American Idol Season 12 • Top 3 Review & Recap

Last week, the Top 4 became the Top 3 when Amber Holcombe went home, leaving Kree Harrison, Angie Miller and Candice Glover to make the hometown visits and prepare three songs for tonight. Each young woman was assigned a song by the judges, one from Jimmy Iovine, and a third by the producers, leaving them no choice of their own. Can they make all the appearances that are scheduled, and still learn and rehearse the songs they need to perform? Only time will tell, and we are certainly doing time on American Idol this season.

Left to right: Angie Miller, Candice Glover, and Kree Harrison.

The judges were introduced, followed by Crusty, who soon brings out the Top 3. One will be crowned the new American Idol next week, and all are hungry for the win. But first, we see quick clips of them visiting their home towns, with the crowds there to greet them all. The first round will be the picks of Jimmy Iovine, and the show kicks off with Kree singing “Perfect” by Pink.

Kree comes out in fine voice, and does a great job with the song. I feel the message coming from her heart, and enjoyed it. Keith was oddly vacant in his critique, instead sort of questioning the song choice, but glad she always sounds Country. Nicki was anything but neutral, instead telling Kree she was great, and seemed more relaxed than last week. But she also suggested Kree try some flat boots so she can move around the stage more. Randy was not impressed, and felt the performance was flat, but Mariah thought she sounded good, but felt she might have been holding back a bit, since she has two more to go. After the break, it is time for Candice to perform, and Jimmy picked “One”, the U2 song also covered by the great Mary J. Blige.

Candice came out ready to give it her all. While I love her energy, and did feel like the song was a bit short, and she spent part of the time yelling at me. There were also a few bad notes in there, which is never the case. I love her, but thought that fell just a tad short. Nicki loved her, and thought she was on par with Mary J. Randy thought she was wonderful, didn't mind some bad notes, and was on her way to the finals. Mariah loved it, wants Candice to believe in herself as much as she believes in her. Keith loved it, and thought she once again proved the power of her voice. And the bad notes proved how much she wanted to win. All mentioned they loved the song choice by Jimmy, something they did not say about the choice for Kree. The final selection by Jimmy Iovine was for Angie, who will be singing Elton John's “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”.

Right away, I am shocked she is not on the piano, for that is a shoe in for the judges' approval. She is in the middle of the stage singing amidst smoke and violinists. For me she is spending an awful lot of the song going flat, with an occasional foray into the sharp end. I thought it was a bit sloppy, and struggling. Randy started it all by questioning why she didn't play the piano. But despite that, he loved her, no matter how she sounded. Mariah loved it, and was happy for her restraint. Keith loved it, but wished she was even more restrained. Nicki thought it was a stellar vocal, but the emotions were lacking, which meant she was in it to win it. Confused, I decided to move on. Between the rounds, Jimmy is on camera, and decides the round has to go to Angie, for he thought she connected emotionally to the song. Again, I opt to move on. Now we see a bit of Candice's trip home, and she is thrilled to visit her old boss, and starts to cry as she is close to home. The streets are lined with people, all there to show their love. Candice is the first to sing the Judge's pick, as she takes on Emile Sandé's “Next To Me”.

This is an excellent choice, and she sounds wonderful on it. But somewhere in the middle, I feel like she is off a bit, although she gathers it together at the end. Mariah leads it off, and says almost nothing about the performance, but how Candice was rejuvenated by the trip home. Keith loved the opening, and the end, and thought they were wonderful. Nicki was so moved, she only tells her she is so proud of her. Randy pats American Idol on the back, and in an afterthought, tells Candice she was awesome. Crusty goes back to Nicki, who tells Candice she loves the confidence she shows, which is tough for women of all colors to keep. Tears flow all around. Angie is up after a prolonged commercial break, and she is joined by her brother, who is growing a 'playoff' beard, not shaving until she wins. They played together while she was home, and that leads to her clips. She goes all over her home town, from her kindergarten school to her very special concert. When the tape was done, Crusty announced Angie would be singing “Try” by Pink.

To my ears, her voice still falls flat far too often. And I found this performance to be trying too hard, but going nowhere. I thought she was stiff on stage, and trying to be a bit over sexualized. I was really unimpressed. Keith loved it, and thought she never looked more comfortable on stage. Huh? Oh, and he also threw in the ubiquitous 'Boston Strong' shout-out at the end. Nicki thought the same thing, and loved her. Randy thought the judges again picked a great song, and she was at her best. Mariah also loved her, and gets her festive personality, for Mariah thinks she herself is also festive. Okay, I have no clue what the hell that means, so I just will have to move on. The final contestant for this round is Kree, and we quickly see her giving hugs as soon as she gets off the plane. Soon they visit the home she grew up in, now fallen to pieces after the loss of both parents. It was quite an emotional journey. After the clip, she sings “Here Comes Goodbye” by Rascal Flatts, and co-written by former Idol finalist Chris Sligh.

She is on her game for the song. She sounds plugged in and connected to the emotion, and in amazing form. The audience loved it, and kept the ovation rolling. Nicki was almost in tears, just saying how she was proud of her, and it was her best of the season. Randy loved it, and once again congratulates the judges for picking the song. And, yes, she was good. Mariah was clearly moved by the video and the performance, yet instead just told Kree how impressed she was with her as a person, and the purity of her voice. Keith was still a little choked up, sniffing big before thanking Kree for singing that song perfectly. Now it is time for another long break, and the ladies will be in the last phase of the night, the Producer's picks. Angie is first this time, and she will be singing “Maybe” by Emile Sandé. This is the second song poached from this British songbird, who is a talented lady indeed.

This time, Angie is at the piano, although she doesn't seem to play until the bridge. And she sounds very breathy to me. The chorus goes quite flat for me, and after knowing the original, showed a lack of soulfulness inherent to the melody. Randy loved it, and was happy she was back at the piano. Mariah loved it, and thinks she is the complete package. Keith loved it, and passed to Nicki. She thought Angie has surpassed her expectations, and loved her. She listed some of the faults of the past, like the pageant-like presentations, the failure to emotionally connect, and I just laugh that all that makes one third of the best Top 3 ever. Next! After the achingly long break, it is time for Kree to give her final performance of the evening. The producers mandate she sings “Better Dig Two” by The Band Perry.

Kree is comfortable in the strong Country sound of the song. She sounds wonderful, and I loved it. This was Country realness, served with a little Southern-Fried-Rock. She owned it, and wore it proud. Mariah didn't love it, for she likes the soulful side more. Uhm, she didn't pick the song, she just sang it. Keith thought it wasn't the right song for her, but he loves her. [Cough, Cough] Kree didn't pick the song. Nicki finally called it, and said whoever picked the song for her should be stoned. And that the judges and her fans all know she is a star. Randy goes on to insult the song, being way to plain and boring for her voice. Nice, sure they are happy they gave permission for that song, right? A long break, and we are back, and Candice is going to sing “Somewhere” from the iconic musical 'West Side Story', written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Here is the version by Barbra Streisand.

This is a glorious song, there is no doubt about it. And Candice is an amazing singer. But that performance had some flaws, to be sure. Her voice broke on two of the runs, and seemed strained at times. I am stunned for her tonight, as for me, this was her weakest night to date. However, Keith thinks that anyone who doesn't vote for Candice needs to see the doctor, and Nicki thinks she is a shoe-in for the finals. Randy called that one of the best performances in Idol history, the second he has called so far this season. Mariah loved her, of course. Jimmy Iovine came out to explain that although he felt Angie won round 1, and Kree took round 2, with that performance, Candice won the night with her miraculous version of a tired old song. We get it. Idol thinks Candice should be in the finals, and win the season. But that is no reason to toss Kree under the bus the way they have tonight, when she clearly out performed Angie. When all is said and done, for my ears, it is Angie who should be going home tomorrow night, and Candice and Kree in the finals. That said, I will not be doing a recap for the finals next week, as I have tickets to drink in the performances of musicians I love, with nary a judge to be seen. So Tune in Thursday night at 8PM on Fox for the results, and next week for the finals. If you miss me, I will be cover The Voice for the rest of the season. Until next time, have fun, and listen to some great music of original and/or independent artists! Support musicians who create the soundtrack to our lives.

American Idol 12 Recap & Review - Top 4 Encore - The Music of Now & Then

Well, we learned that the performances and voting were all for naught last week, for the Producer's Twist was that no one was going home, something many of us saw in the cards due to the remaining broadcast schedule. But in the lamest of seasons to date, the 'big' news was that the show would adhere to the schedule, and the expected non-elimination would happen. This week they asked the contestants to come up with songs that apply to the theme 'Now & Then', meaning picking a hit song from 2013, as well as a classic song from the Great American Songbook. We will find out if the new performances can change up the voting order, as last week Angie and Kree were the Top 2, while Amber and Candice filled out the Bottom 2. Can the producers and the judges convince the voters to keep the skinny girls around? Only time will tell. After all, they are going to have to send someone home this week, aren't they? Before we find out, the Top 4 will have to sing for survival...

Clockwise: Candice Glover; Kree Harrison; Amber Holcomb; and Angie Miller.

The show starts out with a clip of the non-elimination last week, and the emotions it brought out. Judges were hugging contestants, and they were hugging one another. But it means it is time to get down to business, for the performances tonight and next week will decide who is going to the finals. The announcer brings out Nicki Minaj, Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Keith Urban, followed quickly by Crusty, who announces not only will the energy be up this week, but the ladies will be coached by Harry Connick, Jr, and Crusty also tells us the two themes for the night; first the ladies will sing a hit song from 2013, and then will follow that up with a song from yesterday, a classic standard. Connick certainly has a history with both, having gained popularity as a crooner, as well as making music of his own. The performances kick off with Angie Miller singing “Diamonds” by Rihanna. She tells Harry she will be mixing it up, and putting her own spin on it. But first, let's hear Rihanna singing "Diamonds".

Angie and Harry are cutting it up, but it went on a bit too long. For the performance, the production is stripped back, with Angie on the piano to make the judges happy. I am not loving the arrangement, for the song was sluggish enough without adding to it. While she stays in tune for much of the song, toward the end she starts to strain, and falls off key. Keith didn't love the performance, felt it didn't go anywhere. It felt too stripped back for him. Nicki felt it was lackluster, like she was playing more to the cameras than from her heart. Basically, Randy and Mariah agreed, although Mariah refused to say she agreed with Nicki, prompting more articles about the panel, and not the singers, I am sure. Pardon me while I roll my eyes. After the commercial break, we see Amber Holcomb meeting with Harry, telling him she will be singing “Just Give Me A Reason”, originally sung by Pink and Nate Ruess. Amber forgets the words as she was singing for Harry, but he doesn't care, he just loves her voice. This is Pink and Nate Ruess singing "Just Give Me A Reason".

The song starts off in a nice place for her voice, showing some nice support. But the performance overall is a bit hollow, with the chorus being just a bit too staccato, almost sing-song. She did stay on key better than usual, although there were a few notes that strayed. It was fairly dull, and seemed like the wrong choice of songs to sing. Nicki didn't love it either, and felt it was lacking. Randy thought she looked nervous, or maybe preoccupied. She admits to being nervous about the lyrics. Mariah tried to brush off the mediocrity, looking forward to the next song. Keith loves her voice, but didn't love the performance. After what seemed like an endless commercial break, Crusty brought out Candice Glover for her first song of the night. In the video, Candice tells Harry she will be singing “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. She wants to tell a story, not be the subject of the song. Well, cause she's not a man. Harry is trying really hard to be funny, and seems like he is trying too hard. But soon it is over, so let me share Bruno Mars singing "When I Was Your Man".

She is in exceptional voice, and plans to show that to everyone. The first verse sounds a bit nervous, but that soon disappears, and she delivers the goods. She puts an R&B spin on it, and really is able to soar on it. Randy loved it, and so did Mariah. She thought it was exceptional, and Keith didn't care about the gender bending, she sounded great. Nicki thought they were remiss for not giving her a standing ovation, and so Randy and Keith joined her in one for Candice. After they were done, Mariah stood to flicks some glitter at her, getting her own moment. Frankly, I thought Candice deserved more attention than the judges... Crusty tells us that after the break, it will be time to see Kree Harrison, who will be singing a song that Carrie Underwood sang on that stage just a few weeks ago. In the video clip, Kree tells Harry she will be singing “See You Again”. After she sang it for him, he loved it, and told her not to change a friggin' note. Here is Carrie singing "See You Again".

She begins the song with a sweet and warm tone to her voice, and it stays there. She sounds fantastic, and the song reacts well to her sparse arrangement. This allows her voice to be front and center, and she sounds amazing. I thought she was brilliant, and put Kree and Candice in a dead heat after the first round. Mariah loved it, and felt she was magnificent, and sounded so authentic. Keith didn't agree, and felt there was a disconnect between the song and the performance. Nicki thought Kree was totally connected to the song, and she loved it. Randy agreed, and thought her voice was flawless. Even Harry Connick, Jr, had to come out to say how much he loved the performance. As he was announcing the numbers, Crusty called her Kreedom, as if Nicki was now giving them all new names... If the first four performances featured the music of 'now', the next four will feature the music of 'then', as the contestants picked a classic standard from the Great American Songbook, just so we don't get to thinking they can seem current the whole show. As we start the rotation again, Angie is back with Harry, and tells him she will sing “Someone To Watch Over Me”. It was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin from the 1926 musical 'Oh, Kay!', where it was introduced by Gertrude Lawrence. This is a recording by Sarah Vaughan from 1958.

Angie dedicates it to her Mom, who used to sing it around the house. She does a simple arrangement, soft and sweet. She begins nicely, but soon the slowed tempo of the song reveals her voice to be a bit uneven, and at times get covered by the band, while at other moments strains too be over the top. There were times her vibrato got a little abrasive, battering. Keith loved it, even if it did feel so old fashioned. Nicki thought she was like a Disney Princess, and how she only seemed engaged during the high end of her voice. Randy loved her vocals, even if he hated the arrangement. Mariah tried to disagree with Nicki, and lost the singer in the mix. After a break, Crusty reminds us the votes from last week are being added to those of last week for the results tomorrow night. In the video clip, Amber tells Harry she is singing “My Funny Valentine”, first recorded by Mitzi Green in the MGM Musical 'Babes In Arms'. It was written for the 1937 Broadway show by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. When she starts singing, Harry recognizes she doesn't understand the song at all, so he explains it to her. Connick thinks she has a beautiful voice, and hopes she connects with (and understands) the song in performance. But before that, give a listen to this recording by Ella Fitzgerald from 1956.

As she starts singing, I don't really see a difference. She has plenty of vocal tricks, but again they seem more like a crutch than an expression. It was very paint by numbers, but I didn't feel it coming from her heart. It was fairly hollow. Of course, the judges greeted her with a standing ovation, and they loved it. They thought it was great the first time she sang it (with no understanding of the lyrics whatsoever), and even better now (after Harry explained it to her). She cries a little, and they try to lift her up. But they do seems to have come to the realization she was the weakest of the night, and stands a good shot at going home. Crusty chats with Harry in the audience, and he disagrees with the judges, and felt the run at the end of Amber's performance distracted from the song. Soon we see Candice going to see Harry again, telling him she will be singing “You’ve Changed”, originally written by Bill Carey and Carl Fischer in 1941. It was first released by Harry James's band with vocals by Dick Haymes. Harry helps her to simplify her performance, to mean what she is singing. Listen to this amazing version of the song recorded by Billie Holiday in 1958.

She comes out in perfect voice, and connects with the lyrics. She is singing from the heart, and her emotions are on her sleeve. There is an ebb and flow to the performance, and it was fantastic. Even when she brought some runs in the end, they were tied to emotion, not acrobatics. Randy loved it, and took the moment to tell Harry he is wrong (when he wasn't), and doesn't know what he is talking about (even if Connick was brought in as the expert mentor). Mariah thought it was brilliant, so touching and textured. Keith loved it, and Nicki thought no more was needed, and tossed it to Crusty. He reminded us that we still have Kree to sing tonight. In her clip with Harry, Kree tells him she will be singing “Stormy Weather”, a song written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Ethel Waters first sang it at The Cotton Club night club in Harlem in 1933 and recorded it that year. He tells her to cut the pyrotechnics, and sing the damn song. The song became a signature song for great Lena Horne after she sang it in the 1943 film of the same name, so enjoy her performance here.

She comes out looking beautiful, and sounded fantastic. Her tone is so crisp and so clear, and she sticks to the melody for most of the song. She puts in some embellishments toward the end, and gave it a Country feel to it. I thought it was stunning. Mariah is unsure it was the right song, going for something more bluesy. Keith thinks it was the wrong song as well. Nicki has a problem with Harry, and with song choice. Randy basically says Harry was wrong and taking them in a wrong direction, and she must be herself. And that means doing the Etta James version of the song. Harry gets hilarity of that statement, and even Nicki does, but it still seems lost on Randy. I am not sure, but I think Harry just nailed his audition to be a judge for American Idol Season 13. After all was said and done, they talked Kree down, while telling her her vocals were stellar. After a break, the ladies came down the aisles with their own dancers in two, and they were singing “Wings” by Little Mix.

This was nice, but sure sounded not live. It had a very 'Up With People' feeling, and not really connected to the rest of the show. It is time to recap, it comes down to the fact that Candice and Kree were the two best for the night for me. It wasn't close. There is a big gap, and then Angie's performances. At the bottom is Amber, who I suspect will be leaving tomorrow night. No amount of blowing smoke is going to make it sound any different to me. Of course, one never knows until the results are read on Thursday night, at 8PM. Well, to be honest, at 8:55PM on your local Fox station.

American Idol 12 • Top 4 Sing One Hit Wonders & More

The Top 4 of American Idol Season 12 take to the stage tonight, the first time since Season 3 that the remaining four are all women. Heck, that is the only time in the history of the show one sex has dominated the top 4 positions. But in season 3, the producers stacked the deck, as the Top 12 was made up of 4 men and 8 ladies, as opposed to the 5-5 split this season. But that was also back in the day when the contestants needed to adhere to the themes of the shows, unlike this year, when the announced themes seem more like loose generalizations, "as long as we can praise Amber." This week, the fans voted what musical theme they wanted to see/hear, and they picked One-Hit Wonders. But after seeing the list of spoilers, I seriously am confused about the concept of what exactly makes a One-Hit Wonder. Procol Harum had three songs in the Top 40, and yet their biggest hit, "A Whiter Shade of Pale", makes the list here. "McArthur Park" was a one-hit wonder for Richard Harris, although he did appear in the film version of Camelot playing the lead on a fairly successful soundtrack album. Of course, most people will remember the version by the late, great Donna Summer, which is more like the version we shall hear. The second theme of the night, Contestant Free Choice, is perhaps the best of the season, as we finally get to hear music that is hopefully more current so we can judge how the young ladies sound in a contemporary setting, rather than a karaoke contest. Oh, let's just get this thing started.

Left to right: Candice Glover, Angie Miller, Kree Harrison, and Amber Holcomb.

The show begins giving us a look of the Top 4 during their auditions, to give us a thought toward how far they've all come. Thankfully Angie reminds us that we have a really tough choice to make, and then we are introduced to the judges and Crusty, who comes down the steps to the delighted screams of the audience. He reminds us there are only a matter of a few weeks left, and Amber, Angie, Candice and Kree all want to be in the final. He introduces them, and the audience goes crazy. Crusty sends them back to get ready for the show, and tells us about the ladies going to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. First up, we hear Amber's thought on her trip, and hear her singing a song by Celine Dion. She will be singing "The Power Of Love", originally sung by Jennifer Rush, and then popularized by Celine Dion.

As she begins to sing the song, I hear she is doing nothing really new with the song, and her voice lacks the volume and power of Dion. She does bring the song to a soft landing, easing off the volume. In truth, that is where her vocal strays a bit, sounding strained. I have yet to hear her really bring anything new to a song, save maybe costuming. Keith loved it, and thought it was a perfect choice for her. Nicki loved it as well, and thought the song was made for her. Randy thinks she has come the furthest this season, starting a girl, but now a woman. Mariah also loved her range and tone, and gave her the "hashtag POW" critique. I guess I remain "hashtag HUH?" Jimmy gets a chance to talk, and also heard the strain as well. But he still thinks the song will be tough to beat. Candice is up next, and she will be singing a song by Drake, who she had met a year ago and liked him. But first she tells us how moved she was by the kids at the hospital, who she saw as being so strong and brave. She will be singing Drake's "Find Your Love".

She slows it down a bit, taking it in the jazzy ballad route. She is in great voice, and this is a fantastic performance. She owned the song, and could not have sounded better. It was radio-ready, and I would buy it myself. Nicki starts off the critique, and wishes she hadn't changed it up so much, and thought it sounded too old-fashioned. Randy thought she over-worked the song, and needs to get out of church sometimes. Mariah disagrees, and thinks she takes chances, and takes her on the journey with her. Keith agrees with Mariah, and thinks she brings so much with her music. I am stunned, for I didn't see that critique coming, and just don't know what they are thinking. We don't get to see Jimmy this time, and go right to Kree and her time in the hospital. She seems very sweet and tender with the kids. She is going to be singing "It Hurt So Bad", a bluesy song by Susan Tedeschi.

I love the song, and think Kree delivers it so well. She added just the right amount of grit to her gorgeous voice, letting her star shine bright. I thought that was beautiful. Randy came on to basically feel the performance was alright, but nothing special. Randy is confused by it. Mariah loved it, and thought she delivered, and also connected to the audience. Keith thought she lacked the emotional connection to the song, and Nicki thought it was just not good enough. Wow, I am at a loss. After the stellar critique of the mediocre karaoke performance, and the beating down of two singers trying to give some artistry. Jimmy returns, and not only downs Kree's performance, he also disrespects the song. Sweet. Angie seemed to come alive with the kids, all smiles as she remembers the kids. She will be singing "Who You Are" by Jessie J.

Angie is back at the piano, where the judges love her. I am not sure this is the right key, for her voice sounds a little shrill on the high end, and a little "pageanty" on the wordy parts. This just seems over-wrought to me, a big mess of sound that gives me nothing but a bit of a headache. She is met with a standing ovation by the judges. Heavy sigh. Mariah loved it, but wants her to deliver more original material, for that can deliver her a career. Keith loved it, but pointed out how it takes a while to get her into the performance that wasn't stilted. Nicki loved it, and thought it was amazing. Randy, of course, thought it was better than the original, and the best of the night. I am so damned lost by this panel, cause that isn't what I am hearing on my television. Crusty brings Angie's grandmother up on stage for a quiet moment, and it was sweet, but really, I am getting annoyed. Before a commercial break, Crusty tells us we are getting the first duet of the night, as Amber and Kree will be singing an Adele song. Well, isn't that original. Le sigh. Jimmy spares a few seconds to say he is thrilled Angie had control of her instrument, and has Amber and Angie neck and neck. Then back to Crusty, and her discover Kree and Amber will be singing "Rumour Has It". This is a great, but over-done song. Kree is in great voice, and there is such a depth to it. For me, Amber's voice pales next to it. Keith enjoyed the performance, but was looking for them to cut loose. Nicki thought Amber had a command of the stage, and that Kree lacked personality. Wow, I was watching another show altogether. They don't give Randy or Mariah a say this time. After the break, out second and final duet will be Angie & Candice, who sing Rihanna's "Stay", which also features Mikky Ekko. During the performance, both ladies struggle a little bit at times, and that surprised me with Candice. The performance got all messy for me, with lost notes and squandered lyrics. Of course, the judges gave them a standing ovation, and loved it, saying that is how a duet should be done. WTF. Moving on, like I am passing by an accident on the highway. The AT&T Theme contest named One-Hit Wonders as the theme, and the first one to take it on is Amber as she sings “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris, later covered by the late, great Donna Summer.

This is not good, showing a lack of a bottom end of the voice, and some rough notes on the top end. And once again, it is a cover of the Donna Summer version, with nothing new or interesting added. I was a bit bored. Donna Summer added such fullness and depth to the song, not easy with those silly lyrics. Now, of course, Keith thought it was great, and Nicki thought she is ready for marketing. Randy is ready to sign her, and complimented the high notes that I thought she missed. Mariah loved the great low notes, which I also heard differently. Obviously, I have the judges for American Idol, but the singers for American's Got Talent on my television, cause what I am hearing ain't lining up with the judges. Jimmy gets a few moments, and disagreed with the judges, thinking the song was terrible, and not even Amber could save it. Nor those bad notes, Mr. Iovine. Next up, we have Candice singing “Emotion”, the song written by The Bee Gees and sung by Samantha Sang.

Candice was singing really well, and sounding great. The backup singers were not on, however. I thought she took the song and massaged it well. Nicki loved it, and thought she was back on her game. She also bitched about Jimmy calling out the judges, and Randy joined in. He also loved Candice. Mariah loved it, and mentioned she had a cold, and Keith mentioned he wished the ladies would sing something more current. Talk to your producers, babe. Then Crusty dragged out Jimmy, and stupidity reigned supreme, and poor Candice was lost in the shuffle as the judges and Jimmy whined at one another, refusing to leave the topic of Amber. But Jimmy did say loud and clear that Candice was better than Amber this round. Go figure, he got one right. After the break, it is time for Kree to return to the stage, and she will be singing “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum, alhtough it was also covered by Annie Lennox more recently.

She walks to the microphone with some attitude, which seems to be what the judges are looking for. She is once again on top of the song, pitch perfect as she tells the story. She goes big on the notes, hitting the high end with ease and grace. That was a lovely performance, one I would surely download. Randy loved it, and thought she really redeemed herself. Mariah loved it, and looks forward to download it for her phone. Keith didn't love it, and thought it was a middle-of-the-road song, nothing special. Nicki loves her, loves the voice, but fears she will be in the bottom, and maybe going home tomorrow night. Now, that would be truly disappointing, for not only do I think she was far from the weakest performer, I also seriously doubt anyone is going home - there are three weeks remaining, and only two singers to eliminate. So, in my opinion, this week is all about drama with no conclusion. But I could be wrong. And after a long break, it is time to close the show out with Angie, who is singing “Cry Me A River”, originally a hit by Julie London.

Well, Angie is singing the song, and it sounds very dated, and very beauty pageant. She also lost some notes on the shouty section, veering off to the sharp end, with no sense of current at all. Of course, the judges all love it, and in fact, Randy calls her the best of the night. How Keith could call that celestial, but not point out the out-of-date aspect is beyond me. So I will move past the critique, and get to the recap. Hearing it back, I am reminded that inherently speaking, we have two singers in the competition, and Angie and Amber, too. Candice and Kree have so much more to their voices, and a greater knowledge of music, and I fear how this season will come to a conclusion. At the end, Ryan mentions a surprise twist tomorrow night, and I have to guess they will combine the votes from tonight with next week, to get back on schedule. But if I had to rank them on tonight's performances, I would say Candice took the evening, followed by Kree. For me, Amber's wan performances puts her at the bottom, while Angie was just above her. But we won't know until tomorrow night, so turn in to your Fox station at 8PM to get the twist. Who knows, maybe they are bringing Lazaro back!

American Idol 12 Top 5 - Recap & Review - Divas & Dates

Last week, we all remember that the producers' wet dreams came true, and the last boy standing, Lazaro, was sent home, leaving all five young ladies in the contest, although I am sure they will explain who the audience should eliminate next. Forget that their obvious tinkering has driven faithful viewer away, and caused the rating to plummet to a series low. And try to ignore producer Nigel Lythgoe has tried to distract attention with his constant musings about the judges feuding, something we would not have known had Idol itself not released tapes of Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey having issues during the auditions. And try to forget he tried to imply Randy Jackson is beloved across the nation. And, most importantly, try to forget the seeming failure of producers to deliver any talented young men this season to the judges, nor make the season seem like anything other than a karaoke festival for the contestant’s grandparents. Instead, try to remember how little excitement this season has been able to generate, at least based on performances. Yes, that will be what the few people who stick around will remember the most. But now it is time for tonight's show.

Left to right: Angie Miller, Candice Glover, Janelle Arthur, Kree Harrison, and Amber Holcomb.

The producers were so giddy their plan worked, they prepared a special intro about how the first time in six years a woman will win. I bet Nigel needed a cigarette after first seeing that video. The announcer comes on to introduce the judges, and Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban walk out together, and are joined by Crusty, who sends the very best to everyone effected by the tragedy in Boston. He then tells about two themes for this week, as the ladies will be taking on the music of their favorite Divas, and music from the year they were born. The first out of the gate is Candice, who will be singing “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul, a hit in 1989 when Candice was born.

She puts a jazzy spin on it, slowing it down a little bit, and channeling the sass to a soulful pocket. She was in complete control tonight, and that could have been her best performance to date. Keith loved it, not realizing it was a great song. Nicki thought it was amazing, and always knew the song was brilliant. She also pointed out that Candice was the one to beat, at least in her opinion. Randy loved it, and so did Mariah, who thought no one else could do that. Well, I hate to break it to her, but that is the point of the show... Don't get me wrong, she was wonderful, but the superlatives are a little heavy so early in the show. After the break, Jimmy Iovine was on camera, telling us the judges were wrong, and the song was far too simple, too limited to showcase Candice's vocals. Oh, well. Next up, there is Janelle Arthur, who will be singing Vince Gill's 1989 hit, “When I Call Your Name”. Her mother told her the only thing that would stop her from crying when she was a baby is Vince Gill's voice. Janelle gives it an even stronger Country feel, with bold steel guitars, and a lovely vocal. It was such a nice performance, so very sweet. Mariah, Randy, and Nicki all loved it, and thought it was her best in a long time, and thought she was so very authentic. Nicki said she thought the guitar was great, and thought she should perform with it more often. Keith, on the other hand, felt it lacked emotion, and maybe she was hiding behind the guitar. After Keith was finished, Mariah jumped in to add it must be a "girl thing" for she moved Mariah to tears. After the commercial break, Jimmy thought Janelle was truly lacking, and needs to do much better. Next, we learn that Kree Harrison will be singing “She Talks To Angels”, the big hit for The Black Crowes in 1990. She doesn't think people would expect her to sing it, and that excites her.

She has a magnificent voice, and shows it off on this song. She blends the Bluesy side of her voice, and changed it up a bit with a Country flavor rather than the Rock splash. I thought it was solid and strong, but not really Kree at her best. Randy loved it, and thought it was emotionally perfect. Mariah loves Kree, but thought it wasn't her best, for she wasn't losing herself in the song. Keith agreed with Mariah, fearing she was more interested in the staging than the song. Nicki disagreed with Mariah and Keith, loving this performance, and thought it was the best so far tonight. Mariah wanted to argue the fact, which I am sure made Nigel squeal just a little bit. After the break, Jimmy thought the performance wasn't strong enough, and the wrong song to choose. The judges aren't impressed by Jimmy I's thoughts, however. Next up is Angie Miller, who we learn was a chubby little girl. She will be singing “I’ll Stand By You”, the iconic song by The Pretenders from 1994.

Chrissie Hynde was amazing on the original, and Angie starts it off by dedicating it to Boston.

Three bars into the song, I know this will just not work at all. Her voice is too thin, and her vocals were not up to the task. She tended to fall flat on the big notes, and at times ran out of air a bit. The judges all loved it, with not a bad word to say. They all loved she brought up Boston, too! In fact, Randy mentions that fact, and how this is the best Top 5 ever. I wonder if anyone will ever just tell him to shut up before he passes any more gas over the microphone. I shake my head during the commercial, and can't wait for what Jimmy I will say. After all, he hasn't really been happy with the first three of the best Top 5 ever! Much to my astonishment, Jimmy thought she was brilliant, and the best of the night. I must go to the doctor and get my ears checked. Crusty reminds us about the fact Carly Rae Jepsen will be performing at the finale, and you can help her out by voting at the Cocoa Cola website. Then we learn Amber Holcomb will be singing next, but first we meet a fan who loves Amber, and she hooked her up with tickets for the show. Amber will be singing “Without You” by Badfinger, but the cover by Mariah Carey in 1994. I thought it was okay, but was kinda lacking. It was too close to Mariah's version, and she certainly doesn't have the voice to go toe-to-toe with Carey. Keith loved it, and thought it was amazing. Nicki was not impressed, and was, in fact disappointed. Oddly, she was even giving Mariah props while dissing Amber. Randy thought it wasn't perfect, but still amazing! Mariah thought she didn't have the bottom register for the song, but she loved some of the choices she made, and hopes people will still vote for Amber! Mariah also thanked Harry Nilsson for writing a great song, but it was actually Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger who wrote it. Jimmy thought Amber deserved an '"A" for bravery, but lacked the lower register, but still made her #2 for the night. Wow, Candice, Kree and Janelle are that bad. So with the birth year fiasco over with, it is time for the girls to be taking on the music of the Divas, the great female vocalists of all time, which only seems right, since they are the best Top 5 ever. It is time for Candice to come back to the stage, where she will be singing “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston, double-dipping on the theme. She admits it is a bit intimidating singing Mariah in front of Mariah,

but the glitter last week convinced her she should do it!

Candice sings the song with ease, but for the first half of the song, it is lacking in emotion to me. When she is joined by the Gospel choir, her vocals begin to soar. I thought it was a good performance, but liked the first one better. The judges greet her with a standing ovation, and Randy is bowing to her. Nicki loved it, and thinks that is how you sing a Whitney/Mariah song. She thought it was totally believable, and the perfect message for America and Boston tonight. Randy thought it was the best of the night, and Mariah agrees. Keith thinks she not only pulled out the stops, she annihilated them. Crusty hugs her, and tells her it is American hugging her. I get it, Idol - no battering ram needed. We skip over Jimmy this time, as I guess the judges no longer want to hear from him. Janelle will be following up that performance with her own charismatic flair. She will be singing “Dumb Blonde” by the incredible Dolly Parton

. Janelle would like to prove both she and Dolly are smarter than the average bear. Now, I think it is tough to take on Dolly, who is just so damn talented. While this is a great song, and Janelle sings it more like Miranda Lambert than Dolly, I think it shows some limitations on voice. The bottom end of her range was up to the task. The performance was bold and brilliant, but not on the level that is needed. Randy didn't care for it at all, but Mariah enjoyed it very much. Keith was not impressed with the song choice, and felt out of the incredible Dolly Song Book, "Dumb Blond" was a bad choice. Nicki fears she will be going home, but that won't keep her from being a success in the music business after Idol. Again Jimmy is not heard from, so I guess he had something better to do. Next we have Kree who will be singing a song by Celine Dion, "Have You Ever Been In Love". I didn't know the song, but she is doing really well with it. She is trying to balance the song, offering quiet sweetness along with the big power notes. She remained in her sweet spot, sounded beautiful throughout. I think it is an excellent job, and she is greeted by a standing ovation by all four judges. Mariah loved it, showing her versatility as an artist. Keith thought she was so amazing, and was so effortlessly amazing. Nicki loves it, and thinks she is not Country, she is Worldly - she can sing anything. Randy agrees and loves her ability to sing anything and make it great. Crusty drools over Kree a bit, and reminds us that after the break, Angie will be on stage to sing a song by Beyoncé. In fact, she will be singing “Halo”. She will be singing it center stage, not behind her piano. While this is perhaps the best I have heard her voice, she is over singing the song, refusing to let a moment go without vocalization. By the end, her voice begins to give out. The last few bars were a struggle to hear, and yet the judges give another standing ovation. Keith loved it, said she was Top 3. Nicki loved it, and was so glad she was back. Randy declared she was in it to win it. And Mariah declared her a diva, and told her she loved it. They are rushing a bit, trying to make sure they fit the night in, since they've been wasting some time congratulating themselves to eliminating the boys. After the commercials, it is time to Amber to close out the show singing “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?”, written by Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman. It was originally sung by Michael Dees in the film 'The Happy End', but is perhaps best known from the version by the great Barbra Streisand, recorded on the 1974 album 'The Way We Were'.

Now, I love Barbra, and think 'The Way We Were' is a flawless album. And this song is one of my favorites off the album. Amber is excited, feeling it is a Jazzy song, something she enjoys. The first third of the song is pedestrian, offering little heft of body behind the voice. It is certainly lacking the emotional connection, which is unfortunate. She ends the song with a bit of a sloppy run, which is unfortunate. Nicki thought it was perfection, and thinks she is a young Whitney Houston. Randy thinks it is the toughest song of the season, and she is a young Rihanna. Mariah loved it, and thinks she is a massive star, and America should be voting for her. Keith thought it elegant and beautiful, and Crusty thought she was regal. With the recap, it is made clear to me that Candice and Kree are the top 2 of the group, and Janelle, Angie, and Amber lagging behind. And I got the memo, the show thinks it is Janelle's time to go, but I am not sure, it could be her or Amber. But we won't know until tomorrow night what will really happen, and the ladies will be entertained with performances by Fantasia and Clay Aiken.

American Idol 12 - Top 6 Recap & Review - Songs of Bacharach/David

Last week, we said a fond farewell to Burnell, after sharing the Bottom Two space with Janelle. We also learned that last week, Lazaro had place in the Top 3, next to Kree and Angie, with Candice and Amber floating in the middle 'safe' ground. This of course set a mild fire of indignation, many thinking it was Lazaro who should go home. I shall save my indignation for the producers and judges, who save thousands of singers, and couldn't come up with ten who are capable of winning the title. You can't blame America for voting for a kid you introduced to them, can you? Well, enough about last week, we can now move on this this week, with the theme 'Songs Your Grandparents Love', which could really describe much of the season to date. Okay, so the theme is really 'The Music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David', who had a tight control on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1960s and 1970s. Each contestant is also getting a second performance, with 'Songs They Wish They'd Written'. Now, have we established the remaining contestants are singer/songwriters? Honestly, I don't see a couple of them as songwriters, and that changes the complexion of the theme. But I digress. On with the show, this is it!

The episode begins with the dismissal of Burnell, getting hugs from all the ladies, from contestants to judges. And Randy utters the comical phrase "This is just the beginning". If history has shown us one thing, it is that once the tour is over, the vast majority of the kids disappear. But that is a line no one at Idol wants to repeat. Soon it was the judges being introduced, followed by a perky Crusty. He chats a bit, and introduces the Top 6. We also see Nigel Lythgoe, who never seems to mind promoting himself. But we quickly move on to the contestants. Angie is up first, and she talks about some silly videos she has on YouTube, dancing with her bestie and being silly. She sings "Anyone Who Had A Heart", originally sung by the great Dionne Warwick.

While this is the best vocal performance she has given, there is nothing new she brings to the table. It sounds very much like a karaoke performance. This is a song of heartbreak, and she delivers none of it. I don't think she as ever delivered on an emotional level. I am surprised, for not only does Keith agree with me, so does Nicki, Randy, and Mariah. They all liked her, but wished she would connect more with the lyrics. After what seems like an endless string of commercials, it is time for Amber to take her turn on the stage, singing a sweet song, another made famous by Dionne Warwick. She tackles "Say a Little Prayer". Before she sings, we learn she likes to eat frozen shrimp, sort a "shrimpcicle". Oh well. She looks pretty, and comes out to deliver our second karaoke performance of the night. On a couple of the runs, she has a tough time reaching for the high end. And once again, it lacks urgency or passion. It was really not sounding fresh. Nicki is the first up, and she falls all over herself to say how great Amber was. Randy agreed, and thought she was setting the bar for the competition. Mariah called her genius. Keith loves how effortless she was, and didn't oversing. I guess once again I was listening to a different performance. Crusty tells us that it will be Lazaro up next, so we have yet another week, and no male has been given the celebrated 'pimp spot', singing last. In fact, he is placed in the middle, where a performance could be easily forgotten. Lazaro admits on his video that he likes to ride ATVs and go hunting, and refers to himself as the Spanish redneck. He will be singing "(They Long To Be) Close To You" a huge hit for the Carpenters. He starts off nicely, although a bit restrained. In the middle, he hits a tough spot, and there are some rough notes. Once the song is over, and Randy begins the drive to get him out of the competition, talking about it being his worst performance of the competition. Now, I admitted it wasn't that good, but I have heard him sing worse than that, and be praised by these same judges. Mariah continues the beat down, followed by Keith. Nicki smiles, tells him hello, and tells Crusty to move on. I just think some people need to be reminded they put the boy on the show, and featured his touching story, and that wasn't me who did that. When you point a finger, there are usually three fingers pointing back to you. That brings us to Kree, who is thrilled her brother managed to get off work and attend the show tonight. She will be singing one of my favorites, "What The World Needs Now", originally made popular by Jackie DeShannon.

Hey, that was my favorite so far. She changed it up, gave a stronger emotional base, and less pop confection. She started off acapella, highlighting the wonderful warmth of her voice. Starting with Mariah, the judges fall all over themselves about that performance. In fact, Randy also uses it as an opportunity to bash Lazaro, which caused Mariah to giggle, and takes the focus away from Kree, who was wonderful tonight. The next one up is Janelle, who is tackling another hit from Dionne Warwick, singing “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”. She starts off with a sweet simplicity, but the performance doesn't really go anywhere, and sounds a bit bland and lifeless. I am surprised to hear the judges kind of agreeing with me, talking about there were some moments, but for the most part, it was forgettable. Finally, the last to sing her entry in the 'Songs of Your Grandparents sweepstakes' is Candice, taking on another Dionne Warwick ballad. She will be singing “Don’t Make Me Over”. She does a lovely job, changing it up a bit, and taking it a little in the Gospel direction. This is good, although a bit forced to me. I would say this is behind only Kree's performance tonight. However, the judges give it a standing ovation, which I find surprising. They are all taking about her being best, and we can decode to understand what the show wants to see in the future. They desperately want Lazaro gone tonight, and Janelle and Angie gone soon thereafter. They see a battle between Kree, Amber and Candice, and they'll do their best to get it!

Now the second round begins, and it is time for the contestants to sing the songs they wish they wrote. I am still apprehensive about this, as I don't think a couple of them would be writing their own songs, anyway. And first up will once again be Angie, who will be taking on a relatively new Christian Pop worship song. She will be singing "Love Came Down" by Kari Jobe. She is excited, for she will be back at the piano.

The song starts out quietly, and there are some slight pitch issues. In fact, there are a few more problems at the end of the chorus, with her voice giving out a bit. She brings it back together at the end, but that was a bit sloppy. It sounded to me like she lost her way on it. However, Randy and Keith gave it a standing ovation, which makes me roll my eyes. Randy thought it was a winning moment, and Mariah loved it. And Nicki pointed out without the piano, she was not on top - despite being in the Top 3 last week. After the break, Amber comes out, and is immediately grilled about the relationship with Burnell, which is just silly. She will be singing "Love on Top" written by Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, and Shea Taylor and made famous by Beyonce. It starts off weak, and her voice is sounding thin and drowned by the band. She catches up a bit, but not completely. She was lagging a bit, and falling shrill during the runs. This was not a great performance. Mariah loved it, but thought there were issues. Keith ignored the issues, and thought it great. Nicki loved it, and thinks Beyonce should be scared. Randy shouted something foolish, and we can move on. Next up, and sure to be tossed under the bus is Lazaro, who will be singing "Angels" by Robbie Williams. I have to admit I am a bit frightened at this prospect, but surprisingly, Lazaro isn't bad at all. He is pretty much on key, and feeling something as we go along. He softens the ending a little bit, rather than taking it out with power. Pretty much, the judges are rude and dismiss him, giving him little to no respect. They talk about how all the girls are on another level, and imply he isn't. Again, I don't know who those judges think they are correcting, for it was them who put the boys on that stage, not me... Next up is the wonderful Kree, who will be singing a classic song by Kris Kristofferson.

Wow, she is amazing on the opening bars, and this is just beautiful. There is such treasure in the simplicity of her version, just touching and so damn connected. She just nailed both performances tonight. Nicki loved her (but tossed Janelle under the bus while praising Kree), and Randy thinks she is a natural. Mariah thought that is how the song should be sung, and Keith thinks she will be a star. But they also are soft pedaling a bit, as if shoving the knife in Lazaro tired them out. But after another break, it is time for Janelle to sing “The Dance”, performed by Garth Brooks. However, since this is about the songwriter, I must point out the song was written by Tony Arata. This song has been a favorite since she was eleven. She starts off the song sitting on some steps, and sounds pretty good. She does try to change the song up a bit, but I feel like some of her choices get in her way, rather than enhance the song. And the final note was problematic. Randy credited Garth with being a great songwriter. Mariah never heard the song before. Keith corrected Randy, giving Arata the credit he is due. And Nicki thought it was better than her first, although not to get ahead of the other girls. Guess we will have to wait to see what America thinks. The final performance of the night belongs to Candice, who will be taking on a great song written by Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson, Roger O'Donnell, Boris Williams, and Lol Tolhurst, better known as the members of The Cure. I suspect, however, that Candice will be making reference to the stunning version by Adele, off her album '21'.

Candice begins the song with a smokey, Jazz feel, and she is in great voice. The directors keep cutting back to Randy and Mariah, enthralled by her. Honestly, I am loving it until she starts to oversing it. It is a beautiful and simple song, as you can tell by Adele's version, as well as the original. There was some anger there I didn't know belonged there. Honestly, this was tough for me. However, the crowd and the judges go nuts, with Keith bowing to her, Mariah sprinkling her with glitter, and Randy calling it the best performance ever in 12 years of the competition. Wow, that is surprising hyperbole, even for the Dawg. So the recaps happen, and once again, we are reminded the girls are way better than the boy. For me, Kree wins the night, and Lazaro was the weakest of the night. However, it is hard to say who will be going home, if anyone. After all, there is still a save for the judges to use. I suspect they might have come after Lazaro too hard, but you never know. But if I were a betting man, I have to think Janelle should be a bit worried. I would hope both Kree and Candice are safe, but one never knows, do one? Guess we will have to wait until the results are announced tomorrow night at 8PM on your local Fox channel!

American Idol Season 12 • Top 7 Perform

Last week, it was Devin who was sent packing, with the other remaining boys, Lazaro and Burnell, joining him in the bottom three, just as Jimmy Iovine had predicted. While many, including Jimmy, thought it would be Lazaro leaving, it was Devin, who had been in the bottom two for every week of the finals. It was also announced that the theme for the Top 7 would be 'Classic Rock', a genre that would generally favor the boys, but we all know nothing is done this season to favor the boys... Of course, with the group we are looking at, I don't think the theme will be kind to Lazaro, nor to Burnell, who has not shown a great knowledge of music, or ability to adapt. On the other hand, Kree and Candice have shown great range already, and expect them to do well. But we must wait for the performances before we know for sure, as surprises are possible. After all, who saw Blake Lewis' performance of "You Give Love A Bad Name" coming during Bon Jovi week in Season 6, Danny Gokey's legendary scream in "Dream On" during Season 8, Crystal Bowersox delivering a memorable "You Can't Always Get What You Want" from Rolling Stone week in Season 9, or Paul McDonald's manic "Folsom Prison Blues" for Rock &Roll Hall of Fame Week in Season 11. So, who will surprise us tonight?

Left to right: Burnell Taylor; Candice Glover; Angie Miller; Amber Holcomb; Janelle Arthur; Lazaro Arbos; and Kree Harrison.

The episode begins with a close up of someone plugging in their Les Paul, and showing pictures of some of the great rockers of the last 60 years, from Chuck Berry to The Who to Heart. Then we are introduced to the judges, and to Crusty. He reminds us that this is live, and that Rock means no ballads, and no slow songs. And the Idols will be joined in their performances by Orianthi, the rock guitarist of Greek and Australian roots.

From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

Up first, it is Burnell Taylor on the hot seat, and to kill time (after all, they got two hours to kill, and sell advertising), the other finalists get to mock him, from his mumbling to his laugh. He will be singing "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. From the start, he seems to miss his entrance, and never really catches up. But he stays in tune throughout the song. However, his performance is very karaoke to me, with very little of Burnell's own personal style, not in the slightest. I was kinda bored. Keith starts off the critiques, pretty much agreeing with me that he phoned it in. Nicki still loves him, but agreed it lacked expression. Randy agreed with me that he was a bit behind the entire song, which bothers me to no end. I don't want to agree with Randy.... Mariah loves Burnell, and loved that he had fun with the song. She thought it was great. Really, Mrs. Cannon? You'd call that great? Sigh... Before going to commercial, we are warned that we will be joined by Angie Miller and Lazaro Arbos singing a song by Queen. I am afraid. They will be singing "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Lazaro begins the performance, and it is so in the wrong key, it is ridiculous. He doesn't have the power to overcome the band, and really only delivers in the last two lines. When Angie kicks in, and her voice is not right for the song, and like Burnell, she falls behind the beat, for the entire song. And her voice was not meant to sing a lyric-intensive song like this, better suited for the slower songs, to elongate her vocals. The judges are polite, trying to point out Lazaro was not good and forgot lyrics, but called Angie's performance wonderful as always - I haven't really heard her sound really good yet. Thankfully, we will have a performance from one of my favorites, Kree Harrison. The video package mocks the way she is a nice person who actually knows the names of people around the show. Okay. So Kree will be singing "Piece Of My Heart" by the great Janis Joplin.

The song sits wonderfully in her range, and allows her to show off her strength. She really takes command of the stage, and owns the song. That was a wonderful performance, and she has a history now of picking great songs for herself. I can't say enough about it. The judges also loved it, although Keith says he noticed a stiffness in her movement, and she admits she has a pinched nerve. I will honestly say I didn't notice anything during the performance, but whatever. We are warned that after the commercial, we will be treated to another duet, this time Burnell Taylor and Candice Glover - "The Letter", sung by The Box Tops in 1967.

Burnell starts out the performance, and is much more into this than his solo. But he does struggle to allow his voice to carry over the big sound of the band. Candice comes out and immediately owns her part, and then some. She also manages to give Burnell some energy, helping the rest of the song. I felt his performance got a bit lost in the song, which distracted me from Candice a bit. Their styles are kinda exact opposites, with Candice having power and aggression, while Burnell has a laid back, easy way of singing. However, the judges loved it, and thought both were great. They thought Burnell was better here than in his solo, and Candice was heaven sent. While this was no where near the train wreck of the first duet, I still couldn't get as excited as I might have liked nor as much as the judges seemed to be inspired. After the commercial break, we will be hearing the solo performance of Janelle Arthur. Not a surprise, they make fun of her Country roots. I am also not surprised they included a clip of Lazaro making from of toothless rednecks, in hopes to get rid of him this week. She will be singing Billy Joel's big hit, "You May Be Right". She certainly puts a Country spin on the song, and it works nicely. While she is good, she falls well short of being fantastic. In fact, the song, particularly in the chorus, showcases a weakness in her voice, and her issues with breath control. She keeps moving across the stage, trying to cover up a few shortcomings. And it seems to be an effective ploy for the judges, and they loved it. From wardrobe to performance, they thought it was fantastic. After a break, once again Lazaro Arbos returns to the stage, and once again he is going to be taking on Freddie Mercury. That is just not a battle he will ever win. First, we have to see Randy wearing Janelle's fringe vest, which isn't pretty. In the video, the ladies mock his wardrobe of bright colors, and his melodramatics. Finally, he comes out to sing Queen's "We Are The Champions". While I have to say the band was drowning him out much of the time, this was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. He stays on key for the most part, and kept up with the tempo. The judges are amazingly nice to him, while still keeping a cool distance. But he was way better on his solo than he was on his pitiful duet. Another seemingly endless break comes back with a trio, Amber Holcomb, Janelle Arthur, and Kree Harrison. They sings Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me". For me, it is Kree who once again stands out, although the performance lacked energy and drive. Janelle was a bit weak, and Amber had a few errant notes. It became instantly forgettable. Randy, Mariah and Keith loved it, thought they were great and amazing. Nicki hated the performance, but loves the girls. That made me smile. Next up, we have the solo performance by Candice Glover. First, we hear of the April Fools prank gone wrong, as she broke her toe. In the video, we learn she has her own room, and everyone is jealous. And she and Burnell have a strange sibling relationship. She will be singing the Rolling Stones iconic song, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".

The song kicks off with that familiar guitar riff, and Candice bringing her usual great vocals. Only the first couple of bars are a bit weak, and scared me a bit. But when she started the chorus, she brought it home, and she owned the performance, and took control of a classic. I am not sure, but this could be my favorite of the night. Mariah loved it, but said nothing in particular. Keith loved it, and thought Orinanti was great, too. Nicki loved Candice, but not the song. Randy loved her, and thought it might not have been the best choice of songs, but thought she still killed it. After a break, we discover that Amber Holcomb talks to herself a great deal, and everyone thinks she is beautiful, especially Burnell. She will be singing "What About Love", the great song by the great band, Heart. She starts off the song well, but in the chorus, there is a certain thinness to her voice that grabs me the wrong way. I don't know, but she tends toward the sharp side for me. And I really feel like this is a power ballad, and we were told ballads were not allowed. So I am confused. I am even more confused when Keith talks about how great it was, and the rest chime in accord with him. Mariah ends the discussion with a plea that people vote for her, and Crusty even points out her soldier sister in the audience. They are working hard for Amber tonight. However, this leaves us with only one performer left to take on a Rock Classic. But first we chat with Joshua Ledet and Holly Cavanaugh, both of whom are working in the studio on new music. Angela Miller first has to hear from the other contestants, who laugh at her getting excited about everything. And how she works the camera with her eyes... She is on the piano to sing the song "Bring Me To Life", written by Evanescence and performed by them and Paul McCoy.

She starts out so very well, with the simplicity of the arrangement perfectly suited for her vocals. As soon as the rock part kicks in, she is pretty well drowned out by the band, and as she pushed to be heard, she struggles with staying in tune. There is a wind machine, and the production takes over the performance. This is not a great choice for her, showing the frailness of her voice. Amy Lee has such a strong vocal, and this came off like a karaoke performance to me. There was way more focus on form than function, looking more like a girl playing at being a rocker. Once again, the judges don't feel the same way, as they loved this mess. They gave her high marks for just about every aspect, except Keith made a veiled reference to her worrying more about the production than the feeling of the song. As the recap plays, we all know that the bottom three will include Lazaro and Burnell, and the trick will be identifying the young lady joining them. I think it will be between Janelle and Amber, and they might have pushed her hard enough to score safety for Amber, even though I thought both performances were on the weak side. Honestly, this was not a great show for just about anyone, for no one truly embraced the theme, and only a few managed to not sound like frat party karaoke material. The power of Kree and Candice allowed them to shine more than the others, who don't have the talent to compete. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I would say Lazaro was the weakest of the night, but also surpassed expectations. Burnell, on the other hand, was disappointing, although his vocals were stronger than Lazaro's. And could it be time to eliminate a young lady, or will the audience do as they are told, and get rid of all five guys first? Guess we will have to tune into results show on Thursday night at 8PM on Fox. But check you local listings to be sure, or stop back to Rickey.org to get your fix. Former contestant Casey James and winner Carrie Underwood will be featured on the show, as well as the tribute for who ever is going home.

American Idol Season 12 • Top 8

After an evening of mixed results last week with the music of the Beatles, this week the Top 8 of American Idol Season 12 take on the Music of Motor City, an oddly vague title one would assume describes the Motown sound, the music coming out of Detroit, Michigan. While I am thinking Motown, the vagueness could mean any music coming out of the Detroit area, like Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Iggy Pop, Madonna or even Ted Nugent. This might be a welcome relief from hearing the same songs from Motown we've heard year after year. On the other hand, maybe not. Guess we will have to wait and see what the American Idol Top 8 have in store for us.

Top row: Angie Miller; Lazaro Arbos; Burnell Taylor; Devin Velez and Candice Glover.. Bottom row: Kree Harrison; Amber Holcomb and Janelle Arthur.

The theme was introduced by Smokey Robinson, who gave us a run down that it was any artist from the Detroit area, which included the rich catalog of the Motown stars, including Smokey. And, of couple of moments later, Crusty is introducing the judges and the Top 8. Crusty let's us know that not only will we be having the Top 8 on solos, but we will also have some group numbers on the schedule.

From Left: Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Seacrest, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban.

After the break, Crusty told us the great Smokey Robinson will be meeting with the Top 8, trying to give inspiration and guidance for the group. Candice is the first contestant to meet with Smokey, who admits he just loved her, and admitted her "I (Who Have Nothing)" brought him to tears. She will be singing "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", a great song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. It first came to the charts when sung by the great Marin Gaye. She puts a bluesy edge to it, and a bit of Aretha as well. There was great grit and depth to her performance, and she brought the audience to their feet just as the first performer should. I fear she worked it a bit too hard, and I wish she just pulled back a bit. The judges just gobbled her up, although Mariah mentions once again she wants to hear her bring us to church with her vocals, since it worked so well for Curtis Finch, Jr. After the break, Crusty announced that Kree & Janelle will team up to take on Madonna. Both girls are excited, and sing "Like A Prayer", having been inspired by a Jennifer Nettles cover of the song. They start out in tune, and the song sounds good, but feels a bit slow, a bit pokey. It just lacked a bit of go-forward. And Kree's voice showed the weakness in Jannelle's, a lack of depth. The judges loved them, although Nicki, Randy, and Mariah thought Kree outshined Janelle, and Keith thought they both sounded great.

Mariah did take a shot at the Producers, remarking the Powers-That-Be like cutting her off. I thought it was because she rarely has anything of use to say. Crusty spoiled the news that Lazaro Arbos will be up next, singing a Stevie Wonder classic. After the break, Crusty gives Smokey a big hug in the audience, giving him time to plug upcoming duets album, and the Motown show on Broadway. Back in the studio, we hear he is singing "For Once In My Life", and both Smokey and Jimmy I tell him he does a great job. Lazaro takes to the stage, opening the song with a simple arrangement, sounding like he picked the right key this week. This is his best performance I have seen by him, as I didn't watch the auditions. It picked up the tempo, bringing it to the more accepted arrangement, and enjoying his time singing. He moved on the stage with confidence. The judges all loved him, and announced he was back. Both Randy and Mariah thought there were a few pitch problems, but I have to admit I didn't hear them myself. Keith just thought Smokey gave him great advice, and Nicki wanted Smokey to be her Sugar Daddy, and that he looked better than men half his age, so sexy with perfect skin. However, I don't think his wife was impressed. Nicki also took credit for his performance, reminding all she told him to ignore Jimmy and just believe in himself. Apparently, Mariah felt the need to step up and tell everyone that Smokey was a legend, responsible for so many hits as a writer and a performer. After the break, Janelle is coming out to sing a great hit by the Supremes. Janelle is excited to be playing her guitar in her own arrangement of "You Keep Me Hanging On", written by the legendary Motown team of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Eddie Holland.

Smokey loved her in the studio, offering a few suggestions to enhance her performance. She slows it up, and added a little calypso touch to it. Her voice sounded fuller and deeper than I have heard her to date. I am shocked at how good she is. Mariah greeted her with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of it. Keith loved it, and thought it brought out emotions no one had mined before. Nicki loved her, but thought she was not as pitch perfect as usual. Randy discounted her, saying it was amazing and her best to date. Following a commercial break, it is Devin's turn to meet with Robinson. We found out he is singing "The Tracks of my Tears", written by Smokey, along with Warren Moore and Marvin Tarplin. Smokey had a big hit with the song. Smokey loves what he does with the song, although Jimmy I isn't as sold. As Smokey told Devin about writing the song, I was reminded of Smokey telling the same story to Adam Lambert. Once again the boy delivers a pitch-perfect performance. He not only pays homage to the original, he also updates the sound with a very current vocal style. I enjoyed it, but am looking to hear what the judges say. Keith is up first, and he thinks it was good, but wasn't sure he felt the entire song. Nicki loved it, and thought he looked and sounded great. Randy loved him, and Mariah thought he was flawless, but might have wished he sung her favorite, "Ooh, Baby Baby". And she wished he might have cut loose a bit, but knows Jimmy likes control better - another shot at Mr. Iovine, who has kept a low profile this episode. Candice, Amber and Angie sing "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", the great song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Jerry Ross, and made famous by the Supremes and the Miracles. They do well, although once again I thought Candice let her light shine brighter than the other two. The judges greet them with a standing ovation, and loved every minute of the song, and each performance. After the commercial, we learn that Burnell will be singing Stevie Wonder's "Ma Cheri Amour", written by Wonder, Henry Cosby, and Sylvia Moy. Smokey offered a few notes, but loved it. His arrangement is very true to the original by Stevie, but adding some very modern choices in the vocals, saving it from being too boring. He can sing, and made a few sweet choices, but I really wanted more from him, and I think he is capable of it. Keith gives a standing ovation for Burnell's performance, telling us he just loves his voice. Nicki thought he looked fantastic in the white suit, and sounded even better. Randy also loved it, and Mariah thought it was just perfection. After the next break, it was time for Angie Miller to take on "Shop Around", written by Smokey and Berry Gordy. It was the first million seller for Motown. In the studio, there is a rock edge to her version of the song. Smokey encourages her to mix it up a bit, and move more toward the blues.

In the performance, part of the song is lost in the arrangement, as her voice fought with the band, instead of being accentuated by it. She sounded off for much of the song. It didn't really come to life until the final 30 seconds or so, and that had moments of uncomfortable stretch. Randy stepped in to say it was an odd one, having never heard her so pitchy. Mariah loves her, but thought this was not her best performance. She would have liked her to have been at the piano singing "I'll Be There". Keith thought the melody dragged her down, and pulled her off the song. Nicki thought it wasn't the song, it was her performance, her choice to bring it someplace that wasn't organic, wasn't real. She is not a rocker, not a blues singer, she is a singer/songwriter. She needs to own it, for that is where she shines. And Angie just wanted to have some fun with it. That'll teach her, won't it? The next up is Amber, who will be singing Stevie Wonder's beautiful ballad, "Lately". Jimmy mentions she was in the bottom three last week, and both he and Smokey thought she didn't deserve it. I will say I called it, though... As she begins to perform, I feel a bit of nerves as she tends to go sharp in the first few bars. But as she gets into the song, she straightens out the pitch issues, and and builds to a big finish. Mariah comes out with a bad British accent calling it a "tour de force", and then insults the audience thinking we have no idea what that means. Keith loved it, and thought it was beautiful. Nicki loved her, and thought she was amazing. She wants her to get a twinkle back, and forget she was in the bottom last week. Randy called it the best of the night, although I am not sure I'd agree there. Before going to commercial, Crusty tells up that next up we will have the boys, Burnell, Devin and Lazaro, taking on the Four Tops. I have to admit, I am not sure how this trio will gel together. They will sing "Can't Help Myself", written by the brilliant Holland–Dozier–Holland. As they are singing, I thought Devin was the standout, although it wasn't a great performance. Nicki is the only judge allowed to speak, and she hated it, and felt it was like Hollywood week, with the bad group numbers. She was not impressed. Burnell responded that he knew his part, kinda tossing Lazaro under the bus. Devin tried to stay out of the mess, and Lazaro admitted he had trouble learning the lyrics. By the way, Nicki was right. Next up is Kree, who is taking on a song by Smokey's best friend, Aretha Franklin. She will be singing "Don't Play That Song", written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson. Smokey loved it, and can't wait to call Aretha and tell her to listen.

Kree went live with it, and took the song from the beginning and made it build just right. She soared on it, her voice sounded amazing on it. Randy thought it might not be the most perfect of the night, but she will be around for some time to come. Mariah thinks she is one of the strongest in the competition, and loved it. Keith loved that she shows how much Soul and the Blues influence Country, and thought she was amazing. Nicki loved her, and the fact she took on two queens tonight, Madonna and Aretha, and lived to tell the tale. She loves her confidence, and her talent. Crusty tosses to the recap, and I am left to think about the performances of the night. My personal picks for the bottom three tonight might anger the judges, but not sure I care. Obviously to me, Angie was the weakest of the night, although I doubt she will be going home. I think Lazaro would be in my bottom three, as well as Amber. That said, I am betting we won't see two girls in there, as they have worked so hard to praise the ladies. So perhaps Burnell and/or Devin should be concerned. And that might lead to a surprise elimination, like perhaps Amber or Devin singing their song of survival. Perhaps one of them should have tackled Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", or Iggy's "Lust For Life"...