American Idol Recap: Who 'Inspired' Us Most?
5. Lee Dewyze, "The Boxer"
Did Alicia Keys just say, "We need to believe you're that boxer"? OK, she did. Fine. We accept that she's a little dense in the thinking department. We move right along. Though it was one of the only quality song choices on the list of 77 possible tunes, "The Boxer" still felt out of place in the suddenly slime-green Idol amphitheater. As usual, Lee Dewyze looked like the quivering boxer Glass Joe from round one of Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!. Within last night's creamy schmaltz, somehow "The Boxer" came off as even Cool-Whippier than "I Believe I Can Fly." Yep. Coming right up.
4. Aaron Kelly, "I Believe I Can Fly"
Fetus the Magnificent (AKA The Man Who Would Be Born) gave one one of his strongest performances with this soul anthem from the Space Jam soundtrack. He even brought back his signature dance move -- the Stilted Body Wriggle. There was a 20/20 once where they let a newborn baby flail by itself in a swimming pool to prove it had water-treading instincts. Fetus achieved that level of coordination and honesty last night.
3. Siobhan Magnus, "When You Believe"
Glue Girl's streak of traditional ballads is pretty weird, right? She fits in effortlessly on "Rolling Stones Night" or "Zappa Side-Project Night" or "An Evening of Melancholy Yodeling," but she insists upon revisiting the Aretha-Whitney school of firestarting often. Too often, in fact. The problem is, songs like "When You Believe" don't actually give her a forum for injecting any character, and her renditions instead sound feathery and less powerful than their source material. At this point, I hope Siobhan sticks it out and lands in the Top 2, but with performances like this, she threatens to erase all that we adore about our paint fumes nymph.
Comments
Worst. Episode. Ever. But the performance that really pissed me off was Lee DeWyze's. Why on Earth were the judges praising to the heavens such a robotic turn at the mic? And can someone please explain to me how "The Boxer" is an inspirational song? It's about people who are down and out on the fringes of society. It's sad. It's beautiful. Yet it offers no redemption for its characters, no hope for a better tomorrow. So how is it inspiring?
Can't say I agree with your detective work, Louis. I think Crystal was honest and touching and by far the best of the night. Yes, professional singers usually keep it together (I think of Elton during Princess Di's funeral as the epitome) but give the girl a break - she was a street performer 6 months ago.
Michael Lynch the best?!? Were you still celebrating 420?
My favorite is Casey James. I love anything he sings. And he's wild on that guitar. He's going to be big someday--you wait and see. No, I'm not a teen or a tween...I'm a 73 year old woman and I predict that Casey James will win. Go Casey!!
I think you may be onto something with your high hopes for Casey James. He's so unfazed and comfortable that it never seems like his elimination is upon us. I may have to start a "Casey James Dark Horse Watch."
Crystal was touching, yes. But #2 still seems appropriate.
As for Michael: Look, let's vote him out. I don't want him to continue on either. But that performance was more solid than the others, plain and simple. "Solid" isn't a ringing endorsement, but there wasn't a showstopping moment among the other six. The opposite of "showstopping" occurred, in fact. It kept. On. Going.
Wow. I thought Michael's was horrible. Very karaoke.
Let me know what you think of my recap:
http://iamnoahjames.com/2010/04/21/idolspec-top-7-performance-show-%e2%80%93-4202010/
i always expect siobhan on to rip off her face a la mission: impossible and reveal that it's really juliette lewis
SIOBHAN & CRYSTAL WILL BE IN THE TOP 2! THESE GIRLS ARE AMAZING. NO ONE ELSE COMPARES. I MISS LILLY! GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS!
THE JUDGES SAY EVERY YEAR, THIS IS THE BEST EVER. NOT! THE LAST FEW YEARS WERE BETTER THAN THIS YEAR. THERE ARE GOOD SINGERS & SOME GET BETTER W/ EVERY SHOW. BUT THE JUDGES CONFUSE THE CONTESTANTS W/ CHANGE IT UP.... NOT EVERY SINGER CAN SING AN MJ SONG ETC. LOOK AT MARY J BLIGE SINGING STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN! UGH! TERRIBLE. AND SHE'S FAMOUS. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN SHES A BAD SINGER, SHE JUST CAN'T SING THAT SONG. SAME W/ THE IDOL CONTESTANTS. THEY ARE FORCED TO SING SONGS THAT ARE NOT THEM. EVERYONE HAS A GOOD/BAD WEEK. DOESN'T MAKE THEM A BAD SINGER BUT WHEN SOMEONE IS CONSISTANTLY BAD THEY NEED TO BE VOTED OFF BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SING NOT KEEP THEM FOR POPULARITY OF GOOD LOOKS ETC.... THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE VOTING FROM VOTING FOR YOUR FAV TO VOTE OFF THE WORST! IT'S EASIER & WOULD PROBABLY MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE & ACCURATE.
CASEY, MIKE & AARON WILL BE IN THE BOTTOM 3 NEXT WEEK. CRYSTAL & SIOBHAN WILL MAKE IT TO THE TOP 2!
IDOL REALLY GIVES PEOPLE RECOGNITION. AND IF THEY ARE GOOD SOMEONE WILL HIRE THEM WHETHER THEY WIN OR NOT! LOOK AT DAUGHTRY. HE DID BETTER THAN STUDDARD & FANTASIA.
I LOVE IDOL GIVES BACK TOO BUT THIS YEAR DIDN'T EVEN COMPARE TO THE LAST ONE EITHER. I WAS VERY DISSAPOINTED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IDOL GIVES BACK LAST YEAR. SO MANY PEOPLE WATCH THE SHOW & ITS A GREAT OPPURTUNITY FOR IDOL TO HELP THE WORLD. IT IS FOR SUCH A GREAT CAUSE. IT HELPS HERE IN THE USA & OTHER COUNTRIES. I LOVE TO GIVE BACK.
Siobhan Magnus and Lee Dewyze are the best. Simon and the others have their favorites and as always think they are a shoe in. As in season seven where they trashed David Cook and said by Far David Archaletta was the best. I love archie he is good but David Cook was by far the best. Last year they just went wild over Adam Lambert. I do love his new song What do you want from me. I also loved Kris Allen and thought he was just as good. The public decides and they listen to the songs these contestants sing over and over and pick which songs they would listen to on a CD over and over again. Siobhan and Lee will make the top two by public votes even though the Judges picks seem to be Crystal and Big Mike. All the contestants when you reach the top 10 are awesome. But don't count out anyone at this point. I really think Siobhan will take the show this year if she continues as she has in previous weeks. Siobhan Keep YOUR HEAD UP GIRL WE LOVE YOU