American Idol 10: Top 6

I have to be honest, this episode was terribly boring. Yes, it's actually a better night than I anticipated vocally and there were a couple of stand out performances, but I felt a little underwhelmed. Maybe because of the messed up duets?

Also, the judges are, yet again, back to their cheerleader role. They gave a couple of constructive criticisms, but not to everyone! Can they at least be fair? Heck, they didn't even say a single bad thing about the duets and they weren't that good.

Nothing more to say.

DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but this is my opinion - to each his own - and yours will be in the comments below! Haha.

6. Casey Abrams

Hi-De-Ho
What was that, Casey? I love myself some Casey Abrams and I think he's so charismatic, but this performance was strange, at least to me. Melodic growling. Rhythmic screeching. Playful grunting. Whatever you want to call it, it’s not singing. True, I enjoyed the beginning of his performance, but then too many growls were getting in there that I almost didn't want to listen to it.  Possibly one of the most polarizing performances this week. Love it or hate it! I didn't get it. Sorry. 7.5/10

5. Jacob Lusk

Oh No Not My Baby
If you're a Jacob fan, just stop reading this right now. Haha. While I applaud the effort of going uptempo - finally! - I kind of thought he may have just shot himself in the foot. Just a bit. He came in first, the outfit was, umm, interesting, and his vocals were uneven - there were obviously a couple of sharp bits in there. But for what it's worth, I enjoyed the second half of his performance, especially when he took it to the church. I admit, this wasn’t nearly as bad as I wanted it to be. 7.5/10

4. Lauren Alaina

Where You Lead
I must say, this performance was definitely a major notch above her usual. It wasn't her best vocal, but it was one of her best in terms of stage presence. I liked how she tried to extend her vocals though and I actually saw a glimpse of the swagger I've been missing for the past few weeks. The country flare she added to the song was kind of strange, but in a good way. Haha. A major step in the right direction. One thing though: if you pull someone up on stage, you should not leave them sitting there and wondering if you'll ever go back. Haha. Good idea, but the execution was funny. 8/10

3. Haley Reinhart

Beautiful
The arrangement was weird, but I couldn't deny the fact that she gave, yet again, another solid performance. Minus the fact that the music behind her was a tad louder, she killed this with her usual great vocals and incredible phrasing. I liked how she showed different sides of her voice in this number and she sounded pretty current on this song. Plus, she wasn’t trying to force that song on the audience. Honestly, I just couldn't help but root for Haley at this moment. She’s the girl that has had to work against the producers and the judges this whole season. She’s been left at her own devices to stay in this competition and she’s been doing a great job. Sometimes I wonder, why can't the judges give Haley the same enthusiasm they usually give to say, James or Casey? Sigh. 8.5/10

2. James Durbin

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
The a capella sounded phenomenal. There were one or two wonky notes in there, but his vocals were surprisingly unaffected. But then, the rocked out arrangement kicked in and that ruined the moment for me. He should have kept it sparse, ditched the guitar and dropped those over-the-top last two notes. That would've been incredible, I think. Oh well. His vocals remained in tact when the tempo changed, so it's all good. 8.5/10

1. Scotty McCreery

You've Got A Friend
This was beautiful! That’s exactly what he needed to do. Possibly the best performance Scotty's ever given! EVER. I thought he sounded really good, his phrasing was a little interesting than usual, and it was beautifully heartfelt. And as much as everyone harps on the inevitability of Scotty's win, this, at least to me, was the first week where he genuinely LOOKED like a potential, deserving winner. Yes, after tonight, I wouldn't mind Scotty sailing through to victory one bit. "Gangsta hands" notwithstanding, I really loved that performance. He even held the microphone relatively straight! 9/10

Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams
I Feel The Earth Move
Their intro package together was hilarious! I liked how their chemistry seemed completely natural with no forced hilarity. "I love growling with her". HAHA. Oh, they sang THE Katelyn Epperly Death Song. Why? To be fair, I thought the performance was good-ish. It was as stunning as their other duet, Moanin', but this was a total crowd pleaser. Casey's harmony ruined the performance though. Sigh. 7/10

Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery
Up On The Roof
This duet was ok, if a little dull. Scotty was mumbling and Lauren was shrill. I don't know. I saw no real chemistry between these two and while cute, everything seemed somewhat forced. Oh, and who was off key on the harmony, Lauren or Scott, or was it my ears? Haha. I think a lower key would have made both of them sound better. 6.5/10

James Durbin and Jacob Lusk
I'm Into Something Good
Let me get this out of the way first: whoever put James in those white jeans and that too tight white shirt tucked in and around his tummy should be fired. Haha. I didn't understand at first why they paired them together, but when the both were screaming at the end, it kind of made sense to pair them. The performance was funny and that's all I'm going to say about it. 5.5/10