The Sound of Music

The (Hollywood) Hills are alive with the soundtrack of music. I was too tired and too emotional last night (and I didn't get home until almost 9), so DVR held onto Idol for me until this morning, when I was in the mood for some fun. So, the Idols take on movies under the watchful eye of a legend. Quentin Tarantino. And right away, I'm feeling old because I will agree that Tarantino movies, while not always my taste, were evolutionary in their way. I don't like my legends to be my age. But notice how Quentin does THIS...is aMERican Idol (I'm telling you Ryan is the real star of this show. I love him.

So, any guesses on who does Aerosmith's I don't Wanna Miss A Thing? I'm going with Anoop. Somebody's gonna do it.

Okay, so is it that the judges are seated on Tuesdays, but walk out on Wednesdays. Ryan owns the stairs coming down. I feel just today I've started to openly love Ryan. Why does Randy Jackson always raid Dr. Huxtable's closet? Why does Kara always question everything (though her hair is gorgeous). Paula is sporting a dog choker of diamonds. It's startling and disconcerting all at once.

There's some discussion of last week running over, and to assuage America, they are altering somewhat so that only two judges at a time will talk. So only 1/2 of these kids will get any useful criticism. I'm really digging this short saluting Quentin, and they flashback to him giving Diana DiGarmo what for. I think I would enjoy working for Tarantino, or he would make me cry every day, not sure.

First up - Alison Iraheta - singing I Don't Want to Miss A Thing - I guessed wrong. I didn't always like this song, finding it too treacly for Aerosmith, but I came to love it -- the lyrics are so romantic. Now - okay, I love her voice, but I find sometimes that I have to watch her with my eyes closed...she's kind of jumpy. Plus, what the hell is she wearing? She gives a great performance, I think, even when she's jumping around. One thing about Alison, she's steady -- she has been delivering great performances all season and now that we're getting down to so few, I think it's more noticeable. Paula says she has the same special sauce that Adam does (Simon gives Paula the word authentic), but then says she's bbq sauce -- hot and spice (put Paula's cup down, Simy). He goes on to tell her she's the girl's only hope in this competition (Simon is TIRED of Lil. Lil, you better rock this town tonight).

Anoop Desai - Everything I Do, I Do For You, from Robin Hood. Okay, he did find the treacly song book after all. Quentin tells Anoop to growl more, and you know that Quentin wants Anoop to do well, so they can both be former Mathletes who have gone cool. Anoop is so funny -- it's like he's seen every cheesy lounge singer and performs accordingly, but I can't help it. I love his voice and enjoyed this. Randara is doing Anoop's critique, and Randy tells him he's rocking the house, it was in tune. Kara tells him he has found his place, adding soul to pop songs. She said it was one of his best performances and she felt connected to him. Okay, this two-judge-critique isn't working for me.

Adam Lambert - Born to be Wild, Easy Rider - he tells QT that he's going to give it some electronic element...oh, so I got a feeling I'm going to H-A-T-E this. So, I can probably stop blogging about Idol because there is no question that after that, this kid has won this. I feel so sorry for who has to follow that. Paula is a cliche-spewing machine tonight, saying the he dares to dance in the path of greatness and that fortune rewards the brave. Simon, after asking Paula once again what the hell she's talking about, says it was an incredible vocal but that the performance was like watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and that he doubts this will be as popular as last weeks. I see his point, I don't know that anyone will say that was just "okay" Adam is growing on me, I admit, and I think it's because what I used to find "poser" about him, I now view as a good performer. He worked that stage like a pro tonight, and that's what going to sail him to the finals, he gets that that whole stage is his and he works it, and he works with the band...Nicely done, Adam.

Awww...dang! Matt is following that. That's okay though -- we know that Matt Giraudi has chops. He's singing Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman, Don Juan DiMarco. Another treacly song that I really enjoy. QT seems to enjoy it, but I wonder if he (Matt) thinks he has a funny shaped head because he always has a hat on. Or not..maybe he just had a bad hair day, because it's performance time and no hat. Okay, so, with the exception of a couple of rough notes in the middle, I really liked this. Randara heard what I heard, but go onto say that it was a rough performance that he 'lost more than he won' tonight. I don't see where he flipped it as much as they say he did...it sounded pretty true to the original. I also thought his piano performance really complimented his vocal. It didn't overpower it, and it was so effortless you didn't really notice it (are you still watching, Scott?) I would have liked to have heard what Simon thought, really.

Danny Gokey - no glasses - Endless Love from the also titled movie - So QT gives some great performance advice about not using his hands too much. Okay, maybe I'm emotional from yesterday, maybe I'm imagining that Danny is singing this to his wife, maybe I just love this song and the harp, maybe I'm just a big ole sap because I'm sitting here with a lump in my throat, and I really liked it. Paula calls it beautiful after wondering if it was in the right key. Simon is *disappointed* because of the harp, and that he did the song so traditionally, and he was bored. But then, having said that, Simon realizes that Danny was probably a choked up mess singing it, and congratulates him on his vocal. Translation -- I hated this, but I like you, so I'm not going to slam you too bad.

Kris Allen - Falling Slowly from Once - And I applaud him for choosing something new. This may hurt him though, because I think people take points off in their mind for songs they don't know, myself included. This song begins kind of slow...but I do like it, and I like him. His rendition of this song is very sweet, and I think he did a great job. Randy doesn't like it - he says it was pitchy from note 1. Kara notes that it's difficult to 'pick an obscure song', but that for her, it was one of his best moments. I'm with Kara. Not something I write often.

Lil Rounds - Remember what I just said Girl...you must bring the house DOWN. She's singing The Rose...oh what movie is this song from...anyhoo, I *like* this, but she's not bringing the house down. And how unfortunate for her that Simon will be giving the critique. Okay, that transition was much better in rehearsal, and is it me or is she missing notes all over the place? What's happened to her? She was so much better than this in the beginning? Seriously, has she let her nerves get to her with all of the bad review week after week? Paula says that it's a road worth taking since she's come this far, which means...what? Simon just point blank says he has no idea what she (Paula) is saying, and starts off with "once again", telling her she got it completely wrong, too middle of the road, that she had some nice moments in there, but that there's no excuses anymore. And then he brings down the hammer, telling her that she's not the artist they met 7 or 8 weeks ago and that he's getting frustrated. Wow. This is akin to when he told Michael Sarver that he wasn't good enough to win. Lil lips off, further making me think it's time for her to go. The fact is (and I can't believe I'm about to say this again) Kara is right. Lil cannot make that leap from singer to artist, and it's hurting her. The same could be said for Anoop, I think, but it hurts her more because Anoop continues to deliver strong lovely vocals. Lil's vocals are, at best, streaky. She's not yet had *that* moment, the David Cook Billie Jean moment, the Kelly Clarkson Natural Woman moment, the Fantasia Summertime moment, the Adam Lambert Tracks of my Tears moment...you see where I'm going with this. She's done nothing to make me think she could win this thing, and even being 7 in, and we all know that it's not just the winner who gets a record deal anymore, I don't know that Lil will do much with 19 Entertainment beyond the tour. Too bad.

Okay -- so, that's it. Bottom three Lil, Kris (only because that song wasn't very familiar), and ... while it pains me...Matt. I really hope that my bottom 3 is wrong though. I think Matt goes back to the sofa of safety, and should it be Kris, he gets a legitimate shot at the judge's save.