Top 9 Perform The Hits (and Some Misses)

Hello Idol Fans!

I’ve been out of the loop for a while, and after tonight’s performances I’m still not sure I’ve figured out what this season is all about. Tonight’s Top 9 have the song selection of Whatever You Want To Sing As Long As It Was Popular Once. For the most part I think tonight’s song selections were pretty good, but like any night on Idol there were some hits and some definite misses. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Ryan introduces the Top 9 and from the quick pan of the camera down the line I’m a little worried they are going to be performing in a Fall Out Boy video. Luckily we are spared that catastrophe (and also any “tribute” Ford commercial in the same genre). We’ve also gone from two hours to an hour and a half, and that makes my job a little easier, but also means Ryan isn’t wasting any time getting to the singers, after a little side trip to his Top 40 radio studio, of course.

First up is Anoop singing Usher’s Caught Up. Ryan encourages him to bust out his “signature” moves and it’s hard to tell if he’s mocking him or not. But alas, that is the beauty of Ryan Seacrest. At first I think Anoop is wearing a backpack, possibly with a laptop in it, but turns out it is just a silver chain wrapped around his shoulder. Word. He tackles the song okay, but it’s hard to do Usher if you’re not Usher, and not a dancer. Or an R&B singer, despite your best efforts. The judges concede that he’s a great singer, but wrong song choice. Kara calls him a Frat boy involved in a hazing dare, and Simon calls it an utter mess.

Megan chooses to sing one of her favorite songs; Turn Your Lights Down Low by Bob Marley as sung by Lauren Hill. I have a hard time watching Megan, because she is so pretty and you can hear an amazing voice in there somewhere, but she really doesn’t know how to let it shine. She’s swallowing her words and sounds a bit indulgent of the genre. Side Bar: Fashion Tip! Don’t let the accessory department just throw a bunch of necklaces at you as you walk by. Also, a pooch can be kind of sexy on the right type of woman, but don’t try to strap it in a corset. The judges are disappointed right along with me, unsure if Megan is long for this competition.

Danny sings Rascal Flat’s What Hurts the Most. He has GOT to stop singing these songs. I feel for him, I really do, but if you’re going to build your career on Songs That Sound Like I’m Singing About My Dead Wife you are going to lose a lot of your audience. He’s like a Method singer, and has got to branch out into something else, IMHO. Of course the judges eat it up and think it’s his best performance to date. I just thought it was okay. I have yet to catch the Danny fever I guess.

Now it’s time for my favorite Idol, Allison! She tackles No Doubt with Don’t Speak, one of my favorite songs of all time. I love Alison, so I’m a little biased, but I think she is miles ahead of most of the competition. Not sure how I feel about the Fiesta on her head, but I can forgive that (and the white strappy non boots) in favor of her amazing talent. The judges say as much.

Scott is at the piano again with Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel. His performance is great, but he’s still not stepping out into spotlight. The judges think he’s taken it to a new level, but I have a hard time seeing it, probably because I’ve been keeping up with Idol on illegal YouTube videos. I find it a bit boring and he seems a bit flat. However, he’s definitely going to garner some votes with the judges approval, so I think he’s safe this week.

Matt is one of the best singers in this competition. His voice is phenomenal and he just seems like a sweet nice guy. He tries to grunge it up this week with You Found Me by The Fray. I think it’s a little too current for him to really make it his own and it comes across as a bit of an imitation. I like his enthusiasm though. The judges think he’s uptight, and the performance was a put on. I see bottom three in his future, but I really, really hope he gets another chance. Damn you Top 40!

Lil decides to tackle the big leagues with Celine Dion’s I Surrender. She’s wearing someone else’s hair and a bit of a mess of an evening gown. Actually, with those arms she looks a bit like a transvestite. Although, I’ve never seen a Transvestite with awesome booty like that. The song starts out a bit shaky, but when she hits her stride she really hits it. Her pipes are amazing and she has the mouth of a diva for sure. The judges would like to see her do something a little younger, and I agree. Maybe she should sing a little Usher! Her kids are adorable though; Ryan just can’t stay away.

Next up is the most confusing Idol contestant of all time: Adam. He’s some kind of awesome, but also scares the crap out of me. He will be singing Play That Funky Music White Boy by Wild Cherry. He’s rocking some kind of Eddie Munster in the head region, and I’m beginning to wonder if tonight’s theme was really Wig Night. He sings the crap out of the song, and I get the feeling that he’s just one nervous breakdown away from being as nutso as James Brown. Show us your splits!

The show ends with my favorite performance of the night with Kris singing Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone by Bill Withers. He’s adorable and soulful and I love him. His rendition of the song reminds me of David Gray, one of my favorite performers of all time. If you get the chance to see him live, you must! I’m greatful to Kris for tipping the scales of the night away from zzzzzzzzzzzzzz and in the direction of hope. Hope for Kris, hope for Season 8, hope for humanity as a whole! Did I mention I love Kris? (Sorry Alison, I think you’ve been unseated!)

Top 3: Kris, Allison & Adam (I think Danny got edged out this week)

Bottom 3: Anoop, Matt G (please let me be wrong!) & Megan

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