American Idol - Notown

American Idol - Top 10 - Performance Night - Theme: Motown

It's Motown week. Hoorah. I'm so excited I may skip to the local soda shop and get a malt beverage. No disrespect to Motown because I actually do love it, but can we move back into this century?

Enough with this old stuff, can they actually sing some current stuff for once? Considering the real Motown is a dying city, with GM and Ford becoming relics from a different era (which may or may not exist by the end of the year), isn't it time to leave the past and look at the greener future?

As for the performances, blah, I wasn't blown away by anybody tonight. It was more like No-town.

Matt Giraud
23 years old
Home: Kalamazoo, MI
Audition: Louisville, KY
Song: "Let's Get It On" (by Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend, made famous by Marvin Gaye)

Grade: B+

Great vocals, as this was really Matt's week to shine. And he did, but something was still missing for me, he almost seemed like he was coasting here this time. He's great but I don't know why I don't love him yet still.


Kris Allen
23 years old
Home: Conway, AR
Audition: Louisville, KY
Song: "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by Marvin Gaye)

Grade: B+

I was worried after seeing the intro clip because with this song, it could have been a schmaltzy disaster, and while his vocals weren't spot on, he somehow made the song sound current. Might not be the best singer in the competition but definitely still one of my favorites.


Scott MacIntyre
23 years old
Home: Scottsdale, AZ
Audition: Phoenix, AZ
Song: "You Can't Hurry Love" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by The Supremes)

Grade: F

MY EARS MY EARS. THEY'RE BLEEDING. SOMEONE TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL. Simon bashed Scott and I would have been there right behind with the clubs.


Megan Joy Corkrey
22 years old
Home: Sandy, UT
Audition: Salt Lake City, UT
Song: "For Once In My Life" (by Ron Miller, Orlando Murden, made famous by Stevie Wonder)

Grade: D

The judges kept saying it was the wrong song choice. I've really got nothing much to add. It didn't hurt my ears as much as Scott but it definitely made me cringe. A LOT.


Anoop Desai
21 years old
Home: Chapel Hill, NC
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "Ooo Baby Baby" - (by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, made famous by The Miracles)

Grade: C+

He kinda hit all the notes, maybe, but I was kinda bored. I still like the guy but it didn't really do much for me and I was always on the verge of cringing.


Michael Sarver
27 years old
Home: Jasper, TX
Audition: Phoenix, AZ
Song: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (by Norman Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr., made famous by The Temptations)

Grade: C-

Is it bad that I'm watching him and already thinking that he's going to be one of those contestants we totally forget about in the future when we look back on this season? Then we'll do an internet search and be like... "oh yah!". He could form a support group with Trenyce or AJ.

So like, you know he's not going to win, right?


Lil Rounds
23 years old
Home: Memphis, TN
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by Martha and the Vandellas)

Grade: C-

I'm just going to say it. She was as off and as bland as Michael Sarver. She yelled most of the song and when she didn't, she was off and boring. I know she's a "diva" but thank goodness Kara called her out for not hitting Motown out of the park. Not to be stereotyping here but she's BLACK. Motown should have been her THANG. And instead, she came off almost as whitebread as Sarver.


Adam Lambert
26 years old
Home: Los Angeles, CA
Audition: San Francisco, CA
Song: "Tracks of My Tears" (by William Robinson, Jr., Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin, made famous by The Miracles)

Grade: B-

I know most of America is probably shocked and impressed by Adam's clean cut transformation but he still relied way too much on that shrill upper register semi-falsetto voice that wasn't as crisp or clear as it needed to pull something soft life this. I'm sorry but Jacob Hoggard did a far better transition from punk to clean-cut-oldies back in Canadian Idol Season 2.


Danny Gokey
28 years old
Home: Milwaukee, WI
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "Get Ready" (by Smokey Robinson, made famous by The Temptations)

Grade: B

He's still a douchebag but I kinda liked his performance tonight, at least when he wasn't trying too hard to be cool. When he tries, he just looks like an even bigger dork.


Allison Iraheta
16 years old
Home: Los Angeles, CA
Audition: San Francisco, CA
Song: "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" (by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, made famous by The Temptations)

Grade: B+

I actually didn't love that last scream but yet again, she does another solid performance and manages to make her raspy rock voice sound smooth.


The Final Round Up:

Best of the Night: Kris Allen
Second Best of the Night: Matt Giraud
Third Best of the Night: Allison Irahetta
Fourth Best of the Night: Danny Gokey

Worst of the Night: Scott MacIntyre
Second Worst of the Night: Megan Joy Corkrey

Bottom Three Predictions: Scott MacIntyre, Megan Corkrey, Michael Sarver

Going Home: Scott MacIntyre (PULEASE FOR THE LOVE OF HEARING, PULEASE)

For more on American Idol:
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Season 8:
Top 2 Performance
Top 3 Performance, Top 3 Results
Top 4 Performance, Top 4 Results
Top 5 Performance, Top 5 Results
Top 6 + Matt (Top 7 Redux) Performance, Top 7 Redux Results
Top 7 Performance, Top 7 Results
Top 8 Performance, Top 8 Results
Top 9 Performance
Top 10 Performance
Top 12 Performance, Top 12 Results
Top 13 Performance, Top 13 Results
Top 36:
Group 1, Group 2, Group 3
Wild Card, Wild Card Results
Pre-Top 36:
Who Are You Going To Vote For?
Handicapping the Alleged American Idols
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