'X Factor' Recap - Motown Week

This was the big Top 12 debut for The X Factor and the first live show featuring more complicated production numbers. But was it just me or, performance wise, was there a big step back in quality from last week? Part of this has to do with the overblown production value the X Factor producers insisted on trotting out for nearly every performance, as if the audience would change channels if, God forbid, a singer just stood on stage and sang. Oh the horror!

The other problem had to do with the inclusion of a theme that seemed to throw a wrench in almost every contestant’s performance. With all the talk of individuality and styles, it’s hard (almost impossible) to superimpose a successful theme over 12 wildly different acts. The matter was made even worse by the fact that this week’s theme is Motown, which is a great era in American musical history but generally leads to drab and Karaoke-like performances when translated onto televised reality shows. This isn’t due to the fact that the Motown catalogue is dull, but just that, for a show that clings desperately to being cool, hip and current, Motown can’t help but feel a little dated and, dare I say, wedding band-y. If you doubt me, look no further than the lackluster opening group medley which looked and felt more like the dress rehearsal for a community theater production of Pump Boys & Dinettes. (Look it up, kids!)

Josh Levi: * * * ½
Yes folks, you read that right. Josh Levi is back. After a long deliberation (and after being pelted by mad tweets from tween girls) Paulina decided to bring Josh back as a wildcard. To me, why not bring Danie or James back? Both could out sing and out perform Josh. But it’s not in my hands. That being said, his take on the Jackson Five’s “Whose Loving You” was his best performance to date. It had a nicely updated R&B arrangement and smooth vocals. But, once again, Josh’s performance left me cold. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m not a teenage girl or a big R&B fan, but I can definitely take him or leave him at this point.

Rachel Potter: * * * ½
Rachel had a terrific, tasteful performance last week and a pretty terrible one the week before that. This time, it was somewhere in the middle. Atop a hulking, moving set piece that looked like it came off an old truck stop, Rachel sang the Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart Of Mine.” Done up in a wild, South-Of-The-Mississippi, knee-slapping country style, the rendition felt a little forced and shoehorned. I know Rachel wants to be a country singer, but this kind of sassy, redneck persona doesn’t seem to fit her or her voice very well. And even if it is genuine, right now it’s coming off as an affectation. I still love the range, versatility and control of her voice (especially those little growly moments), but the whole thing felt off. Simon agreed; he hated the arrangement too.

Carlos Guavara: * *
First of all, Carlos, I hate to sound harsh but you gotta stop the Tourette’s narrative running through every single one of your X Factor packages. We get it and it’s beginning to feel a bit exploitive. Did you notice that Rion didn’t bring up arthrogryposis in hers? And she didn’t need to. We already admire her and her voice. In terms of Carlos’ voice, it’s beginning to wear thin. His take on “What’s Going On” was too low for him, which resulted in a performance half mumbled and half sung in a warbly, somewhat off-key manner. It was like a bad night of karaoke. Simon wanted more out of him, Paulina said he “did great.”

Restless Road: * * *
You’d think that groups would have the easiest time with the Motown theme and, for a country trio, Restless Road faired pretty well in the genre-bending task of song selection with “Easy” by The Commodores. Their singing was adequate (except for a pretty terrible run near the end) but there’s a certain manufactured, second-rate, generic quality to the group that I can’t quite get over, like buying that off-brand cereal called “Leprechaun Bites.” Besides, it irked me when one of the members said, in their package, that their number had to “sound like a Restless Road song." Given that they’ve only performed twice, isn’t that jumping the gun a bit?

Ellona Santiago: * * * ½
Ellona sang a slowed down, vampy version on “Baby Love” that reminded me of an old style Vegas revue – remember the opening scene of Sister Act? I have to echo what I said last week in that Ellona is a very talented singer but there’s something about her that’s disconnected and unmemorable. That being said, the judges, who I think I’ll stop quoting since they offered little to no actual critique all night, said she “did amazing.”

Alex & Sierra: * * * *
I quite like Alex & Sierra. What they lack in polish, they make up for in charm. I also quite liked their jazzy, guitar driven arrangement of “Heard It Through The Grape Vine.” They seem both contemporary and a throwback to another era. I can’t quite imagine what their post X career would look like, but until then I’ll keep on enjoying them.

Jeff Gutt: * * * *
Jeff’s rocker take on “Say You, Say Me” had a lot of great vocal moments. He’s a born rocker with a killer set of pipes, no question. But there was something whiny and affected about his performance that seemed a tad too immature. But, hey, the guy can sing better than most other X Factor contestants, so perhaps I shouldn’t complain.

Khaya Cohen: * * * *
I was excited for Khaya’s performance because, unlike a lot of the others, Motown is right in her smoky, soulful wheelhouse. Perhaps it was those expectations that gave me just a little pause about her performance of “My Girl.” Sure, her vocals were spot on but (like a lot of song’s in the show) it just felt overproduced and pageant-like. They should have lost the set (that looked borrowed from the Matilda Tony Awards number), useless break-dancer and karaoke-like track and just focused on one incredible singer.