'American Idol' Recap - Auditions #3 & #4

After watching Wednesday and Thursday night’s American Idol, I realized just how far the show has come since it’s so-called heyday in the Paula/Simon/Randy iteration. Back then, not one of the ten talented singers who got a golden ticket on Wednesday would have passed muster. Not just that, most of them would have been laughed right off the set. This isn’t a condemnation of the show’s talent, or a jab at the original Idol panel, but merely a marker of how much of a more well rounded show it’s become.

Take Ashley, for instance, the sweet teen who sang alongside her deaf parents. While Ashley didn’t make it to Hollywood (and rightly so, as her performance was very pitchy and breathy, despite showing some talent down the road), all three judges were so nice to her, offered her constructive criticisms and were so understanding that passing on her almost brought JLo to tears. It’s this kind if musical nurturing that makes this pannal so good and makes the contestant-tauting auditions of previous Idols a distant memory.

For each show, I picked my top five auditions in order of appearance. Without further wait, here they are:

[new page = Auditions #3]

Small Town America

Joey Cook
I don’t think Joey will last long in the competition (she’s a bit more Newport Folk than American Idol) but this super cute, quirky accordion player has some real homespun talent. With shades of moonshine swigging Appalachia and shades of old-school carny circus, Joey was just wonderfully unique and cool. And, if nothing else, she’s the kind of performer you are excited for what she can bring to the table next.

Stephanie Gummelt
This super sweet and folksy 18-year-old had a fragile high-pitched voice and demure demeanor that made her instantly likeable. Although I wished her bigger notes carried a bit more, the softer side of her voice was smooth and comforting in a Joshua Radin-like way.

Ellen Peterson
Those who know me know that I hate the banjo. After the bagpipes (and right in front of the didgeridoo) it’s my least favorite musical instrument. Yet Ellen won be over completely. There was just a delightful authenticity and effortlessness to her performance, like she was just born with the banjo strapped around her. A lot of people “try” to be a country singer or a rock vocalist or whatever, but Ellen just “is” a bluegrass performer in her DNA and it’s so much fun to watch.

Others who got a golden ticket were:

- ”Big Ron” Wilson who has real potential on Idol if he reigns in Big Sexy and focuses on the real and likeable guy behind the over the top flirting.

- Emily Lusk, Josh Sanders & Casey Thrasher whose auditions were showed together in small snippets but showed a rough, folksy vocal panache.

- Alexis Gomez whose audition was nice but a bit too generic given all the fierce country talent.

- Anton Bushner whose affection for Keith Urban was ever-so likable but who tried to sound too much like his Idol idol resulting in glorified karaoke.

- and Kohlton Pascal whose roughhewn, Tom Waits-like voice felt too unidimensional and who didn’t’ seem quite emotionally up for a national television show.

[new page = Auditions #4]

New York City

Jax
From the moment this daughter of a wounded 9/11 firefighter entered the room, you knew she was special. Although she sang a slightly overdone arrangement of a Beatles classic,* Jax’s crystalline pure voice and effortless piano skills made her a stand-out from New York auditions. That all being said, her vocal and personal style were a bit too affected and pre-planned.

Najah Lewis
Najah, a 20-year-old subway busker, sounded a bit like The Cranberries’ Dolores O'Riordan on an R&B kick. And I loved it. From the yodel in her voice to her easy and soft confidence, Najah has skills. And if she keeps making smart decisions musically – like arranging “Payphone” into an acoustic guitar ditty – she has great potential this season.

Katherine Winston
There was something very simple, homespun and comforting to Katherine’s audition – like a big old bowl of mom’s homemade mac and cheese. It didn’t reinvent the wheel and, perhaps, Katherine will get lost in a sea of big personalities, but she’s a quiet little gem.

Travis Finlay
Probably my favorite vocal audition of the night was Travis’. He looks the part of a burgeoning superstar and has the technical musical knowledge to back it up. But beyond the smooth-as-butter voice and delicate vocal runs (which, yes, sometimes went on too long), I believed every word of the song and felt it coming through the screen.

”Hollywood” Anderson
With a unique, high-pitched powerhouse soul sound (reminiscent of Billy Porter a bit, look him up kids!), this ex-homeless busker is the most unique and most ambitious audition of the night. With a killer, personal original song that I’d download right now, Hollywood showed he is a true, authentic musician and really deserving candidate for a space on American Idol. I really, really hope he doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Others who got a golden ticket were:

- Sal Valentinetti whose mini-me Frank Sinatra vibe needed to be smoothed out but who did have a quirky, fun personality.

- J. None whose teddy bear Mr. Crusty was more memorable than this adequate but forgettable R&B singer.

- Tion Phillips who sounded like a bargain bin Bruno Mars

- James Killian Dunn who was just ehhhh.

- Shi Scott who looked and sounded nice (although, yes, way too much like the Winehouse original) but felt way too green and nercous to be on a live TV show.

- Eric Lopez who shocked me with a golden ticket despite a terrible, sloppy, over-the-top and under-baked performance that completely missed the part of sad, swan-song meaning behind the Queen song.

- Maddie Walker who looks much older than 16 and has a pure country twang.

- Courtney Zahn who felt very marketable and professional.

- Jackie Nese, who was the best of the blondes, had a strong, fresh-faced take on a Lady Gaga song that sounded good but lacked the needed individual oomph.

- Qaasim Middleton who tried way too hard (despite a fun, made-for-tv personality) but the beat boxing was mighty cool.

- Adam Ezegelian who, singing “Born To Be Wild” seemed better suited for a Tenacious D but who won me over with his sweet (and surprisingly vocally on-point) “I’m Yours.”

- Nick Friadini** whose indie rock vibe was cool, as was his Peter Gabriel cover, but who lacked any distinction from the thousand other alternative rockers out there.

* The stripped down Across The Universe “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is quickly becoming the go-to song for indie singers who want to appear unique and cool, especially because these reality singing shows often present it as a “radical new cover” without mentioning that many others have done a similar, slowed down version.

** Nick is from Guilford, Connecticut a small town near New Haven where I live and grew up so it kills me to not put him in the top 5. But so is life! Guilford pride, anyway!