Top 24! - 12 Guys

Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a fun ride, methinks...

Rudy Cardenas - pre-performance: very handsome and smooth voice and personality. Energetic performance, but the smooth factor goes a little too far for me for most of the song, in that his voice seems to have no edges. Words and notes slide into one another, indistinctly, somewhat similar to his relatively smooth, featureless good looks. The audience loved him much more than Randy. I agree with Simon in that the performance lacked distinction, and think he's hearing the same thing I am. I can see Paula defending him, as I think he has much more appeal to the ladies than the guys, but I don't think his smoothness is enough.

Brandon Rogers - I love this guy's smokey crooning, nice personality, and good looks. His song choice was good in combining his crooning with some rocking. The song started out well, became somewhat predictable and not as good as the original, and ended well. Again, in parts, his voice and performance lacked distinction.

Sundance Head - Affable fellow. Bad song choice. 'Nights in White Satin' is one of my favorite songs, and very hard to sing without being pitchy, which he was. It also requires tremendous control and very precise, rhythmic phrasing, which he didn't do. The judges agreed. The worst so far.

Paul Kim - another nice, husky voice. I don't think the barefoot fetish will take him very far. He also chose a song which requires precise, rhythmic phrasing, and, though he got better at it, he didn't do the song justice. Songs like this require the voice to be partly a rhythm instrument. He was completely off-key in the falsetto part. I don't think his voice is adequately trained for the necessary breadth of this competition. Unless he surprises me, he'll be an early cut. He and Sundance are tied for last for tonight.

Chris Richardson - pre-performance: seems strong. I don't know the song he chose, but I didn't like the song, at least the way he sung it. His stage presence was strong, and he was on key, but there was something off about the way his voice blended with the background music. Simon picked up on that - "your voice sounded small". I've noticed this in earlier years, and I've wondered about who's mixing the sound, and felt that I could have improved on it considerably. Like Rudy, his appeal to the ladies outweighed his talents.

Nick Pedro - another smokey voice with a promising audition, good looks, and strong personality. Nice song choice, but somewhat safe in the crooning genre. Overall, very enjoyable, but again, lacking somewhat in 'edge' and distinction. Simon said it well. But, I expect him back. He's another one that will go some distance on sex appeal.

Blake Lewis - I'm curious to see his hair tonight, and whether he can handle a normal song. He CAN! Very relaxed and connected! He gives me chills, which is not common for most male singers. The hair is suitably toned down. I thought the last third of the song was somewhat weak, compared to how well he started out, but it wasn't so bad that it put me off him. Definitely my favorite so far. Simon agrees with me, again. I'm beginning to put aside my objections to Simon's personality quirks when I recognize his real skills as a judge - at least tonight.

Sanjaya Malakar - His song is unknown to me, but he held my attention on it. It was in the "somewhat safe crooning" category, but his performance was very nice - just not exceptional. If I knew the song better, I might find myself agreeing with Simon. Since it was a Stevie Wonder song, chances are I've heard it, but just didn't recognize it from this performance, which may be why Simon is saying what he's saying. I think Sanjaya will last awhile, again, due to sex appeal and some clear talent and heart, but I think his lack of training will limit his abilities with harder songs. It's uncertain he'll make the top 12. It's almost like he's still representing his sister more than himself. He needs some fire in his belly - the Eye of the Tiger.

Chris Sligh - I don't know the song, and it's not my favorite genre, but the boy's got TALENT! Golden Vocal Chords, and tremendous connection with the song and the audience. Again with the chills! I loved how he responded to Simon, who I think is in error on this one. Frankly, I think Simon resents just how good Chris is, because he doesn't fit in to Simon's image of what an idol should look like. Chris actually owned the song and the stage a little better than Blake, but Blake has unbearable cuteness working for him, so I'll say they're tied for now.

Jared Cotter - Very good looking, and his audition of Cupid rocked in Hollywood. Somewhat safe song choice, and he sings it tolerably well. I do hear occasional pitch problems, and he brought nothing new to the song. Simon's "unadventurous" was accurate. He'll go a ways on talent and sex appeal.

AJ Tabaldo - Solid performance, but a little safe. He connected well with the song and the audience, and I'd place him up there with Chris Sligh and Blake Lewis, but he didn't give me chills. Nonetheless, it was a very engaging performance.

Phil Stacey - His Hollywood audition of 'Really Love a Woman' was outstanding. I'm hopeful. He starts out somewhat muffled and weak, but BRINGS IT! Massive Chills! Definitely the best tonight! Randy agrees completely. Awesome job for a first song! Simon seems to have acquired a mood which tinted his judgments following his tiff with Chris Sligh.

Favorites: Phil Stacey is top dawg. Chris Sligh, Blake Lewis, and AJ Tabaldo, not in any order.

Most cuttable: Paul Kim and Sundance Head, in that order.

Peace...

...John