Will He Stay??? Will He Stay? An American Idol 9 Thread

Simon Cowell’s brother says the next season of American Idol will be the judge’s last. Tony Cowell said in his podcast, “The Cowell Factor,” that a statement was being prepared that would certify that the British judge was leaving the Fox singing competition at the end of 2010. It was only a couple of months ago that Paula Abdul announced she was not returning to American Idol. She has since been replaced by talk show host and comedienne Ellen Degeneres.

Simon Cowell plans to concentrate on bringing his U.K. talent show, The X Factor to the U.S. next year, his brother said on the podcast (which has since been removed.) A Fox spokeswoman had no comment. And, messages left for Cowell’s spokesman were not immediately returned.

Simon Cowell's departure from "American Idol" is imminent according to some sources; however, if you listen to host Ryan Seacrest, he claims to tell an entirely different story. We will have to wait and see if Simon actually does decide to leave the long-running reality show to start an American version of "X Factor," but many oddsmakers are already trying to figure out who could be his replacement.

As of right now, the favorite appears to be "America's Got Talent" judge (and former "Celebrity Apprentice" winner) Piers Morgan, followed up be Sean "Diddy" Combs. Out of the two Diddy seems like the smarter choice, since he has a vast knowledge of the music industry and has worked to sign artists in the past. Piers is fantastic in his own right, but he is actually more of a journalist at heart (though the news about him pretending to marry Paris Hilton was quite funny). Piers along with Ellen DeGeneres would leave Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson as the only two judges with significant music backgrounds.

What do you think: is Piers the best candidate to replace Simon if he leaves? Let me know your thoughts with a comment and stay tuned for more "American Idol" news.

background:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fo31Bth4Xw

copy/paste stuff about next season, very good news IMO:

-Back to the top 12 boys/top 12 girls semifinal
-No wildcard
-Premieres on January 12th
-Semifinals start Feb 23rd
-Finals start March 23rd
-Ellen will debut during Hollywood week

is the major difference between Idol and X Factor the ages admitted and the grouping (boys/girls/over 25s/groups)? is that worth starting a new show?

-Back to the top 12 boys/top 12 girls semifinal

what was it last year? this 12b/12g system reminds me of the great slaughter of 2008 (asia'h, alexandria, etc.)

what's the highest percent "yes" randy will reach during the audition rounds this year? i saw a "5 billion percent yes" in a commercial... and i think he will hit 10 pretty easily.

last season was 3 groups of 12, in each group the top 3 would advance. in the top 12 boy/girl final they gradually whittle the two groups to 6. it's a lot less brutal and i think a lot better.

if Simon jumps to X Factor it's not to fill a void in programming, Simon owns the X Factor franchise and is the executive producer, he makes way more $$$$ from X Factor than Idol.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/01/11/simon-cowell-confirms-his-departure-from-american-idol-this-season/

American Idol fans, start preparing those goodbye tributes: Simon Cowell announced today that this year’s ninth season will be his last. The irascible judge told the nation’s TV critics in Pasadena, CA that he will team with Fox to launch a stateside version of his popular UK show The X Factor in 2011. “We did talk about me staying on both shows but when we looked at the practicalities of that, it was impossible,” Cowell told the press. “In my opinion, it’s like having a good player and a good football team. The two have to be okay together. I believe it’s not my show, but it’s still very close to me. We made sure when we did this, that I would be protected. I’m confident it will continue to be the No. 1 show. Everyone is committed to keeping it that way.”

Like Idol, X Factor is a televised talent search that pits contestants against one another and the prize is usually a recording contract. The UK version was responsible for the launch of Leona Lewis, among others. The show already airs in many countries. “It’s a big, big production,” Cowell said. “In the UK, we have 200 applicants every year. There is no upper age limit on X Factor and groups are allowed to enter. We gave ourselves time to set it up. It gives us time to work out who the judging panel will be.”

But no, I pay my respects and I'm through
Hug my crew, and maybe shed a tear or two
And I wanna get blitz
Grab my 40 ounce and then I reminisce
About a brother who had to be the one and only
So I dedicate this to my dead homiez...

I'm looking forward to X Factor, though. All my English/Irish friends seem to love it (well, not ALL.. but SOME).

If it leads to a Rage Against the Machine revival here, there will be blood.

This is HIGHlarious!

http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2429712633.html

Idol's New Judge Will Lose Middle America

The FOX hit TV show American Idol had families across the country watching somewhat wholesome singers compete for votes from mostly tween girls. Last season's loss of the more talented performer, Adam Lambert to Kris Allen may be attributed to a wholesomeness factor often ignored by the entertainment industry.

I propose that those behind American Idol view Lambert's defeat as evidence of an underlying anti-gay bias among voters. As good community activists in the skewed world of Hollywood, this season's change in judges was an opportunity to confront this homophobic bias. Thus viewers to the ninth season will get a steady dose of wit from one of the nation's most well known lesbians, Ellen DeGeneres.

In the seconds I have before the blogs tear into me as a bigot; allow me to give you a glimpse into how many across America's Bible belt and throughout the Midwest will be affected by this change in the show's judging personnel.

Lambert's male-on-male activities garnered the majority of 2009 Idol news coverage. Rather than distance themselves from what many American's consider perverse behavior and increase the show's image as family entertainment; the producers of American Idol went the opposite direction to make the show edgier, more trendy.

Like it or not, the multi-talented DeGeneres is more known for her same-sex sexual preference than any expertise in the music business. The most visible change in the show is one more step in making sexuality the prime topic when discussing American Idol.

Call them ignorant, homophobic, whatever, the fact remains that fewer families will view the upcoming Idol season because young girls and their traditional families are uncomfortable with the topic of homosexuality. I am confident that the producers of American Idol will be shocked when their market share has cratered, and will in all honesty find a dozen other reasons for the drop in ratings. After all, what successful television producer could have a clue what wholesomeness is as long as they see promoting homosexuality as a virtue.

Young girls are uncomfortable with homosexuality? I thought they were the ones that write all of the slash fiction out there.

The notion that adding not only a lesbian, but Ellen Degeneres in particular, will make the show more edgy/trendy is so out of touch with the world of 2010 that I wonder if this guy ever even watches ANY television at all.

TONIGHT!

The perception that writer has of American Idol's audience is totally bizarre. What Johnny Fever said about television (Will + Grace, last night's episode of House, etc), but also about music too. As though gay musical acts can't be / haven't been huge successes.

:(

so psyched, though

me too!

I swear it starts earlier every year. Not that I mind of course...

I miss Paula.

Posh as guest judge. Yea!!

wow, that "House of the Rising Sun" audition was so awkward I turned my head away ("you need a spanking"? WTF, Kara!)

also thank god kris allen already filled the "guy with an acoustic guitar" slot, can't imagine anyone hotter (erm, or better) for that position

That dude reminds me of someone I know, but I'm still not sure if I loved or hated it.

Yeah, i mean, he was totally fine, as good as lots of people they've shown. But I haven't actually loved anyone yet. "It" girl, the one who did Alicia Keys, was sooo generic, wtf!
As a person, really like that guy who broke both his arms, though his audition didn't blow me away or anything.

I am about 10 minutes in, and man did I miss this show.

I liked the one 16 year old girl...interesting that jazzy auditions were the trend, I was not expecting that. Otherwise, didn't see anyone I really liked all that much.

I laughed when generic r&b girl said she was going to sing "If I Ain't Got You"; a choice that was as original as she was.

I was bummed they didn't send the House o' Rising Sun guy to Hollywood, because he was a total treat. Just hilarious. Also, a better singer than some of the people who got through.

yeah, he had a good voice. there were two people who got in who were particularly unimpressive:

http://3391.voxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Luke-Shaffer-Audition-01-2010-01-12.jpg

and one pretty girl whose voice was not particularly inspiring, can't find her picture

the guy in the picture inspired my kris allen post!

and i laughed when they told generic r&b girl that she dressed like a star because a second earlier i thought to myself that she was dressed like a major record label singer-songwriter failure

basically she was like a young version of kara

which is maybe why kara called her the best, trying to live vicariously, etc. etc.

and did I hear Kara tell her she had the total package? I immediately started looking for my cyanide pills when I heard that one. I would have thought after disastrous reviews Kara would have come back this season with a personality transplant but no such luck.

Kara's "total package" is Randy's "for me for you"

I liked the one 16 year old girl..

Which one? I liked "Hallelujah" (Down Syndrome backstory) more than "At Last" (Alzheimer grandma.) Too much of the typical Idol-melisma in the latter for me. Last girl who sang "Blue Skies" was good too, but I'm predisposed to liking those jazzy auditions over the pop ones. I can't remember, did the "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" gal get through?

it was At Last that I preferred, but neither really blew me away. Was unimpressed with her sob story though - "old grandma"? What a trooper.

Guy-wise I'm remembering backstories and not singing performances (boat guy, cancer guy, broken arms guy...) And the big Italian oversinging Muddy Waters totally seems like this year's Taylor Hicks.

Yeah, his was the type of performance where afterward you still don't really know whether they can sing or not.

btw another thing I am hoping for is some reverse fakeouts; we see so many "they might be good - never mind"s but they rarely pull the "wow they'll suck - oh wait". It worked for Susan Boyle...

this was terribly boring

I didn't even watch! I saw the first five minutes, and there seemed to be such an emphasis on the corny "inspirational" human interest angle I decided to pass.

Muddy Waters guy will flame out in Hollywood week, I guarantee it.

I liked the Muddy Waters guy, mostly because he came across as one of the nicer people to come on the show (though his response to getting the gold ticket was a bit much). I cringed a bit when Kara told him "I bet your mom makes some good sauce" or whatever it was. I know she was trying to rep her Italian roots, but it was still a bit uncomfortable for me, in a millionaire trying to act normal kind of way.

Strangely, I thought that Posh Spice came across as much nicer and more down-to-earth than any of the other judges, much more so than I would have expected.

That House of the Rising Sun dude was great, loved the completely misplaced arrogance.

Otherwise the show was incredibly dull and tedious. I'm really sick of the endles auditions each season. I wish they'd skip right to Hollywood or the actual competition.

I also with they'd allow in at least a few singers with more eccentric or unusual vocal styles.

Strangely, I thought that Posh Spice came across as much nicer and more down-to-earth than any of the other judges, much more so than I would have expected.

really? i thought she seemed sort of cold..."you could work in retail"?

i mean, that could be a compliment, but coming out of her mouth, it came across as "you could go in the back and grab my shoes for me"

kris allen already filled the "guy with an acoustic guitar" slot, can't imagine anyone hotter (erm, or better) for that position

― autotuna fish (Tape Store)

Finally! You come out with the REAL reason you disliked Adam Lambert. As if we didn't know. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjX9kMZzasM

he's so short, all my imaginary boyfriends are at least 6'

Oh man, this hillbilly dude's situation is making me cringe. >_<

Wait, was Mary laughing or crying?????

I was pretty sure it was laughter.

Wow it really freaked me out at first.

Skibo Ski, baby

I hope he takes the advice and tones it down a few notches, but I liked him.

Ha! Those people applauding from the car at the stop light made that whole segment!

OMG YES

in the chicago preview was that my number one pick from last season, Leneshe Young?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsHo-4tm8sY

I hope so! Her triumphant return.

i honestly can't remember anyone I really liked from tonight, i'm guessing based on the lack of posts that i'm not totally alone

I really do hate all the audition episodes, so I only half pay attention to them. Bring on Hollywood week.

I liked the guy who did Joan Osbourne and, I might be way alone on this, but am super curious about the Tennessee girl (though cringed at all the "you're so authentic" comments and the way the crew handled her story). Also might like that piano girl if she wasn't trying to be Kellie Pickler

I liked that guy too now that I remember, but while watching I was thinking that this guy probably sings this song every single week at church, it was very rehearsed and deliberate. I guess by default he was my favorite of the night though.

Ha! Those people applauding from the car at the stop light made that whole segment!

― Johnny Fever, Thursday, January 14, 2010 2:21 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

omg it was maybe the funniest moment in the history of the show.

I wanna go bridge jumping with tennessee gal.

"Pants on the Ground" and #pantsontheground are trending on Twitter.

"though cringed at all the 'you're so authentic' comments and the way the crew handled her story"

agreed. that was so overdone. kara described her like she was an animal in a zoo. also, mary j. blige seemed more nervous than some of the contestants.

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2010/01/neil-young-sings-pants-on-the-ground/

this vanessa wolfe girl has stolen my <3 iirc

I have to echo my statement about being unimpressed with the sob stories...I'm only one performance into the ep, but "my parents got divorced"? Shut the fuck up please. And serious cringing at the mother bringing it up, so classy.

Thought this whole episode was garbage.

The audition episodes are mostly a waste of time at this point. "Oh, haha... these people are terrible. And now here's a good singer....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....I nodded off. I wonder what else is on."

I fast-forwarded past some of the bad singers, which felt absolutely liberating.

Didn't even watch last night, and am getting the feeling that I'll be a very sporadic viewer this season. Really not loving ANYONE at this point.

I thought last night was a better episode in general.

I would hope so. Chicago was pretty crap.

I won't write off a season based on weak auditions...last season I was unimpressed with Adam's audition, and we didn't even see Kris or Allison and they were the three highlights, hopefully there will be some pleasant surprises as semi-finals roll around.

I remember Allison auditioning, because she became my favorite then and there.

didn't they show a brief clip of her during the selection episode, after auditions and Hollywood week? I don't think we saw her during auditions.

Correct. She did "Natural Woman," but her audition wasn't shown.

You can see it here:

http://www.rickey.org/?p=15604

Oh, hmm... I guess that's where I saw her.

god that was the worst episode ever, I think we saw only 3 good auditions? and kara is getting worse and worse, not just as a judge but as a human being, ugh.

I wanted Katy Perry to punch Kara more than once.

episode was awful in terms of talent, but katy perry was awesome.

the "lifetime movie" comment was A+++

Avril Lavigne seems like a horrible person.

I liked Andrew Garcia a lot (but pleeeeease stop with the sob-stories...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZcvSo7TPvI

not sure which one was worse...dominatrix Barney girl (wtf) with a not great voice or tourettes guy with a not great voice. the girl with the obnoxiously precocious brother had a great voice but wtf, your parents get divorced and remarried so all you have is each other? did they drop you off at a foster home?

but wtf, your parents get divorced and remarried so all you have is each other? did they drop you off at a foster home?

That's what I was thinking. Huh? Just because they're each remarried they don't have to provide for you and your little brother now?

not sure which one was worse...dominatrix Barney girl (wtf) with a not great voice or tourettes guy with a not great voice. the girl with the obnoxiously precocious brother had a great voice but wtf, your parents get divorced and remarried so all you have is each other? did they drop you off at a foster home?

OTM

Avril Lavigne seems like a horrible person.

YES

Really weird that Daniel Franco from Project Runway got screentime. He's in his late 30s!

Someone sang "Something Kinda Ooooh" for auditions?? <3<3<3<3<3

and I totally thought that girl was wearing a wig too, I imagine Victoria Beckham is an expert on fake body parts so we're probably right

am I alone here now? A few good people tonight; I liked the Hey Jude girl. btw Kara is getting worse and worse throughout the audition eps, I tried to keep an open mind about her this season, figured maybe she'd take the criticism and come back stronger, no dice. Glad Hollywood is coming up at least.

Yeah, bring on Hollywood week. I don't know anyone who still likes these audition shows.

Cannot wait for Hollywood Week, which is easily my favorite part of the show.

me too! Especially if they keep the group session in, that never fails to entertain.

ugh, Kara. Go back to songwriting full-time please.

Not much action on this thread! So, seven finalists as of last night:

Didi Benami
Lee Dewyze
Katelyn Epperly
Aaron Kelly
Casey James
Todrick Hall
Michael "Big Mike" Lynche

For me (for you, dawg) it was just okay. Big Mike = Ruben Studdard, Aaron = David Archuleta, Lee = Danny Gokey, Casey = longhaired ostensibly eyecandy bluesrock dude, and the rest I can't even place THAT well.

Absolutely fucking ridiculous. I cannot believe Andrea Martin did not make it.

I mean, beyond having a legitimate sob story, she could sing. As opposed to that blonde curly haired mess from yesterday.

I feel like punching a wall.

angela martin, oops

so we've known all along that michael lynch gets kicked off, right? well, my guess, now that we have ten minutes left, is that they replace him with angela? that doesn't actually make sense, since you think it would be a guy, but goddamn they have everyone feeling for angela

Thaddeus was robbed.

Angela Martin also was robbed, I agree.

And of the last two girls, they picked the gimmicky chick instead of the girl who could at least sing well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taUPEC_1laI

Jermaine Sellers is my top pick I think--Todrick is great, too.

>>>so we've known all along that michael lynch gets kicked off, right?

Shows you how little I've been following this season, but are you talking about this?:

New dad "Big Mike" was rumored to be out of the running due to his father's premature blabbing to the press, but luckily it seems like he got through.

He appears to still be in it (although Chris Golightly is out.) Half of these kids I'm still not matching name/face/talent, but I do still get a tingle of satisfaction when AI finally announces "YOUR TOP 24!!" and they all do their goofy dances and camera mugging.

Sorry, that quote above comes from this:

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/316370/american-idol-top-24-revealed/

I kind of don't care about this season at all

I said the same thing until last night. Too many jokey auditions, too many sad backstories, too much forced drama in Hollywood week, but now that all 24 are in place I'm kinda looking forward to the strat of things next week.

I kind of don't care about this season at all

I haven't been able to watch one episode for more than ten minutes without getting bored and turning it off.

The jacked-up "suspense" ploys are SUPREMELY irritating. I just wanna see 'em sing.

Apparently, Kara and Ellen are going to get Angela Martin signed.

Not having seen the selection episode(s) last week, I'm coming into the Top 24 pretty much blind. Should be fun.

Are these people as awful as they seem, though?

Also, I'm not sure who Angela Martin is. Off to youtube...

Okay, her not making the Top 24 is complete bullshit!!!

I just caught up with Idol today on my laptop, I pretended to be sick so I didn't have to go to dinner with my coworkers - is that weird? I'm a lot more optimistic about the top 24 then I was before, and it looks like this time there's a strong group of girls. It was nice to see them give more time to each of the top 24 person than they have in the past.

Was very sad to not see Angela go through, and to add insult to injury I thought Kara's sendoff to her was the most patronizing thing I have ever witnessed, sitting next to her and talking to her like she was a three year old who scraped her knee. And maybe I'm just comparing the two because they look alike slightly but I thought she was at least better than Hailey Vaughn (sp?) aka black country girl - the clip of her singing I'm Yours was downright painful.

I'm on Team Siobhan until further notice.

I'm glad they didn't really give Crystal any points for being "original"... maybe the judges are actually familiar with Ani DiFranco. That Katie girl in the pimp spot reminded me of Star Search. The girl from Orlando who sang "What About Love" could maybe be good, but not if she keeps singing songs like that. The Lilly girl with the platinum hair seems like a Kristen Wiig SNL character to me, but I thought her take on the Beatles song (an obscure one at that) was kind of charming.

No one else really made an impression, good or bad.

Yes! Team Siobhan. The first girl could be great, Lily could be good, no one else was memorable. Hated a good handful.

And, um, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"? OMFG. So painful. Soooo painful.

It was like quirky electroshock therapy.

btw, i'd bet good money on jermaine sellers being awesome tomorrow. probably todrick hall, too.

yeah I wasn't particularly impressed with anyone either.

Very good
-Siobhan (I just dig her, loved the song choice and she nailed it too)

Good
-Didi & Lilly (like both these girls, however they need to balance singing it "straight" with riffing, when they jazz up every other note it starts verging on satire)
-Katelyn (surprised me, really dug the song choice, appreciated Beatles songs not called Let It Be or Yesterday)
-Crystal (agree with Simon that she's not anything particularly special, but she's fun to watch so I'll give her that)

Horrible but I want to give them a second chance
-Paige (no screen time plus first spot plus potential reverse psychology by the judges? just feel sorry for her)
-Lacey (her version of Wonderful World they played last Wednesday was brilliant, want her to stay to sing that)

Probably are good singers but need to realize they aren't Celine/Mariah/Leona - work with what ya got ladies
-Ashley
-Janell

Eh
-Michelle
-Katie (you know Simon has visions of Taylor Swift pt 2 in his eyes, too bad she couldn't live up to the show's obvious expectations this time around)

Oh dear god
-Haeley (kept thinking Kris Allen would have done a great job with that arrangement)

TS: Haeley - I Want to Hold Your Hand vs Kristy Lee Cook - Eight Days a Week

Haeley has Sanjaya potential.

Agreed. I like Haeley as a spectacle. I want to see her stick around long enough to make me hate her.

Haeley has Sanjaya potential.

I was totally thinking the same thing last night! She's too perky and cute for me to hate, but squeaky and all over the place.

Liked: Crystal (deinitely this season's Allison Iraheta-like rocker underdog) and Siobhan (haven't quite worked out what her "thing" is yet, but she has pipes and an interesting look.

The surprises: Actually liked Paige. Her voice reminded me of Irma Thomas, and "All Right Now" is not a typical diva cover. And I agree, Katelyn was not bad, and I love "Oh Darling."

Disappointments, but give them another few weeks: Lilly (this year's attempt at a Megan-type who actually has, you know, sung before in public.) Liked her song choice, singing was kinda patchy. Lacey = bad song choice for her and similarly patchy/pitchy.

Meh: Didi didn't do anything for me in early weeks (she auditioned with a Kara song, right?) nor last night. Ditto for Katie (Simon's "pageant-y" OTM.) The other 3 didn't register for me at all.

okay why the hell did they boot Angela Martin

although lol at "No Surprises"

also I'm not gonna hate on Kara for actually being nice and sensitive to someone who was already upset before they gave her bad news; gonna reserve my ire for her useless judging critiques and her inflated sense of self-worth

I think Kara is the real reason I can't stand to watch this show anymore -- I get irritated the minute I see her smug face.

Siobhan and, yup, Haeley were my faves. There's something almost creepy about the former which just makes her all the more compelling. And Haeley, well, I adored Sanjaya. But I honestly thought she sang it very well. And even if she didn't, creepy/quirky >>> a good voice in my book.

I dig Crystal's attitude but I doubt America will. And I can see it getting annoying over the long haul.

I think Kara is the real reason I can't stand to watch this show anymore -- I get irritated the minute I see her smug face.

I think I said this last season.

Okay, FUCK ALL THIS DUDES. Well, Casey and whatever the last guy's name is are both alright, but seriously. This season is going to blow.

Best:

Casey
Guy with glasses

GTFO:

All the rest of you.

Yeah kinda zzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

I'm still stunned, several hours later, at how bad tonight was. I'm off this wagon if things don't get drastically better in week two.

what an absolutely horrible episode, kind of unbelievable

wow, i'm watching the recap...they must really want the girls to win

Wow. Just... wow... I only became a hardcore AI watcher last season, but has a top 12 ever been that bad before, or has this show totally jumped the shark?

there have been some pretty terrible episodes, season 3 had some really dreadful "talent" but at least they had fantasia and latoya.

I wonder if Simon deliberately made sure some duds were included to sabotage the show.

He may have done it to ensure a female winner.

lol way to go with class you uglyass Jim Morrison wannabe

I am very happy with the female eliminations - the two people I wanted to have second chances got them. I'd have to look back but there's a definite trend of the prettiest girls leaving the show first. We're such catty bitches.

i was surprised but happy that tyler left instead of alex lambert - he kinda sucked last night, but i think he has potential, whereas hamming it up to an offensive degree while singing a song like american woman was about the best tyler was ever going to do on the show.

Apparently guys will be singing tonight...there's a "medical issue" with Crystal Bowersox so girls will be tomorrow. Must be serious since we're seen so many people sing sick before, and if it's so serious I wonder if 24 hrs is enough time for her to recover.

Crap. Crystal is my favorite. Hope she's OK and will be able to perform.

thoughts? david archuleta II is my current least favorite of all the contestants - he is just terrible, and i don't understand the judges telling him how good he is after every performance. same thing with simon's boner for lee, who blows just as hard. i don't know if there's anyone i really like out of the guys, except the singer alex lambert will be if he improves enough to make it to the top 8 or the top 6. big mike wasn't bad either, i guess.

They are all charisma-free

Worst season yet IMO and some of that blame lies with Ellen who I generally love but is TERRIBLE as an AI judge.

I think Big Mike has charisma to burn, and I liked him last night; even though I don't see how "This Is A Man's World" is not dated, he did a decent job with it.

As for the rest of the chosen ones, Casey James = Kid Jonny Lang (do not want), Andrew Garcia was boring and Lee Dewyze has that Scott Stapp vocal style that makes me barf. I guess he does okay in that Creed-type rock niche, but have no idea what he'll do in disco or crooner weeks.

Todrick and Jermaine are both melisma-maniacs, but Jermaine (snappy dresser though he may be) was worse; ruined a Marvin Gaye song with his oversinging. John Park is like this season's Anoop: forgettable balladeer. And yeah, Aaron Kelly is solely for grandmas and pre-teens. "My Girl?" Really??

Tim Urban: you gave it your best shot. Twice. Please leave now.

I honestly think Alex Lambert is going go surprisingly far this year. He's the completely untrained underdog, but last night was a huge improvement over last week. I hear something kinda interesting and out-of-the-ordinary in his vocal style, and evidently the judges do too. Plus he's cute in a dorky, non-sexy way (needs a new hairstyle and wardrobe.) I like him.

Big Mike is a charasmatic person but he is not a charismatic singer. He sings like I do; all notes, no passion. I thought he was really boring.

Todrick and Jermaine need to go home NOW IMO. One has a tin ear and the other is just... no.

it's been a couple years since i made an effort at trying to follow AI -- i watched most of last night and yeah it was pretty dire. don't know why they gave the Todrick guy such a hard time about rearranging songs, it sounded pretty good and don't the judges usually fall over themselves for anyone who 'reinvents' a song?

i think the mullet kid really benefitted from doing a John Legend song that most people don't know -- the original has some really nice vocal turns and high notes and he didn't even try most of them, was super bland.

The one thing about the kid, whose name escapes me, is how long he held on to each line; there was practically no space in between and when he held those final notes they plateaued and it just sounded bizarre, idk.

I'vegotsunshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiineonaclouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudydayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyywhenit'scoldoutsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIiIIiIdeI'vegot themonthofMayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Jermaine really blew it, I think he managed to be worse than last week. The arrangement of What's Going On was so bad I began to wonder if he had skipped a line and was at the wrong part of the song because the music did not match at all. Have them bring back the other Jermaine instead!

I like Lee and his gravely voice and do agree that he's easily the best male in the competition by a mile (although how hard is that) but I do see some transference issues, but he's a lock for the top 12 so I guess we'll cross that bridge later.

I'm not sure if Simon was trying to reverse psychology but Tim Urban has got to go. Congrats, you didn't have the worst performance in Idol history, wtg.

Andrew Garcia needs to step it up and stop this historically long coast on his Hollywood week performance. This week it was a bad song choice period and before it was a terrible "acoustic" choice. Some serious underperforming from the supposed favorite.

If Alex Lambert doesn't make it to the top 12 on account of every woman wanting to give him a huge hug I will be surprised. He wasn't that great last night but he does have a terrific voice and that's more than you can say about a few of the others in the top 10.

I feel kinda bad for Todrick because he's obviously trying and I can see how it seems like the judges are being hypocritical in telling him just to sing something straight, but if he sticks around he needs to stop moving horizontally and just take a song and strip it down a bit. Stay on melody and maybe just go a bit acoustic.

Don't get the hype about Casey James, I really hate it when the show tries to push someone as the "hot" guy (especially when they aren't). He's a lock for the top 12 but I'm already bored of him.

Don't have much to say about John Park or Michael Lynche...Michael was good (way better than last week) and John was bad but neither really stuck in my mind. I think John had two super-dud performances in a row and will probably go. My guess for the other one leaving is Jermaine.

I'd say John and Tim, but sadly I can see Tim sticking around for a little while longer because of his alleged om-nom-nom-ness:

http://www.dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/2010/03/01/america-idol-finalist-tim-urban-of-duncanville-%E2%80%94-shirtless/

Best:

Crystal (that's my absolute favorite CCR song and she totally did it right)
Siobhan (a little schizo, but that note... ZOMG)

Okay, alright:

Paige (I can tell she can sing well, but I'm waiting for her to pick a good song)
Lilly (I like her in the context of AI, but I'd never buy her record)
Katelyn (Liked her on the piano, but agree that it was just way too slow)
Didi (I shouldn't have liked this at all, but I did... a little)

Inoffensive and nothing more:

Katie (She really does have a nice voice for 17, but my eyes glaze over while she's on)

No, no, no:

Michelle (You sang a Creed song like it was a Whitney song and you did nothing good tonight)
Lacey (Terrible pixie voice, please go home)
Haeley (Terrible squeaky voice, please go home)

Pretty much agree with you across the board although I would put Katelyn as Best - I thought she was great. I also liked Didi too even thought the performance was a bit of a mess.

Team Siobhan!

And are the judges way more astute than usual? They seem so otm so consistently...kind of weird.

Except for Randy, who was watching tonight's show from an alternate universe.

He was more negative than I would have been but I thought he made some good points sometimes, which obviously is out of character

siobhan is my favorite so far... i was into her rendition of wicked game, and she doesn't seem overly impressed with herself, which is what bothers me about lilly and crystal.

With Crystal, it's fine. She's good and she knows she's good and if she gets voted off one week, then big deal. With Lilly, I think it's kind of a put-on. I think she thinks she's better than she is, but rolls around in her quirky humility like a mud puddle.

Siobhan is just a legitimately odd character. She's quiet, not a great communicator, sort of an off-kilter type, but she's absolutely fearless when she sings. Big fan!

She's really cute and I genuinely laughed at her intro video. I hope Simon doesn't give her shit like he gave Allison about being a non-bubbly anti-Jordin anti-Archie type. Speaking of which it's interesting how about 2 years separates the omigod you're 17s (Katie Stevens) from the nobody cares how old you are. Have the judges ever said "I can't believe you're 18!"? What happens in that year that makes your prodigious talent less amazing?

I do get a bit of tude from Crystal...she's very talented but not very endearing on a personal level, at least not yet. I do have to laugh whenever a contestant points out that they never watched the show - way to pick up brownie points with the self-loathing demographic.

I did like Casey's excuse for never watching the show. A lightning strike or something blew up their tv when he was a kid, and his family just never bought another one.

tonight was my first time seeing the girls, and i mostly agree with you guys, but Lilly? the girl doing the nails-on-chalkboard Ashlee Simpson-ish take on "A Change Is Gonna Come"? jesus fucking christ that was unacceptable.

This season seems clearly to be Crystal vs. Siobhan. But Big Mike will probably be there in the end, predictably and blandly.

The blond dude with the awful guitar riffs is going to be painful/amusing to watch.

Essentially, I thought that the first girl and the last girl were great, there was one other one who was okay, and the others I would be very happy to never hear from again.

Kind of like with Megan last season, I like the concept of Lilly better than the actuality. AI is obviously trying to fit a couple affected indie-type voices among the divas and the rockers, but I think they're giving Lilly too much cred for reimagining Beatles and Sam Cooke songs in her "quirky" way. I don't think she's as good a singer as Didi or even Lacey.

Agree w/ Johnny Fever pretty much down the line, except would probably move Lacey up into the "okay, alright" category.

When Crystal finished her song, I thought that they should make this a short season and just send all of the guys home right now. The quality of the women singers as a whole is so much higher than the men this year.

Last night I watched the first half of Idol, the first I've watched of the show all season. Improbably, I liked Didi the best, even though I hate that Creed song so much. But she was good!

Wait, I meant Michelle.

I pointed this out elsewhere last night, but Michelle seems like an Idol contestant trapped in time from one of the first few seasons. She's of the old Whitney/Mariah/Celine mold, and American Idol has moved on from that type of singer. She really doesn't have the same opportunity in 2010 as she would've in 2004.

siobahn has had me from the jump and after last night? holy shit.

there were a couple screamy moments but she killed that shit

got to show some love for Katelyn, the coldplay girl--she looked like she belonged on beverly hills 90210 and i fucking loved it! pretty voice and dope song choice!

LOL at John Park getting eliminated and then immediately delivering the best performance he's ever given on the show. Sad to see him go, now.

seriously, it was funny how much better it was

also, congrats to Jermaine for winning the most sanctimonious and obnoxious God-dropping farewell speech award

"I know God"

I know God too, and he was like "did you see Jermaine on Tuesday? He sucked"

Also the Oscars are this weekend so God is working overtime helping everyone realize their dreams

In a just world (vs. Idol World) John would have hung around another few weeks and Tim Urban would be done. Also, putting Jermaine and Andrew Garcia together was the biggest lack-of-suspense farewell ever.

have we talked yet about how obvious it is that Simon and Kara are fucking

lol Kara wishes. Simon seems completely uninterested in her, which is a natural reaction

i remember hearing simon talk about how he only gets with porn stars a while back on the howard stern show. in similar news, though, how uncomfortable was it when they cut to kara's husband a few weeks back?

I hope Simon was talking about Michelle when he said he had to turn his tv off when watching back the show. I thought that performance was absolutely terrible, even worse than Lacey's and Haeley's. Out of key, weird abrupt changes in volume and I couldn't even recognize the song. Glad she's gone.
I also lovvveee Katelyn, especially since I first thought she was just filling in the 'pretty' spot. Pleasantly surprised. Am also liking Siobhan and Crystal. And Didi, for some reason.
As for the guys, I'm only curious about what Alex Lambert is going to do, I think he might turn out really really great in a few weeks. Casey is still pretty and I appreciate Big Mike's showmanship, the rest of them are just one bowl of blah to me.

New song from Megan Joy. Not quite sure what I think of the "Johnny Are You Queer" retro vibe, or the wall of cheese production, but it's definitely not what I was expecting from her post-Idol career, so yay for surprises!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlOHp-irsCc

I have to say, I kept stumbling across clips of her on the Idols tour on Youtube and I was kind of shocked by how awesome she sounded. I think the show was just not really conducive to her doing a good performance but the talent is definitely there.

Couldn't figure out what the hell Simon was talking about re: Siobhan tonight. I thought that was one of her smoothest, most commanding performances yet.

Best

Siobhan (I agree that the a capella open was fantastic, but the rest was also on point)
Crystal (Nice, but singing Tracy Chapman for her is kind of lazy amirite?)
Didi (There's just something about where her voice falls in the spectrum that sounds great on some songs, Rihannon included)

Good(ish)

Paige (It wasn't as bad as the judges said, because I think they missed that "Smile" is supposed to be sung with a tinge of sadness)
Lacey (Definitely her best performance ever, but her pixie voice still rubs me the wrong way)

Bad(ish)

Katie (Oh Katie, don't you know better than to sing a Kelly Clarkson song for AI judges?)
Katelyn (It was boring. And it's a song I'm predisposed to hating. When Ryan said "Carole King," I was thinking "plz don't let it be 'I Feel the Earth Move'"... and then it was. Ugh.)
Lilly (She's fast becoming my least favorite contestant because that voice is a total put-on. I don't care if she owns a Moog or not.)

what did siobahn sing

"House of the Rising Sun"

Team Siobhan!

can't stand crystal, btw, can't wait for her to fall apart during theme weeks

big up! xp

It doesn't matter where Crystal lands, she's already got a record deal locked up by somebody somewhere.

And Alex Lambert is def my fav guy

tip for crystal: suck the life out of "Joey"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXlfK1K80NA

Off topic, but why is that youtube video showing the cover of the wrong album?

I believe that's a question for AustinD45

This season seems light years away from previous seasons, to the chagrin of a few of the contestants I imagine. I could see Paige as a semi-finalist in season 2, Katie in season 4. Both of them are just woefully out of their element now.

Agree with Johnny's ranking overall. Was disappointed with Katelyn's performance - she was so good the first two eps, hopefully that good favor will carry her to the top 12. Was glad that Didi made a "comeback," although for the record I didn't think was that bad last week fwiw.

btw I don't think Crystal will win - she is peaking way too early and getting pimped way too hard (that sounds dirty doesn't it) and no one on Idol has ever started out this strong and ended up winning. Someone else, whether it's Siobhan, Didi, Lee (super dark horse) or Katelyn will end up slowly progressing over the course of the season and overtake Crystal, who will probably end up 4th.

no one on Idol has ever started out this strong and ended up winning

David Cook. Archuleta may have given him a little bit of competition near the end, but it was his season to lose from the moment he did the Lionel Richie song in the semis.

(Though tbf, Cook's season was packed with likeable, talented people. I was sad to see several of them voted off, but it didn't make any difference because I felt all along he was going to win.)

I was referring to a combination of performances/promotion though, and there's no doubt that David Archuleta was the favorite to win by a long shot in the semis. "Hello" didn't solidify Cook's place as a favorite as much as be a breakout performance that lead to his peak, I would say it was more around "Billie Jean" when people starting saying "okay, this Cook guy can probably win".

Happy Together was competent and All Right Now was good, but it wasn't until Hello where people started taking notice and within a few weeks he peaked, that's basically the perfect schedule. In fact if you look at previous seasons you can probably determine the exact trajectory needed to win and we can call this season within a month.

I'm afraid I almost like Siobhan too much too early, because my heart will inevitably be broken into a million pieces when she stumbles during some strange theme week. Lilly is such a one-trick-pony already, though, that she's destined to crash and burn (and sooner rather than later).

crystal has a great voice, but her personality makes my skin crawl. she's so smug - like danny gokey smug - and she didn't have any hot lixx on that electric guitar like casey had last week. (okay, i'm fine with the lack of hot lixx, but still, her self assured grin makes me want to change the channel.) i think lilly and andrew garcia should have a contest to see who can go the longest doing exactly the same thing week after week. i definitely don't really want to love either of them forever. i like didi's voice and was surprised at how "bad" she supposedly did in her first two performances, so i was happy that she got a positive review this week.

also, siobhan is off the chart good, and is it just me or does kara get more orange every week?

I really don't get a smug vibe from Crystal. It's more of a Jason Castro "who gives a shit" vibe. She's good, she's aware of that fact, and she'll keep doing it the same way regardless. Danny Gokey's vibe was all LOOKITMEEEEEEE all the time.

Once again, JFever basically echoes my sentiments, except I'm finding myself more drawn to Lacey's pixie voice. She and Didi are working in the same realm, for sure, but Lacey's picked songs I don't know the last two weeks and worked them better each week, where Didi (Bill Withers, Fleetwood Mac) is taking on warhorses and doing okayish jobs with them.

I have NO idea what kind of record Siobhan would make, but damned if she isn't just coming out and owning everything she's attempted thus far.

OTM all the way on Lilly. I was really wanting to like her early on, but the schtick is definitely wearing thin. She's taking some of my favorite songs and making boho crap out of them.

How can you even compare Crystal to the Gokemonster

What was up with the different lyrics on House of The Rising Sun?

I didn't notice any differences

I may have misheard but Siobahn sang "My mother was a gambler/Sold my new blue jeans." The lines that I recall are "My mother was a tailor/sewed my new blue jeans."

I thought "Both your parents are gamblers? You poor girl."

Good performance though!

that's kinda hilarious if she sang that, I suppose it makes sense though.

btw does anyone take a peek at the guys while the girls are singing? Michael Lynche is always FEELING the songs, he had a real Patti LaBelle moment with Katie Stevens last night, pretty adorable actually.

Lacey sucks, she avoided the difficult part of "The Story" because her voice isn't that good

She's taking some of my favorite songs and making boho crap out of them.

Lilly is this year's Megan Joy (which means maybe she'll release a surprisingly good song a year from now?).

Acually I think Lacey is kinda working the Megan angle too, maybe moreso than Lilly; an unusual little voice floundering around, trying to figure out what to do on AI.

Unlike Megan, Lilly has previous performing experience. (You can check out her band, Varlet, on myspace.) She seems to have arrived, like Crystal, with her act pretty much formed. She has a confidence that Megan never did, (aided by all four judges never calling her on her iffy voice) and she seems be better liked by AI fans in general. I'm sure she's a good cabaret or indie rock singer, but each passing week I find her performances on AI more annoying.

TS: Megan's "Walking After Midnight" vs. Lilly's "I Fall To Pieces."

GREAT

Michael Lynche (I knew he could probably do "This Woman's Work" some justice, but that was spectacular.)

Good(ish)

Alex Lambert (I still appreciate him more with my eyes closed, though.)
Casey James (It was safe, but that's all he needs right now.)
Todrick Hall (Not super, but it was bold. I appreciate bold at this point.)

Meh(ish)

Lee Dewyze (I hate that Owl City song, and I'm not a big fan of Lee's voice, but whatevs. It was okay.)

Bad

Tim Urban (Couldn't understand the praise for his "Hallelujah." I thought he rushed the hell out of it, and there's no way he comprehended any of that song's lyrics.)
Aaron Kelly (An undercooked country dork. Hello State Fair!)
Andrew Garcia (This dude is consistently disappointing. He may actually go home.)

so i guess michael lynche just blew up the internet

was I supposed to think Michael was amazing or something? he's one of the better guys (not to damn with faint praise) but the judges are really overselling the guy. but I guess as the most consistently good guy and the (likely) only black person in the top 12 he has a lot resting on his shoulders. but thankfully they are the span of about two grown men.

btw, next week's theme is the Rolling Stones

btw, next week's theme is the Rolling Stones

Oh man, I want to hear Siobhan sing "Gimme Shelter" so bad, but she'll probably opt for something a little more obscure.

so if andrew garcia puts out an album will it consist entirely of ironic pop covers? ew
and tim urban sucked

didn't feel like michael totally connected w/ the song. but tbf i'm hyper-sensitive about that song and hate every version that's not by kate bush.

wait, a dude sang "this woman's work" tonight??

Michael is too much of a showman...it works for some performances (like James Brown last week) but you have to be more "centered" during an emotional performance like tonight's.

Siobhan sing "Gimme Shelter"

hot

i was halfway through watching the hangover on dvd when idol came on, and i cared so little about any of the guys that i didn't even watch. i mean, i like following the show, but these dudes are so meh-tastic that it's almost not worth it.

GOOD
Michael Lynche

NOT BAD
Casey James
Todrick Hall
Tim Urban

YAWN
Andrew Garcia

BLEAH
Alex Lambert
Lee Dewyze
Aaron Kelly

yeah I can't really be bothered with any of the guys, I don't care who makes the top 12 since I know most of them will be eliminated relatively quickly.

I'd also like to set up a petition to ban any further mentions of "Straight Up" from now on.

Clearly he should not have strayed from the Paula Abdul songbook.

My guess at tomorrow night's eliminations (partly wishful thinking):

Aaron Kelly (because, psh... who cares)
Andrew Garcia (no one wants more of what he's doing)
Katie Stevens (same trap as Aaron Kelly... they're not the kind of performer people watch AI for anymore)
Paige Miles (this one's sad, because she has a good voice but seems so disoriented as a competitor)

I'm with you on the gals going home. Guys are tougher to figure. I gotta believe Aaron has the heartland grandma voter bloc enough to keep him around for a while; same for Tim Urban with the 'tweens. Yeah, Andrew Garcia, an early favorite, seems to be slowing down and passed up by Lee Dewyze (crazy thought, that.) And I think I'm picking Todrick to go. I like him, and that Queen song was super bold, but I don't know if he has a fanbase to save him.

BTW, was just looking at some online Idol betting odds. Crystal is now favored (no surprise) followed by Siobhan and Lee neck and neck. Andrew Garcia definitely still in the running at fourth.

Again, I gotta ask: Lee Dewyze? Really?

Crystal vs. Stones Week... should pretty much knock the cover off the ball. Pray she does "Stray Cat Blues"...

Rewatching now, Didi was AWESOME on "Rhiannon"

HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS!

Sad that Alex Lambert is gone, but I'm mostly consoled by the fact I won't have to hear Lilly anymore.

Sad that Alex Lambert is gone, but I'm mostly consoled by the fact I won't have to hear Lilly anymore.

Yeah...the way that you feel? I feel exactly the opposite. Could care less that feathercut mulletboy is gone, but Lily and Katelyn, my quirky girls are gone.

No big losses among them. Todrick deserved another week but none of them were going to win.

I don't mind Lilly leaving, but these were all bad decisions. Alex was the most interesting guy--though he certainly never reached it, I think he had Yamin potential

"Yamin potential."

Good phrase.

sort of like the Osterman Weekend.

Or "Aikenesque"

booo, tonight sucked. Alex, Katelyn and Lilly should have stayed over their counterparts. I don't think any of them would have gone THAT far (I think Katelyn could have stayed around for a while at least though) but over Paige, Aaron and Andrew? Would have been a whole lot better.

anyway I was watching tonight's shitfest instead of the Telephone video and this is what I get

kinda like how lilly said, "yeah i was pretty certain the teenager was going home, this is surprising to me."

am shocked lambert went home

I wanted Lily and Katelyn to purely for male sexist pig reasons. I thought that they were decent eye candy. I watch AI with my wife because it has become one of those "couple things" that we do together. I'm not really into the type of music held up by the AI judges as "capable of selling millions of records". To the judge by the track record of previous AI winners, only a precious few have been actually capable of doing that anyway.

Lilly reminds me too much of my youngest aunt, who's only three years older than me and who I'm not that incredibly fond of. But also, I hated her voice. I had two reasons I wanted to see her go. Katelyn was alright, but in an incredibly lukewarm way. I don't mind that Katie or Paige hung around. Paige might actually end up being a real project contestant (or she may go home next week, who knows). Neither of them have any chance of winning, though.

Heh, my youngest aunt is her early sixties so I don't have to worry about any uncomfortable associations in that arena. My interest in American Idol is pretty extra-musical. I pretty much watch like it like Tom Servo or Crow from MST3K much to my wife's annoyance. Bless her heart.

Aww, Katelyn and Alex were my favourites, never thought they wouldn't make top 12!

Alex going home while Tim Urban sticks around = ridiculousness. And I was positive Katelyn had Top 12 plus several more weeks locked. My like/dislike relationship with Lilly has been documented above, but I thought she'd outlast Paige and Lacey for sure. That was a shock.

I'm gonna rewatch this morning, but I thought Todrick was kinda awesome in his swan song. I'm actually gonna miss that guy.

Evidently there are still voters for the Katie/Aaron type of old-school AI performances.

The eliminations surprised me, but what surprised me even more was how much I enjoyed the opening group number. I liked a Michael Bublé song!

Every time I hear one of those opening group numbers on AI, I start to think that I should get around to checking out Glee sometime.

I almost want to stop watching AI after last night. Totally depressing. I'm starting to wonder if preteens are the only demographic left that still votes.

RE: opening numbers. They should totally do that Ben Folds/Regina Spektor song while they still have an even girl/guy ratio.

(x-post) I thought the preteens WOULD have voted for Alex in droves over somebody like Casey, but I'm as mystified as you are.

So, who's going to have the toughest time with Rolling Stones week?

My votes: Katie, Aaron, Lacey, Tim. Have my doubts about Didi, too, but after "Rhiannon," I think she could work magic on "Wild Horses."

What's most offensive about all of this? That, apparently, people find TIM URBAN attractive

http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/a/american_idol/2010/100312/lilly_scott/alt/281x211.jpg

loving lilly's face here, show will be 100% more watchable for me with her gone

people find TIM URBAN attractive

Those people are called tweens. Watch just 30 minutes of The Disney Channel and you'll see 20 Tim Urbans.

Just for the hell of it, I'm going to try to pick the order of elimination like we did last year:

12: Paige Miles
11: Andrew Garcia
10: Lacey Brown
09: Katie Stevens
08: Tim Urban
07: Aaron Kelly
06: Lee Dewyze
05: Didi Benami
04: Casey James
03: Crystal Bowersox
02: Michael Lynche
01, the WINNER: Siobhan Magnus (probably wishful thinking!)

OK, why not:

12. Paige
11. Katie
10. Tim
9. Didi
8. Lacey
7. Aaron
6. Michael
5. Andrew
4. Siobhan
3. Casey
2. Lee
1. Crystal

I don't see Michael going that far. The marginally-talented big guys usually run out of votes much earlier than that.

I think his likability/personality will go a long way with voters (the Ruben effect). Also, I'd argue that he's more than marginally talented.

Pretty sure you've got the Top 6/Bottom 6 divide close, with the exception of Tim Urban; I figure if he's gotten this far, he'll go inexplicably further with those texting tweens.

I think Lacey's going soon (as soon as next week) and One-Trick Garcia will hang in there until midpack. Didi needs to keep her nerves/emotions in check and keep picking the right songs, or she could flame out.

Siobhan can really sing, has a ton of media buzz and fan support, seems adaptable to multiple genres, and she has yet to make a misstep. I could see her winning it all in a Siobhan/Mamasox finale, Big Mike in 3rd.

12. Lacey
11. Paige
10. Katie
9. Aaron
8. Tim
7. Andrew
6. Didi
5. Lee
4. Casey
3. Big Mike
2. Crystal
1. Siobhan

And then I ended up putting Tim in 8th anyway!

I can get with that. Bummed at the prospect of all those extra weeks of Andrew doing songs in his "way."

Did they ever announce what was going on w/Crystal last week? She seemed pissed or sick of something last night. I'm starting to wonder if she might be a bit of a nut job.

I haven't heard anything, but I definitely noticed she was zonked out last night.

Internet buzz was she said "That's fucked up" when Katelyn got voted out. I think it's some combination of her diabetes and general distaste for the machinations of the show. It does make me wonder if she might be a shock step-down for "health reasons."

spoilers for tonight, comments are from the source:

Michael Lynche – “Miss You” – R&B Style, had to do it twice. Audio problems. Didn’t sound good with eyes closed. Good stage presence, though
Didi Benami – “Play with fire – Dramatic, sexy version. Hit all the big notes
Casey James – “It’s All Over Now” – He was good. Played electric guitar, Southern Rock version
Lacey Brown – “Ruby Tuesday” – 4 people on strings. Awkward in the beginning, picked up steam.
Andrew Garcia – “Gimme Shelter” – No guitar, LOVED the beginning. The chorus not so much. Too low
Katie Stevens – “Wild Horses” – Sang it straight up. Pretty. Didn’t seem at pageanty. Best Katie performance so far.
Tim Urban – “Under My Thumb” – Least favorite vocal. Reggea arrangement.
Siobhan Magnus – “Paint it Black” – Really good. Very dramatic, Short barbie doll dress combat boots, all in black.
Lee Dewyze – “Beast of Burden” – Radio ready version of the song. A little nervous in the beginning
Paige Miles – “Honky Tonk Woman” – Sounded great. Forgot the words. Didn’t sing the whole song. Didn’t sound sick
Aaron Kelly – “Angie” – Kinda pulled it off. Wasn’t great.
Crystal Bowersox – You Don’t Always Get What You Want” – AWESOME as always. Played guitar. Took it gospelly/Janis Joplin. Beautiful. Moving

Tim Urban singing Under My Thumb is so hilarious, unless he was going for the Mormon date-rapist frat boy thing, in that case well played Mr. Urban

i love didi

"Tim Urban fans, you get your fix"

BEST

Siobhan - REALLY wanted her to do Gimme Shelter, especially so after hearing Andrew ruin it. She can sing, but I thought it was a little bit weird. Weird, but great.
Crystal - As Kara likes to say, Crystal is already a complete package artist. I didn't get what the judges were saying at all, because I thought this was her best night so far.

Pretty okay

Michael - I mean, what can you really do with Miss You? On the playback, I didn't like it as much though.
Lee - Nice arrangement, okay performance. Someone needs to really coach him about swallowing the microphone.
Didi - It bugged me that she was cutting notes short during the chorus, and that she put on her angry face for the camera. Decent enough, though.
Paige - I never would've guess she's got laryngitis from that performance. Sounded great. I still think she's kind of a blank canvas/robot singer.

Meh

Aaron - tbh, he did much better with Angie than I expected, but he still seems in over his head here.
Casey - I appreciate him taking on one of the really early songs, old r&b shuffle. Nothing spectacular about the vocals, though, and his slide playing could use work.
Katie - I predicted with absolute certainty that she'd do Wild Horses either here or on twitter. Someone owes me money! Still meh, kids.

In serious danger

Lacey - I liked the string quartet, but that was about it.
Andrew - I didn't like a single bit of it.
Tim - A better singer could've made a reggae interpretation of Under My Thumb really cool. Tim certainly couldn't.

yeah I called Katie or Aaron doing Wild Horses too, Aaron >>> Katie tonight definitely

Andrew fucking butchered Gimme Shelter, I sincerely hope the fairy dust from Hollywood has worn off and he can finally get the boot.

I tried to listen to a few people tonight but it was just too brutal.

what the judges are picking up on is that Crystal is just awesome every time in exactly the same way, but the show loves for you to do a OMFGWOW performance every few weeks or so. But consistently awesome worked for Studdard et al. so Crystal shouldn't sweat it.

With that said, Siobhan is in the lead now I think. I thought we were in trouble at the start of Paint It Black, but then she got really crazy and loud at the end, and it really worked. It's a song told from a crazy point of view, after all.

PS-I wonder if that Tim Urban dude has any idea what Under My Thumb is about.

he was thinkin Bob Marley

Siobhan was like some crazy combination of early Streisand/Adam Lambert. While the other frontrunners played it pretty safe and stayed in their wheelhouse, she took it to cuckootown. Totally loved it.

Katie/Aaron somewhat improved. Andrew floundering. Still waiting for that really great Paige performance, but given the laryngitis that was good.
Didi has a way of overarticulating certain words that bugs me, but I thought her song was a nice interpretation.

I'm sure Lacey hasn't got more than a week or two left, but I like her voice, and think she could front some sort of gauzey Christian-themed band like The Innocence Mission.

I don't know what Urban was thinkin', but I know my thoughts: GTFO, GTFO, GTFO.

lol, I am the only person in America who didn't mind that "Under My Thumb" performance because I only half-listened to it while playing videogames

BTW, looking back at Carly, Adam, and now Siobhan, what exactly is it about having Irish blood that makes you great at screaming like a banshee? (this question may have answered itself, lol)

Tim's reggae version of "Under My Thumb" undercuts the menace of the original. A convincingly menacing reggae version could be done. There's plenty of menace in a lot of classic reggae ("I Shot the Sheriff" for one), but Tim was doing the Jason Mraz-esque type of reggae which works better as a backdrop to spring break keggers.

what is sexist exactly about the rolling stones' under my thumb?

I was going to comment about how I don't think the song is sexist but rather is just plain misanthropic, turns out I already did years ago

I don't think it's sexist but I DO think it's an utterly retarded song to sing on American Idol, I mean come on. And musically it's pretty boring for a Stones song, but I guess a) not being aware of the lyrics and b) picking a boring song pretty much sums Tim Urban up

The best thing about Under My Thumb is the musical arrangement of the original Stones track. Take that away, and you've not got much.

He originally wanted to perform "Cocksucker Blues" but Fox Network's Standard & Practices Dept. nixed that idea so he performed "Under My Thumb" in deliberately goofy and meaningless manner as a form of protest.

It dawned on me today, I believe Lacey borrowed some of her arrangement of Ruby Tuesday from Melanie's 1970 cover (check the stillimgonnamissyou part.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9alAuYr2g_8

That's got to be where it came from, but I've never heard that part rushed in any other version.

Bye Lacey.

Fuckin' Tim Urban!

Dan Peterson is 1/1 on his predictions so far.

they brought back the save? fuck that noise

Of course! They can bill for an extra week of advertising!

don't they just cut two people the following week?

That's right, I forgot. It kind of makes the whole exercise pointless (except one poor performer gets more screen time).

Dan Peterson is 1/1 on his predictions so far.

Hard not to see Lacey's exit coming, esp last night. The show gets to be less about who delivers great, or even improving, performances and more about who simply has a large fanbase to multi-vote each week. (cough *Timurban* cough) Hence, I still think it'll be Paige's last week. Would Simon vote to save her? The suspense!

So I guess next week's theme is Teen Idols? Wonder if Andrew can do it irony-free?

I absolutely see an acoustic cover of I Want It That Way in his immediate future.

Britney is too obvious, but then again Andrew isn't great at picking songs so who knows

Lacey had the best Stevie Nicks voice. Signature voices won't win American Idol. It's those big range, versatile voices. Last week I listened to the blind guy from last season perform with another guy from last season. Blind dude's voice seemed weak compared to other dude with crazy big vocal range. However, the blind dude had the perfect Joe Jackson voice.

I think this show sucks. In the end, having the best voice has little to do about having the most talent. Sure talent plays a part in the scoring but near the end all the smaller vocal range voices will have been weeded out, etc.

Also, Michael Lynche – “Miss You” – R&B Style made me sick. I know the judges like the idols to put their own spin on a song but I never want to hear “Miss You” in that arrangement again.

Ha ha, can't really debate the show sucking! I only started watching in earnest last year because I thought Megan's voice was unique, then got kinda caught up in Adam-mania, seeing what he would do each week. (And a bit of Allison fandom as well.) I'm kept interested by what certain singers will do in the various theme weeks, songs they choose, how they are able (or not) to work with arrangements and staging...

Ultimately, though, no -- I couldn't care less about the eventual winners.

gotta admire Kris Allen for developing a personality and a memorable voice some time after winning the show

I'm positive I couldn't pick out Kris' voice on TV/Radio. He seems like a decent singer and a handsome, likeable guy, much like Martin Zellar (Gear Daddies) and many, many others similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvC_rV0qt_Y&feature=related

ha my point was more that while he was on the show, even when it got down to like the final 3 performers, I couldn't have told you what he sounded like to save my life and regularly forgot his existence (check the old thread, I am sure there are multiple posts of me going "wait, who is Kris?" and misattributing songs to him), but now he's actually got a song out that gives me a reference point for remembering his voice (less shrieky/whiny, rounder-sounding Adam Levine).

Now I'll have to figure out a reference point for Maroon 5! Knew who Levine is, but I'm so out of touch with that kind of pop rock. I checked out Kris' single. It's not bad.

Yeah, I don't mind it. I really like Adam Lambert's and totally abhor Danny Gokey's.

I only started watching this week (for reasons I won't bore anybody with).

Crystal is so obviously the winner, it's ridiculous. I don't think anyone has ever been as far ahead of the field at this point in the season.

I think the judges are starting to give her a bit of negative criticism to up her votes. It wouldn't surprise me if she turned out to be one of those people nobody bothers to vote for, because they think everyone else is bothering.

Melinda in season 6 and much more so - I don't consider Siobhan to be far behind Crystal if at all

Siobhan is good but she has a tendency to oversing, Adam Lambert-style (so no surprise that you guys, and the judges, love her). But I'm not going to argue my point too forcefully after watching for just one week.

I don't really think she's oversung much. "Wicked Game" was appropriately moody, "Think" was decent (with one glory note) and there was really way more going on arrangement-wise in "Paint It Black" than just the screech at the end; she turned the beginning into a waltz. Check the itunes studio recording, it's pretty incredible imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvSJQXUlrVE

TEAM SIOBHAN!

I think my favorite thing she's done so far, aside from the "Think" glory note, was "House of the Rising Sun." It was pretty understated the whole way through, without ever being boring for a moment.

Gah, totally forgot to list that one. Yeah, Rising Sun, that was beautiful.

TEAM URBAN

TEAM URBAN SANJAYA

fixed.

hahaha

i love the little hearts he makes with his hands

and how he is always surprised by criticism

Melinda Doolittle -- another technically fine singer who was completely clueless when it came to interpreting songs. Rather than adapt her style to fit the song, she'd steamroll it, singing exactly the same way every week, hit a few glory notes, and wait for comments like "dude, this is a singing competition, and you can definitely sing!" to roll in. Just like Adam Lambert, and if Siobhan is the same way then she also has no business winning.

Her album is still better than either of Jordin's or Blake's albums, though. She might not have won, but she's who I'm listening to now.

MJ’s Big Blog confirmed with Fred Bronson, author of The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, that the theme for this week has been changed from the FOX-announced “Teen Idols” to “Billboard #1 Hits.”

Pretty disappointed/bored with this, tbh.

they tend to chicken out of the more unique themes...seasons 7 and 8 were both originally going to have a "songs currently in the iTunes top 100" week but the theme changed both years to Beatles Week pt 2 and Top Downloads of All Time week respectively.

Was looking forward to Siobhan doing Hanson and Paige doing young Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 (just guessing on those, no spoiler info!) as well as looking forward to a couple possible trainwrecks.

Andrew would've done Debbie Gibson. I guess he still could, though... she had about 30 #1 singles in 1987 alone.

One of the things I like best about X-Factor in the UK is that the theme weeks are quite narrow and tend to be Artist X or Band Y, and they get mentored by Artist X or Band Y for the week too (at least, they have a session at the piano with them). It throws some of the performers right out of their comfort zone, plus you get to see Whitney Houston acting like a complete mentalist, so it's all good.

wtf, Lee does the Box Tops and neglects to mention Alex Chilton's death

also i was wrong about Crystal, she's pretty greattttt

You guys, that performance of Me and Bobby McGee was flat amazing. Crystal seems to have really wandered into this competition by mistake, because she should already be touring and recording. And, Siobhan aside, I don't see there being any way from this point forward that she loses this year.

I'm also starting to like her A LOT as a person. But I'm still rooting for Siobhan.

omg Simon ripping Andrew Garcia = greatest moment of the night
"we overrated that moment" OTM

Siobhan needs to pick more songs in her lower register imo

BEST

Crystal - After the early part of this season, I'd kind of forgotten that some contestants can actually be this good.

GOOD

Siobhan - I won't fault her for picking songs where she can belt at the end, because it's what everyone who's watching is waiting for.
Aaron - Tonsillitis or whatever, I think this kid may actually sneak into the Top 3. I wouldn't be upset, because he's nowhere near as annoying as David Archuleta was.
Michael - The judges were right about it being a technically good performance, but he's becoming schticky.

FAIR

Didi - She's had an angry face while she's singing for the last two weeks. Also, I love "You're No Good," and I didn't particularly love where she went with it.
Lee - I kept waiting for someone - ANYONE - to acknowledge Alex Chilton, and no one did. Look, Lee's got an okay voice, but he's straight boring.

BAD

Tim - Seriously, dude. You're making a mockery of Queen, even if it's not one of their best songs. Thanks, at least, for not trying a Queen song I like more than that one.
Paige - WHAT?! You are so frustrating because you're completely in over your head here. I hear moments where your voice is great, but I honestly don't think you even like music enough to be a singer.
Casey - On the positive side, you can mimic Huey Lewis's voice pretty well. On the negative side, you sang "The Power of Love" in 2010. Dud.
Andrew - Last week you ruined "Gimme Shelter." This week you ruined "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." I hope you aren't afforded the opportunity to ruin anything else.

Paige is probably leaving, but Andrew needs to get the fuck outta here.

Oh yeah, I forgot Katie. I guess that speaks for itself.

^^^

But I'm still rooting for Paige 'cause she's still got potential. And I like Didi a lot, too.

Crystal's good at what she does, but i dunno, i just can't muster any enthusiasm for her. you guys would buy her album?

This show was on in the gay bar (surpise).

This was the first time I'd seen 12-15 minutes of it. What's the point? Of course these people don't know how to sing, they grew up with Whitney fucking Houston AND WORSE, for God's sake.

re: Crystal

you guys would buy her album?

I dunno, probably not. But I appreciate the fact that she's so good at what she does. And, unlike most of the other contestants, she knows what she does.

yeah her confidence and focus definitely makes her stand out in this lot. but i mean if i saw her in a coffee shop (which is where you would see her irl) i would go "wow! she's good!" and then walk out and never think of her ever again.

This show was on in the gay bar (surpise).

This was the first time I'd seen 12-15 minutes of it. What's the point? Of course these people don't know how to sing, they grew up with Whitney fucking Houston AND WORSE, for God's sake.

― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, March 24, 2010 2:42 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

uh, pretty sure these kids didn't grow up with an artist who peaked in like 1988, Morbsy.

this season might be better if it was just Crystal and Siobhan doing 6 songs each every week.

Crystal was the best, Siobhan was a bit disappointing considering how high she's raised the bar for herself.

Paige deserves to go if only for picking Against All Odds. Andrew deserves to go for re-murdering Marvin Gaye.

overrated tonight: Lee (I feel like he's going to piss himself he looks so nervous), Katie ("yeah, you had mad pitch problems the whole song but" - there is no "but" after that statement Kara, she was horrible and that's the end)

underrated tonight: Didi (yes it was "cabaret" but she sang it well so come on), Mike (actually liked this one?)

and overall Aaron and Casey are doing a lot better than I would have guessed a few weeks back.

yeah I'm a little confused by the judges' Didi vendetta.

yeah her confidence and focus definitely makes her stand out in this lot. but i mean if i saw her in a coffee shop (which is where you would see her irl) i would go "wow! she's good!" and then walk out and never think of her ever again.

The benefit of a show like this is that you get to spend three months with her instead of just 20 minutes.

Honestly, I used to play in a band with a female singer and she sang "Bobby McGee" that well. Crystal's very good, and confident, but that was a predictable and safe choice imo, not the new bar-setting of AI9.

I thought Siobhan might come out and nail something quiet and intense this week; this was kinda safe for her too. (Funny how her fearless glory notes are already seeming "safe.")

I liked Big Mike. He really did a LOT of melody rearranging on that warhorse; if that was a "lounge performance" I want to go to that lounge -- probably somewhere on the chitlin circuit.

Agreed on Aaron. He's totally not my thing, but good (and getting better) at what he does (which is make even an Aerosmith song sound like a country power-ballad.) Does dude even have another tempo?

I liked what Didi attempted, even if the outcome wasn't 100%.

Everyone else, varying degrees of bad to worse. I kind of thought/hoped Paige might rally back and prove herself this week, but that was a trainwreck and I still believe she goes home tonight.

LOL at the part of the show where Miley Cyrus is attempting to "coach" Crystal into slowing down "Bobby McGee" and using piano and Crystal just does it the way she did before.

And fuck these guys for not mentioning Alex Chilton (even though Lee did the Joe Cocker version of 'The Letter').

I've never heard the Joe Cocker version, but if that's it (with that weird schmaltzy tempo) then it sucks.

Also, I'm completely eye-rolling at Kara and Simon arguing about whether Katie's best path is pop/R&B or country, when her best path is obviously HOME. Changing her outfit from pageant dress to teenwear doesn't automatically improve her singing, people!

Carly and Michael sang the JC version at the season 7 finale...they also showed up last season during a results show to sing it too, for whatever reason.

I have a hazy memory of that now.

Why would they mention Chilton on a teen pop show where nobody probably knows who the hell he is? I watched this and I would have loved for them to mention his passing, but he didnt write the song. Notice they didnt mention Kris Kristofferson or the Grateful Dead on the Bobby McGee thing either, the former wrote it, the latter covered it. They mentioned Pink.

the Chilton indignation on this thread almost reads like excerpts from an Onion article

The Box Tops pick was probably not very deliberate at all, it was probably on the shortlist of "teen idol" songs.

I agree. I don't think Lee thought "oh shit! Alex Chilton died! I'm going to cover 'The Letter'!" I'm sure he had it picked before Chilton had passed away.

x-post -- It wasn't teen idol week though, it was Billboard #1 songs. And I honestly didn't know this song ever got that high on the charts. (Stayed there for 4 weeks, too.)

Idol picks the themes in advance, and if Lee's (and maybe Siobhan's, who knows) original pick was also a #1 I don't see why he would have changed it.

Hadn't thought about it that way. Superstition was indeed a number one hit, when he was well past being "Little" Stevie Wonder. AI's themes are always so elastic/bizarre anyway...

Pretty awful week with a bunch of weird song choices. Just give Crystal her own 30-minute variety show already and let everyone fight it out for second place.

Siobhan is starting to turn into Danny Gokey, where she screws around for the first two-thirds, doing absolutely nothing noteworthy, then screams a bunch of notes at the end and waits for the compliments to roll in. She's obviously got a great voice, but she doesn't do herself any favours by relying on this lazy formula week in and week out.

Paige and Andrew weren't just bad, they were Sanjaya-level bad.

Tim wasn't nearly as bad as the judges made him out to be. There were plenty of plain-sounding vocals on the show, but at least he gave a decent performance and got the crowd into it. Maybe it's not my cup of tea but guys like him have to pander to his "base" (12-year old girls) to stay on the show. It happens every year, I don't know why the judges acted so surprised about it.

^ Agree re: Tim. It wasn't good, but it was competent and played to his (few) strengths.

Andrew should have done Barenaked Ladies "One Week".

Oh god, was that song a #1?

I really wanted Andrew to go home tonight, even more than Paige. In fact, I'll miss Paige because I think she's really cute, but I won't miss her singing. Andrew is just aggressively bad now, though.

the great thing about Andrew Garcia is the 1,000 yard stare when the judges demolish him.

how could they even save someone this week if they wanted to? two people would have to go home next week then they would go from 11 people to 9 people, which one would they have used for the tour?

If it would've happened, they would eliminate one contestant next week and then do the double-elimination the week after Idol Gives Back.

And my predictions are now 2/2 :-)

12. Lacey
11. Paige
10. Katie
9. Aaron
8. Tim
7. Andrew
6. Didi
5. Lee
4. Casey
3. Big Mike
2. Crystal
1. Siobhan

I don't personally think Katie has had a really GOOD performance yet, but with the judges mostly loving her this week, plus her tween voters, plus Andrew floundering week after week, I think he could be the next one to go.

And Aaron's not leaving in 9th place.

Siobhan was horrible tonight. And of all the contestants, I think Didi has my favorite voice. If she's actually a good songwriter, I bet she could put out an awesome album.

Tim's critique tonight was totally classic

I didn't find myself hating Tim's performance like I'd thought I might. Hate watching him on camera, but that was probably the most I've ever liked him singing.

WTF, Andrew was boring tonight

"You didn't sound like you were dying, A+"

I actually liked Andrew's song too. WTF is going on tonight?!

This was a weird night. Down was up. Up was down. People I dreaded hearing sing actually did well. People I typically love (well, Siobhan) didn't.

BEST

Michael — Like Kara, I don't think I'd ever heard that song before either, but that was one of those "moments" the judges keep going on about. I was 100% into it.
Crystal — As usual (and despite the awkwardness of her piano + singing skill), she turned in another great performance. The second half, after she stood up and walked around front, was particularly nice.
Lee — This praise is probably relative, because Lee has always been wound tight like a rubberband ball. Tonight he exploded all over the stage and it was good.

PRETTY ALRIGHT

Casey — Okay, I don't think Casey was actually the star of this performance. He was just at the center of it. Great energy from the band helped him out a lot.
Tim — Maybe I'm crazy, but I was rooting for him tonight, and he didn't really disappoint. Singing Anita Baker is ambitious, and as long as I'm not watching him lock his eyes on the camera and just hearing him sing, I can't hate it.
Katie — Another okay performance from Katie. I even kind of understand where Randy was going with the Xtina comparison. In another five years, Katie's voice will be much, much better than it is now.
Andrew — I've been hating Andrew for a long time. Tonight I wasn't. "Forever" isn't even close to being a soul or r&b song, but whatever. It was a pretty cool stripped-down performance and his vocal tonight was spot-on. I'd have put this in the "BEST" category, but I'm deducting points for Chris Brown being a douchebag. (Sorry, Andrew.)
Siobhan — Her worst performance so far, yet there were parts of it that were completely redeemed by her voice. (To be fair, the bad parts were *because* of her voice, though.)

WORST

Aaron — I was all set to praise this kid after the past couple weeks, but he was timid and shaky and all around terrible tonight. "Ain't No Sunshine" ain't easy to sing, and he proved that.
Didi — Rushed, robotic, awful. Considering how much she claims this song means to her and how emotional she got about it, it was a completely sterile and rather irksome performance. If she goes home tomorrow night, I won't be sad.

Don't agree w/ much of that at all, I'd go best to worst:
Crystal
Lee
(note: everything below unremarkable)
Michael (not bad but sleepy, didn't do anything for me)
Didi (a mess but, as noted above, i love her voice the most, bonus points for not whoring out her friend's death)
Casey (ffs, it's 2010)
Aaron (i bet he could win a lot of high school talent shows)
Andrew (Kris Allen actually improved "Heartless," this sucked some of the magic out of "Forever" and was, at best, competent)
Katie (there's no way this voice will ever produce anything good ever, at least diana degarmo could hit huge celine notes between all the pageantry)
Siobhan (as noted above, i'm very much on team Siobhan but this sounded like a joke audition--go back to the lower register!)
Tim (lol)

Tim Urban is the most clueless Idol contestant I can remember.

I think Tim Urban has reached a Sanjaya zone with me where I kind of want him to hang around some more even if he's bad (and I actually didn't think he was so terrible tonight).

Didi honestly DOES have a voice that I would enjoy on a recording, but she also makes a lot of stupid song choices on this show -- and I think last night probably sent her home. If she would have scaled back and made the song a little moodier, breathier, more intimate, it might have worked, but when she fights against the (often lame) band, she's like Susan Anton fronting the Tonight Show orchestra, pretty but empty.

Siobhan, Siobhan, Siobhan... last night would have been a perfect time for you to dial it back a bunch as well. I still love you, and I'm not going to bash. Please do better next time, and remember: less is more.

THE ONES I LIKED:

Big Mike: Dude's on an undeniable roll.

Lee: Excellent song choice, and he made it his own. My first time genuinely appreciating him.

Crystal: Everything about that worked really well, yet still didn't amaze me: the fashion change, the piano, the song choice, the delivery, all seemed really well calculated and a bit safe. In fairness, that's all she needs to do right now.

Andrew: Liked his original audition, and he's been sucking ever since, so while this wasn't anything GREAT, it was a return to form and reminded me why I saw something in him.

THE REST (please dig deeper and find less cliched songs, for starters:)

Casey: Okay, I'm sure it was fun to play with the big horn section, but that was kinda like The Blues Brothers.

Katie: Karaoke.

Aaron: Better than karaoke, but still meh.

THE DREGS:

Tim Urban: You guys can defend him if you want, but for me every performance has been an epic fail, and I don't even find him laughably entertaining, just painful.

You guys can defend him if you want

Pretty sure that was just me. And I've never done it before; last night was the first time.

Notimebeforetime upthread too. I honestly feel sorry for Tim, he's doing the best he can. Judges put him through to the contest, then crucify every performance, then he's back the following week to "sing" again. It's totally bizarre (but I didn't watch the Sanjaya season.)

It's all an exercise in futility anyhow. Unless Crystal or Siobhan (or maybe Michael) win this season, nobody will remember it a year from now.

There's a clueless pre-teen idol almost every season ... Tim is no different from all the others.

This was the first week that I really bought into Big Mike. Two weeks ago I wasn't sure he'd last until the top eight, now he's looking like he'll be around for a while.

Crystal: great as always. Lee: good but not nearly as good as the judges made him out to be. Siobhan: told you so. It just goes to show how one-dimensional she is -- if she doesn't hit her glory notes, there's absolutely nothing for her to fall back on (terrible clothes, no personality, she doesn't play instruments, doesn't interact with the audience).

I guess either Didi or Katie is going home. I hope it's Katie.

TEAM URBAN

Didi: wow, I really was rooting for her, but too many weeks of bad notes and poor song choices.

Siobhan: Bad night, but I still love her. Hope she abandons the Lambert crap pretty soon.

Big Mike: I find this guy really boring. Don't get the appeal.

Lee: Lock for top three, I think.

Crystal: Wish Simon would stop trying to coax her back into that Lilith Fair nonsense.

Andrew: I think I'm the only person on the planet that kind of likes this guy!

Casey: Kara was OTM w/her critique. Enough with the blooze, dude.

Katie: Boring. Looking forward to her demise.

Aaron: Ditto

Tim Urban: I say keep him around if he'll continue to inspire "fuck it who cares I'm gone in 3 months" reactions from Simon.

Siobhan should have done Tainted Love for soul week. Next week I'm hoping she does Dear Prudence ala Siouxsie.

I can't decided whether Siobhan needs to scale it back and do another "House of the Rising Sun"-type performance, or go big and actually nail it. Leaning toward scaling back, though, because she really needs another week without a "glory note."

decide, rather.

Deicide. She should do Deicide.

Hahaha, nice! She should totally take note of the Lambert playbook, the way he followed up "Ring of Fire" with quiet, sensitive "Tracks of my Tears" the next week.

if she pulled out wicked game next week, the judges would fall over themselves praising her... it's a shame she wasted it in week one when they still weren't sure what to make of her yet.

OK is there some kind of ridiculous legal loophole or parlor game going on here where everyone is attempting to get through a 2-hour broadcast full of Lennon/McCartney songs without ever once saying the word "Beatles"?

too bad they're not limited to wings/plastic ono band.

wkiw crystal, totally

Now I want to see Tim Urban sing My Mummy's Dead.

x-post

I can't even be bothered to critique tonight.

Did they only clear the dozen most hackneyed L/M compositions, or what??

Aaron: Hate the song, boring rendition.
Katie: Hate the song, surprisingly not bad rendition.
Big Mike: I like the chances he's taking each week. This was at least a more interesting take on another cliched song.
Andrew: Cluttered and cheesy. This MIGHT have worked if 3/4 of the band took a break. My vote to go home.
Tim: First time I haven't hated him. Okayish.
Crystal: Given the additional Joplinesque histrionics (and a didgeridoo?!) this was just kind of okay for me.
Casey: I love the song, glad he didn't blues it up. My wife's pick to take it all.
Siobhan: Obviously playing it safe after the beatdown last week.
Lee: Hate the song, and by the time it turned into audience singalong with bagpiper it was just ridiculous.

Andrew: Cluttered and cheesy. This MIGHT have worked if 3/4 of the band took a break. My vote to go home.

It wasn't good (at all), but I still couldn't hate it too much because the arrangement reminded me of Tom Jones at his hornyest.

I'm not sure what Lee did but within weeks he's improved exponentially - he looked so comfortable on stage, two weeks ago during The Letter he looked as if he wandered on stage by accident and now he's owning it.

Casey was the star of the night by far, but Katie improved a great deal since her performance WAS country-ish (not sure what the first three judges were on, it was certainly not rnb). Glad Siobhan mixed it up but I do look forward to her bringing it back next week - she can still do uptempo without "the scream".

Siobhan sounded fantastic and I loved the set. But she should have used a harp, not a piano.

I wasn't crazy about Siobhan's performance tonight, despite wanting her to go quiet this week. It just didn't have the same oomph as "House of the Rising Sun" did (even though she seemed oddly emotionally attached to this song). I think I'm officially switching my allegiance to Crystal until Siobhan makes me come back.

Agreed re: Casey winning the night. Perfect song choice. The rest of the selections were abysmal.

These kids aren't the best contestants ever, but I thought many of them did well tonight.

It's been a pretty dull season (worst ever, in fact). But the unpredicability factor was high last night.

Great:

Casey: He's always seemed like a Jonny Lang/bar band type, i.e. a relatively inoffensive backdrop to the clinking of beer bottles. But his "Jealous Guy" struck an exciting compromise between respecting the (gorgeous) melody and making it his own. Heartfelt (even quieting) throughout without oversinging. I was surprised and I doubt he can top it.

Tim: I think he's been picked on too much. But "All My Loving" was a BEYOND smart choice. One of the very best Beatles songs from their boy band era which suits Tim perfectly. It's such a structurally odd song that he didn't have to do much to make it reverberate in the present. Jaunty, fun, cute, etc. The only problem is that his talent is limited to this kind of material. So what will he do next week/with other genres or artists?

Good:

Crystal: Despite the accoutrements, pretty safe. Predictable song choice.

Siobhan: More small than boring. But still pretty boring. Sarah McLachlan/Sarah Brightman/Celtic Woman may not be contemporary (and may not even be what Siobhan is going for). But they sell records/tickets so not a bad look for this show and all. Still, weirdos toning it down usually leads nowhere. In the absence of a Laurie Anderson week, I suggest she try "I Lost My Heart (To A Starship Trooper)" for disco week (assuming there is one and she's around for it).

Zzzzz:

Katie: zzzzz

Aaron: Newsflash - "The Beatles" wrote some awful songs. This was one of them. So while there was nothing horrendous really with Aaron's rendition, zzzz.

Awful:

Lee: Saying "why not?" to a bagpipe with "Hey Jude" displays a lack of musical intelligence. WHY should there be a bagpipe on this song? What about "Hey Jude" says "bagpipe? yes!"? Also, love it or hate it, "Hey Jude" doesn't work well in a bite-sized edit. Plus three songs from Let It Be???

Andrew: "Can't Buy Me Love" as "Got To Get You Into My Life" = not a good look. And an even worse sound.

Big Mike: This one really pissed me off. A GINORMOUS demonstration of zilch musical intelligence. He used "Eleanor Rigby" SOLELY to show off his pipes. Nothing about the song calls out for an amped up voice or virtuoso runs or jumping in the air on the last note. It was as if the song was some ticker tape running through his voice. And the arrangement was pure Vegas. The Beatles managed to be faster (and yet still tender) with just a string quartet. A perfect example of the distinction between being a good singer and merely having a good voice. And fwiw, I think even Aretha tripped up when she tried "Eleanor Rigby" (although her transcendent desecration of "April Fools" shows that you can pull this kind of thing off if you amp the song up to ridiculous proportions).

I have no clue who's going home. The Mr. says Andrew.

I keep thinking how much more interesting last night's show would have been had they been limited to Lennon/McCartney solo output.

Here's my fantasy line up:

Tim: Just Like Starting Over
Crystal: Nobody Told Me
Siobhan: Live and Let Die
Katie: Silly Love Songs
Aaron: Look at Me
Lee: Maybe I'm Amazed
Andrew: Arrow Through Me
Mike: Isolation

KJB, I'll concede that Tim wasn't atrocious last night and that his performance was about as good as a Tim performance will ever be, but that doesn't merit the word 'great.' :)

I'd like to see Siobhan sing Bjork.

btw did anyone lol at Michael Lynche's family band as "The Lynche Mob"?

overall I was disappointed with the song choices...Lilly and Katelyn picked a couple of not-tired choices during semi-finals, I wish that spirit had stayed alive.

Yeah, as soon as they said Aaron was singing "The Long and Winding Road," I thought "oh, here we go...zzzzzzzzzz." The only thing I was pleasantly surprised by was Casey's "Jealous Guy," because it was never stated upfront that solo material was in play. Crystal could've gone that route too and I'd have been happier (I mean, who hasn't heard "Come Together" already a million times, with or without didgeridoo?).

I would love to see those lists of cleared songs; often wonder how large or restrictive they are.

I haven't watched in a couple of weeks, and this is the first time I've seen the guys perform, but here's my take:

Aaron: boring
Katie: boring
Andrew: interesting and kind of revelatory. Last thing I expect from Lennon/McCartney night on Idol is a plumbing of their rockabilly roots. But the Vegas pizzazz was offputting, and ultimately the whole thing was a little too tawdry for AI: I imagine he prolley has alienated every teenage girl watching.
Big Mike: gnarls barkley
Crystal: allanah myles w/ special guest appearance by wtf didgeridoo
Casey: is prolley going to win. Definitely the performance of the night, but I'd like it more if it weren't aimed squarely for the girls' panties (much apologies for the lewdness)
Tim: watered-down pale-indie version of Andrew's rockabilly take, though he managed to summon some coolness while Andrew sounded anything but cool...still reminded me a little of Holly Jolly Christmas.
Siobhan: channeling Rosemary Clooney? I didn't see the dressing-down she received last week, so to me it just seemed like her attempt to show the swan behind the quirky duckling, and I'm not sure that it's there. Slow song I'd love for her to take on (she may have done it already?): Madonna's 'Crazy for You'
Lee: actually the bagpipes are not so much wtf as a somewhat ingenious (on paper anyway) solution to the problem of approximating the humongous momentum that is built by 5 minutes of McCartney "na na nas" within a constrictive time frame. It doesn't help that he sung the song like John Popper (or that Crystal stole his idea.)

also:

-does Simon use the word 'gynormous' often?
-Ellen's coasting: she brought only one lol for the whole night (the crack about the bagpipe player losing his parade at the end.)
-my friend said it seemed to her that Cara got laid last night.
-Deedee prolley would have sung 'Blackbird' and slathered it with awesome sweetness...grrr...

Casey: is prolley going to win.

Not unless Crystal just starts coming out and banging on trash cans and sacrificing live lambs.

yeah well to be fair, I don't think Crystal needs to win Idol to have a career in the music biz...I think she has more staying power than Casey, but Csey seems more of a crowd-pleaser (of course this was the first time I'd seen him sing...)

Casey's usually too busy jamming on his guitar to really sing sing. Last night was the first time he really did anything good with his voice since the Top 24 rounds.

If Casey learns anything from last night, I think Crystal could really have some competition. Siobhan is starting to choke and I still don't see anything too special in Mike.

Really looking forward to make over week so I can stop looking at Crystal's 90's hair and Casey's 80's hair.

OTM re: Didi and Blackbird :(

I can see Crystal becoming an Ani DiFranco-style folk rocker or, with some slicking up, a Bonnie Raitt-style adult contemp singer, but...

Who do you think actually VOTES heaviest in this thing? Tween girls? I see them voting way more for Casey, esp after Tim is eliminated, than Crystal.

Also, Siobhan is doing herself no favors with the poofy hair from week to week. She's quite cute when she just lets it fall straight. But yeah, I don't know that she's starting to choke so much as we're just coming around to the fact that her voice is really only good about half the time.

Not Casey, Lee.

Tween girls hold the cards early on the competition every year, but as the contestant pool starts to shrink, their dominance is outweighed by every other voter category (as evidenced by all the show's winners).

her voice is really only good about half the time.

I've listened to "Across The Universe" three times today on the net. It's really damn nice.

Siobhan's "Across the Universe" seemed a bit out of place in the competition - too quiet and introspective for a stage that requires barn-burners every time out, but I agree it was actually pretty good and the one perf I'd think about listening to again.

Listening to just the audio now w/o the video and I like it much better than I did last night ("Across the Universe"). I still think it's lacking something, though. It needs a few more instrumental flourishes here and there. As it is, very lounge-y.

damn, xxpost otm
Kelly Clarkson - Justin Guarini
Ruben Studdard - Clay Aiken
Fantasia Barino - Diana Degarmo
Carrie Underwood - Bo Bice
Taylor Hicks - Katherine McPhee
Jordin Sparks - Blake Lewis
David Cook - David Archuleta
Kris Allen - Adam Lambert

It needs a few more instrumental flourishes here and there.

Needs a bagpipe.

I was thinking more along the lines of a twinkly synthesizer or something, haha.

So Lambert is the mentor next week. Do we know a theme?

Presumable something screechy.

unsuccessful debut albums

Carrie Underwood - Bo Bice
Taylor Hicks - Katherine McPhee

I didn't actually watch these seasons, but it seems like one winner was the right choice and the other was most definitely the WRONG choice.

Hicks-McPhee was baffling, two huge WRONGS (Daughtry-Yamin would have been a cool finale)

I hope it's iTunes top 100 or something with contemporary choices, lame and predictable choice is top downloads or some wishy-washy theme with no real parameters

I thought Aaron sang the hell out of "The Long and Winding Road". You could see the judges comments coming a while away ("old fashioned", "sleepy", etc.) but what were they expecting? If there's any Beatles song where you're not going to screw around with some kind of uptempo reworking, it's "The Long and Winding Road"! Then Katie walked on stage with clothes, hair and jewelery like she just walked off the set of "Falcon Crest", and the judges thought it made her look current? How fixed is this show anyway?

All the comments about Crystal ("strong", "doesn't care what anybody thinks") made her come off like a bit of a pretentious bitch (not like I'm surprised). It definitely wasn't her best performance, although Kara was OTM with the Bonnie Raitt comparisons.

Best this week: Casey. Worst: Andrew.

Aaron sang the hell out of "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" two weeks ago. Last night, he stumbled through "The Long and Winding Road." Booooo-ring (and hard on the ears).

How are people picking up a bitch vibe from Crystal? She seems like a total chill bro.

"The Long and Winding Road" is a boring song though! For what it is, I thought he sang it well. The vocals on the original are nothing special either (so it's not like he had to live up to anything), it's all about the arrangement.

Crystal gets defensive when the judges comment on her performances, they'll say something and she'll interrupt and start explaining what she was trying to do on some very specific part of the song, like she's analyzing herself on an ILM thread. She seems like a super-serious person, even a bit robotic. If she ever got called out for making a really terrible song, she wouldn't say "well, I had fun with the song", I could see it turning into a minor on-stage freakout. Plus, in all the character pieces before the performances tonight, we kept hearing about how so-and-so was a great little brother/sister or friend, but nobody said anything warm about Crystal.

Just to add to that, Crystal seems super-serious when it comes to her music, probably because she already thinks of herself as a semi-professional musician after years of playing dingy clubs. I think she'd be chill if you were just hanging out having a beer. But her personality seems to clash with those of the other finalists, so I can see them not being all that close.

This is some bizarre spectacle.

damnit, county fair is safe

zzz

The only mystery was whether is was Andrew or Michael. Andrew wouldn't have been saved, and Michael obviously would've.

Also, Rockstar 101 is the worst track on the Rihanna album. Why is it a single?

Did you see her attempt at headbanging? Major second-hand embarrassment.

I don't really care about Michael staying or going, but I am glad the veto has been used - absolutely hate it.

They probably wish they didn't have to use it this week, because Fox was running a million promos saying Glee starts promptly at 9:28 next Tuesday. Can they squeeze nine performances and critiques and whatever else into 88 minutes?

you would think that fitting nine 2-minute performances into 1 hour and 28 minutes would be easy, wouldn't you

On Entertainment Weekly and other AI chatboards I peruse, a TON of people aren't feeling Big Mike at all. Nevertheless, I am amazed that Andrew -- still trying to find a decent song/performance since "Straight Up" -- is garnerning more votes than Mike, who imo has not had a bad performance, and in fact a few damn good ones.

Mike's voice has zero character. It's technically fine, but indistinct.

Was Mike really all that bad this week? I think it was just one of those fluke-y things where a good contestant ends up in last place (which is exactly the reason why you want to have the save as an option). At least they used it to save a talented person this year.

I really liked his "Eleanor Rigby." Your mileage may vary; many people's did. I like his Aaron Neville-y falsetto, the basso bombast... I dunno, I think his voice has character.

So apparently next week is Elvis week...so I was not close

There could not be two singers whose vocal style is more dissimilar than Elvis Presley and Adam Lambert. WTG Idol!

They could have brought Renee Fleming in to be the mentor.

I had to google that. You know what I meant!

Elvis Week, as mentored by John Lydon

At least this might be a genre that will pull Crystal out of the glass pipe comfort zone.

But I bet she'll prove me wrong...

John Lydon Week, as mentored by holographic Elvis ghost from Idol Gives Back three seasons ago.

American Idol doing a punk week would be HILARIOUS

I just had a vision of Aaron Kelly singing "Bodies."

Bodies?

I think Crystal could do a decent job of Don't Be Cruel or Heartbreak Hotel...It'd be great to hear Siobhan do Viva Las Vegas (of course I thought at first she was going to do I am the Walrus this week, so I don't really know anything...)

Bodies = Sex Pistols song (from imaginary punk week).

I'd like to see Crystal do "Blue Moon of Kentucky," with roughly the same arrangement Paul McCartney used on one of his live albums.

I could see Big Mike doing a good "Suspicious Minds".

I bet Siobhan could do a killer version of Blue Moon.

xxxp ah at first I thought maybe you meant the Pumpkins song, but that didn't sound right...

ooooh, apparently Siobhan is wearing an ERASERHEAD t-shirt, swooooooooooooooon

also Elliott and Fantasia are her favorite past Idol contestants <3 <3 <3
and she loves Courtney Love!

it's a weird night when Tim Urban was one of the best

I'm worried for Siobhan, she hasn't been brilliant in a while and she seems vulnerable tonight, not great and not trainwrecky enough to scare people

so prediction: Lee, Casey and Crystal as top 3. Crystal and Lee top 2. Producers will do everything in their power to make Crystal the winner lest a third white guy wins in a row.

IDK what's with everyone, Siobhan was great tonight! And Casey is not going to make it that far, he's only given one great performance (last week).

Andrew
Aaron
Katie
Tim
Casey
Michael
Siobhan
Lee
Crystal

dude i like siobhan but that was a tuneless train wreck

Yeah I gotta agree. I'm a huge fan of hers but that just didn't work. And where was the Eraserhead shirt? Seriously hope she doesn't get the boot.

first half was uncomfortable but she killed the second half, owned the stage too

(and the second half wasn't "screaming")

yes it was rather restrained compared to her earlier performances, definitely not screamy in the slightest - during the voting package it looked as if she may have gone a little harder vocally during dress rehearsal, I wonder if they had that in mind when they were judging.

it was definitely not a trainwreck, it was just a bit aimless. it seemed like two different versions mashed together and not well. if she had stuck with the second half's arrangement I think it would have been a whole lot better.

it seemed like two different versions mashed together and not well

isn't this the definition of "a trainwreck"?

Kara's commentary was all about the "two different versions" thing but i didn't hear it in the moment, it seemed fine and seamless to me. i liked that she found a way do some kinda big notes that worked in the context of the song, the performances where she seems to rewrite the song to work those in are obnoxious but this felt natural.

poor dunkleman

he does standup now and apparently it's all shit-talking Seacrest. I actually believed it too for half a second which is pretty pathetic.

Kara's been working the whole "I don't know who you are as an artist I'm confused and scared" routine with Siobhan for a while now, but it doesn't seem to be picking up much traction.

Tape Store's predictions above are probably pretty OTM with the exception of Big Mike going home a lot sooner than that.

Andrew Garcia: your time has come. Please go, and take the two teenaged windup dolls with you.

Tim Urban: you didn't suck, but your complete and utter mediocrity is just as sucky.

Casey: Props for digging a little and covering "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," but last night was back to the same blues I can hear in any local bar any night of the week.

Big Mike: Just the intimate performance you needed to stifle the criticisms of you as a showboating ham. Nothing rave-worthy, but you justified your save.

Crystal: Great song selection, great performance; you have yet to turn in a sub-par night.

Siobhan: I honestly have to go back and rewatch. Parts of that WERE excellent; other parts, I'm not so sure. Still definitely leagues ahead of Andrew, Tim, Katie or Aaron.

Haha, forgot Lee, who was okay and certainly in no danger of going home. He still always looks so scared/confused/stoned up there.

And speaking of which, was Seacrest hopped up on goofers or what?

“my tongue’s not nearly as talented as yours”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S20evATb2xg

srs question: What's the deal with Seacrest's sexuality? He's like the most homophobic public television figure atm. It feels like every episode he goes out of his way to affirm his heterosexuality and call Simon gay. (Simon does this a little too, but somehow it's a tad less offensive coming from him.) Someone needs to tell him to knock it off.

Also, how tall is Seacrest? he is generally towered over by everyone. Im guessing 5-4. Im still curious as to what his value is to the show, the guy has to be one of the biggest wastes of carbon of all time.

Dunkelman RIP

Joel McHale makes jokes about putting Ryan Seacrest in his pocket, so I assume he's pretty small (though Joel McHale turned out to be taller than I thought he was).

seacrest reminds me of greg kinnear. in auto focus.

i was sure that Seacrest and Simon were having a romp a few seasons ago when their normal flirtatious bickering started to get weird. found the clip where Simon gets all butthurt and things get 'uncomfortable':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHbiC7hAVdk

according to people who were at the show, we didn't even see his weirdest behavior last night. overall though he usually keeps it together quite well and I think he can take a lot of credit for how smoothly the show runs.

Andrew was a given, right? I mean none of us thought he was going to survive this week. Katie was a slight surprise, because now there are only two women left and five dudes with varying degrees of talent. I'd assumed it would be Aaron going home, but I guess the grandmas are still voting this season.

Might have said this before but two weeks I wanna see: Siouxsie and Xmas. Siouxsie is a pipe dream, obviously. But why can't there be a Xmas week? Not saying it'd be any good but.....

Xmas week in April would be weird.

ALSO, THE GROUP SINGS HAVE GOT TO GO FINALLY. I MEAN IT!

was really worried for Siobhan tonight, I think she and Crystal have a few gimme weeks with the boys splitting the vote amongst themselves (hopefully), hope Siobhan steps it up

was kinda hoping Andrew would sing Straight Up as his farewell song!

i'd guess ryan seacrest is around 5'4" - i was once standing next to him at a bar in LA (not name dropping - he just happened to be there and his group was sitting/standing close to my group), and he was noticeably shorter than me (I'm 5'10").

for all the mega-talented girls this year, i'm kinda surprised at the 5/2 mix going into top 7. does siobhan make top 3? i'm starting to wonder, and i'm also starting to think crystal/casey might be the final.

Crystal/Casey/Lee are a lock for the final with Siobhan as wild card.

Xmas week in April would be weird.

Oh come on. That's banal. Xmas is a state of mind. Ethel Merman (cough! cough! hint! hint!) kept a Xmas tree lit in her pad all year long.

Aaron's at least had a couple pretty good country ballad performances; I guess I don'r mind him sticking around for a week or two more. I never thought Katie rose above mediocre at anything she attempted.

Next week is "inspirational songs." Gack.

Crystal/Casey/Lee are a lock for the final with Siobhan as wild card.

Yep. I'm starting to think final two is going to come down to whether voters prefer Jonny Lang or Nickelback as a chaser for their Bonnie Raitt. Siobhan still has a huge amount of media buzz, she's interesting but polarizing. I don't know if her shrieky-soul-diva meets Streisand thing is gonna carry her past top 3 or 4 (much like Allison last year) but she's gonna have career opportunities regardless.

Biggest mystery now for me: how far can Turban ride this thing?

Never underestimate the power of a cute boy (esp. one who's increasingly in it to win it) and the tween demographic. Remember that David Archuleta was runner up.

But Casey = kinda zzzz.

And Lee = ZZZZZZZZZZ. He's way too bewildered by it all. Dude, at least smile!

Thus my ideal top three would be Turban, Siobhan, and Crystal.

Archuleta could at least hit notes, based on my limited exposure to him. Urban is just SOOO wooden.

Allegedly the song choices for next week:

Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher and Higher) – Jackie Wilson
A Moment Like This – Kelly Clarkson
Amazing Grace – Susan Boyle
Angels – Robbie Williams
Anyway – Martina McBride
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The Fifth Dimension
Better Days – The Goo Goo Dolls
Bridge Over Troubled Waters – Simon & Garfunkle
Calling All Angels – Train
Changes – David Bowie
Dare You To Move – Switchfoot
Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
Dream Weaver – Gary Wright
Drive – Incubus
Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone
Flying Without Wings – Ruben Studdard
From a Distance – Bette Midler
Go the Distance – Michael Bolton
Greatest Love of All – Whitney Houston
Hands – Jewel
Heaven Help Us All – Stevie Wonder
Hero – Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott
Higher – Creed
Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler
I Am Changing – Jennifer Hudson
I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
I Turn To You – Christina Aguilera
I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
I’ll Be There – Jackson 5
If You Believe – The Wiz Original Broadway Cast
I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
I’ve Had The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
Lifted – Lighthouse Family
Live Like We’re Dying – Kris Allen
Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw
Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Living in America – James Brown
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
Only Hope
Over the Rainbow – Judy Garlan
People Get Ready – The Impressions
Rainbow – Sugar Ray
Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) – Diana Ross
Reflection – Christina Aguilera
Return to Innocence – Enigma
The River of Dreams – Billy Joel
Show Me What I’m Looking For – Carolina Liar
So Small – Carrie Underwood
Stronger – Mary J. Blige
That’s The Way God Planned It – Billy Preston
That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight
The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkle
The Impossible Dream – Frank Sinatra
The Prayer – Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
The Time of My Life – David Cook
The Is My Now – Jordin Sparks
Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
We Are the Champions – Queen
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstong
What the World Needs Now is Love – Jackie DeShannon
When you Believe – Mariah Carey
Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
World – Five for Fighting
You Light Up My Life – Debby Boone
You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
You’ll Never Walk Alone – Barbara Streisand
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
You’re the Inspiration – Chicago
You’ve Got a Friend – Carole King

Return to Innocence – Enigma

wait, waht

HAHA! Yeah, some of these are so wtf. Dreamweaver???

I just spent 5 minutes going "maybe 'Return To Innocence' isn't the song I'm thinking of..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ALElMLpRA

no, that's the one I was thinking of

is Lambert the first non-winner that's turned up as a mentor a year after being a contestant? or even counting winners?

(xpost) From Entertainment Weekly:

But then again, this is a production that thinks ''Dream Weaver'' and Enigma's ''Return to Innocence'' are acceptable set-list choices for next week's Idol Gives Back extravaganza.

hahahahaha

Yeah "Return to Innocence" isn't a very singerly song.

the only way to do that song is to have a backup singer sing the verse and then to sing the vocal sample

Amazing Grace – Susan Boyle

wat?

A Moment Like This – Kelly Clarkson
Flying Without Wings – Ruben Studdard
The Time of My Life – David Cook
The Is My Now – Jordin Sparks

srsly though, fuck this show

lookin' forward to whoever covers the rod stewart cover of people get ready

Calling it now: Aaron doing Angels or You Raise Me Up

All of these terrible songs could play to that little shit's strengths somehow.

Which one of them is going to do Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow?" Crystal might do it well, but I have a suspicion that Lee might take a stab at it.

I'd like to see Siobhan do a batshit rendition of Walking on Sunshine.

Hero – Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott

Lee's song.

hope Siobhan does Livin' on a Prayer.

Biggest mystery now for me: how far can Turban ride this thing?

Same goes for me ... for all his limitations, Tim does a pretty good job each week and he seems way more adaptable than, say, Casey and Lee. Has any AI finalist ever done a better job at maximizing his strengths and hiding his weaknesses?

Worst performance on the AI stage this week: Brooke White and Justin Gaston's duet.

It wasn't Brooke's fault. Justin Gaston is very clearly not a real singer of any kind.

Justin Gaston is the reason fast forward buttons on DVRs exists. As a matter of fact, I don't think I could stand this show in real time.

Haven't liked anything tonight so far :(

I've basically decided I don't care what order anyone gets voted off anymore as long as Crystal is the one left standing. (Secretly, I hope it's Aaron who goes this week just for singing "I Believe I Can Fly," one of the worst songs ever written.)

was anyone else cynical enough to jeer at the screen when Crystal choked up?

Someone on twitter did, so you have company.

Casey: I like the Mac song okay, but he didn't do much with it. Judges are correct, "Jealous Guy" was a high-water mark, and his bluesdude-isms (and/or Huey Lewis-isms) aren't going to get him to the top 3.

Lee: Stuff like this WILL get him to the top. He knows his limited voice well.

Aaron: Song and performance, gack and gack.

Tim: See Lee review above. Within the limited confines of what Tim can do, I was actually pleasantly surprised by this.

Siobhan: I'm beginning to think the judges are right again: she DOESN'T know exactly who she is, or at least how to find songs that showcase it. Props for picking a song that I'm sure is mega-tough to sing, doing a credible job with it, and not going for the scream. But Mariah/Whitney = gack/gack afaic.

Mike: Interesting that he would sing Chad Kroeger vs. one of the rocker dudes doing it, and I didn't hate this, but I'm predisposed to liking Big Mike, so C+.

Crystal: Great song, great rendition, and no I'm not cynical enough to think the tears were pre-planned. Unless EVERYTHING about this show is hokum, the story is she was on the verge of quitting the show a couple weeks ago. I do think the pressures of this show are affecting her.

i don't think it was planned per se, but it was just very "isn't that convenient, it happening right at the end of the song during the live show" and i'm still vaguely pro-Siobhan/anti-Crystal so i was just like aww jeez.

liked Big Mike doing the Spiderman song, and was pissed at Simon for acting like that was such an inappropriate song choice when it was on the damn list of songs the show gave them

After re-watching Crystal's performance, I almost wonder if those tears had more to do with her loosing her breath/voice control at the end of the song rather than some sort of spiritual moment or whatever. The way she was holding her chest during the last half of the song made it look like she was having some sort of physical problem maintaining the vocal.

this week

Crystal >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mike > Tim >>>> Lee > Casey > Aaron > Siobhan

I'm really digging Big Mike lately, he takes more chances than anyone else on the show ("Eleanor Rigby", "Hero"). Lee's "The Boxer" was all right, but it was lacking something (like the middle 3.5 minutes of the song).

Sorry to all the Siobhan stans, but she is just bad now. No matter how much she tries arguing with the judges, it doesn't cover for the fact that she has no idea which songs she should be singing ("I really like this song" = poorest excuse ever). She murders the first half of every song and tries to impress with the glory notes at the end. Nobody's fooled by this anymore.

Yeah, I turned in my Siobhan stan card a while back. The last really good performance she had was "Paint it Black," and that was the Top 12 week.

Her biggest problem seems to be her lower register and the weird vibrato it produces.

Yeah, unless she's singing a big chorus with her full voice or going all out for the really high parts, it's really not good. Like, "I wish she'd hurry up and get to the chorus or a high part" not good.

What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkOYHYQ2tc

imo

Oh jeez, Alicia Keys sounds absolutely terrible tonight. Does this show even provide monitors for anyone?

I'm really disappointed in Siobhan, even in her terrific performances there were some major weak points and now she's lost her mojo. even if she comes back with a great performance, there are only so many dud performances you can have as a winner, and ideally not all of them in a row.

btw judges were smoking crack, Aaron was horrible.

Crystal is definitely the most consistent but almost to a fault, I enjoy it when she sings but I'm never dying to hear her. Overall this season is missing the "holy shit that was insane i have to text my friend about it" performances - lots of competent, lots of good, not a lot of omg

bye Tim, nice knowing ya

Shania Twain week? For real?

I wish it was Mutt Lange week instead.

yeah, does she have a particularly deep catalog?

"You're Still The One" forever <3

they'll probably do what they did w/ stefani a few years back

I had to look that up because I couldn't remember the deal: "Week 3 (March 27) - No Doubt and songs by singers who inspired Gwen Stefani - Gwen Stefani"

Sounds rich.

MJ's readers suggesting "Wild and Wicked" for Siobhan OTM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s8piR9cj4A

Agree Siobhan has been making some puzzling song choices, but I've gone back and relistened to every one of them and remain impressed. She's attempting more difficult, showy songs than most of the remaining contestants (Chaka Khan while Casey is singing Sam & Dave via The Blues Brothers.) I realize this isn't the way judges judge or voters vote and winners are chosen. Crystal's week-in week-out consistency, or Lee's radio-ready rasp (despite its shortcomings) are likely going to carry them farther in the competition (and Bonnie Raitt and Nickelback have surely shifted more units tham, say, Sarah Brightman) but I'm not turning in my Siobhan stan card just yet.

And this:

Tim >>>> Lee > Casey > Aaron > Siobhan

...is crazy talk.

...what dan said.

And by the way, I just nabbed that Brightman comparison from some other Idol blog. I'm not that familiar with her, but just Googled and found her sales numbers and gold/platinum awards. She's a WAY huger success than Nickelback!

I knew some Dan Perry-type singing geeks a few years ago and they would often spend great chunks of time breaking down all the ways in which Sarah Brightman was awful and a hack. I don't remember their complaints, but I get the impression she's a classical singer for the common person and not one who's highly regarded w/in her own circles.

hahaha uh I was about to actually post something along the lines of "Sarah Brightman is a talent-light pumpkin with the vocal acuity of hair"

basically anyone who deals a lot in the classical realm sees her as a really lazy, weak-sounding soprano who made her career by fucking Andrew Lloyd Weber

Yeah, I think that's pretty much otm. I only know her via her theater and pop projects. Still dunno exactly what type of singer Siobhan aspires to be, but theatrical pop singing money machine doesn't seem like the WORST aspiration.

oh yeah, I am not hating the game at all, just the player (like, if it was Heidi Grant Murphy or Stephanie Blythe or Margaret Lattimore or Hei-Kyung Hong instead of Sarah Brightman, I'd be all WOO-HOO, and I fully endorsed the tiny bit of mainstream venturing Cecilia Bartoli did was amazing, even if she did it with dull-on baroque material)

what the hell at my inability to type

You're totally over my head! I know her mostly for this:

http://www.allcdcovers.com/image_system/images/c/2/c2c2fdc8b56600eab8ca70e8ffcbbb27.jpg

...and if Siob were to do the cover of Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" contained therein, I would die and go to heaven.

I am listening to her mealy-mouthed version of "Scarborough Fair" and thinking that Charlotte Church would have been much much better

Completely off topic, but was anyone else kind of turned off by every actor cross-promoting a shitty looking movie last night? I know that's what celebrities do, but it really made them look bad imho.

yeah i mean even if they're just doing it for 'visibility,' they should just show up and be visible, not plug anything outright.

i rolled my damn eyes at the beginning of the Mary J. Blige version of "Stairway To Heaven," but by the end i was kinda into it.

Sarah Brightman is worthy of cringe, yes. But few know her very finest moment, "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper" which Siobhan should definitely consider:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL6MAyTXMRA

Kinda disappointed that Tim is gone, I figured he'd outlast at least Aaron and Casey. We probably haven't heard the last of him, he might have an actual career post-AI.

Without Tim, there's not much mystery left this season. I'm so not looking forward to the inevitable Crystal vs Lee finale.

Shania Twain week ... huh??

Things I hope happen in Season 10 (if there is a Season 10).

1. I think I want Seacrest to take Cowell's chair... maybe. I haven't been able to think of anyone else who could do it (and I'm still thinking).
2. I want them to quit fucking around with bad contestants during the audition weeks. Show us the good ones, and why the ones who weren't quite as good got cut. (Like, I assume there were reasons that Angela Martin didn't advance, but we never saw any of them.)
3. New themes! New themes! New themes!
4. Rickey Minor is leaving. This would be a good opportunity to replace his entire shitty band.
5. Do away with the even split between male and female contestants. Create a top 24 based on the best talent.

OTM, on all counts.

I'd add that they need to reconsider Ellen's role. The show is too repetitious to provide much material for a comedic judge. The three judge system seemed to flow better and provide a better dynamic.

They can reconsider Randy, too. Dawg hasn't expressed a coherent critique in a loooong time.

I'd rather Ellen stay around than Randy, tbh. But yeah, I'm all for returning to a 3-judge panel.

Woooooow. I don't know, dawg. I'm just not feeling that opinion. It's a little pitchy in spots but you did your thing. What up?

Going back to three judges would be good. It would also keep the shows from running long.

Moving Seacrest would be a huge mistake -- I think he's more irreplaceable in his role than any of the judges.

yeah three judges would be good but if those three judges were Randy/Ellen/Kara they'd be horrible and rudderless. i wish i had an awesome idea for who could take Simon's place but even if i did that's not who they'd pick anyway.

i think Seacrest likes being the nice guy who kind of defends the singers from the judges and would be even more toothless than Paula or Ellen at their worst.

Well, I've said it ever since she was on The Next Great American Band that Sheila E. was/is the most awesome music-based judge on television, but a) I don't know if she would want to do it or b) that Fox would staff a judging panel with 75% women.

yeah honestly that show's whole panel was better (if less entertainingly batshit) than Idol's.

ugh, so Lee starts off with Shania's best song, delivers a mediocre performance of it--very unemotional and shaky--and gets praised. :/

so you weren't impressed much?

crystal otm about bigger not always being better, i thought that was one of her best! i would actually listen to it again, it was like a charming performance i'd hear down at this hippie joint on the missouri river

also that casey performance was good but not his best ("jealous guy")

aaron is next and he's bound to go this week, i think. siobhan is last, if she doesn't deliver i don't think she'll make it super far either. :(

ok, michael is prob the safer bet for tomorrow

it's always weird to watch a performance the whole time thinking the judges are gonna tear them apart and then they turn up with unanimous praise. throughout siobhan's song i was like man she doesn't have any of the attitude shania was saying the song needs, she's dragging behind the beat, etc. really didn't expect shania twain night to be one of the better episodes of the season.

^^^this

Yeah, I thought Shania night sounded like a disaster on paper, but it was actually really good over all.

BEST
Michael - I actually thought this was probably his best performance ever, but what do I know.
Crystal - She continues to demonstrate a supreme knowledge about presenting songs correctly. Plus, I'd never heard that color of falsetto in her voice before. Very nice.

ALRIGHT
Lee - It wasn't bad, but Lee is about as dynamic a performer as watching a record spin while a song plays on Youtube.
Siobhan - I like her low voice less and less each week, which means her loud voice needs to be getting better. I don't think it is.

MEH
Casey - Didn't get the unanimous praise for this at all. "Jealous Guy" was way better, but I think I'm just tired of Casey altogether.
Aaron - I expected the judges to agree with me on this placement, but of course they didn't. Plus him singing this song to his mother is fucking creepy.

Siobhan's vocals were on point more than in the past few weeks but her performance lacked the physical energy needed when doing the 'round the judges table thing. At least it was an improvement, Lee and Crystal were the only ones who went downhill, however slightly.

Hanging around in the comments section of Maura's Fancast weekly wrap-up and I was accused of a) working for Comcast and b) being Maura's boyfriend because I agreed with Crystal being at the top and Siobhan being at the bottom (I'd actually swap my Casey and Siobhan placement a couple posts up upon reflection). ANYWAY, the general consensus among those braindead commenters is that Crystal wasn't so good tonight and Siobhan was awesome. They're idiots, of course, but I'm worried they could represent the belief of the Idol voting base at large. Maybe I should've thrown Crystal a few text votes tonight? Because if she's a shock elimination, I have no more reason to even watch the show this year.

I missed the first two performances last night, but based on the brief end-of-show highlights I thought Lee did a pretty good job, and Mike didn't sound that great.

Rewatched this morning and I was totally wrong. Lee's limited voice kinda reminds me of Paul Westerberg, whom I've never considered a particularly good singer. He strains for a lot of notes, which SOMETIMES works, but this was just thin and blearghhhh.

Michael on the other hand... man, that was really pretty. Had never heard the song before, and I thought he owned it. It don't know what type of market there is for that kind of soul singing though, and I think his fanbase is smaller than any of the remaining contestants, so it could be his time to go tonight.

Crystal is ready for a concert on Austin City Limits already. Excellent.

Casey is better when he focuses on vocals, as he did last night, rather than his electric guitar playing. Still, pleasant but forgettable.

Aaron, jeez, I know country ballads are pretty much the only tractor parked in his wheelhouse, but his song selections are always SOOO maudlin, and his voice to me remains "good for age 17" rather than any kind of good I can stand to listen to. Safe for this week, I'd guess, but please send him home soon.

Siobhan was in a bind last night. If she focused on the clarity of her voice and did another ballad she would be called theatrical and sleepy, so she came out and did the kind of corny country hoedown I was really hoping she wouldn't do. And yet got high praise for it, so I guess she's playing the AI game well. On relistening though, she really did a pretty good job last night, and I loved that last note, holy hell...

Tonight will be interesting because everyone, including Crystal and Lee, have a chance of being in the bottom 3. It was a weird night.

I predict bottom 3 of Mike, Aaron, Casey, but yeah, whoever goes home tonight will be a "shock" to some extent, for one reason or another.

Lee is like a singing potato.

I turned in my Team Siobhan card weeks ago, but I'm still a little bummed she'll be gone now. :(

Holy. Freaking. Crap. This show will be a lot more boring for the next five weeks. I alwzys have to remind myself, the Aarons and the Danny Gokeys generally outlast the more interesting contestants; that's what AI is. Still, yeah, bummed.

Remember when this was supposed to be the girls' season?

I was Team Siobhan too but I think Casey deserved to stay over her. Aaron Kelly...not so much.

Yeah, the only reason I've been watching is because I want to see Siobhan's comeback. But no point anymore, boring season :(

It didn't matter who was sent off tonight, really. This season has been "not right" from the very beginning. Like, even during the audition episodes, there's been very little good about it. Crystal should still win, but who the hell knows now. And really, who cares.

daaaaag y'all

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/yodelagogo/Siobhan-Magnus-Paint-Black-01-2010-.jpg

Cool, that worked. (Never posted a pic using Photobucket.)

I just love that photo, that's all. Shine on, you crazy diamond...

Yeah, she deserved to go home. The judges comments were completely backwards. I thought that Siobhan and Lee weren't good at all. Lee butchered the chorus of "You're Still The One". Mike and Crystal were great, Aaron and Casey were somewhere in between.

Will Sinatra Week be a first for AI?

"Sinatra Week" is just another way to say "standards," considering that Sinatra sang just about every song written between 1920-1960 at some time or another in his career.

Last year it was "Rat Pack Week," but then they renamed it something I can't remember.

Right, I forgot about that. For a minute I thought that they'd come up with a new theme for a change. I'm pretty sure that Harry Connick Jr was a mentor for exactly the same theme in past seasons.

I remember now that they had a "standards" week (or whatever they called it), in Season 3, at around the same point in the competition (~ top five), the week after Sinatra clone John Stevens' elimination.

starting to feel pretty bummed about Siobhan's elimination, she was on Ellen's show today and sang "House of the Rising Sun"...I mean Crystal is obviously very good, but I don't feel very invested in her, and who else is there left to root for? Big Mike, I guess?

lee will win, guys

I saw Siobhan on Ellen today. Pissed me off! She sings that song like she wrote it herself, but her time on the big stage was just a series of disasters (some worse than others). If she would've followed that path, without all the parlor tricks her voice is capable of, she'd still be around and an honest favorite to win.

Yeah, she never really found her footing after fucking up "Superstition"

When she did the Chaka Khan song, it was over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGqlEboH-9o

It sounds fine in the studio, but it was not great live.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siobhan_Magnus

on her right shoulder is the cover image from Edward Gorey's book The Gashlycrumb Tinies

All her other tattoos sound shit, but the excellence of this one totally cancels them out!

I dated a girl once who was a devoted Gorey fanatic, so I recognized that the instant I saw it.

whats with the Hanson obsession?

She's 20. She was 8 when they were HUGE, so it makes sense.

Evenings like tonight make me think that the broader American Idol audience is NOTHING like me in terms of musical taste, interest, etc.

Judges are playing games now, making sure people call in to "defend" Crystal against lukewarm comments maybe? Anyway, it worked. I just voted for her, and I've hardly voted all season long.

The real winner tonight was Harry Connick Jr., though.

It's finally happened. I'm officially over this show. I seriously hope Howard Stern replaces Simon next year else I doubt I'll watch (beyond the bad singers in the first few weeks).