Idol Top 4: Hall of Fame Classics

Tonight's theme, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame classics inexplicably allows for David Cook to perform Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf. Unless this is another Hall of Fame, DD is not in the RRHoF. Cook's also tackling The Who's Baba O'Reilly. David A promises a sap fest with Stand By Me and Love Me Tender. Syesha's doing Proud Mary and A Change Is Gonna Come and Jason, who told EW he's ready to go home, as if we didn't all know that, takes on Mr. Tambourine Man and I Shot the Sheriff.

Hope the people involved with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are watching Idol's introductory tribute, given that they are playing Kiss' Rock and Roll All Nite as backing music and Kiss, shockingly, is not a member of the Hall and should be.

Meantime, tomorrow night Maroon 5 and Bo Bice perform on the bloated results show. Go Bo!

David Cook: Hungry Like the Wolf. Typically charmless, vocally monotonous performance. Boring. Paula's comment about watching David grow is as moronic as everything else she says. A problem with this season is that few of these contestants have grown. They all lack spontaneity. This was the kind of growling, unpleasant David performance we get every week. The only one of the remaining four to show some growth lately has been Syesha.

Speaking of which... Syesha: Proud Mary, "covered over 100 times," Syesha notes. Well, yeah. I like the way she phrased the word "turning" on the ballad part, swallowing it down and giving it back warm and full. The rock part was not particularly memorable, tho. Shrieky. Didn't give ol' Tina Turner any reason to worry over competition when she launches her tour later this year. That said, Syesha's the only one I still care to watch. Likable. Has grace, class.

Jason: "There are a few songs on the list I knew," Jason says, once again revealing his total lack of preparation and lack of respect for this show and its viewers. Bob Marley died so he wouldn't have to hear what this little dweeb's done to his song, I Shot the Sheriff. Randy: "For me that was a really karaoke Bob Marley. Dude, nothing special about it and at this point you have to show you deserve to be in the finals." Paula: "I never saw you perform more to the audience, but I wasn't crazy about the performance or the song." Simon: "Stand back. That was utterly atrocious. That is a song you do not touch, the performing and singing as bad as I ever heard, a first-round audition massacre, I don't know what you're thinking."

David A: "A fun song for me to sing," Robo-Singer said about Stand by Me. Technically, the only skillfull vocal of the evening thus far (and I liked the simple percussive arrangement) but I'm over little David. Tired of seeing his stage dad from hell in the audience, tired of David's same facial expressions every week, and his syrupy sound is not for me. But to be fair, he did a much better job than his competitors tonight.

David C: At least he was honest when he said he "could have done so much more" with his last song, the Duran fiasco. Thing is, he probably couldn't. He just hasn't the personality or range. As for his sleepwalk through the Who, it was as fake as the guitar he hangs around his neck as a prop. Even Madonna puts more effort and gets more out of her guitar when she plays it in concert -- and we all know Madonna is no guitarist. As a rocker, Daughtry would eat this Cook alive. Totally unconvincing.

How lame has Idol become this season? Rascal Flatts is in the house tonight, that's how lame.

Syesha: "Top 4, amazing experience, went home after results show and cried my eyes out," Syesha said, leading into Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come. She's best in her low notes where she's sultry and seductive. Unfortunately, she had to give Idol one of its money shots with the last high note held forever for effect. Overall, tho, nice enough. "Trying to be something it wasn't," Randy opined. Paula made Syesha cry with her "welcome to your dream" comment. Simon, in a shocker, agreed with Paula. Thing is, he's probably doing reverse pyschology on the viewing public. Sobbing, Syesha said the song meant a lot to her and how its origins in the Civil Rights movement meant so much to her and reflected how she changed a lot. The positive aspect of this is that unlike the Davids and Jason, Syesha has honest emotions, personality and flair. It'll be shame if she's cut this week. We need her.

Jason: Forgets the words to Mr. Tamborine Man, after saying you can't go wrong with the Bobs, and, unlike Brooke in week's past, this comes across as pure arrogance and contempt. Jason doesn't want to be here anymore, hasn't tried in weeks, and when you think of the better talents who have left so that he may remain, it's just offensive. "I'd pack your suitcase," Simon said. Sad thing is he might not have to. Viewers have blown it so spectacularly this season, this little idiot probably will remain.

David A: "Haven't sung a big romantic song on stage before," David A. said before doing his Robo-Singer version of Love Me Tender. Once again, the notes in the right place but totally lacking in spontaneity, believability or soul.

Tops of the night: Syesha, by far. Cook and Castro abysmal. Archie bland.

Going home: I'm going to go on a limb and predict Jason will go. I have to believe, or at least pray, America gets it right and doesn't go the predictable route and eliminate Syesha.

Comments

[MrEvans]

Hi.

[mrsevans]

Hi

[Lane]

hi

[Lesley]

Hey! Ugh, Maroon Five tomorrow? I'd rather hear Latoya Jackson singing live...

[MrEvans]

Scream much?

[Lesley]

This is the first time I am saying this about Cook, but this blows! Bad bad song choice..and boy do I feel old!

[Lane]

generic version for David Cook

[MrEvans]

Paula's such a wordsmith.

[Lane]

David Cook is playing it safe, no point rocking the boat now

[MrEvans]

You think that's Meat Loaf's real son?

[HoCo]

If you heard LaToya singing live that would be a first!!

[Lane]

Paula's wordsmith skills rival Nipsey Russell

[Lesley]

Observation from the Swede: How come if Paula is a dancer she has absolutely no rhythm...

[HoCo]

And no one's going to rock the boat cuz it's all preordained I would bet: Syesha goes home tomorrow, then Jason. The producers are strong arming for a Davids final. Snooze.

[Lane]

Swede = c-c-c-coldhearted

[Lesley]

HoCo, oh right, isn't LaToya just Jacko in drag?

[mrsevans]

Make her stop, Please!

[Lesley]

I can't imagine a duller finale than Archuleta vs. Cook.....

Syesha finally exhibits some personality! However, she's sort of like the Tina Turner impersonators in the schlocky hotels on the Vegas strip.

[MrEvans]

Meh... she didn't have to copy the exact dance.

[MrEvans]

Simon's 100% right about Syesha.

[Lane]

yeah she stole Tina's act
what a loser

[MrEvans]

Is he Beavis or Butthead?

[Lesley]

Delayed rxn, but how could Cook have done Duran Duran if they aren't in the hall of fame?

Jason Castro should apply for a job on a Carnival Fun Ship fronting a steel band on the Lido Deck...

[MrEvans]

Towelie strikes again...

[Lane]

wow Simon is killing Jason
K-i-l-l-i-n-g

[Lesley]

Ok now that Brooke is gone, I need someone new to loathe and I think Archuleta has filled that void.

He sings EVERY song the same..like a Disney movie or cheesy 80s sitcom theme song.

[Lane]

Archuleta's best performance in weeks

[MrEvans]

He has dead eyes... no soul.

[Lesley]

Right on, Mr. Evans! He's out of a Stephen King novel. He creeps me out.

[mrsevans]

That's not true Mrevans. He is great!

[HoCo]

Who knows how they allowed Duran Duran song in? But DD is not in the rock and roll hall of fame. Maybe the song is on some hall of fame list but the group certainly isn't in there. And probably never should be. If Kiss, Jimmy Buffett, Alice Cooper and other true originators remain out, DD should certainly not be mentioned in the same sentence as hall of fame.

[Lesley]

Elliot Yamin got new teeth after Idol and Archuleta should get his eyes fixed and a new inhaler or something.

[MrEvans]

I just did a Google image search for "creepy doll eyes" and Archuleta's picture came up.

[MrEvans]

Hey Lane, did you figure out the Family Guy line that (wrongly) cracked me up?

[Lane]

no and now I don't remember the lines
what was it

[Lesley]

Cook is sizzling on Baba O'Reilly

[Lane]

meh for David Cook
did he jump the shark? Where is the guy who did Hello and Little Sparrow?

[MrEvans]

If I write it here, HoCo will get mad. It was a Mort Goldman line...

[Lane]

it was good, not great, I thought he was holding back to let out a rocker moment that never came

[Lesley]

Family Guy is my American Idol. What was the line already? Just write it!!!

[Lesley]

I always thought the title of Baba O'Reilly was "Teenage Wasteland." Huh.

[MrEvans]

Oh no! Kristallnacht!

[Lane]

common misconception

all these seasons we've been together and I never knew you were a FG fan, oh the opportunities I lost to interject some Stewiness

[Lane]

Syesha comparing the pivotal time of the Civil Rights Movement to this pivotal time in her life

I hate her

[Lane]

yeah that Mort line made me laugh

that Michael J Fox one was plain wrong, and I'm the guy who came up with the idea for Janet Reno bobble head dolls

[MrEvans]

Syesha = Nikki McKibbin = Jasmine Trias = Vonzell Solomon

Less-than-average talent, just kept squeaking by every week...

[Lesley]

I loves me some Stewie.

I thought Syesha was really good on that song!

[Lane]

Syesha's performance was as vapid as Paula's comments

[MrEvans]

Paula claps like Joan Rivers...

[Lesley]

I feared Syesha was gonna bring up the dreaded O word and I don't mean Oprah.