American Idol: 3.23.10 - Billboard #1's

Kara blathered on for a bit about the importance of song meaning and interpretation.  Simon said that it is the worst week to go home because it's like getting 5 out of 6 lottery numbers, because they won't be on the tour.

I am systematically ignoring Miley Cyrus because I cannot stand her.  Cannot stand her.  And, she sounds like a 40 year old smoker.

Voting = 1-866-IDOLS-##


01) Lee Dewyze (The Letter, by The Box Tops) I'm not loving this jazz rendition.  I like this song more soulful.  This was just weird and loungey.  I don't feel like he felt the lyrics at all.  Vocally, he sounded good, but the arrangement was dreadful.  Yo.  Randy liked the bluesy soul version and thought he knocked it out da' box.  Disagreed.  Ellen loves her favorite pen which writes better than any other pen, and hates when it runs out of ink, and tries to lick it and light a match under it, and said Lee is her favorite pen and is back.  Kara loved him.  Simon was surprised that he chose that song, and didn't think it was a recording performance, and thought it was corny.  He admitted that he sounded good, but missed the point, because he didn't make himself contemporary.  I agree whole heartedly with Simon.

02) Paige Miles (Against All Odds, by Phil Collins)  Trying to recreate the Siobahn Stair moment, Paige fails.  Entirely.  She started off totally off pitch and never found the pitch at all.  Ever.  I miss Lilly.  This is cringe worthy.  Her phrasing was off, her pitch was off, and she sounded pained. Randy seemed at a loss for words, and said it was honestly terrible, and tried to to blame it on her laryngitis.  Ellen said that at least she didn't fall over in the heels, and turned the musical critique to the others.  Kara thinks that she stopped listening to them at some point, and called it the worst vocal that she's ever heard from Paige, and the worst possibly of the season.  Simon asked how she thinks she did.  Paige admitted to struggling with the pitch. Simon said it was like five of her were singing the song, and they each got progressively worse.

03) Tim Urban (Crazy Little Thing Called Love, by Queen) He's on key, but he is sooooo boring.  He sounds like a bland wedding singer.  He danced, but I hated it.  Randy .... agreed with me!  He thought that he was boring and bland.  And Ellen thought it was corny and he tried too hard, and it was like an audition for High School Musical.  Kara said it was like Zac Ephron in Hairspray and it was boring, and said he can only work the stage like that if he's already made it, and he hasn't.  Simon said that the dancing distracted from the song, so he understands why he did it.  Simon called it completely pointless, and again, criticized the song choice.  Go home, Tim.


04) Aaron Kelly (I Don't Want To Miss a Thing, by Aerosmith) He's got laryngitis and tonsilitis.  Yipes!  He's bathed in blue light and looks like he should be singing Under the Sea. Oh god, the suck fest continues.  He wasn't terrible, but it the absolute wrong song choice. Absolute.  Yo, Check it out, Listen Man, Randy was happy that he at least was better than the two before him.  That's faint praise.  Ellen said that she could tell he was sick, and his pitch is normally spot on, and that's impressive, because he's in what, third grade?  Kara praised the song choice.  I disagree.  They like that he's Old Faithful.  or, Young Faithful.  Simon called him a little try-er, and worries that for his age, he's making himself old fashioned, but thinks there is zero chance of him going home.  Then Seacrest called him David Archuletta.  That was funny.


05) Crystal Bowersox (Me and Bobby McGee, by Janis Joplin)  Crystal must have been annoyed being coached by Miley freaking Cyrus.  Or not.  She had Miley sign her guitar.  Finally, someone I want to hear.  She looks so beautiful tonight, really.  Ah.  There's the chills I've been waiting for all night.  She did not do a Janis Joplin impersonation.  She sang a Crystal Bowersox song.  That was awesome.  Yo, Randy had to drown out the cheers.  He said that Crystal is a star, sang from her heart, and is so happy.  Ellen heard the song on the radio the other day, and thought that Crystal should sing it.  She loved the performance, but wanted a little more audience connection, and she needs to take it in that the audience likes her.  Crystal claimed to have big plans for next week.  Kara saw more, and saw her moving a little more, and wondered if she would put the guitar down.  Simon says that he wouldn't change anything.  He said up until tonight, it's been a karaoke competition, and said that Crystal's version was as good as Pink's excellent version.  Crystal had a carpet on the stage.  I missed that.  I like it.  She and Ryan sat on the carpet while her numbers came up.  Awesome.  Go Crystal.


06) Michael Lynche (When a Man Loves a Woman) Piano accompaniment for Michael.  With strings. He sounds really good.  Even though I would probably never buy his music, I think he's up on top of the men for me.  He connects with songs admirably, and I appreciate his pure falsetto.  Check it out and listen, Randy loves that he sings the I don't know what out of who he is.  Ellen said it was like driving the speed limit, and he got there, but it was a safe choice.  Kara said that technically, it was there, but thought it got to be boring, loungey, and overindulgent.  Simon said it was like when you want one scoop of ice cream and you get eleven.  He would have preferred a more stripped down performance, and worried how old it seemed.  He wants something without any irritating interruptions.

07) Andrew Garcia (Heard it Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye)  Miley advised him to put the guitar down.  We'll see if that pays off.  He was having troubles with lyrics in rehearsal.  This performance is pretty good, though at times it felt like he was trying to be a sign language interpreter.  His voice is better for minor key, haunted-type songs.  Randy thought it was the wrong song choice, because it's not the kind of singer he is.  Ellen loves him, but didn't think it would be good enough to draw people to voting for him.  Kara thinks he seems confused and he was trying to chase his moment, and thought he looked like a puppet.  She wants him to go back and look at Straight Up and see what he did.  Simon thinks maybe they overpraised Straight Up, and thinks that he sucked the soul out of the song tonight and made it corny, and thinks he made the wrong song choice entirely.  I don't think he deserved that harsh criticism.  Not with Tim and Paige in the mix.


08) Katie Stevens (Big Girls Don't Cry, by Fergie) Her facial expressions seemed contrived in places, and she started off really well, but when she got into the chorus, it got rough.  She's throaty and I don't think she knows how to breathe properly.  Pitchy.  Pitchy.  Oh, good lord.  Why is (mostly) everyone sucking tonight?  Apparently she wanted to make it her own by throwing the song in a blender.  The beginning was so good, and she totally lost it.  Randy admitted that she was sharp all over the place, but appreciated that she did a younger song.  Ellen thinks it was her best performance to date.  That doesn't say much.  She called her the Dakota Fanning of American Idol.  Kara said she had mad pitch issues, but this is the kind of song she needs to do.  Simon thinks that meeting Miley was the best thing that's happened to Katie.  He still wants her to go country.

09) Casey James (The Power of Love, by Huey Lewis and the News) He got a haircut, I think, and it's not a good haircut.  Either that, or he's using some weird product and his hair is all permed looking.  I think this song is a great song for him.  A little off key here and there, but I really like this song on him.  I wish he was moving around a little.  He looked glued to the microphone stand.  That was a little off.  He's really a better guitarist than he is a singer.  Randy says he's probably the best guitar player that the show's had, and thought he did a good job.  Ellen forgot entirely about Crystal and called this the best vocal of the night.  Kara thinks he is ready to record an album right now.  Simon thought it was like listening to an 80's cover band.  I'm somewhere in between the two of them.

10) Didi Benami (You're No Good, by Linda Rondstadt) I wish she had her guitar, and she's looking very very Taylor Swift tonight.  Her vocals are pretty darned good, and I love her tone.  And damn, those are hot boots.  She said she was going to sing the song directed at her nerves being no good.  And it worked.  She was really really solid, even through some pitch problems.  Randy loved the idea of the song, but thought she was pitchy.  Ellen didn't like the song choice.  Kara worried that she was playing a character and it didn't feel authentic, leaving her confused.  Simon thought the song was ironic, and thought it was like the bad part of a musical.  I thought she was way better than this.  Lacey defended her choice and said that she didn't want to be pigeonholed.

11) Siobahn Magnus (Superstition, by Stevie Wonder) Pimp spot, and a large faux hawk for Siobahn. I think she's got a new blonde streak, too.  She had a whole jazz band behind her.  She's good.  She can hold her own against the jazz band.  She's just so... good.  Can we send home everyone but her and Crystal now please?  She had another scream which worked.  She's just... so Siobahn.  Randy is always excited to see her and called her fearless.  He loves her conviction.  Ellen wanted more, please, to quote Oliver.  Kara loves how much she expresses herself.  Simon thinks there is going to be a split, and worries that her scream is becoming predictable.  He wants everyone to push themselves and become relevant.

Simon said it wasn't a good night.  Can we blame Miley?

Lee wasn't so bad in hindsight.  Paige, Tim, Aaron, Katie... blahhhhhhhhh. Dang, I forgot about Michael.  What does that say?  Andrew wasn't terrible, but so many of them were just so awful, he's safe.

Crystal WAY out on top.  Siobahn pretty close behind.  I liked Didi, no matter what they say, and I think that Casey did the best out of the guys.

What do you think?