Idol Thoughts: The Top Ten

At first, I thought it was a neat concept: each of the Top Ten "Idol" finalists singing a song from the year in which they were born. But then I realized it was all going to get a little depressing. And I was right ... not only do I remember the years in which most of the contestants were born, but I vividly remember all the songs they sang when they were new recordings on the radio and in the Billboard charts!

Sigh ... I guess that's bound to happen when you get to be my age. But don't worry ... there will be no mid-life crisis here, at least not anytime in the foreseeable future. Anyway, without further ado, here are my thoughts on this week's performances as they happened.

Ramiele Malubay -- Will nothing that poor Ramiele does make Randy Jackson happy?!? At least he was in the minority of the judges' opinions. I thought this was probably her best performance since the Top 24 began ... not pitch-perfect, but it was still excellent, and shows why she's still in the game.

Jason Castro -- A great acoustic-guitar song from Jason this week ... in my opinion, this was his best in at least three weeks. I was beginning to wonder what the audience was seeing in him (Is it the dreads...?), but he's begun to grow on me thanks to this performance. As for Simon ... well, as Danny pointedly said to him a few weeks back, "Apparently some people [insert head wag here] weren't liking it...!"

Syesha Mercado -- My Syesha is back! This high-caliber showing is why she was an early favorite of mine, and she's beginning to win me back. I'm with Randy on this one ... her best night yet! Excellent!!

Chikezie -- Not bad at all ... but not exactly great, either. As much as I like Chikezie, this one just didn't let him show off like he deserves to. This one just might drop him into the bottom three.

Brooke White -- A bit of a trip-up at the beginning, but very good overall. She does have a sense of how to put a twist on a song, this time turning a slightly anxious mid-tempo number into a softer ballad. Not her best, but really good!

Michael Johns -- An interesting choice in doing a medley of two Queen songs ... and he impressed me! I'm still not totally in love with his voice (a tiny bit pitchy in places), but in this round I think he's come as close to winning me over as he has yet!

Carly Smithson -- One of my favorite songs, and she performed it admirably ... although she didn't do anything new with it, so (as much as I hate to say it) it was a little bit boring. I have a feeling she'll be in the bottom three again this week.

David Archuleta -- Well, whadya know ... a third performer in a row singing a song I recognize, although I know the song more from Scott Grimes' cover than the Heart original. Excellent as usual ... although (forgive me) it was a bit too "usual". I've heard better from him ... I think that if he'd sung it in a slightly higher key he could have had the chance to throw some power behind some of the bigger notes. Still, though, I think he's gonna get my vote tonight. (Gee, what a surprise, right?)

Kristy Lee Cook -- Okay, I think I've just shifted into a parallel universe. Did Simon actually compliment her performance?!? It's all the more bizarre since, as Randy might say, "it was just okay for me". Simon's words about her lack of personality also come back to mind. Maybe it was her best yet, but I've thought ever since last week's dismissal of Amanda that Kristy Lee would be the next to go, and to be brutally honest, this isn't changing my opinion at all.

David Cook -- An interesting take on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" ... and he rocked it!! As I said last week, he's absolutely destined for rock stardom no matter how much further he goes in "Idol". Gotta love the way he held that big note!!

Who I think ought to be in the bottom three: Kristy Lee Cook, Carly Smithson, and Michael Johns.

Who I think will be in the bottom three: Ramiele Malubay, Chikezie, and Brooke White (I think the audience will remember her false start, and they'll like Kristy Lee's patriotic song choice too much to vote her out just yet).

Who I voted for: David Cook ... What can I say? I consider it my duty to vote for the best performance of the night, and "the other David" delivered it, so I couldn't help but vote for him. Besides, David Archuleta has his own enormous fan club and ain't hurting for votes.

Twenty-four hours from now we'll know who's been voted out. The results shows are getting more and more tense...! And here's to a less depressing theme next week! ;-)