SOME DOWN-HOME SURPRISES
Country week is never my favorite week. Not only is it not my favorite genre of music, but usually at least a few of the contestants are really bad at it.
First, of all, I should say that I don't hate country music. I tend to like the older stuff, Willy Nelson, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, etc. Ever since country stated crossing over to a mainstream audience, I think it's become too pop-ish. But I can handle it if it's done well, but usually on Idol, it's hit or miss, and this season, I was expected more misses.
But I was pleasantly surprised!
Phil got the evening off to a nice start, with his best performance yet and, I think, the best performance among the men. I was ready for the worst, when I saw him reading off a lyric sheet while working with Martina McBride (we were told it was earlier that day!) but instead he was real comfortable and he had lost all the stiffness. Country is perfect for his voice and for the first time since this thing began, I actually thought he had the beat and feel. The judges agreed, and I hope he sticks around another week.
According to DialIdol, he will. In fact, he's in first by a landslide. Quite a turnaround. I don't see it lasting into other genres, but even if he lasts two more weeks, that's quite a turnaround for a guy who has been on the bottom three every week since the beginning.
And since I didn't mention it last week, I should now. I like the way Phil handled his non-dismissal last week. He had a big smile on his face as he girded for the moment, and then when he heard that he was staying, he had a look of shock mixed for what look like genuine sadness over Haley's ouster. Not only can he sing, he can act too.
I said he was the best of the guys, so I'll stay with them for a minute. Chris was pretty weak, but no more nassally than usual. At this point, when only Phil, he and Sanjaya have been in the bottom three, he has to be considered vulnerable. He certainly doesn't have a voice to compare with the three remaining women and he doesn't seem to have the appeal to match Blake.
I also was not crazy about him shouting out to his friends in Virginia. In fact, I didn't like the way the show handled it in general. They started out well, with Ryan being subdued and mentioning it in the opening. When he went to the judges, they could have seconded his sentiment and even said something about the events being tough on everybody and particularly on the contestants, but once the competition started, it should have been put aside. The contestants should have been told not to mention it. Instead Chris sang poorly, got dissed by the judges and then through in the mention, somewhat gratuitously, I thought. They showed Simon making a face and then he echoed the sentiment, sounding like he had forgotten to do it earlier and was now paying obligitory lip service.
Tonight, when the voting is over, they will have the same audience, if the contestants wanted to say something now, if they want to dedicate a song to the victims, if they want to give Chris a minute because he's from Virginia, fine, but they shouldn't have let him hit that note as part of his plea for votes.
Blake doesn't excite me. He's just a so-so singer. He has style and uniqueness and it's interesting to have him in the mix with the three girls, but I'm just not a big fan.
And what can I say about Sanjaya? He's got to go. Last week, I loved him. This week, Martina McBride identified his problem. He doesn't open up his voice. It would be one thing if he was just scared or didn't have the voice, but now I think he's just lazy. He comes off really full of himself and comfortable on stage. He even starts to go for a big note, but then he just falls back on that karaoke drone.
And what's with Ryan. Last week, he targetted Sanjaya for removal while Simon begrudgingly gave him props. This week, he accused Simon of "not liking the kid" and of kneejerk dissing him. It's boring.
Alright, enough of the mediocre (and worse) men. How 'bout them ladies?
During Jordin's song, I came to the conclusion that she is now the favorite. With only these three women left, she is ten years younger than the other two, much prettier and in the same league vocally. Also, I think Melinda and Lakisha have been the favorites too long and America will, or has, grown weary of them. Not enough variety and not enough charisma.
Jordin had a great week with standards, a so-so week with latin (but still got props from the judges) and a great week again, now. She's got the big Mo.
I actually was surprised when Lakisha didn't get the judges support. I thought it was a good song choice for her (though somewhat predictable) and I didn't hear the pitchiness. Simon was applauding at the end, which is rare, so imagine my surprise when they started saying it wasn't good.
I think the show has gotten bored with the Melinda-Lakisha rivalry and has decided to throw one to the wolves. If they end up with a Melinda-Jordin-Blake final three, that's good for the show and that's what they are pulling for. With Phil's surprise emergence, we will probably see somebody on the bottom three we've never seen before, and I'm guessing it's Lakisha.
At first, I thought the judges lukewarm response would ignite her fan base, but I think Simon said something to her that was deadly. He brought up her first week and the Jennifer Holiday song. The subtext to that, I thought, was to remind us that she debuted as #1, even blowing away Melinda and that she has not lived up to that moment since.
She hasn't really, though she has been good. But still, if she goes home tonight, she will always have that moment, and I think he perfomance on that song that first week, will live in the pantheon of great Idol moments for a long time to come.
And then there was Melinda. After last week, I was ready to give up on her. I wasn't expecting country to be her thing, and I expected her to do a ballad, like Lakisha, but it was a whole new Melinda this week. I kind of feel like an image consultant got a hold of her or something. I don't think I'll ever say Melinda looks pretty, but I think she came as close as she's capable this week. Great hair! Maybe Sanjaya gave her a few tips.
And instead of singing something old, she picked something so new, Martina McBride never even heard of it, and she gave it an exciting, pitch perfect rendition. And to cap things off, Simon even gave her good advice. Lose the surprise. It was wearing thin.
Melinda may not be young and cute, but she's a pro and I think she's capable of taking feedback and using it to her advantage. She's going to be around to the end.
So, tonight, it's Lakisha, Chris and Sanjaya on the bottom three and I'm praying Sanjaya goes home. I think those of you who have Phil and Jordin lasting a long time are looking good.
Comments
I have come to the conclusion that I can sing better than any of them.
Since none can sing we have to look at who would or could be an "Idol", the one person that all the little girls and boys can adore (who cares what we older folks think) and that person would be "Jordin" to my way of thinking - she's cute, she's young, she can sing and I had her picked 5th to go so right there proves she will, if not win it, be in the top 3.
Bottom 3: Sanjaya (he's gotta be), Chris and Lakisha or maybe Melinda-I am bored with both of those ladies - who will go - I'm clueless!