Tuesday, April 28, 2009

AI-Top 5 Performance


So tonight we’re doing the most classic songs of all time, whatever they are (I assume it’s not Beethoven’s Greatest Hits).

Randy is back to Golf Togs in a gray cardigan. Kara’s armpit has five o’clock shadow. Paula has gorgeous hair and red ruffles that defy description. Simon’s black t-shirt has a very saggy neckline.

Oh, so we’re doing Rat Pack music, which almost excuses Matt’s stupid hat. And we have a surprise mentor who arrives in a black stretch limo, accompanied by Pink Panther music. Suppose it’s Henry Mancini?

Nope. It’s that great classic singer, Jamie Foxx.

First up is Kris, in a neat gray suit with a loosened tie. I just noticed that Kris is shorter than Ryan, which is pretty darn short. He’s singing The Way You Look Tonight, and I think he started out a bit too slow, though I was mostly noticing the way Kris looked tonight. Aha, he did speed up nicely toward the end. I think Kris is the most improved performer this season.

When I realized which genre was being featured, I worried about Allison, who is looking pretty in dark raspberry hair, good makeup, a black bustier, and a skirt made from Dalmatian feathers. Yesterday was her birthday- Allison is now 17, going on 56. She’s singing Someone To Watch Over Me, and I need not have worried. It is flat-out awesome. I have to remember to vote for her tonight.

Mr. Stupid Hat is singing My Funny Valentine, which should have been retired after Melinda Doolittle killed it. I don’t like Matt much, and I liked Melinda a whole lot, so I don’t know if his beginning really was as wobbly as it seemed (I’m with Randy on this one). But he pulled it out by the end.

Danny is natty in a black suit. He’s singing Come Rain or Come Shine. The arrangement is cool, opening with a trombone solo. Danny is very soulful tonight, and I like the growl in his voice, and the new swagger, I especially like the great finish.

As always, Adam is the polar opposite of everyone else- he’s in a satin ice cream suit and black shirt with a white tie, and the pointiest white boots I’ve ever seen. He enters from the staircase, and it’s theatrical and over the top and just plain silly, and yet he pulls it off- the swagger, the theater, the smoldering look at the camera (not to mention the red Devil Lighting at the end) all work. And of course the vocals, with the longest Glory Note since Clay Aiken, are spot on. The performance moves Kara to Paula Levels of incoherence. I still don’t love Adam, but I can see what she sees.

I don’t think I can rank them tonight-I liked Matt the least, but that may be because I like Matt the least. The rest were good to flat out amazing, with not a lot separating the two distinctions. I think this is the most solidly talented Top 5 in the history of this show. I expect Adam to win, but they’re all good enough, and someone has to go home tomorrow. I just hope it’s Matt.

Did Ryan actually say Taylor Hicks was going to be on tomorrow? Give me a moment to pick my jaw back up off the floor. I hope he sings What’s Right is Right.

2 comments:

soulthing said...

He's singing his new country single "Seven Mile Breakdown"! Awesome!

Barb said...

As always, I agree with you. Sometimes I wish we could vote against instead of for. I would vote against Matt and I'd only have one number to enter. As the end nears, it's getting very exciting!