Tonight’s show features the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, so I hope everyone has their Phantom masks ready!
I KNOW I DO!
(Too much?)
(Yeah. Thought so.)
And before I even see anyone perform, I will tell you that I am very concerned about two contestants tonight: Brooke White (ALW has big songs that don’t lend themselves to subtlety) and Jason Castro (for pretty much those very same reasons).
But hopefully they’ll both hit a home run and we can pretend I never even wrote that previous paragraph.
Syesha Mercado – “One Rock And Roll Too Many” – I have never heard this song before. But I think it was a smart choice for that very reason. Seconds into her performance, it was clear that she was IN HER ELEMENT…I think she’s probably way more of a Broadway star than she is a pop star. Even when she had pitch problems, she seemed to be enjoying herself, and that’s the first time I’ve thought that all season long.
So all that to say: it wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was Syesha’s best night by a mile. Loved it.
Jason Castro – “Memory” – Okay, we just fell out laughing when he said, “I didn’t know a cat was singing it.” So funny. And you know, I really wanted to like this more mellow version of “Memory” – which, in fairness, worked in parts – but this song is such a showtopper that his version fell flat. This performance showcased his vocal limitations way more than it highlighted his originality. It just didn’t work. And that’s probably not a great thing for sweet Jason Castro.
Brooke White – “You Must Love Me” – Hey, the hubby just pointed out that it was smart of her to pick a song written for Madonna since Madonna isn’t really known for her huge range. But even still, the whole thing felt awkward, like she was trapped in a song that was just way bigger than her voice. It was a sweet performance, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a particularly good one.
David Archuleta – “Think Of Me” – I was pleasantly surprised to hear him do a modern take on this song, mainly because for me his greatest weakness has been his tendency to pick out songs that sound way too old for him. But tonight he got it right. I loved this performance – it was clever, effective and memorable. Really well done.
Carly Smithson – “Jesus Christ Superstar” – I had chillbumps the whole way through this performance. She took control from the beginning and never let it go, even when some of the high notes were a little much for her. She seemed genuinely happy, looked great, and WOW – that was a PHENOMENAL arrangement. The band ROCKED IT OUT on this one.
And yes, I did in fact just say “ROCKED IT OUT.”
I do hope you’ll continue to read here.
David Cook – “Music Of The Night” – This was a really surprising song choice, I thought – mainly because I expected him to pick something a little less theatrical, and I also expected him to do something a little funkier. But if nothing else, he proved that he can really sing, and while it wasn’t my favorite performance of his, he did a great job. He can sing anything – no doubt about it. And p.s. – I totally agree with what Simon said.
Should go: It pains me to say it, but based on tonight’s performances, I have to say Jason or Brooke. The musical theatre water was just way too deep for them.
Will go: Ditto the whole “should go” comment.
Best of the night: David Archuleta – and Carly is a close second for me.
Also, I thought the band did an incredible job – they were so much fun to listen to tonight.
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