Adam Lambert Rules American Idol Top 8 and Scott MacIntyre's "Punk Side" Might Get Him Sent Home

The Top 8 on American Idol got to sing songs from their birth year Tuesday evening. Some might think this a fairly simple endeavor, choosing a song from the year one was born and performing it. In fact, that just might be the problem. Looks simple. Is not.

At best, the American Idol contenders went half and half. Half did well. The other half did not. But it might be more fair to say that one-quarter did very well, one-quarter did well, and one-half were mediocre.

Danny Gokey started things off this week. He's the sentimental favorite. Church boy. Clean cut in a grungy sort of way. All around nice guy. He sang "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. Wait... what? Wasn't that song done in, like, 1961? Isn't that against the rules? And if this is a birth year song, wouldn't that make Danny Gokey 47 or 48? Isn't that against the rules?

But, no, hold on... country artist Mickey Gilley did a version of the song in 1980, which is the year in which Danny Gokey was born, so... Either way, Danny Gokey's version sounded like neither of them, although it did have an R&B flavor to it. Still, it wasn't anything worth remembering. The judges give him points for an original arrangement, but that's as far as it goes. Paula Abdul, who has no problem showing the ones she favors in the competition, says he set the bar so high that the others will have a hard time catching up. She termed his arranged "chord substitution," at which Simon Cowell simply began laughing.

Kris Allen was up next. He's the pretty boy. Great singer, though. A dark horse in the competition. He sang "All She Wants To Do Is Dance," Don Henley's big hit from 1985. It was a bit different from the way the Eagles front man-gone-solo did it, but it wasn't too bad. More guitar and less keyboard. American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi said he sucked the youth out of the song, but, truthfully, she apparently never listened to the song. It's about indifference to pressing problems. Paula loved it, says he's the "most likeable" contestant. Simon Cowell hated it, thought it was "boring." Randy agreed with Simon and said that Kris got "lost" in his arrangement.

Then Lil Rounds performed Tina Turner's classic 1984 mega-hit "What's Love Got To Do With It?" She came off as very amateurish. And her attempt at Tina Turner-like dancing made it worse. She sang the song okay but nothing one could not hear at hundreds of karaoke bars or from an 80s cover band. Paula Abdul said she did not make the song her own. Simon really tore her up, saying that she was a "second or third-rate Tina Turner," that it was "ghastly" and that Lil Rounds was not "making an impact." Randy Jackson said that "you remind me of this, remind me of that," but was not original; she just was "not clicking." Kara DioGuardi thought that she simply was not "making that leap from singer to artist."

Then the "Noop Dog," Anoop Desai, slowed things down with Cyndi Lauper's 1986 hit, "True Colors." Anoop can sing and deserves to be in the competiton. He proves it with this tune. One thing is certain: Anoop Desai will sing some R&B flavored material (not that he hasn't already told us so) when he cuts his first album (and you know he will). Randy Jackson said he had control and it was "great vocal." Kara said that he was able to "interpret it with soul." Paula said it was "magical," that he showed his "true colors -- like a rainbow" (hey, wait, where have I heard that before? Not only does Paula get "cheesiest line of the night" but she should have been asked to leave after that godawful line). Simon said it was "very good." He also told Anoop, who had apologized for his reaction to a Kara DioGuardi criticism last week, that he did not have to apologize. "We can be horrible to you," he said, "and you can be horrible back." (That's right; you can be horrible to each other, just like contestants in any other competition -- beauty pageants, politics, PTA elections, etc.)

After Anoop Desai, Scott MacIntyre perhaps performed the worst song of the night. No, that is not correct. Scott MacIntyre sang Survivor's 1985 #1 Adult Contemporary hit, "The Search Is Over." The song was not the worst song sang. The song was and is a great tune. Scott MacIntyre's version of it was by far the worst performance of the evening. He played guitar instead of his usual piano, but that did not help. It was just plain bad. Kara DioGuardi said there were parts she liked, parts she didn't. Paula said, "Overall: Bravo." (Just what the hell was Paula listening to?) Simon told Scott to "go back to the piano next week." But he wasn't done with just that. He said the performance was "horrible," that it was "very boring," and that he was "trying to be someone else." Randy said it was just "all okay."

In the Season 8 group of contenders on American Idol, there are two contestants that this writer really looks forward to hearing each week: Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta. Adam because he is so good, strange, and dynamic and Allison because she's so good, strange, and dynamic. They do the unexpected. They put on a show. They can sing. And they entertain.

Allison Iraheta was up sixth in line. She sang Bonnie Raitt's heartbreaking 1992 hit "I Can't Make You Love Me." And there is something about Allison's voice that draws you in. It's subtle. It's smoky. It's sultry and intimate and you have to be careful: she's only sixteen. Listeners can only pray that her producers don't kill that bluesy huskiness when she records her first album. But one can't hear her doing some syrupy mind-numbing pop tune (think: Britney Spears), either. And she nails the Bonnie Raitt song. Paula Abdul has become the Queen of Cheese. Her critique: "One note and it's undeniably Allison." (Groan...) But she notes that Allison did an original vocal over the original song arrangement. Simon Cowell told Allison that it was "very good," but that she needed to talk more, because he was afraid that America was not seeing a "likeable" Allison. Randy Jackson was quick to agree, that it had worked for Kelly Clarkson in Season 1. Randy said, "She can sing her face off and so can you." Kara said that taking a song like that and singing it like that was "truly talent."

Matt Giraud followed. When he announced he was singing a Stevie Wonder tune, this writer inwardly cringed. Many American Idol contenders make the mistake of singing something out of their league. Many of them, for whatever reason, believe they can sing a Stevie Wonder song. Many fail ignominiously. Matt Giraud did not.

Where many fail is in attempting to emulate the vocal stylings of Stevie Wonder. That is always a mistake. Matt Giraud took 1985's "Part-Time Lover" and made it his own. He does R&B well and should stay away from things like The Fray, a performance that wasn't terrible, but wasn't all that great during Top Downloads Week. The show is trying to stay within its 60 minutes time-frame, but it isn't going to make it. Still, the judges are hurried in their critiques. Randy says it is vocally "one of the best" of the night. Kara said it was "unbelievable." Paula Abdul says, "Two words: Standing O." Simone says, "A million times better than last week, well done."

Adam Lambert, by far the most vocally talented of the group this year, pulled the anchor position and performs the 1982 Tears for Fears song, "Mad World." His high, haunting falsetto understates the song. It is truly the best performance of the night by a long shot. Time was of the essence and Simon leads off the critiques by simply giving Adam Lambert a well-deserved standing ovation. Now, truly, when was the last time anyone has seen Simon Cowell do this? Maybe for Carrie Underwood? (Remember: he picked her way early to win that year and be the best selling artist in American Idol history). You know someone is checking. Maybe the viewing audience will find out on the results show on Wednesday evening.

It turns out that many people Tivo or set their TVRs for American Idol. With it going over by nearly ten minutes, many of those who recorded the show missed Adam Lambert's performance. The internet is recording the cries and howls of outrage.

Most are doing what Simon Cowell does. Blame Ryan Seacrest.

Since he's the host, he should have cut the judges critiques a little shorter. With Paula's rambling, that can be difficult. Kara is almost as bad. They should have just left the show at an 90 minutes.

But most are yelling because of the voting. How could they vote if they didn't see the show? Doubtful if that will matter with Adam Lambert. After last week's "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)" performance, he climbed back into the #1 Power Rankings position again this week (TV Guide). And even if one did not hear him, suffice it to say that with the internet buzzing again about his performance (yes, "Mad World" was THAT good) and Simon Cowell deeming it worthy of him giving him a standing ovation, it would be safe to bet, even with the true "I'm voting for the best performer this week" voters not casting for him because they missed it, he will not make the bottom three.

And if he does and by some strange quirk of the democratic process gets voted off the show, there is little doubt that the American Idol judges will use their one and only Save.

At present Lil Rounds and Scott MadIntyre are the only performers in the competition who do not deserve to be saved. Scott, although a tremendous talent, especially on the keyboards, is not as gifted a singer, and this week (and Motown Week) it really showed. Lil Rounds has been a little disappointing. After bombing during Motown Week, the one week everyone expected her to excel, she a little better last week with Celine Dion's "I Surrender." But it was just passable. This week's performance was more of same. Three so-so performances in a row. There's a three-strike rule in California, ya know.

Best of the week: Adam Lambert's "Mad World" was mad excellent. Matt Giraud was great, but Lambert's performance was so much above par that he was still a distant second. Still, the two best performances of the night.

The next best: Allison Iraheta simply has her own style and her performances are great. Simon may be right about her not presenting her personality well, but she should be safe this week from the bottom three. As should Anoop Desai. The "Noop Dog" was just too smooth with "True Colors," just as long as not too many people didn't get violently ill over Paula Abdul's critique.

The mediocre: Lil Rounds led the triad of mediocrity, which means she comes in next to last. Just above her is Danny Gokey, whose singing was pretty good but his arrangement was not. Kris Allen ranks just above Gokey but at least his song actually was an original hit in the year he was born.

Worst of the night: It's sad to say -- and simply because he is such a nice guy -- but Scott MacIntyre's performance was just bad. He said he wanted to show his "punk side." He should have kept it hidden.

If there is any justice, the bottom three will be Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, and Scott MacIntyre, with Scott having to hear Carrie Underwood kill Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home." (Anyone else for getting Daughtry's "Home" back in that slot?)

The American Idol results show will air Wednesday night. Ryan Seacrest just might be able to keep the show within its time-frame. Flo Rida and Kellie Pickler will appear as musical guests.

******

Source:

"American Idol," Fox Television

TVGuide.com