Tuesday (May 6) night's American Idol theme is about as vague and wide-open as the Top Four could possibly hope for. Songs from the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame? What does that even mean? Working from the Hall's list of 500 influential hits, surely everybody should find great tracks to sing, right? Let's see...

Singer: PRESUMPTIVE AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST DAVID COOK
Song: "Hungry Like the Wolf"
My Take: Rock-n-Roll is a dangerous theme, particularly if rightly or wrongly, you've been coronated as the season's standard-bearer for the genre. As an American Idol rocker, David Cook is a very fine glam frontman and he's had some success with a few power ballads with a rock edge. He sure doesn't rock in the same way Bo Bice or Chris Daughtry did, though, and nights like this remind us of just how anonymous he would have been on CBS' Rock Star. Yes, he's absolutely proficient on this Duran Duran cover, but after saying he saw various ways to twist the song to make it his own, this is vocally identical to the original. If you heard Cook at an big city bar on a Saturday night, you wouldn't be offended, but you wouldn't remember it the next morning. David, though, is going to face higher expectations tonight.
Stony Brooke, Lullaby Joslin and Simon Say: Randy thinks song selection is important on tonight's show and David's pick was only OK for him. Paula's left with a big appetite. Because David's song involved hunger. Simon calls it copycat, but says it was probably good enough to go through to next week.

Singer: SYESHA MERCADO
Song: "Proud Mary"
My Take: Syesha has never been afraid to tackle the biggest divas in each episode's theme of choice and going after Tina Turner may be her most ambitious challenge yet. She's even wearing a tight, shiny skirt to show off her darned fine (if not quite Tina-worthy) gams. Syesha isn't nearly the force of nature that Tina still is to this day -- Did we see her at the most recent Grammys? -- but the girl tries. Syesha tries so hard. She has absolutely no fear, even if perhaps she ought to. In a competition where her three rivals have shied away from any sort of musical diversity, Syesha has gone all over the map. In a competition where her three rivals haven't varied their stage performance styles an iota, Syesha frequently danced and tried not to get swallowed up by the Idol platform. And in a competition where her three rivals all gave their best performances weeks ago, Syesha has shown signs of improvement. None of that has anything to do with her ability to equal Tina Turner. She can't. She isn't even close, becoming breathless and times and getting swallowed by the music at others, but I'm loving her effort.
Stony Brooke, Lullaby Joslin and Simon Say: This is the third week in a row that Syesha's been in the zone for Randy, "showing the heat late in the competition." Paula raves that Syesha's looking like a star and bringing the magic. Simon, though, calls it "a bad, shrieky version," a "bad impersonation of Tina Turner."

Singer: JASON CASTRO
Song: "I Shot the Sheriff"
My Take: It's a brilliant song choice for Clifford the Muppet, tackling an intense political anthem that's been reduced to a stoner party anthem by several generations of frat boys. I'm saying that as much damage has been done to "I Shot the Sheriff" as could possibly be done. It's a song where Jason's vocal liabilities are nearly irrelevant and where nobody's going to stop and ask why he's got a guitar around his shoulder if he isn't going to bother playing it. Do you want the good news or the bad news? The good news is that Jason doesn't smile blankly through the song. I don't know if his eyes are as dead -- errr... soulful and spiritual? -- as they usually are, because they're closed the whole time, but otherwise, he's impressively animated (by his low standards). The bad news is that he sounds weak and shouty and barely hits anything that could be called a note.
Stony Brooke, Lullaby Joslin and Simon Say: "For me, that was a real karaoke Bob Marley," says Randy, who didn't see anything special about it. Paula's never seen him perform more to the audience, but she still wasn't crazy about it. She still thinks Jason's artistry signed through. Simon goes Randy one further, saying "That was utterly atrocious." He compares it to an audition massacre.

Singer: PRESUMPTIVE AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST DAVID ARCHULETA
Song: "Stand By Me"
My Take: Well, it's rock-n-roll night, which means that it's a great chance for David Archuleta to do exactly what he's done every week since March. The arrangement isn't exactly the Ben E. King original, but it's still just Li'l' Archie begging the audience to stand by him in his spiritual charge against world hunger/war/high gas prices. It's earnest, intense and in-tune. Up until a wobbly closing falsetto, though, I'm ready to pronounce this David Archuleta's best David Archuleta performance in weeks. This is actually the strongest and least strained his voice has sounded in some time.
Stony Brooke, Lullaby Joslin and Simon Say: Randy says that every time David hits the stage, he's in it to win it, that it was hot, that he brought the hot man vocals. Paula raves that David's mature beyond his years. Simon just says that after Jason, anything would sound great, but he finally dubs it the best performance so far.

And how'd they do on their second songs? Check out the full recap over at Zap2it's It Happened Last Night blog.

Comments

Keep Jason...
vote off Syesha.
IMHO :)

Lisa | May 6, 2008 10:18:11 PM | #

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Oh, I do agree with Lisa.
Keep Jason, vote off Syesha.
Jason had a baaaad night.
Syesha compares her trials to...
Oh, I dunno ... those of the blacks in the 60's. Oh the size of her head.
I think she'll be voted off. Get busy you guys.
Give Jason another try!!!!!

Addi Whispysting | May 7, 2008 2:01:04 AM | #

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I don't understand why anyone would want to keep Jason. He has been horrible for weeks and Syesha has steadily improved. He doesn't seem to care if he stays or leaves. Also, I read in "Entertainment Weekly" that he actually said he was ready to go home so I think the viewers should give him his wish. The top four should have been David A., David C., Carly and Syesha.

I also would like to know am I the only one who is so over David Archuleta? He was really good last night and he does have a good voice but his performances since he has been in the top 10 have been really boring. I know the final two will probably be him and David Cook and I am really hoping that David Cook wins.

leeney2 | May 7, 2008 7:34:54 AM | #

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I never tire of David Archuleta so hope that answers your question....

aiken4olivia | May 7, 2008 7:49:47 AM | #

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David Cook and Syesha are the only two that at least try! David Archuleta continues to give the same sweet but boring preformance!! All that matters is what happens after idol! Clay Aiken lost but you would never know it now!! Syesha may fall a little short now but she will probably have the better career of any of them!! But more than likely it will be in Movies!! David Cook will win but his competition will only be Archuleta!! Jason is so terrible I won't even talk about it! He should have left long ago the only thing people like is his hair

aussie2 | May 7, 2008 9:55:32 AM | #

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I have been saying for weeks that I am SO over David Archuleta. Just so sticky sweet and predictable...I'm bored. Yes, good voice, but everything he sings sounds the same. However, he will win because he's more maleable than Cook. Cook is an artist. Archie is a pop vocalizer, and that's what AI wants in a winner. But don't worry...Cook will be just fine, maybe better, without a win, because he has the chops to take on the industry on HIS terms.

cookiemonster | May 7, 2008 10:14:36 AM | #

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Its about time jason castro left.And its way past time for little david a. to leave. The real talent is david cook and brooke white(shame she got voted off).Also i was really surprised asia epperson left so early.Boy,was she great.oh well,really looking foward to david cook winning the whole shebang.thanks american idol.

steven bruce | May 10, 2008 9:28:13 AM | #

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p.s. simon is so lucky.paula is such a hottie.peace out

steven bruce | May 10, 2008 9:35:05 AM | #

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