Kevin's LEC

It’s time to face the piper so to speak.  Let’s see which of our four Idols are staying and which are going home.  I love the group performances.  The producers picked a good song this time.  Very entertaining opening number.

• Tim Urban is safe.
• Todrick Hall I didn’t think did that bad nor think he should be going home and he is not.
• Michael Lynche Big Mike I think will be safe and he is.
• Casey  James should be safe and he is.
• John Park sang gravity Randy and Ellen liked but worried about pitch.  John Park goes home.  I can’t say I’m all that surprised.
• Lee Dewyze sang Lips of an Angel – Lee is safe.  I’m not surprised he nailed his performance.
• Aaron Kelly sang My Girl – and is safe, another one of my favorites from the other night.
• Alex Lambert is safe, I can’t really say I enjoyed his performance so am a bit surprised.
• Jermaine  Sellers is going home.  I missed his performance.
• Andrew Garcia is safe and I’m glad he has another chance. 

For the guys I really feel based on this weeks performances that America got it right.  It will get more challenging the further we go.  Let’s see where the ladies fall.  Danny Goeke performance showed he has grown since being on the idol.  I still love his tone and he is better than he was.  I’m glad to see he has continued to grow.

• Crystal Bowersox – I felt nailed her performance and I feel should be safe.
• Result is safe and I’m not surprised.
• Haeley Vaughn – Her performance just wasn’t there for me and I agree with Simon it was an utter mess.
• Result is going home.  I am not surprised.  Best of luck to you, time and work you can still do wonders with it.
• Lacey Brown – Simon felt she came across as being here for the wrong reasons.  I too felt her performance lacking.
• Result is safe.
• Katie Stevens – Although she has a great voice I felt bored and did not remember the performance.
• Result is safe.
• Didi Benami – I felt very let down and disappointed.  I know she could have done better.
• Result is safe.  Didi I hope you pull it together better next week.  I know you can do better and look forward to hearing it you got a second chance make the best of it.
• Michelle Delamor – Took a risk and I felt she did the song justice and her risk paid off we’ll have to see.
• Result is going home.  I’m shocked it was down to you or Didi and based on last night I felt it should have been Didi.  You are great just keep going and best of luck to you girl.
• Lilly Scott – Don’t fully remember the performance.  What stuck with me is the blues quality in your voice.  I hope you stay I’d like to see more from you.
• Result is Safe.
• Katelyn Epperly – Loved the performance and it still sticks with me.  Look forward to seeing you next week.
• Result is safe.
• Paige Miles – Felt like something was lacking.
• Result is safe.
• Siobhan Magnus – Loved your voice and would be devastated if you go home today.
• Result is safe and again I’m not surprised.

I’m not too surprised with the overall results.  The only shocker was Michelle over some of the other girls.  Just goes to show how important your vote is.  Down to the top 16 starting next week.  I look forward to following it more.

Well it’s another night of American Idol.  Let’s see how the guys do.  Crystal was taken to the hospital and that is why the guys came on tonight instead of the ladies.  Well I wonder what happened there.

• Big Mike Lynche is first with a James Brown song ‘This is a man’s world’   Pitch seems good.  Emotion seems there I’m enjoying his performance Don’t like the song choice but I’m not a James Brown fan to begin with. All in all I’d have to say good performance, while I still like him overall I still feel he needs to step it up even more. I agree with the judges it’s the best we’ve gotten from Big Mike but I still feel he can deliver more.
• John Park is up next I appreciate his self reflection from what he did last week.  Song will be ‘Gravity’ by John Meyer.  Aarrghhhhh another slow song.  He caught my attention with the first note and seems to be holding my enjoyment.  A bit pitchy in the chorus I think.  Just slightly though.  I feel overall a better song choice.  I agree with Randy there was nothing new on the take of the song.  I think this kid, should go far if he can continue to grow as he did over this past week.  I can see what Simon is saying Believability is a big issue.  Thank you Kara, yes get out of the Ballad Sleepy thing.
• Casey James is on next hey can you redo our house here? lol  Such a refreshing personality.  Can definitely rock the guitar, This is they type of performance I enjoy.  Pitch is good occasional problems.  Weird sound when he swallows the mike.  Overall best of the night for me thus far.  Split Jury on the Judges.  I seem to agree with Kara and Simon.  I still feel overall his overall performance is best for the night thus far.
• Alex Lambert is up singing John Legends ‘Everybody Knows’.  Ouch bad song choice, I’m not even sure if the guitar is in tune.  Pitch is awful.  Middle of song is a little better.  His pitch is killing him tonight maybe he should have gotten sick before hand.  Not seeing any kind of wow.  I can’t remember last weeks performance.  I agree with Simon, confidence is definitely lacking in this kid.  I stand by my earlier statements just didn’t sound right or look right for me.
• Todrick Hall, I think it’s great that this kid listens to the judges and is attempting to become a better artist as a result.  His voice is so clear, on the fence right now.  Pitch sounds good until the chorus.  May have changed the song a bit to much.  I applaud the originality,  he seems to have come around in the second half.  I almost feel his arrangement is just weird.
• Jermaine Sellers I missed the performance due to taking our puppy for his last nightly walk.
• Andrew Garcia: Pitch wasn’t there.  I enjoyed the overall performance.  I feel something was lacking.  Not certain what he is missing.  I agree with Kara the song was a safe choice.  I agree with Simon as well not a wowing performance and was okay.  Although I do enjoy his voice.  I look forward to next week seeing what he comes up with.
• Aaron Kelly: My Girl by the temptations is a large order.  He appears much more confident than last week.  He’s sticking close to the original.  I’m afraid he might get dinged for not making it his own.  I’m actually enjoying this performance way more than the others it has energy, and the pitch is good.  This song would have made me stop and watch the show.  Good critique from Randy.  Ellen said forgettable and I actually disagree.  Kara gave a good critique.  Simon didn’t like it because he felt it was all over the place.  I disagree with Simon.  I understand what Simon is saying but I feel his performance outshined the others tonight.  I think Simon wants this kid to be his very best and will therefore always have a constructive critique for him.
• Tim Urban:  I look forward and appreciate his pre song candor.  So much better than last week.  He seems much more in his element tonight and less like a David Cassidy Imitator.  Randy saying Karaoke.  I didn’t hear the pitch problems Randy and Ellen are saying.  Kara saying he needs to work on arrangement may be what he needs.  Simon gave kudos.  I agree with Simon and am impressed by his overall approach.
• Lee Dewyze:  Stage presence aplenty.  Excellent, I think there may have been one or two notes he missed.  Excellent emotion, wonderful feeling.  Seems like they saved the best for last.  He took a chance but I feel it paid off.  We have a new winner for the night. 

All in all there were only a few gentleman that really stood out.  I look forward to results.  I have no real solid predictions other than I see Lee, and Aaron as definite long term contenders.  Big Mike may be there longer but really has some heavy competition in my eyes.