About last night: vote [for Adam] or die?

Well it would be an understatement to say that the Top 3 finalists did a great job last night with each of their two songs. Yes, some were better than others, but they all deserve to be there out of the assortment of finalists we began the season with in the Top 13. That said, the stakes were so extreme last night that tensions boiled over between the judges, specifically Kara and Simon. Plus, the judges (and Ryan) took an extra step of cautioning viewers to not assume their favorites are safe (*hint*hint* vote for Adam!), so all in all things played out the way they were supposed to according to the playbook.

Kicking the night off was Danny, who was stuck with Paula's pick of "Dance Little Sister" by Terence Trent D'Arby. "Who?" you may ask? Well, Danny apparently had not even heard of the man, as he said he did not know what to think when he received the text while he was being interviewed on a Milwaukee radio station during his hometown visit. That said, Danny did his best trying to keep up with the fast-paced song and really had fun with it. The vocals were not top-notch but they were solid all the same.

The judges were positive about the performance on the whole, with Kara and Paula more interested in discussing the choreography but Simon did say the vocals were very good despite taking a jab at the "desperate" dancing, to which Randy and Ryan had a laugh about Simon criticizing dancing. Who would have thought Randy and Ryan would jump on that comment?

Danny took on "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker later on in the show, and the performance was really beautiful. The vocals were controlled and tender, and the stringed accompaniment was exactly the correct way to go about the instrumentation for the performance. Randy said Danny has "mad vocals," Kara lathered on the praise when she said it was "stunning" and that she had "nothing else to say," Paula said Danny left them "breathless" and Simon called it a "vocal masterclass." All of them were on target with their critiques, and this was probably Danny's best performance on the show.

The second performer of the night was Kris, who has been considered the dark horse for most of the season and he was under immense pressure to deliver last night. What seemed like a perfect fit for his style of singing in OneRepublic's "Apologize," however, did not go over as well as its selectors Randy and Kara had hoped it would.

Kris did hit a few bum notes and he cracked going into his falsetto at one point, but his piano playing sounded great with the song, which is one full of emotion and allowed Kris to show off his softer side (because he doesn't do that often enough, right?). Paula picked up on one of the bum notes but said he did his own artistic take on the song. Kara and Randy were not exactly happy, though, as Randy focused on Kris' after-Idol prospects and Kara called it a "competent" performance but he had to hit it out of the park and she didn't think he did. The reason: it was not original-sounding enough. This allowed Simon to swoop in for the kill, as he told Kara she had no business criticizing the arrangement since she and Randy picked the song, and then said Kara did not live up to her responsibilities in selecting the song.

Well, Kara would not have any of this, and she went into a shouting match with Simon trying to defend herself, but on this show Simon always gets the last word and this critique session was no different. Simon sort of had a point but Kara and Randy did not choose the arrangement for Kris part, so it is hard to blame that part on them. Still, Kris' first song was sort of a mess when the dust settled.

His second song, however, was leagues better and the fact that he was able to switch up Kanye West's "Heartless" to make it sound original and acoustic with just a guitar showed that he could be more than a singer, he could be an artist. This was more to Kara's liking, and she let it be known when she asked why Kris did not sing the first song the same way. Simon was more blunt in saying he had written off Kris' chances of winning weeks ago but after that performance, everything had changed. Whether or not that stands true will come in time, but for Simon to say that, he either must have been genuinely impressed or he was just trying to keep Kris' fans satisfied enough to go easy on the voting. Probably more of the latter, but still after eight seasons, the only person that can figure out Simon is Simon.

One weird thing I picked up on was how odd Ryan's behavior was all night. Following Kris' second performance, he started congratulating him on how far he had made it and how everyone enjoyed having him on the show, plus all the reminders that everyone needed to vote more than ever before to ensure the safety of their favorites. It seemed like he was really trying to wake Kris' fans up.

And then Adam was batting third in the pimp spot (where else would he be?), but it's important to realize that going last does not always guarantee safety this late in the game. Simon gloated about having to personally call U2's Bono up and ask if "One" could be cleared for Adam to sing, and it definitely was a good choice. Adam changed up the arrangement a ton and made it out to be extremely theatrical, which worked for him even though Randy was spot on in catching him drift off the melody a bit near the end. Overall, though, Adam did what he usually does and it was more than enough to impress Kara and Paula, and Simon continued to pound the rallying drums when he said if Adam did not make the finals, it would be one of the biggest upsets ever.

Adam said the lyrics were what really made him think the song was a great choice, and while it's true the song is an amazing piece of lyric writing, that doesn't mean it is ideal for every singer's vocal style.

But on Aerosmith's "Cryin'" Adam really brought the house down. He had fun being over-the-top because, well, the song is an over-the-top song to begin with. If it says one thing about himself, it says Adam knows exactly the kinds of songs that are perfect for his range. He hit all the high notes effortlessly, though some came out better than others, and showed why the producers keep letting him perform last. He also was able to sing over the pesky backup singer that tried to get in the spotlight by shouting the song.

As for the judges, it was unanimous. Randy called him one of the best performers they've ever had on the show. Kara said we'd see him in the finals. Paula said we'd be seeing him next week (and managed to work in a pre-written comment about frequent flier miles). And that brings me to Simon.

Simon basically pleaded with viewers to vote for Adam. He didn't even try to hide his favoritism, and told everyone not to assume he was safe. This is the first time I can recall Simon blatantly directing the audience how to vote, and this is outright wrong. By doing this, Simon is suggesting that Adam's fans cannot vote him into the finale on their own merit, so he decides to scare them into working their fingers to the bone. Based on the theory that the contestant that receives the fewest votes is eliminated, which the producers and the show itself has everyone accept as fact, Adam's fans would obviously spend the full two hours voting for him if they really wanted him in there. For Simon to sit them down like babies and instruct them how to vote because many will assume Adam's safety is just unnecessary. I understand the show wants Adam to win extremely badly but that doesn't mean they need to stretch the manipulation to lengths we have never seen before.

Anyway, it was nice of Adam to praise Danny and Kris for being tough competition following his final performance.

One last thing of note: the "Idol Gives Back" segment featuring Carrie Underwood's trip to Angola was the most obvious form of filler possible, but it was nice to see her out in Africa helping with the mosquito nets and just putting a smile on peoples' faces in general. It might have disrupted the flow of the show, but it also served as a reminder for the $140 million the cause has raised for aid to Africa and this country over the past three years.

Now its up to the voting public. Although many had pegged Kris as a third-place finisher since before last nights performances even took place, it seems that he stands a fighting chance of making the finale. We will see tonight.

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What they should sing: Personal & judges' choices week

Departing from the usual three songs for three finalists format that has been used in each one of the Top 3 performance episodes for the past seven seasons, this year's crop will have to settle for two songs only: one picked by a judge (or in one case, two judges) and one personal choice (thanks again Kara!).

The judges' picks for the Top 3 are already common knowledge because each finalist received his respective song choice (or in one case, two choices) from the judges at their homecomings yesterday. Paula picked "Dance Little Sister" by Terence Trent D'Arby for Danny, Randy and Kara chose "Apologize" by OneRepublic for Kris and Simon apparently couldn't decide between "One" by U2 or Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" for Adam since there is video of him receiving a text with both songs. Right, that's fair...

Anyway, Danny and Kris are really going to have to step it up come Tuesday if they want to advance to the finale, and that key to doing that is picking a good song in the first place. Although this is not a magic solution to the problem, it definitely sets the stage for a solid performance assuming the singer finds his comfort zone in the choice. Therefore, my song suggestions for the Top 3 can be found below:

Adam Lambert: "Rock and Roll All Nite" (Kiss)

Yeah yeah, Rock 'n Roll was last week's theme, but Adam has made a name for himself singing songs from this genre over the course of the season, so why not keep a good thing going? Adam would blew the lid off the studio with Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite," a '70s classic that would allow him to be as theatrical as possible all the while belting out notes at the top of his lungs, and it would not be perceived as a mess. A bit over the top perhaps, but Adam's no stranger to being accused of that.

The judges could possibly criticize Adam for picking a predictable song, but the performance would drown out any negativity they might direct toward him. And there are plenty of other songs that Adam could choose since it really doesn't matter at this point because he will be in the finale regardless.

Danny Gokey: "One Sweet Day" (Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men)

Danny has not taken on an emotional, R&B-tinged ballad in a long time, and this is his chance to return to a place that fits his vocal style to a T. Danny has already performed a Mariah Carey track in "Hero" back in the semifinals, so it would not be awkward for him to play that card once more so late in the game with "One Sweet Day." Plus, Boyz II Men help Carey out on the track, which is a group whose material would be totally believable for Danny to attempt.

The lyrics in "Day" are very relevant to Danny on a personal level, and could create just the right effect on the audience to connect with them emotionally, which just might be the edge he needs at this stage. Assuming he doesn't attempt one of Carey's high notes following last week's travesty, things could look very bright for Danny this week.



Kris Allen: "Fire and Rain" (James Taylor)

Kris is in the toughest position this week because he is an underdog. What would not be right for him to do at this point, however, is to take a risk. When risks are taken so late in the game, that don't always work out the way they were intended, so it would be best for him to stick to what he's good at and let his fan base vote its fingers off. Therefore, James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" would be the perfect choice for him.

The performance would work best with Kris sitting on a stool playing along on his guitar, with no other instrumentation and nothing onstage to distract the audience from his singing. If he can excel in this way, Kris should feel pretty confident with himself.



And there we have it. If I had to guess, I'd say Danny's choice is the most likely to be correct of the three, but it would be a big surprise for any of them to end up being picked.

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About last night: Play that funky music till you get eliminated

Last night's Top 9 performances showed that sometimes having a broad theme is not kind to finalists. Case in point: the "top downloads" theme was pretty much a wash, with songs by Billy Joel and even Celine Dion being acceptable. Since when are those songs considered to be "popular downloads"? Ryan's way of describing the theme itself was even discombobulated.

Before getting down to business Ryan was sure to ask Paula if she was hiding any props under the table, to which she answered in the negative. Simon was looking forward to Ryan and the artists being amazing, which was a nice thing for him to say.

Kicking off the night was Anoop, whose ill-advised foray into Usher territory was not the right way to begin things. His vocals on "Caught Up" were not all that bad, but the performance was all but a shadow of the real thing. When it came to the dancing portion of the performance, it was clear things were not going to recover. The judges' critiques were not anything to write home about, either. Look for Anoop to land in the bottom three tonight, especially after his snippy exchange with Kara.

When it came time for Megan to perform, things didn't go any smoother than usual considering she actually got to pick a song that she thought would showcase her talent well. Instead, she opted for "" by Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill, which may be a good song in its own right, but it sounded really out of place with her vocals on it. She sure looked the part, though, opting for a younger look this week. The fact that her major proponent, Kara, didn't even like it make things an uphill battle for Megan this week. Look for a definite bottom three appearance, with the high likelihood that she will be departing in ninth place.

Other disappointments last night include Lil's borefest on "I Surrender" and Scott's better-than-usual-but-still-not-good "I Love You Just the Way You Are." Simon's frustration with Lil is becoming more apparent each week, as he told her flat out "you've got to stop this" because she is a "much better" singer than the performance. Randy and Kara were all about name dropping when critiquing Lil, saying she should has picked a song by Keyshia Cole or Mariah Carey in order to sound more current.

As for Scott, Simon must have been using reverse psychology on him because he really was as good (or average) as usual. He just changed his look up a bit, which apparently can make him sound better than usual according to Simon. Paula should have held her own and stuck to her criticism of Scott relying on his baby grand as a crutch, because sooner or later he will need to switch it up.

Allison was not nearly as good as she was last week, but for the judges to pick her apart because of her Avril Lavigne-like wardrobe? That shows poor judgment. What is this, Project Runway? Allison may not be Gwen Stefani, but her rock edge shown through on her rendition of "Don't Speak." Regardless, she still has a strong possibility of landing in the bottom three tonight.

Someone that was pretty underrated last night was surely Matt Giraud, as his take on The Fray's "You Found Me" was not nearly as bad as the judges made it out to be. There were some off moments, but Matt showed that he could grab the attention of an audience and encapsulate them in his performance.

Whatever nonsense Randy and Kara were talking about with OneRepublic's "Apologize" should be disregarded by Matt, and he had a point when he told Kara he wanted to show that he's more than just an R&B artist when she basically gave him an ultimatum to either pick Pop/Rock or Pop/R&B as a genre to focus on. Apparently Kara does not believe artists should be well-versed in multiple genres of music.

And then there was Adam, who blew the roof off the house with his eccentric version of Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music." It's not hard to do so when the song is a little on the wild side to begin with, but Adam managed to take the performance to a whole 'nother level, complete with screeching and shrieking. It definitely was not nearly as much of a credibility-builder as "The Tracks of My Tears," but it did what it was supposed to do for Adam. Paula's "shattering genius" comment was as far fetched as usual, while Simon kept it more real by saying at least it wasn't karaoke like many of the night's other performances.

Danny, on the other hand, was actually able to make people forget about last week's controversial performance with a heartwarming rendition of Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most." While it wasn't perfect, the overall effect was powerful especially taking Danny's past into consideration. Paula and Kara gushed over the performance (what else is new?) while Simon validated the craziness by saying it was Danny's best effort yet. Maybe this exhibition will win over a lot of the naysayers? Probably not.

And Kris hands down had the best performance of the night, but he did not have a "moment." Moments only happen when they are unexpected and when the finalist states prior to the performance that he is trying to create a moment, things are just not as meaningful. Had Kris not said this in his pre-performance clip, though, he definitely would have had a moment.

Putting semantics aside, the vocals were a perfect fit for a perfect song choice, and the fact that he began the song unplugged added to the effect. Paula was absolutely correct about Kris taking a 30 some-odd-year-old song sound brand new, which demonstrates that Kris can certainly be taken as a relevant, current artist.

The tell tale sign of just what America thought of last night will not be who lands in the (alleged) bottom three, but who ultimately goes home. There is only one finalist that deserves to leave, if that person does not leave, there will be questions that will need answering.

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Arch's "Touch My Hands" leaks

A portion of a new track of David Archuleta's from his upcoming self-titled album called "Touch My Hands" leaked via a survey for Top 40 listeners from RatetheMusic.com. The clip, which is 1:40 in length, is mid-tempo and features a standard clap track among other production elements that are consistent with "Crush" (currently #15 on iTunes). Listen to the clip below:



Judging from the clip, Arch is heading in a Jesse McCartney/OneRepublic direction in terms of his album's material. It's not half bad, and it will definitely appeal to Top 40 radio listeners. But will it make it on Top 40 radio? Time will tell. What does everyone else think about it?

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Arch's "Crush" adds date pushed back

David Archuleta's highly-anticipated debut single, "Crush," will no longer be impacting Mainstream Top 40 radio stations on Aug. 12. According to AllAccess.com, the release was pushed back to Sept. 2. There is no word on what caused the delay, nor whether there is any truth to the rumors that the song will be leaking in the near future.

As for an adds date on Hot/Modern Adult Contemporary, "Crush" will have a head start on the format with a Sept. 1 release date. Maybe that gives a clue as to how the song will sound? The only hint on how it will sound came from Jeff Archuleta, who revealed at a Chicago meet & greet that it will be a mid-tempo and has a "great hook." Not much to work with but at least it is something.

And more clues to who will be working with David on his album: JC Chasez (N*SYNC) confirmed on Wednesday that he is in fact working with him, and there is a possibility David will be covering his failed single "You Ruined Me." Other writers David is confirmed to be collaborating with include Kara DioGuardi and Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic).

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Kelly Clarkson recording in Nashville

The original Idol has been spotted in the Music City this week, where she is said to be in the studio working on her fourth full-length album since winning the show's first installment back in Sept. 2002. Kelly, who signed a management deal with Narvel Blackstock (a.k.a. Mr. Reba McEntire) one year ago, is working with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder in addition to Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, the latter two having worked with her on her debut album Thankful. Kelly is shooting for a release in the fourth quarter of 2008, but no further information has been revealed. She has also been reportedly recording in destinations as distant as Australia.

With all the Idol alums that have cluttered Nashville as of late, they might as well change its name to Nash-"I was on the #1 show in the world and all I got was this lousy stigma"-ville.

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A look ahead to tonight

A few quick notes and spoilers regarding tonight's performance show (all spoilers are from IDF)...

-David Archuleta won the coin toss last week, and elected to go second (duh).

-Clive Davis, despite being demoted over at Sony BMG, chose a song for each of the Top 2 to sing. It was revealed that he chose Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" for David A., but his pick for David Cook has not been revealed.

-David A. will sing "Imagine" for his reprise, while David C. will sing U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" as a new choice rather than a reprise.

-Each David got to choose which coronation song they would like to perform out of the Top 10 chosen by viewers' votes. Or so they claim...

UPDATE: David C. has chosen "No Turning Back," while David A. has chosen "Here I Am."

Looking ahead to tomorrow night's finale...

-Carrie Underwood will perform her new single, "Last Name."

-Bo Bice and Jennifer Hudson have confirmed they will appear, and two former contestants from every season will perform.

-Both Davids will do a duet to OneRepublic's "Apologize." OneRepublic will also be there.

-The Top 5 contestants will each perform with an "idol" (kind of like what happened in Season 5). Bryan Adams is one of those rumored to be performing with someone.

-The Jonas Brothers will perform their hit single "S.O.S."

-Paul McCartney is rumored to be performing.

-The Top 2 will each perform with Mariah Carey and Neil Diamond.

UPDATE: David C. will perform with Carey in a duet of "Always Be My Baby."

That's about all I've got for now. Keep checking back later for more.

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