An overview and an elimination

Coming up next, we’re gonna have the judges deliberate and send someone home.
Major dramz up, peeps . . . it’s time to announce the bottom 2 . . .

Charley Jenkins and Alyson Gilbert are the bottom 2 from the judges . . . . Jeffrey voted for Charley to go home . . . John Rich wants Alyson to go home . . . so, it’s up to The Jewel . . . she’s gonna send Charley home . . .



And, he’s gonna cry. Ugh. I hate to see people go. Charley wasn't great, but I didn't think that any one of the acts was really that bad . . . BUT . . . only a couple were really several steps above the rest.

Overall, for the first show, I’m kind of impressed. The talent is good and the concept is Idol like . Next week the contestants get split into men, women, and groups and are paired with a judge. Kind of like this concept a little Idol meets the X Factor . . .

Gimme some comments, y'all . . . Did anybody watch?

Top 4: Rankings and Predictions

A Quick and Dirty on last night and tonight.

Song rankings:

1. Lil David Song 1
2. Lil David Song 2
3. Cookie Song 2 (minus sound problems)
4. Syesha Song 1
5. Cookie Song 1
6. Cuteness Song 2
7. Syesha Song 2
8. Cuteness Song 1

Overall Rankings (Using Rubbertoe scoring system, circa last week)

1. Lil David 20+
(Huge Cookie Fo-Head Space)
2. Cookie 15
3. Syesha 14
4. Cuteness 13

America's Bottom 2: David Cook and Jason Castro
Eliminated: The Cuteness moves on to grassier knolls . . .

Lil David Loves Me Tender and Makes J's Chin Quiver . . .

Lil David's up next and workin Norah Jones version of Love Me Tender – When I heard he was singin this song, I told Allison I thought this could be a “moment” for Lil David. . . . Just sittin at the mic, very simple, I like that. I don’t know what to say . . . if I could include a little webcam of myself, you would see that I am weeping . . . not just crying, but chin quivering, a little beside myself, kind of crying. Just absolutely simplistically stunning. For me, he has far and away surpassed the competition tonight. Randy loved it. Paula thought he had a moment. Simon thought he crushed the competition.

Overall, Lil David and the rest . . . Interestingly, I think that Syesha could very likely be safe . . . gonna do a little more thinking and post some rankings and predictions . . .

What do y'all think?

Top 5, An Overview: Diamonds In the ROUGH!

Um, again, I'm gonna say, if you want to produce relevant, current, artists in today's pop, altpop, singer songwriter element, why, IN THE NAME OF WAYNE NEWTON, would you make these teens and twenty somethings sing TWO, YES TWO, NEIL DIAMOND songs. Make them sing one ND song and one current top 40 song OR one ND song and one HOT 100 song from the NEW MILLENIUM! SOMETHING! UGH!

Anyhoo, tonight was Nizzle Dizzle night! And, overall, the idols did not do a half bad job picking songs that were good for their range. I think it is fairly obvious why the instrument players make up 4 of the top 5 finalists. They KNOW their vocal range, and have a better idea of what they are comfortable/sound good singing.

A teensy weensy editorial to follow (INDULGE ME!)

I may have a different take than others, and may be over analyzing, but I believe that the Idol Machine has learned from its AI 5 mistakes, and that is why we saw the order of performances we saw tonight. Now, Y’all know I HEART American Idol, but, I think the VERY LAST THING they wanted was to end up with three guys and one girl in the final four. When that last happened in AI 5, they set up a final 4 just ripe for an upset (Taylor, Daughtry, Elliot, Katharine). But, if they end up with 2 guys and 2 girls, AI 7 could very well end up with the David vs. David finale they and WE so much desire. . . Only the second finale in AI history that had the two best performers/vocalists together (Rueben vs. Clay being the other). Therefore, the current night’s lineup was inevitable. In my very humble opinion ((IMVHO), Syesha was the most vulnerable coming in . . . they had to place her in the “pimp spot” to insure she stayed around . . . Castro has a stronger fan base and needed to be first . . . Brooke has a stronger fan base than Syesha but maybe equal to Jason . . . The Idol Machine plays around with three contestants who are NOT going to win this competition so that they can try to get the finale they want. In addition, they pimp Syesha further to try and get her a Broadway career . . . CLEARLY the girl’s venue . . . thus insuring that about six to seven of the 12 idol finalists find careers in the industry . . . thus, keeping the Idol Machine very culturally relevant.

Let's face it . . . whether or not this is the most talented Top 12, it definitely has the potential to be the MOST recorded/contracted group in Idol history. The following have a very nice possibility of finding SOME level of recording success in some area of the industry: Lil David, Rocker David, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Kristy Lee Cook (who'd of thought). . . 8 of 12 could very realistically obtain recording contracts . . .

All that to say, the Idol Machine was very smart tonight . . . I would have bet prior to the performances that Syesha and a Brooke OR Jason would be in the Bottom 2 . . . however, Syesha in the pimp spot and performing adequately very likely means a JASON and a Brooke/David/David in the Bottom 2 . . . and, I think almost guarantees a TWO guy TWO girl final four . . .

Of course, if Brooke or Syesha gets voted out tomorrow, I reserve the right to print a statement that compeltely retracts this post as being inpsired at gun point or by drugs administered by insurgents . . . :)

A set of rankings to follow

Top 7: A second look and J's predicitons

Might I say before we get into the rankings that La Carey completely surprised me . . .much like La Lopez did last season. I assumed from all that I have read that Mimi was a diva . . . and she might be . . . but girlfriend worked it OUT as an Idol mentor. Not only did she come off as genuine, but she gave them substantive tips that could help them with their performances . . . excellent job!

1. The Cuteness – “I Don’t Wanna Cry” – I was really, really worried about The Cuteness this week. . . .particularly after I saw his choice of song. However, sweet goodness, the boy did a good job. For the first time, The Cuteness stretched his vocal range and kind of, sort of . . . ish . . . esque . . . embraced his romantical troubadour side. WHICH HE SO NEEDED TO DO! Certainly not the best vocal of the night, but this performance puts the #7 bookend just above the #1 bookend for me. Great Job on a night that wasn’t for you.

2. Lil David – “When You Believe” – David A. was the one contestant I wasn’t worried about . . . the boy can indeed “sing” anything. Eleventy times over, the boy has one of the best “voices” to ever grace the idol stage. He still lacks the stage presence, but he has far and away the best voice in the competition.

3. Brooke White – “Hero” – The first half of this song was a big ball of awesome. However, I don’t agree with Randy that the “bridge was bad” . . . I thought she hit all of her notes well, but something happened in the middle of the song. On a second listen, I didn’t hear a problem . . . my guess is that for someone who plays the piano and sings, something happened in her head (missed a pedal push, thought she missed a note, lost her fingers on the piano, etc.) . . . and, the result was, the last half lost something. I think she did what she had to do . . . . she should be safe. . . .but, could be in danger.

4. The Comeback Kid – KLC did a very nice job. She is still the most clever competitor of all seven AI seasons. It is hard for a girl to when Paula over . . . Paula so did not heart her in the first two weeks, and now she loves her. . . Not quite as good as last week, but she was the reverse of Brooke. The first half of the song was not great . . . she was clearly waiting for the middle bridge so she could kick it up a notch . . . but, when the notch was kicked, she was frackin brilliant! I put her third because Brooke’s first half was great with piano . . . but KLC’s vocals ruled, again. Just great.

5. Carly Smithson – “Without You” – I was SO looking forward to this performance. I HEART this song, and it takes me back to Kelly Clarkson in Season One. I LOVED the first half of the performance. She was restrained and new her limits. However, as I listened to it back on youtube, I think that she sounded great in the second half and was relaxed, but I don’t think she let loose like she could have. The second half of that song so needs to be overflowing with emotion like Mt. St. Helens . . . but, on second listen, she hit the notes, but didn’t have the confidence . . . Still a better performance than last week.

6. David Cook – Again, thank buddah for Youtube . . . . a second listen gave me a wee different perspective than the first run through. Don’t get me wrong, I still didn’t love this remix. I appreciate that I think he did this one himself . . . unless we here differently later . . . but, my problem with this remake still is that all he did was slow down the vocals. The arrangement was GORGEOUS! But, the band overshadowed his vocals and his vocal version made me think of the original . . . which made me wonder why it was slowed down and why there was no beat. Translation . . . didn’t quite work for me. I still HEART Rocker David . . . and he is SO safe (particularly with his position in the line up) . . . . just not my cup ‘o tea remix . . .

7. Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing" - Ok, so, I HEART youtube., second listens are good. I kept wondering during the performance what was missing . . . she was vocally almost pitch perfect. . . . for doing a Mimi clone performance. However, on second listen, technically she was GREAT . . . but, there was no feeling behind it. Almost seems like she concentrated so hard on hitting the notes and the vibrato that she forgot to infuse this song with the emotion it needs. The song is about a love who is “vanishing”, going away, leaving you . . . and it just kind of left me cold.

My Bottom Three will NOT be America’s Bottom Three.

My predictions for America’s Bottom 3: Syesha, Carly, Brooke
Going Home: Syesha


Andrew Lloyd Webber on deck . . . .

The Top 7's Venture Into Mimi Land

I don't think I can craft a synopsis yet. I'm so unclear as to how to rate anyone . . . I must retreat to my youtube refuge to review the performances and figure out where the hell to place everyone.

The only early prediction I will make is that the bookends are safe. Lil David and The Cuteness will safely move into the Top 6. Otherwise, I'm unclear . . . I shall return.