Idol Top 5

 

PREVIOUSLY:  I nailed Elise’s exit, but her partners in the Bottom 3 were a surprise.  I had Jessica and Joshua, and it was Skylar and Hollie.  Going in, Hollie is in clear danger if she can be endangered after a great job like last week.

Uh-oh, and she gets the Curse of First.  And she wants to tackle “River Deep, Mountain High,” the Ike and Tina 1966 classic?  What a series of obstacles.  And I think she climbed over them very, very well, HOLLIE  is not going to win this thing, but she has possibly started off well enough to stave off elimination.

So PHILLIP says he doesn’t like the original Box Tops version of “The Letter.”    Fair enough, I’m ready to hear him do anything with anything, I love the guy.  But I really didn’t like the arrangement, and he is starting to get predictable.  The second song will tell if he can keep the magic alive.

(And excuse me?  Jennifer Lopez, who is IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, is not familiar with the song?  Are you freaking kidding me?  And it’s not like she’s twenty.  Girlfriend is 42.  Come on.)

SKYLAR tackles CCR’s “Fortunate Son,” and she remains great, but having her sing a song by and about dudes from decades before she was born is not working.  No connection.  Her weakest performance yet.  And quite frankly, this ‘60s premise is failing right before our eyes.

Duet break:  I would have loved to have been in the room when they told Phil he was going to have to sing “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” with Joshua.  I know the original was by the Righteous Brothers, which never raised an eyebrow-- probably because nobody thought Bill Medley was actually singing it to Bobby Hatfield.  

Just what I need-- a tenth-grader doing “Proud Mary.”  But you know what?  JESSICA, who does precisely nothing for me, made it really sizzle.  I was not bored.  And she may be growing up a little bit, right before our eyes.

Okay, me head is officially spinning.  My two faves dial in iffy performances while the guy who has really annoyed me knocks it out of the park.  JOSHUA’s “Ain’t too Proud to Beg” was a grand slam, pure and simple.  For the first time, I can see him making the final.

Okay, time to turn toward England.  HOLLIE, who still blends some Brit brogue with her Texas twang, did a very nice job with Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love,” from 2007.  But she will never be as interesting as Phil and Skylar, and never sing as well as Joshua and Jessica.  Bless her heart, she is marked for exit.

(Okay, and what?  Steven Tyler, who is IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, has never heard THAT song?  This is insane.)

PHILLIP rebounds superbly with a sublime “Time of the Season.”  Great song choice, great accompaniment, great subtlety, great feel, great vibe, best of the night so far, and one of his best.  But I truly have no idea what the voting public will think of it.

Group sing number #2:  The ladies did a sweet job on “Higher and Higher.”  Whoever did Skylar’s hair does not like her.

But whoever picked her songs surely does.  Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” was the perfect recovery for SKYLAR, and was in fact one of my favorites by her this season.

Sprawl JESSICA out with some fog and some candles and Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful,” and it is going to be lovely.  But wow, this was a tranquilizer dart.  Beautiful voice but I am just so very sleepy.

Can JOSHUA match his first-round triumph?  Turns out he can.  Know what two oldies did for him tonight?  Took away his campy effeminacy and turned him into a soulful, powerful force to be reckoned with.  Truly amazing.  Remember when I said I can see him making the final?  I can now see him winning the whole thing.  I have completely come around on him.

If we’re doing things like last year, we go to a Bottom 2 now, so I’d have to say HOLLIE goes home, but who is Bottom 2 with her?  Might be SKYLAR, who was a surprise Bottom 3 last week.  But I’d say her fans revive her and it’s JESSICA.

 

Comments

[Chuck Thompson]

I miss you Mark. But I'm enjoying the running commentary on Idol. Mostly I agree - just as I did with your opinions when you were on the air.

It's really tough finding something interesting to listen to before Rush. Or after Mark Levin for that matter. I like Bill Bennett, but that's about it.

Your running commentary on Idol makes me wonder if anyone would be interested in a similar running commentary on DFW Talk Radio. Maybe I'll try it out on my blog and see if it gets any action...

Good luck Mark. Hope to be hearing you again soon. Very soon.

[Katy Belew]

Miss you Mark!! I was depending on you for comments on who is running in the Texas primary... I have really had to dig... would appreciate your comments...

[Bob Laney]

Let's just assume that you're not an Obama guy. Politics is a contact sport. Nothing coming your guy is bad, everything coming their guy is bad. I with you guys luck, because it going to take a lot to get your guy elected.