Motown night on American Idol. Really, Idol? So much for trying to make changes from the passe format of the previous nine years. Teenagers will still be singing outdated songs from the 60s and criticized for not sounding current.
Hopefully, some of this year's talented crop will transcend the tired theme. Follow for live commentary on Twitter. I'll post a wrapup here at some point tonight.
Three contestants transcended the moldy Motown karaoke theme tonight: Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina and James Durbin.
Producers had promised that unlike previous seasons, contestants wouldn't be forced out of their style to fit a theme. They didn't keep their word but only Scotty, the 17-year-old country baritone, truly delivered on that promise even as he did stretch a bit. Scotty proved he'd have been a hit in any decade. He chose Stevie Wonder's cornball lounge tune For Once in My Life, an overexposed ditty that has never been done particularly well on Idol. At least, it's never been interesting once removed from its lounge roots. He put a bit of pop in his country, though, and sounded like a Glen Campbell No. 1 record circa 1969. Scotty is, by far, the best singer in the finals and one of the best ever in this show's history. That's because he just sings. No needless gimmick, shtick or overreaching for earsplitting glory notes. He won't win. The best seldom do on Idol. But he'll be the first to score a major label deal and will no doubt make the best, most honest and mature, albums in a lengthy career.
Lauren was an early highlight tonight by transcending the karaoke nature of the dreaded Motown Night by showcasing a rich voice, poise and performance ease that is remarkable given her age -- 16.
James, like Scotty, also honored his gift by delivering a rock-edged vocal on Stevie Wonder's Living for the City. The song's arrangement wasn't rock but James' high, controlled hard rock voice was not unlike Axl Rose's. If Slash wants to relive the glory years -- without the madness -- he could do worse than hiring this guy. Before Guns N' Roses fans overreact and suggest that the names James Durbin and Axl Rose should never be said together, I'm not saying that James has Axl's edge and who knows if he has the writing talent Axl displayed in the late 80s and early 90s. But the vocal tones aren't all that far removed and James is one of the most convincing rockers Idol has had on its stage. He's not the Adam Lambert wannabe I thought he was during the auditions. He's actually a more convincing rock vocalist. Adam was always more glam rock than hard rock.
Fourth best was Naima Adedapo. She -- like Jacob Lusk -- is inconsistent. (I thought Jacob was a mess tonight.) But tonight everything worked for her on Dancing in the Street. Her vocals were in the pocket, her African-inspired dancing was expressive and she had flair. Naima earns another week and her place on the tour of the Top 10.
The news isn't quite so good for my bottom three: Casey Abrams, who is falling faster than Christina Aguilera's career this last year, Haley Reinhart and Stefano Langone. I'd make it a bottom 5 by adding Paul McDonald and Pia Toscano to the dishonorable mentions.
Casey's shtick has worn thin. From my favorite to near least favorite in a mere few weeks. His facial expressions are creepy. He's hard to watch and he's getting too cocky. His overbaked, forced, growling style of singing has gone from jazz influenced to obnoxious novelty -- Taylor Hicks passing a kidney stone. His grating I Heard It Through the Grapevine was the hardest to take ...
Unless you consider Haley, a constant bottom 3 dweller, who similarly growls instead of sings and has a irritating, entitled persona. She's going home on Thursday's results show I'd bet.
Stefano seems like a nice son as he constantly gives props to his mom. Maybe he should let his mom sing instead. He has such a cheeseball overproduced vocal style he rendered Lionel Richie's pretty Hello unrecognizable, inert and plastic. Oversinging does not equal soul. Even the easily pleased judges noted that he failed to connect emotionally with the song and with the audience. If they were being honest they would have said what I did: plastic and cheeseball.
Speaking of shtick, Paul's sole attribute, a megawatt smile, is all he has to offer. Alas, this is not Dental Idol. His chipmunk raspy delivery of Tracks of My Tears could be like what flu-stricken Rod Stewart might have sounded like had he performed in the tour-opening concert with Stevie Nicks that he cancelled on Saturday at BankAtlantic Center. (That's if you buy that "flu" excuse.)
Pia also has worn her ballad style into the ground and I'm fed up with her predictable end-of-song screaming. She has a lovely, if pageanty, vocal style for 2/3 of a song but always ruins a nice moment by screaming a few words at songs' end. Between being a boring, one-note ballad machine with little performance ability (shades of Season 5's Katharine McPhee) and a screamer, this front-runner and likely Idol winner is starting to work my nerves.
Speaking of annoying: the judges tonight were hysterical with overpraise, J.Lo keeps trampling over Randy whenever they differ and Steven Abdul Tyler needs a dictionary so he can learn another word other than "beautiful." If Randy could learn a few new words beyond "pitchy" (it only took him 9 seasons) there's no reason Tyler can't pick up a few.
This leaves Thea Megia. She chose an uptempo tonight for a change (Heat Wave) and though it's yet another Motown song I never ever want to hear again, by anyone, she proved she has a sweet, controlled voice in uptempo mode, too. But she could also find herself in the bottom 3. Much as I like her, she's forgettable among the bigger personalities.
ready for the moldy oldies for lame Motown night
same songs every year
something by Stevie (signed sealed delivered? superstition?)
lights on broadway
the way you do the thing you do
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 07:57 PM
My boy Gene Frenkel will do "I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth - the first white rock band signed to Motown.
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 07:58 PM
and some squeaky Jackson Five song....yawn
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:00 PM
nice gams, J-Lo
no one uses gams much anymore, I am seizing the opportunity
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:01 PM
Ryan looks like he's going to a bar mitzvah
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:02 PM
I prefer "stems".
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:03 PM
can't wait to hear what Hee Haw sings tonight
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:04 PM
What's up w/J-Lo's Bonne Bell cotton candy flavored blush?
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:06 PM
Liv is there, someone should sing "That Thing You Do"
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:07 PM
Hey kids!
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:08 PM
I see Casey but think "We're the 3 best friends that anybody could have, the 3 best friends that anybody could have..."
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:09 PM
Casey looks like a dapper werewolf tonight
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:09 PM
Casey=feh
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:10 PM
Is it just me or does Casey look like Zack Galifinakis (sp?)tonight? Maybe from the "Rain Man" Hangover scene?
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:10 PM
This is a little too Taylor Hickish for me
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:10 PM
Lulz, Lane.
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:11 PM
LMAO Lnae. Get out of my head!
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:11 PM
he has tickets to the Jonas Brother next week
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:11 PM
El Gordo is in the audience! He should scream out "Shut up you donkey" whenever someone blows
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:12 PM
is Smokey Robinson and his creepy green eyes there too?
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:13 PM
Lane has made a werewolf joke and a bar mitzvah joke already. In honor of this little exacta...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxk_P3PNuZU
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:13 PM
I'm still looking to go to Ramsey's place at the Boca Resort.
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:14 PM
Lesley made the werewolf joke
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:15 PM
D'oh! Oh well, any excuse to play the clip...
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:16 PM
I'm down for Boca Resort
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:17 PM
MrE--Ramsay and his protege who took over after it opened pulled out of Boca...it's a Mediterranean resto now.
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:17 PM
Evan were you with me when we saw Martha Reeves perform in Vegas?
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:18 PM
It's just not my night...
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:18 PM
This girl is way too lounge singer for my tastes.
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:19 PM
Does Thia Megia translate to "karaoke" in Korean?
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:19 PM
I agree Lesley, but I'll take her dress!
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:19 PM
It's not really fair... she has white backup singers on Motown night.
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:20 PM
It's like a heat wave in a karaoke bar somewhere in Singapore..
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:20 PM
she's korean? poodle flavored kisses?
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:20 PM
that's lascist MrE...
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:21 PM
these judges suck
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:22 PM
Ed Harris is set to star opposite Julianne Moore in HBO Films' Game Change, which Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman's Playtone has come on board to produce. Harris will portray Sen. John McCain in the movie, which follows McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, from his selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (Moore) as his running mate to their ultimate defeat in the general election.
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:25 PM
Snaggle Tooth!!!
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:27 PM
Weird casting. I love Ed Harris.
Meanwhile what's the deal with this other singing show coming out, The Voice? Decent judges even tho I can't take the kid from Moron Five..
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:27 PM
the Marvin Gaye joke writes itself
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:27 PM
Ironic that we went from a shot of "Summer Teeth" (Dunst) to "50 Teeth" (Lusk).
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:28 PM
James Jamerson = best bass player of all time
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:29 PM
Ha,Lane!!
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:29 PM
Thanks for getting dressed, Dad...
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:31 PM
inappropriate for Tyler to do that. Impartial my ass.
Walk THIS way, egomaniac
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:31 PM
Kirsten Dunst needs something to get by that stalled career of hers.
Posted by: Lesley | March 23, 2011 at 08:31 PM
That bass player looked like Geoffrey Rush and Gargamel's love child.
Posted by: MrEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:33 PM
she can go adult film and call herself Kirsten Cunst
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:34 PM
this girl's vignettes are always fork on a chalkboard for me. I find her so annoying.
Posted by: Lane | March 23, 2011 at 08:35 PM
me likey!
Posted by: MrsEvans | March 23, 2011 at 08:36 PM