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When this competition is finished, about three months from now, I think we're going to appreciate this group of guys. Even if it's hard to assess and ranges all over the place. They're challenging the very concept of what is and what isn't an American Idol, and I appreciate the staff for making these casting decisions.
Of course, not a one of them stands a chance of winning, with all those lovely and talented black ladies ready and willing to belt out more conventional hits.
On to the week 2, male singer ratings:
1. Chris Richardson. Yes, he blew the high note. But it was a difficult, rangy song, and as annoying as it for me to admit this, the boy band guy gets top marks once again. And I hate Timberlake and everything he stands for. Score of 87.
2. Blake Lewis. A poor finish to an effortless and interesting performance. I wonder what's in store from him each week, and that, more than anything else, shows me there's a lot of talent there. Score of 86.
3. Nick Pedro. At this time, he seems to be a one-trick pony, but there's a reason that stuff was so popular in its day and I'm looking forward to seeing his take on more modern songs (if he survives, which is a long shot). He's better at that soft, crooning style than others who have tried in the past. Score of 75.
4. A.J. Tabaldo. Yes, it was another relatively weak week, as the guys are finding their niches. This was an incredibly difficult song, and I thought he did a good job. Score of 69.
5. Sanjaya Malakar. It would be easy to dismiss this kid at this point, because there's nothing Idol about him. He has a remarkable ear, though, and I'm going to insist on judging the singing rather than how the song relates to what's popular today. I wouldn't pay to see or hear this song again, but he did exactly what he set out to do. I'll refrain from crude jokes about Michael Jackson being willing to move back from Bahrain for a shot at him. Score of 66.
6. Sundance Head. Okay, I know all the Schmidties out there are just frothing at the keyboard (especially after the Wolverines just knocked the Sparties back a peg or two). What am I thinking? He had the energy. He had the crowd going. And that's part of Idol, part that I don't factor in very heavily. Just look at how I rated last year's winner (11th out of 24). I thought Jason paid no attention to pitch and chose a very simple song. Score of 65.
7. Jared Cotter. Cop out. I yawned, I stretched. I played with the cat. Score of 63.
8. Phil Stacy. Like Simon said, very good karaoke. He was generous. Score of 57.
9. Chris Sligh. Very average overall. There were a couple of good riffs, and more than a few bum notes. I'm liking this guy less and less. Until he puts the work in, he will never be good. Score of 54.
10. Brandon Rogers. It's easy to see where he went wrong this week. I think he'll be back next week in force, if the voters will have him. Too bad you don't get mulligans in this game (unless you're Sundance). Score of 46.
Who should go: Chris Sligh and Sundance.
Who will go: Nick and Brandon.
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