, I am.)

Dave Hernandez – I Saw Her Standing There
What the hell is he doing? Running around the judges to the stage? Weirdo. What is with his facial expressions? O_o He looks – like a crazed maniac. S’ai’ight, I suppose. Eh. I’m not overly impressed with it. Sounds like every other version of the song I hear, really. Eh.
Randy: Yo, David, dawg. Here’s the deal. It was a little too overdone. I was lost from the jump. Too much going on. (Boos from the crowd.)
Paula: You know I love your voice. I feel like you overdid it today. Scale back. Brilliant singer, too much.
Simon: No, no, no. I thought it was corny, verging on desperate. All a little bit – oh, shut up. (To the booing crowd) – rabbit in the headlights. I didn’t think it was a particularly strong performance.
(Holy crap. The judges and I actually agreed on something?!)

Damn. Four to go. Four. UGH. I’m dying. I think I need to tag team this with someone. Diz?! Wanna?

Amanda Overmyer – You Can’t Do That
(She’s never heard the song before this week. Hrmm.) I seriously don’t like her. I can’t understand her! >__< It frustrates me to no end. And yet - everyone loves her. Fuck. >__< I hate it! That I can't understand her half the time. And - she's doing it with this song too. Very - scat. Ugh. *sigh* Her pants make me think of Michael Keaton in Beetleguese. When I can understand her - I like it. But - it's - rare. :/ More scat. ugh. STOP! ::cry::
Randy: Guess what – you took a Beatles song and rocked it out in a Southern bar. I love it dude. Thought it was cool.
Paula: You look fantastic. You are a star. Best competition. Best season. I’m blown away.
Simon: I didn’t think it was as good as last week. I understood about 30% of what you sang. Got a little bit shouty. (Paula and Simon getting into it.) You are like a breath of fresh air. Not as good as last week.
Diz: now on idol: skunky mcgee incoherently mumbles a beatles song. (I love Diz.)

Michael Johns – Across the Universe
I think I’m running out of steam. I think he’s done the best of the guys tonight. I like it. I think he’s doing well with the song. I haven’t really liked any of the guy performances tonight – until now. Good show, Michael. That’s all I got. I like it. Not love it. Not hate it. Like it.
Randy: Check it out, baby. I think you could have taken a little liberty. A little sleepy. It was okay. Go big, baby, go big!
Paula: I disagree with you. Takes an inner quiet confidence to stand center stage and sing brilliantly.
Simon: I’m going to agree with Randy. Absolutely right. It was solid, it was good, it was monotonous. Frustrated still we haven’t heard what you are capable of.

Kristy Lee Cook – 8 Days A Week
Country-style. God save me. She’s the one in the sequin top! Holy crap!! And it is totally country. So twangy, I might get hurt. I’m not sure how I feel about a Beatles song being – country. It’s disturbing me on many levels. However, the style suits Kristy. She *is* a country girl and should have done country sooner.
Randy: I like the arrangement, but I felt you were trying to force runs into it. I’m torn. Half and half. Half of me likes it, half of me didn’t.
Paula: I didn’t enjoy it. I feel like you can’t take what we say too much to heart. I didn’t get it. (Paula didn’t say – you look fantastic!)
Simon: I thought it was horrendous. You sounded like Dolly Parton on helium. It was a very brave but foolish thing to do. That song doesn’t work in that style.
(So, I was right. That song just – doesn’t – GO country. While the style suits her, it didn’t suit the song.)

The last performance. Oh, thank – GOD! While I love Lennon and McCartney as songwriters, some of these children are just butchering the songs. Ugh. My ears. They bleed!

David Archuleta – We Can Work It Out
(He’s on the stairs. Why is he on the stairs?) Does he even know the words? It sounded, for a minute there, like he didn’t know them. O_o I have to say. I’ve been a big fan of his since the beginning. Tonight – he’s just ai’ight. I’m not that impressed. I know what it’s reminding me of! A front-man for a boy band! Zomg! With a Beatles song! O_O That’s bad, dawg.
Randy: Yo! You know I’m a fan. This week it was not on point. It felt very forced. It didn’t quite work.
Paula: This wasn’t your best week. You are a front runner. Forgetting the lyrics – never let it show. (Oh my god! I was right! He forgot the lyrics!!)
Simon: That was a mess. Stumbled over the lyrics – should not have done the Stevie Wonder version. It was all over the place. I expect much better than that.

Okay, children. Expect to see more comments from Diz in the coming weeks. She and I twittered back and forth all night. It was awesome. (; I’m hoping to lure her in to blog some of this. Because, really, it’s freaking exhausting to do all by one’s self. Anyway – overall – not impressed. At all. The judges seemed to be – I wasn’t.

See you tomorrow, lovelies. For the results.