'American Idol' Banter: Learning to love the Davids

One enlightening aspect of a season's worth of "Idol" viewing is the sensation of having your most strongly held opinions slip right out from under you. Unless you're a prognosticative whiz or a natural-born child of the middle of the road, it's likely that your early favorite will get voted off soon enough, forcing a change in loyalties. Add in the effect of hype and the human evolutionary desire to be on the winning side of a fight, and that contestant you despised may convince you soon enough that he's OK -- no, better than OK, he brought the molten hot lava tonight, dog (you're soon shouting), I'm voting for that guy!

This pattern contradicts the conventional view of music fanship, which romanticizes the loyalty that inspires Joe Blow to buy Springsteen tickets every summer for 27 years. But it is a lot like how most people experience mainstream pop. Hit songs become quick favorites, then fade, replaced by something else; often, a marketing twist or some personal circumstance of listening -- dancing with a new date, say -- can turn an irritating hit into something beloved.

            The same goes for artists; the longer they manage to hang around, the more likely they'll do something to convince naysayers they're worth a 99-cent download. Think of all those hip hop fans who turned on to Mariah Carey after "Honey," or the John Mayer haters who reconsidered once he starting doing comedy with Dave Chappelle. Like fashion, its sister art, pop schools its acolytes in the art of consumption, and any student of capitalism knows that we have to keep switching up our purchases to keep the monster alive.

           "Idol" also forces this realization, brutally, and ever more so as the field narrows and clear crowd favorites emerge. This brings me to my own conversion narrative. Readers of this humble column know I hated the Davids when Season 7 began -- Archuleta seemed to me a frustratingly opaque showbiz kid, while Cook seemed cut from the fake-grunge cloth of the many KROQ favorites I dread. But I've totally come around, especially after last night's Andrew Lloyd Webber challenge. Davids A and C ran this gauntlet with by-now predictable flair, making me begrudgingly love them all the more.

Webber's compositions, which played a key role in defining theater music (and, some would say, schmaltz) in the age of rock, proved extremely challenging for the Final Six. These aspirants are too young to have experienced classic rock firsthand, and few seem to have spent any time in a theater that wasn't a converted high school gym. So they had little chance of grasping Lord Webber's potent blend of angst and artifice, much less displaying the vocal precision theater (as opposed to Top 40 stardom, for which there is auto-tuning) requires.

The night proved beneficial for exactly one contestant: Syesha Mercado, whose acting experience finally made a difference. This jazzy gal's early turns this season received harsh judgments precisely because they were witty and highly cultivated -- more like theater than pop, in fact -- and she been slumming with the Whitney imitators ever since. Tonight she vamped through a number from Webber's roller-skating extravaganza, "Starlight Express," even getting band leader Rickey Minor to play Fred Astaire for a hot minute. And Simon called her "sexy"!  She'll never get a chance like this again; good for her that she worked it for every available ounce of pizazz.

Others fumbled where Mercado finger-snapped. Brooke White flubbed her "Evita" ballad's opening and careened through the rest as if her foot were stuck on the ignition pedal. Jason Castro sweetly flubbed "Memory," a song that's a standard stress test for any diva, but hardly appropriate for the boy angling to replace Ashton Kutcher as America's favorite doofus. I liked his version -- he sort of turned it into a Leonard Cohen song -- but the judges, predictably, slaughtered him.

Carly Smithson had fun with the title song from "Jesus Christ Superstar," but it seemed like a missed opportunity. "JCS" is the third greatest rock musical ever (next to "Hair" and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), and its signature ballad, "I Don't Know How to Love Him," would have been the perfect vehicle for Carly to show her unusual talent for bridging the gap between Ann Wilson and Celine Dion. Instead, she chose a number more suited to a choral group than a soloist, and then nearly handed it over to the show's backup singers.

Only the Davids showed the ability to think beyond the terror (or, in Mercado's case, comfort) Webber's songbook clearly induced. They did it by relying on the same best qualities that lift them up every week. Archuleta showed off his musical sense, finding an unexpected groove in one of Webber's semi-classical arias, "Think of Me." Gliding into that downy-soft upper register, he made the song a secret mash-up with Babyface's "The Loneliness." Archie may be the show's youngest prime competitor, but that's not stopping him from being the most sophisticated.

In fact, musical savvy is the main quality he shares with his rival, Cook. The rocker offered a new slant on his patented inventiveness this week by letting loose the drama club kid within. Taking a chance on "Magic of the Night," West End legend Michael Crawford's big number from "Phantom of the Opera," Cook neatly balanced restraint with a few careful, but still glass-shattering, high notes.

It would have been easier for Cook to follow Carly's lead and slay on one of those wailers from "JCS," but his stylistic about-face had far greater impact. It even raised the specter of a future supergroup - David Cook and noted alternative rock fan Josh Groban, jamming on a medley of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Linkin Park. That would be great for next year's "Idol Gives Back"!

- Ann Powers
(photo courtesy of Fox)

Comments

[mikki]

A couple of month back I read your Idol Banter about David A's Imagine from cover to cover which I consider so biased however this time as Simon says Ann, You are right on the money. As the season progresses, favorites has changed, I would consider David C as the frontrunner and David A has to catch up. I still think America will not be able to decide until their performance in the finale. Carly could be the dark horse with her amazing voice. Ann, I appreciated your Idol banter today that like a CD that have to be played time and time again and in your case I have to read it several times to fully grasp what you have just written and really appreciate it. Thanks.

[Jen]

FYI--someone should really proofread these articles before posting. Music of the Night. The other article had the Evita song wrong as well.

[Deb]

What I loved about your article is that, in the beginning, I didn't notice David Cook at all and didn't like David Archuleta. Cook won me over many times, by his stage presence and creative choices, but it has taken longer to develop a taste for David Archuleta, but... he is a sweet kid and who can hate someone like him for long. I liked him last night. IMO, Syesha blew everyone away, and showed something endearing in her personality for the first time, so I am thinking that, I am starting to like all of them. I guess time and exposure does work.

[ExSinger]

Ann -- David C sang "MUSIC of the Night," not "Magic." You clearly show your bias toward Syesha, though you correctly acknowledge that she's not going to crack the top three and took this opportunity to showcase her strong suit. The judges gave her their blessing. And if she goes this week, or in the next two weeks, she'll have her cake waiting for her after the tour.

I am a huge Jason Castro fan, but I did not like his take on Memory at all. The whole ALW songbook presented huge challenges to a limited-range singer like Jason, and I was hoping to see him tackle "All I Ask of You" in his inimitable warble. However, given his flame out last night and drubbing by the judges, it might be his night to leave tonight.

Brooke White's meltdown was difficult to watch. In fact, I closed my eyes or turned away for much of her performance. I hated the dress she wore anyway (looked like a curtain), and she did overact, contrary to Paula's attempt to manipulate the reality.

Carly had a lyric flub in the first chorus, but no one seemed to notice. I thoroughly enjoyed her singing, but turned to my wife near the end and said, Simon-style, "It all seems a bit shouty."

As for the two Davids, welcome to the club. They are fantastic singers and interpreters. What else is there to say? "See ya at the finale?"

And, for God's sake, someone tell the producers to stop with the arm-waving!

[meryl]

It is strange that not once was it mentioned that Jason Castro was really sick and aparently had been to hospital to have an IV drip., yet when David Cook was rushed to hospital it was all over the news. Every bit of information is leaked to the press by the producers and only when it is beneficial for the results they want.

[samantha]

You were spot on with your brilliant analogy of pop psychology and how these pop idols grow on us. However, David A. bugs me. It's nice that he opened his eyes for the song, but, he still gives me the major willies. Maybe it's his stage-dad, or his Stepford kid persona, but, I do NOT like him one bit, and if he's American Idol this year, I will not watch again. It will clearly prove to me that he was picked by the producers, not the fans. He has been hoisted on us, not the other way around. Carly, who has the most amazing voice is trashed week after week. David Cook is an amazing singer, but, it's Archelleto who gets all the major praise. How obvious is that? I did like Jason Castro much better than David A. and that dreadful phony Brooke. If she isn't sent home tonight, then there is a MAJOR FIX! (Which I'm beginning to believe anyway.) Why do they even ask us to vote when they choose who they want from the beginning? Maybe we'll all tune out next year if another teenybopper bland singer wins this season.

[Mimi]

I really liked David Archuleta. I think his voice is better than Cook's voice, but
I think Cook is playing smarter than him. Cook picks popular songs, while Archie
is more innosent and doesn't think in the competition too much. That's what I like about him. But if David A wants to win this, he has to be more competitive and must show
everything what he's got, 'cause David A has the talent and with his age he will get just better. Hopefully David A picks a very popular song soon(Boyz to Men type)
it would be perfect for him, because of his voice. (R&B )

[Alowicious]

I agree that Carley would have done a lovely "I Don't Know How to Love Him", BUT... that song has absolutely no challenge to it - the range is limited and it's perceived power-ballad status is simply a case of nostalgia making it seem bigger than it is or was. (After years of Britney and Mariah, Yvonne Eliman now makes Yani exciting.

Brook would have been better off singing that song.

Carly would have had her ass handed to her on a sling, and been called lazy and forgetful to boot!

[R. Jones]

Once again, despite all of these heartfelt postings, it's forgotten that David A's fanbase is so massive - so zealous, so overwhelming, that it's said he has a 2 to 4 million vote edge over his nearest competitor week in and week out. Ever notice the "hand over heart" thing he does while he's standing next to Seacrest after his performances? That's his secret sign to his fan base. It's very teen, but keeps the votes flying in. Nothing the producers can do - bag on him, poor placement, subliminal play (a flock of "sisters" ala the polygamy scandal bullrushing him), accenting any negatives, poor angles, over-hype, under-hype, forced underexposure - it's all a desperate attempt to even playing field and keep the show interesting. It's basically a coronation for second place (Cook) or third (?).

[Gloria]

R Jones-- you may be correct that David A has a 2 million vote edge on his nearest competitor. However, when it gets down to 2 or 3, the fans who are voting for the others will decide whether to vote for David A or David C or Jason Castro. They may pass on David A, if they haven't been voting for him all this time. You can't say that he'll win just because he has the lead now, you have to throw in the fans of the others who will presumably vote on who they think is the best!

[BoboftheNorth]

There are two really annoying things about David Archuleta apart from his giggle and the fact that he looks like British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Firstly when he says that a song is really "meaningful" and uplifting. He is like 15, what would he know, even Michael Jackson didnt try and heal the world until he was in his 20s. The second is his father who thinks he is kinda funky wearing those caps. Stepford kid. Absolutely spot on.

Of course he'll win - check out the youtube vote ie. people posting vids on youtube. He has about 10000 and Syesha only had 2 last week.

[lemonjoy]

David A. did that sign to show his appreciation. He is just grateful, he's not doing it for votes. He cares a lot about his fans, and has taken nothing for granted, I think it's great that he acknowledges us and our support. If he can just go out there and does his best every week, we'll make sure we get him to the finals.

[lemonjoy]

David A. did that sign to show his appreciation. He is just grateful, he's not doing it for votes. He cares a lot about his fans, and has taken nothing for granted, I think it's great that he acknowledges us and our support. If he can just go out there and does his best every week, we'll make sure we get him to the finals.