American Idol Season 9 Top 24 - Men

This recap is written and originally published on Rickey.Org, which also features videos and more from American Idol.

Tonight, the twelve men of American Idol Season 9 take to the stage, hoping to impress the judges and the audience to secure a slot in the top 20. The women sang last night, an evening filled more with yawns than anything else. Here's to hoping the men watched and paid attention to what worked and what didn't, and are prepared to put on a show. Also, might be nice to hear some music from this millennium.

Simon starts the night by threatening the men, saying he saw nerves, and if they forget the lyrics, their careers are over. Nice, try to make the boys buckle so they don't outshine the girls...

Todrick Hall, a 24-year-old from Texas, sings Since U Been Gone, the Kelly Clarkson song. He has changed it up to be a clubby dance/jazz number. Sadly, doesn't have the vocals to make it work. His mid-range is good, but the top and bottom suffer. Ellen liked it and him, and Randy et al says he destroyed the song, taking it too far. So, they are looking for a luke warm medium point for the arrangements. Sixteen-year-old Aaron Kelly from Pennsylvania will hope to not repeat the final audition, where he forgot the lyrics. He sings Here Comes Goodbye, the country song written by Season 6 finalist Chris Sligh for Rascal Flatts. There were some very pitchy moments in that performance, but for the most part, the judges ignore his missed notes and tell him he will be around for a long time, and needs more confidence. I just keep saying 'when Archie met Taylor Swift.'

The 27-year-old church singer from from Indiana, Jermaine Sellers, performs Get Here written by Brenda Russell and sung by Oleta Adams in 1990. Wow, is he overworking that song, hitting a note that isn't very pleasing to my ears. I don't care if it was right or not. The judges were not impressed, and then remind everyone about the diva behavior. And he did a Patti LaBelle performance. Not a good night for Jermaine... Last minute replacement Tim Urban, a 20-year-old from Texas has gotten nearly no screen time, is cute as a button. We shall see what he brings. He sings Apologize by One Republic. Ouch, the high notes are not his friend. Why choose a song not in your range? The judges were not kind. Nor should they be. Pretty don't cut it.

Twenty-year-old California student Joe Munoz sings the Jason Mraz song You and I Both, and sounds pretty good, although the voice showed signs of nerves. He has a serious vibrato. Judges liked him, save Simon, who thought he was 'limp.' Nice, Simon. Tyler Grady, a 20-year-old Pennsylvania native who sings American Woman by the Canadian Band The Guess Who. Yikes, this is not good. The vocals were very weak. Randy bring up the style-over-substance thing, which rings so damn true. I am having Constantine flashbacks. When will he sing the Partridge Family song?

Illinois singer Lee DeWyze is 23 years old, was a sales clerk back at home. His rough-hewn vocals are featured in Snow Patrols Chasing Cars, and he has a tough time staying on key. How does he managed throaty and nasal at the same time? Ellen, Randy and Kara were disappointed, but Simon thought he was the best of the night. Well, so far, that isn't saying that much. John Park is also from Illinois. The 21-year-old starts out with a flirtation with Shania Twain, and then breaks into God Bless The Child, written and performed by the great Billie Holiday. It starts out rough, but gains some speed. But I am still yawning. Where is the soul?

Floridian Michael Lynche, the pumped up 26-year-old father-to-be, sings the Maroon 5 song This Love. It is a little manic, and little bar band, but tonight that makes it seem special. Was kinda like Hootie for the new millennium.

Nineteen-year-old Texan Alex Lambert has had no screen time, and now we know why. He sings Wonderful World by James Morrison, the British soul singer, and he performs with no charisma, and lots of fear. He is a bundle of nerves. He missed with the falsetto, but the mid range was good. I liked moments of that song. The judges like him, even if he bombed. He has some charm with Ryan, which is more than some can say on this dreadful night.

He let the ponytail down but kept his shirt on, and is singing Bryan Adams. Casey James, the boy of Kara's dreams. The 27-year-old Texan sings Heaven, a song he keeps acoustic and sweet, while the judges clown in front of him. But he is actually singing well, and pulling this off. The judges are looking at him, and Kara calls him eye candy and ear candy. California native Andrew Garcia is a 24-year-old stay-at-home-dad, and his intro is very emotional. He sings Fall Out Boy's Sugar, We're Going Down. He pulls it off, but it is anticlimactic to me. The judges love him, although unimpressed by the performance. I'm underwhelmed.

Tonight, well, that wasn't good. If I was to pick my favorite for the night, I was say Casey James, by default. As for who is going home, I have no clue, there are so many possibilities. I'd say Casey, Lee, Andrew, Aaron, and Joe are safe, and more than likely Tyler. The rest, I hope Alex gets another shot. I would think Tim is definitely going home, and who joins him is anyone's guess.