Ladies and gentlemen, Randy Jackson is in the house and has given his first standing O of the season! I thought it was an overall good show, for the guys, but the girls needed to step it up. They sang ‘alright,’ but it wasn’t hot when you compare it with the guys. With Michael Johns gone, the dudes stepped it up to show what they can do.
I thought… wait a second… let’s just get on with the reviews:
Leading off, David Archuleta did a dang good job with his song. We heard his falsetto for the first time, and I’ve gotta say, it was well-placed. You could say he brought down the house, but he was the first singer. All of the judges thought that he just threw down the gauntlets for the other contestants. I gave him a 9.9 for the night.
Carly Smithson had to sing a tender song tonight… and it didn’t fly. Let’s just say that you can hear something in her voice recently that sounds to me like someone has their hand around her neck and is squeezing enough to make her voice strained. The notes are there, but it is very forced and does not sound beautiful at all. My wife has a suggestion about her frown/scowl: shave her eyebrows and have her husband tattoo them up at a 45% angle so that when she scowls it looks like she’s pretty and happy. Good idea, babe. I gave her an 8.8 for the night.
Busting out the big song again, Syesha Mercado hit some hot stuff, and it was a huge breath of fresh air. Initially I ranked her way up there for her song, but when we watched the recap at the end, she got bumped down a little from the overall impression she left after the top singer. I gave her a 9.8 for the night.
Brooke White finally impressed me, at least until she stood there for her judging, but I’ll let that pass tonight because my wife likes her so much. She did a great singer/player piece at the piano that blew me away to think that it was her. It was fantastic and I can imagine it being on the radio. I gave her a 10.0 for the night.
Kristy Lee Cook is looking more and more the part of an ‘Idol’ and busted out a good performance. If she hadn’t been in the bottom three almost every single week, I would suspect that this was all part of some great plan she has: play the dumb hick that’s barely making it and, “voila!” she’s a star when Michael Johns gets booted. I know that’s not the case, so let’s say she’s playing to her strengths a putting out good stuff now. I have her a 9.7 for the night.
Then there was David Cook. David Cook. Remember that name, because if he doesn’t get robbed like Michael Johns, you’ll be seeing him on the stage as the last singer standing this year. What he did with that Mariah song . was . HAWT . dawg! It was a different tempo, completely different notes and range, and his tone was eerie, but interesting. I loved it and I’m putting it on my iPod as soon as they release it. If I could go higher than a 10, I would. I gave him a 10.0 for the night.
Jason Castro wrapped it up with a very good performance that left a good impression, but I’m afraid that everyone was still ga-ga over David Cook’s song. I know I was. Hey, it sounded good and nothing bothered me, but I was sitting there trying to remember if I can get the iTunes song tomorrow morning or if I have to wait until after the show. I gave him a 9.7 for the night.
My picks for the Bottom 3 are: Carly Smithson, Syesha Mercado, and Jason Castro.
Going home this week: Carly Smithson.
What did you think of the Top 7?
