It was down to three on American Idol tonight. Going into the evening, I thought that we were dealing with the most disappointing top three since season three (Fantasia Barrino, Diana DeGarmo, Jasmine Trias). Everybody seems to be a less talented version of somebody else who has been on the show before.
Contestant: Casey James
Casey sang "Okay, It's Alright With Me" for his contestant's choice. Although there were a few (okay, two) performances of Casey's I liked this season, my biggest issue with him at this point is that his voice is just not pleasant to listen to. From the moment he started singing, I was cringing in my seat. It's not something I want to hear on the radio at any point...it's even worse than Nickelback. I also agree with the judges that the song was completely worthless to his campaign & that it almost seemed like he wasn't recognizing it as one of the most important performances of his life.
"Daughters" was the brilliant selection Kara & Randy chose for Casey's second song. It was a brilliant choice because it's a beautiful, unique & likable ballad by John Mayer. Unfortunately, Casey attached a flat, melodically awkward vocal to a quiet, boring, minimalist arrangement that featured two acoustic guitars playing softly.
But Let's Be Real: I really do believe that Casey was supposed to make it this far, when compared to his competition over the course of the top twelve. But he needs to go home now...his voice is too similar to a horse nay & his artistic expression is so minor that his performances only leave America with a positively moldy feeling.
What It Is: D
Contestant: Crystal Bowersox
Crystal's contestant's choice was "Come To My Window," a great number for her voice. I think that Crystal was nervous going into the song...something looked a little off with her & she even cracked in two spots. I almost sense that Crystal has finally been "sucked in" to the competition - she is now taking it so seriously that it's consuming her. This, coming from the girl who almost quit in the earlier stages of the top 12. Overall, the song was pretty good...nothing special for Crystal (been happening a lot recently), but definitely adequate when surrounded by the other two contestants.
Ellen chose "Maybe I'm Amazed" for Crystal's second song. It's a really expressive song with a great melody. But I could tell that she approached the song as though it were not hers...kind of like she was just renting it out. I suppose that the act of choosing the song herself is what gives Crystal a lot of her power. Still, she certainly poured herself into it & pushed out all she had. I didn't hear an out-of-this-world vocal from her, but she performed the song very well.
But Let's Be Real: Crystal has done more than enough to get her into the finale. What she needs to do next week is hit the audience with something very tender & raw...back off the volume & make up for it with the pure power of her tone.
What It Is: B
Contestant: Lee DeWyze
Lee did "Simple Man" first. I believe that it was a pretty good song choice for him, and it probably beat the other two's first performances. Still, I can't sit here and assess these performances based on the other nonsense we've seen this season...I have to compare him to the individuals who are successful in the industry right now - Pat Monahan from Train ("Hey, Soul Sister"), Michael Bublé ("Haven't Met You Yet"), even Adam Lambert & Kris Allen. The bottom line is that Lee is absolutely & unequivocally not as talented as the artists he's going to be competing against this time next year.
Simon chose "Hallelujah" for Lee's second song. I apologize that I don't have much to say about his performance...I probably should have been paying more attention than I was, but I failed to see what was so incredible about the song. The 8 background singers standing in an inverted V behind him, coupled with the over-produced arrangement - featuring pre-recorded timpanis - didn't sit right with me. I don't, however, believe that all the judges were incorrect in their praise of the performance, so I will just say "I don't know about that" until I watch the performance again.
But Let's Be Real: Lee is loved. By the judges & by the millions of viewers. I think he will probably get the most votes tonight, probably for the first time this season. Regardless of how good his performances actually were, or how good he actually is, Crystal & Lee will go into the final pretty even split.
What It Is: B
Breakdown:
Crystal Bowersox B
Lee DeWyze B
Casey James D
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