American Idol - Season 9 - Top 6 - Week 7

Idol only has six more contestants, and in about a month, we'll be at the finale...getting tough, because for the most part, the rest are pretty good singers. But tonight may be a little difficult - it's Shania Twain night. That's not a slam on Shania - it's just, well, her songs are so...Shania, that it will be hard to hear these interpretations. We'll see what happens.

Lee DeWyze is going to take on "Still The One" - are you kidding me? This song, while it was used at the closing of my wedding DVD, was overplayed to the point of severe overexposure, and I can't imagine for the life of me Lee singing this. I'll give this to Lee - when he belts it out, he's got a great quality in his voice. But his lower register is iffy, and the song doesn't start well. If I were Lee, I wouldn't have picked this. It's just too identifiable with Mrs. Twain, and it just didn't sound right to me. A nice moment here and there, but overall, wasn't a big fan of this. Maybe it's just Lee doing Country that I don't get. Randy said he did a pretty good job, dude. Ellen said he made it his own, and said he was cute. Ellen jokes that we're all aboard the "Shania Twain!" Ugh. Kara said Lee warmed up to the song - good job. Although she quotes the line "Look how far we've come..." Double ugh. Simon has the audacity to say it was the perfect song choice - no way...I disagree. Although, I'm not familiar enough with her music to know what else he could have sung (surely not, "I Feel Like A Woman!").

Why does Shania Twain end half her songs with exclamation points? And why does Ryan refer to Lee as "DeWyze"? That's so middle school...I really can't stand Ryan - he just comes off like such a pompous ass.

Mike Lynche sings "It Only Hurts When I Breathe" - never heard this one before. I realize during the package with Shania and Mike that Shania is clearly Canadian. And I don't mean the carbonated water that I used to buy all the time at UD back in the early 90's with my dining plan points. Um...anyway, I don't really care for this song either. I mean, Mike's got a very good voice. But I just didn't feel it - he throws a falsetto in there for a moment, and at the end, and Shania looks like she's going to cry. I don't know - didn't work for me. Not BAD, but nothing memorable. Randy said Mike is in the zone. Ellen said it felt like Luther Vandross (hey, it kinda did! Good compliment Ellen...) She said it was beautiful. Kara said Mike connected to the song. Simon said he also saw the Luther connection. He called the performance "wet" though - he said it was like he was in a musical. Huh? He then says that "wet" means "girly" - Simon, lay off the drugs, dude. It's not worth it. It will ruin your life.

You know, Shania Twain is still a very attractive woman, even after all these years. Although I was always more fond of Faith Hill...wow, now if they had her on (although I haven't seen her in a while).

Casey James is up, and let me tell you about Casey - I picked him #2 in my pool. With "Jealous Guy" a few weeks back, he reaffirmed my believe in him. And tonight, he takes on "Don't", a song I "don't" know....ha ha ha. I must have not listened to the radio when Shania was popular. Or maybe I just don't recognize this version. It doesn't matter - Casey blows the roof off this sucker. He is EASILY the best performance so far. You can feel the emotion in the guy's voice - maybe him also sitting and just singing with no backup singers, and less smiling, is what helps too. Very well done, Mr. James. Randy said it was one of his best performances ever. Ellen said he sounded great - and wow, she agreed he has the Bob Seger voice! Kara said he didn't hide - he was vulnerable and raw, and she said if he keeps doing that, he'll be at the front of the competition. Simon agrees with Randy - best performance so far (I still think "Jealous Guy" was better, but this was very good...) Simon then proceeds to pimp Casey out by telling him to come down and give "this one" (pointing to Shania) a kiss! Isn't Casey like 20 years younger than Shania? That's like Demi Lovato planting a kiss on me...or Siobhan...or...well, never mind. You get the point. I wonder what Kara thought about Simon pimping out Casey?

You know, Katy Perry is pretty attractive too....she's on a proactiv commercial during the commercial break.

OK, we're back with Crystal Bowersox, and Ryan "I'm a Tool" Seacrest. As another blogger pointed out, why does he have to say something about Shania's teeth? Crystal is singing "No One Needs to Know". ANOTHER song I don't know. What the...? Crystal says the song applies to her because she wants her boyfriend to step up and finally marry her. I think she could have picked a better song, BUT I guess she wanted to make a point to this guy. It's a very understated performance by the front runner. Not bad, but I really don't like the song itself. Maybe the original is better - who knows (well, I'm sure others do). She still has that great voice, but really doesn't use it much during this performance. It's almost like she decided to take a week off. OMG - this dork in the audience has a shirt that says, "Did you know that America prefers Crystal Bowersox for their Idol one BAJILLION times more than other contestants?" What a conceited, arrogant thing to say! Although I do like the sign in the back - obviously someone reading my blog...it says "Siobhan vs Crystal"! I hope that's the finale! Anyway, back to the show. Randy said it was OK, but wasn't his favorite of hers. He did like the country version, though, of a country song. Ellen said she's brilliant, but it wasn't her favorite performance of Crystals. I think Kara has it in for Ellen because she AGAIN says "I have to agree with the GUYS..." Kara - Ellen is a woman. A woman who likes women, but a woman nonetheless. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Kara can be annoying. Anyway, she said it was believable, but not one of her best performances. Crystal says in response, it wasn't as big, but bigger isn't always better. After a second of inappropriate sexual innuendo, Simon says that they don't like Crystal this week, and uses the word "SHOCKER". He called it limp. And compared it to a coffee shop performance. No conviction from her - he said the song itself was forgettable (and apologizes to Shania for saying that...). Wait - the guy with the a**hole shirt on is Bowersox's boyfriend?!?! Wow....dude, get a shirt that is actually clever. And marry that girl already, will ya??!?! Sheesh...

Aaron Kelly should have it easy this week - he's the closest thing to Country that's left in the competition. Aaron could be Shania's son! He sings "You've Got a Way" - isn't that a Billy Joel song? Oh, wait, I think I know this song. I DO know this song! I liked Aaron performance - and like I said, he better have nailed this. Sure he has blah moments, but more often than not, I thought he did a good job. But let me ask you this - when was the last time Aaron sang something upbeat? I honestly can't remember. It's always the ballads with this kid, and I think that kind of makes him one dimensional. But I did like this performance - next to Casey's, I thought it was the strongest of the night. Randy said this was his "wheelhouse" - and did a good job. Ellen can't believe how well he sang it - how he tied into the song. Kara agrees with that guy Ellen - and then has an awkward moment when she says Aaron changed the line "when we make love"...then Aaron says he was singing the song to his Mom. You know, even with changing that one line, that's kinda creepy...but Aaron's a good kid, so I'm sure he didn't mean it in a creepy way...it just came out kinda creepy. Simon said he was like a different artist - he said it felt sincere and believable. I feel bad because I've ripped on the kid in the past few weeks, but he did good tonight. Good job!

Rounding out the night - Siobhan Magnus. She gets the sweet spot - the final slot. Wait, before they come back, we are treated to The Temper Trap singing "Sweet Disposition" in a Diet Coke ad. Did I mention that I love that song....LOOOOOOOVE it.

OK, back to Siobhan - my favorite. You know, I've gotten a LOT of hate from friends and strangers on Siobhan. I have no idea why - maybe because she's different? Whatever - those people can stick it. Siobhan rocks. End of story. OK, had to get that out. So, tonight she sings "Any Man of Mine". Shania encourages Siobhan to get some attitude while singing it. Siobhan gets back to the fun Siobhan - going out in the audience and performing it well. She hits a few bad notes (I know, shocker I'm saying that), but she picks it up at the end...and when I say that, I mean she hits that note and holds it for a long time...this girl has got mad vocal skills. She rocked it out - she looked great too - and I was very impressed. I still think Casey was the best, and Aaron did his thing, but it was easily the most "fun" performance of the evening. I'm sure there we be people who hated it - but they hate just about everything the girl does. She's even now (gasp!) the singer endorsed by "Vote for the Worst"...are you freakin' kidding me? Ugh...well at least they'll give her votes, but damn...c'mon people! Wake up!! It wasn't her best performance (I still think "Superstition" and "Paint It Black" were her best so far, along with the beautiful "Across the Universe"), but I loved seeing this side of her. Heck, I love seeing every side of Siobhan... :^) She still is my favorite and apparently the judges (for this week) agree. Randy went nuts over it, Ellen said "way to pull the Shania Twain into the station" (and way to end the show!), Kara said "Guess who's back!?!?! SIOBHAN!!", and Simon said he really liked that song. He said the screaming may have gone a little bit overboard, and said it sounded like she was giving birth! Oh, Simon... So Siobhan STILL rocks (yes, she's "still the one..." Sorry - had to...).

Who goes this week? Well, normally I'd say Aaron, but it could also be Big Mike, or maybe this is the week we get a shocker like Lee getting the boot. I wouldn't be surprised after tonight.

We'll see tomorrow night. I know I voted for Siobhan many, many times...so hopefully she's still around until next week...maybe we can kick off Ryan this week? That would be nice not to have to listen to his drivel anymore!

American Idol - Season 9 - Top 7 - Week 6

Well, tonight was not a good night...I'm not talking about Idol, I'm talking about Direct TV and the audio problems I had on Fox this evening (but only apparently during the first 45 minutes of Idol...the last two performances were fine). I watched it over the air, and it was fine, so it was something related to Direct TV. On both of my receivers. Ugh. Oh well - I'll be VERY brief this week, as I really can't comment on most of the performances because I couldn't hear them properly!

Here are my random thoughts (based on what I could hear):

• Casey James was typical Casey. Didn't feel authentic...smiled too much...good guitar, but I just didn't feel like he connected with the song. Yikes - I'm speaking in "Idol Cliches"....
  
  
• Lee DeWyze sang "The Boxer", but I thought the theme was Inspirational Songs? That's kinda a depressing song...great song, but I wouldn't call it "Inspirational". Anyway, the judges went gaga over it...I thought it was OK, but he's done better. I didn't hear what they heard. Maybe because I think this is the type of song you don't really try to change up too much. And I'm used to Paul Simon's voice, not Lee DeWyze belting it out.
  
  
• Tim Urban was pretty bad tonight...sorry (again) Karen, but his rendition of some Goo Goo Dolls was so pedestrian...no style at all. Boring. But he's got the VFTW crew working for him. The audio during Tim's song is really bad, but I've heard enough to know he SHOULD be going home soon. He just isn't in the same league as the others at this point.
  
  
• Aaron Kelly is quickly choosing the most overplayed, bombastic songs available. I half expected him to sing that horrible Celene Dion song from Titanic. Ugh. So he sings "I Believe I Can Fly", and it does NOTHING for me. Boring...he, along with Tim, should be the next to go. Sorry Aaron - you should be proud of what you've done as a 16 year old, and I think he generally DOES have a decent voice (at times), but he needs more time. We'll see. Just stop picking these cheesy songs!
  
  
• Siobhan Magnus sings "When You Believe" - I actually don't know this song (I know, shocking...), and the audio is out of control on my DVR...grrrrrr...I can't hear it! The audio keeps dropping out, and it's not matching her lips. I can't really describe her outfit, but again, as I always think, she looks amazing/adorable. And she's got great pipes, so I won't write anymore (since everything things I'm biased...um, well, maybe I am a little bit, but I truly believe she's a great singer with a TON of style...). So she's my favorite so far. I know - shocker.
  
  
• Michael Lynche takes on "Hero" by Nickleback. Finally, the audio clears up enough for me to listen. I don't think Michael needs the guitar at all. His voice is really good, and I liked his performance. It was a little different for Mike, but the dude can sing. I hope he continues to go through the competition (although, I'm in a pool where if he went home, it would actually help me...)
  
  
• The front runner, Crystal Bowersox, gets the primo spot at the end, and she really does shine with "People Get Ready"....now THAT is an inspirational song. She does a great job, but I was a little cheesed at her for losing it at the end. I'm sure it was legit, but for some reason, it actually rubbed me the wrong way. Regardless, she deserves her status as front runner, but I'm still voting like crazy for Siobhan. I would LOVE to see a Siobhan vs Crystal finale. I predicted that weeks ago, but this is a popularity contest, and who knows what will happen. They both deserve it. Crystal has been one of my favorites from the beginning, and I hope she keeps singing like she did tonight. Great job!!!
  

So my prediction? Either Aaron or Tim goes home, and I'm going with Aaron to actually go home. The VFTW votes, along with all the young girls (and Karen) voting for Tim MAY keep him around another week. We shall see...

American Idol - Season 9 - Top 9 - Week 5

Or, as we should call it, Top 9, Part 2. Because Mike Lynche was spared from going home last week, this week TWO contestants go home. Big night, also, because the contestants are covering the songs of Elvis. Yes, the KING of Rock and Roll. He's got an impressive list of songs, similar to last week's songs from Lennon/McCartney. So this will be tough to pick the songs for the "Idols" this week. What ever happened to 80's week? Or songs from the year you were born?

So on such a big night, who do the producers turn to in order to mentor the top 9? Probably someone who can relate to Elvis Presley, right? Someone who is a giant in the music biz? Someone who has the presence of the King? Um...no. We get Adam Lambert. Let me repeat that. ADAM LAMBERT. The guy who recently was on national television doing, well...you know. And acted like he's been in the business for decades and how dare anyone question the appropriateness - regardless of your sexuality - during an awards ceremony. And while I appreciated some of his performances during his run last season on Idol, I was never crazy about Adam like so many others were. In fact, I'm stunned they chose him for "Elvis Night". The only thing he's got in common with the King is his hair...and well, even that isn't a good match either. Oh, and Elvis used to wear leather pants during one of his phases, and Adam wears them all the time. Sorry - I really need to get on with this, don't I? Whatta ya want from me? :^)

OK, so here we go. TWO people are going home this evening. Big night. And the first person up is one of my favorites (and currently my older daughter's favorite), Crystal Bowersox. She is singing the first song of many this night that I don't know. It's called "Saved" and is very gospel like. It also sounds like something Elvis would have recorded early in his career. She's got backup singers tonight, and it's distracting to me. Nothing new to report here - Crystal is good. But we knew this already. Solid performance, but in some way, I feel like Crystal held back a little. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed it, but I personally wasn't blown away. Extremely solid and professional, which is what I've come to expect, but I want even more now from her. I want to see blood, sweat and tears up there, and I'm getting something that to me was about 90% there. Listen, when you're this good, I gotta find SOMETHING to complain about, right? OK, well maybe I don't. Anyway, I'm predicting the judges loved it, and I can't blame them. It just didn't make me go as crazy for Crystal as I've done in other weeks. I will say I can totally see her getting in touch with her soulful/gospel side with this, and she should be (to quote Simon from the past) 100% safe. Although at this point, ANYTHING is possible. Who knows, she could be in the bottom 3, but wouldn't deserve to be. Randy, Ellen, Kara, and Simon all loved it. No surprise there. My grade: A (but I want A+ from her!)

We go to a commercial break with the next contestant "fake picking his nose"...well, I HOPE that was him faking it!

Andrew Garcia - who I feel should have gone home last week, and before I hear him sing, should probably go home this week - is going to sing "Hound Dog". Adam encourages him to change it up - because the way he was singing it wasn't cutting it. I agree with the runner up from last year. So what does Andrew do? He changes it by drawing out the song a little, but really bringing NOTHING to the song. He tries to inject some soul into it, but it's boring. I don't really care for it, but I will give him some minor (very) props for taking the risk of changing it up. But it's painfully obvious that Andrew's days are numbered. Randy rips into him - said it wasn't good karaoke. Ellen said she thought he pulled it off. Kara said Andrew didn't own it, and didn't feel the swagger. Simon said it was lazy and unpredictable (that's bad?) and said it was something no one wanted to hear. He AGAIN said that all of Andrew's coolness is being SUCKED out right now. Simon loves to say "SUCK". My grade: D+

Tim Urban is going to sing one of the most sacred songs in the Elvis cannon - "Can't Help Falling In Love". This song is often played at weddings, can be cheesy, and I'm a little nervous to see what Dirk Diggler will do with it. You know who did a cool version of this song? Lick the Tins, on the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack. Anyway, I think does a decent version of this. And he wisely avoids the falsetto at the end. Very well done - words I NEVER thought I write with regard to "T-Urban". Randy felt the same way - he was surprised that he liked it! Ellen said she is falling in love with Tim and that it was beautiful. Kara said it was her favorite Tim performance. Simon said he went from zero to hero in two weeks. He liked it. My grade: B+

Lee DeWyze is singing "A Little Less Conversation" and Adam tells him he needs to be more expressive on stage - i.e. smile more, and really perform. Again, good advice. Maybe I was wrong about Adam. Lee gives me what I didn't necessarily get from Crystal tonight. It's just that little bit extra. I like the way he changed this song up and made it his own. I really think Lee will make it (or SHOULD) to the top 4. We shall see. I enjoyed the performance also because it showed off his voice. Well done, Lee. You seem to be getting stronger each week. And no bagpipes this week!!! Randy said Lee is in the zone. He loved it. Ellen said Lee made it current, and his confidence is growing. Kara loved it - said he really went for it. Simon said he nailed the song. My grade: A+

Aaron Kelly is singing "Blue Suede Shoes". Again, Adam points out the best part of the singing from Aaron, and also rightly agrees that Aaron doesn't 100% believe in himself yet. He has to OWN this. The best part is this song is right up Aaron's alley - it works to his country side. The only thing he has to add tonight is the attitude. That may be a problem. I can't really take him seriously when he's warning us to not step on those blue suede shoes! Buy vocally, I think he did a fine job. And it was good to hear him singing something upbeat for a change! Enough with the ballads!! So if I just heard the song, and didn't watch it, I would be impressed. Not mind blowing, but very solid. And he does have a nice tone to his voice. It's just that the visual didn't match the vocal. Randy liked when he went bluesy towards the middle. Didn't like the beginning as much. Ellen said he did a good job. Kara said he was out of his comfort zone and liked it. Said it felt current and young. Simon didn't agree - said it sounded like someone at a high school, singing during a contest. And with the visual of it, I can see where he is coming from. But I thought vocally he was better than Simon is giving him credit for. My grade: B-

Siobhan Magnus - you know, my favorite - is singing "Suspicious Minds", and Adam thinks it's a little too sleepy. She admits he was right. Adam is kickin' butt tonight with the advice! Siobhan also says that she is most often compared to Adam and Adam says, "It's a big compliment!" I think I know what he meant, but it came out wrong. Anyway, Siobhan has the most beautiful voice left in the competition. It starts out pretty good, but nothing really that memorable. Then, halfway through, she changes the song up and decides to put on a show with her vocals. Holy crap - this girl can belt it out! It sounds nothing like Suspicious Minds at that point, but I could care less. Siobhan is quickly becoming my "can do no wrong" contestant. I suspect that there will be those that didn't care for it. But other than her performance of "Through the Fire" a few weeks ago, she hasn't had a really bad performance so far, and, like Crystal, I would be shocked if she goes home. She's just too talented to not make it further in this competition. Randy said he liked it from about the half of the song on to the end. Ellen also liked the second half more than the first half. She agrees with me - what a beautiful voice. Kara said Siobhan has two voices - and claims that the second half is the "screaming" half. Kara, there was no screaming in that performance. Yes, she's done it in the past, but not tonight. She wasn't crazy about it overall, and really doesn't like the two parts being in one song. Simon said it was like she was put in a time machine, and came back 20 years later. Thought the first part was terrible (really??) and didn't think she hit all the notes in the second half. Didn't like the performance. Wow, Siobhan REALLY doesn't like when the judges criticize her. You can see it all over her face. But I think Kara and Simon were way off. Siobhan can't pinpoint who she is at this point as a singer, and she takes PRIDE in that. Take that Kara and Simon!!! You GO SIOBHAN!! I voted like crazy for the woman tonight, and I hope it pays off by keeping her around for another week. We shall see. My grade: A (would have been an A+ if the first half was as powerful as the second).

Ya know, Ryan Seacrest is a jerk. He actually makes a crack about Brian Dunkelman co-hosting next week. Then laughs and says, "No, actually it's Queen Latifah"... Nice. Rip on poor Dunkelman. Coulda been you Seacrest!! He really is cocky these days. Ugh.

OK, next up - Michael Lynche, taking on "In The Ghetto". Siobhan actually recommended it to Michael. And he nails it. Absolutely nails it. Loved his version of this. He really has grown as an artist from when we first saw him, and proves the save last week was well worth it. I loved it! And he gets a standing O from many in the crowd. Randy said it was a little sleepy, but he said vocally it was hot. Ellen is glad they saved him. Kara loved it. And so did Simon - said it was a terrific choice. My grade: A+

Katie Stevens sings a song I've never heard - "Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do?". Adam encourages her to be angry and frustrated. She excels as the side shake of the head. And her vocals this week are pretty darn good. I liked this performance a lot - way better than she's been in the past, and I really liked the sass. Randy said nice vocals and he was entertained. Ellen said it was very horny song - meaning lots of horns in it! Said she really can sing - it was great. Kara said Katie showed the judges - she liked it. Simon didn't care for it. I disagree - I really liked it a lot. My grade: A

Final contestant tonight - Casey James - and he sings old school Elvis. I don't know if I've heard of "Lawdy Ms. Clawdy"...but it SOUNDS like an old school Elvis title. Adam wants Casey to make the song more of his own. I thought he had moments, but overall, it wasn't nearly as soulful as I thought it could have been. Good, but not great. Randy said it was solid -nothing different, though. Ellen said his voice sounded great, but it wasn't as exciting as she would have liked. Kara said it fell short. Simon said it was a wasted opportunity, but his vocal was good. I'll agree with that. My grade: B

So who will go home? Well, I think Andrew is a given. And because this is a popularity contest, I could see Big Mike going, but I don't think that will happen. I can see a shocker like Casey being booted. I actually have NO idea who else besides Andrew, but please don't let it be Siobhan or Crystal or Lee...and Big Mike and Katie earned another week.

We shall see...but it's late, and I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Until next week...have a good one!

American Idol - Season 9 - Top 9 - Week 4

Hey everyone...busy day today...had the Ravens Nest meeting this evening, then I had to drive my sitter (i.e. Mom) home. Then I had to watch Lost. And now it's 12:15 am. But I did have time to vote for Siobhan - before all of you accuse me of not even listening to her performance, I did check it out and then voted early and often. Well, not early, because it's 12:15. Anyway, onto this week's show.

It seems to be inevitable that AI does a "Beatles" week - I mean, Lennon and McCartney had so many great songs, it's actually a pretty good choice. However, in the past, the contestants have the unfortunate habit of murdering these songs. Maybe it's because the songs are so ingrained in our minds that any other version seems - well, laughable. However, I'm confident that at least a few performances will be spot on tonight. I just have a feeling...we'll see.

First up is 16 year old Aaron Kelly - he sings "The Long and Winding Road", which was one of the last Beatles songs to chart if recall correctly (well, I wasn't even 1 year old when this song came out, I believe...but you know what I mean.) I like the original, but prefer "Across the Universe" from the same time period. Hmmmmm....wonder who will sing that later? Anyway, onto "Yoda" aka Aaron. Before Aaron sings, we hear him utter the words, "At the end of the day..." That's one strike against you Aaron! I hate that phrase! So he performs the song. The verdict? He put a country twang to the song, which I'm not sure suits it. I want to like this performance, but I generally don't think it was that good. He has some good moments, but also some pitchy moments and I wonder if he really is a strong enough performer for this show. I like Aaron, but he isn't one of the best singers on the show. Randy didn't like the arrangement - thought Aaron could change it up more. Ellen said it was too big for him, and it felt like a "long and winding song..." Ouch. Kara said it was good, but not great. It's all starting to sound the same. She's totally right! Great comment, Kara. Simon calls Aaron sweetie - and asks him why he chose that song. Aaron said (shocking) that it HAS been a long and winding road, to which Simon rolls his eyes. Some dude in the audience RIPS Simon - it's actually funny seeing Simon's reaction. He didn't care for it much - bottom line.

Katie Stevens announces that she'll go to prom with whoever calls the most for her. Um....ok, please don't wh*re yourself out there Katie for votes. Not good form. Katie is cute as a button, but can she sing? Well, yeah, but she's not as strong as the other two remaining women. She's going to sing "Let It Be" - what's up with the slow songs tonight? I want someone to sing Revolution or Back in the USSR or Helter Skelter!! So Katie sings "Let It Be", which is a song I like, but I'm worried she's going to oversappify the song. There is something about her voice which I don't find appealing. I can't quite place my finger on it - something is off with the pitch. This could be a case where if i was there live, it may sound different and therefore better. I didn't HATE the performance, but it wasn't something I was blown away by. And when you have the other two women - Siobhan and Crystal - who I know are going to blow the lid off the sucka, you gotta bring it. Randy went nuts over it - LOVED it. Ellen said it was amazing, and predicts she won't be in the bottom 3. Kara said it was a great vocal, with Katie's confidence showing. She's proud of her. Simon says the word "COMPETITION". He said she got it right tonight - and the reason was that Katie was leaning Country. The other judges say he's insane - it was more R&B. Either way, maybe I was wrong - maybe it was better than I first heard it. I don't know. Like I said, I didn't dislike it, I just wasn't crazy over it like they were. I do agree with Kara - Katie looks great this week. :^)

Andrew Garcia sings "Can't Buy Me Love". He changes up the arrangement up - I can't tell you what it sounds like, other than it sounds like it should be in a Vegas show, complete with horns. Ugh. He's singing behind the judges as well, just like someone else did last week...not a big fan of this performance. I think Andrew's days are numbered on the show. He may be the first guy to go. Randy said it was OK, but a little corny. Ellen loved it. Kara wanted to love it, but she didn't see anything new from Andrew. Will she mention "Straight Up"?? Nope...but I was waiting for it. Simon brings out the Wedding analogy - he didn't like it. Man, Andrew really looks likes he wants to kill Simon...again. Andrew seems like a nice guy, and I feel bad for him. But as of right now, I'm picking him to leave. We'll see what happens with the rest.

Big Michael Lynche is up next - he takes on "Eleanor Rigby". And I love this performance. The reason? He changes the song up, AND he sounds a lot different than what he has up to this point, AND he sounds really really good. Definitely a fan of "Big Mike"! Randy said the parts that worked were great - he said it could be a "joint" on the radio. Ellen said Big Mike can do anything. Said it was a huge risk but she thought it was incredible. Kara said that was FIRE - she liked the way he changed it up and created drama. Kara really is gushing over him, and I can't say I blame her. Simon didn't love it as much as the others - said it was too much like something you'd hear in a musical. He disagreed with Kara - he said it took Mike backwards. I disagree, Simon.

I see a commercial for Glee, and I'm practically giddy with excitement. The kind of feeling I get when I know Siobhan is up next. Then I see a First Mariner commercial (local bank) with Joe Flacco, and have to laugh every time he says "PITTSBURGH!!!???!?!!?" Classic.

One of my favorites is up next - Crystal Bowersox. I still am picking Crystal as the favorite to win it all. OMG - Aaron says "At the end of the day..." during the package about Crystal. Aaron, I know you're only 16, but please stop with the cliches. So Crystal is going to sing "Come Together", and predict it will be great. While I really enjoyed it, I think I had unrealistic expectations for this song. Don't get me wrong - she's got such a professional sounding voice, and she WILL have a record contract. This is a no brainer. But I've heard her do better performances. Randy agrees with me - it wasn't her best, but she's still a star. Ellen said she can't keep coming up with ways to describe how great Crystal is. Said she was amazing and that she loved it. Kara said it was one of her favorite performances - she liked what Crystal did with the song. Simon said he could hear her version on the radio - and he liked the didgeridoo. I felt like I was watching an Outback Steakhouse commercial!

Vote for the Worst's favorite song, Tim Urban, is up next. He sings "All My Loving" while playing the electric guitar. Tim has that Justin Bieber hair goin' on big time this evening. I still have no idea why the judges picked this kid to come back, but you gotta admire Tim's attitude. He's not horrible this week, but to me, it's very "Karaoke" like. Sorry - I had to use that cliche. It really doesn't go anyway - I've heard him much worse, but the thing about Tim is that he sounds so similar week after week. But based on all of his performances this season, it really wasn't that bad. Randy said it was better than past performances - and he digs the hair. It was a good "Tim" performance - meaning, it wasn't really good, but for Tim, it was. Ellen liked it - said it was his second best performance (next to his version of Hallelujah). Kara said she admires him for standing up there and taking their criticism. Simon said he thought Tim did really well tonight. No gimmicks - just sang the song naturally.

Casey James, aka "Goldilocks", takes on John Lennon's "Jealous Guy", going outside of the Beatles catalog. Casey sounds very Bob Segar-like tonight (thanks Marc!). I will probably get slammed for this, but I loved this performance. Was it perfect vocally? No. Was it his best performance? Well, maybe...but when you compare it to "The Power of Love", there is nowhere to go but up! I think I love the original so much that it affected my judgement ever so slightly. I don't know why - I just really liked the vibe in this song. Way better than I thought it was going to be. Good job, Goldilocks. The judges verdict? Well, Randy loved the sensitive side of Casey. He LOVED it. Couple of pitch problems, but it worked. Ellen said it was his best performance to date. Kara said he showed vulnerability, and it was very tasteful. He showed depth and range. So she liked it. Simon said it was the best performance of the night so far. He said the difference week to week was "ginormous". Yes, he said "ginormous".

Siobhan Magnus is up next - wow. She's so freakin' awesome. You all know that I feel that way. Tonight she's singing one of my favorite Beatles' songs - "Across the Universe". Besides the fact that she looks amazing tonight, her vocal is stunning in the fact that it's incredibly reserved. When I first heard it, my thought was most of it was a little too sleepy for me. It's an incredibly soft, quiet arrangement. But when I heard it the second time, I just sat back and listened to the quality in her voice. She really has quite a beautiful voice, and proved tonight that she's not just about "screaming" those crazy, incredible notes. I thought it was wonderful, and she did nothing tonight to change my mind on my opinion on her. Stellar stuff from my favorite Idol contestant this season. She's got her own unique style, but at the root of it all is a gorgeous voice that I could easily envision on a record. She, like Crystal, is destined for a record contract. Oh, and I voted for her quite a few times. Sure, she could probably sing the phone book and I'd rave on and on about it, but you know what? It's my blog, and I can write what I want! So back off, all you Siobhan haters!! She is here to stay. Randy said he looks forward to seeing what she's going to come up with - it was a little too sleepy for him, but he definitely appreciates her as an artist. Ellen loves the fact that Siobhan marches to her own drum, and she's special. Said she did a beautiful job. Kara said she hit the notes - but it was too restrained for Siobhan. Kara - honey - she is showing a different side. You don't have to do the same thing EVERY week. Simon asks Siobhan why she chose that song, and Siobhan said it comes down to the lyric "Nothing's gonna change my world", and refers to her two younger sisters. No matter what happens, she's there for her baby sisters who are her whole world. She gets choked up - and says she's not going to change as a person. Wow, how can you not love this girl. :^) Simon said what is great about her is that she's so unpredictable. Said she was much better last week (I think he meant to say she was much better than last week, not much better last week...whew...).

Lee Dewyze has a confidence problem. We learn this in the package. We also learn that Lee and Andrew are best buddies. Lee is singing "Hey Jude". I honestly don't know if I liked this or not. Midway through the song, a guy playing the bagpipe comes down from the top of the steps. A bagpipe!?!?! It was good, but not great. In my opinion. Randy thought it was great. Ellen loved it. Kara said it was uneven, but she can hear him on the radio. Simon said it was great until the bagpipe to showed up. It was like he (the bagpipe guy) was on the wrong show! When asked why he chose to use a bagpipe in the song, Lee responds, "Why not!!?!?" Gotta love it. I respectfully change my mind -I did like the song. Especially the bagpipe. Hilarious.

So I think Andrew is the first male to go home this week - it wasn't a horrible performance, but I felt it was the second weakest of the night (I thought Aaron was worse, but he's got such a fan base he's safe as kittens...). We'll see if I'm right tomorrow night. If I am right tomorrow, what will Lee do? Of course, Tim Urban will probably in the bottom three, and COULD go home, but he's got the support of Vote for the Worst, so I'm guessing he stays.