Tonight on American Idol, the remaining seven contestants will take on songs chosen by their competitors. I'm actually really excited about this theme. Thank you, Idol, for switching things up a bit this week. Will the contestants choose songs in their competitor's wheelhouse or will they try a subtle sabotage instead? Let's find out...
Song: "Family Tree" by Kings of Leon (chosen by Alex)
Apparently Caleb and Alex went to a Kings of Leon concert recently and totally fell in love with this song. Caleb relies on his upper register for the entire performance, and I think he proves with this song that he can be a contemporary rock star. Don't get me wrong, I love the classic rock tunes that he has performed on the Idol stage. With a Kings of Leon song though, we get to see what a 2014 Caleb album might sound like...and I think it would sound fantastic.
Judges Say: The crowd is going crazy and Keith has to wait a minute before he can begin the critique. He tells Caleb that he is a consistent, dynamic performer week after week. JLo's got some serious lipstick on tonight. As she speaks I can really only focus on her mouth....like her lips are doing the solo Rocky Horror Picture Show thing. Neat. Anyway, JLo looooooooooves Caleb. She says it's dangerous to put Caleb first because now everyone else has to raise their game. Harry believes this was a great way to start the show and he really "digs" that Caleb did his own thing with the song.
-----------------------------------Constant: Jessica Meuse
Song: "Gunpowder & Lead" by Miranda Lambert (chosen by Sam)
Oh how I love this song. And I love Miranda. I don't think I love this version of the song though, which is a bummer. Jessica starts out really well, but when the band really kicks in, we lose her a bit. The wind machine is a nice touch and I love that she is trying to have more stage presence...but she still doesn't let loose in this performance. If you've ever seen Miranda perform this song and the energy she brings to it, you'll know that this rendition greatly paled in comparison.
Judges Say: JLo seems to have reapplied that lipstick. She calls Jessica's vocals "off" and says Jessica looked uncomfortable. Harry thinks there is a lack of rhythmic delivery in Jessica's performances and suggests that she put on some funk music and watch herself dance in front of a mirror. He says she has some sync issues which I don't necessarily disagree with. Keith says Jessica didn't tap into the anger of the song. He tells her she is really going to have to start committing to the lyrics she's singing to be able to stay in the competition.
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Constant: C.J. Harris
Song: "Gravity" by John Mayer (chosen by Caleb)
Caleb picked this song because he thinks C.J. can take us to church with it. As long as he takes us to "in- tune-ville" I could care less about how religious the experience is. Truthfully, this is C.J.'s best performance. I haven't really been a C.J. fan this season, and I'm still not a C.J. fan. But I want to give credit where credit is due, and he really delivers with this performance. Well done.
Judges Say: Keith loved the song choice and thinks the performance was a bulls-eye. JLo is very proud of C.J.and wants him to look for more moments to lift the crowd. Harry thinks C.J. has a gift of connecting with the audience whether it's a good performance or a bad performance. Harry then says this was his best performance to date.
-----------------------------------Constant: Dexter Roberts
Song: "Muckalee Creek Water" by Luke Bryan (chosen by C.J.)
This song reminds Dexter of home and C.J. thinks the song suits Dexter perfectly. Really, the song does suit Dexter and he sounds fantastic. He's rocking out and having a great time. JLo is also having a great time, as evidenced by the fact that she gets more camera shots than the contestants do during the performances. The only thing I worry about with Dexter's performance is...and this seems to be a broken record on this show...he doesn't do anything different with the song at all.
Judges Say: Keith liked the song but cautions Dexter about letting the adrenaline pull him out of key. I must have missed that. JLo thinks we saw a different, darker side of Dexter and she loved it. She does say that he and the other contestants really need to step it up though because we are getting down to the wire. Harry comments on Dexter limiting himself by copying the vocal and not making the song his own. Yup. Saw that one coming.
-----------------------------------Constant: Alex Preston
Song: "The A Team" by Ed Sheeran (chosen by Dexter)
Alex did this song for his online audition and Dexter thought it would be great for him to revisit it. Done and done. Alex is completely in his element here. I wince sometimes when he does the little marching steps, but fortunately the camera rarely lingers on those (again, why put the camera on the contestants when JLo is always ready for her closeup?). He does a great job though and I hope Alex will make it to the Top 6.
Judges Say: JLo says this was the perfect song choice for Alex and he deserves all of the applause he is getting, Harry agrees, saying this is his favorite performance of the night. Keith compliments Alex on his ability to turn cover songs into Alex songs and says the performance was great.
-----------------------------------Constant: Sam Woolf
Song: "Sail Away" by David Gray (chosen by Jessica)
Jessica is hoping this song will help Sam connect with the audience a little bit more (especially with the ladies) because he has such a shy personality. While I don't know that the performance does exactly what Jessica wants it to do, Sam at least has confidence when he sings tonight and has discarded the deer in headlights look we've been seeing so much of lately. I hesitate to say he is "back" because I still don't rank him above most of the remaining contestants, but I did enjoy the performance and even found myself bopping a little bit on my couch.
Judges Say: Harry says Sam is a work in progress and he is progressing...in his progression. Keith thinks Sam is starting to get comfortable and JLo feels that Sam is "really trying." Sigh. Moving on.
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Constant: Jena Irene
Song: "Creep" by Radiohead (chosen by Caleb)
I have always loved this song and I have heard many covers of it since it came out in the early 90s. I feel like I am definitely dating myself with that admission, but I've got my fingers crossed that Jena's rendition is a stand out when compared to the numerous other versions. No worries there. She starts this performance at the piano with a beautiful, haunting tone to her voice. Jena stays at the piano when the band comes in, which I LOVE, and she owns this performance. She hits notes that I didn't realize she had in her and Jena easily wins the night. Just amazing.
Judges Say: Keith and JLo give her a well earned standing ovation but we are running out of time. Keith loved her fearlessness and JLo thinks Jena can sing anything. Harry tells Jena that she is a phenomenal talent and then says some BS about how his version of "judging" does not include standing ovations.
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The contestants also brought the duets back tonight, with Alex and Sam giving an up tempo performance of "Let Her Go." That song has annoyed me for quite some time now and these guys really made me enjoy it again. Caleb and Jena have the duet of the night though with their version of "Gimme Shelter." Seriously, are these two dating? If not, can we make that happen immediately? Thank you. The remaining three contestants, Dexter, Jessica and C.J. took on "Compass," which is one of my favorite songs at the moment. The performance was pleasant enough, but the trio didn't have much chemistry and song was cut up and staged in a way that didn't make much sense to me. Oh well.
Tomorrow we say goodbye to another hopeful and we're at a point where no one should feel safe. The weaker contestants have had some shining moments in the past couple of weeks, so those fans might come out swinging when the voting starts this evening. Will Jessica's consistent lack of energy be her undoing? Can Dexter make it through to another week to finally attempt the "make the song your own" thing? Will Sam ever acknowledge the young girls who are trying to take selfies with him from the audience? We'll find out in the coming episodes. Til then!
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