I'm pretty much with Squisher on that recap ! To me, they ALL did better (or at least stepped out of their boxes more) than I had prepared to see. Turns out Shania Twain night (and the woman/her mentoring skills, too) rocked the place! Starting with what I guess I think was the worst of 'em (since I reckon even in a good group with strong showings, somebody has to bring up the tail end ...)? I'd say it was Siobhan. Something about all of it just didn't fit together right, in my estimation. But the judges gushed a bit, so I may be way out in left field. Next "worst" (imagine such an adjective used in her direction ) might be Crystal? Personally, I liked her doing "No One Needs To Know Right Now" ~ especially the little combo supporting her as opposed to the 'big orchestra' bit. She sang it nicely, too --- got all frisky-ish with it. It's all wrong to even observe it (since she gets preached at so to *change it up*) but it seemed a bit of a disorienting switch to see her step into a [slightly] different mode. I thought she was terrific, though. She's gotten a tad too niched this year --- for her own sake in the contest, it was refreshing to see her un-niche (is that a word?) a little. Mike sang a lovely song, and delivered it in a lovely way. Whoever brought up Luther Vandross was spot on. And since he didn't genuflect all over the place, I could watch him without flinching (or thinking of electric chairs) as he went. He's got a very, very relaxing voice when it comes out right ~ even though that one falsetto note he popped last night likely stopped traffic for a second or three. But, heck, I think ALL of them butchered more than a note in their shows, here and there. Whew ! Poor Lee started off like a low horsepower tractor stuck in a swamp, didn't he? I was all kinds of nervous ... until he did his typical good pattern. Rip into the chorus, hit the big notes, rasp like a pro, bring it home, then repeat. Im starting to think (know?), too, that he's the best one up there when it comes to picking the perfect-est songs for himself. To me, it's a toss-up as to which of the two "comeback gents" won the evening. Aaron or Casey? After a frustrating pit stop on the Casey racetrack, I think he did a pretty awesome job on "Don't!". Is it too late in the game for him to get that what works for him (and pretty much everybody else) is to throw yourself out there in front of the audience, stripped naked [symbolically speaking] and vulnerable, and let your tune pull 'em in. It works so well for him, especially, when that happens. Then there's High School student Aaron (who, just in case you didn't notice, is no longer 16 ... he's 17 now , almost middle-aged, huh?). I'm starting to make myself a good bit uncomfortable with it, but I really really like what that kid does. Even on his (rather often) 'off' nights, he does what Casey should have learned weeks ago: he pours himself, full throttle, into the heart of his songs. And he *means* it every single time, win or lose. He's not ready (just by calendar rotten luck) to be a major recording artist just yet. Give him five years, though. His spin on "It's The Way You Love Me" was one of the top three most honest good performances I've seen for a long time ~ even in the shadow of Crystal's brutally sincere highlight last week.

Bottom three? I'd definitely predict Siobhan and Mike. Who'd be the other, I wonder? Mere process of elimination suggests Casey -- but this week, he wasn't a bottom three anything, anywhere.

Quote:

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I have a sneaking feeling that Mike may be on the bubble.

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I'm of the very same 'sneaking feeling'. But I still think he was much better than Siobhan. But I repeat: they were all pretty darned good on Tuesday night ...

My gal Siobhan is gone! Waaa! Her performance last night wasn't great, but I guess I had blinders on because she was one of my faves. Best of luck to her with her musical pursuits!

Quote:

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But I repeat: they were all pretty darned good on Tuesday night ...

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Yes Gats, they were all pretty good for a pretty average lot.


I am sorry to see Siobahn go too Squisher. Out of all of them I think that Siobahn was the best in actually performing a song. She had the theatrics and emotions that most of the others don't really have this year. I think Siobahn's quirkiness may have been her downfall in the end. She was a bit too unusual, maybe even a little old fashioned (I sound like Simon ) which could have cost her votes, especially if the majority of votes are from young teenage girls. I loved her uniqueness and I think she will have a career after Idol if she is willing to take advice and learn from the whole experience.

Ok, so next week is Sinatra week with Harry Connick Jr arranging and writing the orchestrations for the contestants. Hmmm, could Harry be thinking about replacing Rickey next year? (Just thinking out loud.) Who will do well with this theme? I'm not sure but lets hope they do show that they are worthy of being in the top 5.

I've just checked and there have only been nine different Sinatra songs done on Idol over the years. There have been 14 performances but a few have been done more than once. They have a list of about 50 songs to choose from so let's hope they choose something different.

I just watched the tape of the show (Harry Connick, Jr. was an awesome mentor, if I may say so - very helpful AND very funny as he went). The only couple o' things I can think to say is that the arrangements were, pretty much across-the-board, incredible. Also (pretty much) the vocals didn't quite match up to them. Once again, though, [almost] none were exactly *bad* in the singing department ~ it's kinda the pattern this season. Reliable, sort of sleepy, but NO fireworks. In my opinion, there's no need to get all buggy about figuring out the 'bests' or 'worsts'. Casey took care of not making that necessary. I like Casey, mostly, but his take on "Blue Skies" was dreadful. I reckon he could be forgiven since he was so far out of his element, and so forth? Nah. No forgiveness from me. That song coming out the way that it did was about a lot more than "being out of one's comfort zone". It was truly painful to watch, zones be damned. Starting there, then, everybody (no matter what they sang or how they sang it) was better. Big Mike was a very 'cool' showing, eh? Nice song, well-delivered. Perfect amount of swagger, too ! And the buzz on the web this morning seems to be that Lee might actually (really, could happen) win this season! *Crystal Love* seems to be on a bit of a wane today. That could change in the next week or two, however - she and Lee have been passing the stellar reviews back and forth like a ping pong ball. DeWyze did, last night, offer what seemed like his best technical performance to date, and he looked quite at ease up on stage, too. I remain (loyally) a staunch fan of the paint store salesman.

Bottom three? Who knows? Casey just has to be there, probably Aaron too (but Aaron, while not outstanding, held his own on Sinatra night). Might Crystal make her debut on the other side of the stage? She probably ought to --- but she's the only girl left and will probably pick up a votes boost for that reason alone. And she sang her tune nicely, I thought. Her track record is mega-sound, and Mr. Mike's isn't, so much. So I think he'll be in the tank tonight. But I'm totally sure he'll end up safe (Crystal, too, if she's the other one in the basement). Casey must, must, must be sent home, in my estimation.

Casey was the worst last night, yeah. And Aaron might have been the one I liked most (though I didn't really love any of them, just not my style of music..). But I'd much rather see Aaron go home than Casey. I like Casey..

I'm backing Lee for the win -- it actually does seem quite possible now! I guess everyone here knows I've been riding the Lee Train all season, but it's still great fun to watch him succeed. Crystal's quirkiness may benefit him in the end, too -- much like Adam Lambert's benefitted Kris Allen last year. I thought he did a great job last night when the only other person who seemed at all comfortable on the stage was Mike.

I can't remember how it usually goes, but I'm thinking since there are only 5 left, there will only be a bottom 2 tonight? If that's the case it seems inconceivable that those two would be any other than Casey and Aaron. Mike got raves from the judges last night, and I'm assuming Crystal's fan base will put her through. Since Aaron out-performed Casey and since he has the entire teen fan base now (thanks, Tim Urban), it seems it could only be Casey biting the bullet tonight. But America has shocked me many, many times before!

I thought Harry Connick, Jr. was maybe the best mentor ever. He should take Rickey Minor's job when he decamps for the Tonight Show. OR...he should take Simon's job...that might be interesting!

I love Harry Connick jr but am not fussed on Sinatra so the show last night was a bit hit and miss for me.
Still loving Lee and Crystal and hope for them to be the top two.

With Lee though I think I'd much prefer to see him in the corner of a pub belting out his tunes than in a huge stadium with fifty thousand others. Seems to me that would suit him more.

Connick was exactly what a mentor should be on this show. Most of the others give a few minutes to each contestant and offer critiques of their song, and maybe a suggestion or two.

It was evident that Connick was going to be different when he hit the high key on the piano and asked Aaron if that sounded good coming after the lower key he was playing in. You could tell he didn't just give passing advice to get through the show and sell his latest record. He actually wanted to help. I hope they have more actual musicians like him in the future. Not just popular singers.

Bah ! Now that just ain't right. Aaron's days were numbered, I realize, but he oughtn't have gotten the boot tonight (instead of Casey). I was listening to that heartful little guy sing himself out just now --- and all I could think was how superior it sounded when compared to that "Blue Skies" debacle just 24 hours ago . Ah, well. Looks like, maybe, that 'tween fan base might have shifted to the Construction Worker? But, alas, High School Student Aaron's week was likely either this one or next one, I suppose. But Casey not even in the 'Bottom Two'? Bah .

I missed the show tonight -- who was in the bottom 2 with Aaron?

I agree that based strictly on Tuesday night's performances, Casey should have been the one to go home tonight. But he had a strong performance last week with "Don't" that the judges liked, so that may have helped him. Still, I can't believe he wasn't even in the bottom 2, hence my question above. I'd have bet money on that one. And it's true that Aaron likely would have gone next week anyway -- he certainly didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning this thing. But one would like a sense of justness in the elimination order, and sometimes it just doesn't go that way. (Melinda Doolittle going home before Blake Lewis? Seriously?) At least Aaron didn't go home waaaay too early like Janell Wheeler. (Yeah, I'm still miffed about that one.)

Aaron and Mike were the bottom dwellers tonight. And I'm not quite over Janell either . And I'll turn 137 years old before I'm over the Melinda Doolittle oust! Bah (again!). That was so wrong that there was/is no proper adjectives to describe it.

I forgot to post my recap last night, I guess that's how excited I was. Anyway, I agree, Harry Connick Jr. was an excellent mentor. His humour bordered on abrasive, but he sure was refreshing. Being a musical genius sure doesn't hurt the show either!

Tsk, that little lamb Casey SHOULD have gone home. What happened? I'm sad to see Aaron go. I will be happy if either Crystal or Lee win it all now.

I don't really have much to say about this week except that I enjoyed Harry Connick Jr's mentoring. He mentored our Australian Idol's last year and did a great job then as well.

I think that the producers and judges really got it wrong this year with who they chose as contestants and are now trying to "talk them up" and overpraise them to keep people voting (and also to sell the upcoming tour). This year hasn't really grabbed me at all like the last two seasons did. I don't really care who wins this year and that is saying something as I (usually) really love Idol.

I think the Crystal-love is waning with the voters and I don't think she will win it. I'm not sure if she would even need to now as she has her head start already but I suppose there may not be as many record deals this year and to be assured of a deal she would need to be in the top two at least. I think Lee will probably win as he is the most marketable out of all of them and I don't really think that he knows who he is as a musician just yet. He can be molded into whoever 19E wants him to "be". Just my 2 cents worth..

Jamie Foxx mentoring next week (songs of the cinema). He was pretty good last year, so it might be worth watching. Yawn.. I'll try and stay awake for it..

I found a list of the songs the contestants get to choose from for movie week. Not a great list, it is. But judge for yourself:

* (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
* (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
* A Whole New World – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga
* Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
* Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) – Christopher Cross
* Beauty and the Beast – Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson
* Can I Have This Dance – Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron & the Cast of HS Musical
* Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John & London Community Gospel Choir
* Can’t Fight the Moonlight – LeAnn Rimes
* Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
* Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
* Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
* Evergreen – Barbra Streisand
* Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
* Flashdance (What a Feeling) – Irene Cara
* Footloose – Kenny Loggins
* Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman – Bryan Adams
* I’m Alright (Theme from Caddyshack) – Kenny Loggins
* Into the West – Howard Shore and Annie Lennox
* Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
* It Might Be You (from Tootsie) – Stephen Bishop
* Kiss From a Rose – Seal
* Let the River Run – Carly Simon
* Moon River (from Moon River) – Audrey Hepburn & Henry Mancini
* Mrs Robinson – Simon & Garfunkle
* My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
* One Night Only – Jennifer Hudson, Deena Jones & The Dreams
* Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
* Separate Lives – Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
* Summertime – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
* Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from Top Gun) – Berlin
* Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
* We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) – Tina Turner
* You’ll Be in My Heart – Glenn Close & Phil Collins

What does everyone think the Idols should pick from this very limited songbook?

I want to see Lee sing "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls most of all. I think that song fits his voice and style perfectly. Another choice would be "Up Where We Belong" since Lee's already got Joe Cocker written all over him. But I'd choose "Iris" if I were Lee. (The only bad thing about this song is the first verse has the line "I don't want to go home right now", and it seems a bit like tempting fate to sing such a line.)

The obvious choice for Crystal would be "Let The River Run" since Carly Simon's probably the "folkiest" artist on the list. She could do "Summertime" and it might be quite interesting -- but might end up being compared to Fantasia's truly amazing rendition (one of the best Idol performances ever), so unless she totally nailed it, the plan could backfire. I could also see her doing a stripped-down acoustic version of "We Don't Need Another Hero".

For Mike, I'd go with "Kiss From A Rose".

Casey's strongest performances have been ballads, so I'm gonna give him either of the Bryan Adams songs. He likes songs that have been played to death on the radio, so these should work. He could probably also do "Iris", but I'm giving that to Lee, so Casey can't have it!

It's a very short list, everyone, so let the speculating begin!

Haha as soon as I read "Iris", I thought Lee, before even reading your comment below the list!

I like "Kiss from a Rose" for Mike too. Maybe "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

I hope Casey doesn't do Bryan Adams, but you're right, those do seem like his obvious choices..

Not sure about Crystal, but some reason I think I'd like to hear her try "Can't Fight the Moonlight", but a little more 'toned down' I guess, than LeAnn Rimes does it.

Hmm. First thing I thought after browsing the list? Mike = "It Might Be You".

I saw that list too Starfish and thought Ugh! So much for wanting them to be "current" this year.

The songs to steer clear of would be My Heart Will Go On, Flashdance and Footloose as I'm sure they are the songs of doom!

If one of them can take a song and reinvent it like Kris Allen did with "Falling Slowly" last year, it could turn the whole competition around. (Well, almost, I'm exaggerating a bit ) If not then hopefully Crystal (or anyone who has the faintest idea about music) might fight for a song they would really want rather than settle for that limited list. Somehow with this crop of Idols, I don't think it will happen.

I can't believe the judges have the gall to tell the contestants they're not current enough if those are the kind of lists they get to choose from.

Yes, and they also tell them they are too old-fashioned and then three weeks later have them sing Sinatra songs!

I personally don't mind that they sing older tunes, since I'm older. I especially love it when they have classic bands like Queen because I don't need to see a list of songs and can start thinking of what they might choose. (If Chris Daughtry had taken my advice during Queen week, he'd have done better than with that obscure Queen song he chose!) If they only sang contemporary stuff week after week, like Lady Gaga or that awful Keisha person with the dollar sign in her name, I'd be totally lost!

I've noticed that the judges only accuse the contestants of being old-fashioned when it's a wide-open week and they could have chosen something more contemporary. But then the producers choose older theme weeks ~ and then it's OK to be old-fashioned.

Everyone's suggestions for songs have been great! It's fun speculating, yes? But, oh, wow, what a limited list they have for this week!

Why am I thinking I can hear Lee do a pretty cool version of "We Don't Need Another Hero", too? And, yeah. I totally agree Casey will likely go with Bryan Adams. Even though he oughtn't ... he needs to be the one that rearranges something brilliantly this week, gets all creative with it as he does it, and erase any memories of Frank Sinatra. In his case, erase any recall of Ol' Blue Eyes from now until the end of time. I have no idea what Crystal should try ~ but the Carly song seems like a good fit, I agree. Another option might be the Annie Lennox/LOTR tune, maybe?

I, for one, would bet the rent money that Aaron will absolutely be doing "My Heart Will Go On". Oh, yes. That's right. I forgot one minor detail/glitch in that prediction . Never mind ...

Casey does need to "rearrange something brilliantly" but I'm not sure he's got it in him. In most of his performances so far, he seems to have attempted to present an exact replica of the original. This has led me to think that maybe Casey is more suited to headline a cover band.

There are some additions that have been added to the original iTunes song list according to MJ's blog.

They are:

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Falling Slowly (NO - Kris Allen's only)
Gangsta’s Paradise
Ghostbusters (Just NO)
Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky) HUH?
I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly (Already done by Aaron)
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
I Will Always Love You
Jai Ho
Jailhouse Rock
Live and Let Die
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Purple Rain
Stayin’ Alive
Superfly – Curtis Mayfield
Will You Be There – Michael Jackson

Some of these songs could make things a bit more interesting don't you think?
I can just see someone doing Gangsta's Paradise and whoever does Eminem gets extra points in my opinion just for trying it.. I can imagine Crystal doing "Will You Be There", it could be her "moment" if she has a choir backing her..

The theme from Rocky has me puzzled, there are only nine lines to sing in that song and most of them are repeated.. It's gotta be a joke, surely?

Some of these could be the duets, I think. I can see "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" being done as a duet with Crystal and/or Lee/Mike/Casey. I just hope that no one does Ghostbusters.. not even a duet, or I'm switching off.

Ok, hot off the press..

Duets revealed:

Crystal & Lee

Mike & Casey

Hmm.. Now what will they sing?