The Top 7...

So I'm writing while watching again... mostly because I don't feel like spending any extra time on the show than I absolutely have to. It's really sad to me that it's come to this. From a season like last year where I LIVED to write these blogs... to a season like this one where I honestly forget the show is even on each week. Sad. Just sad.

Ok...here we go... Alicia Keys as the mentor. I'd say that's a good choice. I mean, it's not a bad choice so by default I have to say it's a good choice. She's successful enough at this point in her career that it makes sense... especially with all her charity work and such with Idol Gives Back coming up. I can see why they chose her this week.... Now, onto the show.

Casey: Oh, well we're back to the electric guitar with him. I guess that's just his thing so he should do what he's good at. --- His voice actually sounded really great. He's never sounded BAD, I'm just never jumping out of my seat. This performance is MUCH better than last week when he stood in the middle of the teeny bopper front row, so I'll give him props for that. I could see Casey being successful.. I just don't know for how long. I feel like he, along with Lee who hasn't even sung yet, would just get lost in the shuffle of every other guy who sounds just like them and has the same vibe. He's got "the whole package" as they say though, so I'll be really surprised if he's not at least in the top 4 or 5. I can totally understand why the judges were a little ho-hum with him tonight... welcome to my world, judges!

Lee: Funny that he was right after Casey since I just lumped them together in the same category. First things first Lee.... GET A BETTER PERSONALITY! When Ryan was introducing him he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. DUDE... you are on the biggest show in the country and trying to become a rock star... SHOW SOME EMOTION! He frustrates me. I want to like him, I really want to. --- Ok... his voice is fine. But I feel like he always does his songs just a bit too high. He always seems to be stretching for a note or two.. or three or four. With that said though, he sounded good tonight. But again, not great. I'm not excited. I'm not jumping up and down. And, in approximately 25 seconds, I probably won't care what he did. Also, I like that song...but there are just way to many "la la la's" in it. If Lee can liven up a little bit I think he can make it pretty far because there IS something likable about him.. I just can't seem to really figure out what it is. I was glad to at least see him smile during his critiques. You should try that more often Lee!

Tim: Better Days by the GooGoo Dolls!? Oh no. I'm nervous. The last time I heard this song song live, it was by my brother...who happens to sing WAAAAYYY better than all of these boys... so I can only imagine this is not going to be good. --- And would you look at that, it isn't. Not good at all. This is another off night for him... I just cringed actually. SO flat. AH!! I just want to scream at this show!!! Tim had a few weeks in the last month or so where I was maybe trying to give him a chance and cut him some slack. Tonight it was confirmed that my first instinct about him was dead on: NEVER should have been in the top 12!! It just wasn't good. Flat all over the place and just SO blah!! I am SO glad that judges didn't tell him it was better than it was. Thank God they kept it real. He needs to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Aaron Kelly: I Believe I can Fly?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! I feel like this song needs to be put in the same category as any Celine or Mariah or Whitney song. Not that R Kelly is the best singer I've ever heard, but it is NOT an easy song to sing and people who are not R Kelly should just not try it. We know R can sing it...we've heard him do it since, what, 1997? We just really shouldn't allow other people to sing it. --- Ugh. Again I just do not know how to express my anger and frustration with this show! Why is he in the TOP 7!?!?! I have obviously heard much worse, but that song was a bad idea!! Too much. It was just too much and he janked up one too many notes. I'll give him the last note...that was pretty good. But it was STILL not great! I'm just torn. Was it horrible? No. Was it "inspiring" as the theme suggested? Sure. Was it good enough to be in the top 7? Um.... not so much. I agree with Simon... if I heard that version on the radio I would've turned it off immediately. He's a sweet kid, but time to go.

*Ok, I just heard Ryan say that Siobhan is going to sing Whitney AND Mariah... which can only mean one song... When You Believe from the Prince of Egypt. I just know it. Siobhan....what did I JUST SAY about those ladies and their songs!?!?! Leave them alone!!!! Oh, boy... here we go.... I'm already annoyed and I haven't even heard it yet.

Siobhan: I can't. I can't do it anymore. I can't handle her voice. Can't handle the vibrato and the beefy tone. I just can't. I feel like she is getting worse as the weeks go on, and that's just never a good thing. Um...that key change!? No. Awkward and out of place and not good. The high, slow falsetto at the end before the very last line, was the best part of the song. The rest? I was not a fan. And neither was Randy, so I'm glad about that. Ellen.. I love you and I think you're hilarious but you have nothing of value to say. Kara... on the contrary... I can't stand you and would never want to hang out with you, but YOU are right on the money lately! Here's the thing... Siobhan.... you HAVE to have known that that song is NOT A SONG THAT ANYONE SHOULD EVER SING!!! You didn't want "who the song is by to scare you away from doing it?" Well.. you should. You should want that. And you should've been scared away from it. I love a lot of songs that I am smart enough to never sing. It's common sense as a singer!!!! Ugh.. for the flying flip!

Big Mike: He looks bigger. He legitimately looks bigger than last week. What on earth? --- Ok, when he first said "Hero" I thought he meant Mariah's Hero... thank GOD that was not the case. Big Mike is a great singer, but tonight was for sure not his best. He's still a better singer than most of the guys left... all of them actually, in my opinion. I'm not sure how I felt about this song for him.... it was a bit of a "rock vibe" which really isn't his thing. I also think that his big note at the end was a little off...which is unusual for him. However, even with the fact that I can't stand his arrogance lately, I still like his voice. It wasn't my favorite performance of his, but it was better than Tim and Aaron combined!!

Crystal: The only one I am looking forward to. I just like to see what she brings every week. I'm glad she's not playing an instrument... it's good to know that she's not totally relying on her guitar. --- LOVED the a capella start! It says a lot about a singer when they can still be on pitch when the music finally comes in. Here's what I love about Crystal's voice... even when she's sliding up to a note and might not always hit it right on every time, it just sounds cool when she does it so I almost just don't care. Like it's just almost part of what makes her so great or something. I don't know. Umm...she's crying.... what? Did I miss something? I think I was writing and not paying enough attention... let me rewind.... so she was thanking the Lord I guess. Well alright! I suppose the song IS talking about getting on board the train to the Kingdom... like heaven, right!? Well I might've gotten a little teary talking about that too! I am just on the Crystal bandwagon for sure. She's different....she's edgy... she's got a great vibe.. she needs to win. If she doesn't win, I'll be mad. I just decided.

Ok...if Aaron, Tim, or Siobhan don't go home tomorrow night I will scream. They NEED to be the bottom 3, but we all know that's probably not likely. Based on the performances tonight I don't see how it could be anyone BUT the 3 of them, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Just PLEASE let one of them go. Even if the other two are safe.. just please let it be ONE of them! If there is any justice in the world of American Idol it needs to be one of them!