American Idol: Week 3

Alright! Both kids are in bed, it's 8:45 - let's crank up the DVR and see what Idol has for us tonight!!

1. Von Smith (You're All I Need To Get By) - Hmm...well, it's not screaming, is it? A little pitchy at the beginning...but the audience LOVED it. Oh..and the pancake on the face. Oh dear.

2. Taylor Vaifanua (If I Aint Got You) - Well, she's nervous, but she CAN rock a pair of leather leggings! Here's to a modest gal! I'm lovin' on her voice, though! I love her tone, and I love that she lightens up on her top notes instead of squeaking them out. Lo Gung sez: A really nervous start, but she got way better.

3. Alex Wagner-Trugman (I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues) - Oh, this is one of those funny cases. Decent voice, but just please don't look at him! The song never makes it to those eyes. And the growling - wow. I can just hear this kid as a sort of a lounge singer.

(Did Ryan Seacrest seriously just break that microphone?! Man - the joys of LIVE television!)

4. Arianna Afsar (Winner Takes It All) - Lo Gung is super excited. He wants this girl to go through just because she's cute. Her voice is awesome, but I'm not sure how this song tells us who she is. It's pretty theatrical, but she's got the voice for it. Lo Gung sez the arrangement was crazy - it made her sound like she was off beat for about half the song.

5. Ju'not Joyner (Hey There Delilah) - (Can someone tell me why he's got handcuffs hanging off his belt??!) I'm biased - I love this song, and he's giving me a super-soulful version of it. It makes me want to dim the lights, grab my guy, and start swaying...ooh, flashbacks to high school! Ok, not totally grooving on those little jaunts into falsetto-ville, but I really liked that! (Lo Gung didn't like it...but he doesn't like that song at all, so I'm not paying attention to him!)

6. Kristen McNamara (Give Me One Reason) - Ok, the growls WORK here. She's earned 'em. I'm likin' this! Kind of...country jazz? Goodness - I'm a happy girl right now. Lo Gung sez - See now, that's a singer! (The judges were off this time - I sure hope she gets through!!)

7. Nathanial Marshall (I Would Do Anything For Love)- (Would someone please tell him that his nose ring looks like boogers all hangin' out? Thanks.) Hmm...interesting rendition. The audience is eating it up. Sweet voice, but I'm not sure it's enough to keep him around. (Why am I getting flashbacks to a TSO concert?) Very theatrical, and he obviously enjoyed himself. (Oh, there's the kiss of death - have you EVER seen a contestant get through to the top 12 after they said they either chose their favorite song, or they had "fun" on stage? Not that you shouldn't have fun, but...everytime someone says it, they end up leaving!)

8. Felicia Barton (No One) - Hmm...another interesting one. I love her look. I like the voice. Something about how she's singing is odd, though - like she's pushing too hard. A few rocky notes, but she got the audience up on their feet.

9. Scott MacIntyre (Mandolin Rain) - This one is tough. He's in a class all his own, as the only legally blind contestant. You have to watch him with a different set of eyes, realizing that what he does is completely self-styled, with not a lot of reference to other examples. His tone was perfect, and his "big notes" were AWESOME. I think he should go through. Parts of the song, vocally, were a little off...but I agree with Simon. He's not the best singer in the competition, but he is memorable and a great example.

10. Kendall Beard (This One's For the Girls) - Whoa. This girl's got the perfect voice for country. (And why does she remind me of Ree?) She's cute, she's got a great country thing goin' on..did I mention that she's definitely a country artist? (I think the judges are with me on this one.)

11. Jorge Nunez (Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me) - This isn't the song I would have chosen for him. It's pretty hard to understand him in the slow parts. I could picture him singing something with a little more Latin flavor! (Oh, and Paula Hearts him. :-)) THANK YOU Simon for pointing out that - hello! - he's gonna sing with an accent because he's Puerto Rican and that's what's great about him. He's a great singer, from Puerto Rico, and he shouldn't sound like a great singer from Omaha!

12. Lil Rounds (Be Without You) - Aw, she's a shoe-in! They always put the best singer last in the line up. Once the judges say you remind them of someone (Mary J. Blige in this case), it's so smart to pick a song from that artist! She's got a set of pipes, she can work a stage and an audience...she made a smart song choice. This show seems like a waste of her time - she doesn't have to jump through all these hoops to get a contract. She's awesome.

Line of the night Alert: "I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to see you for many more...Li'l Rounds!" ~Paula

My picks:
Lil Rounds, Ju'Not Joyner, Kendall Beard, Jorge Nunez, Scott MacNamara

Oops. That's five. It's like the polls on my Wii - there's what I will vote for...and then what I think everyone else will vote for.

Alright, here's my guess for the Three:
Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre , Jorge Nunez