Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Copyright 2007, Fox Broadcasting

This week was country week on American Idol, which typically is a rough one for contestants, but this time many of them did unexpectedly well.

They had advice this week from Martina McBride, who seemed a little hesitant to be too critical of any of the singers.

Taking the stage first was Phil Stacey with the Keith Urban song "Where the Blacktop Ends". Wearing a black shirt with silver stripes that had a contemporary cowboy look, he launched into a heartfelt performance where he finally showed some soul. He interacted with the audience and generally proved that he is not, in fact, a soulless vampire.

Judge Randy Jackson seemed surprised by how well he did and said that he could have a career in country music. Nice judge Paula Abdul said that this is the genre he feels the most confidence in and that it was good from the beginning. Tough judge Simon Cowell joked, "Well, it's only taken 10 weeks." He said this was the first time where he'd combined a good song with personality.

Jordin Sparks bravely took on the Martina McBride song, "Broken Wing", who advised her to just plant her feet and sing it. Thank goodness her vocals were strong, because her outfit was atrocious: a red floor-length shiny number with gold top and empire waist that looked like an evening sari.

Randy said this was one of the most difficult songs, and that at 17, that was the bomb. Paula said she looked gorgeous (which is usually the sign that someone has dressed atrociously) and that she did a fantastic job telling the story. Simon said it was the first time where he thought she could win.

Appropriately, Sanjaya Malakar sang "Something to Talk About", since that seems to be what he lives for. He wore a red bandana over his curly hair, which reminded me of a poodle owned by hippies. He tunelessly bounced around the stage, attempting to dance with the background singers, who gave him a look that said, "Get away from me. You might be contagious." And to add gravy to the performance, he inflicted a truly painful key change on the hapless viewers.

Randy said it was really just a karaoke performance, that it was bland and boring. Paula observed that Sanjaya thrives on adversity but that he's a lovable guy, thus deftly avoiding commenting on his vocals. Simon called it utterly horrendous, as bad as some of the people they see in the initial auditions. He bemoaned the fact that this is, after all, a singing competition and practically begged for America to see the light.

LaKisha Jones took on the Carrie Underwood hit "Jesus Take the Wheel", imbuing it with a passionate interpretation that, quite honestly, gave me goosebumps as the chorus kicked in. She wore a gorgeous chocolate brown V-neck dress with A-line skirt and classy gold stiletto boots. I felt she did a great job of telling the story of the song.

Randy, however, noted pitch problems in the beginning of the song and said he wished she'd added more of a gospel flavor. Paula agreed, saying that parts of it sounded like she was shouting. Simon was equally critical, saying that it was like eating a hamburger for breakfast: it just didn't go together. He also said she was shouting for much of it and that it was a wrong choice for her.

Faltering in both attire and song choice, Chris Richardson sang the Rascal Flats song "Mayberry" dressed in a white button down shirt over a gray T-shirt. The nasal quality of his voice was accentuated in this song, and he exemplified the sort of twangy country music I dislike.

Randy said that he sang in key but that it was nasally and that there was little emotion in the performance. Paula said that the joy he usually exhibits on-stage didn't come through this time. Simon said that the audience, who had given Chris a standing O., must be hearing something different. He said that he'd heard a nondescript, nasally vocal that was completely and utterly insignificant.

Perennial pro Melinda Doolittle showed her stuff on the Julie Reeves song "Trouble Is a Woman". She told the story and didn't ignore the serious side of what could have seemed a very light song. She used movement where appropriate to accent what she was singing, and the overall effect was a very bluesy rendition. I wasn't as much a fan of her outfit, which was a strapless top with a blousy bottom that came down so far over her jeans, so that it made her look shorter. I guess she was trying to look edgy.

Randy called it another solid performance from our resident pro. Paula said that she's a girl who knows how to pick the right song and sing her heart out. Simon called it fantastic, that it was a great song choice and that he'd seen a little Tina Turner attitude.

Finishing off the night, Blake Lewis sang the Tim McGraw song "When the Stars Go Blue", a ballad. This was a very romantic song, which he's done well before, but his falsetto sounded strained on the higher notes and it lacked the passion he's shown in previous performances. What's more, he wore a white button down shirt under a black and white argyle sweater, a very safe, bland outfit to match a safe performance.

Randy said that he liked the vest and that it was the right song. He said the arrangement suited him. Paula said that he has the whole package and that he's always fun to watch. Simon said he wasn't jumping out of his chair but that it was OK. He conceded he'd been wise not to go too far out of his comfort zone in this genre.

Kudos this week to Melinda, Jordin and, surprisingly, Phil. Unfortunately, I doubt that his strong performance will be enough to keep Phil safe. Even if Sanjaya's streak has broken and he finds himself in the bottom three, Phil might just be the sacrificial lamb this week. Other singers in danger include Chris and, sadly, LaKisha. Let's hope America chooses well.

More on American Idol:

Musings on American Idol Season 6 (2007)

Musings on American Idol Season 5 (2006)

Musings on American Idol Season 4 (2005)

Musings on American Idol Season 3 (2004)

Copyright 2006 by Alyce Wilson

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