what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 27th.

TiVO SEASON PASS:
American Idol (8p, FOX) *
Glee (9p, FOX)
9 By Design (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)
The Hills (10p, MTV)
The City (10:30p, MTV)

* friend/family pick.

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol – top 7 – Inspirational songs

This season of American Idol has been fairly forgettable due to the contestants often picking dated, boring songs, so the “inspirational” theme (in honor of Idol Gives Back on Wednesday) didn’t do much to pique my interest. Inspirational songs are by nature mellow, right? Even with someone as hip as Alicia Keys mentoring the Idols, I didn’t go into this week with much hope of being inspired by their performances. A few contestants stepped up, but for the most part I was unimpressed, per usual this season.

More than ever I’m convinced that I’m watching a different show than the judges. I hate what they love and vice versa. Either the acoustics in the Idol studio are magical (having been there, I will admit that performances sound different on stage vs. on tv) or someone needs their hearing checked. Most weeks I feel like I’m watching Bizarro Idol until Crystal takes the stage. Once again she’s shown why she’s the true standout of the season. However, considering her lackluster competition, that isn’t difficult to do. Is Crystal really that good or are the other contestants just inferior? I’m beginning to think it’s the latter.

1. Crystal – “People Get Ready” – I loved the a cappella beginning. It wasn’t perfect, a little strained in the middle, but it was better than the rest.
2. Mike – “Hero” – Nothing compares with the Cook/Archuletta version from the season 7 finale, but this was good. It was emotional without being boring.
3. Siobhan – “When You Believe” – I like her better when I’m not watching her; something about her facial expressions bother me. I loved the soft “belieee-eee-eeeve” note at the end. She needs to STOP talking. Fashion police moment: like the dress, hate the shoes.
4. Casey – “Don’t Stop” – I’m glad someone tried an up-tempo song. He’s consistent but predictable. I think I like his guitar playing and his ponytail better than his singing. It’s too bad he went first because then I didn’t have something to look forward to.
5. Lee – “The Boxer” – He started nasally; I prefer raspy Lee. I don’t know the original so I have nothing to compare it to. He showed more emotion, which is good, but he definitely wasn’t “brilliant.”
6. Tim – “Better Days” – This is a good song choice for him in theory, but parts were flat. He improved in the 2^nd half
7. Aaron – “I Believe I Can Fly” – I hated this before it even started. He totally overestimates his ability. America, put Aaron and the viewers out of our misery already!

I’ve wanted Aaron gone for a month and I’ll be annoyed if anyone other than him is eliminated this week. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if Aaron were safe. Tim’s days are numbered too. Or perhaps Casey will fall victim to the hot-long-haired-guy-finishing-7^th-place curse that claimed Constantine in season 4 and Ace in season 5. Heaven forbid! One thing is certain: Crystal will be safe and, if all is right with the world, she’ll win in the end. And now I’m reminded of a song from Teen Wolf…

Note to Idol producers and contestants: watch the truly brilliant Madonna-themed episode of Glee and take notes on how to be entertaining and relevant even while singing songs that are 25 years old.

- Angela Pasquinelli

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 9 - Elvis Week

Sorry there was no Idol blog last week. I was out of town and didn’t get around to watching Tuesday’s performance show, though I did watch the shocking! results show and read/watched several recaps from around the web. I hope the judges don’t regret using their save so early in the season. I’m not surprised they saved Big Mike, but I hope none of the other front-runners need saving in the up-coming weeks.

This week Elvis is the theme and last season’s runner-up Adam Lambert is the mentor. Interesting. I think it’s a little early in his career for Adam to be “mentoring” anyone, but he has more stage presence than all of this year’s contestants combined and he certainly knows what they’re going through being on the show. It feels a little like stunt casting trying to lure last season’s viewers into investing in this season, but there definitely have been less relevant, less helpful mentors in the past. At least he was honest and constructive, and I genuinely think he helped the contestants be more interesting on stage this week.

The show got off to an inadvertently hilarious start as Ryan Seacrest was chatting with Adam in the audience. In true self-deprecating, open-mouth-insert-foot Seacrest fashion, Ryan glibly told Adam, “My tongue is not nearly as talented as yours.” *cue the homosexual jokes* The awkward pause and accompanying confused facial expressions afterward were the highlight of the show for me. (Ryan’s snarky Dunkleman joke was a close second) Thanks for the laughs, Ry! Now on to the performances…

1. Crystal – “Saved” – This is a good song choice for her and the arrangement was great. I love the bedazzled guitar, but I don’t love how she mumbles when she looks at said bedazzled guitar.
2. Lee – “A Little Less Conversation” – I really love his raspy voice. He showed more personality, but unfortunately he messed up the words.
3. Casey – “Laudy Miss Claudy” – Honestly I’m not sure where to rank this. I liked it, but I’m totally biased because he’s hot. I can’t be objective where Casey is concerned.
4. Mike – “In the Ghetto” – His voice is consistently good, but I’m not sure if this will be enough to win over the voters. It wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before.
5. Katie – “Baby What Do You Want Me to Do?” – I’m glad she took Adam’s advice and put more personality into it. I wouldn’t have expected her to choose a song like this.
6. Tim – “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” – This is good song choice for him and he made some interesting changes to the melody changes. There were a few flat notes though.
7. Siobhan – “Suspicious Minds” – Something about the first half of this bothered me but I’m not really sure what; I liked the second half better. Unfortunately her shrill note came back.
8. Aaron – “Blue Suede Shoes” – This was totally the wrong song for him. He thinks he’s better than he is. I really want him to go away like 3 weeks ago.
9. Andrew – “Houndog” – I liked the arrangement, but it was still boring. Walking around carrying the mic doesn’t make a performance interesting.
   

I think Aaron and Andrew’s time is up, but who knows if the rest of America agrees with me. Tune in Wednesday at 9:55 pm to find out.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 6th.

TiVO SEASON PASS:
90210 (8p, CW)
American Idol (8p, FOX) *
Lost (9p, ABC) *
Millionaire Matchmaker (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)

* friend/family pick.

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 10 - R&B/Soul

I didn’t blog about last week’s results show because it was so awful. From the cheesiest group performance ever (Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”) to the Joe Jonas/Demi Lavato shout-fest to Paige’s 3-weeks-too-late elimination, it was one of the most painful Idol episodes ever and one that should be quickly forgotten. So let’s move on to this week! Based on the contestants’ previous lackluster and dated song selections, I didn’t have high hopes for R&B/soul week. A few of the contestants proved me wrong, but unfortunately most were boring yet again.

1. Lee – “Treat Her Like A Lady” – His best performance to date! This was a great song for him, definitely the stand out of the night.
2. Crystal – “Midnight Train to Georgia” – A little sleepy but she’s consistently good. I liked her piano playing.
3. Casey – “Hold On I’m Coming” – He sounded great though I don’t love the song; it’s too repetitive. Love the red guitar.
4. Mike – “Ready For Love” – The song was boring but he sounded good.
5. Andrew – “Forever” – A contemporary song! Nice arrangement; decent vocals. I think he saved himself.
6. Didi – “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” – I didn’t like the last 10 seconds but the rest was good. I probably would have liked it more if the arrangement was different. Ryan definitely pushed the personal questions too much; I think he has a crush on her.
7. Katie – “Chain of Fools” – Parts were good; parts were sharp. Pretty good song choice.
8. Siobhan – “Through The Fire” – I like her singing a toned down song again, but as usual the high notes were off key. Love the hair; hate the boots.
9. Aaron – “Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bad idea to sing one of Kris Allen’s signature songs from last season. He was off key most of the time too. Go away, Aaron.
10. Tim – “Sweet Love” – Total snooze fest. He needed to be gone a month ago.

I would love for Tim or Aaron to be eliminated this week; honestly, I think they’re the only ones who deserve it. Unfortunately people keep voting for them, though Tim was in the bottom 2 last week so maybe there’s hope. Didi could be in danger because of the negative feedback from the judges, though she’s one of my overall faves. I hope people voted to save her!

Regardless of who is eliminated this week, in general the contestants need to step up their game. The past couple of weeks have verged on disastrous. C’mon people, you’re supposed to be ENTERTAINING. You don’t have to wear 5 inch platform shoes or throw yourself on the floor, but at least do something memorable. Maybe Adam Lambert’s theatrics spoiled us last year? God willing, the future themes will allow for more song variety, although with the way these contestants have been picking songs, the themes might not matter. They’ll end up choosing the lamest songs available anyway. My future requests: no ballads (at least for one week) & no songs older than the contestants. How about songs on the current Billboard Hot 100 chart? Or songs that won Grammys this year? Or songs by former Idol contestants? That could be all kinds of awesome/torture, right? Imagine the possibilities: Casey and Lee taking on David Cook or Daughtry, Siobhan doing Kelly Clarkson, Katie trying country via Carrie Underwood or Kellie Pickler, Didi covering Kris Allen (she already did Katharine McPhee’s song “Terrified” in Hollywood), or even Crystal singing something by Jordin Sparks or David Archuletta. Lots of former Idols, not just the winners and hit-makers, have released albums so the possibilities really are endless. Note to Idol producers: don’t miss this opportunity to toot your own horn and remind us why we’ve loved the show in the past – truly talented performers.

Do you have any ideas for themes? Can you think of any former Idols' songs that would suit this season's contestants? Other suggestions to bring a spark to this bland season? Inquiring (and bored) minds want to know.

- Angela Pasquinelli

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 11 - Billboard #1's

Apparently this week’s theme was changed only a few days ago. Personally I would have rather seen what the contestants could do with the original theme, teen idols, because I think it presents more of a challenge than the very broad, very safe Billboard #1’s. Yawn. In previous seasons the contestants have struggled with such a generic theme; they don’t know what songs to choose or how to present themselves and end up looking foolish. For the most part this year’s contestants had the same problem, unfortunately: dated, awkward song choices and silly performances. Teen idol songs couldn’t have been any worse, could they? Let’s start with the few contestants who were successful and work our way down:

1. Casey – “The Power of Love” –Maybe I’m blinded by the pretty eyes and the cute smile, but damn, this dude is good! Good song choice, good vocals, improved stage presence. He could still loosen up more: widen the stance, bend the knees, arch the back. Then he’d be perfect!
2. Crystal – “Me and Bobby McGee” – She consistently delivers and is one of the only contestants this season who really knows who she is as an artist.
3. Michael – “When a Man Loves a Woman” – Another solid performance. Perfect song choice for him.
4. Didi – “You’re No Good” – I think she could have chosen a better song, but she sounded good.
5. Siobhan – “Superstition” – I liked it until the shrieking at the end. She really needs to stop that, but she won’t if the judges keep praising her.
6. Lee – “The Letter” – Nothing compares with the Carly Smithson/Michael Johns’ version of this song. Lee showed some personality and his vocals were improved, more raspy and less nasally. I just don’t think it was the ideal song choice for him.
7. Tim – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” – Starting with the mic stand was a mistake, but he quickly remedied that (the stage slide was a bit much though). He sounded good throughout the performance.
8. Katie – “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – The only contemporary song of the night! This was by far Katie’s best song choice to date. Some notes were sharp, but overall decent job.
9. Andrew – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – This wasn’t the right arrangement for him. The song choice would have been ok if he’d done a stripped down version. The vocals were mediocre and the movements were awkward.
10. Aaron – “Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” – Miley might think he has a great voice, but he definitely doesn’t have the power to pull off this song. Listen to David Cook and Allison Iraheta’s versions from previous seasons to hear how it should be done.
11. Paige – “Against All Odds” – This was out of tune from the very beginning, almost as horrible as “Smile” a few weeks ago.

Paige was by far the worst of the night. Unless she gets a ton of sympathy votes (which saved her before), she’s a goner. It’ll actually be a travesty if someone else goes home instead. Andrew may be at risk as well; he’s talented and I want him to stay, but he’s not connecting with the songs, the judges, or the audience. I wouldn’t mind seeing Aaron go instead, though I’m sure his fans and the judges’ praise will keep him safe.

As much as I love Casey and Didi, let’s face it: this is a two horse race. Crystal and Michael are the definite frontrunners. As long as the audience doesn’t get bored with their awesomeness, one of them should win the whole thing. But I’m not-so-secretly hoping Casey or Didi sneaks in instead.

- Angela Pasquinelli

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 12 - Rolling Stones theme

The thought of the American Idol contestants singing Rolling Stones songs made me cringe for two reasons: (1) I’m not a Stones fan and (2) I didn’t think the wanna-be pop stars could do their rock songs justice. With that said, I was relatively impressed with how well the contestants did. Some were mediocre, but few were horrible. This is how I ranked the top 12 (with a few fashion police comments I couldn’t resist typing):

1. Casey – “It’s All Over Now” – I was surprised he sounded so great. I love the raspy tone he used. Way to go Casey! Just loosen up a little on stage next time.
2. Crystal – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – This was more understated than I was expecting, but she sounded great, as always.
3. Siobhan – “Paint It Black” – She’s the only contestant who could pull this off because she’s dramatic and campy, like Adam Lambert last season (I typed that before Kara said it, I swear!). I still think her “high notes” are just screams though. Nice hair and make up, cute dress, horrible shoes.
4. Lee – “Beast of Burden” – I don’t know what the original sounds like but I enjoyed Lee’s version. He sounded very contemporary, but I still think his voice is too nasally. Love his gray leather jacket.
5. Michael – “Miss You” – This soulful rendition worked well for Mike. It wasn’t pitch perfect, but it was better than I expected.
6. Didi – “Playing with Fire” – I liked Didi’s tougher attitude. Unfortunately she seemed to stumble over the words a little. Her voice sounded good except for the one sharp high note.
7. Lacey – “Ruby Tuesday” – Lacey has a cool voice but it doesn’t suit a huge variety of songs. She was decent but boring. WTF was she wearing?
8. Paige – “Honky Tonk Woman” – Her lower register is flat; her upper register is good. I liked parts and hated parts.
9. Katie – “Wild Horses” – Call me stupid, but I didn’t even know this was a Stones song; I know a different version. The first part seemed too low for Katie, and there’s still something about her voice that isn’t doing it for me.
10. Andrew – “Gimme Shelter” –The song didn’t seem to fit his personality at all. The vocals were a little flat and the whole thing was awkward.
11. Tim – “Under My Thumb” – The only part I liked was the brief acoustic bridge. The reggae vibe was lame. Bad decision. Tim reminds me of John Peter Lewis from season 3. I thought he was overrated too.
12. Aaron – “Angie” – The way Aaron sang “Anjay” really annoyed me. Parts were flat; all of it was boring. The judges are definitely hearing something I’m not. Aaron is the poor man’s David Archuletta IMO.

I would say that Aaron and Tim are at risk of going home, but I’ve thought that before and they’re still around, unfortunately. I guess they have fans somewhere! Maybe Andrew, Katie, Paige, Lacey, and Didi won’t get as many vote as the cute little boys. That would be sad, wouldn’t it? Last week I was way off; we’ll see how my predictions hold up on when the results are announced. Speaking of, this week’s results show is packed with hot artists: Kesha, Orianthi, and season 7 winner (and my all time favorite Idol contestant) David Cook. Sounds like an awesome show!

My personal highlight of the night: the extreme close-up of Ryan when he approached the judges’ table after Mike’s performance. Hello Mr. Seacrest! In general I like when Ryan steps in to defend/comfort the contestants, and the close-up shot was the icing on the cake. *swoon*

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 16th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Oxygen: Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too at 11p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
CW: 90210 at 8p
Bravo: Millionaire Matchmaker at 10p
NBC: Parenthood at 10p
Oxygen: Bad Girls Club at 10p [REUNION PART 1]

AND:
FOX: American Idol at 8p
ABC: Lost at 9p

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 8 girls

This is the ladies’ last chance to show what they’ve got and earn a spot in the top 12. Some definitely lived up to the challenge, but others struggled to make a lasting impression and one failed miserably. Here’s my ranking of the night’s performances:

1. Crystal – “Give Me One Reason” – Another solid performance!
2. Didi – “Rhiannon” – I love her voice. Period. In fact, I thought the back up singers (who only came in briefly) temporarily ruined the vibe.
3. Siobhan – “House of the Rising Sun” – This is the best I’ve heard her sing. She didn’t shriek like last week and still showed off her range. It was bold to sing the first part a cappella, but she sounded great.
4. Lacey – “The Story” – I liked this but didn’t love it. The song definitely suited her voice and in general I like Lacey, but I question her versatility. If she makes it to the theme weeks, she’s probably going to struggle.
5. Lilly – “I Fall to Pieces” – Lilly isn’t really my cup of tea, but she sounds decent enough. I’m sure some people love her voice; I just prefer other contestants.
6. Katelyn – “I Feel the Earth Move” – This was a nice performance, nothing amazing or memorable. Katelyn is cute, likable, and talented, so she should make it through to the top 12 despite a less than stellar performance.
7. Katie – “Breakaway” – This is a good song choice for her, age-appropriate and contemporary. Unfortunately she didn’t sound that good. The high notes were sharp; the low notes were flat.
8. Paige – “Smile” – She was off from the first note. This is a classic, simple song, but Paige couldn’t handle it. She sounded horrible.

Paige is definitely a goner. She was probably borderline anyway given her lack of early exposure on the show, but her performance this week was by far the worst. The other eliminatee (is that a word?) is kind of up in the air. I think Katie and Lacey are at the most risk because of their lack of connection with the audience, but Lacey had a great week. Katelyn didn’t have a great week, but she’s been consistent and probably established an early fan base (she was the first auditioner of the season). Siobhan proved herself this week, but her quirky personality could be a turn off for some viewers. I love Didi but maybe the rest of America loves Lilly more. The final elimination will probably come down to audience preference; who do the voters like better, not necessarily who is the better singer or gave a better performance this week. I’d bet that Crystal is safe though.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 9th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Travel: Food Wars at 10p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
CW: 90210 at 8p
Bravo: Millionaire Matchmaker at 10p
NBC: Parenthood at 10p
Oxygen: Bad Girls Club at 10p [SEASON FINALE]

AND I DON'T WATCH THESE, BUT YOU MIGHT:
FOX: American Idol at 8p
ABC: Lost at 9p

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 20 results show

Unlike last week, this time I got it right. Or rather, America got it right. John, Jermaine, Michelle, and Haeley were sent home. No surprises or complaints about that. Thank you, America, for keeping Didi despite the judges’ harsh (and unfounded) criticism. It was good for Simon and Kara to acknowledge that some contestants *coughMichellecough* didn’t sound as good on tv as they had originally thought. Like I said, the judges are obviously hearing something we’re not. At least they admitted it.

The highlight of the show for me was Danny Gokey’s performance. It was surreal watching him and his band on the Idol stage after seeing them perform in person last night. Danny’s single “My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me” is really catchy, don't you think? It was funny how excited and chatty he was when he talked with Ryan after his performance. That’s so Danny! He’s obviously a really passionate, sincere guy. I love that.

Next Thursday the top 12 finalists will be revealed, but more importantly (in my world) Matt Giraud will be back on the AI stage. I love me some Matty G! Apparently he’ll be performing “Tell Her About It” with Scott McIntyre, a song they performed together on dueling pianos during the AI8 tour last summer. It was one of my favorite parts of the concert. Can’t wait to see/hear it again!

- Angela Pasquinelli

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 10 girls + danny gokey

This blog is delayed because rather than staying home to watch Idol Wednesday night, I was WITH an Idol. As part of the promotional tour for his newly released country cd, Danny Gokey from AI8 spent the evening doing a couple of appearances in my neighborhood – how could I resist? First he performed a 5-song set and signed autographs at Best Buy, and later he performed a longer set at a local country bar. He mostly sang songs from his new cd, but he also performed a couple of covers, including “What Hurts The Most” which he sang on Idol. As usual, Danny sounded great and was as friendly as ever. I’ve always been impressed with his sincerity on stage and off. If you get a chance to see Danny perform live (he’s opening for Sugarland this summer), definitely check him out. He won’t disappoint. His cd is really good too.

Here are a few pictures I took at Danny’s appearances yesterday:

http://www.twitpic.com/16mj9n

http://www.twitpic.com/16mjin

http://www.twitpic.com/16hhkx

http://www.twitpic.com/16mjr2

http://www.twitpic.com/16mk5j

And a few videos: (my apologies for the poor sound quality)

“What Hurts The Most” at Best Buy

“My Best Days” at Club Rodeo

“Will Not Say Goodbye” at Club Rodeo (my favorite song from his cd)

And now on to this season… I watched the top 10 girls’ performances a day late, but I stayed spoiler-free so I could give my honest feedback without any other influences. With that said, here’s my ranking:

1. Crystal – “Long As I Can See the Light” – Incredible! You’d never know she was in the hospital the day before. I’m so glad she was well enough to perform!
2. Didi – “Lean on Me” – I absolutely LOVE the tone of her voice. I would listen to her sing anything. The judges are insane and need their hearing checked. Ryan’s attempt to comfort her was very sweet.
3. Katelyn – “The Scientist” – I’m not a Coldplay fan, but I really liked Katelyn’s performance. The big note at the end surprised me; I didn’t think she had it in her. I love that she played the whole thing on piano too.
4. Lacey – “Kiss Me” – Like Kara suggested, this is a perfect song for her voice. Her performance wasn’t amazing but it was solid and a tremendous improvement over last week.
5. Paige – “Walk Away” – I love this song and Paige did a pretty good job with it. She didn’t quite hit the high notes (sometimes Kelly Clarkson doesn’t hit them herself) and seemed out of breath a couple of times, but in general I enjoyed it.
6. Lilly – “A Change Is Gonna Come” – Her voice is a little too quirky for my liking. She’s good but not necessarily someone whose album I’d buy.
7. Katie – “Put Your Records On” – She sounds fine but there’s a disconnect between the maturity of her voice and her actual age. It’s awkward.
8. Shiobhan – “Think” – Her voice doesn’t have enough soul for this song. The lower parts were okay but the high notes were really shrieky.
9. Haeley – “The Climb” – The beginning sounded okay, but she lost it in the middle. The judges were too hard on her though.
10. Michelle – “With Arms Wide Open” – Kudos for trying to do something different, but I didn’t like this at all. Her voice didn’t suit the song and the notes were all over the place. She knew it wasn’t good too. I can’t believe Kara and Simon liked it. They’re smoking crack.

The acoustics in the studio must be quite a bit different from what we hear on tv because I disagreed with the judges a lot. Michelle was by far the worst. She and Haeley are definitely at risk. I also think Katie could be in danger because she’s not really making a connection with the audience. My top 3 girls are definitely Crystal, Didi, and Katelyn – this week and every week. I love their voices, their personalities, and their stage presence. I hope people are voting for them because I want to see them on tour!

-Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 3rd.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Bravo: Shear Genius at 10p
ABC: Modern Family at 9p

AND OF COURSE:
FOX: American Idol at 8p

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 10 guys

Switcheroo! The hot rumor making the rounds of Idol Land Tuesday morning was that, due to a female contestant’s extreme illness, the guys would be performing Tuesday night instead of Wednesday. Seeing Casey James a day earlier than expected? Bring it on!

Overall the guys stepped up their game from last week. This time I had trouble raking their performances because I liked quite a few of them. Honestly, my #4-8 are pretty interchangeable. Still, here’s what I finally decided on for the top 10 guys’ performances:

Michael – “This is a Man’s World” – This song shows off his voice much more than “This Love” last week. The performance is a little over the top, but he sounds really good! He set the bar high for the other guys.

Alex – “Everybody Knows” – I’m stunned! What an improvement over last week! I’d written Alex off, but this performance showed off his unique voice and he didn’t seem uncomfortable or terrified like before. Maybe this kid has potential after all. When he talks he reminds me of Matt Saerson on Friday Night Lights.

Andrew – “You Give Me Something” – He looks awkward without his guitar. Maybe I’m just not used to it. He sound good but it wasn’t anything special.

Todrick – “What’s Love Got to do With It” – He made some nice changes to the song. Like he said, he kept it recognizable (unlike last week) while still making it his own. There were a couple of off notes, but for the most part it was good.

Lee – “Lips of an Angel” – This was a really good song choice for him, though personally I’ve never liked the song. The performance was a little too nasally for my liking, but I still like him.

Casey – “I Don’t Wanna Be” – His guitar playing is more impressive than his voice, though something about his stance while he was playing looked off. It should have been… sexier? The vocals were decent, not great. I’m still reeling from the fact that he grew up without a television and had never seen American Idol; I guess we’re not soul mates after all.

Tim – “Come On Get Higher” – This was an improvement over last week; the song suited him better and he looked more comfortable with his guitar. Parts were sharp but it wasn’t horrible.

Aaron – “My Girl” – He oversang it at times, probably overcompensating for not being “confident” enough for the judges last week, but it was definitely better than last week.

Jermaine – “What’s Going On” – He wrecked the melody of the song and tried to do too much with it, obviously not understanding the judges’ criticisms last week. His faux hawk looks ridiculous, and he talks back too much. Not a good combination.

John – “Gravity” – This is a much better song choice for him than “God Bless the Child” last week, but the performance is boring and a sometimes out of tune.

If I were the President of Idol Land, Jermaine and John would definitely be going home this week. However, my predictions were way off last week, so anything could happen. The mediocre, middle-of-the-pack singers might be the ones truly at risk. We’ll see Thursday night!

In other Idol-related news, Danny Gokey (3rd place last season) is doing a local autograph signing/performance to promote his newly released album Wednesday night. Hopefully I’ll have some interesting tidbits and/or pictures from that event to share in the near future.

- Angela Pasquinelli



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