Season 11 - Top 4

I am still reeling from Skylar getting the boot last week (NO!) so I was torn as to whether I would even watch the show this week.  As I have said before, this season has been really odd for me.  I have not been overly passionate about any of the contestants which has made it really hard for me to get into the Rant this year.   I had told myself that I was done until next year and then, after seeing my favorite not win The Voice either (Juliet was robbed!), I decided that I had to give Idol one more chance to win me over.  This is it Idol -- Are you in it to win my valuable time for the next two weeks?  Show me what you've got....

California Dreaming  I know that I have begged for some new blood in the theme department but "Songs from California artists or about California" could not be more lame.  I guess I should be careful what I wish for.

P Squared - "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" (CCR):  Solid performance form Phil with this song.  Much better than either of his songs from last week, thank God.  Grade: B-

Hollie - "Faithfully" (Journey):  Hollie has really stepped up her game over the past few weeks.  There were a couple of shaky moments but this was a strong performance for her.  Grade: B

Josh - "You Raise Me Up" (Josh Groban);  Not my favorite Joshua performance of the season but it was so much better than when Chris Mann from The Voice attempted to pull off Groban. Grade: B

Jessica - "Steal Away" (Etta James):  A really good impression of Etta James.  Grade: B+

Group Sessions
P2 and Josh - "This Love" (Maroon 5):  Playful, great job with harmonizing AND a wonderful performance of a song by a sub par band.  I wish they sold the group numbers because I would so buy this one.  Loved it!  Grade: A++

Jessica and Hollie - "Eternal Flame" (The Bangles):  Jessica has never done a great job with any of her non-solo performances and I blame that for Hollie's struggles with this one.  Grade: C-

Top 4 - "When You Love Someone" (Foreigner):  This was okay for me for you, dawg.  Grade:  C

Songs They Wish They Had Written:

P2 - "Volcano" (Damien Rice):  This was my favorite performance from Phil,  and from any other contestant for that matter, all season.  I will definitely be downloading this one.  Grade: A

Hollie - "I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Raitt):  Love the song and I did think that there were some not so great parts during it but I am not sure that it deserved the harsh treatment that it received from the judges.  Grade:  B-

Josh - "It's A Man's World" (James Brown):  This is definitely the style of music that Josh needs to record when he gets his deal.  It fits his voice perfectly.  As much as I enjoyed it, I do have to give a very slight edge to Juliet from The Voice for her rendition of this song.  Grade: A

Jessica - "I'm Telling You" (from Dreamgirls):  Jessica wants to be JHud so bad that she can taste it.  Unfortunately for her, she is too young and has chosen someone to model herself after that has a little too much talent for her to live up to.  Maybe it will come with time as she matures.  Couldn't tell that to the judges though.  Grade: B

Who I Want to Go Home:  She may technically sing great but I am over Jessica.

Who Will Go Home:  As the judges requested with their comments, Hollie.