American Idol Top 11 tackle Elton John

 
The theme tonight is the music of Elton John. Oh, please, Stefano, don't do Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word or any single like that. I have to cut down on my cheese intake. James, a rocker please (how cool, but unlikely, would it be if he chose The Bitch Is Back?) And Scotty, bet you can find some country in the English songwriter's canon: Country Comfort, Dixie Lily, Turn the Lights Out When You Leave, to name three. Thia, if you pick another Disney tune, The Lion King, I'm voting you off!

I'll be tweeting live commentary on Twitter and will then return here for a recap review later tonight.

 
"What have I gotta do to make you love me?" Jacob Lusk sang on his cover of the 1976 Elton John ballad, Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word. I'll answer for you:

• In Jacob's case, just sing straightforward and skip the dramatics. Also, ignore what Randy Jackson told you tonight. Don't go for the glory notes. Just sing. The opening half of his performance was soulful and on point. Gotta add this tho: Love Elton John. My favorite male pop star since I bought my first EJ single in 1973. But I've never loved that song. Just this side of dreary to me and I've felt that way since its release 35 years ago.
• Scotty McReery. Just keep on singing and performing. You, more than anyone else, are the entire package. As Randy noted, Scotty is ready to make an album now, ready to give his own concert now. Amazing when you note he's only 17. But he's good for any age. Love his shoutout to his grandmother in the audience and his performance of Country Comfort was just right. But do note, Scotty: Elton John has written dozens of true country songs in his 40+ year career. You chose the predictable 1970 LP cut, Country Comfort, because it had the word "country" in it and figured that was the only country song Elton cut. A little homework for you. Pick up EJ's Peachtree Road for starters and work backwards.
• Jimmy Iovine, just keep on giving your pointed, astute, excellent coaching advice to the contestants. No other mentor has ever been more forceful and honest and, thus, valuable. Is this how you were in the studio producing Stevie Nicks (Bella Donna) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Damn the Torpedos), Patti Smith (Easter) and Dire Straits (Making Movies) back in the late '70s-early '80s? No wonder these rock superstars did their best albums with you.
• Naima Adedapo. You earned the love, or, at least, a measure of respect for taking EJ's bouncy Pointer Sisters-inspired I'm Still Standing and introducing it to Island Girl, reggae-style. I fear America won't get it and you'll probably be one of the two sent home Thursday night, but go home with grace because you tried something different and it was an interesting arrangement that worked better than I expected.
• James Durbin, listen to Iovine. When he warned you of the dangers of starting a song off stage and not knowing at which point you would hit the stage, his fears were well founded. Your vocals on the locomotive Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting were way too mannered when you were off stage. At no point did you ever truly capture the manic energy of the young 26-year-old Elton John when he first cut that song on 1973's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album but when you did hit the main stage, you were much more convincing. James is still one of Idol's best-ever rockers.
• Thia Megia, do what you did tonight and tell us why you picked the song you did. When it was announced Daniel was the teen's choice, I was nervous. Daniel's storyline might be vague (the missing verse reputedly tells us who Daniel was, something only lyricist Bernie Taupin knows and he didn't tell in 1972 and he ain't telling Idol, either) but we do know the song is adult and moving. Thia explained she was singing it for her brother whom she misses when he's away from home. Armed with that info, the emotion in Thia's tender vocal delivery connected with the lyric and the song worked. Viewers might agree with Randy that it was yet another "safe" ballad and send her home, but if she does leave, she leaves without ever having hit an offkey note. Nice job.
• Lauren Alaina, we've been loving you for what you've been doing these last few weeks but never moreso than tonight. That country-styled redo of Candle in the Wind sounded like it could have been lifted off the Dixie Chicks' Home album. Consider that high praise. That a teen can approximate the knowledgable, emotionally resonate vocals of Natalie Maines when Natalie's on her game is quite impressive. The night's overall best performance.
• Pia Toscana should hope for a Carly Simon Theme week. She could do You're So Vain because this song is about this snooty girl. At this stage, there's nothing that can really make me love pageanty Pia, this season's Katharine McPhee. Every song is a ballad, every song is shouted at the end, every song is delivered devoid of passion, soul, feeling, life or style. Please, America, let the sun go down on Pia soon and don't let her win this whole darned thing.
• Paul McDonald, hit the yellow brick road and take a toothpaste commercial because not all the charisma you muster can make up for your raspy, baby-Rod Stewart voice and sugary songs. That Rocket Man was totally lost in space.
• "What have I gotta do to make you love me?" Haley Reinhart, sing a song without growling your way throught it. The only parts that worked on that cutesy, contrived, junior high school talent show-level rendition of Bennie & the Jets was the B-b-b-b-b stuttering part. B-b-bad. Randy must have sipped the drugs in Steven Tyler's cup when he pronounced that performance the night's best.
• Speaking of the judges, J.Lo, SHUTUP! Stop interrupting Randy (and everyone else) whenever he's talking. You're rude even though I bet you think this show is about you. And Steven Tyler, stop being Ellen DeGeneres. As a judge, you're useless. And where's the hoped-for unpredictable character we met during auditions?
• Stefano Langone smothered Tiny Dancer in Velveeta and turned millions of people's favorite Elton John song (not mine) into a boring, nothing song. "What have I gotta do to make you love me?" you might ask? Go home with grace Thursday night.
• Casey Abrams, lose the attitude you try to mask. You're cocky. You're never going to be a sex symbol. And you aren't nearly as good as you think you are (and not as good as I thought you were during the auditions). Though Iovine cautioned against overdoing it and though you listened, for the most part, that Your Song was still full of pitch control potholes, overly affected vocal gimmicks and a decided lack of charm. Should the judges have saved Casey last week? Sure, he'll be something different on the tour. But that's all the love that is required. Any time he leaves is OK by me.

Comments

[Lesley]

anyone here tonight?

[Lesley]

what's up w ryan's new do?

[Lane]

here! better late than never

what did I miss

[Lesley]

Yo! Scotty did a country (shocker) version of some Elton John song and it was excellent. Naima did a reggae version of I'm Still Standing, which I thought sucked. And Paul. Oh Paul. His voice is so grating and awful.

[Lane]

I saw Paul. Feh.

[Lane]

Pia? More like Zzzz-ah.

[Lane]

call her Pia Break, because I could've spent that time in the restroom and watched the commercials.

[Lesley]

I agree. she has a great voice but this one put me to sleep

[Lane]

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza
don't eff this up. And don't smile like a fool.

[Lesley]

Too late for the fool part

[Lane]

Stefano probably goes home. Bottom 3 last week, He's totally unmemorable and picked a blah song version.

[Lesley]

they really should stop making these kids sing songs by old queens. what's next, kc and the sunshine band night?

[Lane]

good point

[Lesley]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Lane]

I am envious of Marilyn and Lady Di after that snoozer

[Lane]

she's only 55 years younger than you, Steven. Not creepy at all.

[Lesley]

hahaahahahah and yah, gross.

[Lane]

did you see that Ina Garten refused to give a dying kid their Make-A-Wish of meeting her? She needs to change the way she spells Contessa.

[Lane]

is it me or are the backup singers really loud for him?

I want to like thios but it is kind of high school talent show-ish

[Lesley]

I did see that and after she was called out for being a Contessa, she eventually agreed...

[Lesley]

I like him a lot but this was lame

[Lesley]

wake me when Kiki Dee comes on..

[Lane]

Smiling Thia smiling about the crippled Vietnam vet. Yay Daniel!

Lesley did you see the Ray Charles/Willie Nelson video I posted on facebook the other day?

[Lesley]

nooo! i will go look now

[Lane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0KRQmXofq4

watching Willie watch Ray gives me goosebumps

[Lesley]

That was fantastic--Willie and Ray. Casey was pretty good too.

[Lane]

Casey WAS good. Go with what brung ya, Casey.

[Lane]

it strikes me as unfair when they do the fog machine or cool lighting for certain contestants over others.

[Lane]

do the judges criticize anyone for anything? where is simon?

[Lesley]

right? There is no real critique going on..all total niceties..it's annoying.

[Lane]

I like Haley, but it's impossible for this song NOT to sound karaoke/campy

she should've done "I guess that's why they call it the blues" and she could have still used her husky voice parts

[Lesley]

agreed on Haley. And Jacob is waaaay too dramatic. reminds me of when drag queens lip synch

[Tracy]

I just hope Scotty, Paul, and Lorna stays

[Michelle Deblinger]

I agree with you about Scotty. I think he is the whole package that one needs to be to win Idol and I think of all the finalists he has the best chance. I also agree that Paul was terrible tonight. I couldn't even understand what he was saying and wondered if he was even singing the right words. Couldn't tell. Pretty sure he'll be going home. And even though Pia has a beautiful voice, she is getting borrring. Same old same old. I like James a lot but he is going a bit overboard and needs to get in the zone and just do voice and not so much dramatics. Casey acts like he is trying to be a Zach Galifianakis with the weight, beard and sarcasm. He made a big change is his image and style which was smart. I say we just give it to Scotty and be done with it!

[Michelle Deblinger]

I wish JLo would stop interrupting Randy too. What a poor example for our youth on proper manners. Randy should shout out "I'm talking" like I did with my kids when they used to interrupt me. Steven likes everyone, that's a given. But I think his fav is Naima.

My opinion, based on tonights performance, it should be Paul going home. The second one is harder to predict but I'd say Naima.

The shoe-ins to STAY are Scotty, James, Jacob, Lauren.
And I think also Pia, Haley and Casey will also be safe.

Scotty has the charisma and talent to win.
James is a great rocker and could win it.
Pia is going to HAVE to make some major changes to have a chance because people are getting bored. Big mistake doing another ballad this week.

At the end of the day, it is not going to be talent but who people LOVE the most. And I'm loving Scotty and James.

[Kal]

The judges criticize Jacob, Pia, and others about showing versatility in their song choices, and style, but every week, Scotty comes out and sings in that country style, that he is so good at. I agree that he is probably going to be the winner, because so far, there has not been a male country singer winner. But I must say just as Scotty does what is best for him, which is to sing in his style, what is the problem when Jacob comes out and does what is his style, which is R&B, Soul, Gospel-tinged styling? Leave these kids alone, and let them show their very best, because at the end of the day, American Idol is a popularity contest, not really a "True" singing competition. But I must say, I am betting on Scotty, he is good, but so is Pia, and Jacob.

[Redge]

Hitting notes and singing songs are not the same thing. After watching the performances again, Scotty is a cut above.

Pia hits "a lot" of notes, but they don't mean anything. Reminds of guitar shredders that think speed alone is all that matters.

Judging could use a little more of Simon's touch. I think the contestants learned more from Jimmy than anyone.

Great review!

[Cheese Fries]

Pia is no Katherine McPhee.