Top 9 (pt. 2): Songs of Elvis

After a bit of a hiatus, I am glad to be back with a recap of tonight's performances!  Lat week was quite interesting with the judges choosing to use the save so early on in the season... will it prove to be a good decision?  We'll find out tonight if Mike has it in him to have a worthy comeback performance.

The mentor this week is Adam Lambert, which I am surprised by excited about.  I was definitely an Adam fan last season.  I think the stage presence and showmanship is something that we have been drastically missing from this season, and maybe he can perk them up a bit.

An interesting fact that I didn't realize is that Adam is the first contestant to come back as a mentor.  Wow.  It's true!  Thinking back, we haven't had Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood back (which I think that would make sense to have one of those two)... so Adam has got to feel pretty lucky and honored to have that under his belt. 

Ryan talks with Adam at the beginning of the show and they talk about Adam's signature belting of high notes.  Adam says that you have to stick your tongue out for it to be effective.  Ryan's response? "My tongue is not as talented as yours".  C'mon Ryan... now you are just asking for it.  Really?  I mean there are enough gay rumors about Ryan as it is... and with the gay banter back-and-forth with Simon, Ryan really doesn't need to add any more fuel to the fire.  Anyway... Ryan is just ridiculous. 

Let's get on with the performances!

Crystal Bowersox- "Saved":  During her mentor session with Adam, you can tell that he thinks Crystal is just head and shoulders above the rest.  I mean, he didn't come out and say it, but you can see on his face that he knows she will be in the final.  He suggests she try the electric guitar instead of the acoustic and she does so. Halfway through the performance, and no surprise here... I love it!.  I think its out of Crystal's comfort zone, but she still made it her own.  I loved that it was up tempo at the beginning and then she slowed it down at the end.  The whole thing from start to finish was just awesome.  The bad thing about Crystal going first is that I don't have anything to look forward to for the rest of the show... and the only way the show can go is downhill.  The judges love it too (again, no surprise). 

Andrew Garcia- "Hound Dog":  It's awesome that Adam called Andrew out for not giving much in his performance.  "I'm bored" he said.  THANK YOU ADAM for saying what America has been thinking for weeks.  That's just what he needed to hear.  Would he put this advice to good use?  OF COURSE NOT.  I thought this was awful.  I mean... not Tim awful... but still, awful.  There is no way that this would ever exist as a single on a record... and no way we would ever hear this on the radio.  It's just really bad karaoke.  I'm so over him and ready for him to go home.  I'm glad the judges ripped him.  Will America please listen to them?  He. Needs. To. Go.

Tim Urban- "I Can't Help Falling in Love":  Omg... could he pick a more predictable song?  I mean, really.  If there was ever an Elvis song that would allow Tim to play up to his tween/cougar crowd, this is it.  During his mentor session, I love that Adam says "I pushed him out of his comfort zone".  Maybe that is my mind being a little dirty... but it was just funny to me.  :-)   Ryan introduces Tim as "Turban" before his performance.  Really?  That's a horrible nickname for someone.  As Tim starts singing, I am waiting for this to be a trainwreck.  And waiting...   And waiting....  Hold on.  Is this for real?  Am I actually not hating a Tim Urban performance?  Yes!  I think this is real!  For once, I actually don't think this was too bad!  His voice isn't too bad and he changed the song up from what we normally are used to hearing.  Ummm... wait a second, is that Ryan dancing in the aisles with a large man?  WTF?  Has Ryan officially lost it tonight?  Sheesh.  Anyway, back to Tim.  As he finishes, he doesn't take the super high falsetto that Adam suggested, but he ends strongly.  In my opinion if there was ever a Tim performance that would keep him safe from tomorrow's double elimination, it is this!  It's unbelieveable, but I think he honestly pulled it off.  The judges like it as well.  Even Simon says that he went "from zero to hero".  This is just crazy!  I figured that with a double elimination that there was no way that Tim would survive... but clearly, I am wrong.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Tim in the top 7.

Lee Dewyze- "A Little Less Conversation":  Adam was right on the money when he said that Lee doesn't do anything with his face when he sings!  I am liking Adam as a mentor because he is giving really good contructive feedback.  Would this feedback help?  Well, obviously this was just the recommendation that he needed... Lee showed so much more emotion in his face this week!  He moved around and seemed more loose and free on stage.  I really though it was great.  With this song choice, it could have been cheesy and predictable, but Lee actually put a really cool spin on it.  His raspy voice was in tune (for once, I think it was in tune the entire song!) and it gave the song some edge that made it cool and relevant.  In my opinion, this was his best performance ever!  The judges really like it, although Kara and Simon get into a discussion about whether or not Lee needs to smile more on stage.  Lee, almost on cue, gives a super cheesy Tim-Urbanish fake smile and I love it!  Lee is being true to himself and not putting on some fake grin to get tweens to vote for him.  Lee gains some cool points from me this week.

Aaron Kelly- "Blue Suede Shoes":  Why did Aaron seem so nervous and scared while meeting with Adam?  It was kinda humorous to me actually.  Just as Aaron promised us last week, he was going to do something a bit different and perform an uptempo song instead of the ballads-ala-Rascal-Flatts he's performed every week so far. This could have been a disaster... It wasnt' quite that caliber... but to me it was just so-so.  He seemed awkward out there trying to move around to the beat and "dance" (I use this word loosely).  I just felt that he was trying way too hard.  Just be yourself kid.  Unfortunately, if that gets you kicked off, it gets you kicked off...  But better to be eliminated for being yourself than for being someone you're not... and with two elminations this week, I'm not so sure that Aaron will be safe.  The judges agree with me... and think that it got better when the song was slowed down.  Still it wasn't good.  Simon was a little harsh... but he's Simon so he can be.  Overall, I'm worried for Aaron this week. 

Siobhan Magnus- "Suspicious Minds":  So it's the moment you've been waiting for... Siobhan meets Adam.  Well maybe some of you have been waiting for it.  Personally I don't see the similarities.  Adam is in a whole other league if you ask me.  Adam's mentoring session was far from as exciting as the Idol producers probably hoped it would be when the these two got together.  When we found out that Siobhan was singing Suspicious Minds, I actually thought this could be a great song choice for her.  This performance really left me unimpressed though.  I STILL think she sounds nasally when she sings and I cant' believe that the judges don't call her out for it.  At the end, I have to say that she stepped it up a bit... but overall, I am not loving this at all... and can't believe she's being compared to Adam Lambert.  The first three judges like it, but Simon regulates and preaches truth.  He calls it erratic and tells her that a lot of people won't like it.  Agreed.

Michael Lynche- "In The Ghetto": Tonight is a big night for Michael.  After his save last week, would he be able to rebound.  Adam tells him that he just needs to connect.  The song he chooses is "In The Ghetto".  At first, I was like "really??!?".  Not to be racist (but I guess it is a bit)... but why does the only African American left in the competition gotta sing the song named "In The Ghetto"???  Seems sensitive to me... but if he's OK with it, I'll give it a chance.  To me... this performance was exactly what Mike needed!  He performed it SO well and it really sounded current!  I could hear a performance like that on the radio!  To me... its the best performance of the night so far.  He needed a good night, and he stepped it up.  The judges comments were short (due to time)... but they all liked it and Simon said it was MUCH better than last week and proved they were correct in saving him. 

Katie Stevens- "Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do?":  I like Katie.  I admit it.  I really do.  I want to like her more... and I really think she has some potential.  After last week's beautiful "Let It Be" I hope tonight she can keep the streak going.  I think this song choice is great!  Kara has said that she needs to sing a song she can connect with, and obviously she is aggrevated with the judges juggling back and forth with her, and just wants to know "what do you want me to do?"!!!  As she starts to perform, I am liking her attitude!  Part of me wishes she would just push it a bit more... like she's giving 90%, but I want 100%.  During this, I can see hints of Kelly Clarkson singing "Respect" with that I'm-really-sweet-but-I'm-gonna-act-like-I-have-attitude look in her eyes.  The judges like it (Ellen says its was really "horny"... lol) but Simon said it was loud and annoying.  Honestly though, I think it will probably be enough to get Katie through another week. 

Casey James- "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy": I was assuming they were leaving Casey until last tonight because his bluesy vocals would lend themselves well to Elvis tunes.  I was expecting a whole lot, and unfortunately, Casey didn't deliver.  It wasn't horrible.... but it just wasn't the great performance that I had imagined.  I think I had built it up in my head that Casey could have "a moment" (sorry for using the judges over-used term).  It was OK.  He seemed a little disconnected from it.  I think Casey could have benefitted from doing a more recognizeable song.  He could have connected more with the audience.  Overall, I wanted marvelous and I just got "meh". 



My personal ranking of this week's contestants:
1. Michael Lynche
2. Cyrstal Bowersox
3. Lee Dewyze
4. Kate Stevens
5. Tim Urban (did I really just rank him top 5? What is this show coming to?!?)
6. Casey James
7. Siobhan Magnus
8. Aaron Kelly
9. Andrew Garcia

Elimination Predictions:
With two eliminations this week, it makes things a bit interesting!  I hope that it is finally time for Andrew to go home.  I really think this is it.  He was already in the bottom two last week, so we know his fan base is waning.  I honestly think that it will be Andrew and Aaron.  Aaron was underwhelming... and he was the other person in last week's bottom three, so we know his fan base isn't quite as strong either.  If its not Andrew or Aaron, then the only others would be Katie and/or Tim.  I only say Tim because I have hated him every week and he has made it... so with this being the first week I have actually tolerated him, America will probably send him home.  And Katie is the weakest of the three girls... and obviously America doesn't like the girls this season (the first three elims were all female)... so I could see Katie slipping to the bottom two as well.

With that said, I still strongly believe that the eliminated contestants tonight will be Andrew and Aaron.