Idol Chatter

Idol’s final two: The song-by-song grades

So, Simon thinks Lee DeWyze will win American Idol.

Oh, well, take heart, Crystal fans. He’s been wrong before.

Like two years ago, when he predicted the Idol crown would go to David Archuleta.

David Cook, of course, wound up winning season seven.

And there’s this: Here at The York Dispatch, we have eight avid Idol watchers. Six of the eight think Crystal should win tomorrow night. Go here for that blog.

Now, note the word “should.”

I mean, I’m one of the six. But if pressed for a prediction … I’d have to say the victory will go to Lee.

For one thing, females seem to be at a huge disadvantage on this show in recent years. Blame those young female texting fiends who seem to prefer cute guys to talented girls.

For a second, Lee seems to have momentum on his side.

But a hail-”Hallelujah” performance from Crystal tonight could change all of that.

And each contestant will get three chances to wow us. Keep checking back here for song-by-song grades.

Meanwhile, lots of special features in Idol Chatter this week, including …

* A tribute to Simon: His meanest moments from the last three seasons.

* A look back at all of Crystal’s performances from this season.

* A look back at all of Lee’s performances from this season.

* And tips on how to save American Idol in the post-Simon Cowell era.

Meanwhile, here we go. Six performances left in season nine of American Idol.

Lee will kick things off, performing his choice of songs from the season. And so much for my hope that each contestant would get to perform an original tonight. Sounds like the coronation song is back.

Lee DeWyze: He’ll kick off the night with a reprise of his fine Inspirational Week performance of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” Dawg, nothing wrong with that vocal. Loved the song the first time he sang it. Sounded just as good this time to me. But sounds like the judges wanted a little more. Simon called it “a kiss on the cheek” when what he wanted was “a kiss on the lips.” “Well, not from you,” he added quickly. Comment from Simon: A. Performance from Lee: B+ .

Crystal Bowersox: She’ll repeat her performance of “Me and Bobby McGee,” another of my favorites from season nine. Wow. I think Crystal just smoked Lee in round one. She showed incredible range on that song. All she needs is a guitar and that voice. Call her a one-girl rock band. Grade: A.

Now it’s time for songs of Simon Fuller’s choice. These worry me. Because, as last week demonstrated, so much can hinge on song choice. And contestants have no control when it’s someone else picking the songs.

Lee DeWyze: The song choice for him is “Everybody Hurts.” Uh-oh. Lee better pick it up. He’s suffering from some serious pitch problems early in this song. This arrangement / song doesn’t suit his voice nearly as well as “The Boxer.” And his voice isn’t blending with the chorus well at all. If Randy thought that was better than his first song, he’s deaf. For a finals performance, that was a mess.  Grade: C .

Crystal Bowersox: Hmm, interesting choice for Crystal — “Black Velvet.” She is going to slay this song. There’s the rocker you’ve been looking for all season, Randy. She just nailed that song. And take that for a glory note, Simon. Crystal has learned something over the course of this season, huh? How to play the Idol glory note game. She’s mopping up the floor with Mr. DeWyze through the first two rounds. I’m adding a minus to the A because it was a little over-the-top. Grade: A- .

Lee DeWyze: Surprise. He’ll be singing U2’s “Beautiful Day.” Uh-oh. Lee’s in trouble again. For one thing, everything going on around him, the arrangement, the backup musicians are swallowing his vocal. These Lee performances are getting worse with each progressive song. I almost hope Crystal sings the same song to see how she handles it. This is supposed to be Lee’s first single if he wins. Perhaps it would grow on me. Right now, it’s not a performance I’d want to hear again. Grade: C .

Crystal Bowersox: Turns out Crystal will sing another cover song, “Up To the Mountain.” Hey, forget everything I just typed about hoping she’d sing the same song as Lee. We just saw an Idol moment, perhaps the best vocal of the entire season nine. And if Kara has any complaints about Crystal’s not feeling what’s she’s singing, I can’t wait to hear her critique of this performance. Turns out the critiques are excellent. Even Kara gave Crystal her due. The one thing we didn’t hear is what Simon should have closed with: Crystal Bowersox just outsang Lee DeWyze and deserves the Idol crown. Grade: A+

Check back in a few for the recap.

Idol Finals Week Nine: The song-by-song grades

American Idol experimented with duets during last year’s top four performance show.

Apparently, producers liked the results well enough to try it again.

Personally, I think the duets smack of unfairness.

I mean, last year, someone was going to get paired with Adam Lambert. Two contestants were going to have the misfortune of not getting paired with Adam Lambert.

This year, someone is going to get paired with Crystal Bowersox (Lee DeWyze, apparently). Two contestants are going to have the misfortune of not getting paired with Crystal Bowersox.

Of course, this being Idol, I don’t know why I worry about such things.

Despite an absolutely brilliant version of “Slow Ride” with Adam, Allison Iraheta got eliminated in last year’s top four show.

And, two weeks later, Adam finished second to Kris Allen. Let’s just say Kris’ “Renegade” duet with Danny Gokey wasn’t nearly as memorable as Adam and Allison’s.

Duets are about the only thing not covered in a survey American Idol is currently conducting. To learn about what is covered, go here. Or head straight to americanidol.com to complete the questionnaire. Be advised, it’s a pretty exhaustive survey.

Anyway, it’s showtime. Which means it’s time for song-by-song grades.

Lee DeWyze: Last week’s hero in the eyes of the judges opens things up tonight with “Kiss from a Rose.” Hey, a better opening than we got from Casey James last week. That said, every once in a while, Lee reaches for one of those high notes and uncorks a screech that could pierce an eardrum. He did it a couple of times on that song. And, to be honest, he seemed to mimic the original. Hmm, as a group, the judges weren’t terribly impressed. I’m still confused by how confused Randy is. What, after 11 weeks of live shows, makes him think Lee is such a rocker? Anyway, I didn’t think Lee was as good as the judges last week. This week, I’d rate him better than the judges did. Grade: B- . 

Michael Lynche: Three trips to the bottom three, including last week when the judges loved his performance. I’d say Michael is one of the guys on the bubble tonight. He’ll be singing a Michael Jackson song, “Will You Be There.” Hey, you know what, Big Mike didn’t pick another sleepy ballad. He’s performing a song with some big notes, picking up on the gospel flair, sounding pretty darn good with the background choir. And, as usual, he’s hitting all those notes. All in all, a pretty solid performance from the big guy. Again, the judges aren’t entirely buying it. More to the point, Kara didn’t feel any goosebumps (apparently, she wanted another ballad), and no one was thrilled with the song choice. Hey, Simon, there might be thousands of songs out there to choose from. But the Idol contestants don’t get to pick from thousands. You know better. Grade: B.

Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox: Time for the first duet. Again, I don’t know how fair this is. I mean, most people (myself included) rank Crystal and Lee as the top two contestants on the show. But I love that the two — both of whom specialize in acoustic guitar performances — get to perform together. They’ll be singing “Falling Slowly.” Hmm. Maybe Idol should keep these duets around. Those two sounded great together. That, folks, probably ranks as a season nine highlight. The judges loved it, too. Who knew? I guess we were bound to agree on something tonight. Grade: A.

Casey James:  I think Casey just pulled a Jason Castro. Which means he’s singing for his Idol life, picks a laid-back song and turns in a laid-back performance, which sounded pleasing enough, but isn’t going to have much of an impact and isn’t going to be remembered beyond the upcoming performance by Crystal Bowersox. So, did Idol producers put him up to singing “Mrs. Robinson?” I mean, there was no way that conversation wasn’t going to steer back to comments Kara made about Casey earlier this season. Fill out those surveys, folks. Meanwhile, another nerve-wracking week for Casey, who still hasn’t learned to stop smiling when he should be dialing up the emotion in a song. Grade: C .

Crystal Bowersox: Point proved. Crystal changed up “I’m Alright” to fit her style of music, finally brought some energy to tonight’s solo performances and … did anyone else notice? … she ended the song with a big note. The result, solid reviews from the judges. Though I have no idea what Simon is talking about, declaring that Crystal is “back in the game.” Hey, Simon, with this cast, she’s never been out of the front-runner position. Again, that’s not my favorite Crystal performance. Perhaps I was spoiled by listening to too many of her originals before the season started. It was the best solo of the night. Grade: B+ .

Casey James and Michael Lynche: They’ll be singing “Have You Ever Loved a Woman.” Didn’t someone else already perform that song this season? Or perhaps countless songs like it? I’m not sensing magical as this begins. OK, you know what? That was better than I expected. Casey did great on the guitar. When Michael started singing, the song came alive vocally. Thank you, Idol, for making them perform side by side. Any objective viewer should be able to watch that performance and determine who’s the better singer. Meanwhile, the judges have it right. Tonight’s duets were better than the solo performances. Grade: B .

Check back in a few minutes for the recap blog.

Check back tomorrow morning for photos from tonight’s show.

Idol Finals Week 8: The song-by-song grades

Tonight on American Idol, we get an hour-long show featuring just five performances, songs from Frank Sinatra and lots of filler.

Gee whiz. So much to look forward to.

Of course, last week at this time, I was really looking forward to country week, figuring the theme fit the final six pretty well.

I wound up surprised by the lack of memorable performances.

So I’m hoping I’m surprised again tonight. And that we don’t have to sit through one humdrum ballad after another.

I don’t get the Sinatra theme, at all. I mean, the judges are always telling the contestants they want them to seem young. So they give them a Sinatra theme?

Forget Ol’ Blue Eyes. I hear Ol’ Blue Eyes and I think old songs.

If the spoiler list I saw for tonight is correct, Aaron Kelly gets the privilege of opening tonight’s show; show-closing honors go to Lee DeWyze.

Oh, and as a bonus, we get Harry Connick Jr. as a guest judge. The most promising aspect of the show this week appears to be Lady Gaga’s appearance on tomorrow night’s results show. Haven’t heard who else will be performing yet.

Hey, the Idols look all decked out tonight, huh? Casey James and Lee look particularly snazzy.

Aaron Kelly: The teen from Sonestown kicks things off with “Fly Me to the Moon.” OK, wake me up when this is over. Take a really old song, add a little country twang, toss in Aaron’s lack of charisma, and this isn’t a performance that’s going to have me rushing to the phone to vote. As always, Aaron’s vocal is decent. But I have trouble buying Aaron as a top five finalist. I just can’t see him as the season nine Idol. He gets solid reviews from Randy and Ellen, not so good reviews from Kara and Simon. I side with the latter two. (Wow, Kara and Simon agreed.) Grade: C+.

Hey, I think they’ve taken the instruments from the contestants tonight. Everyone’s going to perform with Harry’s band.

Casey James: Oh, my, my, my, how Casey needed his guitar. And to lose that cheesy smile. Casey singing Sinatra was every bit as tortured as I thought it would be. That was easily Casey’s worst performance since the finals began. Pitch problems all over the place. And there were some shockingly goofy looks to go with the shockingly non-top five singing going on. Grade: F.

Crystal Bowersox: Here comes MamaSox, the ladies’ last hope in season nine. She’ll be singing “Summer Wind.” She says she has a personal connection to the lyrics. But she didn’t share what it was. Don’t really care what the connection was. That was a splendid, well-controlled vocal by a singer way, way out of her element. She didn’t need theatrics. Her voice does all the work. Was it my favorite Crystal performance? Far from it. Partly because these are songs the contestants should never be forced to sing. Grade: B+.

Michael Lynche: Big Mike will be singing “The Way You Look Tonight.” If you haven’t heard, he’s the new pick for Vote for the Worst. Check out the caricature. They just couldn’t fit all of Big Mike in. Is anyone besides me tired of hearing Michael sing ballads week after week? Of course, what do you do on Sinatra week? Mike’s vocal is pretty good. Calm down, Randy. It wasn’t nearly that good. But don’t worry, Vote for the Worst: He wasn’t that good, despite what the judges are saying. Hmm, Sinatra is one of Simon’s favorite artists. Is that why we have this ridiculous theme? Grade: B-.

Lee DeWyze: He’ll be singing “My Life.” Randy and Ellen loved it. I didn’t get it. That was nearly as awkward as Casey’s performance, and the vocal was miles from Lee’s best. Simon is complimenting him on his stage presence. Hey, I agree. Lee has come a long way from the guy who seemed scared of the stage back in week one. But I never want to hear that performance again. Grade: C- .

Check back in a few for the recap blog.

Check back tomorrow morning for photos from tonight’s performances.

Idol Finals Week 7: The song-by-song grades

Tonight marks Shania Twain’s return to American Idol.

The last time we met Shania on Idol was the Chicago audition episode. You remember. She was panting over John Park, between giggles.

Sorry, Shania, but John’s not with us anymore. Turns out he didn’t sing nearly as well as you thought he looked.

And what we really need is for you to put the silliness aside and coax some believable country music out of our final six.

Personally, I think we could be in for one of better episodes of the season.

I mean, check out the remaining singers. Lee DeWyze, Casey James and Crystal Bowersox should be able to go country with ease.

Big Michael Lynche might have sung hip-hop pre-Idol, but he’s scrapped that image and looks perfectly at home with an acoustic guitar.

Aaron Kelly? Hey, country is what he does best.

That leaves Siobhan “Screamer” Magnus. OK, that might be a challenge.

But remember Adam Lambert’s version of “Ring of Fire” on country night last week. It was a reminder of how far the genre can be bent to fit an artist’s musical strengths.

Not that I’d compare Siobhan to Adam at this point.

Oh, remember that strange Idol Gives Back episode. Apparently, the effort raised $45 million.

Great work to all the Idols who helped out, folks like David Cook, Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen, etc.

Now, the song-by-song grades …

Lee DeWyze: The guy who’s been on a roll of late will kick things off with “You’re Still the One.” Ouch. OK, maybe Crystal should start and finish each show. I just was not a big fan of that. He seemed awfully sharp and pitchy through most of that song. His weakest performance in weeks. Well, he’s getting great reviews from the judges, better by far than I thought he deserved. Grade: C+.

Michael Lynche: Big Mike follows Lee DeWyze, singing Shania’s “It Only Hurts When I Breathe.” Michael did a nice job of twisting a country song to fit his style. Very nice vocal, with some really nice notes at the end. No doubt, this guy has a very good voice. That wasn’t one of those magic Idol moments I thought Shania night might pull out of Michael, but it was certainly good enough to keep him out of danger again. Grade: B-.

Casey James: After finishing in the bottom three for the first time last week, Casey needs to come through with a solid performance. Hopefully one that comes across as a little more sincere than “Lawdy, Miss Claudy” or “Don’t Stop.” What Shania has been saying about feeling a song might strike a chord with Casey. Casey sounds like he’s learned the error of his ways, and follows that up with one of his best performances in weeks. No cheesy smile, just spot-on vocals. Not nearly as good as “Jealous Man,” but lots better than the last two weeks. Grade: B+.

Crystal Bowersox: MamaSox already has Shania’s signature on her guitar. She’ll be singing “No One Needs To Know Right Now.” Wow, what a voice. My only complaint is that there were too many instruments, plus a background singer. I would have preferred hearing just Crystal and her guitar and that wonderful voice. Simon called it limp. There was a little too much background noise distracting from Crystal’s voice for me. Grade: B.

Aaron Kelly: This should be Aaron’s night on Idol. He’s performed country music as numerous fairs in Pennsylvania. He’ll sing “It’s in the Way You Loved Me.” Well, I think it’s pretty clear Aaron should be singing country music. He seemed perfectly at home with that song and his vocal was as good as any we’ve heard tonight. From the charisma standpoint, he still ranks last among this group. But that was probably his best performance since the finals started. Grade: B+.

Siobhan Magnus: The Magnificent Screamer looks like a fashion disaster and is taking on one of the most recognizable Shania Twain songs, “Any Man of Mine.” This vocal is about as tortured as that outfit. Is she shouting or singing? Sounds like more shouting than singing to me. And here goes the scream with no purpose, other than to scream. Nice ending note, but my word, all the missed notes to that point. If attitude counted, she’d get great marks. But this is a singing, not a screaming competition. And I have no idea what the praise-happy judges were listening to. Grade: D.

Check back in a few for the recap blog.

Idol Finals Week 6: The song-by-song grades

With Alicia Keys as a mentor and inspirational songs as the theme, the final seven season nine contestants try to set the mood for tomorrow night’s Idol Gives Back episode.

If the spoiler list I just saw is correct, Casey James will kick off the show with a Fleetwood Mac tune, and Crystal Bowersox again gets the honor of closing things out. (Hey, who else among this cast can Idol depend on to deliver, week in and week out?)

But the three contestants I’ll be focused on tonight are Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly and Siobhan Magnus.

Can Tim continue his Zero to Hero routine? Two solid performances have raised his stock among Idol watchers, but he’s also still the golden boy of Vote for the Worst.

Can Aaron Kelly rise above mediocrity? He’d better. He’s at the bottom of my current rankings of the remaining Idols.

And can Siobhan Magnus — aka, the Magnificent Screamer — shake off a two-week funk? At the rate gals are being voted off this show, another subpar performance could put her at risk.

Meanwhile, Idol has seven performances to squeeze into a one-hour time slot, so the pace of tonight’s show should be downright inspirational in itself.

Casey James: Our season nine rocker kicks things off with “Don’t Stop,” the Fleetwood Mac classic, the Bill Clinton campaign theme song. And Casey’s smiling that cheesy smile again all the way through his performance. Hmm, I recall much more intensity from Lindsey Buckingham when he dove into this tune. And Casey’s trying to rough up the vocal a little. He sounds fine, but this is not going to come anywhere close to matching that “Jealous Man” performance from a couple of weeks ago. Predictably, he gets chastised by the judges for a so-so performance, a lazy song choice and for what Simon calls a performance that was “not particularly inspiring.” Grade: B-.

Lee DeWyze: Wow, there’s a totally different mood to this performance, right? Lee’s version of “The Boxer” lacked the pureness of the Simon and Garfunkel original, but that was a great vocal nevertheless. And a very believable performance from a guy who had trouble controlling his nerves on stage just a few short weeks ago. I’d call that Lee’s best performance yet during the finals. And he’s getting great reviews from the judges, including from Simon, who called it “absolutely brilliant.” Grade: A- . 

Tim Urban: Idol did Tim no favor by having him follow Lee to the stage. The contrast in vocal abilities is pretty stark. And I’m not sure Tim did Tim any favors by deciding to sing “Better Days” by the Goo Goo Dolls. What we just saw was a decent performance, but probably a step back from the two Mr. Zero-to-Hero turns in the last two weeks. The judges apparently think so, too. But look at Tim. He’s still smiling through all the criticism. Why not? Did anyone expect him to be around this long? Grade: C+.

Aaron Kelly: Oh, no. The teen from Sonestown is going to sing a big song, “I Believe I Can Fly.” Not sure he has the big voice required to pull it off. And he’s sure starting out a little rough. You know what, by the end of the song, Aaron was hitting some impressive notes. But I’m just not a big fan of “I Believe I Can Fly.” At least not with a touch of country twang Aaron puts on nearly everything. The judges say they appreciate the effort. Well, except for Simon. Another so-so effort from Aaron. Grade: C+.

Siobhan Magnus: You just never know what the Magnificent Screamer is going to be wearing when she gets on stage. Today, an outfit adorned with butterflies. And she’s taking on a challenging song, “When You Believe,” by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Wise? Ouch. Rough, pitch-filled opening for Siobhan. But she pulled through with some amazing notes at the end. Sorta the opposite of last week, when I loved the opening to “Suspicious Minds,” but hated the ending. Lukewarm comments from the judges won’t help the impression that Siobhan is struggling to match her performances from earlier in the finals. Not the memorable peformance she was likely hoping for. Grade: B-.

Michael Lynche: Figured we could count on Michael to snap this show out of a three-song funk. And I’m glad Michael decided to sing something more up-tempo this week instead another of those sleepy ballads he seems to gravitate toward. His rendition of “Hero” might not have been his best performance since the finals began, but it was another solid vocal. I still can’t figure out how this guy needed a judges’ save to survive a couple of weeks ago. He’s clearly been one of the season’s most consistent singers. Grade: B.

Crystal Bowersox: Now that’s the way you close a show. From the a cappella opening to the tear-filled closing, MamaSox just delivered an inspirational rendition of “People Get Ready.” Best vocal of the night. One of Crystal’s best of the finals. And she went without an instrument for the first time. Rumors were, she nearly quit the competition at one point. Hang in here, Crystal. You make season nine worth watching. Grade: A.

Check back in a bit for the recap blog.

Check back tomorrow morning for a photo gallery from tonight’s show.

And follow along tomorrow evening for live blogging during Idol Gives Back.

Idol Finals Week 5: Song-by-song grades, plus Adam

Adam Lambert and Elvis Presley music on the same episode of American Idol.

Let’s just say there should be a whole lot of shakin’ going on tonight on American Idol. (Hey, Elvis covered the song.)

Speaking of Adam, I dared question whether he was a wise choice for an Idol mentor in a weekend blog post.

Wow, Glambert fans — dozens of  them — rushed to the defense of last year’s runner-up.

Hey, you want to call Adam the best showman to grace the Idol stage? No argument here.

You want to call Adam the best male vocalist to compete on the show? Again, no argument.

But I still say the way David Cook changed songs to fit his musical style on Idol is more within the grasp of this year’s contestants than mimicking an Adam Lambert performance.

And I still say Adam’s record sales have been disappointing considering all the hype he generated during and since the show.

Just to appease all those Adam fans out there, here’s what I’ll do. In addition to the song-by-song grades offered up in each week’s live blog, I’ll grade Adam’s performance at the end of the show. So stay tuned for that.

Crystal Bowersox: The front-runner kicks off tonight’s show, playing an electric guitar and belting out Elvis’ “Because I’m Saved.” What better way to kick off any Idol show than by having Crystal perform?. Let’s hear the judges call this a karaoke performance. Nope, they’re giving credit where credit is due. Yet another brilliant vocal from a gal who stands out in season nine the way Adam stood out in season eight. Grade: A- (only because there’s the slim possibility someone will do better later in the show).

Andrew Garcia: Mr. Mediocrity performs second tonight. Suspicious minds have been wondering who’s been voting for this guy to keep him around five weeks into the finals. He’ll be singing “Hound Dog.” Oh, boy. But he got good advice from Adam. Change it up, Andrew. Otherwise, you can kiss your spot in this competition goodbye. Andrew followed Adam’s advice. He changed it up. But it didn’t work for me. He pretty much sucked all the bark out of the hound dog. And, after those comments from the judges, he could be in big trouble tonight. Grade: C-.

Tim Urban: Hmm, Tim’s going to slow things down with “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” He’s got the guitar again, a wise move after the success he enjoyed last week. Wow, I really liked the ending of that song. He seemed to veer off course a little in the middle, but all in all, that was a pretty good version of an Elvis song by a guy who does have a pretty good voice. Simon just said Tim went from “zero to hero” in two weeks. Guess what? The guy who landed in the bottom three the first three weeks of the finals just earned himself another week on Idol. Keep that up, Tim, and you’re going to lose your status as poster child for Vote for the Worst. Grade: B.

Lee DeWyze: He’ll be singing “A Little Less Conversation.” Hey, another strong vocal from the guy with the best voice among the males in the competition, according to Simon. No bagpipes this week, huh? That was a wise move. That performance and his performance two weeks ago are why I think Lee has the potential to give Crystal a run for the Idol crown in season nine. Grade: B+.

Aaron Kelly: The teen from Sonestown is singing “Blue Suede Shoes,” a song he admits is probably wrong for him in every possible way. Well, let’s see … Yeah, I’m having trouble envisioning Aaron in this role. Too clean-cut. Not quite enough swagger. That said, Aaron just turned in a decent vocal. Especially at the end. Not nearly as cringe-worthy as the pairing of Aaron and that song had the potential to be. But Simon hit the nail on the head again. It felt like Aaron “was dressing up for the part.” Grade: C+.

Siobhan Magnus: This should be interesting. The Magnificent Screamer (Siobhan) meets Adam Lambert, the guy who screamed with a purpose last year on Idol. Siobhan says she wrote a paper on Elvis in sixth grade. She’ll sing “Suspicious Minds.” I was hoping someone would. Check out the white peek-a-boo outfit. Well, no one has accused Siobhan of being boring. The early part of that was brilliant; the second half came off as very over-cooked. Simon called the performance ”erratic,” and that would be a good description of that performance. Grade: B-.

Michael Lynche: Big Mike will sing “In the Ghetto.” My bet, he’ll redeem himself after last week’s scare. Hmm. Reminiscent of his performance two weeks ago. Sleepy, but a good vocal. Simon called it one of his favorite Michael performances. Ellen says she’s glad the judges saved him last week. Hey, he deserved to be saved in the sense that he’s one of the show’s most consistent singers, but that performance didn’t thrill me. Grade: B-.

Katie Stevens:  The show’s other teen will sing “Baby, What You Want Me To Do?” Well, the judges have wanted Katie to seem younger. An up-tempo song and outfit like that will help. Hey, Elvis was the King of Rock. Finally, someone is going to try to rock on tonight’s show. That was was of Katie’s better performances. Don’t beg, girl. You deserve another week on the show. And thanks for spicing things up after that Michael Lynche performance. Grade B-.

Casey James: You know you’ve become a front-runner on Idol when they ask you to open or close the show. A well-deserved honor for Casey, after his last two performances. And he should be able to slay Elvis. Talk about a theme in a contestant’s wheelhouse. He’ll be singing “Lawdy, Miss Claudy.” Nothing wrong with that performance. But I’m not sure Casey picked the best possible song on Elvis night. With another song, he could have had a moment. That song didn’t seem very challenging, and he didn’t do anything particularly different with it. One step back for Mr. Casey James. Grade: B-.

And now … as promised …

Adam Lambert: Hey, Adam did himself proud as a mentor on Idol. Great advice for several of the Idols. A couple of the middle-of-the-pack contestants picked up their performance as a result. Lee gave him tons of credit. Not quite as good as Usher. So much better than Miley Cryus … well, it’s laughable. What in the world was she doing as the first Idol mentor this year? Back to Adam. Nice job. It’s pretty clear why several of the season eight contestants turned to you for guidance. Now we’ll look forward to tomorrow’ night’s performance. Grade: B+

Check back in a few minutes for the Idol performance show recap.

Check back tomorrow morning for a photo gallery from tonight’s show.

Idol Finals Week 4: The song-by-song grades

Will the ever-smiling Tim Urban finally turn in a performance the American Idol judges can smile about?

Can Katie Stevens turn in a young, trendy performance of an old Beatles song?

Will Andrew Garcia finally pay the price for constant mediocrity? Or will he finally return to “Straight Up” form?

Can the Magnificent Screamer (aka Siobhan Magnus) give us a magnificent performance without screaming?

Those are this week’s most pressing questions as American Idol trims its season nine field to eight.

Of course, the theme is the John Lennon-Paul McCartney songbook, one that once again gives the Idols plenty of latitude to find something that suits their musical style.

The night’s already off to a rough start for Katie. She got a run in her stockings in dress rehearsal. Or so she tweeted earlier.

Hey, if you follow the Idol contestants on Twitter, you quickly get the sense that there must be a mile-long list of topics they can’t tweet about.

Like what song they’ll sing on the show. Not that it’s really ever a secret. Every week so far, one Idol Web site or another has come up with a dead-on list of what the Idols will be singing.

Among the more interesting tweets from the contestants — Lee’s family will be at the show this week. Yikes. This is a guy who just started getting over a bad case of the nerves on stage. Hope having family around is a benefit and not an added pressure.

Of course, this afternoon’s big news doesn’t even involve this week’s show. EW.com says it has confirmed that Adam Lambert — yep, last season’s runner-up — will mentor the Idol contestants next week. Hmm. Let’s just say I’m not impressed. But more on that in another blog on another day.

Tonight, after all, there are song-by-song grades to dole out. You can find the grades from the first three week’s performances here.

If MJ’sBigBlog is correct, Aaron Kelly will kick off the show with “The Long and Winding Road.” If MJ’sBigBlog is correct, this show might get off to a slow start with Aaron, Katie and Andrew as the first three performers.

Aaron Kelly: Well, Simon wanted to see the contestants change the songs up a little. Aaron changed it up a bit, but Ellen hit the nail on the head, it sounded like “the long and winding song.” The performance we just saw lacked any sort of spark. And the guy Idol wants to cast in the David Archuleta role just isn’t proving worthy. Watch tomorrow night, Aaron. David will show you how it’s done. Grade: C.

Katie Stevens: OK, this is gonna be tough. I’m a big fan of Brooke White, and I remember when she absolutely slayed this song back in season seven. Well, that wasn’t nearly as good as Brooke’s rendition. But that might have been Katie’s best performance since the live shows started. A spot-on vocal. And great comments from the judges. But about that promise from Ellen about not being in the bottom three … I wouldn’t count on it. Not the way female contestants have been falling by the wayside this season. Grade: B.

Andrew Garcia: He’ll be singing “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and it’s a peppy performance, for sure. Andrew’s clearly having fun. Wish I was having as much fun. I’m not sure this version of the song would be a hit. Simon called it ”corny and irrelevant.” I’m surprised he didn’t call it a karaoke performance, because that’s the way it struck me. Sorry, Andrew fans, I know you’re out there. I just don’t get this guy as a performer worthy of the Idol finals. Grade: C- .

Michael Lynche: Big Mike will sing “Eleanor Rigby,” a song he used to perform with his family. Aaron said he didn’t want to get too drastic with the arrangement of such classic songs. Clearly, Michael had no such qualms. Here’s the thing though. David Cook changed songs up in season seven, and they worked. Michael just changed up “Eleanor Rigby,” and it didn’t. It really didn’t. Vocally, not bad. But what is this? “Eleanor Rigby” the musical? Three judges liked or loved it; Simon didn’t. I’m with Simon. Grade: C.

Crystal Bowersox: Now that’s the way you change up a Beatles song. Another blazing performance from MamaSox. My only complaint: I would have loved to have seen Crystal let someone else play guitar while she strutted across the stage belting out that version of “Come Together.” Kara called it “slinky and sexy and fun.” Let’s just call it another top-notch vocal from a gal who takes risks that work rather than backfire. Grade: A-.

Tim Urban: Now it’s Tim time. He’ll be singing “All My Loving.” And, you know what, it’s not half bad. Look, I’ve heard the guys songs on MySpace. He has a decent voice. It was only a matter of time until he put together a performance that didn’t stink. And, tonight, he didn’t stink. So what does that mean about tomorrow night’s results show? I mean, if Tim has survived the last three weeks, he should survive that performance. Grade: B.

Casey James: Last week, I thought Casey James was the most impressive performer. This week, he’ll sing “Jealous Guy.” Hey, Casey’s in a zone. That was another really solid vocal. And Casey didn’t smile once, which helped sell the song. A believable performance from a guy who’s more than just a pretty face. This guy continues to grow on me. Like Crystal, he’s a performer who knows what he should be singing. Grade: A.

Siobhan Magnus: The Magnificent Screamer will sing “Across the Universe.” Give Siobhan this, she takes risks with her look. Each week, something very different. She needed to tone it down a bit this week, and she sure did. Now that was the “long and winding song.” Siobhan lost all her edge with that performance. I would have preferred something along the lines of her “House of the Rising Son” performance. Grade: C+.

Lee DeWyze: The guy who came into his own last week will be singing “Hey, Jude” this week. And I’ve already heard a song’s worth of sour notes. But, give Lee this, he’s having fun, tonight. And here comes a bagpipe player down the Idol stairway. What the heck is going on? The Beatles with bagpipes. I don’t get it. It’s nice to see Lee more relaxed on the Idol stage, but I didn’t get that performance. Grade: C.

Idol Finals Week 3: Song-by-song grades

We’re in for fun tonight.

Oh, how I hope so.

For starters, we have Usher, his six albums and his five Grammys for a mentor.

Whatever Miley Cyrus did or didn’t do last week, that qualifies as a major upgrade.

And Crystal Bowersox promised us “something big.” Could it involve big heels?

I just ask because the Idol front-runner sent out this tweet earlier this week: “I just bought a pair of heels. And loved it. Now, if I don’t have to move and can just stand stationary somewhere, I’ll be alright.”

That’s about as exciting as the twitter statements from the American Idol contestants get. Heaven forbid they reveal what songs they’ll be singing tonight.

On the down side, there’s Didi Benami, who’s turned up the vamp meter and done very well  recently. She’s apparently the latest victim of whatever bug has been afflicting Idol finalists.

But she’s upbeat about it. “Coughing or not, the show must go on,” she says, adding “coughing adds character.”

Well, she could have coughed “You’re No Good” last week and still hit more notes than a couple of contestants.

So, soul and R&B is the theme, and I figure that fits some of these contestants better than others.

Michael Lynche, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze — I figure they should be just fine.

Tim Urban and Aaron Kelly — can’t imagine soul would be their music of choice.

Siobhan Magnus and Didi Benami — should be interesting. We’ll find out quickly. If the spoiler song list I saw earlier is correct, they’ll be two of the first four performers.

And here we go, with song-by-song grades for week three.

Siobhan Magnus:  The magnificent screamer says she was “wicked nervous” to sing for Usher. She’s gone from pretty to punk in look so far in the finals. Tonight, punk is gone, pretty is gone as she tackles “Through the Fire.” Lots and lots of pitch problems leading to … there it is … that scream again … then more pitch problems … then another prolonged scream to end the song. Take away the scream and you have a very mediocre vocal, her worst of the finals so far. And, wow, look at that, the judges are being honest. And thank you Simon, who says, “I’m getting bored by the screaming at the end.” Grade: C.

Casey James:  The season nine rocker figures he’s in his zone, since he prefers playing the blues. He’ll be performing “Hold On I’m Coming,” a song on which he should be able to rock out. Hey, check out the stylish red guitar. A big improvement over baby blue. Hey, now here’s a guy who knows how to pick a song that fits his skills. I’d still like to see more intensity, less smiling. But, you know what, vocals like that have been few and far between this season. And a neat little guitar solo thrown in for good measure. That’s the best non-Crystal performance we’ve seen this season. Grade: A.

Michael Lynche:  Big Mike is following that up with a performance of India Arie’s “Ready For Love,” and he’ll bring out the guitar for the first time since week one of the semifinals. Another solid vocal from Michael, who’s putting together quite a string of them. And he gets well-deserved praise from the judges. Hey, has a guitar ever looked smaller in a guy’s arms. Grade: B+.

Didi Benami: OK, just when I’m warming up to Didi because she’s been crying less lately, she breaks down during her rehearsal with Usher? She’ll be singing “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.” Looking classically lovely. Wish I could say the same about her vocal. She might be crying again when she hears the judges critique this. And, sorry, but that little flair at the end just didn’t work. Grade: C-.

Tim Urban: Mr. Goofy takes on R&B. He did reggae on Rolling Stones Week. He did the silly slide on #1 Billboard Hits Week. Tonight, he’ll sing Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love.” Oh, my, he’s going to play it straight. By the end of this, I think I’m going to wish Tim did something silly to distract me from the singing. Now, seriously, compare that song to the ballad Big Mike sang a couple of songs ago. They don’t even belong on the same stage. Hey, maybe after this week, they won’t be. Grade: D.

Andrew Garcia: The guy who has lost his way on Idol will sing Chris Brown’s “Forever.” He’s got the guitar again. Good move. This is turning into Andrew’s best performance of the finals. That said, it’s merely mediocre. And, honestly, those two minutes seemed like forever. I was ready for that song to be over about one minute in. He’s getting rave reviews from the judges, partly because he had lowered the bar so low in recent weeks. Grade: C+.

Katie Stevens:  The teen queen is going to tackle Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.” Hey, finally, another up- tempo song. Remember, last week Katie said she wanted to sing pop with a touch of R&B, so this should be right up her alley. I continue to be impressed by Katie’s stage presence at such a young age. She just isn’t intimidated by the Idol stage. But I’m with Simon, it was just OK. No major problems with the vocal. But nothing special. Grade: C.

Lee DeWyze: His goal: Create a moment. He’s been so-so so far. He needs a moment to re-establish himself as a front-runner in this competition. He’ll be singing “Treat Her Like a Lady.” Another guy who wisely picks up his guitar again. And, hey, that’s the most comfortable Lee has looked on stage this season. And the most confident he’s sounded. Lee DeWyze, the best male vocalist among the finalists, just proved why he should be one of the last contestants standing this season. Grade: A-.

Crystal Bowersox: The front-runner heads to the piano, to sing “Midnight Train to Georgia.” OK, now the stillettos make sense. She wore them on a night when she’d spend most of the time sitting at the keyboards. Another fine performance from Ms. Bowersox. Not her best, though. And I agree with Simon. She’s not as comfortable on the piano, and the vocal seemed to get off to a slow start. Still, her weakest performance of the finals would mark the best for a lot of these contestants. Grade: B+.  

Aaron Kelly: Interesting choice for a show closer. The guy with the country twang on R&B night? He’ll be singing “Ain’t No Sunshine.” After the advice from Usher, he didn’t do as much with the “I know, I know” line as I thought he would. Still, that was better than I expected on soul night from Aaron. Decent job. Certainly worthy of another week on the show. Grade: B-.

Check back in a few for the recap blog, summarizing the best and worst of week three of the American Idol finals.

Finals Week 2: Song-by-song grades

One 2-minute song.

So much as stake.

That’s the big story this week on American Idol.

The survivors get to go on the Idol summer tour, performing all over the country in front of thousands of fans.

The loser …

Well, think Kevin “Chicken Little” Covais, Stephanie Edwards, Charles Grigsby and Matt Rogers.

They all finished 11th in the Idol finals. None became a household name in the music industry.

Tonight, of course, we also have Miley Cyrus as a guest mentor. My fingers still want to rebel when I type that.

I gave the announcement a scathing thumbs down in a blog last night. So far, 25 readers have left comments. Twenty-four agree: Miley is not qualified, at age 17, to be a mentor of Idol hopefuls.

Just in case she gets too obnoxious, I’ve got the mute button within easy reach tonight.

The day’s other news is the release of a first single from Anoop Desai. You can read about that and find links to where you can hear the song in this blog.

And, if you want to check out my rankings heading into tonight’s show, go here.

Well, no controversy coming from the judges’ table. Kara and Simon are side-by-side again.

But, oh, my, did you just hear Simon’s shot at Kara’s crappy “No Boundaries” song from season eight? In mid-apology? Go, Simon.

Here’s Miley. Just read where Idol producer Ken Warwick said Miley isn’t too young to be an Idol mentor.

BUT SHE CAN’T SING!!!!

On with the song-by-song grades …

Lee DeWyze: First up, one of my favorites. Lee DeWyze singing the Box Tops’ “The Letter,” minus his guitar, plus a horn section, clearly trying to show a little more life on stage. What have they done to poor Lee DeWyze? He looks out of his element in the black jacket, with chains around his neck. Prefer him with the guitar. Sorry, that came across to me at a little bit of a sellout. That said, I don’t think Lee will ever sound bad. Love the rasp in his voice. Grade: B-

Paige Miles: OK, now I’m a little worried about Paige. She’s singing second, a dangerous spot for someone who almost got cut last week, and she’s singing a Phil Collins ballad after doing well belting out “Honky Tonk Woman.” Told you. This is going to be a disaster. I doubt there’s a mentor in the world who could have helped Paige pull that off. More notes were off key than on key. Wow. Grade: F.

Hey, just saw a great tweet from MJ’s blog during Paige’s performance: “Make It. Stop.”

Tim Urban: Another guy who’s put down the guitar, got rid of the reggae beat and decided to sing an acrobatic performance of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” If they thought Michael Lynche was corny last week, what in the world are they going to say about that? Sliding across the stage. Prancing into the audience. Simon calls it “pointless and silly.” It was better than last week. And, hey, give the guy this: He sang better than Paige Miles. Grade: C-

Aaron Kelly: Save us, Aaron. He’ll be singing “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing.” An Aerosmith song from a country singer who has laryngitis. And he’s a fan of Miley Cyrus. One giant step forward (last week), one smaller step back (this week) for Aaron. Maybe it was the throat problems, but that was really pitchy in spots. He’s getting kudos on the song choice from a judges’ panel that clearly wants him to succeed. And Ryan just slipped why the judges are rooting for him, calling him David Archuleta. Clearly, they’re trying to mold him in that style. He’s not there yet in terms of singing. Not even close. Grade: C

Crystal Bowersox: Thank you, Crystal, for not selling out. Thank you, Crystal, for singing well. Thank you for reminding me that this season might not be a total waste. I’m surprised you didn’t get criticized for an obvious song choice. I’m not surprised someone (Kara) suggested you put down the guitar. You had to know that was coming. Thank you, Simon, for suggesting she not change a thing. Grade: A.

Michael Lynche: Big Mike will sing “When a Man Loves a Woman.” I’m having Ruben Studdard flashbacks. Nice song choice by Michael. The song got a little gimmicky in spots, like he was trying to do a little too much with it. Simon’s analogy: “It’s like you wanted one scoop of ice cream and got 11.” Still, based on what else we heard tonight, that was a splendid vocal. Grade: B.

Andrew Garcia: He’ll take on Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Another guy puts down his guitar, this time at the advice of Miley. Looks like we’re back to karaoke central. The good news for Andrew is that Paige and Tim did really poorly tonight, greatly improving his chance of making the Idol tour. Actually, I liked Tim’s vocal better than that one. But Simon nailed it on the head: Andrew’s performance was corny, with a capital “C.” Grade: C-

Katie Stevens: The competition’s other teen takes on Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” a “younger” song, which is what the judges have been looking for from her. Randy gives her credit for listening. Ellen proclaims that was her best performance. Even Kara and Simon seemed to like it. But, as the judges noted, there were a few pitch problems. Big song to attempt. For the most part, Katie pulled it off. Welcome to the summer tour, Katie. Grade: C+

Casey James: He’ll be singing Huey Lewis’ “Power of Love.” Not sure I like this song choice for Casey, but we’ll see. Yeah, not sure I loved that song with Casey’s voice, which is what I feared. He seems to do better with songs that have a country-rock vibe. I thought he was better last week. And I’m hoping he can exceed whatever zone Kara thinks Casey is in (maybe that smile got to her again), because I think he’s capable of much better. Grade: B-.

Didi Benami: Now, as much as I didn’t like Casey’s song choice, I love Didi’s. She’s going up tempo with a sassy song that shouldn’t provoke tears. Hmm. Look at Didi. She seems to do better with these bad girl songs. And if she’s nervous, it doesn’t show. Didi did well last week. And I think she topped it this week. The judges didn’t love it. I thought it was one of the better perrformances of the night. Grade: B+

Siobhan Magnus: Idol’s rising star in season nine gets the show-closing spot. Let’s see what she does with it. She’ll be singing Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” Completely different look from last week, huh? There was the scream. You knew we had to have one. She also went off key several times. Let’s see if the judges point that out this week. Hooray! Thank you, Simon, for pointing it out. A scream at the end does not make a performance wonderful. Grade: B-

Finals Week 1: Song-by-song grades

So, it sounds like some of the Idols got shaken today, and it had nothing to do with a case of nerves.

In case you didn’t hear, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit Los Angeles this morning.

“I felt my first earthquake early this morning!” Casey James Twitter tweeted. “Crazy! They don’t have those in Texas!”

Here, there are some Rolling Stones songs that could fit the occasion. Let’s see, “19th Nervous Breakdown,” ”Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’,” “Shattered.” Definitely: “Gimme Shelter.”

Actually, I hear someone will be singing that tonight, if you can trust the spoiler sites.

Meanwhile, a couple of the Idols are apparently under the weather. Didi Benami tweets that she’s not feeling the best. Earlier today, Paige Miles wrote that she had “no voice at all.”

Well, it’s been looking like wild horses couldn’t drag her out of this competition. Maybe a case of laryngitis will provide some emotional rescue from her off-key singing.

I know. That was uncalled for.

Anyway, time for some song-by-song grades.

And I hear we’re in for a treat tomorrow night. David Cook returns to sing “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” on the Idols results show.

If you missed my latest ranking of the Idols, check them out here. Hint: Paige isn’t number one.

Kicking off tonight’s show …

Michael Lynche: He’ll sing “Miss You.” Smart of Idol, kicking things off with Michael. Pretty much guaranteed a solid show opening performance. And he’s delivering, pouring some smooth R&B into the Stones tune. And he certainly looks comfortable on an Idol stage that has intimidated lots of performers over the years. And Big Mike gets rave reviews from everyone but Simon, who called parts of the performance “desperate.” Certainly a performance that will keep him in this competition another week, even if he was singing in the number one hole. Grade: B

Didi Benami: Hey, I saw a new interview where Didi swears she’ll keep the tears under control. Or at least pledged to try. Tonight, she tries “Play With Fire.” A song with attitude. Nice choice. Certainly shouldn’t provoke tears. Hey, she stumbled once … or at least I thought I heard her stumble, but that was her best vocal since “Terrified.” Like what Kara said about the combination of Didi’s sweet voice and the darker lyrics. Dang, Didi might be better than I thought. Grade: B- (and only that low because of the stumbles)

Casey James: Singing “It’s All Over Now.” Knew he wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to turn up the volume. Oh, well, this season has been saddled with too much slow and boring. And, look, Casey has traded his baby blue guitar for a metalic green guitar. Hey, he had lots of fun with that song. This show is shaping up better than I thought — three good performances in a row. Good point, Kara. That performance seemed so much more genuine than his performance a couple of weeks ago. Great reviews from three judges; Simon says it lacked the big stage spark. Telling you, this guy has a really good voice to go with those Eye Candy looks. Grade: B

Lacey Brown: Lucky Lacey — because she should have been eliminated by now — chooses the Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday.” She better turn up the volume on this, because it’s coming off as a very sleepy performance compared to the first three. OK, she picked up the volume and tempo near the end, which she really needed to do, then went off key. That’s not going to compare well to the first three efforts of the night. Simon makes a good point: Lacey needs to cut loose on stage … if she’s back next week. It’s been one low-key performance after the other for the gal from Amarillo. Grade: C-

Andrew Garcia: Hey, if ever there was an Idol contestant in need of a stellar performance to regain his former frontrunner status, it’s Andrew. Gee, his dad cries almost as much as Didi. Singing “Gimme Shelter.” That stellar performance? We aren’t getting it. And those big notes at the end are not going to make up for a performance that paled so poorly compared to the original. Wow, talk about sucking the life out the song. That might be Andrew’s worst performance yet. Grade: D.

Katie Stevens: The teen will be singing “Wild Horses.” Hey, someone had to. Love that video of young Katie singing at a wedding at age 8. Absolutely adorable, huh? OK, this is starting out pretty sleepy, too. The difference between this and Lacey’s performance, Katie dialed it up a notch about 30 seconds in. Not sure I loved that arrangement of the song. More what you’d see at a teen pageant from a former teen pageant performer than the gritty performance you’d see at a Stones show. But that should earn Katie another week. I find myself rooting for young Katie. Grade: C.

Tim Urban: The last-minute semifinal replacement has made it all the way to the finals. He’ll sing “Under My Thumb.” Talk about grinding all the grit out a Stones tune. Very strange. He decided to take the Stones to the beach and turn it into a reggae version. Told you it would be interesting when the 20-year-old who has never touched alcohol tackled the Stones. Unfortunately, the judges weren’t very entertained. Neither was I. Grade: D-

Siobhan Magnus: The show has hit a little bump. Who better to bring us out of the bump than Siobhan, singing “Paint It Black?” Hey, look at the hair. That’s a long way from a mohawk. Great look, Siobhan. Well, she brought us out of the slump. Not sure that was a brilliant vocal. But you can tell she has real sense of what she’s doing on stage. And there’s the Siobhan scream I guess we should come to expect since it went over so well two weeks ago. Whoa. She’s gonna double our pleasure with two screams at the end. The judges, predictably, loved it. Well, consider the four performances it followed. Best performance of the night. But not the best vocal, which is what this is about. Grade: B-

Lee DeWyze: Hey, Lee is my favorite among the guys. He’ll be singing “Beast of Burden.” Wonder if he can match Michael and Casey. I really like the tone of Lee’s voice. Just wish he would have picked a song he could have done more with. That said, he made the most of the song he selected. Simon’s critique is absolutely on the mark: He picked a safe song. And he has the talent to outsing anyone in this competition, Crystal Bowersox included. Grade: B-

Paige Miles: Wonder how the laryngitis is doing? We’re about to find out. Paige will be singing “Honky Tonk Woman.” It’s a song that requires a big voice. Hey, give Paige this, she isn’t holding anything back. In fact, I think she should get sick more often. Dang. That’s the best I’ve heard her sing all season. And most of the song was on key. Despite all I’ve said, Paige certainly earned another week with that performance. Grade: C+

Aaron Kelly: The country singer decided to put his twang on “Angie.” Not a bad choice. Let’s see what he does with it. You know what? I think we just saw Aaron’s best performance of the competition. Nothing very flash about that. But a dead-on vocal. Certainly as good as any vocal we’ve heard so far. There was a raspiness in his voice I hadn’t heard before. Very, very nice. Grade: B+

Crystal Bowersox: Idol saved MamaSox to close the show. Wise choice. She’ll be singing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Idol served up a fat fastball giving her the Rolling Stones as a theme. And she hit the sweet spot. Wow. She belted that out with such ease. She looks like she’s been doing this her whole life. Simon says Siobhan outsang her tonight. I totally disagree. Outperformed? Perhaps. Outsang. No way. Grade: A-.

That’s it for the song by song grades. Recap blog coming up in a few minutes.