American Idol: 3.16.10 - Rolling Stones Night!

Time for the big stage,and the Price is Right entrance. Ah, added cheesiness...

Siobahn looks super cute, and Lacey looks like someone assaulted her with a tablecloth.  That's about right.

Montage of Stones Awesomeness.

Numbers are 1-866-IDOLS-##


01) Michael Lynche (Miss You) He grew up performing plays his mom wrote, and he played football until his mom died and he turned back to music.  And there's footage of his baby!!!  So sweet! He's pretty good, vocally.  It's not grabbing me like he did last week, but I'm not complaining.  Randy wasn't so pleased with the arrangement, but thinks he slayed it.  Ellen loves everything about Mike.  Kara thinks he had the stage presence to pull the song off.  Simon appreciates his confidence, but thought his performance was kind of corny in places, and was verging on desperate.  Hmmm.  Ryan got in Simon's face, and it was awkward.  Moving right along.


02) Didi Benami (Play With Fire) Didi is the middle child, and she was a high needs baby.  No guitar, Didi.  Boo.  Still, I think she killed the vocals, and picked a good song for her voice.  There was a bum high note in there, and her last note was a little shaky, but all in all, not too bad.  It's a rough week for her style.  Randy thought she was on fire, and called it one of her best performances.  Ellen loved that she found her way after losing it a little.  Did she mess up some lyrics?  Not sure.  I am not entirely familiar with the song.  Kara appreciated her intensity, and the darkness of the performance mixed with the sweetness of her voice, but worried that if she pushes her voice too much, she goes off.  Simon thought she did a good job, though he was worried she was going to lose it in the beginning, but called it a solid performance.

03) Casey James (It's All Over Now) I love that Casey is from a town in Texas called Cool.  He had seizures from the whooping cough vaccine when he was a baby, and they were worried he was going to have trouble talking, but he hummed in his crib before he sang. He's got the electric guitar again.  Randy and Ellen thought he did really well, and Kara thinks he is a rock star again.  Simon disagreed, and thought it was an audition performance and he didn't push himself enough and didn't use the big stage well enough.


04) Lacey Brown (Ruby Tuesday)  Lacey has done a lot of singing in church, and her dad said that she is naturally shy.  This is bad.  I miss Lilly.  She's all over the place and is again sitting on the edge of the stage.  Randy called it the most interesting performance of the night.  Ellen worried about Lacey's propensity for sitting on the edge of things, and warned her against going to the grand canyon.  Kara thought she was pitchy and could have gone farther.  Simon thinks she performs like an actress.  I just miss Lilly.  Did I already say that?

05) Andrew Garcia (Gimme Shelter) He grew up poor, but his parents were musical, too.  I love this song, and I think he doesn't have a big enough voice to carry it off.  He seems to have a really limited voice, and doesn't breathe properly.  Eons better than Genie in a Bottle, and not awful, but I wish that someone else had sung it.  Randy loves the song, and loves Andrew, but thought it was pitchy all over and not great.  Agreed.  It was consistently flat. Ellen disagreed and thought it was his best performance yet.  Kara again wanted the lyrical connection to come across.  She's harping on the meanings of songs. Simon wondered if she wanted him to come on stage with a tank, and thinks she is being too literal.  I'm between the two of them.  Simon thinks he gave it 100%, but thought something didn't quite connect with the song, and thinks he was probably better in rehearsal.

06) Katie Stevens (Wild Horses) Katie was a ham and not shy growing up.  She's sitting in the god spotlight in the middle of the stage, on a stool. She told her 8 year old self to stay on pitch in her package, and I wish she had told her current self to stay on pitch, too.  She was just a little off all over the place.  Just a little.  It wasn't terrible, but man, it could have been better.  She's really throaty and I don't like it.  Randy thought she sang it well, despite a couple pitch problems.  Ellen thought that she started off pitchy, but was really good when she got into it. Kara said that Katie is never technically perfect, but she's good, and thought it was better than last week. Simon thought that it was the first time she's connected with the song, but didn't love the second half of the arrangement.  (and, he recorded it with Susan Boyle.  I love her version, btw)


07) Tim Urban (Under My Thumb) 10 kids in his family, and 1 shower.  Yipes.  Tim's apparently always had stupid hair.  Nice.  God.  He's reggaeing out Under My Thumb.  I'm not ok with this.  He's soooooo boring.  Booooo, Tim.  I hate this. A lot.  He's bland bland bland, and thinks he's interesting.  The judges are apt to drool over this.  It doesn't help that I really really really dislike reggae.  He's not Jason Mraz.  He's just not.  So he needs to stop.  And go away.  Yay!  Randy hated it, and didn't get the reggae thing.  Ellen also felt like she was at a resort and sipping a pina colada listening to someone sing pleasantly.  Kara applauded him for doing something so incredibly different with the song.  Simon called the song boring, and didn't think his version worked at all, and called it a crazy decision.  He thinks that Stones fans would turn it off.  I agree.  My husband sure left the room right quick.

08) Siobahn Magnus (Paint it Black) She's from Cape Cod, and her family uses music as an outlet.  I love this song, and I was hoping that someone I liked would do it.  I worry that it might have been a tiny bit flat at points, but I liked it.  And I dug her style.  She hit a really awesome note at the end, another power note, and followed it up by a much softer ending.  I liked it, any pitch problems aside.  I mean, really liked it.  Yo, Randy thought she was bringing the drama, and thought it was hot.  Ellen loves her look, loved the sound, loved the arrangement.  Kara was having Adam Lambert flashbacks, and called it the most interesting of the night.  Simon agreed.  He worries that she's going to have to use that great screaming power in every song.  I'm so happy that everyone liked her.  Go, Siobahn!  Definitely my favorite of the night so far.


09) Lee Dewyze (Beast of Burden) He didn't like singing for people when he was a kid.  He changed this song up to be a lighter, acoustic version.  Like John Mayer doing Stones.  It worked for him.  I don't like John Mayer, but I could like Lee.  This worked, much much much better than Tim's awful reggae attempt.  I could actually see Lee recording this song.  Dawg, Yo, you know what Randy loves?  He loves the singer/songwriter thing he had going on, and thought it was dope, Rob Thomas-y.  Ellen thought it was great, but was expecting a tiny bit more from him, and thought it almost didn't come together, like a hospital gown.  Ha.  Kara said the energy was a little low, but he is showing tremendous growth.  Simon likes his story, but thinks he is low on personality.  He thought it was a safe song, and Simon's frustrated, because Lee isn't using his incredible voice, and wants Lee to stamp his mark, and believe that he is the best.

10) Paige Miles (Honky Tonk Woman) She loves her mom, and her dad died when she was 4.  She grew up singing in church.  Ok, why is she wearing something that Steve Irwin would wear to wrestle crocs?  With tights?  Really?  It distracted me terribly.  Her vocals were solid, though.  I have to give her that.  She turned it really country.  Hmmm.  Yo, Randy was worried when he heard her song choice, but thought it worked, though he wanted more energy.  Ellen loves her stage presence, and apparently, Paige has been struggling with her voice this week.  Kara thinks that the Paige they fell in love with is back.  Simon asked what was up with her voice... and she spoke, and has laryngitis!  Ok, that was impressive, though.  Simon worried it was an old fashioned, generic performance, but was glad to see her use that big voice.


11) Aaron Kelly (Angie) Terrified Teenager #2!  Another stair sitter.  And he just looks scared.  He got better as the performance went on. Better than last week!  Vocally good!  Randy loved his tender moments and thinks he is born to sing.  Ellen worried that he was trying to copy her hair, but loved the song.  Kara thought he connected beautifully.  Simon thought it was a great song choice, and thought that he sang the song in the limits of his vocal range.  Not sure if that's a ringing endorsement, but I have a feeling the teeny boppers will be out en force.


12) Crystal Bowersox (You Can't Always Get What You Want) She's written songs since she was 10.  Damn, she is just soooo good.  Totally deserving of the pimp spot.  She was so at home and so good.  She gave me chills.  Dang.  Love her.  Love her. Did I mention, I love her?  Yo, Randy didn't think it was her best performance, but was not disappointed, and loves her.  Ellen said that she added some personality to the performance, and she looked like she was having fun, and thinks that Crystal sings with such ease.  Kara worried that she was looking cocky, but liked her fun tonight.  Simon thought that she came out as the clear favorite, but didn't love her song choice.  He thinks that Siobahn beat her tonight.

Favorites?  Siobahn, then Crystal, then Didi.  Lacey can go.  Yesterday.  Ugh.  Or Tim.  Yuck.  Katie bored me, too.  What do you think?