This week’s American Idol studio recordings. Check out the full versions and read my recaps. Sound off in comments!
Alex Preston – Don’t Speak – I know the jazzy arrangement was really polarizing, but I love this song taken down a notch or two from the original. Alex’s lovely tone and unique phrasing pop on record. I like that he rearranges songs, even if the treatment doesn’t always work. Santana, give Alex a call! – Download from iTunes
Majesty Rose – Shake it Out – Aw. Poor Majesty. She just couldn’t get her stuff together on the big Idol stage. This is a pretty solid recording, but even here, her upper register is weak. She doesn’t have a huge range. She resorts to a thin head voice on high notes. With the right songs matched to her personality and vocal abilities, Majesty could have gone far. – Download from iTunes
Dexter Roberts – Boondocks – Welp. If you like the original, You’ll like Dexter’s version. Or, you’ll wonder why you needed a karaoke version of a popular current song. The song goes on for more than 4 minutes, and seems never ending. – Download from iTunes
Malaya Watson – The Long and Winding Road – A lovely rendition of the song from Malaya, although I prefer the live version, which Malaya delivered with more passion and varied dynamics. – Download from iTunes
Sam Woolf – Hey There Delilah – His voice is so preeettyyy. You can get lost in his lovely tone before you notice that his delivery lacks passion or connection to the lyrics. – Download from iTunes
Jessica Meuse – Rhiannon – Jess sounds great here. But it’s not different enough from the original to interest me. – Download from iTunes
CJ Harris – If It Hadn’t Been For Love – CJ always sounds great with his pitch cleaned up. I like this song on him. It suits his scratchy vocals. – Download from iTunes
Caleb Johnson – Dazed and Confused – I’m not as enamored with the studio recording as I was with the live spectacle. What pushed Cale’s performance past mere karaoke was the way he commanded the stage and brought his own spin to the performance. His vocal here is stellar, but I’d be more inclined to listen to the original – Download from iTunes
Jena Irene – Bring Me to Life – Ditto Jena. She’s going to sound fantastic recording her original music, post Idol. She’s got a unique sound and was fantastic fronting Rickey and the band last week. So much energy on stage! The recorded version is a let down by comparison. But she does hit a killer high note at the end. – Download from iTunes
