We’re down to three guys. Only one will emerge the American Idol champion in 8 days. Ryan shows off the guys and ponders who can garner the support of a nation. Are they also going to run for public office? It’s going to be a tough call between Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey. They each seem to have built their base. Ryan lets us know that this is the 300th episode. For this season? Simon Cowell is back in the white t-shirt that lets us see his nipples. Is he running for next year’s Miss California?
The three guys come out the front of the stage. Clips of their homecoming appearances run on the screen. We’ll get more of this tomorrow. Tonight’s show will have a judge’s choice and a performer’s choice. Gokey discovers Paula Abdul has chosen “Dance Little Sister Dance” by Terence Trent D’Arby for him. What? Can you even buy that on CD? Paula talks about how Trence Trent D’Arby was iconic. Really? Has she confused the guy with Arby’s Oven Mitt? Did Gokey have to visit eBay to find this song? It’s a funky jazz inflection. At least nobody will accuse Gokey of merely doing an impersonation since the odds of people remembering this song is less than people. The break comes off like an Al Jarreau number. Paula is up dancing to the song. At least she appreciated it. Randy likes the energy and how he sounded. It’s dope for him. Kara didn’t like the dancing. Paula likes his dancing. Simon thought the dancing was desperate. He liked it vocally, but didn’t like the sax solo. Simon wishes he’d sung another Terence Trent D’Arby song. There were more? Maybe this name checking will lead to a rebirth of D’Arby. Or at least get him a gig writing jingles for Arby’s.
Ryan says that Paula and Simon are punching each other? Where’s the footage?
Kris Allen gets Kara and Randy’s pick of “Apologize” by OneRepublic. I’ve heard this song at a Banana Republic? Kara says that everybody knows this song. Kris plays the grand piano. The song comes out good, but the big question is connecting to the audience. He’s performing in profile. He has his eyes nearly closed as he plays and sings. Vocally he’s fine. But it’s almost like he’s recording in a studio and not performing on a stage. Nothing goes completely over the top as it wraps up. Randy says it shows who Kris would be in the music business. Kara thinks it was a competent performance. He didn’t knock it out of the park. She didn’t like the piano. Paula noticed a bum note. She’s still proud of him. Simon argues with Paula. He gets nasty with Kara for choosing the song and not doing helping him do the arrangement like he did with his choice. Randy’s upset because nobody told him he could do that. There will be a meeting in the producer’s office after tonight’s taping.
What could Simon chose for Adam? Perhaps a Spice Girls medley? Or the “Love Theme from the Teletubbies?” Or a song he heard at The Gap while he was t-shirt shopping? Simon is excited since he landed “One” by U2. It’s his favorite show. He had to call Bono to get permission. Was it worth the long distance phone call? They have the stage extremely bathed in blue. The ear monitors give Adam a case of Spock ears. The sound mix is horrible. The orchestra is too light. Adam goes for the Axl notes midway through the song. I just think he blew it. It’s more shriek than emotion. The theatrical moment doesn’t pay off. Simon didn’t do him any favors. Randy thinks he’s still in the zone, but he didn’t like him going off the melody. Kara thinks he changed it up and made it unbelievable. He did his own version. Paula feels miserable sitting next to a gloating Simon. She thinks it was a superb performance. Simon thinks it was a brilliant song choice. Simon declares if Adam isn’t in the finals, it will be a major upset. He’s cursed the boy.
Why is The Land of the Lost looking like Speed Racer 2? Did the people who made this movie ever watch the series?
Ryan introduces a piece about Carrie Underwood visiting Africa as part of Idol Gives Back. Remember this telethon special? They canceled it this season. Don’t they want more money to buy bed nets for these folks to avoid catching Malaria?
Round Two rings out with Danny Gokey doing “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker. This is a hard song because it’s sold completely off emotion. There’s the choke up moment at the end that you have to nail to keep it from being karaoke. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys knew how to bring out that note. Gokey has to make the people think that the song is for his departed wife. He keeps it quiet with the acoustic guitar taking the lead with a string quartert. He’s on a barstool to reduce dancing comments. He brings it up in a gospel arrangement almost. And then he blows it by not having the choke up moment. He played it too straight. Randy likes his mad vocals. Kara was stunned by it. Paula was left breathless. She likes how he fused it with the gospel. Simon didn’t think it needed to be rearrangement. He does call it a vocal masterclass. The judges are pimping him too hard. By making the ending too uplifting, Gokey didn’t get to the emotional raw nature of the song.
Kris Allen picks “Heartless” by Kanye West. Will Daft Punk be joining him? Nope. He’s going with just his acoustic guitar. He’s now looking at the audience. It really comes off as Jason Mraz having fun with a Kanye hit. There’s a Jose Feliciano vibe coming off the song. Randy thinks it will be the toughest voting night. He like it better than Kanye’s version. Kara wishes he’d done with the first song. Paula thinks he’s brave for singing a song about Simon. She liked it. Simon thought his first song was a lame choice. He had written him out of the competition, but that’s all changed now. Ryan has no idea how this will come out.
Adam Lambert returns to rock night with “Cryin'” by Aerosmith. He has not draped scarves around his microphone stand. He’s working the Elvis lip curl on the first go around. He’s not bringing too much to the song that wasn’t there. It’s almost too obvious of a rendition. Plus his wardrobe choice isn’t that inspired. It’s safe for a guy who liked being a bit out there. Randy thinks he’s one of the best that they’ve ever had on the stage. He thinks the guy is a rock star. Kara wants to know how he hits those notes. She expects to see him at the finals. Paula thinks he’s flying high. Also thinks she’ll see him next week. Simon won’t suck up as much as the other three. He wants people to vote for him based on talent.
Picking the final two based on tonight: Kris Allen and Danny Gokey will be facing off. I don’t think Adam Lambert took either performances beyond what we’ve seen before. He’s had issues with getting the votes. Having both of his highlights being the Axl notes won’t sway fence sitters to dial his number.
