American Idol – Top 3 – Season 11 – iTunes Studio Recordings Review

by Rickey
May 17, 2012 at 3:53 am

Here are my reviews for the American Idol 11 Top 3 iTunes studio recordings.

In general Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips both sound like they’re dying, and Jessica Sanchez sounds like she’s already dead without a soul. However, with a few well placed song choices tonight, the Top 3 were able to shine in a couple of tracks.

Download: American Idol – Top 3 – Season 11

The reviews:

Joshua Ledet – Imagine

This is nowhere near the version of David Archuleta in Season 7. Joshua is all over the place here. This could have used a bit more focus. This is a single not a live performance recording. He needs to learn the difference.

Rating: 3/5

Phillip Phillips – Disease

This is a good song choice for Phillip. This fit his voice and singing style. It’s just so sexy. A pleasant listen from beginning to end. It’s a track that could fit right in if he were to record an album.

Rating: 5/5

Jessica Sanchez – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing

This didn’t do anything for me. It’s so plain, plain, plain. Poor song choice from her. It only proves yet again that she doesn’t have the “x” factor that differentiates herself from all the other singing-bots in the world. She needs to pick songs that fit her, and not just because a particular song is “big”.

Rating: 3/5

Download: American Idol – Top 3 – Season 11

Joshua Ledet – No More Drama

This is a great song choice for Joshua. It basically allows him to let go at the right places, he doesn’t even need to think about it. The song sings itself! Amazing! A bit too intense however to be on repeat. If he had a bit more self-control it would actually be perfect.

Rating: 4/5

Phillip Phillips – We’ve Got Tonight

Another great song choice for Phillip. The performance and recording of the season. It came at a perfect time. I’m so happy. This seemed so effortless. A perfect match of singer and song.

Rating: 5/5

Jessica Sanchez – I’ll Be There

Jessica seems to succeed at stripping out every ounce of emotion from any song that she sings. But what shocked me about this track is she didn’t dish out her signature belts ala Mariah Carey and played it safe with the melody. It looked like she followed the Michael Jackson version and then placed her runs at all the wrong places. Obviously no one is coaching her in the studio.

Rating: 3/5

Download: American Idol – Top 3 – Season 11

Joshua Ledet – I’d Rather Go Blind

This was a bit too over-over-sing for me. But it sounded like Josh was on a mission singing this, which I appreciate. He meant every word like he wrote the lyrics himself. I do really like this.

Rating: 4/5

Phillip Phillips – Beggin’

Well, the judges tried. On paper, this might have been something that could increase Phillip’s versatility a bit. But in practice, this was a disaster. Totally did not work on any level.

Rating: 0/5

Jessica Sanchez – My All

This is the perfect song choice if ever there was one — which Jessica unfortunately botched in her live performance. This is a great recording from her. Very pretty. This is the type of song she should be recording in the future! A slow ballad with some parts where she can belt. Her best recording of the season. Now this is a single.

Rating: 5/5

Download: American Idol – Top 3 – Season 11

I highly recommend “My All” by Jessica and “We’ve Got Tonight” by Phillip.

American Idol Top 3 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review American Idol Top 3 Season 11 iTunes Studio Recordings Review

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16 comments

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ZarkeMulgore

i'd like to disagree on "My All"...never liked the song and don't like it on Jessica....its not her at all... I felt connected with "I don't wanna miss a thing" the most > This was Jessica!

heydrian

Yey! This is the Rickey that I became a fan of! Still giving constructive criticism without over-analyzing/over-generalizing! Happy :)

XerDivo

love her but jessica had the weakest night and was sabotaged once again by judges and jimmys picks...always some contestant in the f3 is sabotaged

jbeeeb

Phillip-Frankly I think his best live performance was his worst studio. I didn't really care for his "We've Got Tonight". "Beggin" was okay, but as a big Four Season fan nothing could compare to that, but it was an interesting try. I wonder if Steven even know this was Four Seasons first? I liked his version of "Disease". Would I buy any of them or buy a CD because they were on it...no.

Joshua-I agree that "I'd rather go Blind" was a bit overdone, yet I found a few spots that were actually weak vocals and I would have liked more. It ended wierdly. "Imagine" is a nice album filler, but not really something that gets released as a single. I found it interesting that a preacher's son is picking this song that starts with an atheist theme. I understand the passion that he wanted to show at the end, but he probably should have ended at about 3:30 rather than going 5:00. Don't need to go gospel diva every time! I am not a big Mary J. Blige fan but I do remember this from the Grammys. I think this showed that he can be relavent with something modern, but some of the percussion was a bit odd. I did think it was good but I am not sure if it would get me to go buy it either.

Finally, Jessica-Frankly, I loved her version of "I'll Be There". Doing both the low and high parts showed her versatility and this song was believable and showed her off superbly. This was a keeper, and while it wasn't the power ballad that a lot of her other songs were this is one that should be inlcuded on the tour. Jimmy I did her right! With all of the songs she could have picked she blew it with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"! I know a lot of people were suggesting it on blogs like this, but I think it fell flat. It was too mature a song for her and while Rickey found a lack of passion in "I'll be There" I found it here. She needs to rely on producers to pick songs for her, because I don't think she has enough maturity to do it yet. Yes she hit some big notes, but that is all they were, no meaning to them. "My All" was perhaps to much of a song for her live. I heard a lot of missed notes and breathlessness. And in the studio version her voice gets so nasal and reedy. I just didn't like it.

Airaheta1fan

The mariah studio recording.. was good.

Airaheta1fan

Jessica's "I Don't want to miss a thing".. Didn't do it for me.. I don't know why she picked that song..

SurenAdamFlores

total score :

Phillips = 10/15

Jessica = 11/ 15

Joshua = 11/15

A real singer doesn't need an instrument to share emotions! A singer can sing with a melody from his/her heart! And that's how the music starts! __________now, try to hear each finalists voices without instruments. ______most probably Jessica Sanchez does what it takes! She will be the last one standing on this season.

AprilJ

2 Like

That's really funny...I thought Beggin' was hot. And I have nothing to say about the singing, or the dancing, or the staging... just that the whole perfomance blew my skirt up. Lol.

kidnation

4 Like

I actually like all Jessica's 3 songs, pure voice there, no growling and runs.

maila

1 Like

"my all" studio version is jessica's best . only thing is what is that string chord on 2:55 to 3:01 , it sounded like a couple of keys of the keyboard got stuck for a few seconds there. still this so much better than her performance last night where you can tell she was holding back, she didnt even do those big notes and the low descending runs which are really hard too do when you have a sore throat. shes been complaining about it since tuesday. i hope she still makes it to the finals.

fuckhead

Rickey Rickey. Beggin' was a better choice than I'd hoped for. We've got Tonight was-- the moment-- this season has been waiting for. A contestant showed us something we had NOT heard all season. No more ink for the rest.

Mikhail XO moderator

1 Like

@WaynoCoaster I preferred 'Volcano' and deem that the 'moment'...but P2 was pretty good last night. 'Beggin' was not as horrific as R and others claim. I think the dude locked it up last night.