American Idol Recap – Top 10
Adam and Allison Steal the Show on Motown Night
Last week they took on Country, and this week the American Idol Top 10 performed the best of Motown. With some help from guest mentor and Motown legend Smokey Robinson, the Idol finalists performed some of the biggest R&B hits of the 60’ and 70’s. Here’s how they did, and who might be going home:
Matt Giraud: “Let’s Get it On” by Marvin Gaye
Matt’s performance was cool and bluesy, with a vibe that fell somewhere between Justin Timberlake and Michael Buble. When he got up from the piano, though, things got a little awkward. The judges all loved the fact that Matt worked the stage, but the piano adds another dimension to his performance. The longer Matt stays behind the piano, the further he will go in the competition. Great vocals – he will be safe.
Kris Allen: “How Sweet it Is” by Marvin Gaye
Kris’ vocals were decent, but as much as the piano helps Matt each week, it hurts Kris; his Dave Matthews-like aura behind the guitar will wear out its welcome relatively quickly. Kris was not the best singer Wednesday night, but his Jason Castro-like personality will get him plenty of votes.
Scott MacIntyre: “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes
Smokey Robinson said it best in Scott’s video montage, “There was nothing negative I could say.” There was nothing overwhelmingly negative about Scott’s performance, but there was also nothing overwhelmingly positive, either. He always sings on pitch, and he can play piano, but the performance lacked soul, and Scott’s personality has yet to shine through on the show. Scott could be in the bottom three.
Megan Joy: “For Once in my Life” by Stevie Wonder
It is perfectly okay that Megan’s voice has a Cabaret quality to it; the problem is that her performance did, as well. She stripped all of the soul out of a Stevie Wonder classic, and turned it into a music theatre-type performance. Megan was also over-singing quite a bit. She should be worried this week.
Anoop Desai: “Ooo Baby Baby” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Anoop picked a pretty big song, and one that was probably a little over his head. It was a gutsy performance, though. Anoop had some pitch problems at the beginning, but recovered nicely at the end of the song. It probably was not a very memorable performance, but good enough to get Anoop through to the next round.
Michael Sarver: “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
Somehow, Michael’s performance was both stiff and hectic at the same time. It is not that Michael has a bad voice; he just looks and sounds like he is battling nerves on stage. Michael’s performance was actually better than last week (until the end of the song), but that may not be enough to save him.
Lil Rounds: “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas
The judges were a bit too critical of Lil’s song choice and performance. Lil may have lacked originality, and she did not show much emotion or musicality in her rendition of the song, but her voice is simply so good, that none of that other stuff mattered very much. Lil should be safe.
Adam Lambert: “Tracks of my Tears” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
What the judges were looking for from Lil, they got with Adam. He was criticized last week for being a bit too over-the-top, but Adam proved with this performance that being original does not also have to be shocking. Adam looked controlled and comfortable, his interpretation was impressive, and it was by far the best performance of the night.
Danny Gokey: “Get Ready” by The Temptations
The only problem with Danny’s performance is that he had to go immediately after Adam. Danny has a voice that was made to be on the radio and his signing was great, but it lacked something compared to Adam’s inspired performance. Danny should have no problem getting through.
Allison Iraheta “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” by The Temptations
There is no question Allison made the best song choice of the night. The song was a perfect match for Allison’s gritty voice, and she turned in her best performance of the competition, second on the night only to Adam. Allison was in the bottom three last week, but she should have nothing to worry about this time around.
American Idol certainly saved the best for last on Motown night – Adam and Allison finished the show with the best performances of the evening, followed by Matt and Danny.
Megan, Michael and Scott look like the best candidates for the bottom three, and while Scott will likely make it through, tomorrow night will be the end of the road for either Megan or Scott.
Here is how the Top 9 did as they returned for iTunes Night.
Who turned in the best Top 10 Idol perfomance?
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