Season 11 Winner.... Phillip Phillips!!!

Season 11 Finale - Who Has To Have It?*

Sorry, again, for no post for Top 3.  I had a work event and was late to get home so there was no way I was sitting up even later to watch the show and then blogging about it.  Joshua Ledet was robbed people!  And not by P Squared but by Jessica Sanchez.  Not only has she already been saved but she was also the weakest performer of the top 3 and, yet, poor Joshua was sent home.  If it had come down to Phil and Joshua then I would have thought that Joshua deserved to win.  As it is.... WGWG5 all the way!  Go Philly Phil!

Producers Choice
Jessica -  "I Have Nothing":  I have spent all season hoping that Jessica would step out and stop imitating the singers that she idolizes so, of course, the producers ask her to cover Whitney.  It was a good cover song.
Phillip - "Stand By Me":  P2 put his Phil spin on it. It was a good, very different from the original, cover song.
Judges called Jessica as the winner.  I would call it a tie at best.

Contestants Choice
Jessica - "The Prayer":  Jessica did this much better earlier in the season but it was a good vocal performance. 
Phillip - "Movin' Out":  I didn't really get this song choice but it was a good performance (that he did better during Billy Joel week).
Judges were torn on this one but I think this entire round could be thrown out.

Coronation Songs
Jessica - "Change Nothing":  Ugh.  The coronation songs are usually sap fests.  This was not but yet it still wasn't a good song and it seemed to require Jessica to yell at me through the chorus which was not pleasant.  Not entirely her fault, I guess, but she should not have let them talk her into this God awful song.
Phillip - "Your Home":  Don't know who wrote this for Phil (D Matthews maybe?) but it was the perfect song for him.  He actually showed range with the chanting notes at the end of the song.  What an awesome song and how sly of Phillip to find this to close the show with.  Nothing else matters.  This one performance won him the show.  P2 is my Idol for Season 11!
Judges didn't really call a winner from this round but, come on people, P2 nailed this round!

What a way to close the show... Scotty!!!!!!

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.

Season 11 - Top 6: Queen

Queen Songs

Not sure that I was a fan of the medley that started the show.  There were some good moments but overall it was kind of a hot mess (except for Elise and Skylar).

Jessica - "Bohemian Rhapsody":  I did not care for the arrangement of the song. I know that they had to fit it into 90 seconds but the transition to the "rock" part of the song was rough and she was off with the background singers and the music a couple of times during that portion.

Skylar - "The Show Must Go On":  To quote Steven, "that was fabulous".  Best performance of the first round of the show.  Hands down.

Joshua - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love":  Joshua screamed and screeched his way through this one and I wasn't loving it.  To be fair, he was at a definite disadvantage with the theme this week.  I was very confused why he got a standing ovation and Skylar didn't.  Guess we know who the judges really want to make the finale.  I am going to attempt to not let their pimping cause me to dislike him.  Their evil ploy could misfire and cause a backlash that will get him booted from the show.

Elise - "I Want It All":  This was in Elise's wheel house.  She is always really good when performing a pure rock song.  Funny how even though this is, according to Randy, her best performance to date she didn't even get within spitting distance of an ovation from the judges.

Phillip - "Fat Bottomed Girls":  Is it wrong to say that I preferred Bucky Covington's version (even though it got him kicked off)?

Hollie - "Save Me":  Is this irony or a prayer request?  Since she has been the recipient of much hateration over the past few weeks, I hope it was a prayer request.  It doesn't matter how well she sang the song, the judges know that she has got to go and they made sure that we know it as well.  It annoys me that Jlo spends so much time talking about singing when that is not really what she is known for.

Contestant Choice

Jessica - "Dance With My Father" (Luther Vandross):  I totally thought Joshua was going to sing this song and I kind of wish that he had.  It was a strong vocal, I suppose, but I still feel kind of, eh, when it comes to Jessica. 

Skylar - "Tattoos on This Town" (Jason Aldean):  Given how much I love Jason Aldean, I had high hopes for this one.  Skylar deliver another strong performance.  Go Skylar!

Joshua - "Ready for Love" (India.Arie):  Much better than his first song!  This performance actually deserved a standing O (not sure about calling the audience to their feet though) A LOT more than his first one.  If the judges aren't careful, the backlash will start this week which would be a shame. 

Elise - "Bold As Love" (Jimi Hendrix):  I thought Elise killed this song (in the good way).  Not sure what the judges, except for Jlo who was having a moment of clarity, were listening to but this was Elise's second strong performance of the night.

Phillip - "The Stone" (Dave Matthews Band):  Don't worry Ryan, P Squared is not trying to steal your girl (though she is in his age group).  Solid DMB cover and great job being hilarious during the video clips.

Hollie - "The Climb" (Miley Cyrus):  OMG, I almost fell out of my chair.  Hollie got a standing O?  What kind of reverse psychology is that?  It was all deserved because she was awesome with this one but I didn't think that she would ever feel the love from them again since they have been over her for weeks now.

Best - Skylar and Elise
Worst - Jessica and Joshua (Queen songs)
Should Go Home - Based on tonight... Jessica or Joshua
Will Go Home - Probably Hollie or Elise

Season 11 - Top 7 Again (Now and Then)

NOW

Hollie - "Rolling in the Deep" (Adele):  Redemption for Hollie this week.  After the undeserved bloodbath from the judges last week, she came back swinging with strong vocals and a much more comfortable stage presence.  I am still not sure about the wardrobe though.  Who is helping these girls dress?

Colton - "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga):   I am not sure about the rearrangement of the song and there were not really any dynamics to it.  I know that it was supposed to be "risky" since he took on a song from a female performer but it ended up coming across as safe.  It doesn't matter though because he will keep on cruising through the competition.   Have I mentioned yet that his lack of a top lip is annoying me?

Elise - "No One" (Alicia Keys):  Solid vocals on this one.  Like Randy, I was glad that she didn't feel the need to run all over the song like she usually does.  The wind machine went from looking cool to being overkill but I don't blame her for that.  Why did Ryan feel the need to try to make her, and me, cry about her dog?

P Squared - "U Got It Bad" (Usher):  I got it bad for Phil.  I am a full fledged, unashamed member of the P2 fan club.  He is making a mini career out of taking songs from artists that I don't like and making those songs enjoyable for me.  I will be downloading this one, for sure.  Leesburg, GA has another hot one, y'all.

Jessica - "Fallin'" (Alicia Keys):  What in the world was that thing around her neck?  I was so distracted by her necklace that she had already sung four lines of the song before I even noticed that she was singing.  Once again, she sang well but I still don't fell a connection to her when she sings for some reason.

Skylar - "Born This Way" (Lady Gaga):  Miss Skylar put the Mississippi stank on Lady Gaga.  Awesome!  :)

Joshua - "I Believe: (Fantasia):  I love Joshua and he is a phenomenal singer.  No one performs this on like Fantasia, who felt every song all the way down to her toes, but Joshua gave a great emotional performance tonight.

THEN

Hollie - "Son of a Preacher Man" (Dusty Springfield):  When I saw the song spoilers today, I was hoping that Skylar was going to sing this one.  Hollie was not very good one this one.  The Powers That Be must be afraid that slamming Hollie will get Jessica kicked off again this week so they felt the need to lavish her with praise.

Colton - "September" (Earth Wind & Fire):  Colton must want to go home to choose DeAndre's song like that.  The rooster was not very good.  I am sure that the tweens will keep him out of the bottom three though.

Elise - "Let's Get It On" (Marvin Gaye):  I liked this better when she was sitting on the couch.  It kind of fell apart for me once she stood up. 

P Squared - "The Midnight Hour" (Wilson Pickett):  Woot woot! Phil Phil is in it to win it dawg! ...And he is so dang cute when he is blushing because of Jlo's comments.  Stephen pegged it perfectly.  He is brilliantly awkward.  :)

Jessica - "Try A Little Tenderness" (Otis Redding):  I so wanted Joshua to sing this one so I started off disappointed. 

Skylar - "Heard It Through The Grapevine" (Marvin Gaye):  I don't want to sound like one of the judges but this girl is ready right now!

Joshua - "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke):  Thank you Joshua Ledet for kicking Adam Lambert's booty with your performance of this tonight. 

Bottom 3 Prediction:  Elise, Colton and Jessica
Who Should Go Home:  Colton or Elise
Who Will Go Home:  Elise or Hollie

Season 11 - Top 7: Songs from this Decade

This week I am only giving a quick note on each performance.  Sorry guys!  Don't know what is wrong with me this season but I am just not that into it.  Maybe it is the blatant manipulation each week but I am definitely not as into it this year as I usually am.

Skylar - "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" (Kellie Pickler):  Skylar killed this song.  What a great way to start the show.

Colton - "I Love The Way You Lie" (Skylar Grey):  This was not very good to me.  He was singing through his nose again this week and, to be honest, it was a litte whiny. 

Elise and Phillip - "Someone I Used To Know" (Gotye):  I loved this. 

Jessica - "Stuttering" (Jazmine Sullivan):  Didn't really do anything for me.  She needs to work on enunciating her words and not just making noises when she sings.

Joshua - "Runaway Baby" (Bruno Mars):  This was Joshua's best performance of the season for me.  I am so glad that he didn't "take it to church" this week.

Skylar and Colton: "Don't You Want To Stay" (Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson):  I don't know why the powers that be insist on putting these two together for duets.  I just don't think that they blend well.  Colton's voice is too soft and he is drowned out by the power of Skylar's voice.  Not that it is always a bad thing since it covers up the nasally whine of Colton's voice.

Hollie - "Perfect" (Pink):  I thought Hollie redeemed herself this week.  I love Pink and this song and she did a good job with it.  Nigel's memo is that she has to go so she got the "you look beautiful" treatment.

P Squared - "Get A Little More" (Maroon 5):  As someone who detests the music of Maroon 5 and thinks that Adam Levine can't sing, I was not familiar with this song.  While I avoid all things Maroon 5, I would listen to his version.  :)  Jlo and her posse disagree with me.  I don't know what game the judges are playing but I don't like it and if this is how the show is going to be then I won't need to watch it next year.

Hollie, Joshua and Jessica - "Stronger" (Kelly Clarkson):  I hope that Joshua's fans throw Hollie some love this week since they are best friends.  Jessica is never good when singing with someone else and she wasn't good with this either. 

Elise - "You and I" (Lady Gaga):  This was a big risk for Elise since Haley killed this song last year.  She technically sang it okay but it paled in comparison to what Haley had done and for that reason she should have picked something else.  Nigel must want Elise to make it through to next week.  What is interesting is how the judges slammed this song as not being very good last year when Haley sang it but this year it is a "great" song.  Whatever.

Best
Skylar and Joshua

Worst
Colton, Jessica and Elise

Should Go Home:  It will never happen but I vote for Colton.  After him, it would be Elise based on this week's performances.

Will Go Home:  Hollie

Season 11 - Top 8: Songs of the 80's

Tonight's show was a difficult thing for me.  The scripted pimping of contestants was at its most obvious this week and it was really wearing on my nerves.  I thought TPTB wanted a girl to win this year? You wouldn't know it based on how much pimping is reserved solely for the male contestants whether deserved or not.  I guess they are just minions that do what Uncle Nigel tells them to do.  I don't really expect any better from Randy or Jlo but Steven really disappoints me when he gives in and tows the company line.

DeAndre - "I Like It" (DeBarge):  DeAndre might like it but I hated it.  It checked off all the boxes on my list of things that get on my nerves.  Hair flipping.  Check.  God Awful Falsetto.  Check. Check.  That "dance" that wants to be a reggae groove but looks more like he is trying to work out a wedgie without using his hands.  Check.  I was ready for him to go last week and that has not changed.  To borrow a line from my friend, Keri...  DeAndre you Bracken SUCK! (no matter what JLo says). 

Elise - "I Want To Know What Love Is" (Foreigner):  This just did not do it for me.  I am really sad because I like her voice and any misstep will put her in danger of getting kicked off since she is already at a disadvantage as tweens are guaranteed not to vote for her.  Why did she have to pick this song?  When I was looking at the song spoilers and making guesses as to who would sing what, I had no idea that this even had the possibility of being so bad.  May the odds be ever in my favor and the voting gods will smile down upon me and somehow rig it so that DeAndre goes home instead of Elise.

P Squared - "That's All" (Genesis):  I love Phil Phil and his brother.  :)  This song was a little odd for me because I enjoyed it and yet was kind of scared by it at the same time.  I agreed with JLo that it started a little rough but it really improved after the first couple of lines.  Was I the only person that found the way Phil sang the line "be together til the end" a little disturbing?  Combined with the intense stalker glare, it made me think that the end would come with me being buried in the back yard.

Am I the only one that really dug the "Run To You" Nike commercial/mini movie?

Joshua - "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Simply Red):  Taking it to church is starting to get old for me.  Technically there was nothing wrong with his singing but the set up prior to the performance and the choir just left a bad taste in my mouth that was multiplied by that hideous Hugh Hefner lounging coat that he was wearing.  The sad thing is that no one (judges or TPTB) has the sense to lead him in the right direction which would possibly actually help him have a successful career one day.

Jessica - "How Will I Know" (Whitney Houston):  This did absolutely nothing for me.  I know that the judges thought it was a "another powerhouse performance" but eh.  I only care for her when she sings a ballad.  When she is not hitting the glory notes, her voice is nothing spectacular.  The same thing happened a few weeks ago when she covered Miami Sound Machine.

Hollie - "What A Feeling" (Irene Cara):   I will admit that there were some wonky notes but I thought it was better than Jessica and I didn't understand why she was burned at the stake and got the "at least you looked good" treatment.  For some reason they have decided that she has got to go in order to save Jessica for the finale.  It would serve them right if their little plan backfired and Jessica and DeAndre were to go before Hollie.

Colton - "Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper):  Colton was whiny during his duet which I attributed to him not being overly comfortable with covering Kenny Rogers.  I now wonder if he is sick or something.  He could not have been singing through his nose more.  I don't like Gary Le Vox of Rascal Flatts for this exact reason.  I haven't noticed it before so I assume that it will go away and that is why the judges didn't call him out on it this week.  If I hadn't been so distracted by the odd way his nasal blockage was making him pronounce the words then I actually might have enjoyed this.

Skylar - "Wind Beneath My Wings" (Bette Midler):  Good gracious!  Who is the powerhouse singer among the girls?  I think it is Miss Skylar Laine.  Not that I want to associate with JLo when I am currently so miffed at her but that gave me goosies.  She totally kicked Jessica's butt and then kicked her in the head while she was down.

Duets

Colton & Skylar - "Islands In The Stream":  Skylar makes a much better Dolly than Colton's attempt at Kenny.  He is just TOO whiny.  Not really sure who thought that this song would be a great idea.  Once they heard how bad Colton was at this they should have changed out the song.

Hollie & DeAndre - "I'm So Excited":  Upbeat girly songs are Hollie's forte but it didn't help DeAndre at all.  I don't blame the song.  I blame the singer.  Hollie was great!

Elise & P2 - "Stop Dragging My Heart Around":  Redemption!  I am so buying their version of this from iTunes.  It was awesome from start to finish.  They should quit Idol and start a duo.  I would buy their record.

Jessica & Joshua - "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me":  Could they have had more backup singers?  This was okay but a little over the top for me.

Who Should Go Home?  DEANDRE!!!  Please!  I can take no more.

Who Will Go Home?  I am so afraid that it will be Elise or Hollie but I will be praying that it is DeAndre.

American Idol Season 11 - Top 9: The Songs of Their Idols

Another late night at work so another petite rant this week.  Sorry folks!  The contestants sang the songs of their Idols this week and overall, it was a really strong night.  There were a few exceptions and one of those was a real surprise for me since she was one of my favorites.

The Best

Elise - "Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin):  Dang, ya'll.  That was amazing.  Elise definitely found her niche this week.  Hopefully she won't meet the same fate as Erika since she is to "old" for the tweens to care about her.  Vote, vote, vote!  1-866-IDOLS-09

Jessica - "Sweet Dreams" (Beyonce):  Beautiful vocals and a nice arrangement on the song.  I prefer this slowed down version to the original.

The Worst

DeAndre - "Sometimes I Cry" (Eric Benet):  Falsetto, Eric (ugh!) Benet, and more Falsetto.  This was the trifecta of god awful for me.  I didn't get the standing O from the judges.  I am going to think very positively that the tweens have finally gotten sick of him and we will finally see him go.  Please, please, please.  If not, I will have to cry and that isn't pretty.

Hollie - "Jesus Take The Wheel" (Carrie Underwood):  Hollie should have left Carrie alone.  This was not a good week to have a weak performance since the tweens are sure to try to keep the Terrance Trent Darby wannabe in the competition regardless of how horribly he sings since he is so good at flipping his hair.

The Rest

Colton - "Everything" (Lifehouse): Colton really connected with this song.  It started off solid but I thought it got kind of screechy by the end. 

Skylar - "Gunpowder & Lead" (Miranda Lambert):  She's not Miranda but she gave a pretty good rendition.  She also consistently has the strongest stage presence of any of the contestants.

Heejun - "A Song For You (Donny Hathaway):  Heejun returned to ballads this week which are great for his smooth voice but I am still bothered by the way he doesn't enunciate his words.

Phillip - "Still Rainin'" (Johnny Lang):  I had never heard this song before tonight.  Phillip was rocking it so hard that the vein in his forehead looked like it was going to burst.  This was a very solid performance and the first time that P squared managed to not sound like Dave Matthews.

Joshua - "Without You" (Mariah Carey?):  I will give Joshua a pass on choosing a Mariah song that is a cover of a song from many years before Joshua was even a glimmer.  He put the "stank" on it and felt it down to his toes.  This was the first time that Joshua ever really looked like he personally connected with the material.

Group Performances

Colton, Elise and Phillip take on Fleetwood Mac:  The individual performances were much stronger than the group harmonizing.  Colton did a great job with Landslide and Elise gave us a taste of what was to come at the end of the show. A

Joshua, DeAndre and Heejun take on Michael Jackson:  15 seconds of "not bad" while sitting on the stools and then 90 seconds of nothing but hot mess. D-

Jessica, Hollie and Skylar take on Madonna:  Jessica seemed to be struggling with these songs but Hollie and Skylar were tying to sell it though it sounded like someone kept turning Skylar's mic on and off.  B-

Who Should Go Home:  DEANDRE!!!

Who Will Go Home:  Hollie or (and it better not be!) Elise

Season 11 - Top 10: Songs of Billy Joel

DeAndre - "Only The Good Die Young":  I will give him credit for trying but this was the cheesiest thing that we have seen all season.  He may be a little too young and naive to get this song.  He seems like a sweet kid but I am over it.

Erica - "New York State of Mind":  I could not love the hair more and it was the perfect complement to her beautiful tone this week.  No over singing or screeching -- just a beautiful melody.  Great job!

Joshua - "She's Got A Way":  This just didn't work for me.  I am not sure if it was the song choice, the changes to the melody or if, like J Lo implied, it was a result of Joshua not having enough life experience to "get" this song.  I know that Steven spent most of the 70's and 80's stoned and drunk but there is no way that he has never heard this song before.

Skylar - "Shameless":  One of my favorite Garth Brooks songs and Skylar held her own with it.  She was a little pitchy and out of breath while walking the crowd during her performance.  She was obviously coached to do this as Elise did the exact same thing during the next performance.

Elise - "Vienna":  She looked her best tonight (not to sound like Paula) and she killed this song right up until the run at the end (not a fan).  Of course, Randy "I've never met a run that I didn't like" Jackson, loved it.  I am glad that they tried to soften Elise a little by bringing her students up on stage.  She has had a rocky start so far and needed the extra help.

Phillip - "Movin' Out":  What can I say?  He put the Phil Phil in it and it was good.

Hollie - "Honesty":   I will admit that this was a little boring to watch but I thought that Hollie sang it well.  I didn't get the judges criticism of her voice.  Were they trying to "create" room for growth as the season progresses?

HALEY!!!!  :)

Heejun - "My Life":  I think that I may be a little in love with Heejun.  It definitely had some issues but I absolutely loved this performance and his cracks at Diddy.  What a way to come back at the judges after a horrid week last week.  He is not in the top 8 singers that are left on the show but he certainly entertained me this week.  Loved it!  He is the Vote For The Worst pick for his message to The Powers That Be.

Jessica - "Everybody Has A Dream":  It is amazing how much she sounds like JHud. She did a great job of picking a song that really spoke to her so deeply that she could feel it and those feelings would translate to the audience.  It was beautiful.  :)

Colton - "Piano Man":  Colton got the pimp spot and all the staging that goes with it.  It had great potential but I thought that it went a little too slow which made it a little boring for me.  It was one of his best but then I am not usually a big fan of his.

Best - Jessica, Elise, and Hollie 
Worst - DeAndre 
Who Should Go Home? DeAndre
Who Will Go Home?  I am afraid that it will be Erica or Elise since they are not in the right demographic to get the tween vote.

Season 11 - Top 12 er, Make That 11

Due to some personal issues this week, I actually missed the first half of the show tonight.  Since I won't get a chance to catch up with it on DVR until this weekend, I am just going to comment on what I saw with a few quick thoughts.

Best  Joshua Ledet, Skylar Laine and Hollie Cavanaugh
Worst  Shannon Magrane

Am I the only one that was really bummed out that I didn't get to hear Jermaine sing Fievel's song?  His rehearsal footage sounded like he was really going to be good.  He was not my favorite but it is a shame that he got himself booted for something so ridiculous.  Hopefully he will learn a lesson from this and be able to stay out of trouble and pursue a career.

Idol Season 11 - Top 13: The Songs of Stevie and Whitney

Here we go fellow Idol fans...It's Season 11!  It has already been a long wait to get to this point.  I was disappointed that a few of my early favorites didn't make it through to the Top 13.  I had to root for Chelsea Sorrell but I knew that she was not going to make it when she chose one of the worst Carrie Underwood songs ever to pin her Idol future on.  I am also still ticked off that David Leathers was somehow second best to one of the biggest train wrecks in Idol history, Eben frickin' Frankewicz.  That kid is absolutely not good.  AT ALL.  In an attempt to make it all up to me, the stars aligned just so that Reed Grimm would get the boot because there was no way that I was going to be able to sit through 90 seconds of him every week without stabbing myself in the forehead to end my misery.  Thank God.  Despite all of that, I was feeling pretty confident about the strength of the Top 13 this year.  There are not nearly as many bad singers as what usually make it through and the strong singers are really, really strong.  Of course, The Powers That Be stuck to the same old, same old singers for the contestants to cover this week.  We wouldn't want them to mix it up and keep it fresh or anything.  Don't get me wrong, Stevie and Whitney are legends, but we really need some new blood on the themes.  The one new twist for the night was that the voters will determine the bottom guy and girl and then the judges will determine who stays and who goes.  Not really sure how I feel about this but maybe it will work in our favor and allow the judges to keep the person with the most talent.  It might not, knowing how the judges sometimes work, but a girl has to dream, right?  Enough of that.  On with the show....

Joshua Ledet - "I Wish":  I like Joshua but I am not sure what this song really did for him.  I was not bad but I was extremely bored and ready for it to be over about 20 seconds in.  My one request is that he immediately STOP referring to himself as Mantasia.  I am already over that!

Elise Testone - "I'm Your Baby Tonight":  Is Jimmy trying to get Elise kicked off prematurely?  Maybe he gets a cut of this song or something?  Of all the Whitney songs, I definitely wouldn't have picked this for her.  She shouldn't have let him pressure her into this.  It didn't sound like "Greatest Love of All" would have been much better but at least she would have went down in flames on her own terms in a song that she chose.  Hopefully America or the judges will pull her through.

Jermaine Jones - "Knocks Me Off My Feet":  Eh.  I am not excited yet about anyone.  What is the deal?  This Top 13 was supposed to be better than this.  Jermaine kept singing about not wanting to "bore me with this" and all I could think about was how bored I was and that I couldn't wait for it to end.  And was I the only one that kept thinking that Jermaine could use the "Reuben" towel to mop the large amount sweat that he was accumulating? 

Erika Van Pelt - "I Believe in You and Me":  The first solid performance of the night.  I love her husky voice.  She took this and made it her own which worked.

Colton Dixon - "Lately":  The judges were feeling this but I was not.  The snippet of his original song did not sound good and that just carried on for me to his live performance.  Luckily for him, not only did Shannon sing right after him but the tweens are sure to be voting hard as well.

Shannon Magrane - "I Have Nothing":  Not.  Good.  At.  All.  The pageant princess was definitely swallowed up by this song.  Her run through with Jimmy and Mary was not bad but all Mary's suggestions went out the window when Shannon hit the stage.  She should definitely be in the bottom but who knows.

Deandre Brackensick - "Master Blaster":  This was all over the place but it wasn't the worst.  I was actually glad that he was singing in his lower register and then he just had to get that falsetto in there at the end which got on my nerves.  I want one season of Idol where we don't have a "Maxwell" type.  Is that possible?  Down with the falsetto! 

Skylar Laine - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go":  With one exception, this was the big turning point of the show for me (sorry Jeremy!).  It started a little rough but once she stood up she really started to get into it.  Not sure what to call the "fit" that she has while performing.  It is like the equivalent of the Bobo from Season 3.  I kept watching her arms and waiting for the "fit" to start but she was able to rein it in.  She really is the second coming of Reba.

Heejun Han - "All In Love Is Fair":  I love Heejun.  He is hilarious, talented and he is not intimidated by anyone.  Thanks to the heads up from Ryan I must now follow him on Twitter! :)  He had great control through the song and hit all the notes.  I still wish that he would finish the ends of the words but I think that is just something that he is not able to do.  He was the best male singer of the night.

Hollie Cavanaugh - "All The Man I Need":  Damn.  This girl can really sing.  I don't know where it comes from but she is absolutely awesome.  If it wasn't for Jessica (and male contestants), she would run away with this competition.

Jeremy Rosado - "Ribbon In The Sky":  Another falsetto-ish singer.  Ugh.  I was not impressed.  I don't know what it is about this kid but he starts singing and my mind starts wandering to other things until it is finally, blessedly, over.

Jessica Sanchez - "I Will Always Love You":  Jessica has massive confidence to tackle a song this big and boy does she have the pipes to back it up.  Unless she takes some kind of Pia Toscano fall, which shouldn't be possible since she can sing circles around Pia,  she should win this competition hands down.

Phillip Phillips - "Superstition":  This was very Dave Matthews as I expected.  In years past he would have walked through to the finale but I am not sure if the tweens will really get him enough to push him through to the end.

The Best:  Jessica, Hollie, Heejun, Erika, Skylar and Phillip
The Worst:  Shannon, Jermaine, Jeremy or Colton
Who Should Go Home?  Shannon, Jermaine, Jeremy or Colton
Who Will Go Home?  I am very afraid for Elise but I hope that it will be Shannon

Season 10 Finale

So, here we are at the bittersweet conclusion to what was, in the end, a revival for the Idol franchise which looked dead a year ago.  There were still bumps in the road but my faith was restored enough that I am excited to see the show crank up again next winter.  By this point, I think most people have already decided who they want to win it all and I doubt that any performance from this evening will change any minds.  I may be imagining things but didn't they make a big deal out of the fact that Taio Cruz was participating in some sort of songwriting competition that would be the coronation song at the end of the season?  If so, I guess they smartly decided that Taio wouldn't have anything that Scotty or Lauren would be interested in.

Scotty:  Scotty showed lots of character by deferring to Lauren even though he won the toss to determine performance order.  To pay him back for his kindness, the producers made sure that the judges heaped so much praise upon Lauren that it was easy to see who they hope pulls out the win for the Season.  I am confident that little girls all over the country will make sure that Uncle Nigel does not get what he was wishing for, however.   Scotty sang "Gone", "Check Yes or No", and "I Love You This Big".  "Gone" was much better the first time he sang it, however, it was still a solid performance.  "Check Yes or No" was a pick by George Strait and I am not sure that it did Scotty any favors.  This was the first time that Scotty seemed nervous while singing all season.  Luckily for Scotty, Lauren fared no better.  "I Love You This Big" is not an overly complex song but it's simple message will touch his audience and get out their votes.  It was very sweet that both of Scotty's parents were crying during his performance.

Lauren:   Lauren started the evening with Ryan pointing out that she had blown a vocal chord during rehearsals.  Lauren sang "Flat on the Floor, "Maybe it was Memphis" and "Like My Mother Does".  "Flat on the Floor" was not my favorite the first time around and my opinion on it didn't improve tonight.  Much like George Strait, Carrie Underwood didn't really do Lauren any favors with her pick of "Maybe it was Memphis" for Lauren either.  I am not a fan of the song and I was not impressed by Lauren's singing of it either.  "Like My Mother Does" was designed to tug the heartstrings and get out the vote.  Though it was just as hokey as Scotty's song, it was better written and gave Lauren an advantage in the final round.  Unfortunately for her, Scotty has had a stronghold on this competition all season and I don't think he has any intention of giving it up now.

Did everyone see my favorite Idol, David Cook, at the end?  LOVED IT!  :)

Who will win?:  No shock this season.  Scotty will take this one hands down.

Season 10 - Top 3: The Top 3 Sing 3

Only two weeks of performances left to go in Season 10 and I am getting a little sad that it will all be over soon. This top three is the best that I can remember and I will be a little sad about whoever goes home.  Please pardon the shortened comments this week, I got a late start and have to work in the morning.  Here we go...

Round 1:  They Pick For Themselves

Scotty - "Amazed":  My boy Scotty showed some range with this one that I wasn't sure was in his toolbox.  He got a little drowned out by the "backup" singers during the middle of the song but I am not going to hold that against him because they obviously do not know how to reign it in and back up the lead singer.  They do it to everyone.  This was the first of three strong performances for the night.  Score: A-

Lauren: "Wild One":  Of all the Faith Hill songs, why did Lauren have to pick this one?  She always has a hard time keeping her breath during the fast songs and it was a problem for her with this song.  I know that she can't sing a ballad for every song but there just had to be something that would showcase her more than this like "This Kiss" from Faith or, here is a wild idea, another Miranda Lambert song since she did so well with "Gunpowder & Lead" during the results show last week.  Score: B-

Haley - "What Is and What Should Never Be":   Who knew that Haley was the real rocker this season?  This was absolutely amazing and the fact that she didn't really miss a beat when she fell showed true poise.  To quote Randy, "she is in it to win it baby!".  Score:  A+

Round 1 Winner:  Haley

Round 2:  Jimmy Iovine is the Man when it comes to picking songs!

Scotty- "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?":  I will admit that I was very doubtful when they announced the song that Jimmy had picked for Scotty but I shouldn't have worried.  It was an absolutely perfect pick for him.  He showed more talent in this one song that he has all season.  I can't wait to download it.  I must disagree with Jennifer about Scotty's hair though.  He looks much better now than during his Short Hair Don't Care days.  I hope he leaves it alone.  Score: A+

Lauren - "If I Die Young":  Another great pick by Jimmy that fit Lauren perfectly.  It was going really well until she flubbed the middle and then she seemed to be trying to make up for it with a little over singing which just seemed like screaming to me.  Score for the first half: A  Score for the whole song: B+ 

Haley - "Rhiannon":  Haley was completely channelling Stevie Nicks during her performance though I was a little concerned that she was going to be blown off stage by the wind machines.  If the choruses had been in full voice and not reserved and soft then she would have taken Scotty in this round as well.  Despite her loss, this was still really, really good.  Score: A

Round 2 Winner:  Scotty

Round 2.1:  Beyonce video that went on for so long that they had to cut it off for a commercial break and then felt the need to keep reminding us that we could watch it online.  No, thank you.   Score: F
Round 2.1 Loser:  Beyonce.  She is better than this God awful song.  Leave this to the "artists" that can't actually sing, Beyonce, like Ke$ha.  You are better than this.

Round 3:  Judges' Pick

Scotty - "She Believes in Me":  I believe in Scotty and that he is in it to win it!  ;)   He really came together this week to deliver three solid performances and this was the icing on the cake.  This was tender, heartfelt and sung perfectly.  Score: A

Lauren - "I Hope You Dance":  Lauren did a really good job with this one but it felt really karaoke to me.  I think that it may have been the dress and the "pageant" feel to the production that was throwing me off.  She did a good job with the singing but I am just saying...  Score: A-
Haley - "You Oughta Know":  I am going to ignore the start of the song since they made her sing the generic lyrics that make no sense at all.  Once she got past the first couple of lines, it was a slam dunk.  Her growl is perfect for the anthem for women done wrong.  Score: A

Round 3 Winner:  Haley

Should Be Top 2:  Scotty and Haley
Will Be Top 2: Scotty and Lauren

Season 10 - Top 4: Inspirational & Leiber/Stoller Meet Gaga

I contemplated muting all judges comments this week after the 'Haley Fiasco' from last week but against better judgement I decided to give them one more try.  I am such a silly girl.  Jennifer and Randy are dead to me (though JLo looked like she may have had a little extra life given to her upper lip this week).  I am not interested in anything that they have to say after this week.  I am giving Steven a pass because, even though he is usually ineffective and uninspired, he championed the underdog and earned my gratitude.  As I sit to write this, I find myself filled with a cynical bitter distaste for the judges and the show.  Please forgive me.

Round 1 (Inspiration Songs)

James - "Don't Stop Believing":  I thought this was a hot mess.  It was overly screechy, pitchy and very uneven.  Of course, the useless judges thought it was the "indication of what was yet to come".  Was it just me or was James a little over confident this week?  Actually, I thought he was down right cocky to the point that he made Adam Lambert seem somewhat modest and you all know how much I "loved" Screech.  He is walking a very thin line with me.

Haley - "Earthsong":  I am not going to say that this was as good as "House of the Rising Sun" was last week but it was better than James' first or second song and she was completely mistreated by the judges.  Simon had a reputation for being mean but I don't know that he was ever as mean to a contestant as the tag team of Randy and JLo were tonight.  Randy then felt the need to deal just one more blow when he announced that every performance from round 1 was the best except for Haley.  I know that the judges are pushing to make sure that Haley does not disrupt their vision for the final three and, after this, I honestly think Haley will be better off when she gets sent home tomorrow.  She needs to go before the judges can cause permanent damage.  This is who they are casting stones at?!?!?!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=035GStnLOaI

Scotty - "Where Were You":  I am not going to say that this was a flawless performance but it was really darn good.  Scotty is better without the backup singers so he should nix them for all future shows.  I know that Scotty is going to coast to a win but he would actually be better off to just let James have it so that he can escape the drivel that will be the "winning" song and put out an album free of the stank that is songs written by Ryan Tedder and Kara DioGuardi.

Lauren - "Anyway":  Just as it was written, little Lauren came out of her shell tonight to finally hit the big notes.  She did a really good job with the song which would have been even more impressive if the producers hadn't come up with this poor little Lauren storyline a few weeks back.  Now I just felt like I was being manipulated, because I/we was/were, which took all the joy out of it.

Round 1 Winner:  Scotty
Round 1 Loser:  James

Round 2 (Lieber & Stoller)

Haley - "I Who Have Nothing":  This song belonged to Jordin Sparks for me before tonight.  Now, it belongs to Haley.  She had the "moment" of the week again this week.  Of course, it doesn't matter because she is going home tomorrow.  This was a perfect swan song for her and the perfect fit for her place in the competition as the lonely contestant that gets no love.

Scotty - "Young Blood":  There was nothing funnier than Scotty's interaction with Gaga.  I think he may have been a little scared.  ;)  There was nothing wrong with the vocal performance.  He hit all the notes but the whole thing seemed a little over-the-top corny to me.  I still love him but I am just saying...

Lauren - "Trouble":  This was a solid performance.  It didn't really require a lot vocally but Lauren was able to bring more confidence than she usually shows.  Lauren is much better when singing than during her interview packages.  She should sing more and talk less.

James - "Love Potion #9":  ...or more of the same from Round 1.  Screeching?  Check.  Wonky notes?  Check.  Huge production?  Check.  So, if you weren't convinced that the powers that be DEMAND that James be in the final three then you need look no further than tonight's episode where he not only got to start and end the show but both were huge productions and they even let him get away with the God awful glory noting at the end of this song.  I am now officially over him.

Round 2 Winner: Haley
Round 2 Loser: James

Should Go Home:  James
Will Go Home:  Haley

Season 10 - Top 5: Now and Then aka "A Moment Like This"

Who is in it to win it?!?  According to Randy, everyone has been for the past few weeks except for Haley .  Sheryl Crow is the mentor this week which just shows how far she has fallen since a few years ago when she was bashing the show.  Welcome to selling out, Sheryl!  I have been grumbling all season about changes that I would like TPTB to make to the show for next year.  I have finally figured out what I want and it will be an easy fix for the show and save the production company a lot of money as well.  Fire all the judges and do not replace them!  Just let Ryan introduce the contestants/video segments, then we can jump straight to the performances and voting.  Not only will it save money and time but it will save my last thread of patience as well.  JLo is dead to me after tonight!  Seriously.  Steven doesn't seem to know any better and we all knew that Randy was full of too much hot air.  She had the most potential and I am holding her responsible for the mockery that the judging panel has become.  To pay homage to the most irritating phrase on the show and our pathetic judges, I am going to rate everyone on whether or not they are "In It To Win It!".

Round 1: Current Songs

James - "Closer to the Edge":  I didn't get it.  The sound was not mixed correctly. At some points you could barely hear the music.  James was screechy and the moving around he did only made it worse.  Not that it matters because the judges were instructed to give him a tongue bath regardless. Still, "He's in it to win it"!  Barf.  If he wanted it as much as Randy thinks he does then he would have picked a different song and sang it better.  My score: NOT In It To Win It!

Jacob - "No Air":  Jacob, you don't have a chance to win Idol.  You also can not sing as well as Jordin Sparks or dance as well as Chris Brown.  It sounded like someone was skinning cats.  Off pitch, screechy and just freaking awful.  Jennifer it is not only important for Jacob to find his niche in the business but it is also important for him to pick songs that he can actually sing.  This is not one of them.  I can't believe Randy actually attempted to call him on it.  Unfortunately, he also told him that he sings like Luther which is not correct either.  I don't know who is voting for Jacob but I hope they go to bed early tonight and forget to vote.  My score:  NOT IN IT TO WIN IT!

Lauren - "Flat on the Floor":  Lauren was the first performance that showed any promise of the evening.  It was a little breathy but at least it was lively and not all over the place like the first two guys.  I am still waiting on Lauren to return to a ballad that will accentuate her voice.  I don't know if it is Lauren's idea to draw comparisons to Carrie Underwood or not but I think she should abandon that tack immediately and concentrate on making her own name.  My score: in it to win it,

Scotty - "Gone":  Holy cow!  Scotty is THE MAN!  It was a side of him that we have never seen before and I really loved it.  It was high octane, low corn brilliance and he couldn't have done it any better.  My score: IN IT TO WIN IT!

Haley - "You and I":  Haley was awesome but, of course, she can't get any respect for it.  The judges followed script and bashed Haley so much that she actually thought that it was really bad.  Hopefully, she has someone close to her (Casey?) that can let her know how full of crap the judges are.  I think I may have to start muting the sound during the judges comments.  My score: In It To Win It! (unfortunately, it doesn't matter for her since they want her gone)

Round 1 Winners: Scotty! and Haley
Round 1 Loser:  Jacob

Round 2:  Songs from the 60's and 70's

James - "Without You":  I know that the judges thought that it was his "Moment" and it started off okay but I was not a fan of the screechy end and he has been better.  My score: In It To Win It.

Jacob - "Love Hurts":  I would rather have heard Sheryl sing this one.  Love hurts and so does going home buddy.  Hanibal Lechter was in the audience waiting on you.  Please get out so that Haley can stay.  My score: So not in it to win it that I wish he would go home right now!

Lauren - "Unchained Melody":  I have been waiting since Elton John week for Lauren to sing another ballad that will showcase her voice unlike the bouncing drivel that she has been singing lately.  I think that she left out some high notes near the end that she should have left in but it was so much better than anything she has done in the past few weeks.  My score: In It To Win It!!

Scotty - "Always on my Mind":  The last time this was done well by someone from the Carolinas it was Fantasia.  No one feels a song like Fantasia so Scotty couldn't live up to her on that scale but with the exception of a couple of misplaced notes it was really, really good.  My score:  In It To Win It!

Haley - "House of the Rising Sun":  The best performance of the night and the season.  Period.  This was the biggest "Moment" of the season.  My score:  THIS SHOULD WIN HER THE COMPETITION! (but will probably end up being her swan song).

Round 2 Winner:  HALEY!
Round 2 Loser:  Jacob

Should Go Home:  Jacob
Will Go Home:  Haley

Season 10 - Top 6: Songs of Carole King

Another week, another dated theme.  At least we got a new mentor this week and Will.i.am was nowhere to be seen. :)  The disturbing thing about that is that the mentor was Babyface and he now has gray hair.  Geez, I am old!  Also, what was up with Randy's sweater?  It was like a throwback to Grease gone bad.  Has he enrolled in Rydell High?  There is no reason for people that make that much money to look so ridiculous on television.  The judges must have attended school this week to learn their lines for critiquing each of the contestants as that is the only thing that makes who got positive comments and who got negative comments make sense.  Not sure what the agenda was but it was grating on my nerves.

Jacob - "Not My Baby":    It doesn't matter what I think of Jacob's singing because the judges are guaranteed to love it no matter what.  Steven mentioned that the strutting part of his performance is what has been missing to this point.  I thought the dancing was ridiculous and did not help the performance at all.  He should never do it again.  Ever.  He should also be in the bottom two with Casey.

Lauren - "Where You Lead":  I don't really care for the song but I thought that Lauren did a decent job with it and hit the notes.  It was a playful performance but I don't know if it really showed us anything new from her.  As an aside, I am not sure if the show or her mother is responsible for the Tammy Faye lashes but they need to go away immediately.

Casey and Haley - - "I Feel The Earth Move":  Haley was great by herself but the duet with Casey just did not work for me this time.  I thought Casey was horrid and brought the entire thing down with his out of tune grunting..

Scotty - "You've Got A Friend":  I was expecting disaster this week since I couldn't find a song from Carole King with "country" in the title.  I was thoroughly impressed though.  He showed us more range than he has in the competition so far.  He also reigned in the twitchy eyebrows until the very end of the song.  :)  This was not only his best performance of the season but the best of the night.  He didn't get proper credit for it from the majority of the judges, of course, but then that wasn't part of the script written for them, I guess.  Only Steven (gasp!) seemed to get how awesome this was.  It doesn't really matter though because Scotty was once again the first contestant to be marked "safe" on Dial Idol about 15 minutes after the show went off so he should continue to be fine.

James - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?":  This should not have worked for James but it came close.  The opening verse was very impressive.  I, like Steven, wasn't overly fond of the "rock" start to the second verse but it grew on me and then he ruined it all by falling into his standard screeching and screaming to end the song.  There is potential there but I don't think that TPTB at Idol can help direct him to it.  They are ruining any talent that he does have by leading him down the wrong path.  Not the best of the night.

Lauren and Scotty - "Up on the Roof":  I thought that, individually, each of them did a great job with the song.  The "duet" portions were sometimes off and the harmonies were just not getting there.

Casey - "Hidy Ho":   This did nothing for me.  It was a perfect song for Casey to growl over but I found it boring and couldn't wait for it to end.  I also can't wait for him to go home.  Please let it be this week unless Jacob goes this week and then he can get out next week.

Haley - "Beautiful":  I thought Haley did another beautiful (no pun intended) job with her song this week.  This is two very solid performances from her in a row.  I know that it will do her no good as she will return to the bottom three regardless but I certainly hope that she makes it to, at least, the top 4.

Jacob and James - "I'm Into Something Good":  Whoever came up with this pairing on this song is truly warped.  The suits didn't do favors for either guy and this was one of the oddest things that I have ever seen on television.  Both guys will get a pass from me though since this was not fair to either of them.

The Best:  Scotty
The Worst:  Casey and Jacob
Should Go Home:  Casey
Will Go Home:  Casey or Jacob

David Cook covers "Rolling in the Deep"

Season 10 - Top 7: Songs from the 21st century

In their quest to "mix it up" this week the producers brought back those who have been sent home so far from the Top 13 to take on "So What" from Pink.  I wish that they had cut this and some of the other fluff so that the show would have only run an hour instead.  It was only somewhat mind numbing before Paul joined in and helped them butcher it.  TPTB obviously had a talk with the judges and possibly even wrote down some critiques for them to use this week.  Unfortunately, they used up everything they had after the first performer and then went tongue bath all the way to the end of the show.

Scotty - "Swingin'":  He kind of cheated this week because this song is quite a bit older than the 21st century.  I just knew that he was going to bust out the Josh Turner so he surprised me.  I will agree that this was a very safe pick for Scotty that didn't demand too much.  It wasn't bad but it didn't blow me away either. 

James - "Uprising":  This was a shriek fest.  I get what he was trying to do and I will give him props for continually picking a song that hasn't been done on Idol before, however, I think this song hasn't been done before for a reason.  For the past few weeks, James has really struggled with the lower notes.  His combination of send-the-dogs-running-for-the-hills screeching and too low mumbling during the chorus was a drain on this one.  It was the most theatrical of the night but it was definitely not the best.  He should pay close attention to David Cook during the results show so that David can show him how it should be done.

Haley - "Rolling in the Deep":  I was very scared for Haley when she said that she had picked this song as I was not sure that she could handle Adele but she proved me wrong.  This was my favorite performance of the night and I hope that she will not make a visit to the bottom three this week because she is not deserving.

Jacob - "Dance with my Father":  The judges have got to stop comparing Jacob to Luther.  There is no comparison.  Luther had a beautiful rich, clear voice that Jacob just can't seem to find.  I am not saying that it is not in him somewhere.  We have seen scant traces of it over the past month and half but it is so buried in the trembling vibrato and over the tops shrieks and vocalizations that I am not sure if it can be found.  Shocker!  This was too Lusky Stank for me.

Casey - "Harder to Breathe":  I was ready for Casey to go home last week.  Heck, I was ready to put him on my list of people to go home this week before he even started to perform.  He changed my mind tonight.  I would like to point out that he sings much better than Adam Levine live.  We sat through that Maroon 5 disaster a few seasons ago and it's horrible refrains are still stuck in my brain.  As an aside, the are letting Adam Levine judge on The Voice which is some sort of sadistic joke because, without hearing one of their contestants sing, I can promise you that all of them sing better than Adam.  Casey's vocal was great but he still needs work on his stage presence.  The evil marching back and forth across the stage were just not doing it for me.

Stefano - "Closer":  They spent a lot of time telling us how good looking and super talented Stefano was during his taped package tonight.  Oh, and he is a "ladies man" too.  Whatever!  I hope the ladies man goes home this week.  Stefano is not nearly as good looking or as talented as he thinks that he is. I could not be more over him.

Lauren - "Born to Fly":  Of all the songs, I am not sure why Lauren picked this one.  I truly thought that this would be her week to shine and, with the right song, I think that she would have.  She did not do a bad job with the vocals but it seemed very karaoke to me and she didn't even try to hit any of the hard notes.  If Lauren wants to stick around to the end then she is going to need to step it up and start having solid performances week after week.  For some reason the teenage girls are keeping her out of the bottom so she needs to take advantage of that now.

Should Go Home:  I am begging for Stefano to go but I will not argue if they send home Jacob.  As of right now, DialIdol is showing Stefano, Casey and Haley (NO!) in the danger zone.  I will be hoping that Haley is saved.

Season 10: Top 8 - Scary Movie(s)

Oh my God, Dawg!  Frickin' Will.i.am, again?  For me, for you, for me, the judges have continued their trend of not giving any constructive criticism at all.  Not everyone is good every week but you wouldn't know that because we were six contestants in before anyone was criticized and she was not the worst performance to that point so it wasn't even fair.  We were obviously hearing things on television that the studio audience did not.  Was is me or were at least 5 of the contestants off from the music or overpowered by the backup singers?  After 10 years, Idol should know better than to let that happen.  If it was just one person then I would blame the contestant but it was obviously a mixing issue with the audio that was being recorded.  Yo, yo, yo, this week was a complete let down for me.  The "this show doesn't suck as much as it did last season" glow was produced right off of me and by the end of the night I was in a total funk and missing Simon.  It is obvious that TPTB still need to tweak elements of the show.  They need to start with a judge who isn't afraid of making America mad at them and add someone who was born since 1975 to pick the themes for next year.  If it has been done before then it is not eligible for consideration.  Period. 

Paul - "Old Time Rock & Roll":  Paul must have gotten a deal on his suit.  He seemed to be having a rollicking good time but I thought the vocal was a little all over the place.  To be fair, there are other artists out there that get by with a lot less talent and he is definitely better than that train wreck known as Iggy Pop.  The thing that i dislike most about Paul which is the little bit of drunken uncle mixed with a whole lot of chicken foot was out in full force tonight.  I was actually grateful when he grabbed the tambourine because then he stopped banging on his microphone and causing that thumping noise.  Of course, the judges thought it was an awesome encore at Paul's concert.  Whatever.

Lauren - "The Climb":   Lauren's performance had promise.  She should have sung the stripped down version that was shown in her taped package.  She started off well but once the music and backup singers started it seemed off..  There were some bad notes but I decided that I am not going to blame her for the faults with tonight's performance.  She is definitely a victim of the mad audio mixer and a lingering cold.

Stefano - "End of the Road":  Stefano tells us that he is going to concentrate on his stage performance and make sure that he is entertaining America.  He chooses a Boyz II Men song to try to do this.  He obviously thinks that his voice is stronger than it actually is.  He shouldn't think.  In the 10 seasons of Idol, there has been one rule that foolish contestants have broken again and again.  Do not prophesize your ouster from Idol by singing about going home or anything along those lines.  This should be the end of the road for Stefano despite Steven's claims that it won't be.  He doesn't have a snowball's chance in you know where of winning.  Pia's fans are sure to be plotting their revenge against Stefano this week.

Scotty - "I Cross My Heart":  I actually wish Scotty had stuck with "Everybody's Talkin'" instead of King George.  I understand why he chose to change to George Strait but I think he would have done a better job on the Harry Nilsson song.  All of the verses were good but the chorus was rough because his voice disappeared when the three backup vocalists joined in.  They were overpowering him.  Scotty should be able to recover with whatever lame theme is picked for next week.

Casey - "Nature Boy":  The second guy to go against the advice of Jimmy.  This was much more disastrous for Casey than for Scotty.  Jimmy was right that the song was too small for the Idol stage.  I think that Casey may have saved Stefano from heading home this week by offering himself up as a sacrifice.  Randy thought that Casey brought a whole new vibe to the stage but I don't think that America is ready for a Jazz Idol.  Casey, it made me want to cry too and Pia's fans may be out for your blood as well since the judges used her save on you.

Haley - "Call Me":   I was not expecting a lot from Haley on this song and it lived up to my expectations.  Awesome song but completely wrong for this kind of show.  I do want to acknowledge that she was the first, and only, contestant slammed by the judges and it was complete b.s. since this was not the first poor performance up to this point in the show.  Since 99% of the voters are girls, I am not sure that her extremely  short outfit will help her any but I hope a guy goes home this week.

Jacob - "Bridge Over Troubled Water":  Claymates around the world are rejoicing that Clay Aiken has retained his title for owning this song yet again. http://youtu.be/blEEIsGC3zA You could feel the Lusky Stank coming from the first note and it was carried throughout.  How far Jacob has fallen...from daring people not to vote for him last week to begging for their votes this week.

James - "Heavy Metal":  On what ended up being a sub par evening, this ended up being my favorite performance.  I am not going to give the credit for that to James.  He spent a little too much time screeching for me.  I am going to give the credit to Zakk Wylde who killed it.

Should Go Home:
Stefano or Casey

Will Go Home:
Casey

Season 10: Top 9 - R&R Hall of Fame

Another theme that we have seen before... :(.  Ryan let us know that Gwyn Stefani would be helping the contestants with their style this week and Will.i.am would be mentoring.  I am eternally glad that Gwen was only styling the contestants as she was horrible when she was a mentor during the Sanjaya season.  And what is up with Will.i.am being on the show again?  Does he own rights to this show or what?  We need a break and he needs to go back to his full time job with the Black Eyed Peas.

Jacob - "Man in the Mirror":  Jacob started off well but then he went all Lusky-Stank on me.  I think that Jacob has a wonderful voice but I need him to reign it in for me to be able to enjoy it.  He does have some interesting dance moves though...even Ryan called him out on them.  :) 

Haley - "Piece of My Heart":  Everyone could guess that Haley would choose Janis and she did not surprise.  I know that the judges love the growl but I am not a fan.  I think she sings better without it and proved that during parts of this song when she forgot to growl.  Unfortunately, the judges have convinced her that she should sing every song this way.  It was not a bad performance, but I am just saying...

Casey - "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?":  Okay, I admit it.  I love the wild, wacky, stand up bass playing Casey.  He has such a rich quality to his voice and seems to truly enjoy every minute that he is performing on stage.

Lauren - "Natural Woman":  You could definitely see Gwyn's influence on Lauren's style and that is not a positive.  I prefer her looking more like a country starlet than a rock and roll tramp.  She did a decent job with the song but I thought it was kind of boring.

James - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps":  James wanted to turn it down a notch this week.  I absolutely loved it until he went to the primal scream to end the song.  I don't know why he feels that he has to be an active participant in the Adam Lambert School of Screeching but I really wish that he would just be himself and cut that out.  He has a better voice than Lambert and doesn't need to go to the screech to try to impress us.  He just needs to sing.  If not for the scream, he would have made my best list for the week.

Scotty - "That's All Right Mama":  Scotty does Elvis and he does Elvis really well.  Dude!  He has got it down!  I don't know that anything can stop him from winning this season.  I can't image anything that will be able to trump him.  I find myself wondering each week what in the world he will be able to sing for that theme and he always finds something that fits him perfectly.  He is destined for stardom and the country music charts.

Pia - "River Deep, Mountain High":  Gwyn also had a strong influence on Pia's "look" this week.  Pia picked a more up tempo song this week and the vocal was more lively but her performance was still kind of a ballad.  She needs to learn how to move around on stage and not just move to her mark and hit the notes.

Stefano - "When A Man Loves A Woman":  The two lines that were in falsetto were absolutely horrid and put him at the bottom of the scoreboard with Jacob for me.  He did a better job of pronouncing his words than he usually does though he did drop the ends of many words but it was still just not very good to me.  I don't know what happened to Stefano.  I liked him early in the competition but now I am ready for him to get gone.

Paul - "Folsom Prison Blues":  Paul does Johnny Cash? What?!?  It was punk meets country and I dug it.  I think this should be enough to keep him out of the bottom three this week.  He is so much better when he sings in his full voice and drops the falsetto.

The Best
Scotty, of course.  I also really enjoyed Paul and Casey.

The Worst
Stefano, Jacob and Pia

Should Go Home
Stefano

Will Go Home
Haley