Top 5

America's Choice
Ugh. I never like America's Choice. I feel like we (America) never make good song choices. This feeling does not bode well for the night... I'm starting with cynicism.

Jennifer's Shirt
Oh, wait, that's a dress. Dislike. Dowdy.

Cologne
Ryan: "Somebody's wearing a lot of cologne. Who is that?"
Mom: "It's ME!" with hand raised... for like 30 full seconds.

Idol Top 5... GO!

Round Uno

Alex Preston – "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood
"I've kind of gotten bad reviews in the past from changin' it up too much." Boo! I like it when he changes it up (too) much. Mom said that Alex sounded off-key at the beginning, but I assured her that it was just the tune with which she wasn't familiar. "In fact," I said, "it sounds exactly like the original." And that's why I'm disappointed. What I love about Alex is his unique perspective. With the exception of the first two seconds and a little run in the middle, this WAS the original. Alex sounded great, but I was missing what I love about him. Thanks, judges.

#IdolSelfie
I'm all for a fun selfie, but Idol is overdoing it.

Caleb Johnson – "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith
Ed is upset. He says this song is overdone. (In fact, he said the word "overdone" while I was typing "overdoing" up there.) OH MY GOSH, what is this madness? What is happening to our Caleb? This key is all wrong! Too high! TOO HIGH! It sounds so out of tune and bad. AND BAD! He knows it, too. You can see it in his stance. I don't even like the arrangement; it's too chill for Caleb. The performance is getting better, but nothing can overcome that HORRIFIC beginning. Was he channeling C.J.? Worst Caleb performance ever. He'd better drop something hot in Round #2.

Sam Woolf, Jena Irene, & Alex Preston –"Best Day Of My Life" by American Authors
It was cute. Harmonies were tight. I wish Idol didn't make the contestants worry about these cheesy duets and trios when I'm sure they would rather be focusing on their solos. Mom: "I love Sam. I absolutely love that kid. If I had a daughter, I'd want her to be with him." Um... "If I had a daughter"? You do... MOM. Oh, an available daughter. Gotcha. She knows Ed is the only guy for this daughter. :o)

Jessica Meuse – "Human" by Christina Perri

Shaky. Very shaky. Until the big note in the middle, she sounded absolutely unsure of herself. Her message was heartfelt, but the vocal was so weak. Unless she does something amazing in Round #2, she's toast.

Sam Woolf – "Sing" by Ed Sheeran
Mom is laughing/coughing/crying because Ed joked that Sam would try to get Ariana to give him a high five so she'd raise her hand and her shirt thing would lift. Mom roused from her laughing stupor to note in disappointment that Sam wore the same shirt in his rehearsal that he did in the performance. As for that performance, it wasn't bad for Sam, even a little edgy for him. I thought he seemed more comfortable than I've ever seen him. That said, he still seemed somewhat stiff and a little intense. (Wendy, Keith just told Sam the higher notes of this song weren't in his wheelhouse.) Oh, man, Harry. "In the pocket." Hashtag stupid phrase.

Jena Irene – "My Body" by Young The Giant
All that conversation about movement being necessary, and I don't think it was. Necessary, I mean. I think she could've gotten the crowd energized without walking around the judges. I find that Jena always performs better when she focuses on the song rather than on the audience. That's why I started really digging the song when she landed on the stage from her sojourn to the judges. This performance was the best of the night so far. Great song choice from America, and a great vocal by Jena. "You have that signature phrase... what was it again?" Yes, very memorable, JLo.

Jessica Meuse & Caleb Johnson – "Beast Of Burden" by The Rolling Stones
OK. It was OK. I've had enough duets on competition nights. These are the presentations that should be happening on results nights. Mom noted that seeing Jessica and Caleb together in this performance brought forth images of Meat Loaf's "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" video. They resemble Meat Loaf and Meat Loaf Girl from that vid.

Jo's Round #1 Ranking

1. Jena
2. Alex
3. Sam
4. Caleb
5. Jessica

Ariana

OMG, STOP TOUCHING YOUR HAIR. The unrequited fist bump was hilarious.

Round Dos

Alex Preston – "Say Something" by Great Big World
Again, Alex left this arrangement alone; but this time, I didn't care. It was beautiful. This song, done well, is a winner. Rearrangement would border on sacrilege. I found it very touching. I also found it very difficult to look at his face.

Jena Irene – "Valerie" by Amy Winehouse
Jena exhibited the normally-reserved-for-Caleb professionalism in this song. Her instincts reeked of experience. When I said earlier that she performs better when focusing on a song, this performance is an example of what I meant. Less "Yay, love me audience!" and more "I'm gonna kill this song." That said, I thought the arrangement was overly jazzy. I liked her first performance better. Go figure.

Sam Woolf – "How To Save A Life" by The Fray
Whoa, Sam, crazy faces won't make you hit the pitch. The opening phrases featured some bad, bad notes. As the song progressed, the little melody changes that Sam made suited his voice well. Those slight changes opened up the song for him. However, I'm just annoyed with his face. He always looks so clinical when he finishes a song. I think Jessica is going to go home, but I'd be happier if it were Sam. (Sorry, Mom.)

Jessica Meuse – "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey
Check. Out. That. Ink. High, high, high thigh! Those early, sultry notes were right on the bullseye. That technique drew me right into the performance. I thought she redeemed herself from the first flop. Her voice and emotion were synchronized and strong. I've never "felt" her like that before. Surely she connected with America after that performance.

Caleb Johnson – "Still Of The Night" by Whitesnake

Here we go. Redemption after that dismal Round #1. Caleb is back. The win is back in his sights. That note with the slide was killed. It was so killed, you can call it kilt. It was kilt. Once again, he put on a professional show. I would not be surprised to see an experienced rocker unzip his Caleb suit and step out. He is that professional. That last note? KILT.

Jo's Round #2 Ranking

1. Caleb
2. Jessica
3. Alex
4. Jena
5. Sam

Tonight's Show...
...was not up to par for a Top 5 show, though Round #2 was a great improvement on Round #1. We had some fun at Casa Cobb, but we made that fun ourselves. There were some good moments, but I was mostly McKayla Maroney again tonight... unimpressed. Jessica's tattoo and Caleb's finale were my favorite parts.

Jo's Overall Ranking

1. Caleb
2. Alex
3. Jessica
4. Jena
5. Sam

That is similar to my Round #2 ranking, but the last round always has the most influence on me. You can put Caleb nowhere but on top after that last performance.

Jo's Prediction of America's Ranking

1. Caleb
2. Jena
3. Alex
4. Sam
5. Jessica

Sucks, but I think America will not be as impressed with Jessica as I was. She's too hit and miss, with more miss. The ol' USA will be untempted by that tattoo.

What do you think? Comment on the Facebook link!

Top 6 Results

Recap
I predicted America would rank our country rock-n-rollers thus: Caleb, Alex, Jessica, Jena, Sam, and C.J. I still think Jena will be in the finale, but I don't think she made an impression on America last night. C.J. is clearly the contestant who needs to pack his bags. He's a nice guy, but he is not Top 5 caliber.

Idol Top 6 Results... GO!

Black Tie
Don't we look snazzy? Jennifer's dress is breathtaking! Want one.

Caleb's Birthday
Aw, his Mommy! Neat. My Mommy is horrified that Caleb "spit on the cake!" when he blew out the candles.

Our Favorite Commercial
"Nope. That a deal breaker?" We love it.

Jessica As A Blonde
I liked it! I think she's one of the prettiest contestants Idol has ever had, whether her hair is black, blonde, or pink.

The Randy Review
Ha. Well done, Idol.

Sam = Safe
My B2 = Busted

C.J. B2'd
That makes me 1 for 2. 50%. F.

Jessica B2'd
I really feel like she's safe. Right? Right?! RIGHT?!

C.J. Gone
They got it right. Nice guy, but definitely time for him to go. It's funny that Ryan explained the highlight reel to him. "Got it, Ryan. You do it every week." Nice of C.J. to thank the band. Jennifer's tears look fake. C.J. is getting the longest sendoff of all time. They must need filler.

Show
Is it just me, or was tonight the most boring episode in Idol history?

Top 6

Theme
We hear it's Country and Rock-n-Roll night. (À la The Osmonds?)  We think each contestant will sing two songs: one country, and one rock-n-roll. Too bad Dexter has to miss (half of) it.

Jennifer's Dress
Material: yes. Design: no.

Signing Of The Signs
Let's just sing, shall we?

Idol Top 6... GO!

Jena Irene – "Barracuda" by Heart

Is it just me, or is this a lot of blah-blah-blah-ooooooeeeeYYYYYYAAAAA screamy-meaminess? It's entertaining as heck, but I feel like it's showing NO SKILL. And what is she saying? Haha, cut to Keith, dance-seizing in his seat. I'm not calling this performance bad, I'm calling it unfortunate. It felt all wrong to me.

Sam Woolf – "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons

This isn't a Top 6 performance. I don't know what else to say. It wasn't bad. I just wasn't moved. I wanted to be moved. I wasn't. JLo was. I wasn't. She said she believed him. Mom agreed. I didn't. It looked like, "I'm going to act like I'm showing emotion and connecting with the audience." Key phrase: ACT LIKE.

C.J. Harris – "American Woman" by The Guess Who

I was kind of into this performance. It was kind of enjoyable. Reading those statements back, I sound really enthralled, huh? :o) Everyone at Casa Cobb HATED this performance... except for me. I agree that it was the worst so far, but I kind of dug it, mostly because my expectations for "Rock C.J." were frightfully low. Thus, he's the only contestant who has exceeded my expectations tonight.

Alex Preston – "Animal" by Neon Trees
I was hoping for "Everybody Talks." I hadn't realized how much Alex sounds like Tyler Glenn. It's a little disconcerting. I'm so accustomed to Alex's cool turns on old faves, that hearing this Neon Trees rerun is disappointing me. Again, it was NOT BAD. It was just a bit safey and samey.

Negative Nancy
Sorry. I am McKayla Maroney tonight. Unimpressed.

Caleb Johnson – "Sting Me" by the Black Crowes

Caleb is my favorite contestant. Caleb is a rocker by nature. I should be loving this. It is most def my favorite of the night, but I am again left wanting. Yes, he rocked. Yes, he was "in the pocket." (Did I just use that phrase on purpose?) Yes, he managed the band and the stage like a professional. I just felt like, "Eh, overly screamy."

Caleb Johnson – "Sting Me" by the Black Crowes
This is not a mistake. We ran back the show in order to see the mic drop. I paid more attention to Caleb's *delivery* of the song this time, and the level of professionalism and band interaction has pushed me into the "love it" category.

Jessica Meuse – "Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane

What a great song choice for Jessica! Tonight's indifference is officially over. This is the best performance of the night so far. It was classy and clean. She belonged there, and she knew it. Her voice was perfectly suited to this song. I loved her casual eye contact with the camera, and the connection with her voice and her demeanor.  "I wanted your body to inform the rhythmic delivery," sayeth Harry. Ah, yes. That.

Jo's Round #1 Ranking

1. Jessica
2. Caleb
3. Alex
4. Jena
5. Sam 
6. C.J.

Sam Woolf – "You're Still The One" by Shania Twain

Zzzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh, wait. There's a performance happening? Seriously, could this presentation be any more boring? This is a number that one would sandwich, as a breather, between two concert moments requiring energy. And again, I don't buy it. "I'll wear this toboggan and touch girls hands and grimace a little and maybe they'll call it connecting." These judges have Sam all jacked. Is HCJ seriously telling Sam he's too perfect? Good heavens.

Caleb Johnson – "Undo It" by Carrie Underwood
Before we knew what song Caleb was singing, Ed declared that if Caleb sang "Jesus Take The Wheel," he would wish he were voted off. Luckily, Caleb went with a winner with "Undo It." It sounded nothing like country; but then again, neither does Carrie's original. Actually, I prefer Caleb's version. His take on the song sounds like it was the way it should've been sung all along. The eenie-weenie extra bit of time he held the final note was a good decision. It gave the ending a good punch.

Alex Preston – "Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson
Mom thought Ryan said, "Poison On My Mind." Ha. That's what Mr. Yuk sings, I guess. What a poignant performance. I was totally involved and entangled in this arrangement. Even the band glitch didn't derail my enjoyment. It was over entirely too soon.

Jena Irene – "So Small" by Carrie Underwood

I was hoping for "Cowboy Casanova." Maybe this will set up a nice tender moment, though. I'm missing her behind the piano. I always feel the emotion more when it comes from both her voice and her fingers. The tender moment was indeed felt, though. I just felt it could've been stronger. But, wow, can that girl wail. Jena! Don't EVER say that you messed up! Voice 101, baby.

C.J. Harris – "Whatever It Is" by the Zac Brown Band
I said, "Oh, good! I love this song!" and then I instantly slammed my hands onto my ears. Was one note in tune? ONE? I didn't hear a single one. Bad. BAD. Original audition level bad. Oh, man. Mom is hiding her face. She can't look. Even the mmmmmmm at the end was badly out of tune. I tried to jam my fingers through my temples. You just killed any chance you had of making the T5, dude. (The dedication was ill-placed.)

Jessica Meuse – "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
We finally called a song choice! I thought Jessica's Jefferson Airplane was superior to this performance, though this one was quite good. However, her face communicated indifference until the last third of the song. I would've enjoyed more intensity from her. I liked the yodeling cries at the conclusion. Hey, Keith, IT'S A DARK SONG. Dark arrangements are good matches for dark songs.

Jo's Round #2 Ranking

1. Alex
2. Caleb
3. Jena
4. Jessica
5. Sam
6. C.J.

Tonight's Show...
...was good in places, but I felt unimpressed in many, many places. Sam and C.J. didn't deliver, Alex and Jena didn't meet my expectations, and I've seen better from Caleb. I can't complain too much, though. Jessica, Caleb, and Alex had some strong moments.

Jo's Overall Ranking

1. Caleb
2. Alex
3. Jessica
4. Jena
5. Sam
6. C.J.

Jo's Prediction of America's Ranking
Same as mine.

What do you think? Comment on the Facebook link!

Top 7 Results

Recap
I predicted that America would rank the contestants Jena, Caleb, Alex, Dexter, C.J., Sam, and Jessica. My own ranking was quite different, but I felt the judges' comments were very influential and might persuade America to vote for some contestants and ignore others.

Find The Lame Catchphrase
Last night, I followed the lead of Idol judges and made up some nonsensical phrases that described performing attributes of our contestants. Here are those phrases, with their definitions.

Rocking The Chair: being a wise, professional performer while still rocking and rolling
Hammering The Nail: hitting the performance bullseye
Splitting The Feather: hitting the performance bullseye again
Hitching A Ride To The Beach: finally finding one's niche
Dealing With The Apple Core: closing a performance well
Flipping The Rug: successfully rearranging a song entirely differently from its original version
Vacuuming Consciousness: connecting with an audience (especially for the first time)
Potting The Fern: harnessing a technique that gives a performance a solid base

Start using those in your everyday conversations about music, and maybe they'll catch on, since they're so cool, and all.

Idol Top 7 Results... GO!

Thigh High Boots
When worn the right way, thigh high boots are a do. JLo is wearing them the right way. It's a do.

Ryan
Calm thyself. Last night he was looking down Jennifer's dress. Tonight he's commenting on the short shorts. She looked uncomfortable... like, because of Ryan... not because her shorts were too short.

Tweets
"We got to tweet during commercial breaks." ...because The Man won't let us tweet whenever we'd like.

Dex B2'd
I had Dexter in my lowest spot last night, but I thought America would vote him into a higher position. Wrong.

Jessica B2'd
I had Jessica as #5 for me, but I said America would listen to the judges' inane ramblings and send her home. Hope I'm wrong. This is Jessica's first time in the Bottom 2 or 3.

Goodbye, Dexter.
Well, I'll miss him, but he deserved to go before Jessica. Guess he didn't really deal with that apple core after all. His sendoff song was well sung... one of his better ones, recently.

Ranking
I'm officially reporting my ranking for the remaining contestants. It is:
6. Sam
5. C.J.
4. Jessica
3. Alex
2. Jena
American Idol: Caleb

What do you think?

Top 7

Catchphrases
Has anyone noticed the usage of weird musical words and catchphrases this year, not just on Idol, but also on The Voice? Words like "intonation" are getting waaaaaaay overused.  My least favorite phrase is "in the pocket." Why is everything suddenly in the pocket or not in the pocket? Just say "with the beat," or "in time." It makes me want to create my own lame phrases for musical descriptors. Maybe that's something we should do. Watch for them in tonight's notes.

Competitor's Pick
So, are they going to ruin each other, or pick songs to make a great show? Randy just said, "That does not mean sabotage." Randy is also laughing at every suggestion Jessica makes. So, did each contestant suggest a song for each other contestant, and then each contestant chooses what he or she wants to sing from that list? Ah, yes. That appears to be it. So there's some performing contestant choice involved. That's good.

Idol Top 7... GO!

Caleb Johnson – "Family Tree" by Kings of Leon (picked by Alex Preston)

Let's make up a catchphrase for the professionalism that Caleb exudes. We'll call it "rocking the chair," because he rocks and rolls, but does so with the wisdom of an old man in a rocker. Caleb was really rocking the chair tonight. It took him about five seconds to warm up into some hotness, and when he did, WOW. He fits in well on the stage with the other musicians and incorporates them well. Watching Rickey Minor was fun. Good to see him downstage. I also liked the way the lights matched the beat of the song. You could say the lights were in the pocket. Way to go, Caleb. Rock that chair.

Jessica Meuse – "Gun Powder & Lead" by Miranda Lambert (picked by Sam Woolf)
Idol went to a lot of trouble to act out the attributes the contestants are mentioning about themselves. I'm cracked up at how the audience is gasping at Jessica and Sam saying a$$. *GASP* Bad words! (The existence of forbidden words is funny to me, but that's another story.) I didn't think Jessica's voice was the best I've heard it, but her performing was on the spot. She really hammered the nail. Split the feather, you know? I saw her almost acting, telling the story. We LOVED the wind machine. Made her look like a star. A beautiful star. Jennifer is right about the voice, but not about her performance. HCJ's suggestions were not bad.

Demi Lovato
Here for a visit? Not performing? That's odd. I'm glad her hair isn't purple anymore. Jennifer didn't look happy to see her. HILARIOUS that she had a bodyguard. That whole business was awkward.

Sam Woolf & Alex Preston – "Let Her Go" by Passenger
Oh. Duets. I guess that's one way to fill two hours, though I thought HCJ was trying to do that with his comments. Neat that these two are sitting on a couch. It sets the chill vibe. The arrangement was a lot of fun... one I like better than the original, in fact. Good duet. It just occurred to me that one of the performances is going to have to be a trio (unless someone goes twice), since there are an odd number of contestants. The set was elaborate. Ed says it was a computer projection... and it was. It just disappeared. HCJ needs to shut up. It was a fun performance. Shut up. Oh, now Demi. She can shut up, too. IT WAS A DUET.

Terry Bradshaw
And here's Terry Bradshaw. What an excellent reader of the teleprompter.

C.J. Harris – "Gravity" by John Mayer (picked by Caleb Johnson)
What? What is that sound? I love that vocal sound! It suits him! C.J. has found his true calling. Hitched a ride to the beach, he did. This performance is C.J.'s best yet. He needs to lean more toward a Mayer/Ray LaMontagne style and away from country. He was so comfortable, he was even in tune, and we all know that's saying something. Jennifer's "stank face" looked like anything but a compliment, and did you see her bust into a smile the second she saw "stank face" on the monitor? I cracked up.

Martin Garrix
Who the heck? The appearance of random "celebrities" is baffling me. Idol, we like music, not appearances by random celebrities. Now, here's another. I missed her name. Shorten your shows, dudes. If William Hung shows up, I quit. (That one was for you, Mark Starr.)

Dexter Roberts – "Muckalee Creek Water" by Luke Bryan (picked by C.J. Harris)
Mom notes that Dexter's beard is different. I can't tell. Mom is also annoyed that Dexter's nose regularly touches the mic. This performance wasn't bad, but it was... eh. Not boring. Not badly performed. Just... eh. It's the kind of presentation that would be a really cool closer at the regional jamborees. I guess at this point, I'm expecting more, more, MORE. Top 7, dude. Get it going. The cry in his voice at the conclusion was cool. He really knows how to deal with the apple core, you know? Jennifer and I are simpatico regarding the bigness (or lack of bigness), with this performance. Time to bring it, Dex. Ryan says, "One of you is going to be the next American Idol!" Astute, Seacrest.

Time Killing Filler
The time killing is killing me instead of time.

Jena Irene & Caleb Johnson – "Gimmie Shelter" by The Rolling Stones
They seem to have a cool relationship. Neat. Jena's and Caleb's vocals were buff, but the arrangement shook me up a bit. I couldn't really get into it. That doesn't mean it was bad; au contraire, it was quite good. It just wasn't my bag, baby.

Alex Preston – "A Team" by Ed Sheeran (picked by Dexter Roberts)

Alex is the master of the rearrangement. He can really flip the rug, I'd say. He has yet to do a performance that I find unenjoyable. He makes me believe in him, and believe in what he's selling. Even though Caleb is still my pick to win, Alex is the contestant whose album I will buy first. I'm intrigued by his perspective. I wonder if I will enjoy Alex as much when he's offering his own music as opposed to creatively covering other's tunes.

Sam Woolf – "Sail Away" by David Gray (picked by Jessica Meuse)
See Dexter's comments. Same thing. Top 7. Time to kill it, Boy Who Was Saved Two Weeks Ago. Sam is improving on emoting/connecting with the audience. He's emerging, starting to vacuum consciousness, if you know what I mean. Too little, too late, though? Bridging that gap with the audience was essential to his survival, but the lack of dynamics in this performance may make him vulnerable tonight.

Jessica Meuse, Dexter Roberts, & C.J. Harris – "Compass" by Lady Antebellum
I liked the harmonies, but the performing was a little weak. Casa Cobb proposes that Jessica carried the group. Judges and Demi are saying that the harmonies were crap, but I thought they did a nice job. Honestly though, I wasn't giving this performance my 100% undivided attention. The duets and trios get tertiary attention from me.

Jena Irene – "Creep" by Radiohead (picked by Caleb Johnson)
Ed is in heaven with the song choice. Perfect start, Jena. Nailed vocal. Here comes the rock and roll. I hope she stays at the piano. I feel like her best performing is done on that bench. She really feels a song at all times, but I think the piano grounds her in a way that makes her performances more poignant and rooted. She can really pot the fern, I think. Classy performance. Shocked that they ran out of time after all the nonsensical stuff that went down tonight. Ed is rewinding to watch this one again.

Tonight's Show...
...didn't have enough music. I would love there to be less talk and more tunes. I liked the theme, though. This season's wide open themes benefit the contestants, and thus the audience. Additionally, I gave you eight new stupid catchphrases. I directed you to the first one, but the rest are spattered throughout the notes. Hint: each contestant got one, but Jessica got two.

Jo's Ranking

1. Caleb
2. Jena
3. Alex
4. C.J.
5. Jessica
6. Sam
7. Dexter

Jo's Prediction of America's Ranking

1. Jena
2. Caleb
3. Alex
4. Dexter
5. C.J.
6. Sam
7. Jessica

I think America is going to listen to the venom the judges spewed at Jessica. Boo.

What do you think? Comment on the Facebook link!

Top 8 Results... Again

Idol with EDge
Last night, Ed wrote the notes for me because I was illin'. His notes are always my favorites of the year. It's a good reason for me to look forward to being sick in some way.

Recap
Ed had Jena, Malaya, and Dexter in his B3 with Dexter going home. I really liked Dexter last night, and so did Mom. Ed really liked C.J. I thought he'd done better than he has in the past, and I loved the arrangement, but the pitch was still wicked badbadbad. I don't think America will like it. I say he's going home, and Malaya and Jessica will join him in the B3. I loved Jessica, but I think America forgot her.

No More Save
No safety net! Now that The Save is gone, will two go home some week, or was a week built into the season for The Save? I think the latter is the case. That would give us a finale during the third week of May.

Idol Top 8 Results... Again... GO!

Jennifer's Hair
Yes, please.

STRESS... Again
These poor contestants, especially Sam, look so stressed. It makes me stressed.

Would You Rather
The Would You Rather game was odd. I liked seeing them all play their instruments for a few seconds, though.

C.J. = B2
I like it better when there's a B3. More info.

Alex
I wish Randy and the judges would quit ragging on him about his "original version." I thought it was awesome. Shut up.

Malaya = B2
I guess I was right, in a way. I wonder who would've joined them if there had been a B3.

Malaya?!
I had her in my B3, but geez. I don't think she deserves to go home yet. Poor thing is holding together well. Jennifer looks genuinely upset. Well, that sucks.

What do you think? See you next week!

Top 8 Again (Idol With EDge)

Jo is not feeling well so I, Ed, will be filling in tonight.

80's week.......worst decade of music ever...can't wait.

David Cook.....the songs still stand up?  Since when?  Nice haircut by the way.

Jena "I Love Rock and Roll"

-This is weird.  This is one of the few songs from the 80's that is decent but she has even made it bad.  I really like Jena but this is not good....at all.  But she certainly made it her own.  Fortunately for her I don't think anyone will want to steal it from her.

Would someone please shoot Harry Connick?  I am sick of his poor attempts to be cute and witty.  And for God's sakes get a freaking razor you bum.

Dexter  "Keep Your Hands to Yourself"

-I have heard this done better at 4th of July festivals.  Too much guitar and not enough singing for a singing competition.  Very, very average.  And Dexter, your hat is on backwards.

Alex and Sam "The Girl is Mine"

-Dog gone....this is a sappy song.  I am being reminded why I hate 80's music.

Sam just thanked America.....buddy, they voted you OUT last week.

Malaya "Through the Fire"

-She looks good but this is another snoozer.  Enunciate.....PLEASE!

Caleb and Jena "It's Only Love"

-Finally, a decent 80's song.  This is as good or better than the original.  Oh that Harry....he is a card.  Please tell him it's not about him.

Jessica "Call Me"

-Jessica is one of my favorites.  She has a great rock and roll voice.  I hope she doesn't butcher this one.  Awkward entrance.  This is turning out better than we thought based on her rehearsal video.  Best of the night.....by far.  These judges are lost.

Sam "Time After Time"

-This is a pretty good song choice and it sounds like he is changing it up a bit.  He has made this sound contemporary.  I like it, it's not awesome but great by tonight's standards.

Malaya and CJ "I Knew You Were Waiting"

PLEASE shoot Harry Colonic Jr!!!!!  Another boring 80's song.  No comment.


Alex "Every Breath You Take"

-The National Anthem for stalkers.  This kid is very good.  I would pay to see him...my acid test for idols.  And I loved him in "Little Nicky".  This was the coolest of the night.  I think he can give Caleb a real run for his money.

Jessica and Dexter "Islands in the Stream"

-Your hat is STILL on backwards Jethro.  Jessica is pretty strong to carry this mouth-breather on her back.  The duets have really lacked tonight outside of Caleb and Jena.

CJ "Free Fallin'"

-This has a chance to be good.  We love CJ but he needs a good one.  Cool arrangement.  This is his best effort in awhile.  I hope he is safe, he seems to be a genuinely nice kid.

Caleb "Faithfully"

-Here is the slow song they have been begging for.  Caleb is a beast and I am sure this will be great.  He is killing it....as usual.  Best of the night by a mile.

My standings:

Caleb
Alex
Sam
Jessica
CJ
Jena
Malaya
Dexter

Of course, I could be wrong.

Peace

Top 8 Results

Mom with Mark the Hamster

Recap
I predicted that America would rank the contestants Jena, Alex, Caleb, Jessica, Sam, Malaya, Dexter, and C.J. However, we predicted that the judges will employ The Save tonight. Who can break up this group after such a great show?

Mark the Hamster
Mom adopted a new animal this week: Mark the Hamster. He joins her tonight at Chez Cobb.

Idol Top 8 Results... GO!

STRESS
The contestants all look so stressed.  That saddens me.

Jena
"It's so sad that one of us has to go tomorrow." Not gonna happen, Jenna/Gina.

Dexter Safe
That makes me 0 for 1 on my B3. Not surprising since they all did so well last night.

Chris Daughtry – "Waiting for Superman"
I remember the night he was voted off the show. It was Season 5, Top 4 Week. What a talent. However, all of his songs are starting to sound the same.

B3 = Sam, Malaya, C.J.
These folks were three of my B4.

Half Hour Shows
These 30-minute shows are killing me. I need a longer fix.

Sam?!
Good heavens. Bet we're right about The Save. This song isn't anything special, but Sam appears more comfortable than he's ever been. Whoa, Grandpappy doesn't look happy. Calm down, Pappy, he'll be Saved.

SAVED!
Can we nail it, or can we NAIL IT, Idol Watchers?! We called this business LAST FREAKING NIGHT. And confetti. Listen to all the bleeping. Did you see who was happiest for Sam? C.J. What a nice guy.

This show was over before it even started. I want my hour back! Happy for Sam, though. Hooray, Save.

Top 8

Reruns
Idol is calling tonight's show "remix" because the contestants are performing the songs with which they originally auditioned. We're calling it "reruns," because that's what they are. Thus, this show has the potential to be bow-ring, but it also has the potential to be awesome since the songs were the contestants' original choices, thus displaying what they all initially thought would show off their skills in the best ways possible.

JLo's Dress
Ew. EW. Didn't babydoll fashion go out with the Spice Girls? She looked uncomfortable in it, too. Wasn't even raising her arms.

No Group Song
Boo. Duets instead. Maybe it'll be cool. The duets always feel like half-you-know-whatted afterthoughts.

Idol Top 8... GO!

Jessica Meuse – "Blue Eyed Lie" by Jessica Meuse
Jessica's Dad looks excited to be alive. I'm going to enjoy watching snippets of the original auditions. I was intrigued by Jessica's initial audition, but I had no idea she'd go this far. This performance was leaps and bounds better than her audition, but it's hard to compare a capella with a staged, accompanied performance. I thought this presentation was the best we've seen from Jessica. She seemed really in her element, right where she belonged. The vocal tricks sounded natural and not put-on. The shoulder business did, however, look put-on. Her supporters in the audience had pink streaks clipped into their hair. Ha.

C.J. Harris – "Soul Shine" by The Allman Brothers Band
"There was a lot of emotion in it that made me get off key." Hmmm. He must find the emotion in every performance. Casa Cobb LOVES C.J., the person. He's an over-comer, a hard worker, and a genuinely nice guy. However, we are cringing at the pitch. CRINGING. It's so off, it's almost on. However, he's such an authentic performer that you can kind of overlook the pitch issues. I just read that last sentence to Mom, and she said, "I can't." It's very rare that genuineness trumps skill, but it happens sometimes with C.J.

Jena Irene & Alex Preston – "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink & Nate Ruess
"We share so many things in common." Profound. Sort of like, "You're closer to the finish than when you started." I'm surrounded by profundity. ... OMG. We missed the entire beginning of this song because Mom said to me, "Pink Feet? The artist is Pink Feet? The screen said, 'Pink Feet Nate Ruess,' but it was f-e-a-t feat and not capitalized." ... "Ummmm, feat. is 'featuring,' Mom." We started cry-laughing, and Mom put the cherry on top with, "I wish Mark the Hamster were here to hear this." (Side note: I had a little toy hamster sent to her this week.) OK, so the performance: I felt a lot of power from these two once I started listening to them. When they sang in unison, the power doubled. Both Jena and Alex have strong presences alone, but together they were downright potent. Tight. Poignant.

Speaking Of Power...
I hope ours doesn't go out. Thunderstorm City.

Sam Woolf – "Lego House" by Ed Sheeran
I've never seen Sam as comfortable as he is here. This theme is allowing the contestants to live it up in their own wheelhouses. Sam connected with the audience, he was easy to understand, his pitch was on target, and he seemed *gasp* relaxed. This performance was the first time I understood why all the gals love Sam. He's always seemed detached in past performances. More like this, Sam. More like this.

Jessica Meuse & Caleb Johnson – "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty
This performance was well-sung, if a little cheesy. Jessica seemed less comfortable than she did in her solo, and Caleb just phoned it in. It wasn't bad, just safe and a bit sleepy. Speaking of cheese, that ending. *eyeroll* Sheesh.

Malaya Watson – "Ain't No Way" by Aretha Franklin
Button your shirt, Mr. Watson. I don't think any contestant has matured like Malaya. She still has her free-spirited side, but she is more grounded and is taking her performing more seriously.  She looks the part, she acts the part, and she sings the part. She's really using her time on Idol well. This performance was a great display of that improvement since it could be directly compared to her initial audition. Malaya's strength is in her passion, and she's controlling it well now.

Dexter Roberts – "One Mississippi" by Brett Eldredge
Perhaps this "rerun" format is not as rerunny as I thought! Each contestant is showing growth and style. Dexter is kind of pigeonholed into the "good ol' boy, singin' 'bout bars and my truck" kind of performer, so showing this poignancy displays his abilities in the best way possible. I love it. I hope America does, too. Was Allison Iraheta the harmony vocalist JLo mentioned? She was one of Ed's faves in 2009. He voted for her over 200 times one night. YES! It is her! Neat.

Dexter's Assessment of His Performance
"I've grown'd a lot." Ed's retort? "That costed him."

Malaya Watson & Sam Woolf – "Lucky" by Colbie Caillat & Jason Mraz
Yuck. I didn't like this choice of song for Malaya. Sam sounded OK, but he was masked by her awkward fumbling through the melody. Unfortunate that she followed such a great solo with that mess.

Jena Irene – "Rolling In The Deep" by Adele
I feel like every female contestant on every singing show has sung Adele, and usually this Adele. I was preparing to be bored, but I should have known better. The arrangement allowed Jena to stylize and distance herself from the original tune. Jazzy arrangements aren't usually my cup of fruit juice, but I like to watch Jena work through a jazz performance. Even the looks on her face were nailed. That sly little smile after the opening was genius.

Dexter Roberts & C.J. Harris – "Alright" by Darius Rucker
I think it's cool that these two country guys are such good buddies. Watching them have fun is... fun. However, the pitch from both of them was just bad, bad, bad. Dexter was less bad, but still bad. BAD. Once again, though, their happy vibe made me smile. The "we almost hit hands" high-five made me laugh.

Caleb Johnson – "Chain Of Fools" by Aretha Franklin
Caleb was awesome, as usual, but I thought the performance was lacking the "special something" that Caleb usually brings to the stage. If he did a concert where he sang all the songs he's performed this season, this is the one I'd forget. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't special. I still contend that Caleb is the most seasoned, experienced, and professional performer to ever compete on Idol. (Adam Lambert is a close second.)

Alex Preston – "Fairytales" by Alex Preston
It's cool that Alex was able to sing an original, but I was a little bored with it. Maybe that's because I had a higher expectation of the "About To Be Blown Away" level of the performance because it was positioned last. Caleb and Alex can get away with a little less luster, because their slightly more boring performances are still better than others' best.

Tonight's Show...
...was completely the opposite of what I thought it would be. I was expecting "been there, done that," and instead I was pleased to receive a "check out how far I've come." Good idea, Idol. Good show.

Jo's Ranking

1. Jena
2. Caleb
3. Alex
4. Jessica
5. Malaya
6. Sam
7. Dexter
8. C.J.

With the exception of C.J., I think all these contestants are SO CLOSE together. I didn't think Jena was a whole lot better than Dexter, they're just CLOSE. Even C.J. was fun to watch.

Jo's Prediction of America's Ranking

1. Jena
2. Alex
3. Caleb
4. Jessica
5. Sam
6. Malaya
7. Dexter
8. C.J.

Even though the duets aren't supposed to be "judged," I know that the dismal duet that was half Malaya will affect her placement, and maybe Sam's, who unfortunately hitched a ride on that abomination. C.J., though a fun guy to watch, is just not as good as the others.  HOWEVER, we at Casa Cobb predict that The Save will be used tomorrow. No one goes home.

What do you think? Comment on the Facebook link!