American Idol Season 6 2/20/07 Elimination Round Episode 1 - The Men

I am doing my happy dance, not because the performances were so great, they weren't but American Idol is back and my fingers were doing the walking. I didn't see the show as it occurred but after I got home from a class. It only took me 45 minutes to get through the 2 hour show because I only watched the performances and the judges comments. It basically gave me an hour to vote and I used to my advantage. More of about that later along with my predictions of which two men will be escorted out on Thursday.

Everything was back, the red room, the cheesy background visuals along with the snapping between Ryan and Simon plus Simon and Paula. I was in American Idol heaven, oh baby!

On with my comments:

Rudy Cardenas - "Free Ride": I can't let it go without a comment. These people need a stylist, I realize they don't get them technically until they get to the Top 12 but please, a sweatshirt with a target it on. The target was distracting, annoying and I wanted to shoot him to get it over with. What was the kid thinking? His performance was pretty energetic but his vocals weren't. He had terrible enunciation, I could hard understand him and he had horrible breath problems and we won't even get into how pitchy he was either. He managed the chorus because he went into a higher register but his transitions aren't good and clearly has problems with the lower register. Overall it wasn't the best vocal. It sucks to be first in this case.

Randy - it was really corny and something I would hear in any bar in America (my god Randy is channeling Simon)

Paula - started fantastic, voice is fantastic

Simon - Nothing unique or distinctive, song is dated, you would get lost in a crowd.

Brandon Rogers - "Rock With You": clearly his performance skills were on display, he knows how to play to the crowd and even more important to the camera. Brandon has a nice tone to his voice but he had some pitch problems and I think he was trying way to hard to sell it and didn't need all those transitions, he should have stuck with a cleaner vocal choice. I like him overall but he needs to step it up more if he wants to continue. He was at least dressed appropriately.

Randy - not your best, a little pitchy, a little weird, don't over sing just do the melody

Paula - great job but too many runs, your not a back up singer, you need to sing like the lead

Simon - your a good singer but this was safe and predictable, you need to make more of an impact, you are better than that performance

Sundance Head - "Nights in White Satin": I liked his audition but as I said last week I won't have put him through based on his Hollywood performance. I think I was proven right. I did not like his suit and that King Tut goatee needs to go. I will give Sundance credit for choosing an interesting song it is just too bad he hasn't lived up to his audition number. Mr. Head (can you imagine hearing that over a loud speaker) was the first performer who was totally overwhelmed by the band and can we talk about pitch problems. He was so off key when he started and his enunciation sucked as well. If you are singing lyrics I want to actually hear and understand the words. I just did not enjoy this performance at all.

Randy - where is the bluesy vibe, you were off pitch

Paula - wrong song choice, you are a better singer, pitch was off

Simon - you are like a dad in a wedding (I didn't get this comment at all), the whole thing was flat, I don't like you tonight. Paula's response to Simon was amusing - "I don't like you ever".

Paul Kim - "Careless Whispers": Oh where or where to begin. Song choice is everything and this is not a good choice. George Michael is way too hard to do and Paul did not have the voice for this number. Paul was very stiff and he wasn't selling the emotion of this song either. He was totally off key, and shall we say he just didn't bring that high falsetto note off and he couldn't transition back to the lower register very well either. This is the worst performance so far this evening and that is not saying much. I hate the whole barefoot thing just as much as I hated Jasmine's flower in her hair. This is a singing contest not a mediation contest - put on your damn shoes.

Randy - did not like the song, it was pitchy at the start, middle okay and the falsetto was bad, you still have potential though.

Paula - you over sang it, didn't find your center, pitchy but you are worth pushing through (not based on that performance)

Simon - I recommend you put your shoes on next week, very ordinary copy of George Michael, you didn't make it unique, it was a 3rd rate version

Chris Richardson - "I Don't Want To Be" - This was a better good performance. He cleans up well. He was at least on key. The vocals were good, I could understand him but his dancing and head movements were annoying. He has to boost his performance skills. I actually like Chris and he was clearly connecting with the audience. He needs to put out more effort but I think he can pull it off.

Randy - I think the show just got started, it was not your best performance but you made it work and you made it your own

Paula - great arrangement, different flavor, so much fun to watch you and your dad

Simon - Sorry to sound so negative tonight, I really really like you , you sounded small, you have potential, the girls will vote for you but just judging the vocal it was below standard.

Nick Pedro - "Now and Forever": I thought this was a good song choice. He has a great smile and definitely can play to the audience. I also thought his posture was strange, it looked like he was hunched over. He clearly had some pitch problems though. He pulled off the falsetto though. Why do these singers have such hard problems with the lower register? I am not sure why but I really like Nick and I feel he at least understood the emotion of the song he was trying to sell. Overall the best so far this evening and that is not saying much after the last 5.

Randy - it was not good, it was really boring, pitchy, we lost the Nick we love

Paula - I didn't feel it, it fell flat (it wasn't that bad)

Simon - It was that bad, you were very nervous, you are still a charming guy, your voice didn't sound that bad

Blake Lewis - "Somewhere Only We Know": Blake had a great outfit and I liked the use of the chair and sitting, it was appropriate when he was using vs. when he stood. Blake picked a great song for him and he pulled it off. There were a few pitch problems but overall excellent job. He surprised me and made the song his own. I totally liked this performance. This performance has moved up to being the best of the evening so far.

Randy - shock at song choice but I kinda dug it, so different, missed the beat-box, despite some pitch problems it was enjoyable

Paula - proud of you for choosing an odd song, contemporary, loved the falsetto, vocal spot on, not much pitch problems.

Simon - not the best vocal but the first person who came out and sounded like someone in 2007, right choice not to beat-box but to do something different, best performance tonight.

Sanjaya Malakar - "Knock Me Off my feet": will these contestants never learn about song choice, Stevie Wonder is difficult and rarely does any contestant pull it off. Sanjaya is cute, has a great smile but his vocal performance sucked in a major way. His performance was stiff, unexciting, just plain boring. He had some pitch problems but his vocal tone isn't too bad but his enunciation was terrible.

Randy - it wasn't very good, not a good song choice, it was really bad

Paula - you have a sweet soul, a very nice voice, need to see more personality

Simon - don't sing a song with a line" I don't want to bore you with this" because it was a dreary performance, it seemed to last forever, it was a waste of time performance, dull

Chris Sligh - "Typical": I thought his outfit was great and I hated the song Chris put on a great performance playing to the crowd, his vocals were generally alright although he had a few pitch problems and several times he got ahead of the music. He did well with the melody but had some problems with the transitions. It was just fun to watch him and I have to cheer for the fat kid. The only problem with Chris is you don't fight with the judges or Simon. He apparently hasn't paid attention to the previous seasons and those performers who do. It is okay to disagree but don't start the jabs, it never works and you come off looking like a spoiled brat. Just smile and agree to disagree. I think Chris did himself a disservice in fighting with Simon.

Randy - you were rushing ahead of the beat, voice on point

Paula - good song choice, you are not typical, so you were ahead of the chorus "so what?"

Simon - I agree your humor has gotten you this far, I like you, you have a fantastic personality but this was like some weird student gig (another reference I don't get) not a great vocal performance, just okay

Jared Cotter - "Back at One": Jared clearly looked comfortable on the stage and he has a great voice, the tone was good and he is cute which will pull in the young female audience for votes but I am not sure about the song choice. It didn't do much for me, it was too safe but at least he did a credible job but it was like imitating the original vs. making a song your own. I also didn't feel the passion of the song from him. He does get kudos's for an excellent vocal even with some of the minor pitch problems.

Randy - pretty good, didn't like ending, tough song to sing

Paula - sounded too much like Brian McKnight, there is more to you

Simon - it was unadventurous, a bit nasally, you look good, no one is going to wake up tomorrow to talk about this performance, you need to take more risks

AJ Tabaldo - "Never Too Much": this was by far my most favorite performance of the evening, he chose the right song, he showed some personality, his vocals were spot on and he had incredible diction. He had a great falsetto as well. Finally some color in an outfit as well.

Randy - looked like you were having fun, vocally it was pretty good, you didn't bring anything new though

Paula - you definitely can sing, your vocal tone had the girls melting, you need to go for it more, great job

Simon - good but not great, a "theme park performance", it was predictable and you need to choose a more daring song but you are better then I first thought

Phil Stacey - "I Could Not Ask for More": let us just say when Phil started out I had my first finger nail on the chalkboard moment but he overcame that horrible, disgusting beginning, rallied with the chorus and at least ended on a upbeat note. Pretty good vocal tone and good diction. Overall a good performance but not the best of the evening. The other thing which bothered me is he used that damn mike stand like Bo Bice and Chris Daughtry, I just can't take another season of rockers with the mike stand. I might go postal. Chris Sligh needs to take a lesson on how to handle criticism, Phil did just the right thing.

Randy - started out rough but best vocal prize of the night, rich full on-point (I don't think so...)

Paula - beginning was shaky but with the chorus you opened up

Simon - the beginning was absolutely monstrous but got better, not best, it was okay.



The men definitely did not shine during this first round but everyone wasn't horrible. There were good and bad about everyone. My favorites so far are AJ, Blake, Chris, Jared and Nick. The men will have to do much better if they want to remain. Many of them are going to be lucky that only two are going home on Thursday.

I didn't have time to vote but I managed to get in approximately 60 votes. My strategy was about who I totally hated and didn't want to come back so I didn't vote at all for Paul, Sundance or Sanjaya.

Picking the two to go is a difficult one because so many should, based on performance alone I think Sundance and Paul will head out the door but if Paul's earlier performances are remembered then Sanjana will get one of the bottom two spots. Those who are staying will have more to do with the female vote for cuteness vs. singing ability.

Until tonight, let's pray the women step up the game!