'American Idol' 2011: The Top 12 Guys Perform, Most Impress

"American Idol" 2011 got started in earnest March 1st as the top 12 guys took to the stage to sing for votes for the very first time of season 10. Wondering which five hopefuls will clear week one and join the top 10? Here's a look at who sang which tunes and what the judges thought about what they heard, along with unofficial grades for each singer.

Clint Jun Gamboa
Clint, who made a name for himself -- for reasons both good and bad -- during Hollywood week was up first on the "American Idol" stage. He offered up a screechy, Steven Tyler-esque version of "Superstition" while strutting around the stage like a peacock-turned-rockstar. He was definitely feeling it. Steven called it "beautiful" and "brilliant," while Jennifer Lopez said she could tell he was nervous, but that it didn't affect his performance. Anchor judge Randy Jackson claimed "there's no karaoke singer in the world that has that kind of talent."
Clint's week one grade: A-

Jovani Barreto
The ripped shipbuilder sang a personal fave of mine in Edwin McCain's "I'll Be." He hit some nice notes, but overall, his vocals sounded a little weak. Steven quipped "holy shipyard" and said he "loved it." J. Lo was pleased that he'd given the audience a peek at what he was capable of and gave the ditty her stamp of approval. Randy disagreed with the others, though, calling him out for not bringing something "unique" and "different" to the song.
Jovani's week one grade: B

Jordan Dorsey
Usher's "Oh My Gosh" could've been renamed "Oh My Gosh Please Don't". It wasn't a good choice for Jordan. He worked the stage like a pro, slipping out of his jacket early on to the screams of ladies in the audience, but his voice sounded just plain weak. Steven said it "wasn't OMG over the top for me" and J. Lo agreed, saying "you're the soft R&B guy" while him for trying to be someone he's not. Randy called it "kinda pitchy all over the place" and said "it paled in comparison to the original."
Jordan's week one grade: C-

Tim Halperin
"Streetcorner Symphony" proved a sweet success for Tim, who started his time on stage looking a bit uncomfortable, but quickly acclimated to the scene. Strong vocals, good interactivity between the singer and the aufience. Steven said that the song didn't do him any "justice" and that he felt "let down." J. Lo said he "did it very well," but that it didn't "show America" who he was. Randy agreed with Jennifer and Steven, scolding him for not bringing anything new to the Rob Thomas song.
Tim's week one grade: B

Brett Loewenstern
The fiery redhead approrpriately opened his quest for "American Idol" season 10 votes with his rendition of The Doors' "Light My Fire." The best part? He made it his own, one hundred percent. Steven approved with a "you brought it home, man." J. Lo laughed that he'd done "more hair tossing than me and Bryonce put together for the last 10 years," but enjoyed it. Randy, who said he'd flipped said hair 14 times, called him "fun" and "bold" but noted that he'd been "pitchy" at the beginning of the performance.
Brett's week one grade: A-

James Durbin
James rock starred his way through the Judas Priest hit "You've Got Another Thing Coming." When it comes to heart, passion and performance skills, it's hard to compete with this guy. He's completely at home on stage. Steven called it "crazy good" and J. Lo stressed "I love the way you perform." Randy enthusiastically claimed "this is how you do it! That was great."
James' week one grade: A

Robbie Rosen
The teen delivered the most unique version of the Sarah McLachlan tune "In the Arms of the Angel" that I've ever heard. In fact, it was so different from the original that it took until the chorus for me to recognize it. I liked it... sort of. I didn't care for the falsetto moments, but all in all it was decent. Steven called it "a beautiful thing." J. Lo praised his ability to tell a story with his singing. Randy differed from his fellow judges, calling the notes "pitchy" and disconnected.
Robbie's week one grade: B-

Scotty McCreery
I'm a huge fan of Scotty's Josh Turner-ish pipes, so I loved his down-home, spot-on rendition of John Michael Montgomery's "Letters From Home" from the first note onward. It was buttery smooth. Steven affirmed his song choice, calling it "so beautiful." Jennifer said "you're born to sing country music" and Randy praised him for being "a throwback country guy."
Scotty's week one grade: A

Stefano Langone
Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" was an excellent vehicle for Stefano to use to put his vocal stylings on display. I buy -- hook, line and sinker -- that it represents perfectly the kind of artist he'd be, and a few stumbles aside, he nailed it to the wall. Steven said "you gave it up again tonight" and "you are so good." J. Lo praised him for being "consistent" and "a beast up there." Randy said he'd enjoyed it like he "was at a concert."
Stefano's week one grade: A-

Paul McDonald
He of the quirky dress made a solid choice with Rod Stewart's "Maggie May." It suited him very, very well. Steven enjoyed "the character" of his voice. Jennifer called his movements "unique" and said she loved his smile. Randy said he was a fan of his "quirky and different" style.
Paul's week one grade: A-

Jacob Lusk
Jacob looked a wee bit uncomfortable on stage at first glance, but delivered a smooth rendition of the Luther Vandross tune "A House is Not a Home." Steven asserted that "divine intervention brought you here" and said he was "honored to be in his presence". J. Lo called Vandross her "favorite singer of all time" and continued "he's gone, but now we have you." Randy agreed, saying that Luther would be pleased with him and that "we're lucky to have you on here."
Jacob's week one grade: A

Casey Abrams
"I Put a Spell on You" never sounded as unique as it did coming from Casey's pipes. He didn't just sing it -- he full-on performed it. He could be on Broadway. Steven called him "in your mind good and out of your mind unreal." J. Lo addressed him as "sexy Casey" and vowed that he'd "redefine what this whole thing is." Randy called out "more, more, more, yes, yes, yes."
Casey's week one grade: A

Wow, what a task it'll be for America to narrow the field to just five come Thursday on "American Idol." If forced to make a decision, I'd go with James Durbin, Scotty McCreery, Jacob Lusk, Casey Abrams and Paul McDonald. Or Stefano Langone. Better yet, I'd take seven or eight instead of just five. What can I say: The talent is there. Tune in tomorrow night when the top 12 girls hit the "AI" stage for the first time.