As for the two contestants here is my impression from the show:

Lee DeWyze
In some I would agree with the judges comments from the first song, that he didn’t seem to be bringing a very high energy. Granted, his first two songs didn’t really allow for a lot of energy, but I think you could say the same for Crystal’s first song but she had some high energy. Now, I don’t think that Lee isn’t bored or uninterested or giving up, I think Simon hit the nail on the head and said the Lee just nervous. In the last song, it seemed that he got over that a little bit, but he still needs to grow a little as a performer. The three songs he sang were quality and it is clear that he is ready to a recording artist and he will have a pretty decent career.

Crystal Bowersox
Ever since my first power rankings I have had Crystal on top of the charts. She has consistently performed at a high level. Tonight the only criticism I have of her is that she didn’t seem to be able sing and walk downstairs during Black Velvet. Out side of that all three of her songs were high energy and passionate. She connected more with the audience tonight than any other night during the season. She definitely is something that we don’t have in the music world right now as Ellen said and it would be interesting to see what she does after the Idol tour is over.

Conclusion
Truly I feel that Crystal is the one that should win this competition based on her skills as a performer and her singing ability. Lee seems to have the momentum and he has the potential to be more commercial, so he may win the popular vote. In any event, which ever of these two wins they were both great contestants and will most likely have great careers going forward.

I’ve really enjoyed blogging about this show this season. I don’t know if anyone besides me really ever read these posts, but that was never the point. I just needed a place to work out my thoughts about the contestants and a blog seemed like a cathartic place. American Idol has been a show I have devoted a lot of time to over the past nine years and after this season it will irreparable change. In the near future, I plan to post about that and the man that is Simon Cowell.

Casey James — Ok, It’s Alright With Me
This exemplifies who Casey is and what I have been saying for the last few weeks; Casey is a good performer, but he has reached his plateau on Idol. He has really not progressed throughout much of the year, he came in as a good performer and he will leave as a good performer. The song itself was fine and could be on the radio without too much trouble, but it doesn’t set my heart racing.

Crystal Bowersox — Come to My Window
As soon as I heard her say she was singing this song I was excited. As I started to hear it my head it just seemed to fit with her. The arrangement was a little weird (as Randy said) but she crushed the vocal. From the first harmonica note I felt the passion of the song coming from here. However, ss the song started I was a little worried it wasn’t going to be anything really new. However, as the song progressed she did a great job with the vocals and brought the power and passion that song needs.

Lee DeWyze — Simple Man
In contrast with Casey, Lee has grown by leeps and bounds this season. It just goes to show how important confidence is in life. I am familiar with this song, but you could Lee’s connection to the song and it makes you get invested and enjoy the song a lot.

Casey James — Daughters
As stated above, Casey is a good singer and performer, but his songs aren’t getting me as excited as the others. He doesn’t have any big point that makes me say, “Wow, Casey should win!” So, I don’t think he will be in the finale but I do think he will have a good career.

Crystal Bowersox — Maybe I’m Amazed
I am digging that she is moving on stage. From start to finish this song blew me away. You could tell it was the same song as McCartney did, but she took the vocals to a whole new level. She shows that she can sing and her ability to move without a guitar for this song was great. She is the one to beat!

Lee DeWyze — Halleliah
Great job by Lee. The song was controlled and powerful and emotional and moving. (I’m trying to think of more adjectives, but I can’t.) He has arrived, and he is a competitor. A month ago, I would have said there was no one who could compete with Crystal, but next week is going to be a serious competition. Despite what others will say, I don’t think that was my favorite Lee performance. I personally preferred The Boxer, but this was a top notch performance.

The last two songs of the night where clearly the best and set the stage for next week. It seems like Lee has the momentum, and the judges seems to be pushing that way, but I hope everyone is not forgetting the consistently great performances of Crystal. She started the season at the top and has stayed there, so perhaps people are overlooking her because of Lee’s vast improvement, but next week is going to be musical thrown down!

1) (1) Crystal Bowersox — Consistently strong performances, great voice, phenomenal range of genres.
2) (2) Lee DeWyzee —  Has come into his own with solid, original performances.
3) (3) Michael Lynche — Pretty good singer but doesn’t seem to be comfortable outside of the R&B genre.
4) (4) Casey James — Will be successful, but he stopped growing and needs to work on moving on stage.

Ryan’s intro was not one of the best, but we’ll start the (late) live blog now…

Lee DeWyze – Rose on a Grave
Not the originality I expect from Lee each week, but it is a good performance and not just karaoke. I think Lee should avoid falsetto, it didn’t go real well. He had some other bad notes too. Overall, a solid performance but not the level of artistry I have to come to expect from him.

Michael Lynch – Hold Me
The start of the song has me excited. I like the low register. The first was one of his best performances to date, but the song digressed into yelling and screaming at the end. Michael tends to do this a lot but it seems to be to cover up his adequate singing ability. (I like Ellen’s comment about the being predictable and Kara’s that he could have done it in his sleep.)

Crystal and Lee – Falling Slowly
The symmetry of the two both with guitars and standing was cool. The dueling lines for the first third of the song was nice and then the rocker coming out in both of them was awesome in the middle. The tempo picked up and intensity was exciting. The harmonies at the end were great. This would go #1 if it came out tomorrow. (Can you say finale preview?)

Casey James – Mrs. Robinson
Casey really dislikes moving on stage. This is his second week sitting, seems odd. He is bribing a slightly unique sound to the song which is good, but it is still substantially the same. He looks sad too, or at least not happy, perhaps he is going for serious. This was a decent song, but I wasn’t blown away.

Crystal Bowersox — I’m Alright
Crystal came out up beat and rocking tonight. I don’t know this song, but this girl can sing. This is back to what Crystal does best and that is rock it out. I liked that she tried out some other things the last few weeks. After the performance she looked so relaxed and joking with her boyfriend. It looked like she maybe is starting to realize that there is good chance that she will be the next American Idol.

Casey and Michael — Have You Ever Loved a Woman
To start they aren’t really bringing each other out at all. They are both singing their lines just fine, but I would like more interaction. The second half the song is better in terms of working together, but the harmony seems a little off. I liked it. It was a good song choice and they looked sharp in the black clothes and the guitar playing was good. Crystal and Lee were probably better, but this was good.

Overall a very solid night of Idol. Tough to rank these because the songs were longer and there parts I liked better than others. I agree with the judges that the duets were better than the solos, and that is kind of the point of a duet, right?

Tonight’s Performances

1. Crystal Bowersox — Nice job bringing the rock!
2. 1st half of Michael’s song — I just really liked the first half of the song, but I could do without the rest.
3. Lee DeWyze — Good job by Lee more originality would have been nice
4. Casey James — Solid performance, but nothing to write home about

Here are the rankings:

1) (1) Crystal Bowersox — This was a solid performance, but she has now had two solid performances instead of amazing performances. She needs to bring something special next week to fend off a fast rising Lee.
2) (2) Lee DeWyzee —  Whatever shy kid started this competition off is now gone and he has found his groove. He could, at this point, beat Crystal if he keeps up the high level of performance he has the past three weeks. He is starting to remind me a little of David Cook. which is a good thing.
3) (4) Michael Lynche — I don’t really know if I think in the grand scheme of things he is a better performer than Casey, but at this point he is putting up a better show that Casey.
4) (3) Casey James — He can perform and is good with a guitar and will probably be a good front many for a country rock group. He is better than Aaron, but I don’t think he has the fan base to stay in the competition after two bottom three performances and a bad performance this week.
5) (6) Aaron Kelly — Sang as well as he can, but he is not as good as the other four. This isn’t necessarily a knock on the kid. He is survived longer than I thought he would but working hard and listening to constructive feedback.

Ryan says that Siobhan Magnus being eliminated is a “wake up call.” Why is that a wake up call? Ryan uses that phrase far too often. It was the top six last week and someone who people like was going to go and, honestly, I’m not sure who else would have gone besides her that wouldn’t have been a “wake up call”.

It is do or die time. In advance I would say that Crystal or Lee would really have to lay an egg to go home, but any of the other three could go with one false step. Here we go with the live blog:

Aaron Kelly — Fly Me To the Moon
This seems like the kind of song that the judges are going to call too theatrical, but that may be a common comment tonight given the genre. Aaron does a decent job with this song. He has some big notes and he seems to stay in tune, but I am still underwhelmed by his performance. He just doesn’t have the vocal strength to keep up with the rest. He is a solid performer, but he needs to get a little more mature before I am going to buy him as an artist.

Casey James — Blue Skies
Casey looks very uncomfortable without an instrument and actually moving on stage. His voice is a little shaky as well. The first part of the song was nice with a jazzy vibe and it felt like a song that he was making his own, but it digressed slowly throughout. Probably his worst performance on the show to date and it may be the touch of death for him after two bottom three appearances.

I am not a fan of this Harry Connick Jr. co-host setup they have. Did Rickey Minor and the band go on strike or is he off preparing for his new job? Harry trying to bail out Casey is shady vote tampering and I do not approve.

Crystal Bowersox — Summer Wind
Super classy in voice and dress this week is Crystal Bowersox. She owns the stage and it would appear that she can sing any song out there. The contestants this week are hindered by the songs. This is not a good theme.

I just noticed the crazy new Coke cups. I want one. (For the record I noticed the cup before Ryan grabbed it.)

Michael Lynche — The Way You Look Tonight
For a jazzy big band performance this was pretty good. It doesn’t make me want to vote for him any more than before, but I guess it was good. The first half of the song seems a little mumbled, but towards the end he started to hit some big notes and it went well for him.

Lee DeWyze — That’s Life
Lee is really into this song. I feel like he is singing the song about himself. This arrangement is really good and Lee is really fitting well into it. This is by far the best performance of the night and keeps establishing Lee as a force to be reckoned with. He really owned the song and I could almost hear this on the radio. His mannerism and style and phrasing of the song was very well done and very professional.

Overall I did not like this theme. This contest is trying to find the best popular singer in the country and this theme makes that hard to do. Maybe this would be an okay theme early in the season, but not at this point.

Tonight’s Performance Ranking:

1) Lee — Confident, smooth, powerful
2) Michael — This genre fits him well
3) Crystal — She is versatile and a skilled singer
4) Aaron — Gave his all and did okay
5) Casey — Awkward and shaky performance

In any event, here are the rankings:

1) (1) Crystal Bowersox — Another new performance style. Not her best performance, but how can you top what she has already done. The performance did show another dimension and showed that she is the one to beat.
2) (2) Lee DeWyzee —  Excellent job taking another song and making it recent and relevant. Coming on strong at the end.
3) (3) Casey James — Made a big step towards being a well rounded performer, relying less on the guitar and more on his voice.
4) (5) Michael Lynche — His rendition was a little boring, but there is something about him. Although, given that he was eliminated once, and this week was so tight, he may have the smallest fan base.
5) (7 )  Siobhan Magnus — She had an improved performance this week, but she still has not achieved the potential I think the judges saw in her.
6) (6) Aaron Kelly –  He is consistently being over shadowed by older more mature opponents, it may be his time to go. Plus, prom is coming up.

I did not like the opening with the zooming in on each contestant. Very jerky and not one of the best.

This is a big night for Casey James more than any other contestant. He is slipping and getting complacent and he needs to do something bold if he is going to stay one of the front runners. Now for this week’s live blog:

Lee DeWyze — You’re Still the One
From the first few notes, I am blown away by this song. It could be recorded and released tomorrow and be successful. What a great arrangement and what a great job making a classic song incredibly modern and relevant. This guy is getting substantially better each week. Earlier in the season, he was on the edge of being good and being boring, but he has just blossomed over the last three weeks. (Kara Dioguardi makes a good point that, “look how far we’ve come” is appropriate for Lee.)

Michael Lynch — It Only Hurst When I’m Breathing
I’m finding Big Mike’s performance a little boring. The notes sound like they are probably in tune, but the song is not grabbing me like Lee’s did. I didn’t sense that he was connected to the song. I’m not a fan of his falsetto towards he end. It just seemed easy and safe and I wish he would have done something more daring. (I can’t tell which the judges liked better Lee or Mike, and I thought Lee was much better.)

Casey Lynch — Don’t
Very nice natural performance. He is soulful and, not really pop, but definitely not country. It was a very nice change of pace for him to sing a lot more and to diverge from the country genre. It was a different side of him and it showed that he is able to do more than one thing. I don’t know if I liked it as much as Lee’s performance, but it was definitely on par with that and coupling that with his better overall performing skills keeps him in a strong position.

I like how they are incorporating Shania into the show more than the usual mentors by letting her comment a little after the performances. It is a different change of pace, but it works well this week and it is better than the flirting between Kara and Simon.

Crystal Bowersox — No One Needs to Know
I’m glad Crystal brought her microphone stand back. The reggae tone of the song here is nice and fits her well. Wow, can this girl sing! This is definitely not her best performance, but it is still better than most, and I would still put it better than Mike’s. It is not the kind of track you would necessarily release as a single, but it would be good on an album. Ultimately, Crystal is why this show is awesome. This young lady, who is not flashy or ostentatious and a little quirky, would probably never get this kind of publicity following the normal channels, but this show opens up a whole new world to her. She is a very talented artist and just keeps pulling out a new twist to her performances. This was a really solid performance and she is a great talent. (I don’t think the judges were saying they didn’t like Crystal, like Simon says.)

Aaron Kelly — You’ve Got a Way
I am finding this song a little too old for him. I have a hard time listening to 16 (or I guess 17) year olds in general sing love songs like this, they just can’t possibly of had enough experience to truly connect with the song. (Well, he sang it to his mom, so I guess that works.) His voice just doesn’t seem strong enough to pull this song off. It was really good for him, but I don’t see myself listening to this song on the radio.  (Aaron, you’re our country artist this year? Randy have you met Casey James?)

Siobhan Magnus — Any Man of Mine
Starting off it is a better vocal than she has had lately, but it is really very much like the original when the other five were different versions of the songs, so she is not keeping up with the competition. I can not decided if I like the way she ends it. It is different, but it is too much of my least favorite Idolism, the long note to cover up a weak performance. Her outfit is, as usual, a little distracting, but I guess it is her look. I feel like she has changed herself a lot from what she used to be a different artist, which I don’t know if that is good or not. This week was definitely better than the last few weeks for her, but I don’t know if it was as good as the rest. (I guess I don’t know what I am talking about, I don’t see how the judges don’t call than karaoke and not good enough when they have ripped apart better performances in the past.)

Wow, one of the best nights of Idol top to bottom in a long time. Six solid performances. I am a little bit of disagreement with the judges in terms of Crystal, Siobhan, and Aaron. It seems like they are giving Siobhan a pass and making Crystal’s performance sound bad.

Ranking for the night:
1) Lee
2) Casey
3) Crystal
4) Michael
5) Siobhan
6) Aaron

1) (1) Crystal Bowersox — Every week I say that contestants need to step up their game and bring something new to the performances, and Crystal keeps doing that. First changing the piano (not really impressive) but tonight with no instrument and rocking the a cappella for a little while she truly separated herself from the pack and showed re-established that she has the vocal power and artistry to finish this contest strong.
2) (3) Lee DeWyzee — Better every week and growing as an artist. I don’t see him getting in front of Crystal, but he is doing well.
3) (2) Casey James — Not much new to say, he is good, but doesn’t seem willing to step out of his comfort zone.
4) (4) Tim Urban — Very solid performance, may have reached his peak though.
5) (5) Michael Lynche — Seems to have reached his peak, nothing new to really see.
6) (6) Aaron Kelly –  Took on a big song and couldn’t get it done. He has talent, but he needs to grow his voice a little.
7) (8 )  Siobhan Magnus — Not really sure how she keeps avoiding the bottom three, but she has out lived her talent. She is simply relying on long notes and not carrying a melody.

Alicia Keys didn’t seem really helpful for the contestants, but I guess she tried.

Only one hour this week, so not much pre-show banter between Ryan Seacrest and the Judges. And now here is my American Live Blog for this week:

Casey James — Don’t Stop (Fleetwood Mac)
This song seems to be more about Casey’s guitar playing that his singing. It is a solid performance but it seems like hiring a really good cover band as opposed to listening to an artist. He is not progressing at all. He is not regressing, but I think he is going to get passed up. He could still probably put together a solid country album, but he is not progressing on the show.

Lee DeWyze — Boxer (Simon and Garfunkle)
Wow, that was amazing. He took a relatively old song and made it very modern and very relevant. I would buy this song if I could. If you asked me I wouldn’t have know it was a song written in the 60′s or 70′s. Lee is making a move here and the others better watch out. (I love that Simon said it was the best of the night after two performances.)

Tim Urban — Better Days (Goo Goo Dolls)
Another stellar performance on the night. These last two have really picked songs they seem to be connected to. I like the way the arrangement is building up with the strings and the solid clean vocals. Tim isn’t trying to over do the song, he just doing a solid job of delivering an inspiration song. Tim is definitely gaining momentum. (I like Simon Cowell’s comment that, “If this was the first week we saw you we would be impressed.” I guess I liked this song better than the judges.)

Aaron Kelly — I Believe I Can Fly (R. Kelly)
I’m nervous about this just from watching the pre-video with Alicia Keys. I do not think this is a good choice. Very unimpressed with this song. He does not sound on pitch and this song is very much too big for this kid. Maybe in a few years. He is moving around the stage a little which I think is nice. I think there were better choices for him. It ended better than it started, but it still left me wanting a lot. (Randy Jackson and Ellen both say it was good for taking on a big song, but I guess I don’t give him credit for difficulty. If you take on a song you can’t handle you don’t get extra points. Simon is keeping it real.)

Ellen DeGeneres’s little quips after each song as getting a little old, too much slap stick.

Siobhan Magnus — When You Believe (Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston)
I’m very nervous that Siobhan is just going to scream for this song and not be delicate like Whitney and Mariah were. (In the classic Idol screaming end not fashion.) The song is starting good. Very clear vocals, although that feather in her hair is horribly distracting. The middle fell off a little bit with some flat notes and she then starts digressing into a bunch of big loud notes. Her ability to carry a melody is not particularly impressive. She can hit notes here and there throughout a song, but I don’t like listening to her sing the song.

Michael Lynch — Hero (Chad Kroeger)
I really like this song and I hope Big Mike sings it well. Good connection with the audience. The song is not blowing me away. The change in tempo in the middle is nice, but now the lyrics are becoming repetitive and there are not enough verses and he is relying on the Idol big note curse at the end rather than finishing the song normal. Nothing special, but it was okay. (I finally have an agreement with Kara Dioguardi, not that I care, but I haven’t used her name yet. Simon is making some weird Spider-Man comment.)

No instrument for Crystal, I like it, but she is doing some goofy air guitar thing going into the break, that is weird.

Crystal Bowersox — People Get Ready (The Impressions)
Loving the acapella opening, she has an incredible voice. I’m just now noticing the weird microphone, has that been there all night? Amazing vocal, very touching that she cried at the end. She is awesome. I don’t know if it was better than Lee’s performance, maybe, they are hard to compare. In any event those two were in a different league tonight. This did show her growing, and I like that she took a risk. I think she could move more on stage. This performance showed a nice human side to Crystal and she is clearly the favorite right now. (As Simon says, “That was inspirational.”)

Ryan’s taped in napkin was awesome! Further, I have set my DVR ahead as per Ryan’s order.

Tonight’s Performance Rankings
1) Lee DeWyze — I only rank Lee’s higher because it seems more likely to be a radio song at this point than did Crystal’s.
2) Crystal Bowersox — No knock being second, great job.
3)Tim Urban — He keeps growing.
4) Casey James — Becoming stagnant, needs to make a move.
5) Michael Lynch — Okay performance, nothing special
6) Aaron Kelly — Not really good, but not the worst
7) Siobhan Magnus — Wow, she has fallen far, she might get through because everything seems to like her, but she has no really chance of winning.