American Idol – Songs of the Top 5 – Season 11 – iTunes Studio Recordings Review

by Rickey
May 3, 2012 at 2:14 am

Here are my reviews for the American Idol 11 Top 5 iTunes Studio Recordings.

I’m a bit tired so I decided to just embrace the Joshua Ledet Saliva School of Music and not fight it anymore. The result was the best we’ve ever heard from him! I also loved a Phillip Phillips track that some may have found awful during his live performance. (His other track was still comparatively dreadful). Some song choices from the girls were just not right this week — mostly exposing their age and lack of maturity (not their fault). As Cee Lo Green would say on The Voice, you can’t sing a child-bearing song if you are not child-bearing.

Just super short reviews this week:

Download: American Idol – Songs of the Top 5 – Season 11

American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review

Hollie Cavanagh – River Deep Mountain High

She sounded very confident here, though I felt that this song just did not fit her. I kept wondering: Why is she singing this? It seemed like a pointless exercise.

Rating: 3/5

Watch Hollie’s live performance

Skylar Laine – Fortunate Son

How many times do I have to write that Skylar is great in the studio? Well, she’s awesome. This is another solid recording from her. I’m not familiar with this song, so this sounded like an original.

Rating: 4/5

Watch Skylar’s live performance

Joshua Ledet – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg

I’ve gotten used to the saliva in my headphones. I’m not going to criticize it anymore. This was saliva from start to finish. I’m getting wet.

Rating: 3/5

Watch Joshua’s live performance

Phillip Phillips – The Letter

Phillip recreated this song. He changed the melody and all that. Interesting. I kept wondering if FOX was required to pay extra royalties for this transformative work. It’s like a different song. This is only for the fans.

Rating: 3/5

Watch Phillip’s live performance

Jessica Sanchez – Proud Mary

Another poor song choice from Jessica which exposes her performance deficiencies. However by comparison with the other contestants left on the show (eyes look at Phillip), this was decent to stellar. The end was nice.

Rating: 4/5

Watch Jessica’s live performance

Download: American Idol – Songs of the Top 5 – Season 11

American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review

Hollie Cavanagh – Bleeding Love

This was wonderful. This is her best of the season. Again simple melodies that don’t strain the vocals produce pleasant recordings.

Rating: 4/5

Watch Hollie’s live performance

Skylar Laine – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me

Skylar’s accent works on this track. It gives it bit of character. However, just like Jessica, Skylar doesn’t have the emotional maturity to pull this song off the way it should. I kept wishing it would be great, but halfway through I realized it just wasn’t going to happen given that she had zero connection to the lyrics.

Rating: 4/5

Watch Skylar’s live performance

Joshua Ledet – To Love Somebody

I liked that Joshua restrained himself in the beginning then unleashed in the end — just like he should. Great job. His best recording of the season. My ears are now bathing in the slather of Joshua’s saliva and I love it.

Rating: 5/5

Watch Joshua’s live performance

Phillip Phillips – Time of the Season

I love this! Phillip has a sweet voice when he is not doing his affected Batman growling. I love how he sings “who’s your daddy?” I had a smile on my face the whole time while listening to this. I think this is my favorite of his tracks this season. He’s so adorable!

Rating: 4/5

Watch Phillip’s live performance

Jessica Sanchez – You Are So Beautiful

This song works for Jessica really well. Simple lyrics that don’t need a lot to pull off. I just want a bit more though. (Or maybe I don’t because this girl will never move me). But a solid effort.

Rating: 4/5

Watch Jessica’s live performance

Download: American Idol – Songs of the Top 5 – Season 11

American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review American Idol Songs of the Top 5 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review

— Rickey

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15 comments

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Alansky

1 Like

"My ears are now bathing in the slather of Joshua's saliva and I love it." First of all - ewwwwwwww! Secondly, you're a hoot Rickey :).

abercrombieco2

1 Like

No offense to Joshua , while he has a great voice , I don't see him having a song on the radio? Or being a current singer. If he took a time machine he would have been great when this music was relevant? Who will be the lucky one to sing no boundaries 2 this year?

drufyre

Fortunate Son is about Al Gore. He's the "senator's son" referenced in the lyric. It didn't make sense for a female to sing it since they're not subject to draft registration.

BWStephens

1 Like

@drufyre Literalism like this makes me sad. Using your logic, it doesn't make sense for any American, male or female, who is younger than those who were 18 on January 27, 1973, since no one has been subject to an active draft since that time, to sing the song. Does it not make sense for anyone to sing it unless he or she were actually drafted to war? Does it have to be the Vietnam War specifically? See how literalism sucks all the fun out of the room?! The confrontational, rural, working-class spirit of the song was honestly captured by Skylar.

felixdaza153

Im starting to feel really disapointed on this season of idols, basically the fact that i kept on watching the show has proven me that maybe i will never stop watchin' it... having just said that, Phillip(s) may leave tonight, he performed (to me) an awful rendition to a great and popular song, and that usually never works with the voters... i would send home skylar and jessica in a heart beat, with eyes wide open and a smile on my face, but ever since Adam Lambert lost the show people over there are pullin' votes out of their asses and denying true talent, but weeeell what can i do about it.... This season turns out to be VERY WEAK and i honestly would give the idol trone to Joshua just because of his growth through the competition more than his singin', though its really good it reminds me to eddie murphy on dreamgirls JIMMY GOT SOUL!... again Greetings from Venezuela, land of the dammed.

Mikhail XO moderator

2 Like

@Rickey I get the Joshua thing, Rickey. Whether he screeches or agitates saliva while producing notes...the dude CAN sing. The relentless judge pimping has helped him come this far. But I have an ominous feeling your boy Phil (whom I did not like last night--sorry) is packing up tonight and leaving. Prepare yourself.

WoodyJo

@rickey Re Fortunate Son, it's a Creedence classic about how if a young male didn't have $$ or connections he'd be drafted & sent to VietNam

rickey

@WoodyJo Thanks!

yabelle

1 Like

well just like Jessica and Skylar, hollie also doesn’t have the emotional maturity to pull Bleeding Love off the way it should.

takakupo

2 Like

@yabelle Lol, no. Bleeding Love does not take a mountain of emotional maturity.

Mikhail XO moderator

3 Like

@takakupo @yabelle I agree. I don't even like the song melody wise...though lyrically it's fine... and I don't see that it requires a certain level of maturity to cover it. Just some patience. :)

BWStephens

@Mikhail XO Maybe you guys are just used to that cardboard cutout Leona singing it. But the lyrics themselves are pretty twisted.

tree

1 Like

@takakupo this song means that she has gone through many relationships and none of them have worked out the way she wants it to work out.Hollie doesn't have that emotion because she's a robot.

takakupo

3 Like

@tree Again, not a mountain of emotional maturity. It has some depth but you can inject whatever you like. Haven't heard the studio versions yet but I'm sure they're all quite nice. Your hatred for anyone that isn't Jessica is duly noted though.

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