Australian Idol Does Big Band

Glitz and glamour was the order of the day, as our Australian Idol top four performed the swing stylings of big band. Some felt right at home with the standards, while other struggled.

Carl Riseley has become the show’s resident swing king, and he did a pretty decent job within his comfort zone. My biggest problem with Carl when he performs in this style is that he shows little originality. While I’m a big Michael Bublé fan, I don’t really like his take on “Me and Mrs Jones.” Just like Michael’s, Carl’s version showed none of the sexiness of the original. The song is about sex more than romance, and both singers seem to miss that point. However, I do think it was vocally stronger than his second performance, “Just Kiss Me.” Those lyrics are just frenetic, and I don’t think he was in the pocket for much of it. However, he’s become a real showman and it was an entertaining effort. I agree with the judges: this was meant to be Carl’s night and he really needed to do more than anyone else to wow us.

Marty Simpson was always going to find tonight more difficult than any of the other Idols, and it showed. He was very clever, choosing modern songs he already connected with and giving them a big band reworking. The arrangements were really very good, but his stage manner showed he wasn’t confident in them. It’s a shame. I thought “American Baby” sounded great, but I would have loved a little more fire from “Light My Fire.”

Matt Corby came next, with some average efforts. He too looked a little uncomfortable, but there was no denying his vocal abilities. First up was Michael Bublé’s take on James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is,” and then the more traditional big band song “Beyond the Sea.” Overall I was a bit bored by it. The emotional connection I’m used to from Matt was missing, and his performances suffered for it.

Natalie Gauci was last night’s real surprise package. She came out with a stunning rendition of “Orange Coloured Sky” and backed it up with “How High the Moon.” Either performance could have earned her a touchdown, but Mark waited until the end to give it to her, her third touchdown in a row. Natalie’s definitely peaking right now, and I think she deserves to be at the Opera House more than anyone else.

I think either Marty or Carl’s number may be up this week. Marty’s performances were probably the weakest, but he’s got a really strong fan base who must realise he’s more vulnerable this week than he’s ever been. Carl should have shone here, and he didn’t. He did better than Matt, but the teenagers aren’t going to let Mr Corby go just yet.