The American Idol 2014 Top 7 got to pick songs for each other this week and for the most part, the outcome was actually pretty solid.
As always, I’ll be reviewing each performance and assigning the letter grade I think each one deserves.
Caleb Johnson, “Family Tree.” Maybe it’s just because he’s always the same, but I found this performance incredibly boring. There’s not much of a hook to the song and like I said, it sounded like he always does, so I wasn’t impressed. The vocals were good, as always, but that’s all I can say. Performance Grade: B
Jessica Meuse, “Gun Powder and Lead.” I never would’ve thought of this song for her. Even though she’s from Nashville, she never really does country music. But it worked out. I liked the version of the song. It was a little more edgy and rock-ish than the Miranda Lambert version, so it worked well for Jessica. I think it was a smart song for her. Performance Grade: A-
Alex and Sam, “Let Her Go.” This was a fun duet. It was definitely a great song for both of them. It was laid-back and easy to listen to. Well done. I’d give it an A if it counted.
C.J. Harris, “Gravity.” Finally a song that kind of made sense for him. And that must be because he didn’t pick it himself. I thought this was easily his best performance. Which means this is the kind of stuff he should be performing instead of the 500 other genres he’s taken on since the start of the season. Performance Grade: B+
Dexter Roberts, “Muckalee Creek Water.” Another straight country song. Sigh. I guess he’ll never sing a song that isn’t country. I just want him to put a country spin on a pop song. But I’m giving up on that. This performance was fine despite the silly country music lyrics about fishing and who knows what else. Performance Grade: B+
Caleb and Jena, “Gimme Shelter.” Good song choice. Good duet pairing and very good performance. I’d give it an A.
Alex Preston, “A Team.” Zzzzzzzzzzzz. Sorry, but can this guy ever speed things up? Why aren’t the judges making him do it? His vocals were great. His guitar playing was great. But I’m bored. So bored that I’m actually angry about it. Give us something else! Performance Grade: B
Sam Woolf, “Sail Away.” Speaking of being bored…. But not half as bored as I was with Alex. This was sweet and tender and I think he could pick up a few extra votes from the connection he made with the audience, his styling and overall presence. Definitely good for Sam. Performance Grade: A.
C.J., Dexter, Jessica, “Compass.” Not the best of the duet/trio performances. C.J. was the weakest link for sure, though. That gets about a C from me.
Jena Irene, “Creep.” Fantastic song choice, first of all. And I loved that it started at the piano. I was worried it wasn’t going to break it down like this song basically has to do. But it did. And it was fantastic. This could be the moment that pushes Jena to the top. I loved the vocals and her energy and the emotion behind her voice. I would have liked to see her get up from the piano after a bit, though. Performance Grade: A
What did you think of the American Idol 2014 Top 7 performances?