Surprise! Here we are on Tuesday night, and instead of the Top 10 girls performing, we’re watching the Top 10 guys!
According to Ryan Seacrest the reason is that Crystal Bowersox was taken to the hospital this morning and, under doctor’s orders, can’t perform live tonight.
So the guys rehearsed and we’ll see them in just a few minutes. I wonder how must advance notice they had that they’d be performing tonight? Just goes to show that in this business, you’ve got to be ready for just about anything!
Tonight, Ellen and Randy have switched seats at the judges’ table. Ryan asks Randy what he thinks about the last minute change, and he says it’s still guys against guys and girls against girls. Kara said she thinks the guys are a little more comfortable in front of the audience this week and they’ll “bring it.” Ellen jokes about doing her show once from a hospital bed. Ryan asks Simon if he thinks the guys or girls are better, and Simon says, “by a smidge,” the girls.

Up first is Michael Lynche, who shares in his interview that he played football and was involved in performing arts, and to prove it he does arm curls with Aaron Kelly. Tonight Michael is singing James Brown’s “This Is A Man’s World.” This is a much better song choice this week. He’s got such a funky R&B voice. Randy says this season is really getting rolling and gives him a standing ovation. Ellen says she likes every song choice he’s made so far and this was the one to beat tonight. Kara tonight he went from being a singer to being potentially a great artist, and that he’s not the same guy as last week. Simon said he went from being a pussycat to a lion in one week. It was exactly the right song and it’s the best performance he’s given in the competition so far.
Ryan asks him what’s changed, and Michael says his wife and baby are moving out to LA at the end of the week so his family will be there.
We find out that the guys found out at 10 AM this morning that they needed to be ready at 10:30 AM to rehearse for tonight. So they didn’t get the extra day they’d expected.
John Park is up next. In his video, we learn English is his second language (his first is Korean), and that he’ll focus on the honesty of the song. We also learn that he sings in an a cappella group Purple Haze, and the group jokes that they’re eager to have him back. He’s singing John Mayer’s “Gravity.” Already, it’s a much better song choice. I like him sitting there on the stool; he’s not trying so hard to pull of something huge. He’s just singing. There’s nothing wildly new about his performance, but it brought us back to his voice. Randy says the John Mayer vibe is his vibe, but he didn’t bring anything new to it. Ellen said it was so much better song choice; could have had a little more soul, but she said to feel the song. Kara says way better than last week, but her concern is about being honest and connecting with the audience. She says she doesn’t always want to believe it, and he needs to let loose. Simon says he thinks “Purple Haze might get their lead singer back soon.” Simon says there wasn’t anything exciting about it. Ellen loves the way he looks, and while the other judges don’t see any star potential she says no one really has it at this stage of the competition. But it seems like they all agree that there’s potential but authenticity is a problem.
Casey James is up next. Please, I’m begging, no sexual innuendos or creepy flirting with Kara tonight. We learn in Casey’s video that for most of his life he hasn’t had a TV (and he never saw Idol before he got on the show), that he bought and renovated his own little house, and that he has some pre-show think he won’t reveal. He’s singing Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want To Be”, a song that’s been done a few times on the show. I think Casey can play the guitar but he’s stinking up this song. Randy says he loves Casey playing; he said this is the kind of music he can see Casey making this kind of music. Ellen says it’s a great song and he sounded great, and on paper everything is there, but there’s still a stiffness in him on stage. Kara says, “We all got the memo, the cougar’s a fan.” But she says tonight he took two steps backwards, and that gets a boo from everyone She says he’s a great guitar player but tonight he lost everything that makes him who he is. Simon says he’s kind of with Kara; he says this week Casey turned into something you’d see in any bar across America and he doesn’t have the grit to pull of that song. Sorry, I agree with Kara and Simon on this one. Hated it. I think Casey is shocked that they didn’t think he had the “grit”. Oh well, welcome to American Idol.
Alex Lambert is up next, and in his “what don’t people know about you” video he says he made up his own language that he uses when he’s writing songs and doesn’t have lyrics. Alex admits that he suffers from stage fright and throws up before a performance. Fortunately, he didn’t throw up before tonight’s show, and he has his guitar with him on stage tonight so he feels a little more comfortable. He’s singing John Legend’s “Everybody Knows”. I love this kid, but he needs a new haircut. He definitely seems a little more at ease tonight, and the longer he gets to stay in the competition, the better he’s going to get. He is just adorable and I think that’s because he isn’t a polished, experience performer. Randy says it was such an improvement over last week, and he enjoyed it, calling it “way legit.” Ellen says it’ slike somene took the unripe banana and it ripened in the week. She said that under that mullet is another Sam Cooke. She likes it. Kara says there isn’t a person out there who isn’t rooting for him; she says he has an incredible, recordable voice that artists and producers would kill for and he doesn’t even know what to do iwth it. Simon says it was a million times better. Simon says the only time he should be nervous is if you’re useless, and he’s not. He just doesn’t feel yet like Alex is in it to win it, and once he starts to believe he can win, he’ll be in the running.
Todrick Hall is up next. In his video, he says he does a few push ups before a performance. Tonight he’s singing Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” because he wanted to pick something that won’t let people compare him to the original. Yeah, he doesn’t have her legs. He says he took the judges advice and changed up the song just enough to make it his own. I’m sorry, I just don’t see why he’s in the competition. He’s a terrible singer and he’s annoying on stage. At least in this venue. Sometimes he’s good. I think he’s probably great on Broadway. Randy says the end was hot, but that a great song doesn’t need a new arrangment. Randy didn’t love it, and wants him to just sing and not change up the songs. Ellen says to sing and move, because he’s a dancer and he should go with his strengths. She didn’t think it was a current song or the best song for him, and that song didn’t help him get votes. Kara says that it got better when he started moving. She says the first song he sang for them was a simple melody and that’s what they want to see and not this all over the place songs. Simon says, “Move but don’t sing” because this is not working out for him. He says it was a performance he would have had the misfortune to see at a theme park. Sorry, I’m totally with Simon again.
Ryan asks Randy about the judges thinking at first he was one of the best but now he’s having problems. Randy says his problem is he’s re-arranging the songs way too much, and Todrick says if he’s back next week he’ll do what he used to do in church, and just sing the song.
Jermaine Sellers is up next. In his video, he parades around his his onesie pajamas, and talks about the judges’ comments being cuthroat last week. But he also says that the judges know what they’re talking about. He’s singing “What’s Going On” this week, by Marvin Gaye. Hit the repeat button: over arrangement on the intro, and weak vocals. Sounded like at one point someone stepped on a cat. Randy says it was better than last week, but it had some bright moments, but it just wasn’t a great performance. Ellen says she loves his style and that he “rocks the onesie” but the performance didn’t work for her. Jermaine says “If I pull back any more…” Kara says he’s always doing too much and look at the meaning of the song and come from the gut with the lyrics, that it feels forced and he’s trying to show them every trick. Make one trick mean something. Simon says that they’re frustrated and disappointed because he waters down the songs because he plays around too much. Jermaine says, “I need you all to come to church with me some day and hear me sing,” And Simon says, “Ill come to church with you.” And he was serious. Jermaine says he’s taking what they’re saying seriously, and he’s a God-fearing person and without God he’d fail. Jermaine believes God will have him back next week. Ryan says, “Jermaine and Simon go to Sunday School: the new docuseries.”
Andrew Garcia is up next, without his guitar.We learn in his video he’s a break dancer. Nifty! Andrew’s singing, “You Give Me Something,” by James Morrison. His voice reminds me of Adam Levine from Maroon 5. He’s sitting on a stool; not sure I like this. He actually doesn’t sound as great as I remember him. He’s pitchy and boring. Randy says it was pitchy and he’s way better than that. He doesn’t see Andrew as a soul singer, more like a singer songwriter with the guitar. Ellen thought there were a couple of pitch problems, but he set the bar so high with the Paula Abdul song that they’re waiting for him to top that. Kara says “Straight Up” was so brilliant and it’s been downhill form there. But she says he has the potential and he needs to surprise them. Simon is frustrated again, and the fact that he hasn’t chosen the right song in two weeks is a problem. Simon is disappointed.
Aaron Kelly is up next, and we learn he loves photography. Like Alex, Aaron is still not confident on stage. Tonight he’s feeling more confident and he’s singing The Temptations’ “My Girl.” He’s another cutie who can sing. He sounds so much older than just 16. Randy says he wasn’t sure he was going to like him, but this is the “young dude” he remembers from Hollywood and 200% better than last week. Ellen says definitely better, he sings well and has a great voice, but the song is a little forgettable. Kara liked it and likes him, he’s consistent and has great control. Simon says that he didn’t like the song and it was all over the place. At 16, he thinks Aaron still needs to work out what kind of artist he wants to be; that his was too old fashioned. Simon mentions Justin Bieber, and when Ryan asks Aaron if he likes Justin Bieber he says, “er… yeah …”
Kara isn’t quite in her chair as we come back; was she out for a smoke with Simon?
Tim Urban is up next. We learn that he has 4 brothers and 5 sisters, which he says it like “being born into a group of best friends.” He also prays before a show. Tonight Tim is singing Matt Nathanson’s “Come On Get Higher”. He looks more comfortable tonight and he sounds better, but he’s pitchy. Randy says … “Yo” … and says he didn’t get it and it was karaoke and not special. Ellen tells the audience to keep booing because they’re going to boo her. Ellen says he should act when he sings, because the girls would love him. She says he’s adorable but his strong point isn’t singing. Kara likes the song choice better but he didn’t make it his own. She says it’s frustrating because he looks and plays the part but its not all adding up yet. She says it could be there. Simon disagrees with the other three and says it was a marked improvement than last week, that he listened to the judges, picked a more relevent song. Simon say he’s impressed with his attitude and work ethic and was impressed that he didn’t whine, he just listened and went back to who he is.
Closing out the show is Lee DeWyze. We learn that in high school he made some bad choices and had to go to an alternative high school. Tonight, Lee is singing “Lips Of An Angel” without his guitar. I think that of all the guys, Lee has the best voice, knows his genre best, and is the most consistent. He may not be the most polished singer all the time, but it works for him. It’s all smiles at the judges’ table. Randy says he liked that he like that Lee took a chance without the guitar and he liked it. Ellen says it had so much passion and intensity and it was a great performance. Kara thought it was a big improvement but a few pitch problems are still there. But she can hear him on the radio right now, he’s very commercial. Simon says vocally Lee is head and shoulders above everyone else on the guys’ side of the competition. But it’s all about self-belief, and that he looks terrified right now. He says he’s just waiting for it all to connect and he may be the one to beat.
Recapping: I think Michael Lynche and Lee Dewyze have the best voices, followed by Andrew. But Andrew isn’t consistent and he needs to loosen up a bit when he doesn’t have his guitar. I think Alex and Aaron might be dark horses in the competition. My two favorites are Alex Lambert and Lee Dewyze, probably in that order right now.
As for who should go home: Jermaine is still on my list. And Todrick would be up there, too. But last week’s elimination of Joe Munoz and Tyler Grady surprised me so I can’t even predict.
But what about you? Who do you think rocked the stage tonight? Who should go home?
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