Like the live performances, the recorded versions are too much like the originals. For that reason, none of these will wind up on my personal Season 8 Top iTunes list. There are vocal gems to be found here if you can get past the karaoke accompaniment.
- Adam Lambert – …Whole Lotta Love by Led Zepplin – In spots, Adam sound so much like Robert Plant on this recording it’s a little eerie. Adam opens a can of whoop-ass with some mad riffing at the end of the song. I would have liked to see him let loose with that on the Idol stage. – iTunes
- Allison Iraheta – …Cry Baby by Janis Joplin – Listen while little Allison proceeds to sing the sh*t out of this song. I believe every single word this girl sings. As always, incredible interpretation and phrasing. She can’t wail like Janis, but Allison has her own, blusey way of imbuing a song with feeling – iTunes
- Kris Allen and Danny Gokey -“Renegade” by Styx – Kris and Danny, running from the law. Yeah, I’m not buying this at all. It pains me to hear Kris sound so generic. And Danny powers his way through the song in typically uninteresting fashion. Uh. NO. – iTunes
- Kris Allen – …Come Together by the Beatles – Kris, forced into a box he’s not entirely comfortable in, still manages to bring his soulful/folky vibe to the table. And with bandzilla kept at bay, Kris’s cool take on this Beatle’s classic satisfies in a way the live version didn’t. – iTunes
- Danny Gokey – …Dream On by Aerosmith – This hard rock stuff is clearly not Danny’s bag. The vocals are OK, but Danny lacks the hard edge needed to make this rock anthem come to life. That last note? Autotuned into oblivion, of course. – iTunes
- Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta – “Slow Ride” by Foghat – I have to say, I enjoyed the live version of this more, just for the pure joy and fun BFFs Adam and Allison brought to the stage. I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. The recorded version features Allison and Adam’s peerless vocals, but it just whets my appetite for that showstopping performance we’re sure to get on the summer tour – iTunes
