American Idol-Top 5

First up- The 60's with Steven Van Zant

Hollie- River Deep, Mountain High- I think she's trying too hard for the emotion and loosing it in the translation. I love her voice but she doesn't have the Wow! factor that it takes to win. She looks great tonight, that dress is really cute!

Phillip- The Letter- His vibe is SO cool. This is a great interpretation of this song-not one of my faves but it might be if this was the version that I knew. I agree with Randy.

Skyler- (I missed the name of the song. Again.) CCR- She brings such energy and excitement to everything that she does. Is it only me, or do you always want to tap your toes when she's on? Great job, Skyler!

Duet interlude....

Jessica- Rollin' on the River- Yeah, I'm just not feeling her anymore. Not my style, and I don't think that she's going to make it.

Joshua- Ain't Too Proud to Beg- Oh Yeah! He is soooo good. This is pretty close to perfect, don't you think? I agree with the judges.

Next up- Brit Pop- (Kind of a weird group of songs, no?)

Hollie- Wow. She is really kicking it up a notch. These 2 songs tonight will save her. I'm going to vote for her because she deserves one more week, at least. She sounded beautiful, and emotional, and, well, she should stay.

Phillip- Ouch. I don't think this is the greatest song for Phillip. It's way too high for him to hold the notes like he should, and it's painful. No, I'm not loving it at all. Sorry. He could be in trouble tonight.

Trio interlude.....

Skyler- I think she did a great job of infusing this song with just the right amount of country but I wonder if the younger viewers will get it. She might lose a few votes on this one. I loved it but I'm not sure everyone will.

Jessica- Ugh. I'm tired of her. Can she please go hone tomorrow? This is really boring. I really hope that they don't tell her how wonderful it was because it wasn't. Blergh.

Joshua- To use an overused phrase, Dude could sing the phone book and sound great. He can do a ballad, an R&B classic, a pop staple, and kill them all. He is so.good. 'Nuff said.

So, here's what I think:

Top 2: Joshua, Hollie.

Bad night but I love them so I hope they're safe: Phillip, Skylar. (His first song rocked but the second sucked.) (Her songs were ok but not well known.)

Should go: Jessica

What do you think?

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American Idol-Top 7

Sorry I missed last week. Baseball, ya know? I don't even know what tonight's theme is. Can someone fill me in? Oh, songs from 2010- the present. OK.

Skylar-(Kelly Pickler song)-She is so darn cute. Have I mentioned before that Skylar shares a hometown with my girl's mom? Yep, HG goes to Brandon about twice a year. I think she said that her step-sister even knows Skylar. Anyhoo, I've really seen improvement in Skylar this year so far. Every week she improves, and she did great tonight.

Colton-(Skylar Grey song)-What a cool song. He really sounds great. HB#1 says an 11 out of 12. (In honor of the Hunger Games. What ever that means.) Of course I only know it from Eminem/Rhiana doing it, but whatever. Very nice.

Sidenote: While I'm enjoying the duets that they are doing this year, it really makes the show drag on. Like really bad. We're 40 minutes in and we've only had 2 contestants so far. Shoot me now.

Jessica-(Jasmine Sullivan)-This song is really bizarre. I've never heard it before and I'm not sure I want to again. I'm not really a fan. Jessica needs to pick up the beat to continue in this competition. I said it a few weeks ago and still stand by it: the ballads will kill her. She has a great voice but she is boring. I'm not agreeing with the judges at all.

Joshua-(Bruno Mars)-Joshua is breaking out this week with something a little more up beat. Good for him because I was beginning to worry about him and the ballad thing, just like Jessica. I'm not sure if I'm a big fan of this song, itself, though. HD liked it a lot, and so did the judges apparently. I think he did good but not amazing.

Hollie-(Pink)-She needs to be putting so much more passion into this song, so much more 'Oomph.' Hollie looks great tonight but she didn't bring it with the song. I'm worried about Hollie this week.

Phillip-(Maroon 5)-This is one slick dude. I love him. He's got such a cool vibe, a great smile, I just all around like him. He did an amazing job with this song tonight.

Elise-(Lady Gaga)-I liked her at the piano but it didn't keep the same feel when she left the piano. While this is good, it's not nearly as good as the week that she did Led Zeppelin. The judges liked it so she may be safe.

Best of the night: Skylar, Joshua, Phillip

Safe: Colton, Elise, and probably Jessica, although I don't agree.

Going: as much as I hate to say it, it's probably Hollie. I love her but her performances are just getting flatter.

What do you think? Am I crazy to think that Jessica needs to do something different or she will go? Will this be the week that one of the favorites leave? I'll admit it-I'm not voting this week. Who did you vote for?

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American Idol Top 9-Personal Idols

Hey Y'all! I'm back! and after my long and unexplained absence (laptop had to go to the doctor!) I'm back with lots and lots of opinions about the kids tonight. It was a great show, don't you think?

Before I begin I have to address the whole 'style' thing. Earlier this season I was wondering who was doing the styling for the contestants because they looked horrible: ill-fitting dresses, funky hemlines, sloppy shirts. With Tommy Hilfiger joining the party the kids really do look better, really dressing for their bodies and personalities, but I think the segments that they are doing with him are silly. Just dress them, Tommy, and keep the commentary to yourself.

The Idols are singing the songs of their personal idols tonight and I think that it made a huge difference in the quality of the singing.

Colton: Lifehouse  It wasn't the best vocal performance of the night but it did start the theme of the night "Emotional." I love Lifehouse and think he did a really good job despite the problems. Was it in the monitor? I'm not sure but I don't think that it made a difference. "God is my everything." Colton said it and obviously meant it. Well done.

Skylar: Miranda Lambert. This girl is a ball of energy! I love watching her and she's got a voice to match. I really hope she stays.

*Sidenote* Just how many seasons are we going to have to endure watching the hand waving from the teeny boppers? It was old when it started and now it's just stupid. (I told you I had opinions tonight!)

HeeJun: (I have no idea who this artist is. Hathaway? Holloway? Something....) He did a much better job tonight than he has in the past but I still don't get him. Silly or serious, I just don't connect with him on any level and have a hard time with him still on the Idol stage. And, while he did ok, I still think he's in jeopardy.

Hollie: Carrie Underwood. I think Hollie sounded great and the song was ok (thanks Steven!) but I would have liked for her to do a different verse. She brought tears to my eyes, yep, me and JLo all teary together.

DeAndre: Eric Benet. While I do think that DeAndre is talented, the falsetto is getting old. His performance tonight was good for what it was, but not great, and I didn't get it. I think that he needs to work more 'regular' singing into his songs and let the falsetto "wow" us.

Jessica: Beyonce.  I think that Jessica is a beautiful singer but highly one-dimensional. The ballads are getting old-does no one remember Pia's departure from last season? Jessica also does not connect with the audience and seems quite cold on stage. This could hurt her in the long run since there are so many others that can connect, not only with the audience, but with the cameras.

Phillip: Johnny Lang. (Who is that? No clue.) Phillip is always good, and since I don't think I've ever heard this song before, it might as well have been his.

Joshua: Mariah Carey. This guy is unbelievable. I really think he's the dark horse this year. Each week his performances are spot.on, emotional, entertaining, and powerful, and somehow I never expect it.

Elise: Led Zeppelin. Elise finally proved why she is in the Top 9. This was totally her element. I'm not a Led Zeppelin fan, but she was AMAZING. I even woke up Headless Dad from his evening nap to listen to her. She looked perfect; finally dressed for her body and personality. This was her best performance of the season, hands down.

As for my predictions? I don't think I could choose the best/worst of the night. The performances were all good and well done. No one really tanked tonight at all, which is both good and bad. Good for the kids, bad for voting. It will come down to who is more popular, not necessarily who is 'better.'

At Risk: HeeJun, DeAndre, and Jessica, and all because they are very narrow in their niche and don't seem to connect with the audience on a more intimate level than the others. My pick to go home this week would be HeeJun or DeAndre.

Who was your favorite tonight?

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American Idol-Top 13

I like the way that they have changed Idol a little this year... new twists make it interesting. Yes, I realize it's still predictable, but I still love it. So shoot me. Guys have Stevie wonder and the girls have Whitney Houston... boy, this should be interesting. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of Stevie, but I do recognize that he has had a huge influence on music in our country. And then there's Whitney. What do you say about her? Interestingly enough, she's the artist that the contestants should have stayed away from in the past but now that she's gone they showcase her music. Before they even start I can only see about 4 of the girls doing well with any Whitney song, so we'll have to see how I do with my prediction.

Joshua- I Wish- Hmmm. Pretty good! Joshua is doing this well and actually seemed to be having fun, if a little nervous. He should be safe.

Elise- I'm Your Baby Tonight- She looks so uncomfortable and so unhappy! She sounds good but I just don't feel this song from her emotionally at all. Could it be that they changed her song or that hideous dress? She could be in jeopardy tonight. *Sidenote-who is the stylist for the girls this year? I haven't seen one outfit that looked good on anyone. Sheesh.

Jermaine- Knocks Me Off My Feet- I'm not familiar with this song so I hope he makes it memorable.... He sounds great, even if I don't like the song. He started well but I think the ending fell off. *The stylist for the guys needs to find a jacket to fit the big guy!

*WTH is Randy's brooch? Certainly there is some explanation, but what kind of dude wears a brooch?

Erika- I Believe In You And Me- Again, Do they have a blind styilst? That dress isn't doing her any favors and she needs some blush! The song, though? She did really great! That's how you do Whitney without tanking because you can't sound like Whitney.

Colton- (Oops! I forgot to write down the song name!) Soft and tender for Colton? Not bad, totally unexpected and when he hit the high points of the song he nailed it. I could see that being on his album. #truth Colton will have no problem going on to the next round.

Shannon- I Have Nothing- She looks really darling tonight, really age-appropriate. She did ok with this song but she's missing a bunch of notes and the timing is off. Unless there is someone that tanks, badly, then she could be at risk tonight. I'd love to see her have another chance, though.

Deandre- Master Blaster- (Not one of my favorite songs. Ugh.) He really took the advice to heart and he sounds good. He should easily go through to the next round. Yay Hair Boy!

*The guys got the good stylist. They all look good tonight. What's up with that?

Skyler- Where Do Broken Hearts Go- Wow. Just Wow. This song fits her country personality perfectly. Hands down, Best of the Night! and the judges agree with me.

Hejun- All In Love Is Fair- I'm having a hard time liking this kid. His voice doesn't seem to match him for me yet. HB#1 even thinks he stinks and stole Eban's spot. He sounds good tonight but the performance is pretty boring. He's probably safe, but he's on my short list to go.

 Hollie-All The Man That I Need- She looks very pretty tonight but what is that thing on her finger? She sounded really good, I agree that she nailed it. I do, however think that it wasn't as exciting as Skyler. Definitely safe.

Jeremy- (Missed this song title, too. Ribbons in the sky?) He doesn't seem as nervous tonight as he was last week. And he sounds good. Here's where my lack of love for Stevie kicks into high gear because the song is boring. Thank you, Randy. Exactly.

Jessica- I Will Always Love You- She did a really, really, really good job on this song. She's the only one of the group that could have done this song and she nailed it. Like REALLY nailed it. (Is 'nailed it' really adequate?) (Again with the ring? Gah! and the dress? Awful.)

Phillip- Superstition- Perfect song for him. He can totally funk it up to his style. It doesn't hurt that it doesn't sound like Stevie at all. Loved it! Best of the guys tonight.

All in all, a pretty good show tonight. Here are my top picks:

Best of the night: Skylar, Colton, Jessica, Phillip

Potentially at Risk: Elise, Jermaine, Shannon, Hejun, and Jeremy. While none of them were awful, they didn't stand out, either.

As for my prediction? I was wrong. Most of the girls did great with the Whitney songs. As a group, the guys were weaker except for Phillip and Colton.

Who are your picks?

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American Idol-Girls Top 12

Just as predicted, baseball got in the way of my Idol blogging. Our scorekeeper's meeting started about 30 minutes late so I jumped in on the 4th singer. I hate it when that happens. I won't say one way or another on those girls. It's just fair, right?

Faves of the night: Skyler, Bailee, Holly, Shannon, Jessica and Elise. No one really stuck out as 'the one to beat' tonight, to me. There were certainly one or 2 tonight that I wasn't crazy about but I'm guessing that those will be weeded out soon enough.

What did you think of the girls??

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American Idol-Guys Top 12

Welcome to American Idol 2010! If you're new around here, I write about Idol each week during the spring. That is, unless I'm otherwise preoccupied by baseball. Ahem. If you watch please chime in with your opinions!

 

I remembered, again, that I don't like judging the early rounds. There's so many of them and it's really hard to tell when they are on the stage in front of live cameras for the first time. Don't despair, I'm still writing about it!

So far I think the guys are talented but many of the performances were not top notch tonight. I'm chalking it up to jitters and nervousness. Typical of the first live round.

Best of the Night: Phillip. I wasn't the #1 fan of his version of "In the Air Tonight" but it showed of his talent of taking a song and making it his own, not to mention his crazy good voice. He's clearly the odds-on favorite heading into the season.

Should stay: Reed, Diandre*, Colton, Creighton (my second favorite of the night,) and Eben. (I added him in because I think he's really talented and I'm not sure that he was used to the monitor in his ear. Hopefully he'll get used to it by next week!)

Not to say that the others were bad-I don't think that at all! The others just didn't stand out to me like these 6 did. I'm actually pretty amazed at how good they all were. Usually there are one or two that I'm already wishing would go, so we've got improvement already over last season!

*I had to include Diandre here because he reminds me so much of my sweet Jason. You know, my love from a few seasons ago? Let me refresh your memory.....

 (Yes, I totally get that I'm old enough to be their mother. Maybe even Diandre's grandmother if I had gotten busy very early, but still. Very cute boys, no? Although I'm sure Jason would no longer want to be called a boy. Details.)

Anyway... Who did you think was the best of the night? Who do you really NOT want to hear again? Do you still watch or have you jumped ship to another singing show? Am I in this completely alone?
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Blogger Fail

It's really sad that on a Wednesday night I sit down and start searching through photos to try and get a Wordless Wednesday post up and find NADA.

*****

The weather here in SoCal has been insane. The warmest winter that I can remember. Even the cold days have been warm. While we are currently 5 inches behind in rain, I'm not complaining because of the roof. Dry is good for roof leaks. Hopefully they will be able to get her within a couple of weeks to work on it and solve the worst of the problems.

*****

I have a question for all of you. I have blogged about American Idol every year that I've been blogging. Now that we're down to the Top 24 are any of you interested this year? I love watching-and will be watching- but are you interested in my witty and important commentary? (heh.) If not I may not blog about it every week. Don't think that you'll hurt my feelings if you say no, and don't expect a post every week if you say yes. I'm just trying to gauge interest.

Speaking of Idol, did your favorite make it into the Top 24? Most of my faves have so far. I know you're totally waiting to hear who but most of them are the guys and I don't remember their names. I'll get there.

*****

Blissdom starts on Thursday. I'm so sad that I'm not going to be there to see all of my friends. I really hope you all have a blast! Next year, I hope.
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American Idol-Top 3

So this is it. Scotty, Lauren, and Haley. I'm highly disappointed that James didn't make the top 3, especially over Haley, but he will certainly have a great career. I just hope he has a great mentor to guide him. He seems so young; I'd hate to see him get eaten alive by the business before he has a chance to really make a name for himself.

OK, so they get to pick their own song from their own idol for round 1. Let's go!

Scotty: Amazed by LoneStar. He did a fantastic job and like Beyonce said, he really showed off his range well. Who knew that he could go that high? Such a cute kid.

Lauren:  She's a Wild One by Faith Hill. She seems a little winded...going too fast for the music, maybe? Or is it her nerves? Honestly, she's not breathing at all! She sounded good but couldn't keep up, it seems.

Haley: What is and What Should Never Be by Led Zeppelin. Wow. Strange song choice, but let's see how it goes. Eew. I'm not a Zepplin fan so I didn't like it at all but Headless Dad is a fan and he liked it. I guess that one is a toss up! So cool that her Daddy got to play with her tonight, though.

Round 1 to Scotty!

Round 2: Songs chosen by Jimmy. I'm kinda excited for this. Jimmy knows music and has worked with them enough to know what they'll sing well.

Scotty: Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not?  Huh. I don't actually think it's a great choice for Scotty. Sure, it fits, but it just didn't fire me up. Not seeing the same thing that the judges are, I guess.

Lauren: If I Die Young  So so so much better this round. She is so much more relaxed and happy. First chills of the night. Finally! Lauren is my hands-down favorite of the final three. HB#1 says that Lauren should win.  Sidenote: Her audition is my all-time favorite of any year of Idol, ever. Wasn't that the best when she told Steven to sing with her?

Haley: Rhiannon I actually got chills from Haley for the first time this season. She departed from the original version and that was good because she made it her own. HD said "very sexy".

Round 2 to Haley!

Round 3: Judges choice

Scotty: She Believes In Me  He finally caught me when he got to the chorus. He's going to be a Nashville star, no doubt. Very nice, Scotty, and the judges agree with me.

Lauren: I Hope You Dance  She did very nice. Good song choice for her. I'm concerned about her outfit choices. The dress looks a little too Disney Princess to me. Thoughts?

Haley: You Oughta Know  Yes! Alannis! Um, not quite for Haley. It isn't working for me so far but she is kicking it up in the chorus. I didn't really like it and the arm flailing has got to go. Seriously. Stop.

Round 3 to Lauren!

My Top 2: Lauren and Scotty. I have to stick with my feelings from all season on this. I like Haley ok, I see her talent, but she's just not my style. I'm sure she will have a career in music, but Lauren and Scotty have wider appeal.

Phew. It's been a long night? What did you think?

American Idol-Top 4

I can't believe we're already at the top 4. It seems like just yesterday that we were at the beginning of hte voting. Sorry about my absence last week. I told you it was a doozy, and that included Wednesday night.

Round 1: Songs that Inspire

James: Don't Stop Believin'- Oh my gosh. This song defined junior high for me. I used to listen to my Journey tape on my Oh-So-Cool Walkman while I was ice skating at the lake. I thought I was so cool. I think James is doing a great job with this song, one too many screeches, but all in all decent, and the judges agree.
Haley: (Title. Why do I always miss these? It was that Michael Jackson song.) I'm no Haley fan and this performance is NOT helping. At all. She had some really awful notes in there, and she moves like I don't know what. Weird, and apparently the judges agree with me. Except for Steven who likes everything.
Scotty: Where Were You- Unbelievable. This was the absolute perfect song choice and he sang the snot out of it. My first chills of the night.
Lauren: Anyway- I love Lauren but I think I was hoping that she would be farther along with her confidence than she is. She did a lovely job but could have nailed it even more if she had belted it even more. (And the dress? Not a fan.)

Round 2: Leiber and Stoller hits, Lady Gaga as a coach (Really? Let's see how this goes.)

Haley: I Who Have Nothing- Haley nailed this one vocally. Holy cow, she nailed this one, and good. (I still think that she has some awkward movements.)
Scotty:Young Blood- Oh my. The clips of Scotty and Gaga had us rolling! While the first song I can totally see on a Scotty album, this song, while cute, had me scratching my head. At this point in the competition I don't see this being the right song for him. Although, I do see what Randy was saying. Who knows.
Lauren: Trouble- I don't like this song for Lauren, either. It just isn't her. She sang it good, and performed well, but I didn't like the song.
James: Love Potion #9- (Cracking me up to see Jimmy laughing at Gaga and James. Ha!) I love James' version of this song. I can actually see it as a single. He made it modern and fun.

A note on Lady Gaga: I don't get her, I'm not particularly fond of her music, but I think that she gave some great performance tips. Who knew? And that clip of the Poker Face video? I had forgotten that she was actually pretty before she got so weird. What the hell was she wearing? Did you see those shoes? Aye carumba, no wonder she falls and hurts herself so often!

Well. After a night like that I don't quite know what to say. There is no clear bottom 2 and not one clear winner. Personally, I would send Haley home based on my feelings for her over the course of the season. I see Scotty rocketing to the top of the Nashville scene regardless of if he wins. I would love to see Lauren win, and I think that it would be good for her to be under the Idol banner and protection for the first year or two of her career. She is so young and having an extra layer of protection could benefit her. (As opposed to someone like Casey who needs to be able to direct his own career.) James will likely do well, Idol or not, but I also think that he could use the guidance of some of the Idol experts. So ultimately, my top 2 remains Lauren and James.

Tell me, oh internets, what do you think?

American Idol Top 6-Carole King

We'll see if I can keep up with this tonight. It's been a day around here tonight. (And no, that's not a typo.)

Jacob- Oh No Not My Baby- Dude. What is he wearing? Jacob's time is up. Nice guy, I'm sure, but not the American Idol. Bottom 3 again, and possibly gone.

Lauren-  - She is great. Period. She looked fantastic and sounded fantastic.

Scotty- You've Got A Friend- Way better than last week. I can hear this on his album.

James- Tonight You're Mine- Jen was right. He is consistent. And good. And could win this thing.

Casey- Hidy Hidy Ho- Not my favorite from him. Maybe it was the song choice, maybe the way he sang it. It was definitely "Casey" but not my cup of tea.

Haley-  -Yeah, I'm over her, too. And I do NOT agree with the judges.

Best of the night: Lauren, Scotty and James
Who's going home? My guess is Jacob or Haley.

What do you think?

American Idol Top 8-Movie Songs

I'm getting right into this tonight...you know the drill.

Paul-Old Time Rock and Roll-Yuck. I honestly don't know what anyone sees in this guy, and the rose suit has GOT to go. Thanks, Paul, for butchering one of my favorite songs.

Lauren-The Climb- She gives me chills e.v.e.r.y.d.a.r.n.t.i.m.e. I am surprised that she didn't bring the power notes, but it still worked. Snark alert: Lauren's mama needs a new hair dresser.

Stefano-End of the Road- While I still can't stand to watch him Over Do It All, he did sound better tonight than he has. Dude, get rid of the high tops. They're so 1984.

(Has any other judge had to be bleeped before? Jennifer. Niiiiice.)

Scotty-I Cross My Heart- This is one of the greatest country love songs of the 90's and unfortunately I don't think that he did it justice. He really shouldn't have changed songs. {Aimee, you were totally right about him. Totally cocky.} This was not great and I think that he is at risk this week.

Casey-Nature Boy- I WAS COMPLETELY MESMERIZED. Honest to Pete, when you do something this good, it's the right choice to change songs. Sorry Jimmy, but Casey had it right this time. Dude is single-handedly making the stand-up bass sexy again. Best of the night by a mile.

Haley-Call Me- She's just so awkward, bless her heart. I don't think that this was the right song for her and I don't think it sounded any better than just "a'ight".

Jacob-Bridge Over Troubled Water- He sounded nice, and very controlled, but I'm done. He sounds the same every week and while I know that he will sell records, they just won't be to me.

James-Heavy Metal- How many flashbacks did you have during that song? I had several, thanks. James definitely made the right choice in going with this song. He knows who he is and what he can get away with.

Top 3-Lauren, Casey, and James.

Bottom- All the rest. I really don't think that anyone else did anything that will for sure keep them safe.

So, do you agree?

Top 9-Rock and Roll Week

I'm following the developing Dodger's story over at Draft Day Suit. Make sure you head on over and check it out.

Now. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame week can either be great or terrible. With this group of kids I'm guessing that we are in for quite a show.

Jacob-Man in the Mirror- Jacob is predictable. While he technically sounded good I don't think that we're learning any thing about him from week to week: he does the same type of songs and controls them in the same kinds of ways. I suppose that it works for him but I feel like I can go do the dishes instead of watch and I won't miss anything. I loved that he got to sing that song with the songwriter. What an awesome experience!


Haley-Take Another Little Piece of My Heart- I thought this was awful from the very first note. I also think that she was way too smiley for a song like this. She needed to look a little more bad a@@, a little more angry. Still not a fan.

Casey-Have You Ever Seen The Rain- YES! I love the playful spin that he put on this song....and it was mostly with his eyes. Definitely had the perfect Casey-Spin, without going too far. And yes, the stand-up bass is rockin'.

Lauren-Natural Woman- She gave me the first chills of the night. She sang this really well, but it was not one of her stand-out performances. Sidenote: Gwen Stefani styled the women tonight? OK, it looks FANTASTIC on Gwen but poor Lauren looked like she was on her way to a costume party. Awkward.

James-While My Guitar Gently Weeps- Chills, Take 2. James really nailed it by going slower when everyone else went fast and upbeat.

Scotty-That's All Right, Mama- He is so darn cute! This showed so much more personality than we have seen before out of Scotty. Nicely done.

Pia-River Deep, Mountain High- I know that we've all been busting her chops about singing something more upbeat but I thought it came out very cruise ship-y, and thus boring. Disappointing.

Stefano-When A Man Loves A Woman- Could someone please tell me what the judges see in this kid? I found this painful, actually. Not that his singing is awful, but it's the entire performance that I can't get into. He is OVER-emoting, OVER dramatic, OVER done.

Paul-Folsom Prison Blues- I like this better than his usual squeaky voice. The more rockin' he gets the better he sounds, apparently.

*****

This is really an amazing group of kids and beyond my bottom-of-the-group pics, we are finding it really hard to choose who to vote for. But. I'm voting anyway because they didn't save Casey to have him go home 2 weeks later.

Best of the Night: Casey, Lauren, James.

Safe: Scotty, Pia

Should be in the bottom 3: Jacob, Haley, Stefano, Paul (Yes, I know that's 4. They deserve it. If I had to guess who will not be in the bottom 3 of these 4 it would be Paul since he closed the show on a rockin' note.)

Who was your favorite tonight?

Top 11, Take 2

Elton John Night: For those of you that are new around here, I feel like I have to say that Elton is one of my all time favorite artists. I knew the words to his songs when I was a young child and am very critical of anyone messing with these songs. Let's see how they do, shall we?

Scotty-Country Comfort- I know that I must have heard this song before...I used to pour over every EJ album in my dad's collection...but I can't recall it at all. Maybe Scotty is just singing it differently. Whatever, it's really good. Perfectly suited for his country voice and grandma in the audience! So darn cute!

Naima- I'm Still Standing- I totally think that this worked perfectly, and I think that Sir Elton is digging it. I completely disagree with Jennifer and Randy....I didn't think it was corny at all. She looked great and the reggae feel was perfect for the song and for her.

Paul- Rocket Man- Ick. HB #2 even said "He annoys me." Heh. I just don't get Paul At.All. I thought the song was terrible. Could someone please explain him to me because I've tried and I just don't get it. Bottom of the night for sure.

Pia- Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me- While she could have done something else, I think that this was the perfect song for her. Chills. 'Nuff said. But she'd better step it up next week. (so there)

Stefano- Tiny Dancer-I have tried to like him. I even closed my eyes for part of this, but no. His phrasing is off of the beat and and it ruins the song. If there is something I'm missing, let me know, but I think he's in the bottom this week.

Lauren- Candle In The Wind-I love that Lauren doesn't seem to take herself too seriously. Do you think that she's the joker of the group? This performance was UNBELIEVABLE. Unmatched. The Best of the Night. (See? Even Jen thinks so!)

James- Saturday Nights' Alright for Fighting- James did a great job, unfortunately he had to follow Lauren's perfect performance so I'm probably rating him a little lower than he deserves. Yes, I think he did a great job and did more than enough to stay.

Thia-Daniel- Not so great. Yes, she sounded nice, but she just doesn't have any excitement factor at all. I think that she is at risk tonight.

Casey- Your Song- Beautiful. Yes, I'm a Casey fan, and this may have been his best performance to date. And the falsetto (or whatever that note was) ending was brilliant. Nicely done. (Sidenote: wth about last week and Casey? Yes, this is the week that we all learned our lesson. Vote!)

Jacob-Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word- He sounds like he's got a mouth full of marbles but his end note was pretty great. I do feel, however, that he is over-emotional.

Haley- (My word, is she still here?) Bennie and the Jets- This doesn't suit her like Motown did last week. I still think she's awkward in her movements and she should have slurred some of the words more-she was a little too perfect in her enunciation and I don't think it worked. Obviously I disagree with the judges.

*****

Best of the night: Lauren, hands down.

Safe: Scotty, Naima, Pia, James, Casey.

Not great, but still probably safe: Jacob, Haley

Bottom three: Paul, Stefano, Thia.

*****

What say you, Headless friends?

Motown-Top 11

Motown needs no introduction. As Ryan would say, Let's get right to it!

Casey-Heard It Through The Grapevine- Casey-Style, raspy-cool, different, definitely his own. An early favorite, and still in my top 4. Nice way to start the show!

Thia- Heatwave- Good tone, nice to see her with more energy, but it still wasn't exciting. I'm actually surprised that she isn't doing better. Her voice is pitch-perfect, but each performance could have been so much better.

Jacob-You're All I Need to Get By- I really loved his control tonight. Nicely done.

(Jennifer. What have you done with your look tonight? Is it for the season that you look like an Easter Egg? The blue eyes and the pink dress? Not a fan.)

Lauren- You Keep Me Hanging On- I had to take a phone call during this song (which made me laugh, by the way. How often can you say that?) but the Headless Family, HG and HD, gave it a big thumbs up, so I'll take it.

Stefano- Hello- Hello? Blech. He is so awkward with his hand gestures and stage movements. Ryan, he is no David Cook, let's just get that out of the way. I don't really like his voice...is there something that I'm missing here? The judges continue to like him and I just don't get it.

Haley-You Really Got a Hold On Me- Her voice is much more suited to this blusey/soul/Motown sound. She still isn't one of my favorites but did enough to stay.

Scotty- For Once In My Life- Knocked it out of the park! This song could go on an album and be released as a single RIGHT NOW. Seriously, one of my favorites of the night.

Pia- All In Love Is Fair- (Another ballad? I think that she needs to break out of that.) Pia killed, as usual. Beautiful. I agree with Jennifer, though, that she needs to move more and maybe try something with a little more energy. (Thanks Randy, but I said it first. Hmph.)

Paul- Tracks of My Tears- I'm not a fan of Paul, and I didn't like this at all. Yes, he is unique, but I don't get it and I don't think that this song suited him.

Naima- Dancing in the Streets- Oh yeah! This is perfectly suited to her. She finally nailed the song and the dancing. If she can keep this up then I may add her to my top 4.

James- Livin' for the City- I'm not a fan of this song but he did really well. He controlled the scream when he needed to and belted it when he needed to.

Best of the night: Casey, Jacob, Lauren, Scotty, Pia, Naima, James.

Did enough to stay: Haley,

Bottom three: Thia, Stefano, Paul.

Who will go: Thia or Stefano.

Who do you think will go home?

American Idol-Birth Year Songs

I always find it interesting what the contestants choose to sing from the year they were born. It's obviously not the year that they love most musically, and HOLY COW I am old enough to be these kid's mother.

That's enough of that. I like to live in a bubble where I'm perpetually about 19. Ahem.

Naima-(Tina Turner)- I found it flat and agree with Jennifer that if she doesn't find her notes, she'll be gone soon.

Paul-I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues- I found this to be completely horrible. I am not a fan of Paul's and I disagree with the judges: cold or not it pretty much sucked. Don't mess with my Elton, baby.

Thia-Colors of the Wind- Her voice is very smooth. It was boring and I also agree with the judges that she needs to do something a little more upbeat and current if she wants to hang around longer.'

*What is up with the feathers this year? OK, I know that Steven is wearing them but it is NOT a fashion statement and you should only be wearing them if they are currently serving a second recreational purpose, if you know what I mean.

James-I'll Be There For You- Unfortunately I didn't get to see this one but HB#1 told me that he really liked it and would give it a 9 out of 10. HD agreed, so I'll trust them!

Haley-I'm Your Baby Tonight- Sorry, but all I got around here was big groans. I really think she's a mess: vocally and performing. She won't be around for long.

Stefano- If You Don't Know Me By Now- The Simply Red version of this song is one of my all time favorites. I can remember belting it out on my drive to and from college. Unfortunately, I vehemently disagree with Randy and don't think that it was anywhere CLOSE to the best of the night. If you ask me it was closer to one of the worst of the night. Also? The basketball shoes were stupid. Even #1 said so.

Pia-Where Do Broken Hearts Go?- I think that Pia is the only contestant that has ever been able to pull off Whitney with reasonable success. That's not to say that I loved it--I actually didn't like the dance mix version that she did--but she's got pipes and vocally sounded like one of the best. As for the satin jumpsuit? Poor choice. HD said that she looked pregnant, which I doubt was the look that she was going for.

Scotty-Can I Trust You With My Heart?- I love Scotty, love his low, melodic voice, but I really think that it's time to do something a little different. He should choose an 'adult contemporary' song and put his country twist on it, but singing it straight is getting boring.

Karen- Love Will Lead You Back- I think that she has once again over sung and over performed. There were bad notes all the way through, she tries to bring too much power to the whole song, and really? who is approving her hair styles? The giant bunslashsecondhead was wildly distracting. Confession: I'm not a fan of the Spanish in every song. I realize that it is obviously her heritage, but I find the switching back and forth between languages takes away from the continuity of the songs. I find myself thinking that she all of a sudden has marbles in her mouth. Is this just me?

Casey-Smells Like Teen Spirit- Casey nailed it. I loved it. Wanted to get up and jump around my living room and swing my hair like I was in a mosh pit. Not that I've ever been in a mosh pit, but you know what I mean. Right? {crickets} Oh come on!

Lauren-I'm The Only One- I've loved Lauren since her audition (did I say that last week?,) and think that she did really, really well tonight. Flu or no, she really came back strong after last week.

Jacob-Alone- He sounded really good....like, better than he's sounded since voting started. The only problem that I have with Jacob is that I can't watch him when he sings because of his bounce. It's quite distracting.

*****

Honestly, I'm not sure that we need to do all of the weeks between now and the top 4. I'll go ahead and say it. There are only 4 people that can win this: James, Pia, Casey, and Lauren. (Should I take my prediction to Vegas?)

The Meh-Middle: Jacob, Scotty Thia, Naima, (if she can get her notes back. If not then she falls in the bottom group.).

Will go, sooner rather than later: Paul, Haley, Stefano, Karen.

Am I right? What do you think? Who was your favorite of the night?

Top 13-Personal Idol

This week the contestants are doing songs from their personal idols, which I think is a great idea. Here we go!

1-Lauren Alaina- Shania Twain "Any Man Of Mine"- Lauren is one of my favorites, since the auditions. While I agree with the judges that it sounded good, what I thought that she should have had more energy. That song lends itself to lots of dancing and jumping around on the stage and she just didn't work it like she could have.

2-Casey Abrams- Joe Cocker "With A Little Help From My Friends"- I'm not a fan of Joe Cocker, but I LOVED that!!! He sounded a MILLION times better than Joe ever did. All the judges loved it, and so did I. Dang if he isn't cute too!

3-Ashton Jones-Diana Ross "When You Tell Me That You Love Me"-It was good, but not great. There were some not so great notes, but all in all it was a'ight. The judges agree with me. Heh.

4- Paul McDonald -Ryan Adams (I don't know the name of this.?????)- Um, He's gotta go. Even though I don't know the song it was pitchy for me, and whatever raspy voice wasn't working for us.

5-Pia Toscano- Celine Dion "All by Myself"- Yeah, Pia's got it. Headless Boy #1 says "Thumbs Up!" (Steven Tyler is drooling. Did you see it?) As good as this week was for her? Last week was better. We'll be seeing lots of Pia this season.

6- James Durbin- Paul McCartney "Maybe I'm Amazed"- HB#1 says 5 stars! Yes, James really did a great job with this one. Smooth, heart-felt, comfortable.

7-Haley Reinhart - LeAnne Rimes "Blue"- I haven't been much of a Hailey fan but she really sounded great tonight to the ear. I don't really like her physical movements, though, so in the end I kind of agree with Randy.

8- Jacob Lusk- R. Kelly "I Can Fly"- The judges loved it. (I missed the whole thing since I was putting the boys to bed and only caught the last note.) On the one hand I'm rooting for him, on the other, I don't think he can go the distance because I haven't always loved him, (like last week. I thought it was awful last week. Oh well.)

9-Thia Megia- Michael Jackson "Smile"- She is pitch-perfect, but when the song sped up it got boring. Meh.

10- Stefano Langone- Stevie Wonder "Lately"- This started really bad, and was a poor song choice. And? Dude has white-guy dance moves. While the judges liked it, we did not.

11- Karen Rodriguez- Selena "I Could Fall In Love"- I really thought that she would kill it and she didn't.

12- Scotty McCreery - Garth Brooks "The River"-  OMG this is my FAVORITE GB SONG, EVAH. He did awesome!!!!! And how cute is he???

13- Naima Adedapo- Rhiana "Umbrella"- She's having a great time up on the stage tonight. While I'm not fond of that song I do think she did a good job.

Best of the night: Casey, Pia, James, Scotty.
Will make it: Lauren, Haley, Jacob, Naima.
Questionable: Ashton, Paul, Thia, Stefano, Karen.

What did you think?

I'm Caving

You know, I thought I was just going to let it go. With such big changes on the show, I thought I wouldn't care; would be ready to be silent.

Yeah, not gonna happen.

I am officially re-in-love with American Idol.

Like everyone else, I was hesitant. No Simon? There can't be Idol with out him!

Who? JLo? Are you kidding me? I've never been a fan. And don't get me started on Steven Tyler. I was instantly turned OFF knowing that he would be on the stage as a judge. He's kinda creepy, no?

Now, all of that is in the past. Jennifer has had thoughtful insights and constructive feedback for the contestants. Steven, while he had a little of the creep factor when it came to the pyt's in the early weeks, has proven that he's got the chops to make the difficult calls. He's got the soft side when he needs to. Great balance.

Randy has really stepped up into the 'elder' role well. He is less a friend with the contestants and more serious about his place on the panel and he does it very well.

And you know what? I really, really like it. A lot. All of it.

So you'll be hearing from me each week, AGAIN, about all things Idol. Well, the show anyway. Will you join me? Do you watch Idol? Do you like this set of judges? Do you have an early favorite?

photo

(Not so) Wordless Wednesday: Jason and Me in NYC!

Jason Castro and ME! in NYC

Do you remember a few seasons ago when I fell in love with this guy during American Idol? I about fell over when I spotted him in New York last month while I was there for BlogHer. I was initially too shy to say anything or ask for a picture but my roommates Shannon and Diana insisted. So, thanks to them and Shannon's rockin' camera, I now have this awesome picture. He truly is so darling in person, in a I'm.old.enough.to.be.his.mother sort of way. Those baby blues? Totally match his shirt. Go ahead. Click the picture and tell me that they're not the bluest eyes ever.

Oh, and he's got a pretty cool website too. Check out Jason Castro Music. I think I'm going to stalk him on Twitter now...

pic by Shannon Entin. Don't steal it.

American Idol-Top 3

I think I have to post a little tonight about the Top 3 since I've missed the last couple of weeks. Sorry about that. Baseball got in the way, I'm afraid!

Casey's first song: (Title?) Sleeper. Like him a lot, he'll have some sort of a career, but this is his night to go home, I'm afraid.

(Did the Ford Fiesta commercial freak you out a little, too? Or was that just me?)

Crystal's first song: Come to my Window. Perfect song for her...her style, her genre. My only problem with it is that it is way too rushed.

Lee's first song: (I was doing the dishes during the talking. No title again. Should I know this one?) Good, I guess. He sounded ok but I don't know this song, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Yep, I'll agree with the judges. Round 1 to Lee. Round 2 will be the songs that the judges choose for them.

Casey, Round 2: Daughters by John Mayer. Somehow I'm not familiar with his one either. Sounded better than the first, that's for sure. I stand by my statement that this is Casey's final night.

Crystal, Round 2: Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney. Great choice, I hope she does well. Yep, I thought it sounded great....except for the man/woman thing that there was just no changing or getting around. She just sounds confused.

Lee, Round 2: Halleluia. Perfect. (Hey, who did this last season that we all loved so much?) I think that Lee may have won the whole thing with that one. Really, it was that good.

OK, Lee won the night and probably the Idol title. Casey is going home. And Crystal will only have to do the summer tour, have record labels fighting over her, and then go on to be a radically cool independent artist without the confines of the Idol contract. Perfect! Do you agree?

Go see BooMama to see what everyone else said!

American Idol-Top 6

I'm working on finishing the update on the state of our health but tonight is Idol. Totally more important, right?

I love Shania Twain and I think she'll be a great mentor. I'm looking forward to some great music! Her songs are ones that I love to hear in the car by myself-so I can blast it and sing at the top of my lungs.

Lee-You're Still the One- What a great song for Lee. He hasn't really done a ballad and this fits his personality and voice just right. He changed it just right.

Mike-It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing- I really love Mike, and feel that he should be here, but enough already with the ballads? They're just kinda boring to me now. Yes, he feels it, yes, he's connected, I'm just over it.

Casey-Don't- (Odd that the guys are going first...) I thought it was solid. Great look, great voice, great song. Like the country-ish vibe. Honest. Great job.

Crystal-No One Needs To Know- The bluegrass in this is definitely different for Crystal. As much as I like it, I think it was one of her weaker performances. It started out really shaky vocally but ended better. Even mediocre she is still the best on the show.

Aaron-You've Got A Way- Bless his heart. He had a mess of off notes tonight and I'm finding him very hard to believe as a 17 year old. I'm afraid that this may be his last performance. (Ok, I guess I'm in the minority here.)

Siobhan-Any Man Of Mine- Ouch. Way too slow. And a few really bad notes. (Oops! Did you see Shania trying not to grimace?) And the shriek at the end? I believe that just bought her a plane ticket back home.

Tops: Lee and Casey

Bottom: Aaron and Siobhan

What do you think?

Head on over to Sophie's place for more Idol talk....