Based on PERFORMANCE, tonight was not even close. Kris started strong but was done in by the songs he had to sing when he already was the less complete singer. But as I have been reminded, at the end of season, Idol is no longer a singing competition. It is a popularity contest. I hate that that is true but, nonetheless, it is the inescapable truth. So the following critical evaluation is fun but meaningless. OK, I do enjoy the banter even when it is so woefully misguided . . . .
Round 1
Adam’s Mad World was a bit too subdued this time around. Adam subdued?
Kris Ain’t No Sunshine was brilliant. When he’s good, he is really good.
Round 1 to Kris, close call but clear.
Round 2
Adam – Change is Gonna Come – I wrote at the time: “crazy, sick, good, best ever!!!!!!!!!” I stand by that opinion. One of the great songs ever by one of the great singers ever and Adam was up to the task.
Kris – What's Going On described the bad song choice for him and horrible arrangement, to boot. This is not a song you can do “light” as he did with Kanye last week. It is a serious song and the performance totally missed the gravity and historic importance of the song. I was honestly offended by my girl Kara when she suggested that Kris connected emotionally connected with the song. Not at all.
Round 2 to Adam by a mile.
Round 3
Adam – Not his best performance but given that he had to do three songs this week and this was a new one, it was very, very well done. Again, the restrained Adam has no peer. This song was meant for a good singer and it allowed Adam to show his complete repertoire.
Kris – this was a train wreck. The song is just way too big for Kris. It was like someone decided to write the worst possible song for him. Conspiracy theories, anybody? Even the judges pulled back from commenting on the performance to focus on his whole body of work.
Round 3 to Adam by a mile.
Winner by knockout – Adam Lambert.
Adam needed to show restraint this week - and he did.
Kris needed to pull off the big Written for the Idol Final Song - and he didn't.
However (unfortunately?), I honestly think Kris will win the popularity contest. I find that preposterous, as you all know by now. I will give him his due, though. He has grown through the season and each season has someone who did that. David Cook was far from the best at the start of last year. Kris is really good at what he is good at. He does have a particular talent and I would love to hear an album of songs suited to him. I would probably enjoy seeing him at a small, intimate venue or small arena. I just don’t think he was the best this year.
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4 comments:
I recorded the program as I wanted to be ultimately fair above all else. I did not want to be positively nor negatively impacted by judges, audience, facial inflections or personalities of the two talented young men. I wanted to lay aside any personal preferences and truly proclaim the best singer since this was the finale.
I bypassed absolutely everything on the tape except the singing.
I wanted to, and did, turn my back and just listen to the singing as though listening to the CD in my home.
In all the candor that I can muster, I cannot deny that if Adam is not the winner, it will be a travesty. Adam's final two songs were purely and simply beautiful.
Ray~
I agree with you and YOUR MOM- Adam is clearly the stronger singer. Kris started strong and then sadly he faded. The judges were kind to him.
In my household we noted the huge contrast in singing styles. I wondered aloud if Adam may have borrowed the silver suit from another great showman- Pee Wee Herman.
The voting will be interesting tomorrow night. I'm voting for Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga as the "power couple" for 2010.
Yeah, it was a rough night for Kris and I agree that Adam deserves to win. It pains me deeply to agree with you. Okay, it doesn't really pain me to agree with you....I don't want Kris to win because of popularity and looks; the beautiful people already run the world..I know because I am their leader (that's probably a lot funnier if you've actually seen me).
Johnny - Great insight on the silver suit, I was sure I had seen it before, but I just couldn't place it. :-)
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