American Idol Top 7 – Idol Gives Back

“Idol Gives Back is…back!  Alicia Keys is this week’s mentor which is actually a legitimate choice for a mentor for a change.  The contestants get to choose inspirational songs as this week’s theme and I hope that I feel inspired at the end of this show to give back tomorrow when the real performances happen.  I am definitely looking forward to this week’s 2-hour episode considering the contestants this year as a whole are quite blah considering there is such a clear favorite. Since past Idol Give’s Back  episodes didn’t eliminate anyone, could this be the case this week as well?”

The scores are based on vocal ability, appearance, song choice, personality, stage presence and impact out of a possible 30 points! EPIC (29-30) GREAT (27-28) GOOD (25-26) OK (23-25) FAIL (22 and below)

Here are the guy’s grades in order of performance:

Casey James 27

“Don’t want people to say, I like that song, I like him!”  That’s the type of mentor we want, someone who speaks wisdom.  Casey has always been consistent and I don’t think going first is a negative thing.  He’s in his comfort zone, guitar and microphone in the middle of the stage, nothing new.  Casey’s voice is on point as usual.  Its good, but all of the same thing really, nothing uber-spectacular but on par with the best of what you can expect from this season’s crop of singers!  Was I inspired?  Not really, but he’s been doing well so far.

Elimination: So-so (It was good but wasn’t great)

Lee Dewyze 29

Just on face value Lee could make an album tonight, but let’s see if the confidence and personality can come out tonight.  I really think that’s what can make the difference in his career and this song can prove it.  Outcome?  I think he did really good!  And for some reason the vulnerability in his voice and his eyes worked perfectly for this song.  In a way his shyness and lack of confidence actually translated well for the song.  Was I inspired?  Yes!  I believe he was that poor boxer..

Elimination: Very Safe (He’s in this for the long run)

Tim Urban 26

Mr Smiles and confidence! At this point does it really matter what he sings at this point.  It boils down to when his fans stop voting for him.  He started the song as if he was rushing but he eventually got into a bit more and I get how Alicia did think this song could be something he could record for himself, but I can’t deal with his pretty boy image.  Was I inspired?  Yes, he’s made it this far, he’s doing something right.

Elimination: So-So (Not the best feedback from the judges, but does that matter?)

Aaron Kelly 28

Interesting song choice and Alicia is basically saying that he can go either way with this.  Once again an interesting song choice that apparently he’s been singing forever.  Wow!  The arrangement wasn’t the best but I think this was his best performance in my opinion.  His vocals were on tonight.  Was I Inspired?  I think the song made me inspired to like him, if that makes sense.

Elimination: So-So (If Tim is sharing the teen vote with Aaron who’s going to win this week?)

Siobhan Magnus 28

This song has inspiration all over it and I hope she hits that money spot Alicia’s talking about.  I have always like what Siobhan can do with her voice but sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.  Okay I was put off when she seemed like she was spitting into the microphone in the beginning but then it stopped and she did what made her standout among the competition.  I got semi goose-bumps and she made it work for me.  Was I Inspired?  Of course I was.

Elimination: So-So (Judges apparently didn’t hear what I did!)

Michael Lynche 28

Bring people on that ride Michael!  I thought it was crazy he was on his way out a few weeks ago but the judges save really put one of the better voices back in the mix.  Since this song is on his bucket list, I hope he nails it.  He made it his own and he made it work.  Was I Inspired? Yes.

Elimination: So-so (Another one I thought was go but the judges didn’t.  Hmmm?)

Crystal Bowersox 30

Alicia, Crystal is not just your favorite, she’s America’s favorite too!  This will be a first with no instrument but it really doesn’t matter at this point.  Pimp spot, best singer in competition and the one to beat!  And being last just proves she’s in her own league.  She has such a presence on the stage and I got choked up when she did.  Wow, powerful performance.  Was I Inspired? Yes to keep watching the show even though it’s obvious she is going to win.

Elimination: Very Safe (No question at all!)

My top 7:

1. Crystal Bowersox
2. Lee Dewyze
3. Siobhan Magnus
4. Aaron Kelly
5. Michael Lynche
6. Casey James
7. Tim Urban

Final Thoughts: I’m back! So I said I was inspired earlier in the show but if I had watched Crystal first, nobody would have really compared.  She sings with so much passion that I believe her emotionally and that’s something that the other contestants lack.  Now anyone other than Crystal and Lee can be in the bottom 3 but most likely going home is Tim, for bias and obvious reasons that the judges didn’t like it.  But Casey’s place in the competition will be tested for his safe and somewhat forgettable performance that also got negative reviews.  Michael has been eliminated before so this may be his time and of course Siobhan and Aaron whom I thought did well, the judges didn’t like so there are a few things to consider, of which doesn’t matter if nobody gets eliminated tonight.

Result:  Casey, Aaron and Tim were in the bottom 3 and Tim was sent home.  America got it right!

Idol Gives Back Show:  I thought this years show was an overall dud.  Most of the celebrities were on the show for their own causes and the comedic numbers mainly Wanda Sykes, George Lopez, Jonah Hill and Russell Brand were not funny at all and unnecessary considering this is a singing show.  The performances were okay but would have been better had they all benefited Idol Gives Back (Minus Carrie who said 36 cents would go to charity) and i don’t know how i feel about the producers use of footage from Africa to force me to give money for the cause.  Granted I probably will support the cause but it was so desperate how they did it.  It is nice to know where the money from previous Idol Give’s Back episodes is going to but i wish there was an actual site or document that states where all the money went because as much as they made an effort to show where our money went, it still doesn’t add up to the $70million + from the last Idol Gives Back.