Since the judges chose to save Michael Lynche last week, the top nine finalists will compete once again with a double elimination tomorrow night.
This week's theme is Elvis Presley, and
Adam Lambert is the mentor. Don't get me started. Why did they pick Adam to mentor before any other previous Idol? He didn't even win. Team Kris.
Crystal Bowersox sang “Saved.” She busted out the electric guitar tonight. I wasn't so fond of this performance. It was less dynamic than what I've become accustomed to with Crystal. I felt like she was screaming at me. However, it was still a good performance, and I still love her. Randy said he loved Crystal's blues vibe and energy. Ellen said, once again, great job to Crystal. Kara said this was another solid performance for Crystal, and she loved the up tempo song choice. Simon said Crystal chose something that suited her and didn't fall into the karaoke trap.
Andrew Garcia sang “Hound Dog.” Andrew slowed down the tempo because Adam suggested he make more changes. However, it was still boring. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. Randy said it sounded karaoke. Ellen said she wished Andrew had put more swagger in his performance, but she thought he pulled it off. Kara said Andrew needs to own the stage instead of letting the microphone be his crutch. She said he made some nice melodic changes but she wanted to feel more. Simon said Andrew's performance was lazy and didn't feel like a star performance.
Tim Urban sang “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” Tim is peaking at the right time. He kept the song simple with just an acoustic guitar and his tender heartfelt vocals. I really liked the falsetto melodic changes he made, but I'm curious why he didn't take Adam's advice to stay in the falsetto at the end. Randy said he liked it. (Eloquent, I know.) Ellen said she really enjoyed it and can't help falling in love with Tim. Kara said it was her favorite performance of Tim's. She called his performance authentic, real, meaningful, and current. Simon said Tim managed to go from zero to hero in two weeks.
Lee Dewyze sang “A Little Less Conversation.” This was a great song choice for Lee. It perfectly suited his raspy blues edge. I thought it was a fun performance. Randy said Lee is in the zone with another great performance. Ellen said Lee made the song current, engaged with the audience more, and showed more confidence. Kara said Lee went for it vocally with an intensity we haven't seen yet. She said the vocal was fire, but Lee needs to be more playful and less serious. Simon said Lee nailed the song.
Aaron Kelly sang “Blue Suede Shoes.” I was surprised and impressed by this performance. I didn't know Aaron could do the raspy voice. I thought he was adorable. It was a good, fun performance, and the breakdown was fantastic. Randy said the second half with the bluesy breakdown suited Aaron's voice better than the first half of the song. Ellen said it was a big song to take on, but she gave Aaron an "A" for effort and said he did a really good job. Kara said Aaron was out of his comfort zone and she liked it. She said this song pushed him and kept him on edge. Simon disagreed, calling Aaron's performance old-fashioned and karaoke.
Siobahn Magnus sang “Suspicious Minds.” She picked the whiniest song, so she whined along with it. I thought her performance was boring. The second half was better at the breakdown. She managed to hit the high notes without screaming. Randy said Siobahn took some risks, but she didn't come alive until the half time breakdown. Ellen said Siobahn has a beautiful voice and the second half was much better than the first half. Kara said she's confused by the Siobahn's "two voices," and she didn't like the performance. Simon said Siobahn is a completely different person, as if she lost herself. He said the first part was terrible and called her performance erratic and screechy.
Michael Lynche sang “In the Ghetto.” Thank you, judges! I loved Mike's performance. It was heartfelt, captivating, and beautiful. He told the story well. Randy said the song was sleepy but the vocals were hot. Ellen said she's glad they chose to save Mike. Kara said it is a beautiful song and Mike sang it well. Simon said Mike's performance was much better than last week. He said it was a terrific song choice and one of his favorite performances.
Katie Stevens sang “Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do." She chose this song because she's frustrated by the conflicting criticisms from the judges. I thought the beginning was boring, but the song picked up when the horns section came in. She missed some notes, but it was a good performance. Randy said it was sassy and entertaining. Ellen said Katie is a great singer. Kara said Katie showed the judges. Simon, however, said it was loud and annoying.
Casey James sang “Lawdy Miss Clawdy.” I liked the cool acapella introduction. Casey was in his element with Elvis. He's such a rock star. I love him. Randy said it was another solid performance. Ellen said she loves Casey's voice, but this performance wasn't as exciting as she would have liked. Kara said Casey is a brilliant artist, but he fell short tonight. Simon said Casey wasted an opportunity with a forgettable song, but it was a good vocal.
My favorites of the night were Tim, Mike, and Lee.
I predict that Andrew, Katie, and Siobahn will be in the bottom three. Aaron might be in the bottom three, but I think he's doing better than Siobahn as far as song choice goes.
Lady Antebellum also performed "Need You Now."
