Disco, disco, disco . . .

I am feeling a little cheated this week. No intro videos. No retrospective on disco and its relevance today. And more Lil Rounds. Honestly, I don't know why I watch this show sometimes! ;) I will go on the record, though, and say this is the best Disco Week I've seen on Idol in eight seasons. And the judges were fairly well behaved this week, and I see we're back to hearing from all of them after each contestant. I guess that's what skipping the intro videos can do.

Some other random observations: Ryan is very white. Just thought I'd mention it. I think Adam's pinky ring was the biggest ring I've ever seen in my life. It dwarfed Paula's ring by a mile. I'm so sick of any excuses starting with "I'm just . . ." Is it enough to have fun, or do you actually have to be good?! I'm surprised Simon missed a chance to associate shopping in the womens department with Ryan. And are we talking about ladies' underwear now? Randy really wanted to say this was a talented 6 rather than 7, but he was trying to be PC. There was some camera on the set this week that wasn't working right. The picture was jumpy during both Danny's and Allison's performances. So which guy from Saturday Night Live does Adam resemble?

Lil Rounds. I thought for sure she'd pick a Donna Summers tune, but Chaka Khan is close enough. How can Lil even think she was that original. I mean, she did try singing out of tune, and she did add a few runs here and there, but it was basically karaoke minus the scrolling lyrics at the bottom of the screen and a few drunk Japanese execs. And it's truly sad when Lil tries to defend herself by attacking criticism that wasn't even there. Here's how I remember it in my mind, and remember, I have perfect recall.

Lil: That was not karaoke and y'all are crazy if you think it was copycat.
Simon: We never said it was karaoke.
Lil: Well, I can see it in your eyes, fish 'n' chips, so cool it.
Simon: Your performance was hideous, but I didn't say "karaoke."
Lil: You want to, though. Don't you? Let's add lame, predictable, ridiculous, amateurish, out of tune, and nauseating while we're at it.
Simon: Your words. Not mine. Until now.

Even the outfit and hair extensions scream "I'm trying to be someone I'm not." I had enough 4 weeks ago. What do I have now?

Kris Allen. Again, my favorite of the night, although I could have used a bit better explanation of the song. This is the sound he keeps coming back to, and I think it suits him well. If I heard just a few bars of his guitar work I could probably say it belonged to Kris. I love the latin/carribean smooth jazz kind of sound he brings. His arrangements are so artistic and perfect. I always love when they bring Ricky Minor (obviously groovin' hard), Fidel the Cuban Washboard Guy, and Cesar Conga Dude up on the stage. For some reason it just feels good.

Danny Gokey. I think Simon was a little harsh with him, but I can see what's happening. Danny is kind of like Ruben Studdard was: steady and dependable. He's been outstanding this entire year but hasn't been able to muster a lot of originality to show growth. His interpretation tonight was different enough from the original to keep me interested, though. It doesn't hurt that I love Earth, Wind, and Fire either. Danny's another contestant that knows who he is and what he can do, so that keeps him competitive.

Allison Iraheta. Is that latex? And do they let minors buy clothes like this? Third straight performer with a well-defined style. I wasn't a huge fan of this performance, but man! This girl is great! Looking at her parents you'd never guess she can sing like this. I'm getting a little worried for her, though, since she's been hovering in or near the bottom 3 lately.

Adam Lambert. Apparently Adam is French tonight. The undeniable truth is that he is an amazing vocalist, and probably has the most talent of the bunch. It is incredible what he comes up with each week, even if he has help with the arrangements. Learning to survive in the music industry is learning to tap into resources in and around you. I didn't like his performance as well as Kris's, but I'm not going to lie and say it wasn't amazing. Randy's right: Adam is already there.

Matt Giraud. The hat is back and so is Matt. He gives off such an authentic R&B vibe up there it's unreal. This wasn't his best performance, but he was solid. I think we're approaching his competitive limit, though. He doesn't quite have enough to catch Adam, Kris, and Danny, but I'm glad to see him hold his own this week.

Anoop Dasai. I have a striped shirt from 1988 that will match Anoop's vintage, What Was I Thinking sweater. I think there's a skinny little tie to go with it, too. The bad news for Anoop is that the lyrics of his song do not bode well for his chances. Anoop's vocals were good, but the performance was sort of mediocre, and Anoop knew it. I did enjoy his father's half-hearted, "I really want to get into this but my manners prohibit it" kind of thumbs-down gesture.

BOTTOM 3: Lil, Anoop, Matt
DIMMING THE LIGHTS: Anoop
RETURNING CHAKA'S INNER GODDESS TO LOOK FOR HER OWN: Lil

Let's Go to the Movies . . .

There is so much movie music that it's hard to fathom any contestant making a poor song choice, but alas, every year most of the contestants choose songs that are just (to borrow another judge-ism) "aight" for me. I thought the night went pretty well, and overall everyone did as expected. Admittedly, I was less than enthused about QuentinTarantino and what he would bring to the table (do his beady eyes remind anyone else of Conan O'Brian ?). He was a guest judge back in Season 3, and I was as unclear then as I am now as to why he needs to be involved. I was pleasantly surprised tonight as he seemed to have some decent suggestions and didn't venture too far into areas of music that he doesn't understand. And he kept it pretty positive and relevant (at least on the clips we saw) so all in all it was good enough.

So, why do they feel the need to cut back on judges comments rather than ridiculous, corny, make way for the yellow Steve Urkel (Carl!) sweater Randy's sporting and Simon King of All banter? If this show is really about the singing, why is the majority of the wasted time dedicated to the "look at me, I'm on TV!" nonsense Ryan indulges in with the judges? Yes. I said "indulge." With that said, every year they struggle with time when they hit the one-hour shows so it is no surprise to me that with 4 judges this year they couldn't figure out a way to fit it in. And, in case you were unaware, all of these songs are available for download oniTunes.

Allison: I can't help but think of the Big Mac song when I hear about "special sauce." I thought it was gutsy to pick the song she did since it's been done a lot on Idol in years past, including David Cook last season. It was definitely keyed too low this week and she was shakier on it than I would have expected, but overall she did a great job. She's got the vocal talent to be a legit contender for sure.

Anoop: Awesome! Unfortunately I think he's been treading water for so long that it won't be long before he gets pulled under for good. He had one of the best performances of the night and I'm glad he didn't start barking and peeing on a fire hydrant like Quentin seemed to want him to do.Anoop brought his own R&B flair to a classic song. Nice.

Adam: This guy can sing, and he's got incredible talent. I hate this song, though, so no matter what version he came up with or how great a singer he is I was destined to have a sort of "so what" kind of reaction to it. What I'd really like to do is find the path of greatness and dance a bit down it. I think Simon is right tonight when it comes to Adam: either you love it or despise it. His phone line was the only one with a busy signal tonight so I'm guessing most of America, or at least the voting segment, loved it.

Matt: This guy is destined to be the yo-yo performer of the season. They had the wrong judges critiquing him on this one because I've heard him twice now tonight and it was nowhere near as bad as they made it out to be. He did a great job of spinning the song in the right direction for his natural voice and talent, and overall he gave a solid performance. I'm scared for this guy, though, since he can't seem to get the judges behind him consistently enough.

Danny: Sort of vanilla this week for me. Vanilla is classic. Most people like vanilla to some extent. You can dress up vanilla to suit any occasion, but you usually need to add a little something to enjoy it regularly. If only Danny had added even a few vanilla bean flecks or something. Maybe singing with his hands in his pockets would have added something. Coming out on stage with a harp is the same as adding a little sugar free scoop to your vanilla. Danny is headed for a solid career as an inspirational, adult contemporary kind of performer--probably where he thought he'd be in the first place. (Here are two performances of this song that are better than plain vanilla: Rickey Smith and a surprising duet. Maybe telling us the song was from "Happy Gilmore" would have dressed it up a bit more.)

Kris: This was one of those brave song choices that I think paid off. It was not perfect, and there were a few pitch problems, but not many. I think Kara heard the real performance and Randy was daydreaming about playing with Journey or something since he hasn't had many chances this year to name drop. Kris picked an obscure song, but one not too obscure since it was an Academy Award winner. Anyway, it was one of those songs that haunts you. I've never seen the movie "Once," but I can picture the scene for this song. On a night of predictable song choices, Kris really stood out . . . in a good way.

Lil: I feared this would happen. Lil didn't deserve to make it this far, but now she gives a performance just strong enough to buy one more week. She made a crappy song choice, did something fairly original and appropriate by showing her gospel soul side, and then finished with shaky notes and average vocals. I can't blame her for being frustrated--it's obvious she really tried to do what the judges have been telling her to do, and even seemed to get it a little, and she still got ripped for being boring. See, if we'd gotten rid of her earlier we could have spared her all of this ill will.C'mon people! Let's get it right this week!

OK, just to be clear, these are my predictions, not my personal preferences.

BOTTOM THREE: Matt, Lil, Quentin
FINDING MORE TIME TO GO TO THE MOVIES: Matt

Top 7 Minus 1 - Mariah Carey and Elliot Yamin Perform!

I liked the opening song. They all did great!

Jason goes to the (my) right.

David C. goes to the left, making me suspect this is the top 3, leaving Jason in the bottom, though that seems unlikely.

Carly joins Jason on the right, but not before asserting that Simon has been rough on her this season, and making the right side more likely to be the bottom.

Kristy goes to the left with David C.

They're doing a pretty good job of keeping us guessing.

Elliot Yamin did great! Sorry to hear about his mom.

Syesha joins Jason and Carly, making it a bit more likely that's the losing side, but still unlikely. Naturally they're saving David A. for last.

Brooke joins Kristy and David C.

I'm beginning to wonder if they've come up with a new way to screw with us, since both sides seem like a possible mix of tops and bottoms.

Call-in questions were good, as always.

Mariah Carey was not really impressive. I thought the song choice could have been better... ; )
Oh, she kicked it up a notch at the end. That's much better.

David A. now takes the stage. He's safe, of course.

Ah. I thought so. Now they swap David C. with Syesha and play the old game of making David A. choose the winners. He won't, so Ryan guides the winners to him. So he, Jason, Carly, and David C. are safe.

That leaves Syesha, Kristy and Brooke. Though I wish it was Syesha, it's probably Brooke.

Syesha is safe. Take a deep breath, Bo.

Wow. Kristy is leaving. A bit unexpected, but inevitable, really. She sings off very nicely. She's come a long way this season, and I'll miss her a bit.

Top 7 - Mentored by Mariah Carey!

David A. - 'When You Believe' - Very nicely done. He captured the audience and the judges liked it unanimously. Simon says he "set the benchmark for the night."

Carly - 'Without You' - One of my favorite songs. She starts well, but going to the lower register is a bit awkward for her. Then she powers into high gear. Will Simon think she sounded "angry?" I thought it was good, but not great throughout. Randy nails her on the lower register. Paula is supportive. Simon didn't think it made the grade.

Syesha - 'You're Vanishing' - A little pitchy in the softer spots, but overall quite good. I didn't love how she tracked the camera at the end. Randy notices the pitch, but is supportive. Paula is supportive. Simon didn't like the choice of an unfamiliar song, but grants her technical excellence, as before.

Brooke - 'Hero' - Another favorite - The first note is shaky, but she eases into it and carries it well enough with a simple solo piano accompaniment, though it is somewhat weak. A closeup of her face seems to show her shaking with nerves, and she seems to be thinking, "How did I do?" right at the end. Randy picks up on the loss of confidence at the end and the inconsistent performance. Paula supports her authenticity. Simon says the weak bridge was her downfall.

Kristy - 'Forever' - Gave Mariah goosebumps. She starts with pitch and timing problems, but opens it up well, and achieves her goal of connecting with it emotionally. Props, but not great. Randy echoes my concerns, but gives her props, as well. Paula is much more supportive. Simon didn't get chills (he gets chills?) and agrees that it was not good enough.

David C. - I don't know the song, but his performance is impressive. He definitely seemed to give it some personal touches that made it his own. Randy says it was recordable. Paula agrees. Simon plays games with the audience's heads and says it was "like coming out of karaoke hell," and gave it high praise for risk-taking and originality.

Jason - 'Only Emptiness' - A bit weak in the softer parts, which is most of the song, and noticeably pitchy in spots. I didn't love it at all. Randy didn't like it. Paula is supportive. Simon surprisingly thought it was good. Again, I'm outvoted about Jason. Perhaps if I adopt Simon's perspective as a money-hungry producer, I'll be able to see more clearly... ; )


Tops and Props: The Davids, your choice.

Bottoms: Despite my crush, I have to add Brooke in with Syesha. Her tentativeness is beginning to bother me.

Leaving: Syesha, I hope, but she seems to have quite a following, and might beat out Brooke.

Can Idol give back 30 of those minutes?

I'm actually a bit surprised that Sanjaya is actually done. Honestly, it's fair at this point (and at many points in the past), but give the guy credit for all he's done. He came out week in and week out and gave his best effort. People like him. People vote for him. He stays. But now he can get ready for the tour and his millions of screaming fans.

So, the bottom 3? I had no problem with Lakisha, but seeing Blake there was a shock. Honestly, based on Tuesday alone I can see how he got there, but did you see the look of relief on Simon's face when Ryan sent him to safety? Simon saw the $$$ back in his pocket, that's for sure! I'm not sure any of the others will end up being as marketable and profitable as Blake in the short term.

Questions, question, and more questions. Of course I have some.

1. Why do we need to hear what people in Hollywood think? I have a sneaking suspicion they have less to do with the voting than pre-teens in the midwest. Just a hunch.

2. When will Blake bring back the "it" and the "yo?" If he wants to go the distance we need a little more edge from Mr. Lewis. Granted, country week may not be the ideal venue, but it's been a bit since we've seen vintage Blake, vintage sweaters notwithstanding.

3. How long is next week's show going to be? Holy crap! That's a lot of star power on one night. Just promise me that we don't have to listen to Hugh Grant sing!

4. Couldn't we just read the website to find out what the idols are listening to? More fluff and filler in my opinion.

5. Who are the music legends pairing up next week on Idol Gives Back? My money's on Gwen Stefani and Akon.

6. When did Ryan become so Dick Clarkish? Nothing against Mr. Clark and his decades of experience and success, but didn't Ed McMahon have his chance at hosting a talent show?

7. How did I miss the chance to comment on Randy's "accomplished producer" comment to Phil? I'm losing my touch!

Anyway, I have no idea what the theme is next week so all I can get geared up for is the Idol Gives Back Etravagataculopalooza. Block out plenty of time next week, America. You're gonna need it!

Sanjaya is going home

Nice kid, but right person to go home. I bet it's been really tough for him.

I found Martina McBride's song to be very inspirational for us. Thank you!

I'm tired and not feeling particularly witty or remembering much about the show. OH! Except that I am SO SICK AND TIRED of hearing what people on Hollywood Boulevard have to say! Guess what? I don't CARE what people on Hollywood Boulevard have to say. I'd rather have a half hour results show! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Ryan. I like Ryan. Always have. But he is seeming dorkier and dorkier ALL the time. I don't know what's happened to him. He's turning into dweeby uptight dorky TV show host guy. What happened to cool Ryan? Bring back the inside out T-shirts and scruffy looks. Throw out the skinny ties. Whaaaaa, where's the old Ryan?!

So, anyway, Blake does NOT deserve to be ranked lower than Phil. No way. No how. Phil is annoying the bejeebers out of me. I've had enough. He's a mugger. Blech.

I find myself totally digging Blake and really liking Jordin and Melinda. Believe it or not, I'm liking Chris more and more. Lakisha just seems so put out to be there. And Phil? Well, do I really need to go there again?

Top 7 Minus 1 - Martina McBride Performs (and Fergie)!

They're dragging this out for an hour!? Again!?

They certainly spend enough time on Simon's apology. Sheesh.

The group hoedown is alright.

Fergie kicks butt and takes names.

Is anyone else ready to gag at the 'Sponge Bob No Pants' commercial?

The contestant Ford commercial was pretty good, especially in contrast to Sponge Bob.

The AI Gives Back entertainment lineup sounds pretty awesome.

Elimination: starting with Sanjaya on one side and Phil on the other makes it vague to start, but when Jordin joins Phil, it becomes much clearer. Chris joins the high end; Lakisha and Blake join Sanjaya. Then they tell poor Belinda she's safe and make her pick between the groups. She declines, staging a non-violent sit-down protest of civil disobedience (Yay, Ghandi!), and is told to join the clear winners in Jordin's group. Randy is as surprised as I am that Blake is in the bottom 3. I'm a bit surprised that Lakisha is there, but apparently I really missed a crucial performance. Naturally, I'm glad to see Sanjaya there, but I have to wonder if the Dark Force will prevail once again and result in Lakisha's dismissal. I really can't see Blake going down just yet.

The whole Shrek 3 thing was little more than a blatant commercial. Ryan, the AI talk show host, with guests plugging their next film.

Martina McBride performs wonderfully, singing, 'Sing It Anyway', which is a poignantly apt song for an elimination show.

Blake is safe, not surprisingly. Will Sanjaya finally meet his end? YES!!!!! The audience is clearly pleased. Lakisha has one more chance to change her approach, barring a massive screw-up on someone else's part.

He has fun with his final performance: 'Let's Give Them Something To Talk About' - other than hair!...LOL!

See ya next week!

...John

Marie Osmond Week

Well, it was really Martina McBride week, but don't you think an Osmond week would be, er, interesting? Maybe not. Anyway, I thought this week's show was a good one, and I was glad to see how nicely A.I. (and even Simon individually) showed sensitivity and class about the events in Virginia this week. It must have been a difficult week for so many of the contestants.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: So, how can Simon pay attention to judge these idols when he's playing "got your nose" with Paula? I'm so tired of the extra attention this show give Sanjaya. It came off as condescending when Ryan jumped in and cut off Simon's criticism of his performance this week, although the ensuing banter was enjoyable. I think it's great how they found Jerry Garcia the Fiddler this week. Simon still seems to hate country music, but after 6 seasons he's starting to come around . . . slowly. Simon singing "Shining Happy People"--nice one. My choice would have been "What the World Needs Now," but Sanjaya's pick works, too. And while we're on the topic, what did Corey Clark do with Sanjaya. I was surprised to see our favorite Season 2 criminal back on stage. Shouldn't he be out promoting his "I Love Paula (and She Loves Me)" album? Is it me, or does Lakisha not take criticism well?

PHIL STACEY ("Where the Blacktop Ends"): To paraphrase Stacy's words tonight, he went and pulled a Josh Gracin on us. First, he did very well tonight. He seemed comfortable and natural, and really performed well. I just wish he'd let us in on his little secret a while back. We could have skipped the whole phony, "love me America, not for who I am, but for what I seem to be" act and cut to the part where Phil admits he's more Marie than Donny and just sings what fits. He spent so many weeks hiding his insecurities behind a people-pleasing facade instead of just showing us who he is and living with the consequences, good or bad. Rant. Off.

JORDIN SPARKS ("A Broken Wing"): Gutsy is right! Oh, and she was awesome, too! She connected with the song, gave a brilliant performance, and goosebumps abounded plentifully in our home tonight. Fantastic!

SANJAYA MALAKAR ("Let's Give 'Em Something to Talk About," or laugh, or cry, or whatever): Back to karaoke. Back to bad high school talent show memories. Give Sanjaya credit for coming out and giving an honest effort week after week. But Simon is right: eventually we have to really find the American Idol in all of this.

LAKISHA JONES ("Jesus Take the Wheel"): She may have connected with the sentiment of the song, but the performance was just aight for me. It was out of tune and she seemed disconnected from the whole of the thing. The song itself is incredible and that will save her a bit, but overall this was not her best effort. Her eyes glassed over about 3 seconds into the criticism the judges had for her. This does not help me like her any better. If one is going to get on stage as a performer, looking to be the best, she has got to learn to take the lumps with more grace than that.

CHRIS RICHARDSON ("Mayberry"): I've never heard the original so I can't compare Chris's take, but I liked it overall. I can see where Country suits him just fine. His vocal tone fits with Rascal Flatts as well. This wasn't his strongest performance, but I think the judges were overly harsh. Simon's eye roll when Chris shared heart-felt emotion was juvenile at best (and expected), but looking back I can see how this could have been a week where singing, albeit on the Big Stage, took a backseat to life. I fear Chris could be the latest to be affected by the natural disaster that is Sanjaya.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE ("Trouble is a Woman"): Ah, she's back! This was a great song choice, and she did it well. Melinda showed why she's been a front runner from the start. I actually thought it was funny when Simon wanted Melinda to stop being shocked at the compliments he gives her. Funnier still is that Melinda honestly doesn't see the talent that she possesses. This is not an act. There is a reason she's been singing backgrounds for so long--she's never thought she could do it. One day she'll see that she can, and believe it.

BLAKE LEWIS ("When the Stars Go Blue"): How fortuitous that Martina and Tim were just talking about how this would be a great song on A.I. How am I not surprised that Blake would pick the song people would like to hear? He always picks great songs and infuses his own style into them. Out of curiosity, I went and listened to the original and I was surprised to hear that Tim McGraw has a decent falsetto in him. Blake's take is just different enough to make it his, and his arrangements always remind me of the great alternative music I heard during high school in the late 80s and early 90s. It wasn't his best performance tonight, but it was still a really good one.

MY TOP 3: Jordin/Melinda, Blake
MY BOTTOM 3: Sanjaya, Lakisha, Phil (more for the Fony Factor than the performance itself)
SANJAYA HATER NO. 6 (sounds like a cologne): Chris

So, at some point Sanjaya will take his rightful place among the also-rans to be seen on tour this summer. I'm predicting he'll be Top 5, no higher. I'm looking forward to another contemporary, relevant performance from Martina McBride tomorrow night. On a side note, I submitted my entry for the Songwriting contest. I just hope my vocal track doesn't end up on a "Worst of the Worst" segment on finale night!

Top 7

Wow. What an interesting night.

I'm going to start by ranking them this time:

Jordin
Melinda/Blake
Phil
Chris
Lakisha
Sanjaya

Now, take a good look at that. Weird list, isn't it?

Phil - I know I didn't write this past week, but suffice it to say that this guy BUGS me. That little flippy thing he did with his bow? Lame. BUT as much as I dislike the guy, I give credit where it's due and he wasn't bad tonight. And I know I didn't write to say as much, but believe me when I say that I totally predicted this. I predicted that he'd pull a Josh Gracin. And that he did. But Simon nailed it when he said, 10 weeks later and now we know what kind of a singer he is. And spare me the agreeable antics, Phil. If this is what you really want to do, why haven't you been doing it?? I'm bored with you now.

Jordin - Phe-FREAKING-nomenal. Melinda-Lakisha finale? No. Quite frankly, SHE is the one to beat. Jordin is amazing, whatever her age. That performance gave me waves of chills again and again. It was moving, she looked beautiful, and she's simply extraordinary and so stinking cute and bubbly. I really, really like her. I said it before Simon did tonight (ask Mark!)--she could definitely win this whole thing. And deservedly so. And what a marketable name she has! I'm prediciting a win for her.

Sanjaya - Ugh. It was awful. Nice kid, but it was really awful. Poor Bonnie Raitt. That was hideous. He did a nice job a week ago, but it was bloody awful tonight. Totally off and . . . just ugh. I'm just tired of even writing about this.

Lakisha - Yikes. That was not good. She just doesn't seem to have the passion for this competition. Tonight made it crystal clear that Jordin and Melinda are leagues ahead of Lakisha. She was very and uncomfortably off the whole time. I'm just not buying her that much anymore. She doesn't seem to want it that badly. Her poker face is getting tiresome to decipher. She's really got to bring it if she has any interest in the finale, though again, I think she's been out-sung and out-performed again and again. And I think she may be in the bottom 3 this week. Yep.

Chris - I don't know what the judges were listening to; I think he did a good job. Sure, it wasn't out of this world, but it was better than they gave him credit for. When he started with his condolences, at first I was thinking it was a ploy or whatever, but he is from Virginia and I agree with Simon that the whole thing had to have been difficult for them. And did you hear his lyrics? Wishing for Mayberry? Don't we all? :(

Melinda - Fantastic! And a big ol' public THANK YOU to Simon for telling her to knock off the surprised act. We've all tired of it. We know she's good and she knows that we know it. Great job, Melinda. Smile and say thank you. That's all. She looked and sounded great.

Blake - I. Love. This. Guy. He is AWESOME. He is like a walking Scrubs soundtrack. Or the soundtrack to "A Lot Like Love." Or a combination of a hip, alternative 80's band (THANK YOU, BLAKE for bringing THAT back. Justin can have his sexy.) combined with a bit of 90s edge and a little taste of Paul McCartney a la Wings and you have Blake's delicious tone infused with his own unique style. He knows who he is. He picks great songs. He is a true musician. He is a great performer. I love his falsetto. I love his confident style. I love his choreography. I love his voice. I love his attitude. Of all the contestants this season, I would buy HIS album. Love this guy. Fantastic!

Bottom 3: Sanjaya (Yes, I think he may find himself there this week), Lakisha, and Chris.
Leaving: Unfairly, Chris. OR seemingly shockingly (though at this point, it's not really), Lakisha.

Top 7 - Country, with Martina McBride!

Yee-ha!

Phil Stacey - Martina loves his voice - let's see. He brings it off quite well, I think. One of his better performances, for me. Randy agrees, wholeheartedly. So does Paula. Let's see what sourpuss has to say. He agrees, even in this hated genre! Very nice start for the show.

Jordin Sparks - A bit moderate to start, but kicks into high gear midway and soars to the powerful end. She feels it so much, it makes her tearful. Very good. Simon, for the first time, thinks she has a shot at winning.

Sanjaya Malakar - His choice of a song for Simon to sing was funny. 'Let's Give Them Something To Talk About' - He's way to soft on this song, and I don't mean his volume, though that's not as good as it could be, either. Definitely not good. Randy nails my take on it - karaoke. Paula placates. Simon beats the dead horse while it's down. Ryan interjects, and Simon puts him in his place.

Lakisha Jones - Martina finds her "believable" on 'Jesus Take The Wheel'. I do too. Randy didn't like it as much as I did. Neither did Paula. I was in the kitchen, so apparently I missed something if they all agree, but I got some chills off it, so, for me, it was good.

Chris Richardson - Martina liked his 'Mayberry'. His voice sounds great and blends with the band very nicely. He gives me some chills on this one. Very good. The judges completely pan the performance, however, Simon saying he thinks he hears something completely different than the audience. In this case, I agree with him. It seemed more like his prejudice against a "nasally" country style, to me.

Melinda Doolittle: - 'Trouble is a Woman' - an obscure song, as Martina notes, but Melinda owns it and has Martina riveted. I can see why. A very solid performance - Randy quotes me, exactly. Certainly the best tonight. Simon prefaces his compliment with a request that she not act surprised and undeserving. I think she might have done this anyway, but the reminder didn't hurt, except to preclude our knowing whether she could have handled it on her own.

Blake Lewis: 'Dancing When the Stars Go Blue' - one note was badly off, and there is some general pitchiness as he tries to go with the falsetto recommended by Martina. Just good, for me, and bordering on not so good. Randy and Paula don't notice anything I heard, but Simon only gives it, "It was okay."

Tops: Melinda and Jordin were too close to pick a 'best'. Phil, Lakisha and Chris were pretty much tied for second, in my book.

Bottoms: Sanjaya, by a long shot. No one else came close, but to hear the judges, second worst was Lakisha.

Taking country roads home: should be Sanjaya, but it's anybody's guess. Based on the bottom three last week, it will be Phil, as though tonight's very good performance counted for nothing. We shall see.

Manana...

John