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And Lennon & McCartney bring out the best in them!
Two years ago, American Idol first tackled the Lennon-McCartney songbook, and checking my notes it was a night of many hits and just a few misses.
Crystal Bowersox. Image courtesy Fox
Last night they tackled it again, and I have to say: They almost all knocked it out of the park. Now, some of this is relative -- saying Tim had his best night ever isn't quite the same as saying Casey did ... one don't equal the other, if you know what I mean.
So let's get to it!
1. Aaron sang The Long and Winding Road
Aaron had a remarkably off night on one of my favorite poignant Beatles tunes. He was clearly ill. At first, I thought it was the same nerves we've seen from him before, which can lead him to sound out of breath and nasal. But there was more going on than that. He was extremely raspy, too. The whole thing was shaky and strained; he forgot some words, and he was not at all helped by the cheesy arrangement, particularly the backing vocals. It got pretty painful and flat by the last note. Bleh.
Bottom line: Well, he's got to be at risk some time, as I really can't imagine him winning. This would be the week.
2. Katie sang Let It Be
Well, knock me over with a feather, but Katie won me over with this performance! (No, not for good or forever, but for one night? Sure.) This was the first time I ever saw a performance from Katie that I really liked. That I felt myself spellbound by. She has always had a very very good voice, but her performance skills were so amateurish, so superficial, I didn't really care how good her vocal chops were. Last night she really gave Let It Be its due and gave a simple, heartfelt performance. It was really lovely.
Bottom line: A performance like that should save her from a third straight trip to the Bottom 3.
3. Andrew sang Can't Buy Me Love
This was sort of a Tom Jones version of the song, and it was OK, but not great, not exciting. Simon was right that the effect he was going for, with his guitar and Buddy Holly-esque look and vocals was overpowered by the horns and the rest of the band.
Bottom line: I think he'll be at risk with this one. Simply because others were so good.
4. Michael sang Eleanor Rigby
When Simon complains about "theatricality" or "Broadway" singing, he doesn't really mean that. What he means is bad Broadway singing and soulless theatricality. You can hit all the right notes, display obvious emotion, and have very sharp and dynamic physicality, and it may seem like you're doing a great job. But without specificity to your emotion, it's a bit of an empty shell. Michael had a great vocal, but I didn't believe anything specific was going on in his head while he was performing that overtly dramatic rendition of Eleanor Rigby. Singers like Adam Lambert and Fantasia are theatrical, and people usually don't complain. Because they believe it. I like Michael's chops, I just don't believe his performances are about anything.
Bottom line: But I doubt that's going to land him in the Bottom 3.
5. Crystal sang Come Together
This wasn't Crystal's best. She seemed to get a bit lost midway through. I wasn't sure if it was her words or her guitar playing, but she seemed pretty confused for more than a few bars. She fought her way back, and it was certainly a respectable rendition, but obviously not her best.
Bottom line: Still going to be safe though.
6. Tim sang All My Lovin'
Well, this was cute and harmless and current in a Jason Mraz-y kind of way. It was SOOOO much better than his Anita Baker massacre of last week, so if he didn't go home for that atrocity, I'd be surprised if he did for this ditty.
Bottom line: But maybe Bottom 3 is where he's meant to live? I don't know. He wouldn't be Bottom 3 for me this week.
7. Casey sang John Lennon's solo song Jealous Guy
Another best-of performance for the night. This was terrific. He really is a great guitar player, but his vocals were also stellar. Moreover, he was impassioned, and I believed him. He's actually better at these dark songs, despite his sunny appearance.
Bottom line: Definitely safe with this one.
8. Siobhan sang Across the Universe
Does no one else see what I see? Siobhan
