If you follow my blog, you know I love musicals. In fact, I kinda went musical crazy over the last two years seeing more musicals than I ever have (in fact, I saw 1/3 of all the musicals I've EVER seen in my lifetime all in 2007, but 2008 is starting to already gear up to beat that number) so when musicals get front and centre attention on prime time TV, I get excited. Except I kinda hate Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'm never going to get the 2 and a half hours of my life back from Starlight Express. I finally saw The Phantom of the Opera last year so that I could judge it properly... and it was the bore I had always thought it was, and Whistle Down the Wind was tedious. On the other hand, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of my faves (though I did do it in high school so there's a bias there), and Evita is pretty good, but essentially, I'm not a fan. I like the man (he always seems nice in interviews), I don't exactly love his work. (But I DO love [title of show] even though I've never seen it! So go get tickets!)
On a side note, those mannequins in the boxes at the Phantom theatre where the Idols practiced with Sir Andrew were TOTALLY creepy, no?
Syesha Mercado sings "One Rock And Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express which I've never actually remember hearing before but probably because I've blocked it out of my head. So not a great song to begin with (from a dreadful musical) and Syesha goes out on a different route... and it still kinda sounds the same as everything she's done everyweek. Strong voice, comprable performance, and still kinda boring. Sorry to say. I think it was one rock and roll too many. I just had to say that. It was too easy.
Jason Castro sings "Memories" from Cats and I was expecting a train wreck and as much fun as it would be to say it was a train wreck (which apparently Randy and Simon thought it was), I didn't TOTALLY hate it actually. His vocals were all over the place but there were moments that were actually pretty good within the mess. So not a total failure and better than I anticipated. That being said, I can now erase this from my memory and move on (I just had to say that. It was too easy!).
Brooke White sings "You Must Love Me" from Evita and then she STOPS. and STARTS AGAIN. GASP. I actually thought it was a brave move and she did it seemlessly. She does an okay job with it but nothing great, but I still like her style but it didn't really work that great here (but not as bad as the judges seem to trounce on her for, though most were still stuck on the fact she stopped). Still, you could tell Brooke was really trying to tell us that "you must love me" (You KNOW I had to say that. It was too easy!) and I feel for her. Not a great week for her and it might cost her big but I hope she gets a reprieve to prove herself again.
David Archuleta sings "Think Of Me". Okay! I will think of you! (You know I had to say that. It was too easy!). From The Phantom of the Opera. And David made it sound like one of those Disney discs where they get the new young stars to sing songs from musicals. And I LOVE THOSE DISCS. I LOVE the Popified versions of musicals! LOVE THEM. David should join that gang, cause it was smooth and sweet and gave me tingles in my sugary pop vein. Not exactly high art but whatever, we're watching American Idol on Lloyd Webber week, what did you expect?
Carly Smithson sings "Jesus Christ Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar", one of those musicals everyone else seems to love except me (except that Mary Magdeline song) and I'm not sure I liked Carly's interpretation, even though again, everyone else seemed to love it. And I really liked Carly, but I didn't love it, I thought it was a little overbloated but that might be my bias against the actual song itself. I know, Jesus Christ! She's a superstar. How can you think that Vance? (Okay, I was stretching a bit there but I kinda made it work. No? You know I had to, it was too cheesy!)
David Cook sings "The Music of the Night", the second song tonight from The Phantom of the Opera and if you ignored the first two lines he sings (because he was a little shaky), he NAILED the rest of the song and did an AMAZING and traditional version of the song. David didn't need to emo-rock it out and his vocals still carried him through to truly make it the music of the night! You know I had to, it was too easy!So apparently I totally didn't feel the same way as the judges tonight, though I wonder if my expectations either made me be too harsh on some (Carly) and too easy on others (Jason Castro).
And did you notice most of the song titles kinda described the singers situation? Did I point that out?
Best of the night: David Cook
Next best: David Archuleta (and I really want to switch this up a bit and NOT have one of the David's switch within the top 2 but I really feel they've been performing the best for weeks now)
Worst of the night:: Jason Castro
Most forgetable of the night: Syesha Mercado, again.
Going home? Syesha Mercado or Brooke White? Jason will join them in the bottom three. I'm going to put my money in Syesha finally saying sayonara.
All the videos of the performances are after the jump:
Syesha Mercado - "One Rock and Roll Too Many":
Jason Castro - "Memories":
Brooke White - "You Must Love Me":
David Archuleta - "Think Of Me":
David Cook - "Music of the Night":
Carly Smithson - "Jesus Christ Superstar":
For more on American Idol Season 7:
Click here for the most recent posts.
Top 7 Performance Night - MC² = David x 2 = #1 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 7 to 6 - One Sweet Day Or When Idol Guesses Our Second Guessing On Our Second Guesses
Top 8 Performance Night - Cause They Are Give'ers (includes videos of all the performances), Idol Gives Back - Giving Us The So You Think You Can Dance Dancers, Results 8 to 7 - Idol Gives Back SyeWHAT???
Top 9 Performance Night - Dolly and the Two Big Ones (David and David) (includes videos of all the performances), Results 9 to 8 - Third Time Was A Charm
Top 10 Performance Night - Okay, Now there Really IS A Race! Or I'm Just Getting Soft (includes videos of all the performances), Results 10 to 9 - Chikezie, Meet Daniel Powter... Back in Obscurity
Top 11 Performance Night - That Old Awkward Phase (includes videos of all the performances), Results 11 to 10 - When The Stylists Finally Called In
Top 12 Performance Night - Death Race 2008 (includes videos of all the performances), Results 12 to 11 - Strippers and Prostitutes Are Not The Same Thing
Top 16 - Girls Night - Brooke's and Done, Boys Night - He Plays Piano Too?
Top 20 - Boys Night - Who Are Those Hotties - American Idol Hairdo's Edition
Top 24 - Boys Night- American, Should I Do Idol?
Thanks to Rickey for the photos.
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