American Idol Top 12 Guys

This year Idol is going to make the first voter cut pretty darned deep by shrinking a talented cast of twelve down to five. That meant the guys had to bring their A-game to even stand out among the pack, which in this group can be kinda difficult.

Usually Idol fills a certain "type" quota, but this year our new panel of judges went a bit against type and pushed through those people that we weren't expecting or didn't know very well, while getting rid of immediate fan favorites.

To say that this first performance night on the big stage was a hodge-podge is putting it mildly.

The Karaoke King, Clint Jun Gamboa, went first and sang (typically) a Stevie Wonder tune, "Superstition."

"Superstition" is quite possibly my favorite Stevie tune of all time, but I have an almost instant gag reflex whenever an Idol hopeful digs it out of their songbook. It's become almost cliche.

And I'm not a big fan of June-bug anyway. He's a talented guy, there's no question about it. I just don't find him all that likable. And his over-the-top rendition, while kind of annoying to me, set the crowd on fire and prepared us for a bigger night than we'd ever experienced at this level of the competition.

One thing is for sure, the cream will definitely rise to the top quickly with this new format. This high energy performance probably would have pushed him through in any other year. This year... the curse of first threatens to rear its ugly head because by the end of the night I had completely forgotten about his performance.

As much eye-candy as Jovany Barreto is, and a crooner besides, his kiss of death was picking another overplayed-to-death guy standard with "I'll Be."

This is where our contestants make these decisions based on what they think the audience will like rather than their own strengths. If Jovany had chosen a song that allowed him to flex his Latin Lover crooner ladies man persona, he might have had a chance.

With seven guys due to get cut... it's a serious misstep. He took the one thing that made him stand out and traded it in for generic pop karaoke.

I don't even think singing that song shirtless would have helped.

Controversial Jordan Dorsey chose - or rumor has it, had "chosen for him" - the upbeat Usher tune "OMG."

As much as he had ego and swagger, the fact was he couldn't live up to either in terms of quality. The performance fell flat and of course this is when he, according to certain reports by those who were there when the performance was recorded, admitted he was "offered" the song and implied it wasn't necessarily his choice. After his hissy fit during the Hollywood audition where he justified his dickish behavior as his desire to win when he dissed different singers and then abandoned his own group at the last minute so he could align himself with the most talented, I find that a tad hard to believe. In fact, it sounds more like he didn't want to face up to the fact he couldn't deliver the goods when it counted.

But... whatever.

I'm not really a fan.

One of the virtual strangers we were introduced to last night was Tim Halperin, and after his amazing performance last week of the Beatles song "Something," I was really looking forward to seeing what Tim could do. My heart sank when he decided to go with "Streetcorner Symphony."

It was another poor fit, and that doesn't fly when the contestants can pick their own song to demonstrate their own style, rather than whittle a theme-night choice to fit them. I don't know if none of the contestants were allowed to play instruments, but that definitely hurt this particular guy - whom I fear won't get another chance to show us who he is as an artist.

(And I don't think that's what we saw last night. It just didn't ring true.)

I was pretty psyched to see what Brett Loewenstern could do. This redheaded ray of sunshine has taken me by surprise with his unusual voice and his own unique brand of showmanship throughout the audition process. I was, however, a little nervous to see how that might have translated to the big stage... and it turns out I was right to worry.

He let his freak flag fly with his own version of The Doors "Light My Fire." The Lizard King he is not and it was almost awkwardly, painfully obvious. His performance earned him top honors at That Website That Will Not Be Named, which might save him through another week (I hope so, I'd really like to see him get another shot) but this was a definite let-down for me.

(But I still love you, Brett. Keep being you because that's fabulous.)

I have had some problems with James Durbin, the biggest one is that he's trying to force himself into this Adam Lambert mold that was effectively broken all to pieces when Adam strutted and screamed his way across this stage two years ago.

Another is that he shows off this huge power-voice indiscriminately and there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. At least Adam had layers and understood when to be subtle, and it was this versatility that made him so interesting to watch.

With James' song choice, however, I finally got why James is so over the top. As the first contestant - EVER - to trot out a Judas Priest song, James brought METAL to Idol and his over-the-top voice actually fit. Metal IS over the top and this is a guy who knows that is where he lives. The Adam Lambert comparison flew right out the window and for the first time since we met him, James won me over.

The performance was exciting and unpredictable, and THAT is what gets the votes.

Good on you, dude.

Or should I say... \m/(><)\m/ Robbie Rosen has everything it takes to be a teen dream. He's cute, he sings well, he's got a smile that never quits. But he's also kinda generic. There's nothing that stands out with him and makes him particularly exciting... which could be his downfall in this competition if twelve-year-olds across the country break their texting fingers and aren't able to vote for him until their knuckles bleed.

He hasn't done anything wrong throughout the entire competition and I thought picking a ballad made famous by a woman, "In the Arms of an Angel" by Sarah McLachlan, was actually pretty shrewd. But... it was a ballad that probably wouldn't do much to reach his core fans and, in the midst of all these other performances, didn't do a whole lot to stand out.

Any other year and any other semi-final round that might have been okay. This year... not so much.

Scott McCreery, on the other hand, enjoys distinction no matter what song he sings because of that almost mind-blowing low voice he possesses.

As the only country guy in the competition, singing a country song in one of the most distinctive voices we've heard this season, he stood out by default. I'd be very surprised to see this guy go home. He's got all middle America voting for him, and they're smart to do so. This guy has a future on country radio, no question about it.

Another guy we really don't know that much about beyond the accident he suffered and fought his way back from, Stefano Langone was another big question mark going into this very important round of the competition, and his voice really took me by surprise.

Unlike Robbie, Stefano knew *exactly* who he was singing to impress. He picked "Just The Way You Are" and sang it right to every lady in the house and at home. He painfully blew the big note of the song, which could definitely hurt his chances moving on, but he was the only guy so far who gets it when it comes to connecting with his fan base.

I frankly don't know what to make of Paul McDonald. I like his voice... and his style is growing on me although every he hits the stage I can't help but make the Kenny Loggins connection.

He reprised his version of "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart, which he sang for his original audition. I found that kind of risky. It denotes a one-trick pony, and I really don't think that's what this guy is. He's a likable guy and cute as bug, so I'd definitely like to see more of him, but we should definitely put him behind an instrument ASAP.

I am a Jacob Lusk fan, and I am unabashed and unashamed. I have been since we saw what he could do in Hollywood. I had no doubts he would hit that stage and deliver an amazing performance.

He sang "A House is Not a Home" and established himself solidly as the male diva of Season 10. I can't see that divine performance NOT taking him through to the Top Ten, but if by some chance aliens intercepted every vote for Jacob Lusk and diverted into their mother ship for energy, there would no doubt be a wild card with his name on it.

Not only is he most likely the most talented guy of the group - he's just so darned likable.

Fan favorite (and Geevie-approved) Casey Abrams won the coveted pimp spot and sang another tune that had never been done on the show before... "I Put a Spell on You."

He took what was an outrageous novelty tune I never liked and actually made it crazy, jazzy, sexy good. I think Jacob outsung him, but Casey definitely knows who he is as a performer. He's not afraid to take risks and stand out and - most importantly - be different. He's quickly becoming the one we have to watch each week, and I don't see him going anywhere anytime too soon.

My top five were Jacob, Casey, James, Paul and Scotty, and I'd love to see Brett go through.

But this is one race that is too close for me to even try to call. And the ladies are even tougher.

One thing is undeniably clear...

AI might have been on life support last season, but the new judges and new format is raising it from the dead.

Hollywood Week - American Idol Season Ten

I should preface this by saying that Group Night is my absolute least favorite part of the whole American Idol process. Well that and Sinatra night, but I digress.

Hollywood Week is great TV for Idol. Lots of drama, lots of emotions, lots of opportunity for train wrecks galore. Never is this more rampant than during Group Night, where all these people who are technically competing against each other for these brutal, deep cuts that will end with our quarter-finalists and force them to work together. These people, most of whom are amateurs, are required to work with their competitors by actually coming up with and subsequently performing a choreographed routine.

The potential to fall on their faces is quite high, and the stress always leaves me with a tummy ache by the time it's over.

The only good thing that could be said about Group Night is it really allows the character, or lack thereof, of each contestant to shine through (whether they want it to or not.)

Divas emerge, as do all the underdogs, and people we hadn't even seen before end up in the spotlight to shine with newfound talent.

It is ONLY for this reason I don't skip the entire shebang.

Last night some of the ones I thought would make it through didn't, and some I had hoped would make it got cut. Some I had previously loved I began to love more, and some I kinda discarded completely.

I also began to pray for karma for some of the more annoying ones I truly began to loathe entirely.

One of those: Tiffany Rios.

That she declared last week (in so many words) that she was better than anyone else did not endear her to the group selection process. Her arrogance never wavered, which probably not only had the audience (and her fellow contestants) want to see the train wreck, they likely would have wanted to operate the train.

I'm a big on on respect even for those who technically count as your competition. Early favorite Scotty McCreery immediately hit my shit list when he blew off an earnest group trying to fill the "Day Two member" requirement while he was looking for a group to join.

The rude way he treated Brett Loewenstern, another of my early favorites, put me off instantly.

You can't run on country boy charm and then treat other people with that level of disrespect. Granted he's only 17, but manners are manners are manners. And being from the south myself, I know that's something you can't fake for long without showing your true core disrespect for other people.

Sad to say that's what happened. But even as disappointed as I was, he didn't deserve to be treated even WORSE by the self-important Jordan Murphy.

He put himself in the position of leader who got to decide who got in the group, only to abandon the group at 1am the next morning to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Needless to say I have no love for Jordan, and really can't see him making it very far with the audience.

Scotty finally found a home with a group that had taken in another Day Two contestant with 15-year-old Jacee Badeaux.

I've loved this little cherub with the voice of an angel since I first saw him sing in New Orleans. He was taken in by another one of my early favorites, Clint Jun Gamboa, the Karaoke King from Long Beach.

This new group then decided to add the deep-voiced Scotty to the mix as a fifth person, although Clint "Jun-bug" was decidedly troubled by the decision.

They too would kick poor Jacee to the curb later that night and send this kid in search for a new group - and a new song - after everyone else had already made their choices.

I. Was. Livid.

Me no like Jun-bug anymore.

Sorry, honey but that was just as diva as what Jordan did.

Eventually Brett's group, who still needed a day 2 contestant, would pull Jacee from the murky cold waters of rejection and give him a home. But the drama continued when Jacee was completely unfamiliar with the music.

As the resident Basket Case, Ashley Sullivan was ready to bring her erratic behavior we saw during the initial audition process right to the drama of Group Night.

She went from excited to join a girl group to almost unreasonably overwhelmed by the constant presence of the stress and the cameras. (Has she not SEEN Idol before?) She promptly decided this wasn't her bag and she wanted to go home. This lasted for most of the show, which left her girl group to fend for themselves while she worked out her wayward emotions.

Of course she came back and went on to perform well given the pressure. By the end of the show I was just completely tired.

Ashley, honey... I say with this with complete seriousness and zero malice or snark.... consider medication.

A group of fifteen and sixteen year olds calling themselves "The Minors" began their rehearsal to perform the classic Queen tune, "Somebody to Love." Their mothers apparently took this opportunity to flex their own creative muscle and began to direct this group.

This immediately stirred up the ire of yet another group performing the same song. James Durbin thought it was a bit unfair that their parents had so much influence when everyone else had to choreograph their own.

I have had my problems with James before, and this night did not endear me to him any more. Least of which is that he screeches his way through every. single. song.

The reason Adam Lambert could whip out his vocal muscle was because he understood the art of layering. There were peaks and valleys, soft notes and screechy screams... but it worked because he didn't depend on the power voice to sell the song.

If James doesn't learn this, he won't be long for this competition. I'm really quite surprised he made it past the Group Night performance.

For the record, the Minors kicked their asses.

As for the Rob/Chelsee thing I'm so over it I can't even talk about it. I gave up on him (the only real person I was rooting for to begin with) around the time he did. That he went home was no big surprise.

Chelsee's another one who will likely suffer from audience perception - I don't see her lasting to the top 10.

In the end, I lost a couple of my favorites, including Devyn Rush:

And Emily Ann Reed:

And discovered a few new favorites, such as Deandre Brackensick, who put the finishing touches on the Minors' "Somebody to Love" so sweet it would have made Freddie Mercury proud:

Matthew Nuss, who has a strong, bluesy rocker vibe with no fear of turning out a performance:

Jacob Lusk from Compton, who showed creativity and a wicked range:

And last, but not least... Carson Higgins, who is just plain fun. Anyone who can sing AND make me laugh = tops in my book.

Some of my favorites are hanging in there, some I didn't even see at all even though I know they had made it through to group night.

Tonight we figure out how we whittle down 100 to 50. After this show I definitely know who I want to go through and who I don't want to see. Chief among those I champion right now are Brett and Jacee, who managed to skate by even when he forgot the lyrics simply because of his unusual circumstances.

If y'all thought I loved em before... that doesn't even touch the maternal instinct I have for them now. And I love Steven for making Jun-bug sweat it out thinking he might go home for his being so douchey. Scotty finally apologized and felt like shit for not standing up for Jacee, which means there could be hope for him yet.

I guess only time will tell. As always.