American Idol Recap

Adam Lambert needs more “American Idol” praise like Michael Phelps needs another Olympic gold medal. But, according to Paula Abdul, Adam is the Michael Phelps of “Idol” and he was the one contestant who really earned the praise Tuesday night. Everyone was good on Tuesday night, which is going to make the Wednesday final four decision tough. I disagree with Simon on his assessment of Allison Iraheta. She was my favorite after Adam. Her smoky voice made “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” pretty close to unique. I say pretty close because the whole night I was waiting for someone to do what the judges keep saying they want: Make a song unique, original, fresh, contemporary. These complaints didn’t come up a lot on Rat Pack night, even though the songs everyone except Adam sang them pretty much as they came off the shelves. And no, I don’t think Danny Gokey could make an album of those songs. Come on. Yes, everyone gets caught up in the contestants while they’re on the show, but think about past seasons. When the season is over, people vote with their wallets and they vote for good pop songs, not for the cutest guy on stage. Adam gave “Feeling Good” a rocker spin. God knows why he did it in a Saturday Night Fever suit, but so be it. Jamie Foxx, the night’s mentor, said “The way he sung that song right now, he’s going to knock everybody’s head off.” “Absolutely incredible man,” he said to Adam, during the rehearsal time. “You don’t care who I am at all.” But Adam said he was closing his eyes while he sang because he couldn’t forget that it was Jamie Foxx right there. (At least he didn’t get up in Adam’s “grill” the way he did for Danny Gokey and his fresh breath.) Jamie said Adam took him up and took him down.

Jamie: “I’m crying. He can sing with the best of them. And he’s going to be great.”

And he was.

Randy Jackson: It was a little theatrical and a little too Broadway for me, but you are in the zone consistently dude.

Kara: My mouth drops open every time you perform. … Is he really doing that? Shocking. You’re shocking in a good way. Confusing and shocking and sleazy and superb and way over the top but I don’t know, I like you.

Paula: I get it. Words cannot describe. You make me feel better than good. With every performance I see it’s like watching the Olympics and you’re our Michael Phelps.

Simon: I love Randy saying that you’re too theatrical it’s like complaining that a cow moos too much. … What I get from you is you want to win.

Which is a good thing since it’s certainly looking that way.

1. Kris Allen, “The Way You Look Tonight”

Jamie, describing Kris as a singer: “I’m not trying to sing the throat Olympics, I’m right here. I’m performing the song.”

Jamie to Kris: “You’re my No. 1. This is a dude I’d do a record with.”

Was that a subtle dig at Adam?

Does he need to be taking the stand with him as he sings?

Nice song, but unless someone is making another Meg Ryan/Sandra Bullock comedy and they need a song in the background, I don’t know that this is contemporary.

Randy: What all of us do at this time … is see who’s in it to win it. … I personally think this is your best performance to date … You took your time, you told a story. You had some R&B stylings.

Kara: Songs from this era give you a unique opportunity to show your technical abilities … you have set the technical standard so incredibly high this evening. Your impeccable phrasing, your diction, your timing. … You are truly a dark horse in this competition.

Paula: You’ve made this amazing transition from being the adorable boy next door to handsome sophisticated gentleman.

Simon: I’m not quite as enthusiastic as these three, only because I thought it was a little bit wet. You’re like taking a very well trained spaniel for a walk. It’s all going to be safe, it’s going to be quite nice. I didn’t thin it was incredible. I didn’t get the feeling from you tonight that you fan win this competition.

2. Allison Iraheta, “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me”

What’s it like being the only girl left? It’s scary being around those for guys? Really? I’m kidding.

Yesterday she celebrated her 17th birthday.

Jamie: “Sixteen, she is leaps and bound ahead of her time.”

She’s too young to have a boyfriend, she tells the camera, then seems to get embarrassed and says she shouldn’t say that.

Jamie says to think about how much love flows from her family.

Her raspy voice does wonders for this, updating it all on its own. That was great.

Randy: You come out looking like Brittany Murphy … you sing like Pink but with like 9,000 more octaves. … That was the bomb and you did it in your own kinda rough kinda gruff style and I loved it.

Kara: I was starting to think you did need someone to watch over you. … But I ain’t nervous for you any more. You converted some new fans tonight. You are not just a rock chick. … That was a deep, motional way-beyond-your-years rendition and if that doesn’t land you in the finals I don’t know what would.

Paula: I’ve been waiting so long for you to perform a ballad. … It had an innocent sensitivity that was both alluring and tender. I’m really proud of you.

Simon: Do you think you can win this competition at this stage?

Allison: I think I can, I think all of us have that chance right now.

Simon: I ask the question because I don’t feel that belief in you still. … Maybe you’ve just been overshadowed by some of the personalities at the moment. I have a horrible feeling you could be in trouble tonight.

What? Why does he bring such gloom!

Ryan asks Simon if he was basing that on her performance or lack of confidence …?

Simon: I didn’t feel that in terms of commitment or belief that was a 10. .. felt like a 7 out of 10.

Kara to Simon: I love you, but you are crazy.

3. Matt Giraud, “My Funny Valentine”

Matt is “stoked” about this week. He studied jazz. He got a B. “It’s part of my life.”

Jamie: “It’s a big song, so within each part of the song that’s got to be some (hand motion).”

They were done filming and Jamie had no comments. But then he pulled Matt back in.

I say change the key to the song. He wants it in his “full voice.”

What I’m still waiting for is for someone to make this fresh and current and not just a cover.

It was all right. I still think he’s the one in trouble.

Randy: That was probably one of the hardest songs to sing ever … For me it was just a little bit pitchy. … It didn’t all quite come together for me. I’d give it like a 6 out of 10.

Kara: Competition is so stiff tonight, you really have to be the leader of the pack to establish yourself. … I didn’t feel you were emotionally connected to it and that’s what I was missing.

Paula: I love what you did with the song and I love what you did with the advice from Jamie in lowering the key. I felt the emotional connection.

Simon: I am going to have to disagree … with Randy. For me, it was the only believable, authentic song I’ve heard tonight. I can tell that you love the music and I heard some almost Nat King Cole kind of phrasing there. I thought you were absolutely brilliant.

I think he’s just being witchy about Kara.

4. Danny Gokey, “Come Rain or Come Shine”

Danny: “I’m not changing it up much” (what a shock) “I’m just giving it a bluesy feel.”

Jamie talks about how close director Michael Mann would get to him, in his personal space. He does it to Danny to get some kind of pure moment.

He gets “all up in your grill.” “Your breath is fresh!”

Ha!

He looks good in that suit.

Decent song and he gets into it, but this isn’t the kind of song I would think he would have on his CD. This is the most disappointing night of music to me. At least last week for disco some of the contestants mixed it up – Kris, for one. So it was less disco than a pop song you could hear on the radio.

Randy: once again it all sounds like it’s ballad tonight. I’m worried about the tempo … you are the only one I’ve heard so far tonight who could actually have an album of songs like that and win. … forget all this stuff about the connection, this is a singing competition and you can sing.

Kara: What I’ve been missing from you all season is that Rat Pack swagger and you had swag tonight. The end of that performance was the most creative you’ve ever been with a melody.

Paula: Stellar. Stellar, stellar performance. The best thing about you, Danny, is I can tell you can see the finish line right in front of you.

Simon: What Kara said is 100 percent right. What you had tonight was a swagger and confidence. … I felt tonight you came out to prove a point. Not only did you prove a point with your vocals which were the best I’ve heard in weeks. … Special thank you to Jamie Fox (for what he brought out in all the contestants, but especially Danny). It was incredible.

5. Adam Lambert, “Feeling Good”

I think this Saturday Night Fever suit might’ve been better for last week.

He’s doing a rock edge

The way he sung that song right now, he’s going to knock everybody’s head off.

Absolutely incredible man. You don’t care who I am at all.

(But he closed his eyes.

Jamie says Adam took him up, took him down.

Jamie: “I’m crying. He can sing with the best of them. And he’s going to be great.”

THIS is what I was waiting for – someone to take a standard I’ve heard covered 100 times (including by Michael Buble) and doing something different. I’m not saying it’s his arrangement, but it’s a good one to choose.

Wooo – long note on Feeliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin good.

Wowsa.

Randy: I’ll say it again … it was a little theatrical and a little too Broadway for me, but you are in the zone consistently dude.

Kara: My mouth drops open every time you perform. … Is he really doing that? Shocking. You’re shocking in a good way. Confusing and shocking and sleazy and superb and way over the top but I don’t know, I like you.

Paula: I get it. Words cannot describe. You make me feel better than good. With every performance I see it’s like watching the Olympics and you’re our Michael Phelps.

Simon: I love Randy saying that you’re too theatrical it’s like complaining that a cow moos too much. … What I get from you is you want to win.

(He even mistakenly calls someone else Adam – Danny?)

Simon: Best entrance we’ve had all year.

He said Ryan is no longer allowed to use the stairs.