American Idol, Second Elimination Round

There was some very good singing last night. However, that was overshadowed by the vast amount of horrendous singing...okay, I sound like Simon. Let's break it down:

Jasmine Murray - "Love Song", by Sara Bareilles

I had high hopes for Jasmine going into this competition. She's only 17, and she's got a lovely voice and stage presence. But she didn't sound good on this song. She could do much better. Randy said it wasn't the right song choice for her, and I agree. Simon told her she'll be better in a couple of years, but she's not ready yet.

Matt Giraud - "Viva la Vida", by Coldplay

This is a great song, already a classic, and Matt should have left it alone. He tried hard, but he put in too much ornamentation (I'm sure the pop-music world has a name for this; I think of it as melisma). The judges were disappointed, too.

Jeanine Vailes - "This Love", by Maroon 5

Such a great song, and she murdered it. She was all over the place pitchwise, and it was uncomfortable to watch and listen to. Even Paula couldn't think of anything nice to say. "Great legs," she managed. Randy thought it was the wrong song for her. “I hate to say it, but the best part was the end, that it was over.”

Nick “Norman Gentle” Mitchell – "And I am Telling You", from Dreamgirls

Unfortunately, he's here as Norman – red headband and wrist bands, silver shiny shirt, khaki shorts – and he's making his performance about wanting to stay on American Idol. Over the top, impossible to watch. Simon prays he does not go through to the next round. “One of the most atrocious performances we've ever had at this stage of the competition...sort of horrific comedy, right?” Norman shot back “Well, it takes one to know one, sassy pants.” Randy was entertained. Kara says “At least we remember him.” She enjoyed him. Paula thinks he's a true performer, but she's not sure this is the stage for him. “You're fun, you're memorable.” Please, PLEASE make this the last we see of him on American Idol!

Allison Iraheta – "Alone", by Heart

She's 16 and has dyed crimson hair. "Alone" was #1 on Entertainment Weekly's list of "12 Songs That Should be Banned from the Show Forever!", so I was a little disconcerted when I heard she'd chosen it. But she gave an outstanding performance, the best of the girls tonight. She's got a powerful voice; a little pitchy, but she uses it very effectively for somebody so young. Randy loved it. “Might be one of the hottest tonight.” (It was.) Kara says “This girl is serious. You don't even know how good you are.” Simon says “It's like the competition started right now.” He believes she may be one to watch in this competition.

Kris Allen – "The Man in the Mirror", by Michael Jackson

Weak performance. This song doesn't show off his voice at all. Plus, his right hand keeps making guitar-strumming motions (he's a guitarist). He gets into the song a little bit better by the middle. Kara thought the back half of the performance was way better than the front, but still doesn't come close to what he did during Hollywood Week. Just the wrong song. Paula disagrees completely. She thought he nailed it. Simon agrees with Paula. (Paula gave Simon a kiss on the cheek.) He thought Kris showed some confidence, and the chicks are going to love him. Simon thought he might be back in the running again. I disagree; I thought it was horrible.

Megan Corkrey – "Put Your Records On", by Corinne Bailey Rae

Megan's one of this year's young mothers, of which there seem to be more than usual - she's got a young son. I think this song suits her style, kind of bluesy. She kind of shrieked on the chorus, though and her voice sounded raw and irritating. There are a lot better singers than her in this competition. Paula thought she did everything right. Simon says, “You're a funny little thing, aren't you?” He thought she started out well, but oversang the second half of the song. He hopes she gets through, though. Randy agrees with Simon. Kara says she could be a breakout hit artist with the right song. They're all reacting to the fact that she's blonde and pretty. Based on talent alone, she's gone after tonight.

Matt Breitzke – "If You Could Only See", by Tonic

He's the welder, one of the two blue-collar guys (the other is Michael Sarver, who got through last week). I never liked this song. He's not bad, but he's not outstanding, either. Although, given how bad the guys have been tonight, he's about the best one so far. Simon says he really likes Matt, but hated that song. It was boring and didn't suit him. Randy agrees that it was boring. Kara thought it didn't show them any side of him. He can sing, but it was a poor song choice. Paula agrees. He has a good voice, but the song didn't “celebrate who we all fell in love with.”

Jesse Langseth – "Bette Davis Eyes", by Kim Carnes

Another single mother. She gave what was basically a good performance. She missed a few notes here and there, and I'm not sure the performance was all that interesting, but it stayed with me. The song doesn't have much of a vocal range, and she didn't put in any dynamic contrast, which made it a little boring. Randy thought it was okay, but not really exciting. Kara thought she was interesting to watch, and there were some moments that she liked. Paula says she's captivating. Simon thinks she's forgettable. She's got quite a nice voice, but it was “too cool for school.” Odd, though; after the show was over, it was her performance that I remembered. I hope she gets the wild card spot.

Kai Kalama – "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted", by Jimmy Ruffin

He's got a nice voice, but this song doesn't show it off. Kara said he had some pitch issues, and the song was a little old-fashioned for her. She'd like to see him do something a little more contemporary. Paula thought he was off-pitch a little bit. Simon thought it was old-fashioned and corny, nothing distinct or original about it. He thinks he'll be a good backup singer. Randy thought it was "safe" - Idol code for "it didn't challenge you at all." I like Kai, but unless he's got a good fan base, he won't get through tonight.

Mishavonna Henson – "Drops of Jupiter", by Train

She's only 18 years old. I really like this song (you've got to love a group that can make someone with my name, Virginia, sexy and desirable!), but I thought it was an odd song choice for her, and I wasn't sure it translated well into a woman's point of view. She's got a nice voice, though. She had some trouble reaching the highest notes at first, but warmed up to it. This is one of the most capable performances so far tonight. Paula questioned the song choice – it didn't excite her. Simon agrees that it was an odd song choice. Something left him cold about that performance. (Paula whispered to him, “Maybe it's the drops of Jupiter...”) He says Mishavonna acts like a 50-year-old. Randy thought she felt old, too. It didn't show off her voice off. Kara wants her to loosen up a little. I like Mishavonna, and if she doesn't get through tonight, I hope she comes back next year.

Adam Lambert – "Satisfaction", by the Rolling Stones

Adam has sung musical theater for years, and it shows in his performance style. In this performance, I think he was channeling Elvis, not Mick Jagger. He had on several necklaces, kind of a Vegas look for me. I still think he's one of the hottest performers in this competition. What a showman! I'll bet this download sells well; I might buy it myself. Paula doesn't have words (which isn't unusual). She thinks he's in a league of his own. Simon is finding this one difficult. He thought parts were excruciatingly bad and parts were brilliant. The end note was terrific, but parts at the beginning were terrible. Randy loved it. “One of the most current artists we've ever had on this show. It's like a combination of Steven Tyler meets Fall Out Boy meets Robert Pattinson from Twilight...My Chemical Romance...” Kara thinks his vocal technique and ability are outrageous. (I think that's a good quality.) This was absolutely the hottest, most memorable performance of the evening. Adam will go far.

Here's who I think will make it through: Allison Iraheta for the girls, Adam Lambert for the boys. Wild card? Jesse Langseth? Kai Kalama? Mishavonna Henson? I kind of hope one of the girls gets it.