StoneRose Valley

Oh, man; I am so mad! Why, oh, why do people have to pick others apart?!!! Even on some of the most civil A-I sites they are doing it! Let me re-phrase that; the commenter’s are doing it. Not the blog owners. At least someone knows how to be civil out there.

OK. I just finished reading all of the comments; and they did get better. I feel much better now. But I do hate how people are bashing the two David’s. ‘One is great, the other awful!’ It’s been going both ways.
“Dave Cook mumbles; he can’t even sing!” What an obvious exaggeration!
“David A. is a deprived child; he has no personality and isn’t even normal!” I hate to break it to you, but a teen can be sweet and humble AND be normal; take a look at any one of my teen-aged siblings (I have five); all of whom are perfectly normal.

Oh, and I don’t know why everyone seems to think the producers chose a bad song for David A….that song (Longer) was just perfect for him. And if he had chosen a song the producers had chosen for another contestant…the logical course (to me) would be that he would have to pick another song.

I was pleased with the results last night….but there was a sour taste left in my mouth; due to the treatment of Syesha the night before. She really did a great job; personally I think her vocals were better than David A’s, and perhaps even DC’s.
Overall, I think the other two are better vocalists; and DC is definitely one of the most talented artists/musicians/arrangers I’ve ever seen/heard. The David’s just seemed to have a bit of an off night.

And Fantasia. All I can say is that Simon’s face completely summed up everything I felt. And I’m not a Fantasia hater. I actually have enjoyed her every other time I’ve seen her. Last night was just….unexplainable.

ROUND TWO
David Archuleta picked “With You” by Chris Brown.
His reason: “I wanted to try something more youthful this week. It’s something I haven’t done yet, and I thought, ‘Hey, it’s worth a shot’.”
I didn’t quite know what to think about this one. After I finally got over the “lyrical flub” at the beginning and realized what he was really saying (much to my relief), it was just alright for me. It wasn’t bad. Not at all. But it wasn’t great either. I’ve heard some commenter’s make fun of his dancing, and I think that’s just tacky. His dancing was just fine to me. His vocals were good. But I guess it was just the type of song that got me. It just didn’t seem like him. But that doesn’t mean that the performance was bad. I don’t think it was what the Archie fans have grown to love or expect from him, that’s all.
Randy had the same reaction as I did; “I applaud you for trying something new and young; but I don’t think it was the right song for you; it just wasn’t you.”
Paula thought he did a “Great job! It was perfect, at the right tone of your voice; You should be singing songs like this”. She even offered some constructive criticism: “Watch…shorten the phrases a little bit.”
Simon applauded the fact that David didn’t do “A ballad”, but thought it was rather like a Chihuahua trying to be a Tiger; just not really you. It was a bit awkward.”

Syesha Mercado chose “Fever” by Peggy Lee. She “liked the vibe of the song.”
I thought this was an interesting song choice…perhaps Syesha has taken the Broadway comments too seriously? Even saying that; I thought she did a great job. She is a really good performer; and I really liked it. She isn’t my favorite contestant, but there’s no denying that she is good. Well, the judges might deny it. I was very upset with them last night; I think they gave her a completely unfair, unjust critique (as follows).
Randy also thought it an “interesting song choice at this point. But you sang it amazingly well.” (Yes, I know that was positive, Randy was good to her; the others weren’t.)
Paula was also “Surprised at this song choice. I’m not sure it shows me who Syesha is as an artist…”
And Simon thought she would “Probably regret that[song choice] decision tomorrow, I think. It was quite a lame cabaret performance.”

David Cook chose “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot. His explanation? “Lyrically, for me, it wrapped up this whole experience here; you know, ‘Welcome to the planet. Welcome to existence. Everyone’s here.’ Like you[Ryan] said, going from being a ‘bartender’ to here…just seemed like the appropriate song for the appropriate moment.”
This band is a favorite among my siblings…so I’ve heard this song MANY times. I thought it was a great choice for him. After hearing it, I wasn’t so sure anymore. It was a little pitchy; but I did still like it. Was it only because it was David Cook who was singing? Maybe…I don’t think I can call that one. Randy said it was “A great song choice. Performance-wise…wasn’t the best. A little pitchy.”
Paula felt like she “only got the beginning of the song” and it left her wanting more.
Simon thought there wasn’t “much to add to that. Not the best melodic song in the world. Everyone had just an OK middle round.”

And no winners were called.

ROUND THREE
David Archuleta. The producers chose “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg for him to sing.
I thought this really was a GREAT song choice. The whole performance was very nice, vocals-yes! This was my favorite of Archie’s performances last night.
Randy again thought it an “Interesting song choice” but called it “Another hot one. In the zone vocally; You can sing the phonebook!”
Paula seemed quite happy with David final performance, saying “I expect nothing more. Very lovely; a lovely performance.”
Simon thought David “Sang it very well.” He then went on to criticize the song lyrics-how could David help that? He didn’t even pick the song-which is a lovely song, by the way. A loud Boo for Simon(maybe the only one he’s gotten from me ever)! He did admit that David had “Done enough to get into the finals next week.” I’m not so sure that he did do enough, but I think he will be there.

Syesha Mercado. The producers chose “Hit Me Up” by Gia Farrell. Wow. Another not very good song choice for Syesha. She was just plagued with them last night, poor girl.
I thought it was fun; She had nice vocals. It would be hard for me to get all the lyrics into the up-tempo pace of the song, but she did a great job. I also really liked the ending. She did a great job on a song that didn’t allow her to show her full potential.
Randy thought it was “Just OK. Just alright for me. But I can see you doing a song like that.”
Paula said she “Did the song very well. It wasn’t the type to define you as an artist either. I’m not sure it was enough to put you in the finale.”
Simon told her it was “Better than the second song for sure. Little forgettable; didn’t give you the defining moment I would have liked at this point in the show. To be honest with you, your best moment came last week with the Sam Cook song.”

David Cook. The producers chose “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. Another great choice by the producers!
David did an amazing job with this; it was awesome! My favorite from him last night; and definitely my overall favorite of the night!
Randy “Loved the song; But it was OK. Very predictable.” Yes, I agree, it was rather predictable, but it was still good. The same as Archie’s “Longer”.
Paula declared this one did have a “Beginning, middle, and an end. See ya’ in the finals!”
Simon thought it “One of the greatest songs of all time. I have to tell you, David Cook…you win the night.”

So…only six more minutes by my clock till the results show starts….we’ll see how they fared soon. And I may be back on here to rant and rave, whichever way it goes. I really think these top three are extremely talented.
As always, comments welcome!

Well, we’re down to it. Next week is the finale. Last night, three contestants performed, and tonight, one of them will be leaving. This happens every year. And usually (at least for me) it’s an unexpected contestant. Elliot Yamin, Melinda DooLittle…the list could go on…but I don’t remember that far back. I’m going to run through the night as it happened (as always), so know there’s no discrimination…at least, I try not to show any. And since I’m trying to write this in between work and related deadlines, I’ll post each round individually as I complete them. Sorry I didn’t get this up last night; but, if you’ve been reading consistently, you already know that my own computer has been having ‘issues’, and thus I am forced to use my parents…whenever they or one of my six siblings isn’t actually using it. Which was the case last night. I think each of the contestants at this stage this year are extremely talented. They all deserve to be here.
Oh, and before I start on my re-cap, I’m going to warn you (said warning may be totally unnecessary, as I’ve never had a nasty comment on here……and hey, I only average about one comment per post anyway! ); Please do be civil in your commenting. I just got through reading a few other blogs and posts on the subject, and some extremely rude people have really ticked my off with their criticisms and negative comments; half of which seem totally unfounded to start with. The whole thing about David Archuleta and his father just bugs me to death…millions of people making assumptions without being in possession of all the facts. Yes, by some bizarre twist of the mind, it may be true….but that’s only by a long shot. A VERY bizarre twist.
And I’ll also say that I agreed with almost every one of Simon’s thoughts on the contestants. All but one, at which point, I’ll let you know.
ROUND ONE
David Archuleta sang Paula Abdul’s choice “And So It Goes”by Billy Joel. Paula said she chose it for him because she thought it ‘would showcase the amazing vocals that you(David) have. It’s a beautiful song that shows the level of difficulty in the melodies that of which I know you can handle. It will totally exploit the beautiful timbre of your voice.”
David said he was ‘excited to sing it. A beautiful song.’
I actually was one of those viewers/hearers who actually liked the a’ccapella beginning. I thought his vocals were very nice; his runs were lovely as always. Those are definitely his signature…he has some of the most gorgeous runs I’ve ever heard in my life.
Randy said his usual phrase of “you can sing anything! You are in it to win! In the zone tonight!” He also went on to say that “Paula chose a dope song for you! The Billy Joel thing works. But I would have loved to see you with the piano.”
Paula said it was a “Pure sounding performance”, called David a “Storyteller”, and summed it up as a “Beautiful performance”.
Simon thought it “Very good. No surprises; a bit predictable”, but said that wasn’t “really a criticism; it was good. But not outstanding.”

Syesha Mercado sang “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alecia Keys, picked by Randy Jackson. He picked it because he said he “Knew that she’s really young, hot, unbelievably talented, in charge; and I had a feeling that she loved Alecia as much as I do. I think this is the kind of record she could do and be very successful with.”
I honestly had to wonder what was he thinking picking that song for her! Was he trying to get her voted off?! It’s a beautiful song, and I thought she did a lovely job of it…but I couldn’t help comparing her to Alecia (one of my favorite artists), and, well….You just don’t want to be compared to somebody else in the music industry. At least, not in that way. You want to stand out; be compared as in “Oh, that girl reminds me of Celine, she has the vocals, everything, to be a big star!” (which has been said of Carly Smithson)…but not compared in the way Syesha was last night….
I do think this was Syesha’s strongest of the night.
Randy said she did an “amazing job”. He thought she was “peaking at the right time in the competition, and that is why you’re standing top three.”
Paula thought it “difficult to sing someone as big as Alecia. But I applaud you for that. And you look stunning!”
Simon said she “sang that very well. I wish Randy had chosen a song were you could try and sound original, and not like a copy of the artist. But you look gorgeous by the way!”

David Cook was fortunate enough to get a song picked by Simon Cowell….or was he unfortunate enough to get it? I was tied in knots all weekend since hearing that David would have to sing “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack….this song is so not David…but then again, maybe it is….
Simon’s reasons for picking this song: “This is one of THE greatest songs of all time. Unlike Randy, I wanted you to do something different so that you have a chance to show some originality. It’s a very, very, very tough song; but you know what? I think you are going to do well.”
Yes, I was anxious when he started out, but all my fears were totally blown out the door. It was a lovely performance; absolutely no worries. This song now has David Cook written all over it. But then, even if DC were to sing Sesame Street, or the phone book-as Randy says, I would love it and be able to listen to it for hours on end. David’s definitely had me from “Hello”. Randy has “loved DC from day one. And I loved the high note there at the end. But I wish Simon hadn’t picked something so predictable.” I think Randy was just trying to get back at Simon here; seemed totally unfounded to me. But what do I know?
Paula shook her head, declaring “It’s not about those two, it’s about you, David! That is one of my favorite songs; and now you’re my second favorite persons which sing it.” That last little bit was just slightly confusing and veiled…to me.
Simon came out with a fairly predictable remark; “This may sound a bit biased, but I think that was actually one of the best performances to date. This is what makes you brilliant, because you take risks, it’s original. Round one goes to Cook and Cowell!”

What do you think? Comments always welcome (so long as they are civil)!

This has been a rather busy week for me…. ‘what’s different about that?’ you ask? Well, this week, it was Tuesday itself that was busy…in addition to Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I had a funeral to attend in the mid-morning, and a shower to go to in the evening…in between, I had to shop for the shower gift, and try to help some of my siblings find a birthday gift for our brother, who is leaving tonight for a two week trip with a friend. Today, I worked my usual job in the morning-till 1:30; so I worked late today. I then had about an hour to do my downloads on my computer (which you may recall, has been running extremely slow lately). That took all the free time I had this afternoon, till now. So, my synopsis may be shorter than usual, or it may not. I may just end up posting this moments before the show this evening. As if that is entirely unusual.
It was Rock & Roll Theme week….
I also missed the first two performances last night; and dismayed that I had, indeed, missed David Cook’s first song! So, I will not be including sum-up of either his or Syesha’s (considering that, since I didn’t even see them, I couldn’t possibly!). I did think, though, from the ‘flash-backs’ or whatever you want to call them, of the evening, that David Cook did pretty bad, and Syesha’s sounded fun.

Jason Castro chose “I Shot The Sheriff” by Bob Marley as his first song. I really did like that he seemed far more comfortable on stage than we’ve ever seen him. Great job in that, Jason! But….the vocals just were not good.
Randy called it ‘Kareoke’, saying there was ‘nothing special about it. Just was not good.’
Paula said he had ‘never performed to the audience better’ and that his ‘artistry shines through’.
Simon pronounced it ‘utterly atrocious. Like a first round audition massacre!’
Harsh words there; but, at this point in the competition, deserved.

David Archuleta was even more amazing than usual-possibly due to performing right after Jason. He sang “Stand By Me”, and I know many, including myself, wanted to hear him sing this one. We were not disappointed. At least I wasn’t. I thought the vocals, the whole thing, was superb! David showed us he definitely can make smart song choices.
Randy said David put ‘the best vocals on the line. Hot!’
Paula mentioned how she forgets ‘you’re only seventeen! You’re seasoned already.’
Simon called it a ‘very good choice; you struggled a little bit at the end’, but he pronounced it the ‘best performance so far’.
David is so talented, and so very humble-or else he’s a super actor-I’m inclined to believe the former. He should definintely be in the finals.

David Cook came back to start the second round, choosing to sing “Baba O’Rielly” by Who (?; is that really who it’s by? I’d never even heard of this one before!). I have to say, I was apprehensive, guessing from previous comments by the judges that he hadn’t done well. I was quite pleased with how well he did.
Randy said it was ‘more like the David I’ve come to know. Just be you; You’re great.’
Paula ‘just want[s] some more David!’
Simon had but one thing to say: ‘Welcome back, David Cook!’
That was good to hear, from a DC fan! So glad he pulled it together this time.

Syesha Mercado sang “A Change Has Come” by Sam Cook. I thought it was nice, but thought there might have been slight pitch problems towards the end. On the other hand, it may just have been my awful TV.
Randy said he ‘loved the first song’, but ‘didn’t love this one’. He ‘didn’t like the arrangment’.
Paula disagreed with Randy, saying Syesha orchestrated her vocals beautifully.
Simon had this to say: “Syesha, I have to be fair, and I’m going to agree with…’(pause for effect) ‘Paula. Randy got it completely wrong; you sang that extremely well.’
Yeah for Syesha!

Jason Castro sang “Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dillon as his second song. I thought it was far better than his last; until he forgot the words. He hummed his way through that ‘till he got back to a place he remembered. My sister and I thought he should at least have sang ‘La-la’.
Randy thought Jason was just ‘not in the zone, tonight’.
Paula said ‘it is what it is. Didn’t blow me away; but you do!’
Simon gave Jason his advice: ‘Go pack your suitcase.’
After last nights’ performances, Jason should be the one leaving. But he has a huge fan base…we’ll see what happens!

David Archuleta finished off the night, singing “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley. I couldn’t believe my ears; to me and my sisters, this song is a lullaby…but that’s just the way we think of it. I actually really liked this song when sung by David….Very nice, sweet, sound. But he lost hold of the end a bit…not too bad, though. Especially when coming after Jason’s mis-hap.
Randy called it ‘another great one. Tender; caressed each word.’
Paula said it was ‘one of my favorite performances’.
And Simon had the last word of the night; telling David “You didn’t beat the competition tonight; you crushed it!’
Great one, David! You amaze me!

Let’s all try to be calm tonight, shall we? I am scared, though, that if a certain someone doesn’t go this evening, the fire-breathing dragon within me is going to be unleashed….

OK, I sit down to write my review/sum up, and I think to myself, where’s my kitchen sink? In other words, pretty much all of my editing material is gone….not good. Or, in the words of that funny little man on the Incredibles, “I’m not happy, Bob. Not happy.”

Well, this was an interesting night, to say the least. I was expecting great performances from Jason and Brooke, seeing as Neil Diamond is more their genre than pretty much anything else they’ve been able to choose from the last couple of weeks. But I was doomed to disappointment.

Jason Castro opened the night with “Forever in Blue Jeans”. I thought this was definitely his genre; while I thought it was ‘nice’, I found myself telling him emphatically to “OPEN YOUR MOUTH!” He looks like he’s singing through his teeth. I honestly think he’s losing his ‘charm’….I like the kid, but he should be the one leaving tomorrow.
Jason’s second song was “September Morn”; and it was only OK. I think he did regain a bit of his charm on this one, though.

Randy thought both performances were “just OK”. He said he wasn’t sure “what’s happening tonight”, but wasn’t impressed.
Paula was rather confused tonight, to put it lightly. She thought (from what I could gather) that Jason is losing his charm, and isn’t “fighting hard enough”.
Simon called them both “Forgettable” and said “You’re not the Jason we put through; we don’t recognize you”. I agree with Simon; this doesn’t seem to be the same kid I was rooting for in the beginning of the season.

David Cook started with the little known “I’m Alive”. I was skeptical the first time through, but after my second hearing, I rather liked it.

Randy declared it “Very good. In the zone; Very strong. You were doing your thing.”
Paula, in all the muddle, said (I think) that she “loved your notes! You’re fantastic!”
And Simon, well, Simon thought it just above average.

David’s second song choice was also little known or heard, “All I Really Need Is You”. That one was beautiful. At first, I wondered if I was just showing partiality, so watched it through again, and it was even better the second time. It gave me chills, and actually brought tears to my eyes; Imagine your baby saying those words to you…and an awesome arrangement.

Randy voted himself “a huge DC fan now-Rocked the house! Blazin’!”
Paula was “so proud of you. I feel like I’m already looking at the American Idol.”
Simon said “the first song was OK; the second: Brilliant! You made it feel like that song was written this year; changed the arrangement, and made it work for you. Smart; well done!”

Brooke White sang “I’m A Believer” which was cute, but not very good. She sounded nervous to me; but overall much better after the key change.

Randy said it was “better than last week; but still a little kareoke for me.”
We don’t know what Paula thought, and
Simon thought it was “A nightmare”.

After that, she sang “I Am…I said”. I liked it; she made it her own by changing the lyrics up some. It was much better than her first; really quite sweet, and one of my favorites of the night.

Randy thought her “very vulnerable” and said this song was “one of the tougher songs to sing; nice job, though.”
Paula thought she “had fun”, and that she showed her “vulnerability. Works.”
Simon said “that’s the Brooke we like. Not incredible, but a million times better than the last.”

David Archuletta sang “Sweet Caroline”-was only Ok for me.

Randy said he was “the bomb.”
Paula-well, again, we don’t know…
Simon said it was “amateurish”.

David’s second song was “America”. It just didn’t quite sound like the David A. I love. He was only OK tonight for me.

Randy thought him totally “in the zone; another good performance.”
Paula said it was the “perfect song to sing. Love you; brilliant. Your voice is so on point. Have fun!”
Simon said it was a “smart song choice.Ticked the boxes. The right choice.”

Syesha Mercado sang “Hello Again” first. I thought it lovely, clear and sweet. But just a bit old-fashioned.

Randy said she too was “in the zone; very nice vocals, was strong. Wasn’t amazing, but strong”.
Paula liked the vulnerable side to her voice she showed, calling it “Beautiful. Touching. That’s your magic.”
Simon thought it “Old-fashioned”, like myself. He also addressed the whole group; “You are the top five; I want to see and hear the performance of a lifetime.”

Syesha’s second was “Thank The Lord For The Nightime”. It was fun, spunky; and the vocals were right on!

Randy told Syesha she’d “finally realized who you are. This is the way I like you. In the zone!”
Paula said it showed “a whole different side. You’re good at the theatrical and the pop singing. I love her!”
Simon thought Syesha a “very good actress/singer”. However, he also mentioned he thought she would be in trouble tomorrow night; just “a calculated guess”.

Tomorrow night, we’ll see who goes and who stays. My vote would be for Jason, but after the disaster last week with Carly leaving, and Michael Johns before her, one can’t say anything for certain this year. My ‘calculated guess’ would have Jason and Syesha in the bottom. Not because Syesha is bad, but because many Americans prefer vocals that are not, as we say, ‘top-notch’ anymore. Jason is a shining example. Yes, he’s fun and charming, but he should listen to the people (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mariah Carey, etc) who come in to work with them, and take their advice. Syesha is a great vocalist, and should go far in her musical career, even if it is off A-I.

I was shocked at last night’s outcome on A-I. While I was happy (or tried to be, at least) for Brooke and Jason, Syesha nor Carly deserved to be where they were. I’m still upset over Carly leaving…but what can you do? She is a great vocalist, and will go far; I for one will buy her albums.
I thought Carly went out with a great attitude; very proud of her and her accomplishments; and did I mention I’m still upset?!

Well, I wrote out a nice, detailed account of the whole night; only to find that it is now deleted and gone. sigh. I’m too tired to cry about it; but you will have to settle for less than originally intended.

But I will say this; I am officially at war with my TV. It frequently will blank out, or it will drown out the voices with bursts of static. I don’t mind this normally, as I don’t watch much TV (at least, not with the seven channels we get), but I like to see and hear the contestants on my A-I!

I was surprised to see Kristy Lee Cook go last week, as I’ve thought she’s improved steadily each week. Though, I must say, I was very happy to see my Carly ranked the highest among the girls!

Andrew Lloyd Webber worked with the group last night; and I’ve been so excited ever since I found that out weeks ago! This man has some incredible works to his name.

Syesha Mercado started off with “One Rock & Roll Too Many”; and for the first time in a LONG time, this girl picked the right song! I was so proud of her! Syesha belongs on Broadway. She shouldn’t be leaving us tonight, but she might be in the bottom three; just because she doesn’t seem to have as strong a fan base as most of the others.

Randy said something about it being her element (I can’t tell exactly what all he said, as I was having a battle with the TV and only caught slight phrases here and there in between the static roar of the demonic creation!) and that she looked great up there.

Paula told Syesha that she is “really good at this”.

Simon thought it “one of your strongest performances”.

Jason Castro sang “Memories” and my first thought was “Oh, no!”; the second was “this might be neat to hear from a soft-spoken guy for a change”…..I was right on both counts. It was neat to hear it from a different source, but didn’t turn out for the best. There was greatness underlying it, but there it is: it was only underlying it. It wasn’t there. He could be wonderful, but he isn’t. He’s just charming, and I think it’s time for him to go. I’m not sure he will though….he seems to have a pretty strong fan base.

Randy said it was “a little bit of a train-wreck”.

Paula said it “further identifies your uniqueness”.

Simon asked Jason if it had been “the longest two minutes of your life?” and that it was probably his. He also thought Jason sounded “like a young man who is being forced by his parents to sing at a wedding he really doesn’t want to attend”. I think I have to agree with Simon; it wasn’t very good. Though I have heard that Jason was sick; but then both Davids’ have performed while under health problems, and came up to par; Jason didn’t.

Brooke White sang “You Must Love Me”; I thought it touching, and really felt the emotional connection behind it. She did mess up the beginning and started over again; but I thought she handled it well. But all that said, Brooke most likely will be leaving us tonight.

Randy said it “wasn’t great”, but admired that Brooke listened to A.W. “You have to believe what you’re singing”.

Paula was not happy with the performance; reminding Brooke that “you must never start and stop”. But commended her on not over-acting, saying it was “just you”, and commenting on her “emotional strength”.

Simon called it “so dramatic”; told Brooke she “was so tense. You’ll be very disappointed when you watch this back”. But did admit that, had he forgotten the lyrics, he would have done exactly as Brooke.

David Archuletta sang “Think Of Me”; and he did quite a nice job of it. He definitely had the WOW factor, and I rather liked the pop arrangement.

Randy declared him (are you ready? And not the first time) “THE BOMB! This boy’s the one to beat!”.

Paula said it was “absolutely perfect; you took a risk, and were quite able to turn it into a pop ballad”.

Simon thought it “pleasant” but “one of your weakest”. He also said that David would absolutely be through to next week.

Carly Smithson sang “Jesus Christ, Superstar”. For me, personally, I find the lyrics a bit offensive, so it was rather difficult to listen to her vocals. I do think she performed well, sang well; possibly the range was a little too high; I thought the backup vocals were bad. And I did love the way she looked.

Randy said it was “not your best, but definitely good”.

Paula thought “the range was maybe too high, but I loved it”.

Simon said it was “a little bit shouty in the middle”; and that it was “actually one of my favorite performances tonight”. Way to go, Carly!

David Cook ended the night on “Music of the Night”. Again, here; my first thought was, “Oh, no. David’s going to flunk this one!” But I should have had more faith in his abilities. I LOVED it! He conveyed the song so well. I loved seeing this softer side to his vocals. He really can sing anything!

Randy agreed with me, saying “you can sing anything. Amazing vocal performance. Molting hot!” I guess he thought it good, huh?

Paula told David he had “a beautiful instrument” in his voice, and called the performance “Fantastic”.

Simon said it was “not the sound I like; too rounded off”, but that David “made the most of it”.

David C. and David A. are the one’s to beat here! Looking forward to a finale of Davids’!

For the first time in two weeks, I caught the whole performance last night. I was expectant of some very good performances; after all, it is Idol Gives Back week. But I must say that, overall, I was disappointed.

Michael Johns was first up, with “Dream On”. I thought overall it was pretty good, but, like Randy mentioned, there were some pitch problems. His falsetto, for me, seemed off a bit. I also agree with Simon, that Michael performs best when he does the ‘bluesy’ feel, rather than the rocker.

Randy said Michael had ‘a pretty good song choice’ but that there were ‘pitch problems’.

Paula ‘couldn’t disagree more’ with Randy, saying it was the ‘perfect song’.

Simon decided to be very nice overall last night, and told Michael that he gave a ‘very good performance’ but that it was just ‘a little bit wanna-a-be-ish’.

Syesha Mercado, in my opinion, gave a stellar performance, again; singing “I Believe”. My first reaction-”This girl has got A Voice!” It was beautiful, calming; it just put my spirit to rest.

Randy must have decided to take Simon’s place as the mean one; He said Syesha had taken on another Tiger, but it was only OK for him. He couldn’t help but compare her to Fantasia. I think this is where Syesha has been making a mistake, she takes on the big-name, big-voice songs, and though she has an incredible voice, she’s constantly setting herself to be measured by the big names and falling just a bit short. But that’s just my personal opinion, not fact.

Paula told Syesha she ’sang it beautifully’.

Simon said she ’sang it very well’, but that it lacked the big emotion given it by Fantasia, or something to that effect (I have one of the old, unimproved TV’s, and it kept blinking off during this part).

Jason Castro sang a new version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. I thought, overall, it was very good. He’s slowly improving. The first part wasn’t so good, as I could hear him struggling to breathe. The second half, he seemed to have found it, and it was quite enjoyable from then on; there were some very pretty notes in there.

Randy gave one of two good reviews of the night to Jason, declaring that “Jason is back in the hunt!” and that it was “blazing hot!”.

Paula told Jason he had one of the ‘most definitive voices’ and she ‘loved it’. The version was great too.

Simon, the man of few words, simply declared it “Fantastic”. Way to go, Jason!

Kristy Lee Cook sang one of my favorite songs, “Anyway”. I thought she was quite nice…not outstanding, but she’s managing to hold on to the competition, week by week.

Randy said there were ‘a couple pitch problems. But good’.

Paula told Kristy she ‘outdid yourself. This is your best ever. Excellent’.

Simon thought Kristy had a ’smart song choice’ and that it was ‘very, very good. You look like a star’.

Thumbs up, Kristy; you got a good review by Simon!

David Cook sang “Innocent”; and scared me a bit. I don’t think he was as bad as the judges said, but he did seem to have his mind in another place, and wasn’t as good as previous weeks. But you have to admit (OK, you don’t, but I do) that he’s been giving stellar performances since “Hello”, so this week may really not have been as bad as it might seem.

Randy told him it ‘wasn’t one of your strongest weeks’.

Paula liked ‘the whole package’; especially the “Give Back” on his palm.

Simon “didn’t like it’; he thought it ‘a bit pompish’ and ‘not near as good as the last two weeks’.

Carly Smithson looked lovely, singing “The Show Must Go On”. I loved her makeup this week, it wasn’t nearly as heavy, and allowed you to see the beauty of her face and eyes. I thought her performance was strong, and disagreed with all the judges; I felt engaged and connected with Carly’s performance.

Randy said it ’started out good; pitchy in the middle, and ended OK’. He said she had (like Syesha) taken on a big tiger; and the tigers didn’t seem to be working this week.

Paula thought Carly’s voice was ‘pretty perfect’, but she didn’t feel engaged.

Simon gave Carly an ‘unusual song choice’. He also thought she ‘oversang it’ and that, to him, it ‘came over as an angry performance’.

Sometimes I have to wonder if the judges have anything personally against Syesha and Carly….

David Archuletta was charming, as usual, singing “Angels”. I felt refreshed and encouraged. David put a smile on my face (not an easy thing to do these days), and I was ‘wowed’. Sure, there were a few pitch problems in there, but nothing substantial.

Randy gave the only other positive critique of the night, declaring ‘That’s the David I love! Crazy hot!’.

Paula said ‘that sums it up for me. Fantastic’.

And Simon told him it was ‘the best of the night so far. Not your best vocal. A bit nasely.’ But he was ‘just nit-pickin’ here. You’ll sail through.’

Way to go David A!

Brooke White wound up the night with “You’ve Got A Friend”. I thought it was just OK. It lacked the Brooke-persona I’ve grown so fond of over the last couple weeks.

Randy agreed with me, saying it was ‘OK. Not your best’.

Paula told Brooke she was ‘definitive. I love you!’

Simon thought it was like ‘A pleasant walk in the park. It was nice. Original? No. But pleasant? Yes.’

Nice review from Simon there!

I’m sitting on the edge of my seat to see who leaves us this week, and who’ll be back! Biting my nails, too.
Who I think will be the bottom three? Brooke, Syesha, and Carly; but not based on vocals or performance, just what I think will happen. We’ll see.

I did it again. Totally lost track of time and missed the first performance. Brooke White’s. AGH! Why did it have to be hers’?! Oh well. I did hear mixed reviews later, some liked it, and the judges didn’t. We’ll see.

So, David Cook was second. He did his own arrangement of “Little Sparrow”. His vocals were, as usual, great. The arrangement-genius! My sister, kattyrae (who doesn’t even like David) thought he was THE BEST of the night! Since I’m a little biased in his favor, that got me rather pumped; and of course, I found it impossible to refrain from a few ”I told you so”’s.

Randy thought David was “hot”, and showed his ”good range” off well.

Paula said it was ”fantastic”, had ‘’strength”, and was ”well-rounded”. She also commented positively on his new hair-cut; I liked it better than his last too. Not that that matters much in a vocal competition.

Simon had to be honest and say it ”wasn’t as good as last week”; but on the other hand, he complimented David with this: “You made a song about sparrows good. Congratulations!”

I just heard that David was rushed to the hospital immediately after the show….apparently he has been battling health problems for a while now. He gave an awesome performance in view of that! I hope he is going to be fine.

After-Post comment: David Cook is, according to The Los Angeles Times released from the hospital with a prescription for medication to lower his anxiety-related high blood pressure and is now back in his hotel room.

Ramiele Malubay has disappointed again; singing-I’m not sure what; I’d never heard this one before, or maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention. I really loved that she seemed to get more involved with the audience, moving around the stage instead of standing in the one position practically the whole time. I just didn’t think Ramiele was remarkable. And she has the voice to be remarkable; just not coming with it. I don’t believe she’ll last much longer unless she really gets her game on.

Randy “wasn’t jumping up and down” with it, but thought it was fair; giving it ”a 6 & 1/2 out of 10″.

Paula called it a “great minute and 30 seconds; you had fun”.

Simon said it was ”cute”, and that Ramiele “sang it quite well; but very forgettable, and reminiscent of a cruise ship”.

Jason Castro, my fourteen year old brothers’ favorite this year, sang “Travellin’ Through”. I thought he was better than he has been the last few weeks, but my sister and I both noticed his breathing into the mic, it was really distracting. Just a consequence of not using proper vocal technique. I thought the end was…..interesting. I’m still not sure about it, but I think it worked.

Randy said it was “kinda’ cool” and “pretty good…you worked it. I started believing you!” I found myself believing Jason again too after the past three weeks. That’s exciting!

Paula found it ”confident”; said he ‘’sounded good”, and that it was one of his “strongest performances” to date.

Simon opened saying he was afraid he was going to lose his pass to Dollywood for saying this, but that he didn’t like it. “If I’d heard you for the first time I just wouldn’t get it.” Simon told Jason.

Carly Smithson sang “Here You Come Again”, and wow, she did it again. She really came into her element; I found myself getting goosebumps listening to her. Kattyrae and I both agreed that she reminds us of such greats as Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand.

Randy predicted Carly’s performance would be the best of the night.

Paula said Carly was ”glorious” (did she mean her voice or how she looked?!), remarked on her ”amazing talent” and ”That voice of yours….oh!” I think overall, Paula was pretty much speechless.

Simon said it was “good; not great” and that “at this stage, everyone is capable, with the right performance, to be great. That wasn’t.” Once again, when it comes to Carly, I disagree with Simon. This reminds me of Katherine McPhee performing Whitney Houston; Simon had some very negative feedback on that one, but Katherine had a hit there.

David Archuletta sang “Smoky Mountain Memories”; this made me want to go home…..which was exactly where I was while watching last night. You could feel the emotion, love and longing, the fondness of home in his voice….and it really carried me away. I admit that I am tired of hearing ballads from him, but thought it was a great song choice, and he showcased his vocals and range well.

Randy burst out with “Guess what, baby? David’s back! I stand corrected, THAT was the best performance tonight!”

Paula said David had a ”wonderful orb about you” (whatever she means by that?!), and said he was “glorious”. Was she listening to his voice at all, or was Paula out of the whole thing by this time?

Simon had just one thing to say: “Absolutely on the money”. That sums it up, don’t it?

Kristy Lee Cook picked a good song for herself with “Coat Of Many Colors”. I thought it was enjoyable, and that her vocals were pretty good. I don’t think she’s as good a vocalist as any of the others in this competition, but she’s managed to pull her unique voice through so far.

Randy said it was “a very nice performance”.

Paula called it a “beautiful performance” and pronounced it Kristy’s “best”.

Simon disagreed with Paula, saying last week was better for Kristy. He termed this week “Pleasant, but forgettable”.

Syesha Mercado sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. I thought it nice; very sweet, but powerful. She has some very good vocals, but I have to wonder if she bit off more than she could chew last night?

Randy said she “Did pretty good with the biggest tiger of the night”.

Paula commented on her ”velvety tone” and said Syesha was “growing; connecting with the audience”. I hope so.

Simon thought the first half was good; but the second half paled in comparison to the Whitney version. He called the performance “good” but said “it may not have helped you”. I agree with Simon here; if you’re going to try to tackle a Whitney Houston, you better bring it all the way….unfortunately, I don’t think Syesha did this time.

Michael Johns impressed the judges with “It’s All Wrong”. I guess I just didn’t get it or something. I liked his range in the song, but thought it a bad choice for him.

Randy was, as I said, impressed. “You keep bringing it up a notch every week. Nice job.”

Paula was enthused; “You’re a star!” Was she just really tired last night, or what?!

Simon told Michael “this is the best I have heard you sing”. I guess he was impressed too, huh?

I’m going to take the hint from the judges and say that Michael must have pulled a good performance.i

I can’t believe this; but I missed some of the show last night! I taped most of it, but when I went to play it found that the picture was fuzzy, and every now and then there’d be a loud, ringing sound that drowned out the singers! AGH! I need one of those new TV’s with the box thing….. I’ll tell you now; I totally missed the theme, but I’m guessing that the contestants had to choose a song from the year they were born….? Anyone who knows and wants to set me straight, go for it!
I missed Ramiele Malubay’s performance; so I don’t have anything to say about it. I think she has a great voice, but she hasn’t been picking the best songs for her lately; I hope she did well enough to stay in another week.

Jason Castro sang “Fragile”. I thought it was well-suited to his voice, and I loved that he sang something (even if it was only half) in Spanish; seeing as he’s from the great state of Texas (yes; I’m prejudiced!), and most know some of the Spanish language down there. It seemed to show off some of who he is. None of the judges especially liked Jason’s performance, and here’s why (aside from their thinking it was too laid back and boring): Jason isn’t using proper technique. His voice is lovely, but he needs to support more, learn the correct timing to breathe, etc….As such, he’s not able to project well, sustain….That being said, I think his voice is VERY unique, something definitely needed in this competition. Here’s hoping he gets someone to teach him proper vocal technique, and then he’ll be soaring towards the finals!

Syesha Mercado did very well with “If I Were Your Woman”; all I could think was “Wow! Syesha is SERIOUS! Two weeks running; LOVELY! Randy called it her “best ever! Unbelievable!” Paula said Syesha ”flipped it” and had ”fantastic, upper and lower registers, pitch perfect.” But Simon said that ”there is a limit on your vocals, and that song stretched it”, saying that the end ”wasn’t as good”. Job very well done, Syesha! She’s in here seriously!

Chikezie might have some trouble tonight; he sang “If Only For One Night”. His vocals were good, no complaint there. He used the song to display his high and lower registers well. But it was boring; it sounded like it could have been released, all those years ago, just the way he sang it. Paula was the only one that liked it, saying Chikezie is “a throwback” but in a good way. Simon admitted that the vocals were good, but that Chikezie had ”to show originality” and that he missed his personality.

Brooke White, singing “Every Breathe You Take”, did an OK performance. I loved her back on the piano! Her first few notes were off; she started over and did well. Her recovery was good for the first half, but by the last she wasn’t doing so well; I agree with the judges, the band accompaniment seemed out of place, she could have done better by herself. Paula called her ”unique” and ”consistent”. Simon said it was ”good enough to keep you in”. I’m growing fonder of Brooke each week; I truly think she could be around by the top five or six now.

Michael Johns blew everyone away with ”We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions”. I LOVED his vocals in the middle, very well done. Randy called it ”the best”, and Micheal showed off his ”big ole’ voice”. Paula said he ”picked the right song”, and that it was ”your shining moment”. Simon said he saw ‘’star potential. You just got it right”, and it was ”the only memorable performance” so far that night. This is what I’ve been waiting to see from Michael; I’m so excited for him!

Carly Smithson was a little tight on “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”; but I don’t think she did as badly as the judges. I really liked her lower register, beautiful tone and depth there. Carly reminds me seriously of Celine Dion, she has the same beautiful big voice. The chorus was a bit scratchy to me, though. Randy noted the ’sharp note at the end”, while Paula didn’t hear it, she ”loved what you did at the end”? How did they come up with those totally different opinions? Simon thought ’something didn’t work there” and that Carly needs to ”lighten up a bit”.

David Archuletta sang “You’re The Voice”; His runs were very nice, and high notes were beautiful. His beginning was a little rough to me, but he definitely has power in those vocals! Randy ”didn’t like the song” but said ”David could sing anything”, Paula agreed with him there. Simon said David ‘’sang it well in parts” but that it was ”reminiscent of a theme park performance”. I actually liked his song choice; David does wonderful on the ballads, but it was good to see him do something a bit younger and more energetic.

Kristy Lee Cook sang “God Bless The USA”. Her vocals were good; I didn’t like the arrangement, but excellent song choice on her part. Randy said it was ”a little pitchy” but ”very poignant”; Paula mentioned how much stronger Kristy’s vocals were tonight, but also mentioned the pitchiness. Simon declared Kristy “safe” this week, and that she had the ”most clever song choice in years”.

David Cook sang “Billy Jean”, as usual, he took some big risks, and they really paid off. This guy is awesome! He’s got the element back! And I loved the emotion that showed through his voice. Randy said it was the ”most original, bold performance ever had! Might be the one to win the whole lot!” and it was ”blazing hot!” WOW! If that isn’t the biggest! Paula couldn’t ‘’sit down”, she called him ‘’smart, brave, willing to stretch the boundaries right to the edge without going over. Brilliant.” Simon said David could ”either be insane or amazing. That was amazing!” David, you’re going all the way!

Next week, Dolly Parton!