American Idol 2014 - Top 8 Redux Post-Show Power Rankings
It's the Top 8 Redux on American Idol XIII, as Sam Woolf's controversial save on last week's results show means the other contestants are suddenly flying without a safety net. So who stepped up, now that there's no save in the event of a shock elimination? Well, 80s Week is one of the more hit-or-miss Idol themes, and in this case, it genuinely felt as if there were more misses than hits. But that doesn't mean the hits weren't really frigging spectacular. At least two contestants made a solid case for the win, while two others showed they're still fighting.
If you missed the show, Rickey has a recap up along with individual links to the videos as always, so check it out. As usual, I'll be excluding the duets, and just ranking the individual performances. These are not predictions on who I think is/isn't going to be in the bottom 3. These are just my own personal, subjective rankings based on my immediate gut reactions at the end of the show.
Let's get to it!
Credit: FOX
1. Alex Preston, "Every Breath You Take": This was probably the first cover song I've seen Alex really connect to, and I don't just think it was because of David Cook's advice. He seemed to really get that while the song is often interpreted as a love ballad, there's something far more sinister beneath the surface. It created this really compelling contrast, making for an absolutely stunning performance, particularly when you factor in the violins and the generally atmospheric, "coffee house" edge he's got going for him. I don't see the intimacy as a fault the way Harry does. In fact, I'd argue his intimacy is what's brought him to this point, since it's pretty easy to tune out the world and just focus on Alex when he's performing. He just has something really special. (Download on iTunes)
2. Caleb Johnson, "Faithfully": I just can't front on this performance. I don't disagree with J-Lo when she notes that it seemed as if Caleb just wanted to get to the big notes, but I'd argue his softer side is equally as compelling, just for how gorgeously restrained his voice becomes. It's almost as if he's telling the story of the song instead of just singing it, and that rescued this performance from being a humdrum, straight-forward arrangement of a song nearly everyone already knows. Caleb is a serious threat to win this thing, I'll be stunned if anything about that changes in the next few weeks. (Download on iTunes)
3. Jena Irene, "I Love Rock and Roll": While I did enjoy this performance and thought it was generally among Jena's best, this suffered from the classic Idol foible of starting out with a unique, low-key arrangement that is superior to the original -- only to then pick up the tempo and basically do the rest of the song as a straight-up rendition of the original. This would have been a moment for Jena if she'd just stayed at the piano, since she became far less audible and engaged with the performance once the band kicked in. But man, that first part of the song. I'm struggling to think of anything else contestants 4-8 did this week that I loved as much as that, and I'm coming up empty. Jena remains one of the few contestants who appears to actually be trying to win the competition, and her hunger comes through in each performance. I'm really hoping she doesn't end up being a shock boot tomorrow night. (Download on iTunes)
4. Sam Woolf, "Time After Time": I really wasn't crazy about the arrangement at all, since he lost a huge chunk of the melody in the trade-off, but was I the only one who thought this was a damn fine vocal? There's just such a natural smoothness to Sam's baritone that makes his performances far more engrossing than they might be otherwise. He never hits a bum note, his voice never gets shaky, and he more or less hits every run he goes for, when he even goes for them at all. Given how sparingly he uses the runs, and how effectively he uses them once he does, I consider him one of the smarter vocalists in the competition. This wasn't my favorite Sam performance, and he still has a ways to go in actually connecting with the audience and showing that he's feeling it as much as his vocal implies, but I thought this was solid enough to where he probably shouldn't be worrying about becoming the short-lasting Save recipient. (Download on iTunes)
5. Dexter Roberts, "Keep Your Hands to Yourself": Dexter is just a good time. His performance this week was never going to compare to "One Mississippi," at least not with this song choice, but I felt he did a hell of a job providing the party-like, arena concert feel that has been missing from Idol in recent years. He has a way of making every stage and performance space seem bigger, and he always manages to utilize that space to make it seem like the crowds are a part of the show. I'd argue Dexter is one of the best pure performers among the Top 13 this season, even if he's one of the more inconsistent vocalists. This didn't set my world on fire, but the best compliment I can pay Dexter is that I never really thought of him as a contestant on a singing show here. (Download on iTunes)
6. Jessica Meuse, "Call Me": I hated the song choice with the passion of half a thousand burning suns, but Jessica definitely sang it well. Her confidence as a performer has grown exponentially over the past two weeks, and I still think she's a dark horse to make the Top 3. People are underestimating Jessica, and I think that's a mistake. She has a lot more going on in her voice than just Stevie Nicks, as she has a touch of classic, Dolly Parton-esque country, along with the rockers' touch of a Joan Jett. Sure, "Call Me" was a boring, lousy song choice with a lousier arrangement, but I can rarely fault Jessica for what she actually does with a given song, vocally. (Download on iTunes)
7. Malaya Watson, "Through the Fire": I just couldn't get onboard with this, even though I admit it wasn't actually bad, by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose I find myself agreeing with Harry, in that the entire performance seemed geared towards building to the glory note, to the detriment of the rest of the song. She got really pitchy in some spots, and really sharp in others. While the glory note in question was solid, everything around it was just a mess, including her decision to go into her falsetto, which broke just about every glass in my house. And not in a pleasant fashion (although, I can't imagine there are many contexts in which breaking glass is pleasant). I wouldn't be as disappointed if I didn't know Malaya could do much better than this. Hell, she definitely could have picked a better song than this, at least. (Download on iTunes)
8. CJ Harris, "Free Fallin'": Another week, another appearance at the bottom of my list for CJ Harris. Again, I do like the guy, but he's far past his expiration date in this competition. However, I will say that this week had me wondering if his pitch issues might not be a matter of technical difficulties. I'm beginning to think CJ's problems are the result of an ear monitor issue, since these pitch problems ONLY ever happen when he's performing live. In that pre-performance package with David Cook, he was perfectly on pitch, just as he was all through Hollywood. If at all possible, I think he should get rid of the monitor. That is, if he's still here next week. (Download on iTunes)
So who were your Top 8 this week? Hit up the comments below and add your own Top 8 rankings!