American Idol Season 9: Top Ten Guys Perform

There was a last minute change of plans on American Idol's Season 9. The girls were to perform on Tuesday and the guys on Wednesday, but the order was switched. This was due to the fact that Crystal Bowersox was taken to the hospital and was under doctor's orders not to perform on Tuesday. The top ten guys delivered better performances than last week, for the most part. However, I'm still left wondering how they ended up being considered the best, given the hundreds of thousands of hopefuls.

The Good

Lee Dewyze still ranks as the top American Idol guy with me. He gave an intense vocal performance. The characteristics of his raspy voice are natural, not something that can be learned. He still looks a bit uncomfortable, but he'll no doubt overcome that with time.

Alex Lambert took me by surprise this week. His performance as one of American Idol's top ten guys improved 100% over the previous week. This was no doubt due to his elevated comfort and confidence levels. The acoustic guitar worked well for Alex. He has a solid, distinctive tone.

Aaron Kelly, even though only sixteen years old, appeared sure of himself on the American Idol stage. I liked his rendition of the classic "My Girl". It is refreshing to listen to a singer who is not going off key as much as some of the others. Aaron has a strong voice.

Michael Lynche delivered a powerful vocal performance with an updated take on James Brown's "This is a Man's World". He's a soulful artist who will do well in R & B. Michael is an audience pleaser, which works in his favor as well.

The Bad

Todrick Hall truly should be on "So You Think You Can Dance" instead of American Idol. His performance of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It?" picked up a little toward the middle. However, his phrasing was off and the whole thing left me flat.

John Park won't be able to get by on personality for much longer on American Idol. His interpretation of a John Mayer song, unfortunately, was very forgettable. He was off-key throughout the song. I was impressed, however, with the fact that John has only been speaking his second language, English, since moving from Korea in 4th grade.

Jermaine Sellers is another likeable guy who may be leaving American Idol soon. His rendition of "What's Goin' On?" had major pitch problems throughout.

Andrew Garcia didn't live up to his potential. I like the guy, but felt that his showing on American Idol last night hurt his chances. Although he hit some impressive notes, he also went off key in many spots. As the judges told him, their expectations were up right from the beginning, considering his unique take right out of the gate on Paul Abdul's "Straight Up".

The So-So

Casey James impressed the American Idol audience with his electric guitar-playing ability. Casey's vocal talent, unfortunately, took a back seat to his guitar playing. I liked the addition of the guitar, but the next time he plays he'll need to focus more on vocal strength.

Tim Urban improved greatly since his last appearance on American Idol. I thought he was homeward-bound last week, but he may stick around a while longer now. He ended on a bad note, but, all in all, Tim had a pretty good night.

For more information, visit the American Idol website.

American Idol Season 9: First of Top 24 to Go Home