American Idol 10 - Top 5

So this week, the contestants sang one song from the 21st century and one from not too long ago, if 'long' equates to a century or more. Not surprisingly, many of the numbers were again headache-inducing, but there were a few that did catch my attention. The Finals are in three weeks and with last night's performances, I'm starting to lose interest in who's really going to win. It's more likely the game will turn towards 'who's going to give the better performances'. Casey's gone, Pia's gone, James is all about the screaming, and neither Haley nor Scotty seems likable enough to be really worth rooting for. Seasons 7 and 8, please come back.

Top 7: Songs from Now and Then

JAMES I: So he sang this 30 Seconds to Mars song, and - guess what - screamed his way to the end. I'm seriously asking it now: Why does James feel the urge to scream through every song he does onstage? I wasn't jumping up and down with this; it almost gave me a headache, in fact. Which brings forth the second question: Is he really the best in this Idol?

JACOB I:  He sang No Air, and yeah, I was pretty much under the impression that he was running out of air. His vocals seemed coated in some sort of goo or something because believe me, even Lea Salonga with coughs and colds would have sounded better. J-Lo's comments just didn't make sense. Randy said most of (his singing) was sharp, and yes, the whole number felt like some sort of dagger was being driven through Jacob's weirdly gyrating body. Most concise description: a failed diva number.

LAUREN I: Vocally, that was fairly spot-on. I think I could listen to that number a few more times. But man, those eyes: so beautiful, and yet so blank. It's like she's going, "Ok, what's my next lyric?... what's my next note?..." Push a little more, Lauren, because yes, you're getting there (perhaps in time for the Finals?).

Can Scotty convince me that he's worth the Finals?

SCOTTY I: That number was the definition of performance. I wasn't going up and down with the vocals (because with Scotty, there's not much to jump for), but I agree with Randy: It was like Scotty in a concert. Gone? Probably not for another week.

HALEY I: Singing an unreleased Lady Gaga song, and sort of nailing it? Not bad. The judges (because Steven is not a judge, just a mere clown) didn't like the number because they wanted her to do something famous at this stage of the competition? Well, yes, agree... if it's about winning. But by performance alone, that was the best of the five, I believe.

JAMES II: That. was. Clay. Aiken's. song. Was it good? Fair. Was it better than Clay's? HELL NO. Emotionally perfect, Randy? Yes. I loved the first half, then the second half just blew it: On one hand, it was so beautifully emotional; on the other - guess freakin' what? - he chose to shriek through the song to the end again. That pause in "I can't (pause) liiiiive" just destroyed it for me. It's like in one second, all the sincerity and truth in that song just vanished into thin air. On the brighter side, miles better than that screamfest that's his first performance. Had he toned this down a bit more, I'd have given it to him for best of the night already.

JACOB II: The emotionally sincere first half just said: Jacob totally deserves another chance. The shouty-wailing second half said: Jacob, please go home. You can't control your emotions? That's the result right there, that second half. Not at all impressive, Jacob. If one wants to be a real diva, one needs to get a grip, because not everything is about belting and screaming and high notes that one can't really manage. 

Yeah, Jacob, scream some more.

LAUREN II: So maybe Lauren was deep down really connecting with the song, but as a viewer, I was absolutely not connecting. She came off as like, "Hey, look at me, I'm singing, I like singing, I'm a good singer." I expected a vulnerable and emotionally naked moment, but instead got some sort of artificial number. Ok, so maybe she really was trying to reach out, but her grasp was just too short. Lauren, this was you're one big chance to pull us in, and you blew it. Sad.

SCOTTY II: There's actually a beauty to Scotty's voice, because when he sings a soft number like that one, the story-telling becomes crystal-clear. That said, he gave half-of-James II and Haley I a run for their money.

HALEY II: Vocally, the best of the night. And the performance wasn't bad, either.

Bests of the night: For the second week in a row, I can't believe I'm finally saying something like this, but overall, it's SCOTTY. And yep, HALEY comes a close second.

Who should go: JACOB. Please go home, Jacob. Please.

Who went: JACOB. In the words of Chicago, coincidentally a musical about two divas, "He had it coming..."