For forever now, I've been calling the American Idol themeless theme week of two weeks ago a bad night on the Donny & Marie Variety Show, and, wouldn't you know it, tonight the AI powers-that-be actually did go so far as to do "a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n roll."
Thank you very much.
While the show opened with an extended lovefest for the beleaguered Paula, not even Nashville, nor the very impressive catalogue of Gamble and Huff (who were in the house!), was enough to truly brighten up the program.
Carrie came out first with a Dixie Chicks tune, "Sin Wagon." In AI3, Amy Adams laid down a "Sin Wagon" that makes Carrie's version look like just a sin. I mean, it was the one Amy Adams performance that really soared, and big-time. Nevertheless, Amy got canned the next night.
I don't think that Carrie's lively wagoneering will garner her the same fate. But I also think Carrie's performance highlighted some of the weak points we've spotted her for before: primarily her singing diction, limited inflection, and mostly auto-pilot delivery.
On the other hand, as Simon said, Carrie did show some personality---which was a relief---and she even let loose with a little Texas two-stepping on one of the interludes.
But then she also let loose with that totally "Totally Spies"-sounding "uh, yeah-ah," when Ryan asked her if she really wanted to win. I agree it was a dumb question, but that doesn't mean we need to revive Valley Girl to answer it.
After a tearful tribute to sisterly love, Carrie's second feature was the poetic "If You Don't Know Me By Now." While Simon blamed the band for the arrangement (which can only be described as labyrinthine), Carrie made things worse by doing everything that she does badly badly.
For example, I've said before that Carrie is one of the few artists who may unintentionally, but regularly sing her own mondegreens.
Tonight, however, I could not even make out her mondegreens. She marched through the measures in lackluster lockstep, with her lyrics sounding like Dori speaking "whale" in Finding Nemo. And the words that could be understood (somewhat) came across as though she was delivering a bad translation from the Japanese (sort of an "all your bases are belong to us" phenomenon).
Article comments
1 - -E
Oh I thought V was good tonight.
2 - TylerNewton
It's so obvious Vonzell is going home tomorrow it's not even funny. She's been here two weeks too long, and with Bo, Carrie, and Anthony fans mortified at the thought that Vonzell could sneak her way into the finals, those fan bases will rally and VONZELL IS FINALLY GOING HOME.
3 - -E
Vonzell is good. She's much better than Anthony. Though to be fair towards him, he has stepped it up a bit the past couple of weeks (I thought he should have been gone long ago).
4 - Cassy
Its hard telling what will happen? I was personally bored by the theme tonight so didn't watch the show but I did watch the last ten minutes and thought Anthony is doing better. I couldn't even begin to guess who is getting the boot next with that votefortheworst site.
5 - Leslie
Before tonight's episode I would have said that the audience's reaction to a contestant's performance wasn't like having a psychometric glimpse into who's actually garnering the popular votes. Now there's only 4 left {until tomorrow!} and I think how the audience reacts IS very telling at this point. Bo will win.
6 - Sticker
Bo definitely got the applause-o-meter vote.
And Anthony, who usually gets little reaction from the crowd, elicited a fair number of screams tonight. So maybe he will be safe for another week after all.
7 - Eric Olsen
great job as always Sticker, thanks! Whoa, Paula was so obviously trying to be "tough" and was so subdued as to suggest medication. Bo's "For the Love of Money" rocked
8 - Sticker
Paula didn't say one coherent thing all night, except when she repeated what Randy had just said. It was painful to watch. It did look like meds talking. Also it was poor judgment to ask Vonzell to explain "how she was doing" when obviously she was not doing well.
9 - Rose
In keeping with lame themes on Idol how about:
Funeral songs from the Middle Ages during the Black Plague or
Songs from Yiddish Theatre or
Gregorian Chants or
Songs from any of the Muppet movies.
10 - Sticker
rose-
I seriously like the songs from the Muppet movies thing!
11 - Eric Olsen
I do too - can totally hear Anthony doing "Rainbow Connection"
12 - SphinxMontreal
There is only one thing worse than country music - amateurs singing country music.
The judges were full of shit last night with their comments. This thing is fixed.
13 - Steve
I think they could use a night of songs written for Tibetan Singing Bowls, but what do I know?
14 - Sticker
or maybe renditions of the national anthems of third world countries
15 - Paul Roy
Great review. You summed up the episode perfectly. Jesus, was Paula spaced out last night or what? Can't imagine why. I agree that Vonzell or Anthony will probably go tonight, but I'm beginning to wish Carrie would. She just gets worse each weak, while Anthony keeps getting better. Bo is the only one I could even imagine listening to an album by.
16 - Sticker
paul roy--
thanks for the kind words.
I so agree with you on Carrie. The only thing that keeps me content with the fact that she's got a 50% chance to become the next AI is that, IMHO, most of her deficiencies are correctable.
She can be taught how to enunciate and how to inflect. She can learn, through experience, how to perform.
She's enough of a diamond-in-the-rough that I'm okay with it.
Paula was a basket case last night. It was painful to watch.
Maybe she had a disturbing voicemail from her lawyer right before showtime.
17 - Keefer
Paula was a wreck last night. Maybe it was Seacrest's opening joke... Pretty dismal material...
18 - Sticker
what was Ryan's opening joke?
I missed it.
It's always lame.