Napping at Red Lights

The first week of American Idol’s Top 24 is underway and the theme is the ‘60s.  But can the Top 12 men take some older songs and make them their own?

If the reaction of the judges is any indication, the answer is no for a majority of the contenders.  They were lacking what Simon called “relevance.” 

If you can figure out exactly what that meant then you are one step ahead of these guys.  Note to the producers:  knowing Simon’s pet peeve for contestants sounding old fashion, don’t make ‘60s songs the first theme week.

But not all the contestants got lost in the flashback.  Here are my Top 3 picks for the evening.

Honestly, I wished that Michael Johns had picked another song since we heard him perform “Light My Fire” in Hollywood.  While it might have been a safe choice for him, he did perform it well, even looking the part.

Randy called him “a true legend rock performer.”  Do you ever wonder what Randy’s English teachers must think of him today?

I have to agree with Simon’s assessment that Michael has been the “most consistent” performer but does that comment carry much weight since we are only in Week 1 of the Top 24?

While Simon thought that Michael had charisma, I thought 16-year-old David Archuleta proved that he could hold his own in the charisma department with a rocking version of Smokey Robinson’s “Shop Around.”

Simon called in the “best performance by a comfortable mile” and I have to say that after David performed he was definitely leading the pack.

While Jason Castro’s performance of “What a Day for a Daydream” didn’t blow me away like it did Paula (but then again her opinion and mine have never been simpatico), I thought the song he chose and the way he sang it totally fit him.  He was, incidentally, the only contestant that chose to play an instrument tonight.

I was also impressed with David Cook and Robbie Carrico’s rocking versions of “Happy Together” and “One,” respectively.  But I will always have a soft spot for the rockers in the group.

Next up are the ones I found in the middle of the pack.

David Hernadez started out great in the beginning of Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour,” but he couldn’t keep his “gospel vibe” (as Randy called it) going throughout the song.

When Chikezie Eze started singing “More Today Than Yesterday” I kept waiting for Isaac to take our drink orders.  Although Chikezie pulled out the song in the end, I just couldn’t help feeling like I was on The Love Boat.

And while I thought it was sweet that Jason Yeager dedicated his rendition of “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to his grandmother, I just wasn’t impressed with his performance.  It just didn’t do anything for me.

Likewise, Colton Berry’s version of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds” sounded fine but it didn’t leave an impression.

And now, here are my thoughts on what I consider the bottom three in no particular order.  (Yes, I know that show will only be booting two, but I couldn’t decide on a pair.)

One of two Elvis numbers tonight, Danny Noreiga’s “Jailhouse Rock” left a lot to be desired.  While Randy and Paula were much kinder in their remarks, I think Simon summed it up best when he said “If you are going to take on Elvis, at least do it well.”

And as much as it pains me since I desperately want the guy who shares my hometown to advance, Luke Menard’s performance of “Everyone’s Talking at Me” puts him on the bottom of the list. 

By the way, when does the show start helping the contestants with wardrobe choices?  This guy could really use some advice in that category. 

Lastly, I thought Garrett Haley’s rendition of “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” was forgettable at best.

In the future, I hope the producers start out with a theme with songs that these kids were at least born when they came out.

Who were your top picks?  Who do you think should be voted off?

Check out how the Top 12 ladies did on Wednesday night.