Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Tonight on American Idol, we get an hour-long show featuring just five performances, songs from Frank Sinatra and lots of filler.

Gee whiz. So much to look forward to.

Of course, last week at this time, I was really looking forward to country week, figuring the theme fit the final six pretty well.

I wound up surprised by the lack of memorable performances.

So I’m hoping I’m surprised again tonight. And that we don’t have to sit through one humdrum ballad after another.

I don’t get the Sinatra theme, at all. I mean, the judges are always telling the contestants they want them to seem young. So they give them a Sinatra theme?

Forget Ol’ Blue Eyes. I hear Ol’ Blue Eyes and I think old songs.

If the spoiler list I saw for tonight is correct, Aaron Kelly gets the privilege of opening tonight’s show; show-closing honors go to Lee DeWyze.

Oh, and as a bonus, we get Harry Connick Jr. as a guest judge. The most promising aspect of the show this week appears to be Lady Gaga’s appearance on tomorrow night’s results show. Haven’t heard who else will be performing yet.

Hey, the Idols look all decked out tonight, huh? Casey James and Lee look particularly snazzy.

Aaron Kelly: The teen from Sonestown kicks things off with “Fly Me to the Moon.” OK, wake me up when this is over. Take a really old song, add a little country twang, toss in Aaron’s lack of charisma, and this isn’t a performance that’s going to have me rushing to the phone to vote. As always, Aaron’s vocal is decent. But I have trouble buying Aaron as a top five finalist. I just can’t see him as the season nine Idol. He gets solid reviews from Randy and Ellen, not so good reviews from Kara and Simon. I side with the latter two. (Wow, Kara and Simon agreed.) Grade: C+.

Hey, I think they’ve taken the instruments from the contestants tonight. Everyone’s going to perform with Harry’s band.

Casey James: Oh, my, my, my, how Casey needed his guitar. And to lose that cheesy smile. Casey singing Sinatra was every bit as tortured as I thought it would be. That was easily Casey’s worst performance since the finals began. Pitch problems all over the place. And there were some shockingly goofy looks to go with the shockingly non-top five singing going on. Grade: F.

Crystal Bowersox: Here comes MamaSox, the ladies’ last hope in season nine. She’ll be singing “Summer Wind.” She says she has a personal connection to the lyrics. But she didn’t share what it was. Don’t really care what the connection was. That was a splendid, well-controlled vocal by a singer way, way out of her element. She didn’t need theatrics. Her voice does all the work. Was it my favorite Crystal performance? Far from it. Partly because these are songs the contestants should never be forced to sing. Grade: B+.

Michael Lynche: Big Mike will be singing “The Way You Look Tonight.” If you haven’t heard, he’s the new pick for Vote for the Worst. Check out the caricature. They just couldn’t fit all of Big Mike in. Is anyone besides me tired of hearing Michael sing ballads week after week? Of course, what do you do on Sinatra week? Mike’s vocal is pretty good. Calm down, Randy. It wasn’t nearly that good. But don’t worry, Vote for the Worst: He wasn’t that good, despite what the judges are saying. Hmm, Sinatra is one of Simon’s favorite artists. Is that why we have this ridiculous theme? Grade: B-.

Lee DeWyze: He’ll be singing “My Life.” Randy and Ellen loved it. I didn’t get it. That was nearly as awkward as Casey’s performance, and the vocal was miles from Lee’s best. Simon is complimenting him on his stage presence. Hey, I agree. Lee has come a long way from the guy who seemed scared of the stage back in week one. But I never want to hear that performance again. Grade: C- .

Check back in a few for the recap blog.

Check back tomorrow morning for photos from tonight’s performances.