Livin’ on a Bon Jovi song and a prayer
The Times’ pop music critics’ take on “American Idol”:
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WHO would have thought that Jon Bon Jovi, New Jersey’s steel-horse-riding pop-metal belter, would bring this “Idol” season back from the musical dead? But it happened.
After a charitable week that must be praised for good deeds but condemned for musical treacle, our six contenders burned it up Tuesday night with well-chosen, finely executed songs from the King of Good Rock Hair. Only Jordin Sparks faltered, and not for lack of spirit -- she just chose the wrong key for “Livin’ on a Prayer,” a song that is almost impossible to sing well.
Everybody else lived the “Idol” cliche and made Bon Jovi’s songs their own. New brunet (and, apparently, future My Chemical Romance member) Blake Lewis was the night’s star, using a beat-boxing version of “You Give Love a Bad Name” to show Chris Richardson who can really do Timberlake. But Chris and Phil Stacey did fine too, and the two grown divas worked the Patti/Tina soul-rocker template to full effect.
Why did this show work? Because Bon Jovi is not just beefcake in a bandanna -- he’s an outstanding theatrical songwriter whose ballads and ravers are like meta discourses on how it feels to rock.
Anyone who’s ever heard of rock can find the emotional notes in Bon Jovi’s songs. And since that’s about the level of rock knowledge and attitude most “Idol” contenders have, it was stone cold perfect.
-- Ann Powers
Tuesday’s “rock night” trek through the catalog of Bon Jovi shed about as much light on rock as you’d get from a soul night celebrating Boyz II Men.
One intriguing aspect about this exercise was how much harder it seemed for the women than the men to wrap their heads around this catchy but lightweight band’s cliched rock.
Poor Jordin suffered a total disconnect from “Livin’ on a Prayer,” but her struggle was with schlock, not rock. Credit Melinda Doolittle for keeping a straight face singing, “When the world gets in my way, I say [thump thump]/’Have a nice day!’ ”
The one bright moment belonged to Blake, whose beat-box gimmickry injected some life and personality into his number.
Predictions for Wednesday night’s double kiss-off: Say goodbye to Chris and Phil. And when Phil leaves, he’ll tell Simon, “I love you, man!” Rock on, dude.
randy.lewis@latimes.com
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