AI 9 5-18-10 The producers have crowned their king

Elliston, Ohio; Mount Prospect, Illinois; and Cool Texas are three towns seeing their heroes return. Who will bring it all the way home? This is the fight for the finale. This is AMERICAN IDOL!

Let us get right to discussing the performances while I leave my usual ranting and raving until the end.

Our contestants will be singing twice tonight, which includes a song of their choice and then a choice by the judges.

Casey James – “OK, it’s alright with me”

Casey is standing on the stage with his guitar singing poorly. Mr. One trick pony that does absolutely nothing to sell the number. The beginning of this song was rough with Casey remaining flat through the first half of the performance. The ending was strange and awkward to say the least. This was just a dull and terrible performance. I disliked the entire thing. Why is Casey even still standing?

Randy – This was all right for me but I wanted to hear something more exciting. This is not the time to play it safe.

Ellen – You needed to bring it home tonight but this was just okay.

Kara – It is hard when you pick a song people do not know especially at this point in the competition. You cannot make an unknown song your own because you are establishing it. (I would disagree with Kara because if the song is unfamiliar to your audience they have nothing to compare it to and therefore it would be original.) This did not work in your favor.

Simon – This is arguably the most important night in your life but this song will leave no lasting impression with the audience. This song is like a salad at dinner because you are hoping for something substantive to come. This sounded like you were playing for cash on the street. At least you sounded good.

Crystal Bowersox – “Come to my window”

I love this song and I love Crystal. I have no clue what our infamous judges were listening to but I thought this was a superb and passionate vocal. Crystal simply is an artist and she brought some soul to the song. My criticism is I felt the screaming at the end seemed over the top when a more simple lift to the voice would have been sufficient and she really did not need the harmonica. Crystal brought it home and she was spot on with the key.

Randy – I did not love the arrangement but what I did like was how you and your vocals rose above the problems with the song. I thought the song choice was good.

Ellen – I agree with Randy. This is the sort of artist you are striving to be. You were in your comfort zone. Melissa would approve.

Kara – I agree as well because you got a little lost in the arrangement. Your voice does not have the edge and rasp that Melissa’s does. Your vocals were good but you need to have a moment tonight.

Simon – I agree as well. This is not the best version of the song. Crystal what I like is you never compromise yourself as an artist; you have stayed true to you. I respect you a lot for that. You gave an honest performance and you made the right choice.

Lee DeWyze – “Simple Man”

I realize I am in the minority but I did not like this performance at all. I thought Lee butchered the song. Lee is never able to stay in tune fading in and out constantly. Do not even get me started regarding his mumbling of the words. ENUNICATE please!

Randy – The song choice was brilliant. I can hear you doing this type of album. I think you are starting to feel like you can win.

Ellen – You were like a baby lamb when we first met you and now you are a gazelle or an impala. (WTF?)

Kara – You did everything a contestant should do and showed us everything you had. Round one to Lee.

Simon – Your choice was right on the money. You crushed the other two.

Casey James – “Daughters”

Randy and Kara chose this song for Casey. All I can say is the performance is not terrible. Casey provides nothing new or special except perhaps being able to stay in tune just a little easier. On the other hand, Casey’s guitar playing is phenomenal.

Randy – I think this song fit Casey really well. (What else can you say?)

Ellen – This was beautiful.

Kara – I like how you showed more of your artistic and sensitive side because this is where you shine. We made the right choice with this song. (There is nothing like tooting your own horn!)You changed the song up where you needed to without straying too far from the original.

Simon – This was much better than the first performance but it was a lazy arrangement. The climax was a “quite limpy guitar solo.” I blame Kara and Randy for not giving you a chance for a bigger moment.

Crystal Bowersox – “Maybe I’m amazed”

Crystal was simply amazing. This was just an awesome performance. There was so much sincerity and emotion in the delivery of this song. The vocals were spot on and gave me goose bumps. Crystal was in the moment and free to lift her voice to the heavens. I especially love how she did not change the gender of the words. Crystal commanded the stage with only her voice.
Randy – The vocals were great and we have another contestant who is in it to win it.

Ellen – I could not have asked for more. You did it.

Kara – You did not change things up that much but you showed new parts of your voice we have not heard before. You also took a risk by not playing an instrument.

Simon – I was initially surprised by the song choice but now I get it. You have proven you have soul. You worked outside of your comfort zone and you may be thanking Ellen for putting you through to the finals.

Lee DeWyze – “Hallelujah”

I think this was a safe choice for Lee. I will give credit to Lee that his enunciation improved greatly but I was not bowled over by the performance. I found Lee to continue to fade in and out of the correct key. There were some incredibly sharp notes as well as some horrible flat notes as well. Lee was assisted greatly with the entrance of eight backup singers and the buildup of the band. Lee was connected but I think it is the song versus the singer. Lee is simply overrated. I would not have chosen this song as Tim sang this earlier in the season. I believe Tim’s version had much more emotional impact than Lee and I hated Tim as a contestant.

Randy – This is what I have been waiting for during the entire season, someone to throw down the gauntlet to win.

Ellen – There is not anything much to add other than that it was stunning.

Kara – You are what the show is all about. You started out in one place and ended up in another. This was epic and you owned the night.

Simon – You have proven that you are a great singer and person and I hope you make it into the final two.

The entire program ticked me off last night because the producers were doing everything in their power to promote Lee via his order in performing; the way Ryan was questioning him, the formatting of the judge’s comments bypassing any hint of what was not correct and what is up with providing him backup singers as well. The only other thing the producers could have done was use the video monitors flashing, “We want Lee to win so vote for him.”

Based on performance alone, Casey should go home and I will predict he is the one going but his fan base is strong which could spell trouble for Crystal.

A Lee and Casey finale will be pure torture where at least if Crystal is competing I have someone to support. There is no way I would ever spend money to purchase music from either Lee or Casey but I will be standing in line for Crystal.

I think the judges were shameful and if they are picking the songs then clearly song choice cannot be a criticism although I enjoyed Kara and Simon’s cat fight.

The filler in tomorrow’s results show will have to be the video montage of the contestant’s trips home. I am not excited about Justin Bieber as a performer. In addition, Perez Hilton will be around to pimp some boy singer, wow, I cannot wait for that performance –NOT!

Until tomorrow…