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American Idol 2011: Top 9 performance show recap – Idols (mostly) rock

Tonight’s Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame episode of “American Idol” was a rare one because no one was terrible. It’s getting harder for America to figure out what they want to do, so it’s time for some crazy eliminations to start happening. But before I get ahead of myself, let me get to the weekly performance reviews. As always, I’ll review each contestant’s performance and assign the letter grade I see fit.

In order of performance

*Jacob Lusk, “Man in the Mirror.” First of all, let me say that Jacob’s vocals were nice and controlled. I think it was one of his better performances. Our regular readers are probably surprised to hear that from me. I do, however, have a complaint. Did he really say he decided not to do “Let’s Get it On” because of the sexual reference? Really? Wow. I have so many things to say about that, but I’ll just bite my tongue and settle for a huge eyeroll. A

*Haley Reinhart, “Piece of My Heart.” Every week I seem to only accurately predict/pick one correct song choice and this week it was Haley’s. So I clearly agree with her song choice. And she was one of only a few of the contestants to pick a true rock song, so good for her. At times, Haley’s growls have annoyed me, but this song was perfect for her style. I enjoyed it and think it’s one of her best to date. A+

*Casey Abrams, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.” So I like Jacob AND Casey in the same week. Madness! I thought this was Casey’s best performance. This is clearly the kind of music he should be making and that’s why even those who dislike him will respond well to this performance. Casey with the happy vibe is just far better than Casey with that pseudo angry vibe he put off the first several weeks. A+

*Lauren Alaina, “Natural Woman.” I’ve slowly been becoming a Lauren fan. And after last week I was pretty much there. But her performance this week kind of set her back a few steps in my eyes. I thought her vocals were good, but that song is so boring and overdone. It just never sounds fresh. Even if a 16-year-old girl sings it. B

*James Durbin, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” I said I’d like for James to slow things down but was that the right song? Not in my opinion. I think it would’ve been more interesting to take a hardcore rock song and slow that down, David Cook style. While I didn’t love the performance, I still think it was a necessary one. It was nice for him to show more versatility. And before anyone complains about my grade for James, keep in mind his average here is A. But I just wasn’t feeling him this week. B-

*Scotty McCreery, “That’s Alright Mama.” I did suggest Scotty take on Elvis, just not this song. But that’s alright, because everyone on the show loved it. I like Scotty, but I didn’t really agree with the judges that he transformed into Rock n’ Roll Scotty. It sounded pretty country to me. I just didn’t agree that he stepped out of his comfort zone. I’m not saying that’s even a bad thing. I just don’t think we should get confused over what he actually gave us this week. B+

*Pia Toscano, “River Deep Mountain High.” Finally! She didn’t sing a ballad! The vocals were crazy good. But her stage presence was terrible. And that’s what Jennifer Lopez was trying to tell her without actually saying it. Pia is amazing, but she’s not a performer. She does need to work on that. A-

*Stefano Langone, “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Once again, a predictable choice. And not a very Rock n’ Roll one either. It was still very well-done, but I had hoped for something more fun like Prince. American probably would’ve responded better to that, too. B+

*Paul McDonald, “Folsom Prison Blues.” I never really imagined Paul taking on Johnny Cash, but I think it worked. Paul can’t be accused of whispering his lyrics this week. I think it was a pretty solid performance and a lot of fun to watch. And he had the pimp spot. He may have saved himself this week. B+

Now I’ll suggest what I think the outcome of America’s vote might be tomorrow (as always, this prediction is NOT based on MY opinions but simply what I think could happen tomorrow night based on America’s vote. It also doesn’t mean that’s what I want to happen).

100 Percent safe: Scotty McCreery, James Durbin, Casey Abrams

Most Likely Safe: Pia Toscano, Lauren Alaina, Jacob Lusk

Probably the Bottom 3: Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone, Paul McDonald

Possibly Going Home: Stefano Langone

This is another tough week to predict. While I think Paul being in the pimp spot tonight will keep him from going home, I still think he’ll be in the Bottom 3. I also think it’s possible for Jacob to land in the Bottom 3 this week. As for who is going home, I have a feeling it will be Stefano but could easily be Haley or Jacob. There’s no way of knowing who Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia voters will send their votes to. Things could get interesting.

What are your thoughts on tonight’s performances?

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American Idol 2011: Top 11 performance show recap – Too many ballads

If I had any doubts that the drama from last week’s “American Idol” was staged, they were squashed in the first MINUTE of Wednesday night’s episode. I mean they asked the contestants last week about the judge’s save? As in, they already knew they were going to use it. I was offended last week and I’m even more offended this week.

And I’m sorry, but all that pimping of Casey was a lot unfair. He’s already going to be safe because of the drama last week. Pimping him out tonight was overkill.

Oh well, I’m going to just forget how stupid they think we are and focus on Ryan Seacrest’s brand new botox. Seriously, did anyone else notice he looked 10 years younger tonight? Creepy. And can someone please tell Jennifer Lopez to stop interrupting the other judges during their critiques?

OK, enough of the small talk and filler (what am I, “American Idol”?) On to the reviews. As always, I’ll review each performance and assign them the grade I think their performances deserve this week.

In order of performance

*Scotty McCreery, “Country Comfort.” It was nice to see Scotty on the guitar, but did we really have to pick this song? Where’s the risk? Where’s the shock.  Sure he has a fantastic voice and can sing country. But take a chance for a change. I like Scotty, but the bad and boring song choices are tiring. B+

*Naima Adedapo, “I’m Still Standing.” Well, you won’t be tomorrow night, Naima. I’m pretty sure she sealed her fate with this one. I REALLY do appreciate the risk she took. I like that about her. But she’s just not a good technical singer. She’s just not. I’m sorry. D-

*Paul McDonald, “Rocket Man.” Oh Paul. You make me so mad. I love Paul, but but tonight did nothing for me. He shouldn’t have chosen that song. But I bet “Your Song” was handed to Casey Abrams on a silver platter, so Paul had to pick something else. I’ve finally concluded that Paul is probably better suited fronting a band. Not being the American Idol. I like him (He has been my favorite all season) and look forward to his career. But I don’t think he’ll last much longer in the competition. C+

*Pia Toscano, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.” REALLY? Again, Pia? I’m sorry, but I don’t care how great her voice is, I’m tired of her singing ballads. And an extremely over-done one at that. And to make things worse, a choir comes out and makes it even more of a boring ballad. I’d like to give her an F, but she really doesn’t deserve that. C

*Stefano Lagone, “Tiny Dancer.” Tonight is the night of opposites for me. My favorites are just letting me down tonight. I think Stefano’s performance was boring. Maybe it’s not his fault that I was bored. Maybe it was all the ballads before it. I’m tired of ballads! Have I mentioned that? B

*Lauren Alaina, “Candle in the Wind.” It was very nice for Lauren to slow things down (for her, a ballad is fresh). I had immediate goosebumps. This is such an emotional song and she nailed it. I think it’s the best performance of her run and probably of the night. I’ve had issues with Lauren in the past, but I had none tonight. A+

*James Durbin, “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.” I called that song choice (it’s the only one I got right, but whatever).  James’ performance was insane. In a good way. It was better than most “Idol” finale performances. The only thing missing was Elton coming out himself. I’m still not a major James fan, but I always give him the credit he deserves. A+

*Thia Megia, “Daniel.” I was surprised to hear she was singing this. That’s my favorite song by Elton John, so needless to say, I hated the arrangement. It’s already a slow song, but they slowed it down even more. And it came off way more somber than that song was ever intended. She sounded good, but again, I think the song choice wasn’t right. B+

*Casey Abrams, “Your Song.” I can’t believe he decided to slow things down. But I think it paid off. Even if Casey wasn’t already going to be 100 percent safe from last week’s drama and this week’s pimping, that performance would be enough to save him. I’ve made it no secret that I don’t like Casey at all. But tonight was the first time I enjoyed hearing him sing. And it was the first time I believed him as a performer. I didn’t feel like he was making a big joke of it like I normally feel. A

*Jacob Lusk, “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.” What was with that fake crying face? I’m so tired of the dramatics with him. And I just don’t like his voice. I want to be fair to Jacob, because I think he’s a good artist. But I just can’t get into his voice and his singing style. He’s always the hardest for me to grade because I know he can sing, but I can’t stand listening to him. Ugh. I don’t know what to say. D? C? B?

*Haley Reinhart, “Bennie and The Jets.” Haley in the pimp spot. Good for her. I thought the performance was a little Broadway, but it was good Broadway. I had a fun listening to her sing this song. A-

Now I’ll suggest what I think the outcome of American’s vote will be tomorrow night. (I’m not sure why so many people get confused by this, but my predictions here are NOT based on my personal opinions. It’s SIMPLY what I think could happen tomorrow night based on America’s vote):

100 Percent Safe: James Durbin, Casey Abrams, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery

Most Likely Safe: Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone, Jacob Lusk

Probably the Bottom 3: Paul McDonald, Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia

Possibly Going Home: Naima Adedapo, Paul McDonald

This could be another crazy week. Between Casey and Haley’s pimping and Stefano’s improvement, things could play out like I said. Sorry, Paul. But again, I’m not confident in these predictions. So I don’t expect to be 100 percent accurate (but haters, if it makes you feel better about yourselves, be sure to still point it out tomorrow night if I’m wrong).

What are your thoughts on the performances and what do you think will happen Thursday night?

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American Idol 2011: Top 11 performance show recap – Too many ballads

If I had any doubts that the drama from last week’s “American Idol” was staged, they were squashed in the first MINUTE of Wednesday night’s episode. I mean they asked the contestants last week about the judge’s save? As in, they already knew they were going to use it. I was offended last week and I’m even more offended this week.

And I’m sorry, but all that pimping of Casey was a lot unfair. He’s already going to be safe because of the drama last week. Pimping him out tonight was overkill.

Oh well, I’m going to just forget how stupid they think we are and focus on Ryan Seacrest’s brand new botox. Seriously, did anyone else notice he looked 10 years younger tonight? Creepy. And can someone please tell Jennifer Lopez to stop interrupting the other judges during their critiques?

OK, enough of the small talk and filler (what am I, “American Idol”?) On to the reviews. As always, I’ll review each performance and assign them the grade I think their performances deserve this week.

In order of performance

*Scotty McCreery, “Country Comfort.” It was nice to see Scotty on the guitar, but did we really have to pick this song? Where’s the risk? Where’s the shock.  Sure he has a fantastic voice and can sing country. But take a chance for a change. I like Scotty, but the bad and boring song choices are tiring. B+

*Naima Adedapo, “I’m Still Standing.” Well, you won’t be tomorrow night, Naima. I’m pretty sure she sealed her fate with this one. I REALLY do appreciate the risk she took. I like that about her. But she’s just not a good technical singer. She’s just not. I’m sorry. D-

*Paul McDonald, “Rocket Man.” Oh Paul. You make me so mad. I love Paul, but but tonight did nothing for me. He shouldn’t have chosen that song. But I bet “Your Song” was handed to Casey Abrams on a silver platter, so Paul had to pick something else. I’ve finally concluded that Paul is probably better suited fronting a band. Not being the American Idol. I like him (He has been my favorite all season) and look forward to his career. But I don’t think he’ll last much longer in the competition. C+

*Pia Toscano, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.” REALLY? Again, Pia? I’m sorry, but I don’t care how great her voice is, I’m tired of her singing ballads. And an extremely over-done one at that. And to make things worse, a choir comes out and makes it even more of a boring ballad. I’d like to give her an F, but she really doesn’t deserve that. C

*Stefano Lagone, “Tiny Dancer.” Tonight is the night of opposites for me. My favorites are just letting me down tonight. I think Stefano’s performance was boring. Maybe it’s not his fault that I was bored. Maybe it was all the ballads before it. I’m tired of ballads! Have I mentioned that? B

*Lauren Alaina, “Candle in the Wind.” It was very nice for Lauren to slow things down (for her, a ballad is fresh). I had immediate goosebumps. This is such an emotional song and she nailed it. I think it’s the best performance of her run and probably of the night. I’ve had issues with Lauren in the past, but I had none tonight. A+

*James Durbin, “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.” I called that song choice (it’s the only one I got right, but whatever).  James’ performance was insane. In a good way. It was better than most “Idol” finale performances. The only thing missing was Elton coming out himself. I’m still not a major James fan, but I always give him the credit he deserves. A+

*Thia Megia, “Daniel.” I was surprised to hear she was singing this. That’s my favorite song by Elton John, so needless to say, I hated the arrangement. It’s already a slow song, but they slowed it down even more. And it came off way more somber than that song was ever intended. She sounded good, but again, I think the song choice wasn’t right. B+

*Casey Abrams, “Your Song.” I can’t believe he decided to slow things down. But I think it paid off. Even if Casey wasn’t already going to be 100 percent safe from last week’s drama and this week’s pimping, that performance would be enough to save him. I’ve made it no secret that I don’t like Casey at all. But tonight was the first time I enjoyed hearing him sing. And it was the first time I believed him as a performer. I didn’t feel like he was making a big joke of it like I normally feel. A

*Jacob Lusk, “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.” What was with that fake crying face? I’m so tired of the dramatics with him. And I just don’t like his voice. I want to be fair to Jacob, because I think he’s a good artist. But I just can’t get into his voice and his singing style. He’s always the hardest for me to grade because I know he can sing, but I can’t stand listening to him. Ugh. I don’t know what to say. D? C? B?

*Haley Reinhart, “Bennie and The Jets.” Haley in the pimp spot. Good for her. I thought the performance was a little Broadway, but it was good Broadway. I had a fun listening to her sing this song. A-

Now I’ll suggest what I think the outcome of American’s vote will be tomorrow night. (I’m not sure why so many people get confused by this, but my predictions here are NOT based on my personal opinions. It’s SIMPLY what I think could happen tomorrow night based on America’s vote):

100 Percent Safe: James Durbin, Casey Abrams, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery

Most Likely Safe: Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone, Jacob Lusk

Probably the Bottom 3: Paul McDonald, Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia

Possibly Going Home: Naima Adedapo, Paul McDonald

This could be another crazy week. Between Casey and Haley’s pimping and Stefano’s improvement, things could play out like I said. Sorry, Paul. But again, I’m not confident in these predictions. So I don’t expect to be 100 percent accurate (but haters, if it makes you feel better about yourselves, be sure to still point it out tomorrow night if I’m wrong).

What are your thoughts on the performances and what do you think will happen Thursday night?

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American Idol 2011: Top 13 performance show recap – Ups and (mostly) downs

The “American Idol” lucky 13 took the stage tonight (Tuesday technically) to deliver to us songs from their own personal idols. There were a lot rocky moments and poor song choices but still a couple of obvious, and not-so-obvious standouts. I just wasn’t that impressed tonight. And my reviews are going to reflect that. So be warned. My least favorite thing of the night was the behind-the-scenes footage. I don’t care. I just want to hear them sing.

As always, I’ll review each performance and give it a grade.

In order of performance

*Lauren Alaina, “Any Man of Mine.” Lauren wasn’t as good as last week. She does Reba a lot better than Shania. It was all a little karaoke and even a little flat at times. That’s surprising from her. Are people already getting cocky? And not that it matters, but if I’m judging everything, she was dressed a little frumpy. C+

*Casey Abrams, “With A Little Help From My Friends.” This has always been one of my favorite songs, as I grew up with “The Wonder Years” and this was its theme song. So I was iffy when I heard it was what Casey was singing. I actually liked it. I’m not a Casey fan, but tonight I was on board. It did seem he got lost once but covered it well. Or maybe he did that intentionally. Who knows. Side note: Did you catch his repetitive weed call out? I had a feeling he was a stoner. A-

*Ashthon Jones, “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” Did Wildcard Ashthon do anything to reverse the fact that she didn’t make America’s cut last week? Not in my opinion. I liked her at one time, but I’m losing interest. It was all just OK. Even Steven was clearly bored with her. C+


*Paul McDonald, “Come Pick Me Up.” Paul is shaping up to be my favorite, but I wasn’t happy with his song choice. Or his d-bag Chris Martin Costume. That said, he’s definitely fun to watch and listen to. His voice is incredibly unique. And those moves. At times I’m annoyed. At times I’m freaked out. At times I’m in awe. He’s a weird one. But good weird. B+

*Pia Toscano, “All By Myself.” After last week’s performance, Pia had a  lot to live up to. And she did. Again, she brought a lot of power. Her tone and pitch were perfect. But is she only going to be a balladeer? I want to see how diverse she is. A

*James Durbin, “Maybe I’m Amazed.” I keep trying to not like James, but it’s not working. His performance tonight, I’d argue, was the best. From that soft and crystal-clear start to his powerful and James-esque range, he showed his versatility. He proved that he’s not going to scream at us every week. He went in that direction, but he held back and gave us just the right amount. Very well done. A+

*Haley Reinhart, “Blue.” I’m not sure what kind of singer she’s trying to be, but I enjoyed what I heard tonight. She pulled off some Patsy Cline business. She was twanging and yodeling. Very nice. I’m not sure why Randy Jackson was being a jerk when he judged her. I thought he was way off. A- (bordering on B+)

*Jacob Lusk, “I Believe I Can Fly.” I know you’re going to hate me for this, but I don’t like Jacob and I didn’t like his performance. I’ve never been a fan and I can confidently say I never will be. I normally say he’s not my cup of tea, but is still a perfect singer. I can’t even say that this week. He was all over the place and doing some things with his voice that don’t even classify as singing. He overdid it, which seems to be his style. And that song. It’s so cheesy. I can’t even take it seriously. C+

*Thia Megia, “Smile.” Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I could easily copy and paste my whole Jacob review into hers. Even down to the fact that you’ll hate me for not liking her. But I just don’t. She doesn’t seem to have much charisma. Maybe it’s nerves. But, hey, you’re on “American Idol.” There are no excuses now. The performance tonight wasn’t even good. The song just kind of happened then it was over. Nothing fancy. Nothing fun. Nothing that even showed what she’s capable of. The judges even clearly hated it but apparently someone told them they aren’t allowed to really say so. Weird. C-

*Stefano Langone, “Lately.” Our second Wildcard pick of the night pulled me in from the start. His energy was refreshing. His stage presence is spot on. Great tone. And he did a dance mix version of that song. Crazy good. And I don’t care how old-lady I sound, he seems ridiculously sweet. Still. I’m clearly a fan. A

*Karen Rodriguez, “I Could Fall in Love.” Oh Karen. If you’ve been singing Selena all your life, then why did it sound so bad tonight? Rocky start. Weak chorus. Weak bridge. Mediocre end. She brought nothing new to the song despite her saying she was going to. It was weird. And bad. D

*Scotty McCreery, “The River.” I was expecting more from Scotty. I like him a lot but I didn’t hear anything special tonight. I don’t even think he was really true to himself. It just felt like he was holding back too much. He still has a smooth voice though and everyone loves him. B

*Naima Adedapo, “Umbrella.” A wildcard pick in the pimp spot? Wow. That can mean one of two things: She’s the absolute best! Or she’s the only option out of 13 kind of good performances. Yeah. Well she was good. But not pimp-spot material. So you know my answer. I did like the rap and reggae The Janitor gave us, but overall, I think the production and her dance moves were better than her singing. B+

I have to say this: I miss Robbie Rosen.

And now I weigh in on who’s safe and who’s not.

100 percent safe: Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Jacob Lusk, Casey Abrams, Pia Toscano

Most likely safe: Thia Megia, Paul McDonald, James Durbin, Stefano Langone, Naima Adedapo

Probably the bottom three: Karen Rodriguez, Ashthon Jones, Haley Reinhart

Probably going home: Ashthon Jones

So what are your thoughts on tonight’s performances? Who were your favorites and who do you think is going home tomorrow night?

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