IdolHeadEd.com - "Iconic" vs. "Allenizing"

justplainidol writes
No boxing shorts, no fencing masks, just great music.

Whew! No sports theme this year! Remember Season 7's boxing match cheese fest? I held my breath at the start of the show, wondering if Adam and Kris would come out in fencing knickers, masks and gloves. No, we had each proclaiming he was the next American Idol (neither one too convincingly, I might add), with footage from each guy's audition. Love those looks back. Raise your hands - whoever would have picked Kris Allen to be in the final from that audition clip? Mom, Dad, and Mrs. Kris Allen, that's it. I love this show.

So here's my final recap of the season, performance commentary, worst to first:

6. Kris Allen - "What's Going on" (Simon Fuller's choice). Before Randy and Simon opened their mouths, I was thinking that this song choice was not up to the task of an American Idol final, in an auditorium that size. Sure enough, both Randy and Simon mentioned that it was too light, too laid back for the size of the night. While the lyrics may bear a "social conscience" as Kara mentioned, it didn't sound like it carried a social conscience.

5. Adam Lambert - "No Boundaries" (Season 8 Final Song, co-written by Kara). I rarely like the season's coronation song. This seemed to have a lot of words, but nothing to say. As far as performance and interpretation, I preferred.....

4. Kris Allen - "No Boundaries"....Kris' version, with the exception of the one flat note. It seemed neater, not as hectic as Adam's version. Not that I believe Kris will be singing it ever again, however.

3. Adam Lambert- "Change is Gonna Come" (Simon Fuller's choice). R&B is not my deal, and I really only know one Sam Cooke song (Twisting the Night Away). But it's hard to argue with the skill set that Adam brought to this song. Some of those sustained notes - whew! He powered through that song, big time.

2. Kris Allen - "Ain't no Sunshine." (Kris' season performance choice). I don't like this category; I'm not a fan of the repeat, especially since we heard fewer songs this entire season than in seasons past. I will say that as much as I enjoyed this the first time Kris performed it, this was even better, and not a copy-cat of the first. He truly has a beautiful tone to his voice and is a talented musician. And if it weren't for the next song, this could've been my favorite of the night. However......

1. Adam Lambert - "Mad World." (Adam's season performance choice). I called this. Adam knew that this song was haunting and controlled enough that people of all walks of life would appreciate it, and he needs votes from all walks of life. The vocal control of this performance is head-shaking unbelievable. I have downloaded the studio version and have come to love the lyrics of this song, to say nothing of loving Adam's emotional spin on it.

Bits and Pieces:

May I leave you with an incomprehensible comment from Randy Jackson? When commenting on the first song, Randy said, and I quote: "I loved that you sang something you sang during the season." DUDE: THAT WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. THEY HAD TO SING SOMETHING THEY SANG DURING THE SEASON. DON'T YOU PAY ATTENTION???

Kris Allen gets Family of the Year Award. His mom and wife looked beautiful tonight, and his wife's understated nodding affirmation after "Ain't No Sunshine" spoke volumes. And the coupons? Who has not received coupons from their children, to be cashed in for washing the dishes, cleaning their room, or, in Kris' case, singing? Love it.

Simon's clapping after Kris' first song was a revelation. He didn't even have to admit that he believed Kris belonged - that gesture said it all.

If the audience response to Kara Dio Guardi's introduction means anything, we won't be seeing her at the judges' table next year.

So that's it. Season 8. I will be commenting on Ed's Tragedies and Triumphs article, and will weigh in on the finale tomorrow.

Who should win? Adam Lambert. Who will win? Adam Lambert.