Season 7 Redux – Top 16

Another installment of American Idol Season 7 redux!   I had no major revisions after watching Top 16 week on the Fox Reality Channel tonight, but here are my thoughts anyway.

The boys totally brought it Top 16.   Well, except for Luke Menard’s totally cringeworthy performance of “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” I think that wins the WTF?!?!! moment of the season as far as song choice goes.   I wasn’t feeling David Archuleta’s performance of   “Another Day in Paradise, “–didn’t like the song choice nor the slowed up run-filled arrangement.   Simon predicts that David will make the final 2, and of course, he’s right.   Danny Noriega’s “Tainted Love” is all over the place vocally, but I can’t take my eyes off of him. “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” is, hands down, David Hernandez’s best performance of the Season.   His theatrical presentation is just perfect for this Meatloaf classic.   Michael Johns said he wanted to make a “rock/soul kind of record.” and “Don’t You Forget About Me” was a major improvement over the week before, but Michael still appears to be phoning it in. Simon said he should be performing more soulful fare, and I agree. I was already on the David Cook bandwagon,   I didn’t need convincing.   Still, his performance of   “Hello” absolutely thrilled me, and was his best performance to date.   Jason Castro, however, had the performance of the night.   “Hallelujah” gave me chills.   CHILLS.   And I was almost moved to tears.   Again.   WOW.   Chikezie wastes the pimp spot on another boring ballad.   Oh Chikezie.

The girls didn’t quite bring it, with one exception. Poor Asia’h Epperson is stuck going first.   Choosing to sing Whitney is usually a bad idea, and of course, Simon compares her unfavorably to Ms. Crack Ho, despite a solid performance.   Simon says she’s done enough to make the Top 12. Oops. Kady Malloy is consistently under-pitch throughout her performance of “Who Wants To Live Forever” and sings like she just downed a bottle of Nyquil.   Simon calls her “robotic” and says she’s in trouble. She is. Simon absolutely adores Amanda Overmyer’s competant “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, but pisses all over Carly Smithson’s performance of “Drive All Night”, which was also competant.   I thought they were both just a’ight.   Carly does tend to get a bit strident on the high notes.   But Amanda is often sloppy and off-pitch. Hm.   That smart cookie Kristy Lee Cook whips out a country arrangement–just like Simon asked her to–of Journey’s “Faithfully”.     Randy and Paula overpraise, while Simon tells her she’ll be lucky to make Top 10. Wrong.   Kristy Lee spent more time in the bottom 3 than maybe any other contestant.   She really had a knack for failing upward.   Little Ramiele Malubay tries to pull off a big number, “Against All Odds” but it’s another one of those tunes that’s been done to death on Idol.   She’s lucky she already had some momentum going at this point.   Brooke White’s “Love is A Battlefield” is the performance of the night.   She was smart to sing it acoustically, allowing her vocals to carry the day.   A very compelling performance.   Syehsa Mercado ends the night with a karaoke version of Whitney’s (ugh) “Saving All My Love For You.” There’s barely any time for the judges to critique.   Probably a good thing, because Simon looked like he wanted to say more…

Another tear-filled elimination had Ramiele Malubay inconsolable as Danny Noriega is eliminated.   Luke Menard had to go, but I might have traded Danny for David Hernandez.     Neither was destined to go deep–Danny would have been awesome entertainment.   I would have also traded Asia’h Epperson for Ramiele Malubay. Kady Malloy had talent, but she was in over her head–she needed to go.

Did anyone else find it interesting that David Cook was sent to the chairs of safety first, followed by David Archuleta? Weird!   Third was Jason Castro…   *cue the Twilight Zone theme*

About mj santilli 34832 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!