Citation :Canadian Idol Recap: The Top 24 Perform, Part I
Posted: June 24, 2008, 6:00 AM by Sarah Millar
Television
Or as my TiVo helpfully called it: "The Singers Perform."
I'm not sure how they will eliminate, so I will give my two picks from Monday and two from Tuesday night to go home as per years past when four at a time are eliminated until they have a top 10.
Ben informs us one of these 24 people will be our Idol, and he sounds pretty psyched that Canadian Idol starts. Right. NOW! The pink shirt isn't quite working for him tonight. Farley's shirt is a little too casual for him, I like his flashy, plucked from Don Cherry's closet, attire that he usually wears.
Wow, my first thought when Ben walked over to the top 24 was just how much they've been Idolized already since their auditions. They all look quite different. And as Adam can't describe his first week in one word, we start the performances.
Lindsay Barr
“Burning Love” Elvis Presley
I don't know this song, so it's hard to say how she did for me in respect to the original which is a good thing and a bad thing. I think she definitely had a good time singing it, it was nice to see her lose the guitar – she performed the song better without it. She really did perform, which was really nice to see. She sold the song to me. Jake didn't like it, comparing her singing to a bad bar scene. Sass didn't like it also, prefacing her comments with how great Lindsay looked. Farley agreed. Zack also was the dissent, calling it "a shining example, my friends, of what not to do." Ouch.
Martin Kerr
“Lost Together” Blue Rodeo
I don’t think this was a good choice for Martin. He did well, but it’s not really his type of song. I think he should have waited to do something like this until he had a few more weeks of experience under his belt. Farley disagreed, but said the problem may have been that he was nervous. And that may have been the problem for me. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it as well, minus the nerves.
Gary Morissette
“Good Golly Miss Molly” Creedence Clearwater Revival Version
Well he certainly made this his own. Gary’s interpretation was punk/metal infusion of the classic rock ‘n’ roll tune (DISCLAIMER: I have not heard this version, so I do not know if that is how Creedence Clearwater Revival did this song). For someone almost insulted by Zack’s comments that he was a rocker dude, I don’t see how doing a song like this would disprove that fact. I’m not a fan of Gary’s, he seemed to be screeching into the mic more than singing into it. Zack and Farley liked it, but Jake was concerned that he wasn’t showcasing his best singing, and reminded him that Canadian Idol is a singing competition.
Tetiana Ostapowych
“Feelings” Morris Albert
Well Tetiana lived up to her promise of taking this song and making it her own in a way in which no one had ever heard it before. My concern is it is another standard, much like she did in her audition. She also seemed kind of stiff when she performed – her upper body wanted to move, but for the most part her legs stayed still. I think she should have given into the urge she had to move a bit more. Zack didn’t like the song choice, but did like the vibe of the song, but it had a cruise ship feel to it. Jake felt she was believable and that she was able to pull it off and called it the best singing of the night thus far.
Mitch MacDonald
“Follow Through” Gavin DeGraw
Kudos for wanting to bring lesser known songs to the Idol stage, but Mitch should be wary. Viewers tend to vote for what they know, and how they know it (this is why, I believe, Greg Neufeld was wrongfully eliminated last year because he chose to rework “We Are the Champions”). Other than that, I thought Mitch was endearing. Idol worthy? No, but very sweet nonetheless. Jake said he did a good job but had a few pitchy moments.
Paul Clifford
“Broken” Seether
I thought Paul’s performance was captivating. It had a very Brian Melo feel to it – very authentic and honest. While his voice is very raspy, it worked tonight for this song. Sass thought he was holding back a bit, but I think he was more feeling the song – the song is about being broken not being vindictive. I totally agree with Farley that if I heard Paul on the radio, I would definitely know who was singing.
Earl Stevenson
“All Along the Watchtower” Dave Matthews version
I’m not a fan of Earl’s. His voice is okay, but I don’t think it’s great. I think for this reason he could win, since Farley and Zack just gushed over him. Zack said that Earl’s performance was an example of what to do right. Sass echoed my concerns, saying that Earl’s biggest problem may be that Canada doesn’t get his voice. Well, I guess I’m one of those Canadians – he should be thankful I don’t vote in the competition.
Lisa Bell
“Long Train Running” Doobie Brothers
While I may have concerns that she may not be able to handle the pressure of the competition, I loved Lisa’s performance. She started it off nice and calm, and then kicked it in to high gear. She also knew how to work the stage, which many performers don’t do. Everyone except for Zack loved it. I don’t know what performance he was watching.
Mookie Morris
“Twist and Shout” The Beatles
I wasn’t a fan of Mookie’s performance. If what Zack said to Lisa is right and the contestants should be singing songs that are representative of what will be on their records, then Mookie’s trying for a record deal about 50 years too late. That being said, it wasn’t a horrible performance, but it wasn’t the best. All the judges loved his performance (Sass called him a star), Zack going so far as to tell him he deserved a record contract if there was one on the table (not sure if he was trying to be funny, since there kind of is one on the table).
Drew Wright
“Under Pressure” Queen
I like Drew’s voice, but I think he wasn’t quite into his performance. It may have been nerves, but it took him a while to get comfortable. And when you only have less than two minutes, time is not something that is on your side. Though he did hit the high note in the song, in quite a great way. Falsetto or not, it worked. All the judges liked it, but Zack thought it was a weird song choice for Drew, and Jake agreed with him.
Oliver Pigott
“I Hear You Knockin’ ” Dave Edmunds version
Oliver’s voice is just too raspy for me. He performed the song well, but I just can’t hear him doing the Idol stuff that his first record would be filled with, it just wouldn’t suit him. The judges for the most part liked it, though said the song didn’t really reflect any side of Oliver they had seen before. Jake was concerned it was too over the top.
Katherine St-Laurent
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” Bonnie Tyler
Aww Katherine missed her graduation and prom for Canadian Idol, that’s very sweet. As soon as the piano started, I knew this was a great song choice for Katherine. Listening to her and watching her perform, I cannot believe she is only 17 years old. Even Zack liked it even though he did not think she hit every note perfectly, he also encouraged Quebecers to vote so that they wouldn’t lose her too soon. The other three judges loved it as well.
So that’s the first half. Which two should go home tonight? My picks are Oliver Pigott and Gary Morissette. What about you? Who do you think should go home this week? Who should live to see another day? Don’t forget, the rest of the top 24 perform Tuesday night at 8 p.m., the results show will be at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
source:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blog ... art-i.aspx