TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS--AMERICAN IDOL REVIEW

TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS—American Idol Review

Remaining Contestants Uniformly Solid Again on Eighties Night

Well, dang. Season Thirteen of American Idol has actually turned things around. While the show will never again be the ratings killer it once was, this season, which was barely-watchable a month ago when there were all of twelve contestants left, has actually become quite interesting. With the fat trimmed in the form of awkward/less-talented/less-compelling contestants who’ve been voted off the last five weeks since the finals began, this group has turned out to be fairly solid. While I won’t lie and say anyone can win this year, the last two weeks have been among the show’s best, which didn’t seem possible once upon a time.

Re-visiting the 1980s turned out to be great fun for everyone, from judge Keith Urban—who came in wearing mullet hair extensions that led host Ryan Seacrest to christen him “Billy Ray Urban”—to the ever-excitable audience, who joined the judges in a spur-of-the-moment rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” late in the night. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez looked her gorgeous self and Harry Connick Jr. made waves by first joining the floor-level crowd of squealing teenage girls—and hoisting one of them onto his shoulders—for one contestant’s performance, then becoming your grandma/aunt’s best friend by joining some middle-aged ladies in the balcony for another.

And the contestants? All eight of them—the same as last week, after the judges used their save on Sam Woolf—worked hard, and some of them kept their stock racing upward.

Jena Irene, 17

The night’s first performer, Jena came out and struggled badly with her literally low-key rendition of Joan Jett’s unmistakable “I Love Rock N Roll”. The first half of the song was sung so low it was barely intelligible, and you could tell Jena was feeling the effects, as even during the anthem-like crescendo of the song she was clearly a little out of breath and struggling to outsing the background singers. The judges didn’t love it, but she’s been one of their favorites lately, so they did their best to ease up. Grade: C+

Fortune Forecast: This ends a long winning streak for Jena, who’s in legitimate danger of the Bottom Three after opening a good show with an entirely unremarkable number most people won’t even remember.

Dexter Roberts, 22

Somehow, I don’t think country was very big in the ‘80s. That said, our resident country boy still brought a lively Southern rock style to The Georgia Satellites’ “Keep Your Hands to Yourself”. It was a little more interesting than his typical country karaoke numbers—and man, does that guy have a great-sounding voice or What?—but still not among the night’s best. Grade: B

Fortune Forecast: Dexter has only been in the Bottom Three once, but could the fact that he went second doom him? I’m gonna say safe.

Malaya Watson, 16

This teen can hit notes only dogs can hear, much like the lady whose song she covered this week. Malaya did Shaka Khan’s “Through the Fire”, and despite her usual acting out the lyrics with her face and body and hitting some awe-inspiring notes, it felt a little uneven to me. The judges said they could sense her revving up and putting all her energy toward her big moments late in the song; maybe I felt the same way, but it didn’t have the uniform soulful power of her best recent numbers. Grade: B-

Fortune Forecast: For some reason, I think Malaya’s number is up. She wasn’t bad tonight, and she’s incredibly talented, but I think we’ve seen all she can do and the buck stops here. So I’m saying Bottom Three.

Jessica Meuse, 23

As they have before, the judges called out the pink-haired one for not quite letting loose, for being a little withdrawn, and I can understand that. That said, I thought her rendition of Blondie’s “Call Me” might have been her best performance yet. It was without question her liveliest, most electric vocal performance (a real power vocal) and though she still has things to work on, one senses Jessica hitting her stride. Grade: A-

Fortune Forecast: Safe. Jessica’s never been in the Bottom Three, and she won’t be there after a rock-solid performance.

Sam Woolf, 17

Rescued from elimination last week, Sam Woolf returned to the people who will keep him on the show from here on out, since the judges have played their hand—the teenage girls in the crowd. Standing surrounded by girls who clearly only know the words “time after time” from Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, Sam’s song of choice, Sam stared down various cameras and, despite an awkward arrangement that appeared to cause him to confuse the lyrics early on, gave a solid number. Sam’s got a lot to work on, and the judges (Harry, in particular) keep giving him advice, but he remains a very solid performer.  Grade: B

Fortune Forecast: I can’t imagine that Sam’s adoring fan base didn’t take last week’s almost-ouster to heart and won’t blow their phones (and the internet) up this week. Bottom Three wouldn’t shock me, but I think he’ll be back again.

Alex Preston, 20

Alex remains awkward, and you cringe at first when he comes out singing your favorite big time songs like you’ve never wanted to hear them, but once you relax, you realize: this guys is a heck on an artist. His take on The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” was superb, a perfectly-realized, perfectly-paced, passionate song that, Harry said, “sounded like a new tune”. Jennifer Lopez didn’t love the new arrangement, but the others were enthralled, and so was I. When this guy is on, he’s ON. Grade: A

Fortune Forecast: Safe. The judges kept referring to him as a coffeehouse act, but it’s worked so far, hasn’t it?

CJ Harris, 23

Gentle, raspy CJ doesn’t have the power for Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’”, but he tried singing it anyway, in my least-favorite performance of the night. I get that CJ has soul and sings with utter conviction—as the judges all noted tonight—but he works so hard to churn out weekly performances that….aren’t that good. He doesn’t have a great range, and he doesn’t have explosive energy. I thought his performance lacked life, and without that song’s signature lift, it was forgettable. Grade: C

Fortune Forecast: Bottom Three. CJ’s a nice guy, but he’s not one of this year’s real contenders.

Caleb Johnson, 22

Eighties week had to be Caleb’s week, right? It just had to. Our resident big, loud rocker was just made for singing ‘80s songs, right? Well he went right to work, delivering on his promise to sing a tender ballad by gently crooning half his rendition of Journey’s “Faithfully” before breaking into the yelling/howling we’ve come to expect, and it was utterly superb. Harry said he was proud, JLO said he murdered it, and Keith said it was “Killah”. High praise indeed. Grade: A

Fortune Forecast: Safe. Going last on a night that was made for him, Caleb didn’t disappoint.

So it was a great night, with solid performances and a very reasonable and effective mentor in former Idol winner David Cook. With the judges’ save out the window, I’m a little creeped that somebody who doesn’t deserve it could get into trouble (i.e. Alex, Caleb), but I think tomorrow night’s Bottom Three will probably consist of CJ, Malaya and Jena, with Malaya (or CJ) going home.