So we’ve made it to the top 3 and I must admit that I haven’t been this glad to see an Idol season coming to a close since season 5. I actually worked through that finale and never bothered to watch the entire show, it was “who cares” kind of moment and that’s how I feel about this season. Will tonight change my mind, we’ll see…

First round is the contestant’s song choice, second round is judge’s song choice.

1. Casey James – Ok, It’s Alright With Me ~ Eric Hutchinson – That was really sort of bland and is a perfect representation of this season, who cares.
2. Crystal Bowersox – Come To My Window ~ Melissa Ethridge – I was really expecting something more from her and this just wasn’t it. She’s still a great talent its just that the performance left me wanting.
3. Lee DeWyze – Simple Man ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd – It was a really good performance and I enjoyed it, but we still haven’t hit chills yet. Of course he does come out on top when compared to the first two perfomances.
4. Casey James – Daughters ~ John Mayer (Kara & Randy) – I only like when Mayer does this live, and Casey comes no where near that. It had one moment when I felt it might take off and then it didn’t.
5. Crystal Bowersox – Maybe I’m Amazed ~ Paul McCartney (Ellen) – Okay, that was better, I liked that a lot more than her first song and it showed her depth and range.
6. Lee DeWyze – Hallelujah ~ Leonard Cohen (Simon) – Wow, there was my chills moment, this performance was so far beyond anything else we have heard this season. Right now I care more than I have for the whole season. Way to go Lee!

My Ranking: Lee, Crystal, Casey

I’m not thrilled with this but it was better than last week. Too bad I don’t have one of those neat Sony VAIO notebooks, so I could put my feet up and relax while I watch and blog. Here’s to hoping the real fans out vote the VFTW crew and Casey goes home tomorrow.

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So here we are at the top 4 and the theme is songs from the cinema. Jamie Foxx is the mentor and he challenges the contestants to show that they are artists. Each contestant will sing a solo song and a duet, this could be interesting.

1. Lee DeWyze – Kiss From A Rose ~ Seal ~ Batman Forever – This wasn’t his best performance but I didn’t think it was as bad as the judges did. Good thing Lee has a pretty strong fan base.
2. Michael Lynche – Will You Be There ~ Michael Jackson ~ Free Willy – This night isn’t going great, Mike delivers an okay, but really uninspiring performance. Hope his duet is better, but since he’s paired with Casey I’m not holding my breathe.
3. Crystal Bowersox & Lee DeWyze – Falling Slowly ~ Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova ~ Once – I’m loving this, they sound great together! Any faults in Lee’s first performance are forgiven here.
4. Casey James – Mrs Robinson ~ Simon & Garfunkle ~ The Graduate – It just sort of was, he wasn’t awful or anything, but it just wasn’t all that inspiring.
5. Crystal Bowersox – I’m Alright ~ Kenny Loggins ~ Caddyshack – Way to make the most of the last solo performance slot. This is such a fun performance!
6. Casey James & Michael Lynche – Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? ~ Bryan Adams ~ Don Juan DeMarco – This is such an odd pairing, Mike is definitely better than Casey, but Casey’s vibrato seems to be contagious. Casey might be helped by this, but I can’t imagine that it’s doing anything for Mike’s standings.

My Order: Crystal, Lee, Michael, Casey

It was an okay show, but like the rest of this season it was a touch of a let down. I wish we’d had at least one show already that really blew me away, just one show that didn’t make reading diet pill reviews an exciting alternative to watching AI. Oh well, maybe next season? Hopefully VFTW won’t be able to keep Casey in the running and he’ll be headed home tomorrow, or at least to the losers’ wing of the hotel. I’ll share the results tomorrow.

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So I get Harry Connick Jr. as a mentor and performer for a Sinatra themed week, but Lady Gaga? Let’s face it this results show was just too weird.

Lee was declared safe early on and then about mid point Crystal and Casey were put together and Michael and Aaron were put together. Turns out that Michael and Aaron were the bottom 2. Sweet little Aaron got voted off, I’m hoping this means he’ll rest his voice just a little before all the end of season, post season shenanigans start up.

I would have rather seen Casey go after last night’s performances but it wasn’t like Aaron was great either.

On a totally non-Idol note, it is really getting hot down here now and while some of the smaller rivers are starting to recede ,the Mississippi is now threatening to rise up over it’s banks. Not bad for us being a fair distance away and in the bluffs area of the river, but not so good for those in lower lying areas near the Mississippi. Hard to believe a year ago we lived in Georgia and were always worried about drought.

I’m off to put the munchkin to bed and find a cool place to stretch out and read, this office is like a sauna.

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Tonight the top 6 sing the songs of Shania Twain after being mentored by Shania. It will be interesting to see how four guys tackle these girly songs.

1. Lee DeWyze – You’re Still The One – he truly comfortable on the stage now, and looks like he is having a good time performing. I liked this one.
2. Michael Lynche – It Only Hurts When I Breathe – Mike is at his best when he does these emotional numbers, he really connects and it’s easy to believe.
3. Casey James – Don’t – I liked it but I don’t know that I was quite as wowed as the judges were.
4. Crystal Bowersox – No One Needs to Know – It wasn’t Crystal’s best performance, but she’s right, bigger isn’t always better, and even at her worst she is head and shoulders above her competition.
5. Aaron Kelly – It’s In The Way You Love Me – Our youngest contestant is redeemed. He did a great job changing up the lyrics and singing it to his Mom. I can still hear some strain in his voice though.
6. Siobhan Magnus – Any Man of Mine – Okay, this is tough, I know the judges loved it, but to me it was horribly flat and unemotional through the verses, the chorus was okay, and then we had to do the almost the right note screech. She is better than this performance, I just wish we were getting more of her best.

Bottom Half: Michael Lynche, Casey James, Siobhan Magnus

So there it is another week of singing over, it should be interesting to see how the votes fall, not that I’ll be getting any dark circles under my eyes worrying about it, Crystal will be safe and that’s all that really matters at this point.

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The show was long, and filled with great performances and sad stories, too many to recount here. The bottom three was made up of Casey James, Aaron Kelly, and Tim Urban. Then finally a miracle happened, VFTW lost their poster child for bad singing, Tim Urban is gone. I almost can’t believe it, guess that means I have to keep my promise to diet and exercise, oh well, perhaps it will help me by getting rid of belly fat that I don’t really want.

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It’s here, the first half of Idol Gives Back and the top 7 performing for our votes. Alicia Keys is the mentor, here’s to hoping she gets these kids to connect and deliver.

1. Casey James – Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow ~ Fleetwood Mac – He’s not bad, it’s just that it is what he does almost every week.
2. Lee DeWyze – The Boxer ~ Simon and Garfunkle – I have always loved this song, and I loved Lee’s performance, I can’t wait for the full length studio version tomorrow.
3. Tim Urban – Better Days ~ Goo Goo Dolls – I really thought after last week Tim was coming into his own, but this was really blah. Ellen is right, he’s the soup of the day.
4. Aaron Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly ~ R. Kelly – I think he’s strained his voice, it is showing some wear. He did end better than he started but it was not his best.
5. Siobhan Magnus – When You Believe ~ Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey – I liked this, it was a really pretty vocal. Her costumes are a bit much, but that’s Siobhan.
6. Michael Lynche – Hero ~ Chad Kroeger – I felt like it kind of fell flat, he never really got into the groove or excitement of the song.
7. Crystal Bowersox – People Get Ready ~ The Impressions – She starts a’cappella and it is just fabulous. She really pours her heart into this performance and chokes up at the end.

Bottom 3: Michael Lynche, Aaron Kelly, Tim Urban

I really hope it’s Tim’s week to go, he’s never going to be great and he’s a waste of air time. I loved the moment it was revealed that Ryan’s hankie is taped into place, really not convenient given the number of times he gives it away each season. Half looking forward to the results extravaganza, half dreading it. Well, until then it’s back to searching for gainful employment.

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So tonight the top 9 becomes the top 7, no chances for anyone to be saved. Ryan tells us that later we will be treated to performances by Brooke White, Justin Gaston, and Adam Lambert; but right now we will hear our top 9 performing a medley of Elvis classics.

Talk about a tepid start to a show that should be packed with drama. Those were some of the weakest vocals and the choreography was beyond lame. I know these kids are rock stars but surely they could do better than that. A commercial break and it’s time for the Ford commerical music video, and now the results start.

Ryan calls Aaron, Casey, and Andrew out to center stage and with a swiftness that is startling cuts Andrew from the competition, Casey and Aaron are safe. Andrew sings himself out and it’s time for a commercial break.

Oh yes, Idol Gives Back is next week and there are still auction items available on idolgivesback.org. We get to see a video of Elliott Yamin and Kara in Angola, heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. Then Brooke White and Justin Gaston do a duet for us, I kind of wish they hadn’t, seriously getting an auto insurance quote would have been a better use of the time. Ryan tells us we can get that single free on itunes, guess they no one would ever pay for it. We’re off to commercial but there will be more results when we return.

We’re back and Ryan recaps for us and then calls the bottom row out to center stage. Lee blunders through an answer to Ryan’s question, Siobhan is reviewed next, then Katie, next up for review is Michael. It seems like Ryan is rushing through these some, I know there is time left, we haven’t seen Adam yet. Ryan does reviews for Crystal then Tim. Ryan tells Crystal she is safe, then he tells Siobhan she’s safe. Next he tells Lee that the song he sang last night is the song Daughtry sang the week he was eliminated, he invites Lee to walk with him, then sit with him, Lee is safe. It’s time for a break, Adam will perform when we come back and maybe just maybe we will find out if it is Mike, Tim, or Katie going home.

Next week’s theme is inspirational songs in honor of Idol Gives Back and Alicia Keys will be the mentor. Adam sings Whataya Want From Me, it’s as dramatic as you would expect from Adam. Too bad he can’t get his act together, he has a great voice. Adam says that Idol showed him what it would take in the real world, doesn’t say much for Idol does it. When we come back from commercial we’ll find out if it’s Tim, Michael, or Katie going home.

Tim is the next guy back to safety, leaving Michael and Katie standing center stage. Ryan says that one is going home and one wasn’t even in the bottom 3 this week. The person going home is Katie, I feel bad for her but I’m glad Michael wasn’t even in the bottom 3. Katie sings one last time, tearfully and with more emotion than I’ve ever seen her display in a performance. One last look back at Katie and Andrew’s Idol journey, Katie cries through the whole thing. We’re done for the night, don’t forget it’s Idol Gives Back next week.

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