We’re all Couch Critics
By Casey Gillis on Mar. 20, 2008
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After sitting through seven seasons of “American Idol,” I consider myself something of a seasoned music critic.
Don’t we all, really, in a way?
You hear people channeling Randy, Simon or Paula, calling a performance pitchy or dreadful. We critique their song choices and arrangements.
We’re all couch critics, even though some of us, namely me, can’t carry a tune in a bucket. I kid you not - my own mother has told me to never sing in public.
You know who should be singing in public, as often as possible?
David Cook, who had me at “Hello” (sorry, I couldn’t resist). When the rocker belted out Lionel Ritchie’s ’80s classic a few weeks ago, I was blown away. He is definitely the front-runner in this competition. On a side note, does anyone else think his smile is eerily reminiscent of The Joker’s? It kinda freaks me out.
Cook isn’t the only contender on my speed dial this season.
Smitten doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about goofy, surfer dude Jason Castro - those eyes, that smile, those perfectly coiffed dreadlocks. I still can’t get his rendition of “Hallelujah” out of my head from a few weeks ago.
And, OK, I’ll admit it: I’ve jumped on the David Archuleta bandwagon. That kid is too adorable for words.
Then there’s Chikezie, who came off as cocky at first but has really grown on me, especially after his bluegrass-tinged “She’s a Woman” last week. He has the potential to add some real excitement to the competition.
As for the ladies, Carly Smithson is already a force to be reckoned with, and who can forget the charming Brooke White? Her “Love Is A Battlefield” from ’80s night and “Let It Be” during Beatles week have been a couple of the best performances so far this season.
By the time you read this, one aspiring star will be gone. Let’s hope it is Kristy Lee Cook, who has made it her job to regularly butcher good tunes, or Amanda Overmyer, whose uniqueness I love. But her husky growl sounds the same every single week. It’s time for something new.
“American Idol” isn’t the only reality show floating my boat these days. Tune in next week for my thoughts on “America’s Next Top Model,” “Top Chef” and “Survivor.”
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