Idol Chatter: The Top 13 Guys

OK, so since I've decided to watch Idol again, and since I upset/disappointed/ticked off some readers last season by not posting my Idol recaps, I have decided to resurrect the "IDOL CHATTER" segment of my blog for this season.

Here's my thoughts on how last nights "GUYS" did:

1) Reid: "Moves Like Jagger" -- OK, so I love this song, but wasn't really feeling the jazz vibe. I didn't appreciate him saying the "S" word and having to get censored on TV. It was a rather underwhelming start to the night.

2) Adam: "Think" -- I didn't like the song choice, but I really like his voice, especially in the upper register. And I LOVE his energy on stage.

3) DeAndre: "Reasons" -- I think he's an absolutely adorable kid but again the song choice was all wrong for me. He had this whole Bee Gees thing going on. I mean, I appreciate a man that can rock a falsetto, but not through an entire bloody song.

4) Colton: "Decode" -- I didn't care forr this at all. He was off pitch for the first half of the song. I think he tried too hard with the song choice, and it just didn't work for me.

5) Jeremy: "Gravity" -- BOOOOORRRRIIIINGGGG!!!!! I didn't like a thing about this. He was nasally, his sustained note was flat, he had too much vibrato. The shots of JLo and Steven's "duck lips" were more entertaining than that song.

6) Aaron: "Never Can Say Goodbye" -- Okay, this wasn't horrible, but it was nothing exciting. His note at the end started and ended bad, but was AWESOME in the middle....but there was still too much vibrato in his voice.

7) Chase: "Storm Warning" -- I think this song was really safe for this guy, but he definately stayed true to his style. He didn't show much range, and his lack of ability to sustain a note made him kind of boring to listen to.

8) Creighton: "True Colors" -- I didn't completely hate it; it actually had a couple moments of brilliance. Again it was a little safe, but I think I kinda liked it.

9) Philip: "In The Air Tonight" -- So, yeah.....I completely hated everything about that. The tune was creepy, he bungled up the lyrics so the lines made no sense. I think Phil Collins needs to seriously punch this guy in the throat.

10) Eben: "Set Fire To The Rain" -- Ballsy move taking on an Adele song. I really like this song, but he just doesn't have the guts or the power to pull it off. His ending was great, but he just didn't have the right "heart" to it.

11) Heejun: "Angels" -- I think he did pretty good. It wasn't mind blowing and I just don't like that song, so it felt a little "meh" to me....but he did alright.

12) Joshua: "You Pulled Me Through" -- This was a weird one for me. One minute I really liked it and the next I was like "Meh, this kinda blows". So, I'm not really sure how I feel about it.

13) Jermaine: "Dance With My Father" -- No suprise that he was the one that was brought back. I mean, when they cut him after the auditions, all three of the judges were weeping like babies. Anyway, I'm really glad they brought him back. Something about his voice is really soothing to me.

So, that's my take on "Opening Night". I heard a rumor that they are actually cutting 6 guys right off the bat......that makes my choices really tough. To be perfectly honest, the only ones whol I think are completly safe are: Adam, Creighton and Jermaine

Discuss

Idol Chatter: The Top 12 Girls

OK, I seem to be experiencing some confusion with the results show tomorrow. Are they voting out 2 of each guy and girl or are they eliminating it to the top 10 already. Hmm....guess we'll find out tomorrow. As for the girls tonight.....

*Tatynisa: "Only Girl in the World" -- I hated this number right from the third note. She was flat through the whole song. I thought I was watching American Idol, not the Gong Show. It wasn't even okay as Randy put it. It was downright horrid from start to finish.

*Naima: "Summertime" -- Okay, so this one wasn't horrible, but it wasn't my favorite. She was just ok for me, but nothing special....well, until that last note which was dynamite. But it was too old school, cruise ship lounge singer. Meh!

*Kendra: "Impossible" -- I really liked it. I thought it was soulful and seductive. She nailed every note. Really well done.

*Rachel: "Criminal" -- The music overpowered her. I could hardly understand a word she said. Her vocals were all over the place, and her performance was even too campy for Broadway. It was horrible. I hated the whole thing.

*Karen: "Hero" -- Her voice had a bit too much vibrato for my liking. I don't think the Spanglish thing is going to work for her either, regardless of what JLo said. I don't think it was a smart move this early in the competition.

*Lauren T: "Seven Day Fool" -- It didn't blow me away but it was definately the best of the night so far. This girl definately has potential to go far. She's got some mad skills.

*Ashthon: "All over Me" -- ZZZzzzzz..........oh sorry. I was sleeping. I had a dream that Whitney Houston had a love child with Chaka Khan. What?? That was Ashthon's performance song? Oh, my bad. That was the most boring thing I've listened too all day.....and I had CSpan on earlier people.

*Julie: "Breakaway" -- This girl is nowhere near powerful enough to pull off Kelly Clarkson. It was awful. Breathing - sucked, arrangement - sucked, vocals - sucked, blowing your big American Idol break......priceless.

*Haley: "Fallin" -- Is it just me or does she look a bit like Miley Cyrus? Anyway, I don't really like her and I hated her wannabe sexy stripper dance moves.....but she definately sang the crap out of that song. Holy powerhouse!!

*Thia: "Out Here on my Own" -- For the most part, I really liked it. She was flat on a couple of notes, but other than that, she was pretty remarkable. Really well done.

*Lauren A: "You can Hear me on the Radio" -- Another great performance. I really like this chick. She's kind of a Kelly Clarkson / Carrie Underwood hybrid. I really enjoyed this. Oh my gosh....Randy just said what I said about the Kelly/Carrie thing. I'm a genius!!

*Pia: "I'll stand by You" -- I thought it was really nice. Sweet, tender vocals, and a powerhouse, blowout ending. Awesome. She was fantastic.

OK.....so if they are only sending two of each home tomorrow, I'm going to stick with Jordan and Tim for the guys, and I think Rachel and Tatynisa for the girls.

If they are only putting 5 through from each group I think the guys will be James, Scotty, Paul, Jacob and Casey. And the top 5 girls will be Pia, Lauren A, Thia, Haley and Lauren T.

Idol Chatter: The Top 12 Guys

This post could also be titled "The Idol Gods are Smiling on Me". Because when I woke up this morning, I didn't have telephone or internet. It just wasn't working, and the cable company couldn't tell me why. It was out all day no matter what I tried to do.

Then, as if by a miracle, just as Idol was set to start, my TV booted up, and the show came on. It was amazing.

So, thanks to the Idol TV Gods out there, I can bring you tonights rundown.....

*Clint: "Superstitious" -- What an amazing start to the show. He has some seriously amazing vocals. I loved the entire performance. Great job.

*Jovaney: "I'll Be" -- He seemed to have a bit of trouble holding his notes, like his breathing was labored. But his big sustained note was amazing. I wasn't blown away, but it was okay. I agree with what Randy said, it was sort of mediocre karaoke.

*Jordan: "Pow Pow Pow"??? (Don't know the song title) -- He started off way too low. The whole song was really weird and gimicky. He was slow than fast, low than weird falsetto. I thought it sucked. Usher should slap him in the face.

*Tim: "Come on Over" -- First let me say that I hate the whole fading sideburns look.....The music overpowered him and he didn't belt it on his power note. He picked the wrong song, without a doubt. It didn't have that mellow songwriter vibe that I like about him.

*Brett: "Light my Fire" -- It was too low in the beginning. His voice is a little too "vanilla" for a song like this. He needed more grit. But I like him and given the right song I think he could be great. (His mannerisms remind me of Michael Jackson)

*James: "You got Another Thing Comin'' -- This guy is a rock star. I love his voice, love his attitude. He was fan-freakin-tastic. He's already golden. Love him. He's crazy good.....wait, was that a tail??? What the French?? Oh well; still love him.

*Robbie: "Angel" -- This song holds special meaning for me. So I was really wanting to like it.....but I didn't. The timing of the arrangement was weird. I hated his falsetto. It was not beautiful. It was bizarre. And again I agree with Randy. What's up with that??

*Scotty: "Letters from Home" -- I'm not much for country music, but I live this guys voice. It's like hillbilly butter. Damn. Great song choice.

*Stefano: "The way you Are" -- I love this song, and there is something funky about this guys voice that I like. Song and voice weren't a perfect fit, but I still liked it.

*Paul: "Maggie Mae" -- This guy is my favorite. He's just so funky and I love his vibe. And he sang a song that always makes me smile, 'cuz it reminds me of my momma. So really, what's not to love. Great job.

*Jacob: "A House is not a Home" -- I love his voice and could literally listen to him for hours. I'm not sure if sticking to this style of music will bode well with him on Idol, but I adore him. And AMEN to everything Steven Tyler said.

*Casey: "I Put a Spell on You" -- Another favorite. I adore this guy, and I'm loving the old school vibe from the guys tonight. This dude is just crazy, mad talented and I love him.

So there's my thoughts on the first BIG show of the season. I have a feeling that Jordan and Tim are the two that will be booted off on Thursday. So, let me know what YOU think?

Idol Chatter: Nashville Auditions

I was excited to see that the auditions in Nashville were in the Ryman Auditorium, because even though it wasn't for an American Idol audition......I have sang and been recorded on that very stage. It was awesome.

But enough about me.....here's my thoughts on the contestants

*OK, first girl (the one with the cartoon voice) -- Seriously?!? WTH was that?? My husband could sing better than her.....and then to tell people that Steven Tyler told her yes?!? What a nutcase.

*The "Exes" were great together. The guy had a really funky sound. I really liked him. And she was pretty good too. I think her "new boyfriend" must be extremely understanding.....but I think he's going to get his heart broken.

*Tattoo'd rock guy looked like he was in serious pain. And he was screaming a lot more than he was singing.

*Donald Trumps beauty queen was just ok for me. She sang a little too fast, and just didn't have that "spark". Again Randy had no balls in telling this contestant the truth. I may not be a fan of J Lo's, but at least she tells it like it is.

*Black girl with the adopted white parents.....while it's definately weird to hear a black girl sing country music, I thought she was great. I liked her a lot.

*What was with the nameless Blue Man Group reject??

*Jackie Wilson -- she was great. Reminds me a bit of Kelly Clarkson. She's a big girl with a huge voice.

*The "diva recording artist" -- Bwah ha ha ha!!! She sucked! Big time! She was seriously nasally and her "make love to the camera" attitude made me want to vomit. Hey, diva! Shut up! Seriously!

*The guy that sang "Maggie Mae" was great.

*Dude who sang Josh Groban was great. He was a good singer....not super fabulous, but I really liked him.

*The last girl -- yeah, she was good....She wasn't "the best I've seen all day", but she was good.

OK, until next week (when I can hopefully post on time)

Idol Chatter: Cheeseville.....I mean, Wisconsin

OK, let's get right to it shall we....

*1st guy: Man, has he got a low voice for a 16 yr old. He's definately got some talent. I'm not a huge country fan, but he was impressive.

*Ron Burgendy.....oh, I mean big guy who wants to be a radio DJ. He made my ears bleed. He was horrid.

*Emma (True Colors) was a waste of a 16 hour road trip. Her audition was terrible. Randy is a wuss. He should have stuck to his guns and not put her through. She's going to get eaten alive in Hollywood.

*The "Gaga Groupies" will give me nightmares. Especially the big black chick with the green/black lipstick.

*Bob Marley's love child was pretty good. She sang a little too slow, but I liked her.

*The bar mitzvah singer was pitchy. I thought he was sharp through the entire song.

*Thia Magia -- she was impressive for 15 (seems to be a pattern with the young kids this season). I really liked her.

*The civil war dude -- I kinda felt sorry for him. He was obviously in tune, but he needed to sing something lower.....and not look so creepy while he was singing.

*Harvard girl that Randy punched sounded....ummmm....porny?!? Is that a word? It was breathy and weird in the beginning. But then she was sort of good-ish. I don't know. Bizarre.

*Hayley -- ugh! She still hasn't improved from before. She just throws some more runs in her vocals now. She is completely undeserving of a golden ticket, and annoys me for reasons I don't quite understand.

*The black guy that sang "Twistin' the night away" was great. I really liked him.

*I had to laugh at the "rejected wannabe" contestants. You know, especially that caring, supportive mom who told her sobbing daughter to "shut up".

*Fat Albert that sang "Stand by me" was horrible and he sang the song waaaayyyy too slow.

*Nerd-ny Dangerfield was awesome. I loved him. Totally loved him......even if he was wearing lipstick.

*Opera Bieber.....WTH? That was horrible.

*The rocker chick that sang "Come Together" was great. I really liked her. I don't know how the judges didn't think she was good. She was a helluva lot better than some of the crap they put through tonight.

*And finally the last guy.....with the injured girlfriend. What an amazing man.....and YAY!!!! He can actually sing. If you were not touched by his interview than you have no soul. What an amazing guy. I'm so glad he made it through (and I'm kind of in love with Steven Tyler after seeing how sweet and tender he was with her).

So that is it....discuss amonst yourselves. I have the Nashville auditions on my DVR and will watch them tonight, I promise. Look for my synopsis late tonight or tomorrow.

Idol Chatter: New Orleans Auditions

OK, let's get right to it. No time for blah blah.

*The first guy -- the music teacher -- yes, he was not a bad singer, but I get really annoyed by people who hide their talent behind vocal acrobatics.

*The girl with the big lips -- I didn't like her at all. I didn't think she was very good.

*The sexy Cuban -- what a great voice. DAMN!! I didn't understand a word, but it was amazing. (On a side note, Steven Tyler has some pretty nice abs for an old guy. It's definately not helping my "is he old and creepy or is he hot" dilemma.)

*The chick who came with Randy's old football coach was powerful, but she sang too slow and was flat several times.

*The weird redhead who sang "Bohemian Rhapsody" was great. Seriously! I loved him.

*The dude that sang Lady Gaga was a freaking nutbar.

*The guy that went to "Idol Camp" needs to get his money back. He was ripped off.

*The kid that sang "Dock of the Bay" was phenomenal for only being 15 years old.

*And the last girl wasn't really that good either. She was way too shouty. She got through because of her story about her daughter. Seriously, don't give people the sympathy vote if they don't deserve it.

OK, talk amongst yourselves.....what do you think?

Idol Chatter: And so it begins.....again.

First off.....Jersey? Really, we don't get enough of the bad accents and big hair with Real Housewives and the Jersey Shore?? Seriously, I was half expecting Snookie to show up and audition. But thank heavens for small favors.

Anyway, right off the bat I noticed that the idol logo on the door is now a red background instead of blue.....and I've got to say, I don't like it. And that's saying a lot, considering red is my most favorite color.

Also, I think I'm going to find Steven Tyler highly distracting this year. I can't quite decide if he is an anorexic, creepy old guy or a super hot rock star. I'm thinking he's a little of both, which is very confusing.

Now, onto the contestants:

The first girl, the one who sang "Hallelujiah", should be writing a letter of apology to Leonard Cohen for murdering his song. She didn't deserve to go to Hollywood....in fact, not one of those first three deserved it. Methinks the new judges may be a big soft.

And did anyone else notice the window washer in the background? Did he plan that? Was he trying to get on TV??

The chick with the big stars on her boobs.....sigh! Why do people have to be all "LOOK AT ME". It makes me think they have no actual talent. She sang a horrible "original" song, and then completely butchered the lyrics to a Celine Dion classic. But -- and this was suprising -- the girl could actually sing.

The young kid who sang "Yesterday" was amazing. He is easily one my early favorites.

I LOVED the crazy "Liza Minelli" girl. She was hysterical. But she actually had some talent. I agree that her voice is probably better suited to Broadway and musicals, but I reserve complete judgement until I have heard her sing some more "mainstream" music.

The singing waitress was awesome. 'Nuff said.

The last guy did a bit too much with the vocal acrobatics. It's going to be interesting to see how he stacks up in Hollywood.

So, there is a quick synapsis of last nights episode. More after tonight. Stay tuned.

Idol Chatter: The FINAL Two

OK, peeps. This is likely to be my final American Idol post ever. Without Simon next year, I'm not sure that I will be watching. I may have to start blogging about his new show, X Factor. Anyway, I was really going into tonights show with a clear head about not siding with either contestant. I've said from the beginning that Crystal was going to win it, but after last week, I think that Lee definately has what it takes to pull it out. So here is what I think about our final two contestants:

*Lee --

1) "The Boxer": I liked it, but it didn't blow me away like a semi-finalist should. It was a little sleepy, but it was defintately better than the first time. He needs to get a lot more pumped tonight if he wants to win this. I don't understand why he didn't do "Hallelujiah" again. I know he only did it last week, but he got raves about it more than any other performance, so to me it would have been a no-brainer.

2) "Everybody Hurts": Again, I wasn't hugely blown away here. He had trouble with the high notes in the beginning, and he turned it into just another average rock ballad. He stripped all the pain away from the essence of the song.

3) "Beautiful Day": Wait....isn't this a U2 song? Are the American Idol execs so apathetic that they can't even give the winner an original song this year? How sad.....and Lee sucked at this song. He didn't sing it well at all. I hated the entire performance.

Overall, I wasn't hugely impressed with Lee at all tonight. He just didn't seem hungry for it like he did last week. I'm thinking he is in trouble.

*Crystal --

1) "Me & Bobby McGee": Again, better than the first time. She is a consumate professional. She sang that like she meant it. She's here to win, and it's completely obvious. Fantastic job.

2) "Black Velvet": Hmmm......not really liking this arrangement. She was too shouty and the music was too loud behind her. I love her, but this song left me pretty unimpressed.

3) "Because you asked me To": This is why she deserves to win. Brilliant performance. It gave me goosebumps. I loved everything about it. If that song didn't just hand her the title, I don't know what will.

So in the end, I think Crystal deserves it. Yes, Lee has grown more than anybody else, but Crystal has been a solid artist right from day one. I would buy her album today.

Idol Chatter: The Final Three

So tonight, we finally get to hear two songs from the finalists; one they chose themselves and one the judges chose. I have a few thoughts on both. But first, my song choices for this week. Since our first song would be a choice of our own, I think I would go with something like this:

Now, for the judges pick, I can only speculate as to what they would choose. Maybe something a little more country rock. Sooooo maybe something like this:

And now onto the REAL contestants:

*Casey -- “OK, It’s Alright With Me”: Yet another lackluster snooze of a performance by Casey James. Standing there with his acoutstic guitar like he's done a million times. He made the mistake of singing a song that not a lot of people would know, and he sucked at it anyway. The guy has absolutely no heart or passion when it comes to singing. This has become evident week, after week.

His second song was "Daughters" by John Mayer. Kara and Randy picked this song for him, and I think they sent him on a suicide mission with it. The arrangement was WAY to slow, and whe whole thing was just as boring as the first performance. If he was looking to redeem himself with this one, it didn't work.

*Crystal -- "Come to my Window": I completely hated the arrangement for this. I know, it was vintage Crystal, and probably something that would show up on her debut album, but I didn't care for it, and the mouth organ didn't do her any favors either.

Her second song was "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney. I really wasn't impressed with this as a song choice, and though that Ellen really dropped the ball with this one. I mean having a girl sing a song that had repeating lines of "maybe I'm a man" probably wasn't really smart. But she still kicked Casey's butt, and probably solidified her place in the top two.

*Lee -- "Simple Man": This is one of my favorite Skynard songs ever. So, I was really excited to see what he would do with it, and man.....he didn't disappoint a bit. I thought it was fantastic choice. He sung it brilliantly, and really proved himself to be a contender.

"Hallelujah": I have to admit that I wasn't sure what Simon was thinking when he chose this song for Lee. It just didnt' seem like something he could excel at. And again, I was proven wrong, and pleasantly suprised. Lee hit this one out of the park. Probably my favorite rendition of this song since K.D. Lang did it at the Vancouver Olympics.

My thoughts are that Casey is going to be going home tonight. I think that is a no-brainer. But everyone has expected a Lee/Crystal finale for weeks. However, where I once thought Crystal was a lock to win it all.....now I'm not so sure. She needs to really blow it up next week. It's gonna be an interesting final outcome.

Idol Chatter: The Final Four

OK, let me just start by saying......how can you not love Jamie Foxx. The guy is so immensly talented. And not bad eye candy either, am I right?

Now, if I had been singing on last night's show, I think this would have been my choice for performance piece. It's a really slow song, but I think if I could have played with arrangement a bit, it would have been amazing:

Now, on to the contestants:

*Lee -- "Kiss From a Rose": Well, he blew it on the first high note. His breath control was terrible during the chorus, and he sang the whole thing a little too fast. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard, but it definately wasn't his personal best.

*Mike -- "Will You Be There": Snoozefest.....He adlibbed almost the entire thing. There was no "meat" to the performance. I think he played it way too safe. It was a terrible, boring song choice. And I completely disagree with Simon. I don't think he gave it 100% at all.

*Lee & Crystal duet -- "Falling Slowly": I adore this song. I'm not sure I completely loved this duet. But I did enjoy it. This pair should be the top 2 of the show.

*Casey -- "Mrs. Robinson": I think that I really liked this. I love this song, and it was kind of a funky, acoustic arrangement. He may have saved himself with this performance. I agree with Simon about lack of huge substance, but I still liked it better than Big Mike's performance.

*Crystal -- "I'm Alright": There's your winner. Competely stellar performance. I would buy her album right now. That was head and shoulders above any of the men. Loved it, loved everything about it.

*Mike & Casey duet -- "Have you ever really loved a Woman": Snoozefest again. Boring, pitchy, too much vibrato by Casey. And when they tried to harmonize together on the high note, it was WWWWAAAAYYYYY off. Horrible.

Anyway, so Mike and Casey are going to be your bottom two, and really at this point either one of them could go home and I wouldn't be say. But based solely on this performance, Mike deserves to get the boot.

Idol Chatter: The Top 7

So, the theme this week was songs of inspiration. This is a hugely broad theme, and could encompass many songs. I have to admit I was quite excited when I heard this. After looking over the song list that the idols had to choose from, I think this is the song I would have done:

And now on to the contestants:

*Casey -- "Don't Stop": Interesting song choice. I don't really think of it as overly inspiring, but whatever. I think he was way pitchy, right from the first note. It was the worst I've ever heard him sound. It was as if he was trying to sing the harmony of the song instead of the melody.

*Lee -- "The Boxer": He started out a bit pitchy too, but I actually like how he slowed the song down. It was a really nice change up of the arrangement. But I don't like how he chose to sing up on the down notes. It make it sound weird. I was kind of sad because this is probably my absolute favorite Simon & Garfunkle song, and he just really didn't do anything special with it. I was also shocked at how much the judges liked it.

*Tim -- "Better Days": I was completely bored with this performance. He didn't do anything special. There isn't even really a lot to say here. I like Tim, but I think he may be in trouble.

*Aaron -- "I Believe I Can Fly": I still really like him. Yes the arrangement was a bit all over the place, but he's got great vocal talent.

*Siobhan -- "When You Believe": Okay, I am really getting tired of this girl. She wasn't good, has too much vibrato, and is just getting downright irritating. I'd like to see her go home soon.

*Mike -- "Hero": So, again.....I like Mike, and I like his voice, but I really thought this was the wrong song choice for him. Another boring, forgettable performance, and he may be in trouble tonight too.

*Crystal -- "Praise the Lord": Alright, let's just end the competition now and give this girl the title. Week after week she blows me away and prooves that she is in a completely different class of artist than anyone in the game. She was inspired tonight....completely brilliant.

So there you have it......overall a disappointing night (aside from Crystal). I would like to see Siobhan go home, but I have feeling that Casey, Tim and Big Mike will be the bottom three with Casey or Tim going home.

Idol Chatter: The Top 9.....again!

OK, so thankfully the judges exercised their save last week and didn't send Big Mike home.....and I was THRILLED to hear that this was Elvis week. Also, we had a huge winter storm and had no power for about 10 hours so I apologize that this post is so EXTREMELY late.

On to the contestants:

*Crystal -- "Saved": I seriously could listen to her all night long. It was another fabulous performance. She's is just amazing......like the reincarnation of Janis Joplin. You know, without all the strung out, drug induced singing.

*Andrew -- "Hound Dog": Ummmm.....well, --- I really am not sure what to think of this one. I like what he was trying to do with it, but it didnt' come together well at all. I was kind of confused and I agree with Simon that it was a really lazy performance.

*Tim -- "Can't Help Falling in Love": I actually liked this. I think he did really well, changing up the melody just enough as to not disrespect Elvis. I know a lot of people will probably not like what he did here. But I enjoyed it.

*Lee -- "Little Less Conversation": Well, hubby and I completely disagreed on this one. He thought it was great. I on the other hand, totally disagree. I'm not saying that Lee sounded bad, because he didn't. The guy definately has some vocal chops. I just really didn't like the arrangement of this one, and I think it turned me off the performance completely.

*Aaron -- "Blue Suede Shoes": I think that actually was one of my favorites of him this season. His voice never ceases to impress me. I know it was a bit cheezy, but I think the judges were way too critical of him. I thought itwas great.

*Siobhan -- "Suspicious Minds": Hated it......hated every second of it. It started out weird, the song is completely wrong for her voice, and the screaming is getting really annoying. Definately the worst performance of the night.

*Mike -- "In the Ghetto": This is another one that is hard for me. I love Mike's voice, but I completely hated this arrangement. And the ending was a stupid place to end at. But I still lvoe him.

*Katie -- "Let it Roll": Another terrible song choice. It was completely the wrong song for her voice. I totally agree with Simon. It was a really annoying song, done by a really annoying singer.

*Casey -- "Lawdy Miss Clawdy": I am liking Casey more each week. I just wish he could control the vibrato in his voice a little better, and make better song choices. This song was another safe, lazy performance.

So I think Andrew is for sure going home, and I think the other is a toss up between Katie and Siobhan. What do you think?

Idol Chatter: The Top 9

Alright, well lets begin with the wardrobe malfunction of the week. Why are all the judges dressed nice and casually except Kara. She's in a slinky little black glitter dress, and....wait...what the......what are those? Is she wearing leggings?!? Why in the hell would she do that? She looks rediculous.







OK, on to the good stuff. I was soooo excited to hear it was Lennon/McCartney week. I love, love, love their music. Seriously, I don't think I can think of a single song of theirs that I don't love on some level. That being said.....here is what I would have sang if I were on the show this week.

*Aaron -- "The Long & Winding Road": Not my favorite out of him. Not sure if he is getting sick or nervous or something, but his heart just didn't seem to be in this one. But his voice is still fabulous.

*Katie -- "Let it Be": She should have been sitting at the piano singing this one. But at least she wasn't as boring as she has been in past weeks. The arrangement was really nice, and she actually sang it really well. She changed it up just enough, and it was her best performance of the season by far.

*Andrew -- "Can't Buy Me Love": I never figured a cool jazz arrangement would work with this sort of song, but I really liked it. It wasn't the best thing he could have done, and it was definately kind of cheezy, but it had my moving in my chair.

*Mike -- "Eleanore Rigby": I loved it.....aside from the opening line which I didn't like at all. But I completely loved the rest of it. Mike is amazing, I completely adore him.

*Crystal -- "Come Together": How do you not love this girl? She's a freaking phenom. Just amazing! I really think that she is poised to win the entire thing. I could listen to her sing all day.

*Tim -- "All my Lovin'": For the most part, I thought it was pretty good. But he definately could have done more with the song and made better use of the stage. He could be in trouble.

*Casey -- "Jealous Guy": Well, the guy has balls for picking a relatively obscure Lennon song. Not a lot of people are going to know that one and it could be a great asset or a really big mistake. He had a bit too much vibrato, but I still think he sounded fantastic. I'm liking him more every week.

*Siobhan -- "Across the Universe": I hated it....the whole thing. Her hair and outfit were weird, the song was waaay too slow. It lost me early on. I was completely bored. Worst performance of the night.

*Lee -- "Hey Jude": He started a bit too high, which I think hurt him throughout the song. He was flat, and the bagpiper was distracting. Lee's breath control was totally off. I love him, but I hated this performance.

So, there you have it. I think this weeks bottom three will be Siobhan, Aaron, and either Tim or Andrew. And with Tim spending so much time in the bottom three......I think he may be the one to get sent packing.

Idol Chatter: The Top 10

Alright, so by the time we hit the top 10, we should be hearing the best of the best....don't you think? Sadly, last nights show left me really disappointed. Let's take a look at how R&B Night when down.

For starters......Usher as a mentor. OK, I get it. And not an entirely bad choice. But dude.....wearing sunglasses inside. Really lame, okay.

*Siobhan -- "Through the Fire": Wow! Was she ever off her game tonight. Every note was flat, and like Simon, I'm getting bored with her high note climax. I hated her makeover for the night. It seemed to rob her of the quirkiness that makes us all attracted to her. The whole thing was just really painful for me to watch.

*Casey -- "Hold On, I'm Comin": This guy is really growing on me. He tended to get drowned out at times by the background music and singers, but I really actually enjoyed this performance. He needs to lose the Cheshire cat smile that he can't seem to wipe off his face. However, tonight I actually saw him as a believeable rockstar.

*Big Mike -- "Ready for Love": I seriously love his voice. I think he made a wise move pulling out the guitar again. The arrangement on this particular song was a bit slow, and I think that Mike needs to branch away from ballads a bit more. But I don't see him going home any time soon.

*Didi -- "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted": OK, this girl should never sing R&B ever again. I hated the entire thing. She had no soul at all. I was totally bored and think she may be in real trouble.

*Tim -- "Sweet Love": Again, not enough soul in his voice to pull this off. I think this was probably one of the worst song choices of the season. He's in trouble too.

*Andrew -- Welcome back, buddy. We missed you. This is the Andrew that deserved to be in the competition. If he keeps this up, he will be sticking around for a long time.

*Katie -- "Chain of Fools": She doesn't have enough grit for this song. And.....what the.....is that a skort? What the heck is she wearing?!? Randy is on crack. There is no way she even holds a candle to Christina Aguilara. She sings like a robot. I'm getting sick of her real quick. Way to go Simon. I love when someone tells it like it is.

*Lee -- "Treat her like a Lady": I liked it. I know I give him a hard time for sounding just like Chad Kroeger....but it was great. He had me dancing in my seat.

*Crystal -- "Midnight Train to Georgia": Damn! I love this girl. She just has ''it''. Total class act.....head and shoulders above everyone else in the competition. Love, love, love her.

*Aaron -- "Ain't no Sunshine": This boy has mad talent, but it's hard to make a teenage white boy sound believable in the R&B genre. I think his song choice was a huge misake, but I still really love him.

At the end of the night, I have a feeling it will be Tim or Didi going home.

Idol Chatter: The Top 11

Alright, so originally I had heard that the theme of the night was music by teen idols. I was really happy to find out that it was actually "Billboard Hot 100's Number 1 Hits". True to that theme.....here is the song I would have sang, if I was on the show last night:

Anyway, before I get to the contestants, let me say how much I loved Kara's boots. So cute. OK. That's out of my system, here we go.

~*~*~EEEEPPPPP!!!!!~*~*~

OK, well it appears that I have lost my note sheet for todays blog, so I'm going to have to wing it from memory.

After watching the entire show, I think that the contestants have decided on taking poor song choices to all new heights. I mean, they had such a broad base to work with. I mean, seriously. Huey Lewis and Linda Ronstadt?!? Really?!? Ugh.

The bottom three were definately Tim, Andrew and Paige. The three of them were absolutely horrific with Paige completely wanting me to give up on the Idol franchise all together. She can only blame illness and bronchitis for so long before America just needs to wake up and realize that the girl can't sing.

Then there were the "Average Joe's " of the night: Didi, Katie, Aaron and Lee. Granted Katie did choose a more current song, but she still pretty much butchered it. And while Didi didn't sing her best of the night......I completely fell in love with her boots too. I know this isn't America's Next Top Model, but the women in boots were fierce last night.

Finally the icing on the cake of the evening was Mike, Crystal and Siobhan. I have a feeling that this group will be your top three to the end of the season. Call it a hunch, or maybe just the fact that these are the only three that seem to have any real chops or passion at all. I have to completely disagree with what the judges said about Big Mike. I thought his "When a Man loves a woman" was completely heartfelt and full of depth. It was one of my favorite performances of the season so far. Crystal kept herself up on top with "Me and Bobby McGee". I think it was wise of her to pull out Joplin, which is definately right in her wheelhouse. It's going to be interesting to see her without her guitar next week. And Siobhan.....is just an amazing little weirdo. She's got massive star power and can belt out a note like nobody's business. But the screaming in every song really needs to stop. She needs to know when to bring that little secret weapon out and when not to.

Anyway, not looking forward to hearing Miley Cyrus sing at the results show. Don't care much for her or her music. But I think if Paige doesn't end up going home tonight, I may have to put a sharp projectile through my brain.....or throw a shoe at the television.

Idol Chatter -- The Top 12

OK, let's get right down to business about tonights show. As a huge Rolling Stones fan, I was really looking forward to tonight. I couldn't find the actual song that I would have sung, this one will have to do:

OK, so on to the contestants:

*Big Mike -- "Miss You": Well, he's fun to watch, but I wasn't 100% sold on this. He's an amazing performer, but his falsetto is a little odd sometimes. I owuld have loved to hear him try "Jumpin' Jack Flash" instead.

*Didi -- "Playing With Fire": Well, originally I thought that Lacey would sing this song, but it was actually done really well by Didi. I loved the way she played up to the camera, and the vocals were really well done.

*Casey -- "It's all Over Now": He's definately most comfortable with this "country" style of vocals. I quite liked this performance and seeing him break out a bit. I think if he sticks with this type of vibe, he'll do really well in the competition.

*Lacey -- "Ruby Tuesday": zzzzzzzz........oh, sorry. I fell asleep there for a sec. I hated the arrangement, hated the vocals. The whole thing was a hot mess. Her end note was flat before the run. And her outfit was really distracting. Why was she wearing a corset and skirt over a shirt and pants? Weird.

*Andrew -- "Gimme Shelter": If nothing else, it was nice to finally hear him singing a song not originally done by a woman. I think he probably could have done a bit more with this, but it was pretty good. Randy said it was pitchy all over.....but I didn't hear a bit of pitchiness. Ellen was absolutely right. This was his best performance since he did "Straight Up".

Katie -- "Wild Horses": I don't think this was near as good as the judges claimed it to be. I was bored...didn't care for his one bit. And her dress was a bit too "Little House on the Prairie".

*Time -- "Under my Thumb": I didn't care for the "reggae" style that this arrangement took. I still think that he is way too nasally. Another boring performance.

*Siobhan -- "Paint it Black": I know a lot of people are probably going to really hate what she did with this, but I LOVED it. It was visually, lyrically and theatrically amazing. I liked all of it. I think she has a bit too much nasal sound to her voice as well, but still the best performance of the night.

*Lee -- "Beast of Burden": He is another one who is too nasally for my liking. He sounds just like Creed and Nickelback....another basic, boring performance.

*Paige -- "Honkey Tonk Woman": It sucked! Hated the whole thing. There is no way that this girl should be here instead of Lilly. 'Nuff said!

*Aaron -- "Angie": Finally, something not completely boring. I really like this kid, and I think he did well. This was a nice, sweet melodic performance. Nothing bad to say.

*Crystal -- "You Can't Always get What you Want": I love this chick. She is always on her game, even when she's distracted. I thought this was awesome!!

So there you have it folks......if there is a God of American Idol than Tim and Paige will be going home this week. What are your thoughts?

Idol Chatter: The Top 8 Guys

Amazing....I'm actually posting this on the right night. So, lets get right to it:

*Lee -- "Fireflies": I actually really like this song, but he was way too nasally and had a hard time catching his breath.....and he hit a LOT of flat notes. I don't know why the judges raved about this so much.

*Alex -- "Trouble": Again, too much nasal. I definately didn't like this as much as his performance last week. I thought it was really boring. It had repetative lyrics, showed no range and no emotion.

*Tim -- "Hallelujiah": I LOVE this song, and for the most part, he sang it well. His last note was a little shaky, but it was a decent performance.

*Andrew -- "Genie in a Bottle": Bizarre song choice; not sure what he was thinking there. I didn't really like it. The lyrics don't really work coming from a man. He sounded like a mediocre street busker. I wasn't really impressed, and like Randy said, it really showed no range.

*Casey -- "You'll Think of Me": I still think this guy has way too much vibrato and horrible breath control. He can't sustain a note to save his life. And his last note was flat. It just didn't work for me tonight, dawg.

*Aaron -- "I'm Already There": Now here's a kid who can sustain a note. WOW!! But Randy is right; his lower register needs a bit of work. The song was a bit too big for him, but he pulled it out okay. Hi5 to Simon for shutting Kara up. The judges really need to make up their minds about the advice they give these contestants.

*Todrick -- "Somebody to Love": I liked the interesting gospel vibe he put into this one. His falsetto at the beginning was nice, and his ending note was great. He was totally on his game tonight.

*Big Mike -- "This Womans Work": *sigh* I just love this guy. He has the best voice of the men, bar none. This song is a really hard one to do, but, dang, this boy can sing. He was awesome.

So, after debating a rewatching a couple of songs, I think my picks to be kicked off are Lee and Alex. What do you all think?

Idol Chatter: The Top 8 Girls

OK, so I'm a day late again. I will get better at this I promise. I guess I'll post the guys tonight after the show.

I guess tonight if I was singing, this would be my song choice:

Alright, on to the show. First off, wasn't it funny how uncomfortable Simon looked with Ellen nuzzling him on his lap? Ha ha ha!! Classic!

*Katie -- "Breakaway": She sounded flat throughout the entire song. I think Kelly Clarkson is one of those artists you don't try taking on unless you are a hardcore powerhouse performer. Sadly, Katie showed no real emotion. Boring performance.

*Siobhan -- "House of the Rising Sun": I hated the a capella in the beginning. She sang the song way too sweetly for what the song is about. Thank you, Simon, for saying like it really was: "dark and boring".

*Lacey -- "The Story": Her voice is starting to really get annoying. She reminds me of Snow White with the weird Betty Boop tone and the overuse of vibrato. This whole performance was boring. I hate people who sing out of their heads. The only person who can pull that off and sound good is Sarah McLaughlan.

*Katelyn -- "I Feel the Earth Move": Jokey, Hokey, Karaoke.......stupid, lame song choice. This is what Simon would call a "cruise ship" performance.

~~At this point, I would like to officially take back what I said about Ellen De Generes. I think she's actually been a pretty good addition to the show. She's quirky and funny and a lot less cracked out than Paula~~

*Didi -- "Rhiannon": A million times better than last week. She and Lacey have similar vocal styles, but Didi pulls it off so much better. I quite enjoyed that performance. It was a beautiful arrangement, and she did it really well.

*Paige -- "Smile": This is Ryker's favorite song, and he said "Momma, you sing this song way, way, way better than that girl". Anyway, she seemed really nervous singing this. Her face was terrified, her voice broke amid the shaky vibrato. It was really depressing considering it was a song about smiling.

*Crystal -- "Give Me One Reason": I LOVE her voice. She's great. It was a good song choice for her, and she killed. Probably my favorite of the entire night.

*Lilly -- "I Fall To Pieces": Umm......Lilly.....what happened? I t hought this was horrible. One of the worst of the night. It was too low for her in the beginning, and it was just weird. I didn't liek it at all.

So, I guess it's a pretty safe bet in my mind that Paige is going home. I would have to say the other one is likely going to be Katie, but I think Lilly could be in trouble too. I guess we'll have to see.

Idol Chatter: The Top 10 Girls

OK, lets get right down to it:

*Crystal -- "As long as I can see the Light": This song definately showed off her range and power ability. I'm not sure it held my attention completely, but her voice is really fantastic. Probably the best of the night with this performance.

*Haeley -- "The Climb": This girl is always flat. She started flat, she ended flat. I agree with Randy that she showed no connection to the song. She should have gone home last week, and she definately should go home this week.

*Lacey -- "Kiss Me": She has too much vibrato and I don't know how to describe it, but she sort of sing/talks through her songs. Her performances are never a nice pure singing vocal. Didn't really care for it.

*Katie -- "Put your Records on": I think the arrangement was a little low for her in places. But I really like her voice and I hope she stays around a while.

*Didi -- "Lean on Me": She plays around with her vocals too much for my taste. I didn't really care for this performance at all. I'm glad the judges agreed with me.

*Michelle -- "With Arms Wide Open": I didn't really like this one either. Why do all these people think that vocal acrobatis are what is going to make you or break you in this competition. Plus, the arrangement of this great rock ballad made it really boring. I didn't care for it at all.

*Lilly -- "Change is Gonna Come": I think this girl has a good chance of taking the entire competition. She's unbelieveable. I loved every second of her performance for the second week in a row.

*Katelyn -- "The Scientist": I agree with the judges that this rendition was WAAAYYY too slow, but it was pretty. However, I"m not sure it was memorable enough.

*Paige -- "Walk Away": She butchered the high notes, and had a huge problem with her breath control. I really don't think that she did the song any justice.

*Siobhan -- "Think": I had a really hard time with this song because sometimes I was like "Damn! This chick can really sing!" And then there were moments of "What the heck was that?!?" Her last massive high note was awesome though! WOW!

OK, peeps, so what do you think? Who were your faves? Who's on your vote out list? I personally think the bottom three girls are Paige, Haeley and Didi. Any combination of those girls will likely be going home.

Idol Chatter: The Top 10 Guys

OK, so to top things off, it seems like everyone is singing older songs this week.....so if I were a contestant on the show I think that I would probably sing this song (click the button below)

OK, on to the contestants.....

*Big Mike -- "It's a Man's World": I just love this guys. This wa a great song for his voice. I was worried that the judges might think it was safe, but I'm glad that they appreciated it. Really well done.

*John -- "Gravity": Not sure if ballads two weeks in a row is a really good idea, but I liked this guys tone. However, just like last week, I don't really think this performance had any "wow" factor. He may be in trouble.

~~OK, I have to break in with a sidenote already here. I think Kara has been spending a bit too much time with Victoria Beckham. Either that or she got some collagen in her lips and is really testing them out. Either way, she has this really annoying "pouty, wannabe supermodel" thing going in with her face underneath that hideous spray tan.~~

*Casey -- "I Don't Wanna Be": I don't like the vibrato in his voice at all. And his breath control, or lack thereof, doesn't allow him to finish his words. I don't really think it was that great. The guitar playing was way better than the singing.

*Alex -- "Everybody Knows": For the first time ever, Alex sounded like a condender. He did this performance decent. He seems a lot more at ease behind the guitar. Really well done.

*Todrick -- "What's Love Got To Do With It": OK.....waaaaaayyy too slow. But his voice is pretty good. He had a pretty nice falsetto at the end. But that was the only part of the song that really stood out. He's another one who could be in trouble tonight.

*Jermaine -- "What's Goin On": More like what's goin' on with this performance?? Marvin Gaye wants to kill you for the crappy way you started this song. It picked up in the middle, but the song may have lost everyone by then. It fell really short for me.

*Andrew -- "Something to Believe in": I love the sound of this guys voice. The song totally suited him; really smooth sounding. I'm shocked that Randy dogged him as bad as he did. This performance may have been a little safe, but I still really like him.

*Aaron -- "My Girl": I really liked this. He didn't go crazy on his runs, and he seemed a little more at ease. There were a few pitch problems, but overall it was a pretty good performance. A far better cry than last week.

*Tim -- "Come on, get High": A HUGE improvement over last week. It wasn't super fabulous, but I really liked him. I was glad Simon said what he did after the other judges ripped on him. Nice job.

*Lee -- "Lips of an Angel": Well, I hate this song, but he sang it really well. I really think he picked the right song for his voice. One of the best performances of the night.

As far as who goes home, I think it could be either Todrick, Jermaine or John.....two of these three should be going home.