Season 10 - Top 11 Part Deux

OK, so let's try this again...

Because of the shocking final few moments from last week's elimination show (where the judges elected to use their only save of the season on Casey Abrams), we now have the task of getting rid of TWO "Idols" this week.

So let's not beat around the bush - it's Elton John week, and here we go.

The first thing I notice on tonight's show is during the intro fluff piece, we see the "Idols" getting photographed in LA. Photographer Art Streiber appears to be using a Hasselblad Medium Format Digital SLR. Those things run upwards of $40k. Holy. Moly. And here I am drooling over the $1,200 Nikon D7000. Anyway, I digress...

First up: Scotty E. Neuman. Er. Scotty McCreery. He sings "Country Comfort", which I suppose is an obvious choice. He dedicates the song to his grandmother, who is in the audience. To me, this sounds like every other Scotty performance. You either dig him, or you don't. I think he's good. Not my personal cup of tea, BUT he certainly was smart to pick the song he did. I was personally hoping for "Kiss the Bride" or "Wrap Her Up" or "Nikita". I mean, can you imagine? I'm going to predict Steven Tyler says NOTHING negative or constructive all night. Just sayin'....

Next up - Naima Adedapo, doing a reagae version of "I'm Still Standing". And you know what? It doesn't turn out to be the train wreck that it SOUNDS like it could have been. The judges didn't like it, but I think the song kind of lends itself to being converted into this style. Most will hate this - I thought it actually was kinda good. But I'm probably the only one. And she may be in danger this week for taking such a rich.

I challenge Steven Tyler to say something critical. Please.

And for those of you viewing this program in Maryland, did you see the horrible "Kegasus" ads for Preakness? Are they kidding???

And Taio Cruz is asking for help writing lyrics? What is this world coming to?

Oh, goodie, my least favorite is up next - Paul McDonald. So he'll give a shout out to the audience before he goes on, because, well, that's what Paul does. Because he's a cliche. He's going to sing "Rocket Man". I am so sick of Jimmy Iovine. Please, no more. There's the shout out. And the Jeff Tweedy jacket. "Y'all ready"? Yes, Paul. We're ready for you to start singing. This sounds like something you'd hear at a local Kareoke bar, where someone is trying to fake like they are a serious artist, but really, they just stink. So I'm done with Mr. Irrelevant. Of course, he'll stay, and millions will cheer for him, and say how wonderful he is. I think he's awful. Randy, I don't believe. Steven loves him. Shocker. I can't believe they are asking him to push it even harder. Ugh.

Pia Toscano up next. Wow, those LEGS. Um...anyway, let me see...what's she singing? Um...oh, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me". Of course. I'm not surprised, because she loves her freakin' ballads. And it should be effortless for her to knock this out of the park. Did she do a good job? Sure. She can absolutely sing this type of song, and kill it. Was it as amazing as the judges said? I don't know - I'm still just diggin' how good looking Pia looks tonight. My prediction? Another ballad next week. And really, at this point? Who cares? She could go in the studio tomorrow and make an album better than Celine Dion. Yeah, I said it - better. Full disclosure, though - I can't stand Celine Dion. :^) Pia can sing, and she deserves to stick around for many, many weeks. End of story.

Stefano Langone is singing "Tiny Dancer". When I hear this song, I think of Ben Folds. And Almost Famous. Stefano's version is just...ok. I applaud him for not going overboard, but I was kind of bored by this. He's got a good voice, and is usually king of the runs. But this performance was forgettable, I think. But what do I know?

Lauren Alaina is tackling "Candle in the Wind". She puts a little country flava in it. I like this a lot. But that's not really a surprise, is it? She didn't go overboard with it. She just sang it well. And that's all you can ask for. She still doesn't own the stage, but I seem great potential in Lauren. Of course, I picked her early on, so I'm stickin' with it.

James Durbin OWNS that stage. Complete with flaming pianos, air splits ala David Lee Roth, and just an overall crazed performance. Of course, the song lends itself to that. He sang the song well - he did nothing this week to make me like him less. The guy is good. Period. To me, WAY better than Adam Lambert.

Thia Megia. Sings Daniel. Zzzzzzz..... She's going home this week. Didn't keep my interest. Again, nice voice, but does nothing for me. She looked like she was getting teared up at the end. Maybe she realizes it's the end of the road? I was hoping she'd sing something like "The Bitch Is Back" or "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" or "Honky Cat" (I mean, let's do something different, Thia!)

Maybe it's the hair cut and beard trim. Maybe it's because of his reaction last week. Or maybe it's because he sang it well. But Casey Abrams' interpretation of "Your Song" was my favorite performance of the night. I really enjoyed it - he didn't go overboard, he didn't try to come off as being anything other than who he is. Good choice of song, and he sang it very well.

Jacob Lusk sings "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". I will agree with Jimmy I - I hope he doesn't go overboard. The faces this guy makes...make me laugh. I thought it was good, and he didn't go crazy like I thought he would. Nice work, Mr. Lusk. Solid performance. And how dare Jennifer, bringing up Robbie Rosen! Ugh...couldn't stand that kid.

Last to go tonight is my friend Karen's favorite, Haley Scarnato...er, wait. Haley Reinhart. She sings "Benny and the Jets". I was kidding about Karen liking Haley. And she's going to hate this. I actually LIKE this. Sure, her bopping around the stage is kinda goofy. And her hissing like the Bronx Zoo Cobra makes me laugh. But I really liked it. And I don't care what anyone thinks. Even Karen.

Bottom three will be Stefano, Thia and Naima. Stefano goes home. I think.

Whew...I have to get to bed. I also need to write these more concisely.

Season 10 - Top 11

Motown Night. Yes, it's a time honored tradition of Idol to cover the songs made famous by the Berry Gordy Hit Machine. I love Motown, so that means I should love this week's Idol, right? We shall see....

First up: Grizzly Adams/Seth Rogan dead ringer Casey Abrams. He sings "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", made famous by Marvin Gaye and The California Raisins. Although Casey looks like a dork tonight, sweats profusely, and verges on going off on a Taylor Hicks Cheesefest, I actually enjoy his performance. It was mostly fun to watch. Especially Casey's cute friend Megan.

Man, Brad Whitford looks old. He's in the audience tonight. Hi Brad. Aerosmith rocks.

Thia Megia is up next, and sings "Heatwave" by Martha and the Vandellas. You know, I'm really getting tired of seeing Jimmy Iovine on this show. Enough! While I applaud Thia for not doing a ballad this week, I still don't buy her completely. It's not bad, but I just don't feel the passion that I should with that song. Better, but not quite there yet. Very nice voice, but not really star material...yet. BTW, Steven continues to have nothing constructive to say. Is this really the best we could do in finding celebrity judges for Idol? I miss Simon.

Jacob Lusk sings "You're All I Need To Get By" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Good choice - it fits him well. Other than some bizarre faces and body motions, and a goofy ending, I really enjoyed this. My favorite Jacob performance so well - like I said, the song fit him perfectly. Great job! Ryan actually made me laugh when he invited everyone up for hugs.

My girl's up next - Lauren Alaina, singing the Supreme's "You Keep Me Hanging On". Now this is the Lauren I've been waiting for. She's confident, looks great, and sounds even better. While this performance isn't going to go down as one of those "AMAZING" performances that I know she's capable of, it was definitely one of her best so far this season. Keep it up Lauren - your confidence will continue to grow, and you'll get better each week. I still am confident in my choice of her as my favorite Idol contestant this season.

Stefano Langone sings that Motown classic "Hello" by Lionel Ritchie. OK, so while it was recorded on the Motown label, it wasn't from the the classic years of Motown. BUT it's from the 80's. And it's Lionel Ritchie. And the music video has that creepy bust that the blind girl makes for Lionel. But I digress. I really dug his version of this song. The dude can sing. Yes, it was definitely different from the original, but I really liked it. He did close his eyes, though.

Wow, Gordon Ramsey...that was rude!

Haley Reinhart sings "You Really Got a Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Her legs totally distract me from hearing what she's singing. It didn't blow me away. It was horrible. It was good, but to me, she doesn't stand out. She doesn't have that wow factor. Again, good, but not great. This just in: Steven Tyler feels her. And you know, that Tyler growl is classic...love it!

Scotty McCreery and Motown? Um...next! We see Scotty play basketball, ping pong, and attempt to sing Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life". The country singer sings a country version of this. Do I like it? Meh - not so much, but here is the thing about young Scotty. I say it every week - I can totally see him on the radio. Tomorrow. Does this version work? Absolutely not. Would THIS be on the radio? Nope. But is Scotty destined for a record contract. If I was shaking the magic 8 ball, I'd say yes. I guess this was the best we could expect on Motown Night. I still like this kid.

Pia Toscano is up next. She sings "All In Love Is Fair" by Stevie Wonder - I don't think I've ever heard this song before. And it's a slow ballad - this is not surprising, but man, when she hits those notes, I could care less. Like Scotty, I can see her recording an album tomorrow. Beautiful voice, and probably the most polished singer of the entire group. I really am blown away by her most weeks. She can really, really, REALLY sing. Many props, Pia!! Oh, and she's lookin' really good tonight, too. :^) BTW, I actually agree with Jennifer tonight - let's see some other stuff besides ballads! Reason I like Ryan tonight - he asks Pia to turn around so we can see the backless dress. Hubba hubba hubba!

Paul McDonald is up next. He's going to ruin "The Tracks of My Tears" by Smokey Robinson. Er, perform it. So my verdict? Compared to what he's done so far, it's probably his best performance....maybe....I think. Does that mean I like it? Not really, BUT it's nowhere near as horrible as he's been in previous weeks. So I'll give him that and hope he continues trending upward next week. Then again, that's if he's here. OMG - Steven compared him to Dylan and Willie Nelson!

Naima Adedapo sings "Dancing In The Street" by Martha and the Vandellas. Although you know, David Bowie and Mick Jagger did it too. And Van Halen. Whoa, check out those funky pants.... The song was fine, and she sang it well...but I thought the break out in the African Dance was a bit much. However, I liked this WAY better than her horrible rendition of "What's Love Got To Do With It" last week. So good job Naima, but lose the dancing!

Two people that I remember have sung "Livin' For The City": Taylor Hicks, and Siobhan Magnus. Now, I wish I had a clip of Siobhan singing the ENTIRE song, but alas, there is only this. My point is, I have high expectations as probably my favorite Idol singer sang this song (Siobhan, not Taylor Hicks!). So James Durbin takes on this classic from Stevie Wonder. And I think he did awesome. It was a little strange at the end, but 95% of the song was really, really well done. The guy just has that voice...the rock star voice. Very happy that he's doing well. One of my most unexpected performances tonight - loved it.

I think Stefano, Naima and Haley are in the bottom 3 this week. We'll see if I'm right tomorrow. Could also be Thia, but I think it's one of those 3 going home. One thing is for sure - WAY better than last week. Of course, that was late 80's music vs classic Motown. Easy win for Motown!

Season 10 - Top 12

This week on Idol - the dreaded "Songs from the year you were born" show. Ugh. The reason I say "Ugh" is that most of these kids are in their early 20's, so we're going back to the late 80's/early 90's. Listen, I love the 80's, but primarily the EARLY to mid 80's. The late 80's was a blur of bad music, for the most part.

First up is Naima Adedapo. She sings "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner. I don't think anyone has ever covered this song very well on Idol. Naima particularly struggles with it - I think I counted exactly one time when I said, "OK, that was good...." Not one of her stronger performances, and now in back to back weeks, I'm questioning why I put her down as the 3rd favorite in my pre-season poll. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "I loved it..."

Paul McDonald - ugh. He's still here? He "takes on" Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" from 1984. After seeing photos of Paul as a kid in a cowboy outfit, and hearing his parents question where Paul gets his talent from (he has talent???), we see another awkward performance from Paul. I like how Paul says that 1984 has some "killer tunes" - I know that no matter what "killer tune" Paul picks, he'll kill it alright. And not in a good way. He actually says "What up, yo?!" at the beginning. Stop Paul. Just stop. I can't tell what is worse - Paul's jerky movements on stage, or his fake affectation in his singing. Elton John should sue. Just horrible. I know I'm harsh on Paul every week, but I honestly can't stand his singing, or the judges constant overlooking the fact that he's not very good. Or that he's awful. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "You define cool dude in a loose mood."

The reason I'm writing this so late tonight is Thia Megia put me to sleep hearing "Colors of the Wind" by Vanessa Williams, which, if I'm not mistaken, is from the Disney movie "Pocahontas". Nice voice, but so boring. I just wish she'd do something more up tempo and interesting. Zzzzzz. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "I think you sang it beautifully".

James Durbin picks Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There For You". Not one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs - but I think he does OK. It's a little flat at times, meaning not much character in his voice. Then again, James doesn't embarrass himself, and considering the song, he's not bad. Well, except for some of the screams he lets out towards the end of the song. Not one of his stronger performances, but I still dig this cat. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "Don't get too poppy on me, but great..." Steven also says that if James makes it to the finale and sings Aerosmith, that he'll sing with James.

Haley Reinhart performs a forgettable version of Whitney Houston's "I'm Your Baby Tonight". I don't know what it is about Haley, but I can't really get into her performances. Never mind the fact that she's wearing bright red lipstick that mostly ends up on her chin. All I have to say is, "Meh". Certainly not horrible, but nothing I'll be thinking about the minute the song ends. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "Your voice is so distinct, we heard things in it we loved, and we want to hear more". What?!?!?

Stefano Langone is up next, and sings Simply Red's cover of "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (which is a shame, because to me, their best song is "Holding Back The Years", but Stefano was born in 1989, not 1985.) I think while he overdoes it at times, he does a solid job, and he hits some really nice notes. Finally a performance I enjoyed tonight. It took a while. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "It was just wonderful, man....over the top."

What a shocker - Pia Toscano is singing "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by Whitney Houston. Pia may have the best voice in the competition, and she does a solid job. But her problem is she's getting somewhat stale in her song choices. Usually the big ballad. Yes, maybe this isn't what you would call a "ballad", but it's still not up-tempo enough for me. Don't get me wrong - love her voice, and she has a very good shot at going far in this. She's a lock to stay this week. I just am getting a little bored with it. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "You nailed it".

Scotty McCreery is up next, and his parents BOTH sing "Baby lock them doors...." Ugh. And Jimmy Iovine (who I'm getting a little sick of...) makes a crack that he's got jeans that are older than Scotty. How original. He sings a Travis Tritt song from 1993. I'm tellin' you, this kid will get a recording contract. It's not that I think he's so phenomenal, but he IS ready to be on country radio tomorrow. He's got a perfectly recordable voice - and I think he's quietly put together a nice string of solid, professional performances. Even if he does look like the lovechild of Howdy Doody and Alfred E. Neuman. They can't see you on the radio, anyway. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "You keep knowing who you are, and you're going to go places". He has yet to say anything critical this week...or last week...

Karen Rodriguez sings Taylor Dayne's "Love Will Lead You Back". Better than last week, but boring nonetheless. She sings in Spanish for the last verse. And lord, those earrings are HUGE. It's songs like this that make me wonder why I'm watching this show. I mean, it's infinitely better than someone like Paul, and stronger than someone like Haley. But doesn't make me jump and down (me too, Randy). This week's Steven Tyler comments: "I love it when you break into your ethnic what-it-is-ness."

Casey Abrams has, with this performance, worn out his welcome with me. He takes on Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". I would have preferred him do "Lithium". Well, maybe not. Unlike Paul, I like Casey's quirkiness. But he murdered this Nirvana classic. And to be fair, very few could pull it off. I appreciate his boldness in taking it on - he could have played it safe, but didn't. And I can commend him for that (are you listening Pia and Karen and Thia??). But ultimately it doesn't work. BTW, there is a Carly Smithson sighting in the audience before he sings. Hi Carly! This week's Steven Tyler comments: "You are so good, man. You are so crazy and talented. That's the goop that great stuff is made from."

My girl Lauren Alaina is up next, singing "I'm The Only One" by Melissa Etheridge. Lauren has the flu, but the show must go on. She still doesn't seem that comfortable on stage. She doesn't command the stage. And she sings a little flat at times, but she still has a good voice and deserves to be here. I'm infinitely more interested in what she's going to sing week to week - much more than Karen or Thia. So I hope she stays - I think she will get better and better. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "You're a shining star".

Jacob Lusk rounds out the show with a cover of Heart's "Alone". I would have preferred him taking on "Barracuda"! But that would have been against the rules, I suppose. Not surprising, Jacob goes way over the top. He's predictable, and like Casey, he's kind of wearing out his welcome with me. The judges will eat it up, though. He'll be safe again this week. This week's Steven Tyler comments: "Gospel had a baby, and they named it Jacob Lusk".

So I think the bottom 3 this week: Haley, Karen and Thia. Or maybe Naima (heck, she might be going home...) No idea who stays and who goes. It could be any of them. I just wish Paul would go home already. Blech. Here is hoping that next week the show picks up, and that Steven Tyler learns out how to offer constructive criticism. Or ANY criticism. I mean, he actually said "The best show since the Beatles show..." REALLY???? Oh boy...Steve has morphed into Paula! Make it end soon...please. Or get better...quickly!!

Season 10 - Top 13

Why do I do this to myself? Nearly every week, I will watch Idol, and then hours later, I get around to writing my comments in this blog? Not smart...I really don't enjoy going to bed at 2 am. So here is an abbreviated review. I will say it was rather impressive in the list of A list producers who produced the songs and worked with the Idol hopefuls tonight. Good stuff.

So first up is my favorite this year - Lauren Alaina. I really heart this girl, not only for her voice and her personality, but for the fact that she's following in Siobhan's footsteps and singing "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain. I liked this performance, but didn't LOVE it. She seemed breathless at times, and it didn't have the life I expected it. However, she's still great, so I voted for her. And listen - don't ever apologize to Steven Tyler. Please...you're better than that, Lauren!

Casey Abrams sings Joe Cocker's version of "With A Little Help From My Friends". It's a good, but somewhat predictable choice. Is Casey a one trick pony? Maybe, but again, I find him entertaining. That may wear off as the season goes on, but for now, I think he's pretty good. I liked his take on the song - he didn't go as crazy as I thought he would. And he really could be played by Seth Rogan in the Hollywood adaption. I think Casey has more style than substance, but that's ok. He makes it interesting, and that works for me.

Ashthon Jones sings a Diana Ross song that I've heard before, but I don't think is one of her more popular tunes. I didn't really care for it. I still don't think they should have put her through to the top 13, but now that she's here, this is the kind of performance I think we'll get every week. Certainly not bad, but nothing that I'll remember as a showstopper. So I say, "Meh", and move on.

Paul McDonald sings Ryan Adams. He makes sure you know it's Ryan Adams and not Bryan Adams. Thanks, Paul. You are so indie. This will go down as one of the worst performances I can remember on Idol. It's painful to listen to him. It's painful to watch him. And it has nothing to do with his song choice - because I like Ryan Adams. I just think Paul isn't my cup of tea. Or Coke Zero. Or anything. His act is getting very old Please, American, send this cornball home. Let him sing in a cafe where hipsters will heap praise on him while sipping on a Cafe Latte. Ugh. Stop the madness! The judges are on crack, by the way, for stroking this dude's ego. BLECH!!!!

For the second week in a row, Pia Toscano blows it up. I mean, she kicked major booty tonight. She's right up there with Lauren and she out sang Lauren tonight. And I really like the slicked back hair and glasses look. Hubba hubba - she really was amazing tonight, just "slaying" (thanks Randy) "All By Myself", which is a Eric Carmen song. Please do not mention Celine Dion. Ever. I can't stand that snooty, self absorbed performer. Did I mention Pia absolutely killed it tonight? She sounds great, looks great, and now I just want to see what she can do besides power ballads. Jennifer was speechless at one point. So was I. Great job Pia!!

James Durbin follows up Pia's great performance with a great performance of his own. He sings Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed". Yes, he is similar to Adam Lambert, but he's much better in my opinion. I think this guy will be around for a long time on this show. I thought he rocked it. Nice tone to his voice (when he's not belting out one of his patented screams...). I really like this guy - great job tonight James!

Haley Reinhart is next, and let me tell you. Steven Tyler has the hots for this young lady. The creepy smile on his face says it all. That's ok Steven - she is pretty, but I don't think she was smart in picking LeAnn Rimes "Blue". I think that's one of those songs that you really shouldn't touch. It's not bad, but there was something that wasn't right to it. I don't know why - maybe I didn't pick her as someone who would sing THAT song. She's nowhere near as bad as that dip Paul, but it was a little too strange for me. I agree with Randy - it was kind of boring. I THINK she'll nail a song at some point this season, but I also don't know if she'll last that long. We'll see.

Jacob Lusk's idol is R. Kelley? I thought Jacob was a gospel singer? Does he know about R. Kelley's past and his legal troubles? He sings "I Believe I Can Fly" from the cinematic classic, "Space Jam". Um. OK. Yeah, I know the song is more popular than the movie that it came from. Jacob has a choir come out with him. Let me say this - while I can appreciate Jacob's pipes, it's a bit much for me. I think he's going to be pigeonholed into the same types of songs week after week. Great for Sundays, but on the pop charts? I don't see it.

Thia Megia sings the old standard "Smile". Beautiful voice - no way she sounds like she's 16 years old. Having said that, it's slightly boring. She changes it up after the intro, and I don't know if it's entirely sucessful, but it's hard to argue she's got a great voice. Still, overall, somewhat of a snooze fest though. Maybe it's the song. That's probably it. Because she does have a really beautiful voice.

Stefano Lagone sings Stevie Wonder's classic "Lately". At first, I am worried this will be horrible. And then he changes the song into a dance track! And it actually works! Not because of the tempo of the music, but his voice gets better as the song goes on. It builds up pretty well after the beginning. Not bad, Stefano, not bad at all. Judges made a good choice in bringing you back.

Karen Rodriguez sings Selena's "I Could Fall In Love". I didn't think it was very good - just like last week, the singing was OK for the most part, but there was some pitch problems. And I was really bored with it. I warned last week that Karen shouldn't get stuck in this rut of singing these ballads. Because if you sing these types of songs, you better slay them. Pia did that. Karen did not. She seems like a super nice person, so I almost don't want to say anything bad about her. :^(

Scotty McCreery looks like Alfred E. Newman. And he is very limited in what he can sing. It's country. And more country. But you know what? Who cares? That is what he is. And I would have never thought I would have said this when I first saw him (I think I was screaming at the TV when he chose to sing the same song during Hollywood that he sang in his first audition). But I like this cat - he sounds like he COULD be on the radio now. Maybe true country aficionados would disagree - I don't claim to be a huge country fan. But to me, it sounded good.

Last to go tonight is Naima Adedapo, who sings Rihanna's "Umbrella". While I share in Naima's love of Rihanna, I don't love her performance. She breaks into some crazy dance moves and does some kind of Reggae hip hop dance thing in the middle. Bizarre. The judges set a record for using the word "Flavor" in their critique of Naima. It wasn't horrible, but I've heard her sound much better in the past. I still like her, though. She's a unique individual - and unlike Paul, that's a good thing. Minor quibble: Naima's use of the word "Overstand" instead of "Understand". But really - that's irrelevant. It is silly that she doesn't get #13 for her phone number at the end (instead, they pick 36...um, ok....). And Ryan almost takes her ear off with his suit jacket...don't ask.

So my three faves tonight were Pia (amazing), James and Lauren. I predict Ashthon or Karen (or Stefano or Thia!) goes home this week. Wish it was Paul, though!

Ranking the Top 13

So after Thursday night's episode, we now know the top 13. A few notes about that episode. One, we don't need 2 hours to inform us of the contestants moving on. Could have easily been done in an hour. Ugh. Also, I found it interesting at the end when Ryan asked JLo, "Do you know how many you're going to select?" Ryan, I don't know if you got the memo, but it was always going to be 3 additional "Wild Cards" that the judges would pick.

I'm sad that Rachel didn't make it through, but she really didn't deserve to after that version of "Criminal" by Fiona Apple. And I'm also disappointed that Tim didn't go through, since my good friend Karen had a crush on him. I don't know if he could sing or not, but I enjoyed hearing Karen swoon over past contestants such as Casey James and Tim Urban. Don't know who she's going to be crushin' on this year.

Anyway, here is my ranking of the 13 that were selected by the judges. I don't think you'll find a surprise at either end, but the middle was kind of tough to choose the order. I reserve the right to denounce any of this as the season goes on. :^)

So here goes!

13 - Paul McDonald: I'm sure Paul's a nice guy, and I have a friend on Facebook who says that someone she knows is friends with Paul. However, there is something about Paul that drives me bonkers. It's a combination of his voice, his mannerisms, and his affectation. And that look. I think he’s one of those guys that people swoon over in coffee houses all across America because he’s so “different”. I think he’s awful, and judging by the way everyone else seems to think he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, he’s either pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, or I’m just plain wrong. I don’t think I’m wrong, though. He’ll probably make it to the upper portion of the competition because everyone loves him, but I sure hope not. If he wins, I’m never watching Idol again.

12 – Ashton Jones: Yeah, she sang that song from Dreamgirls, and it was OK. I have heard it better. I think she tries to be the diva too much, and there are much better singers in the competition. And I would probably have picked someone else for that last spot. That said, she’s not terrible but not my cup o’ tea. I don’t see her lasting that long in this.

11 – Hailey Reinhart: Another contestant I was kind of surprised got voted in by America. I though her version of “Fallin” was a little all over the place. Not a huge fan, but who knows. Maybe she’ll win me over. We’ll see.

10 – Scotty McCreery: Listen, I actually like this kid. He is no worse than anyone else with that style of singing who is on the radio today. That said, he’s very limited (I feel) in what he’ll be able to pull off. And while I don’t mind Country, it’s not my first choice when it comes to music. I think this kid has a future, but he isn’t near the top of my list from the 13 that were chosen.

9 – Thia Megia: While I thought she did a fantastic job this week, to me she doesn’t have the presence that some of the other contestants have. I also think she’s going to be limited in that she’ll probably sing the ballads really well, but I don’t know about other types of songs. Again, I could be way off, but I wouldn’t put her in the upper echelon.

8 – Karen Rodriguez: If Karen keeps sings songs like “Hero”, she’ll probably do well with America, but not me. I can’t stand Mariah Carey, and I wasn’t really that impressed with her rendition. It was solid, but to me, nothing really memorable. I do think she’s got a good voice, and will certainly have her moments. Again, like Thia, I look forward to seeing her sing things other than the syrupy ballads.

7 – Jacob Lusk: Great voice, but tends to go a little crazy at times with it. Control, control, you must learn control! Sorry, that was my Yoda talking. Plus, he’s jumping around on stage like a maniac doesn’t help. Not knocking his voice, but to call him the equal of Luther Vandross after one song on Idol is insane.

6 – Stefano Langone: I was definitely impressed with his singing on Thursday night’s show. He proved that with the right song, he could beat anyone. I think song choice will be critical – singing Bruno Mars was a mistake, I think. But he can sing, no doubt.

5 – Casey Abrams: This is where it gets tough. I suppose someone could say that Casey is faking it, much like Paul. However, I enjoy watching Casey bring something different to the Idol stage. Yes, he looks like Seth Rogan. And yes, his version of “I Put A Spell On You” wasn’t as good as people made it out to be. BUT I really am entertained watching this cat, and think he will go far. While I’m not comparing him at all to Taylor Hicks, look what happened to him when he made it into the top 12…he won it all! And he was certainly not the prototypical Idol contestant.

4 – James Durbin: Yes, he’s reminiscent of Adam Lambert. And yes, similar to someone like Jacob Lusk, he probably will be expected to be the rocker to Jacob’s gospel singer. But as long as he brings it like he brought it to the stage with his rendition of Judas Priest, I’m good with that. I like his background story too, although I don’t think that’s influencing me in any way. The guy can sing. I just hope he doesn’t go off the rails too much like our friend Adam Lambert did a few seasons ago.

3 – Naima Adeapo: I have enjoyed listening to Naima since day 1, and was thrilled that the judges picked her to stay in the competition. I love her style and her voice, and really look forward to hearing her evolve in this competition. I think she’ll go very far and will have some really jaw dropping performances.

2 – Pia Toscano: Talk about coming out of nowhere, I really didn’t know much about this woman until she belted out “I’ll Stand By You”. I think it was one of those Idol “moments” – if she’s capable of doing that in week 1, who knows how good she’ll turn out to be? My only concern is I didn’t hear much of her during Hollywood so I’m not sure how consistent she’ll be. But I would like to think she’ll pick up where she left off last week. We shall see.

1 – Lauren Alaina: From the moment she sang in her audition, I had a feeling this 16 year old would be one of my favorites. And now that she’s in the top 13, I think she’s going to win it all. She really does have a great voice for someone so young. And unlike Thea, I think she’s more apt to keep up on all musical styles, not just ballads. While I though her pink dress during the Top 24 show was atrocious, I do like her style, her look and her voice. I think she’ll get better and better each week. She’s my pick for this season’s Idol.

American Idol Season 10 - Week 1 (The Girls)

I've been looking forward to tonight, mainly because in my opinion the guys underperformed last night. Sure there were some good performances, but overall, not a big fan of the dudes who sang last night. Tonight I have a feeling will be different. Or, at the very least, maybe I'll find this year's Idol crush, following in the footsteps of you know who from last season.

First up is Ta-Tynisa Wilson. I don't remember her first name being Ta-Tynisa. I thought it was Tatynisa. Whatever her name is, she does an absolutely atrocious version of Rihanna's "The Only Girl In The World". I love Rihanna, but the same can't be said of TT (that's what I'm going to call her since I don't feel like typing out Ta-Tynisa every time!). She is all over the place with her pitch, and she doesn't look comfortable out there. It's painful listening to this. It had to sound better live, right? Maybe it was nerves, but I thought she was awful. Steven Tyler appears to not want to say anything bad to anyone this year (except Jordan last night). JLo liked it. Randy says it will probably happen a lot this season, but he disagrees with both Steven and JLo. Randy is right. In fact, he's not harsh enough. I think she deserves to go home after this performance. Ugh. And Ryan's clearly missing Simon because he uses one of his awful insults on Randy tonight. Stupid. Definitely non-WINNING.

Naima Adedapo (wow, these names are hard to type and pronounce!) is up next. I really liked her in Hollywood, and look forward to hearing what she is going to sing tonight. She takes on the old standard "Summertime". She's got some voice - I really like her performance. True, I've heard the song done better before on the show, but this song at least shows off the quality of her voice. And that last note is very well done. A very professional performance - great job Naima! The judges all liked her (again, Randy not AS much but much more than TT). I think this girl will go far in the competition.

Kendra Chantelle, who is wearing some nice leather pants (just sayin'...), sings Xtina's "Impossible". I don't know Xtina's version (yeah, I know...I'm sheltered...sue me). I think she did a good job - it probably doesn't compare to the original, but most versions on this show don't. Steven calls her hot. Did I mention she was wearing black leather pants? Anyway, they all liked it. I did too.

Next up is Rachel Zevita - she is the type of girl that if I was still in High School, I would probably have a crush on. I know this will come as a shock - a cute, short brunette from Idol ....hmmm....yeah, I like this girl. Unfortunately, I didn't care for her arrangement of Fiona Apple's "Criminal". I think the arrangement made it sound worse - but her voice wasn't even that great. In fact, it's borderline painful midway through when she walks past the judges. But based on cute factor, I'm going to give her a pass this week. Yeah, I know - that's not fair. Whatever - if you've followed me on this blog, you know I do that. From time to time. Steven didn't care for it. Said it was too Broadway. JLo didn't care for it either. And Randy didn't like it either. Poor Rachel - she looks like she needs a hug.

Karen Rodriguez tackles "Hero" by Mariah Carey. She sings parts of it in English and parts in Spanish. I just didn't care for the performance - yes, she has a good voice. I know she does because I've heard her in past episodes and she CAN really belt it out. I think the problem I had with this song was that, well, I just don't care for this song! So really no matter who is singing it, it doesn't do anything for me. There was something not quite right with her vocals tonight - I am probably in the minority in this, but I thought it sounded kind of flat a times. But I do like this girl - as I mentioned, she can sing, and I look forward to hearing what she does if she continues on. JLo, in typical JLo fashion, said it was amazing. Gave her goosebumps. Keeps repeating the word "Wow". Randy and Steven said it was great. I think it was just ok. But I like this girl, so again, she gets a pass (and again, I'm in the minority on this, so she may not need that pass!).

Cleaning woman Lauren Turner sings "Seven Day Fool", and I think she was amazing. Really wonderful performance - I knew this girl could sing in Hollywood, and she didn't disappoint tonight. So far, my fave performance of the night! Unlike Giovani, I think Lauren can safely say GOODBYE CLEANING JOB!! The judges all loved it (although JLo wanted more physicality - whatever...). She rocked it. Great job!!!

Ashthon Jones belts out Monica's "Love All Over Me", another song I had to look up. She did a solid job with it. I didn't care for it as much as Lauren's performance, but it certainly wasn't a let down. It's probably because I don't know the song (although I didn't know the "Seven Day Fool" song either, and I enjoyed that...). She did her thing (sorry Randy, had to borrow that from you for the first time this season), and seemed really comfortable and confident out there. I enjoyed the performance - good job Ashthon. By the way, I think Steven is on drugs tonight - he just seems like he's in la la land...like Paula used to act! He get the Charlie Sheen award for this evening. WINNING. JLo and Randy agree - she's solid.

My friend Sean's favorite performer is up next - Julie Zorrilla. She sings Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway", and while she looks great tonight, I am not wild about this performance. Not horrible, but again, I think the problem is that maybe the original is so ingrained in my mind. Or maybe it's just not that good. Sorry Sean - hey, my girl Rachel wasn't good either! Julie can do better. And I just realized that this year, they're only picking 5 guys and 5 girls based on votes, plus 3 wild cards. Is Julie one of the top 13? I don't know. We shall see. None of the judges really cared for her performance, either.

Haley Reinhart is the next contestant to take the stage, singing "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys. She's makin' some crazy faces, and hitting some strange notes. Regardless of someone's comment that she looks like the Cowardly Lion, I think she looks pretty good. Did she sing well? I am really on the fence - part of it seemed a little over the top, but some notes were good. But generally I think she did just an ok job. Nothing super memorable, but listenable. Is it enough to be top 5? I don't think so. Again, heard much worse tonight but this didn't blow me away. Randy didn't care for it, but Steven and JLo really liked it.

Does Thia Megia know Julia Goolia? My friend Eludius wants to know. Thia, who I believe is the youngest in this competition, sings "Out Here On My Own", which Irene Cara sang in Fame (and someone else sang in the remake...but I digress). Whoa. Thia blew me away - had no idea that voice was going to come out of that girl. Excellent job. She didn't go over the top and get all Diva on us with unnecessary runs and what not. Just a nice, controlled, powerful version of the song. She really did a great job. Holy crap! She's 15!!! Yeah, she definitely rocked it out. I'm glad they kept her. She was the last girl to go through to the top 24. The judges all loved her performance. Randy even compares her to the late Michael Jackson! Vocal wise, not Chimp Loving wise.... Ryan wants proof that she's only 15. Is there a controversy here? No, it's not the Olympics! Great job Thia!

Speaking of young girls (wait, that didn't sound right), my favorite from day 1 is coming up next - 16 year old Lauren Alaina. I predicted when I first saw her that she would go very far in this competition, and so far, she has not disappointed me in any of the performances I've seen. She sings Reba McEntire's "Turn On The Radio". I didn't picture her singing country. But she rocks it out - it's not my favorite performance of the night, BUT it's definitely one of the top ones. If she doesn't make the top 5 girls by vote, I think she would be a lock for the wild card choices from the judges. Speaking of the judges, they lavish well deserved praise upon her. She's great, and nothing happened tonight to change my mind. This girl is, to quote Randy, "In it to win it!!" I am a big fan!!! Love this girl....

I had thought I had heard the best performance already tonight, but I had no idea what was to come next. The final performer, Pia Toscano, absolutely blows it up. She sings The Pretenders "I'll Stand By You". Not only do I love this song because, well, it's The Pretenders, but I know this is the kind of song that you can start off restrained and then build up to a big crescendo. And boy does she ever. Beautiful quality to her voice, and an overall amazing performance, one that I'll remember for a long time. Plus, she's easy on the eyes! (Not that it matters...) She looks like ex Idol host Kara, but hotter. :^) Great job Pia - I think my favorite of the evening. The judges all love her - they even give her a standing O. Again, if for some reason she doesn't make the top 5 via the public voting, she'd be a shoe in for one of the Wild Card choices based on that great performance.

So my top 5 tonight would be (in order of appearance):

Naima Adedapo
Lauren Turner
Thia Megia
Lauren Alaina
Pia Toscano

Those were actually easy choices. So we'll see what happens tomorrow night! Can't wait...

American Idol - Season 10

Well, well, well...he we are again. Another season of the show I'm sometimes embarrassed to admit I watch! Yes, It's the "Simon-Free" Idol. Oh, and "Kara-Less" too. Sometimes I could Kara Less about this show...thank you, thank you. I'll be here all season. Tip your wait staff.

Let me just say right off the bat that I probably will end up liking the girls more this season. I know - that's a shock, right? Seriously, the guys weren't that great tonight. In fact, a few of them were downright horrible. But we'll get to that in a second. I just want to pause right now and mention that Siobhan Magnus is awesome. Ok, now back to my blog.

In typical Idol fashion, Ryan Seacrest grates the nerves...he starts things off by giving new judge Steven Tyler a sign that he can hold up when Steven is about to let go either an F bomb or an F finger. Stupid. Decidedly not-epic, as Charlie Sheen would say. More on the judges later.

So, first up tonight is Clint Jun Gamboa. I liked Clint in the previous shows - he had a powerful voice, and I was looking forward to tonight's performance. Unfortunately, he picks Stevie Wonder's "Superstition", which a) you better be bringin' it to pull it off (he doesn't in my opinion), and b) Siobhan did it last year and rocked it. Yeah, I'm a little biased. Clint looks like he's doing some P90X at times up there. Screaming just to scream doesn't do it for me. I wasn't thrilled with this, and was disappointed considering what I remember of him from previous episodes. I will say this, though, at least he didn't start off with a wimpy ballad. I hate when Idol contestants bring down the energy (again, unless they really have an amazing voice...). He did have energy...I just don't think he was consistent enough during the entire song.

Next up is Sly Stallone...er, Jovany Barretto, who in the Top 24 reveal, walks off claiming, "No more shipyards for me, baby...NO MORE SHIPYARDS FOR ME!" Careful Jovany - you may be knocked out in the first round, and no one will remember you other than the dude with the six pack who looks like he should be in an 80's action flick. So Mr. Barretto decides to slow it down and show off his guns...I mean pipes. Well, that's not smart. He chooses "I'll Be". Zzzzzz...zzzzzz....I mean, it's competent, but completely forgettable. Wow, I sound like Simon Cowell! He goes nowhere with this song. Very pedestrian performance. The new judges love it, but Randy brings some sense into this. He says "It's just ok..." Not bad, but nothing that makes him stand out. Nice tone, but it's missing something...NEXT!!

And now for the worst performance so far of the night - Jordan Dorsey. He decides (on his own - it's not a theme night!) to do Usher's "OMG". Now, I like this song, but attempting to do this song is a failure even before he opens his mouth. Why? Well, it's not the type of song that shows off your singing ability. And unless you can do something different with it, it is destined to fail. And here's another thing - he sounds horrible. I have heard this dude sing before and he's not as bad as this performance makes him out to be. The judges all agree with me - yuk! (although JLo uses the clichéd Paula Abdul/Randy Jackson line, "You know I love you, right?") He looks really uncomfortable out there - none worse than when he takes off his jacket. What? And that falsetto? And the backup singers overpowering him with POW POW POW! Ugh. It's just too much. He's probably going home after this dud of a performance. Even he admits it wasn't very good.

Teen heartthrob wannabe (that's for you Karen) Tim Halperin is up next with Rob Thomas' "Come On Over". He reminds me of another Tim from last season, Tim Urban. Far from the worst tonight, it doesn't really blow me away. The judges agree that it wasn't a good song choice. I agree - I've heard him sound better and there was something wrong about this performance. It didn't fit him and he looked kind of awkward out there. But Karen and millions of other females will vote for him. Tim is safe as kittens, to quote Farmer Ted. I don't really have much to say about this performance, which is pretty indicative of what I thought about it. Meh.

Now the next singer is the complete opposite - definitely not forgettable! He's Brett Loewenstern, the redhead who is "embracing himself". He's also doing hair flip after hair flip after hair flip. Paging Willow Smith... Anyway, Brett sings The Doors classic "Light My Fire". It is an absolutely bizarre performance. His voice actually isn't bad - I don't really like it for this particular song, BUT as long as I don't look him thrusting around on stage, it's not bad. But please, stop with the hair. Brett looks like he belongs in Alice in Chains or some other grunge band from the early 90's. But his voice definitely doesn't sound like it's from a Seattle zip code. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but I was entertained. I hope he sticks around to see what he does next. I'm glad he's out there doing his thing.

And now for something completely different - James Durbin. My thoughts of him prior to this evening was a Adam Lambert wannabe. Well, I'm eating those words. By far the best performance so far tonight. First of all, he takes on JUDAS PRIEST!! I mean, that gets some points, and he pulls it off. He keeps from going off the rails too much (are you listening Adam Lambert?) He brings some much needed energy to the show,and the judges agree with me. He rocked it out. Great job James! It also gives Steven an opportunity to drop some F bombs. If Charlie Sheen were a judge, he'd say it was "Killer Epic...WINNING...." I like this kid. And Randy utters the words, "Nice and tasty"...wow. That's an interesting choice of words Randy.

Next up is Robbie Rosen. And we go from Judas Priest to Sarah McLaughlan. Tell me, how do you think it's going to turn out? Robbie puts me to sleep. He actually looks like he's getting ready to cry. Can we bring James back out? Standing there with almost no stage presence, he go through "Angel" and I can't really say anything good about it. Again, it's not horrible, but completely forgettable. I wish I could hear what Simon would say about this. But I must be wrong, because the new judges love this guy. Actually, Randy's got my back. He said it was pitchy, dawg. I'm actually yawning typing this. Maybe that's because it's 12:44 am, but the song choice and performance didn't help any!

"Baby lock them doors..." It's Scotty McCreery, this year's country singer on Idol. Scotty's got a very deep singing voice, and I actually thought he was pretty good during his final song for the judges before being chosen for the top 24. He sings "John Michael Montgomery's "Letters from Home" - thank you closed captioning! I know this song, and I think he does a nice job with it. It's not everyone's cup o' tea, but if you like Country Music, I can imagine you'd like this. At times, it sounds like he's imitating a stereotypical country singer, but that's how they sound! So I liked it. I thought he did a good job with what he picked - of course, it sounded note for note like the original, but I think in this case, it worked. I'm a little scared what he'll come up with week to week (especially if he lasts to Disco night, or Gansta Rap night...). But well done. The judges liked it too.

Next up is Stefano Langone, singing Bruno Mars "Just The Way You Are". I didn't care for it at first, but I went back and listened to it again. It's not as bad listening to it the second time, but I've heard him sing even better in previous episodes. But overall good. I didn't think it was great, but good. And compared to most of the singers tonight, that's good enough. And he did hit some nice high notes. The judges like him a lot, too.

Creepy and overrated Paul McDonald is up next, singing "Maggie May". He has that disheveled look, with really white teeth, awkward moves, and a voice that, while unique, is way too off kilter for me. And he gets docked for saying "What's up TV Land!" He looks like Kenny Loggins...drunk...with veneers. The leg kicks. It's all too much. I really don't like this guy's singing style. I'm sure he's a great guy. Well, actually, I have no idea - but seriously, this is a singing competition (thanks Simon!) and from a singing perspective, he's a little too out there for my tastes. And this is coming from someone who is a Morrissey fan. Paul is the "unique" contestant, but unlike the great, wonderful, beautiful Siobhan Magnus, Paul gets on my nerves. But no way is he going home. He'll be around.

Next up is Jacob Lusk, who was the recipient of Randy Jackson proclaiming that JL's version of "God Bless The Child" was the single best performance EVER on Idol. Um. No. Sorry Randy. Epic fail. Was it full of histrionics? Yes. Over the top? Yes. Single greatest performance ever on Idol? No way. Jacob definitely has a spirit that he loves to show, and that's great. He does the old standard "A House Is Not A Home". And he does a great job with it - I think it's much better than his "God Bless the Child" because he's not screaming over the top. Now, I won't go so far as to say it's better than the Luther Vandross version. I mean, JLo makes the following comment: "Luther Vandross is gone, but we have you". Wow! So Jacob Lusk is the equal to Luther?? JLo, you must be trippin'... The guy definitely has pipes...no doubt. And he's one of the best guys. But comparing him to one of the all time great R&B singers after just a few performances? Don't agree with that.

That Coke commercial comes on with The Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition" - man, I love this song... :^)

So that brings us to our final performer of the night (thank god, because I'm exhausted!). Casey Abrams does Screamin' Jay Hawkin's "I Put A Spell on You". He's doing his own thing and is having fun out there. Compare his performance to someone like Robbie Rosen and it's night and day. Along with James Durbin and Jacob Lusk, it was my favorite performance of the night. Yes, he's a little goofy, but unlike Paul Whiteteeth, Casey is unique without getting under my skin. I did this kid - he should go far in this competition.

I'm too tired to predict who goes home..well, OK, twist my arm. I think it will be Jovany and Jordan packing their bags (although I would pick Robbie and Paul if it were up to me). We'll see if I'm right on Thursday. Now, bring on the ladies tomorrow night. I'm anticipating better vocals tomorrow!!