The top nine are singing the music of the Beatles tonight - it's either a recipe for success or unmitigated disaster.... How I wish Charlie had made it to this round... Well, here we go - the top nine, with my comments that as always, are written before I have a chance to be influenced by any of the other judges mutterings...

Kree: "With a Little Help From My Friends" - Killed it. She's probably the first contestant this year who won't succumb to the "going first curse" - great way to start the show.

Burnell: "Let It Be" - Why would they let it be revealed that he doesn't know Let It Be? Those glasses and the angle that reveals his eyebrows remind me of Groucho Marx for some reason... He does amazing things with his runs, but there was not much "electric" about this performance, and in fact, sometimes it almost seemed screechy or whiny in some of his attacks - like a raspiness that didn't quite arrive right. It was okay, but man it made me wish Curtis had survived last week to have been able to sing this song. I bet he knows it.

Amber: "She's Leaving Home" - This is a great song to do in this way - though I think the chorus really misses the counterpoint of the melody that was regulated to a whisper of a BGV. But I loved her belt, and I think this song actually allowed her to tell more of a story with her performance than I've seen from her in the competition so far.

Lazaro: "In My Life" - This was boring for me - I think he's run out of colors in the crayon box. And can someone get this kid some powder? Not good enough I'm afraid.

Candice: "Come Together" - great off-speed pitch for her. If you're going to take a risk with a different style, this is the way to do it. She just owns the stage at all times. Is she getting thinner? Fantastic arrangement, great confidence - I loved it.

Paul - "Eleanor Rigby" - this feels like those moments when some dude from a soap opera cut an album and does a cover on Solid Gold. Was waiting for Donny Osmond or David Hasselhoff to come out for a duet. Me not like.

Angie: "Yesterday" - for what it's worth, Nikki, this is my favorite hairstyle of hers so far... The only part i didn't like was one time when she came in way above the melody on the first "yesterday" of that verse (it was late in the song)  - other than that, it was very very good. Very enjoyable.

Devin: "The Long and Winding Road" - He has all the swag that Paul is trying to convince himself that he has. I think he really found a nice groove with this arrangement and performance. It was very good. Smooth like butter.

Janelle: "I Will" - She's making this sound like a Dolly Parton song - beautiful, she's selling it for sure, I just don't know if it has enough "umph" when compared to the others - but she is owning her style and what she brings to the table.

Paul has got to go. That is all. See you with the results tomorrow

It's time for the top ten y'all! We slow down the cuts for the moment after two massive chops of five. This week the contestants can pick from previous American Idol artists (is this a good idea?) - and Nicki Minaj is not here because she's late. Seriously? National television contract but whatevs.

Here we go, and here are my comments as always written down before judges say anything.

Curtis: "Believe" - well this is getting the night started with all those great cliches we've come to know and love from American Idol songs. Right now this is working for me, but in many ways his jacket is more animated that this performance. And one of those notes was very flat. Not great. But he can still do that big note at the end.

Janelle: "Gone" - Now that's how you make an entrance! This is a great performance of a "just okay" song pick. But what this song does show is that she has some appeal beyond the pure country stuff. So it's better than her Lady Antebellum pick, but over the course of the song she had a hard time maintaining the fire of the song.

Devin: "Temporary Home" - This boy has a silky smooth voice. He's still my dark horse. no one thought that there was a teeny-bopper pick in this top 5 of guys, but if he is able to select some key songs that give him some tween girl traction, he could make life really miserable for the girls. I liked it.

Angie: "I Surrender" - Well she certainly does have the voice for this song - but what Jimmy is talking about and what's missing in her performance is what I would call "artist angst." - She is nailing it technically, and she's being honest with her performance, but she isn't diving into the heart of the song - she sings "I surrender" in a minor key but she's smiling a bit in the breaks. That's what makes it seems like a pageant performance.

Paul: "Amazed" - Well he's not oversinging, but this is also boring. Bored. Boring.

Candice: "I Have Nothing" - the control that it takes to go from belting the "I" and the "love" while cooing the immediate "you" that follows is very impressive. She's like if Mary J. Blige stole Beyonce's range in a street brawl. It was an amazing performance, best of the night.

Lazaro: "Breakaway" - Brunazaro Mars? His voice isn't made for this song - the band and BGVs are overpowering his performance. It's too bad because I think the sentiment of the song could work for his story but it just didn't connect this time.

Kree: "Crying" - Very solid performance - exactly what I would have expected of her - I hope people don't stop being amazed by her talents. It was a little too slow for me personally, but man she is great.

Burnell: "Flying Without Wings" - This boy has eyes! Nice to see him without those frames. What in the heck is he doing with his hands? Is he auditioning for the Children's Television Workshop? He almost had all the notes to do this song, but does anyone actually remember this song? I just heard it and I already forgot the melody. He's got a great voice but it needs a better song to really come alive.

Amber: "A Moment Like This" - Ahhh, the original cliche finale tune! She had complete control of this performance the whole way through - my only feeling was that the arrangement was pretty "Disney World" especially the background vocals. - but her runs were off the charts good.

Random thoughts: So was Nicki lost in a penguin boxing ring? Is that why she was late? Will someone please put some more light on the pianist for Devin's song? He obviously can't see his music and continues to play wrong notes...
Nicki about Angie: "You personify perfection."
Randy about Angie; "Your voice was clystal clear."
Nicki: (after Candice killed it) "It would be in everybody's best interest to never ever perform that song again."
Keith about Amber: "That was a fan, I'm a fan"
Gotta love the snark of Mariah unwilling to mention Beyonce's name...

Who is in the bottom three? Based on performance, I would put Lazaro, Burnell, and Curtis in there. But I bet a Janelle or Angie will be shocked to be in the bottom three based on popular vote. We shall see...

Tonight on American Idol we hear from the 10 contestants who the producers have not-so-subtly decreed should not have a chance to win this year - so that a female will finally win again. Nonetheless, we still have to go through the exercise of hearing each of them sing one by one. So why get in the way of progress disguised as historical precedent? Here we go, the top 10 guys are up, my comments being uttered before I hear what the judges have to say...

Elijah: "Stay" - it's so cool - he's trying to get into that female vote consideration by singing a Rihanna tune. Unfotunately he doesn't have what Rihanna brings to the table. Big mistake with song choice and he has gone first. Soon to be forgotten, even the tweens can't save him on this one.

Cortez: "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Hmmm... pretty karaoke, which is too bad because to be able to imitate Bruno Mars in karaoke is very difficult to do, so it's a mean feat - but it doesn't really tell us anything about him or what he brings to the table that is unique. Except maybe for that last run.

Charlie: "Mama" - All the best freaks are here - it was really good and completely bizarre - boy does he know who he is. (more thoughts on this performance below after I heard the judges feedback)

Nick: "Iris" - Way to go Ryan to bring up his receding hairline--I mean, style choice wearing hats... eeek. I like this song, but man, he is Richard Marx-ing the crap out of it. And I like RIchard Marx! I understand why they have kept him, but it's not for me.

Burnell: "I'm Here" - I think this was a great performance, and yet at the same time it feels a little desperate to me. But even with that it's the best so far. Big shout out to musical theater playing a key role in the proceedings.

Paul: "Just a Fool" - Didn't he listen to them about oversinging?! And he picks a Christiana Aguilera song? Her middle name is over-singing - and it's not even one of her catchy songs. I don't get him yet.

Lazaro: "Feeling Good" - If he could get a real smile out when he sings, he would be a complete heartbreaker - as he is now, he's more moody and a little boring. It's like the whole time he's saying that he's Feeling Good but he's in pain while performing. But he smiled at the end after the song, and that's what he needs. He's gonna go through for sure.

Curtis: "I Believe I Can Fly" - yes, this is a perfect pick for him. Gospel music happens, even by R. Kelly. He just took everyone to church - it didn't exactly get all the way through the TV set though, so it will be interesting to see if the voting will reflect how powerful that moment must have felt in the room.

Devin: "It's Impossible" - I know that the judges have been high on him, but even with their favor, I think he is a dark horse who could knock out some favorites. But the bilingual routine won't work every week, so he's going to need to have another card to play. But he has a killer voice.

Vincent: "End of the Road" - I like this song but it is for multiple voices in my mind, so I don't like it as much as a solo artist trying to do runs over BGVs singing the chorus. This arrangement is rushed - too fast - then he did the acrobat note, and that was okay I guess. But his acapella run didn't work, and it was not nearly as good as Curtis, who I am comparing him to out of my own racism and depravity. I should say that he wasn't as good as Devin. oh wait. Now I'm confused.

Random Notes: Keith Urban loves everyone's voice.
Randy: "(the notes are) always a little under for me sometimes." come again?
Mariah continues to bring up past performances.
These judges are ridiculous to think that what Charlie did is any different from anything he has been doing this whole time.
Now everyone's going to try and keep Charlie from walking off a pier. Don't bully the awkward turtle, and also don't give him a microphone.
My wife Kristi about Charlie: "He may just be a tad emotionally unstable."
Nicki Minaj to Curtis: "You have a calling on your life to bless people and to do so much good." Preach.
Nicki's new song next year: "Spanish Ken Doll?"

My favorites after all was sang and done were Curtis, Lazaro and Burnell. What did you think?

American Idol is back - and here I go again with yet another season of commenting on performances and enjoying the performance rounds of the show. Say what you want about X Factor and The Voice, but American Idol remains the most influential singing competition that actually turns nobodies into superstars who make a pop culture impact, and that is even after two seasons of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez judging! Now it's Mariah, Nicki, and Keith, along with the big dog Randy. Tonight, it's the top ten girls, and the voting will knock that in half for next week's top ten. Here are my thoughts, as always written before I hear any other judges comments... and away we go!

Zoanette: "What's Love Got Do With It" - She is what I would call a "legitimate freak" - there are others that they might have been scared to let go through, but this girl is completely freaky but is clearly very talented. Perfect artist pick with Tina Turner, but I'm not sure about this particular song - she might have been better served with "life beyond thunderdome" or "private dancer." I think she's in trouble.

Breanna: "Flaws and All" - Strong performance - she reminds me of Rihanna in that she has a strong presence and everything feels great but I don't see a whole lot going on behind the eyes - she's great, but she lacks sparkle ultimately. But she'll go on.

Aubrey: "Big Girls Don't Cry" - This feels rushed. I like her more than I liked this performance - just didn't have enough time to breathe. But I hope she goes through because I think she has real potential.

Janelle: "If I Can Dream" - She is very good, but probably should have gone home last week. She capped her ability, and it was enjoyable, but not memorable. Country strong is gonna need to show up in the voting to keep her in the top five.

Tenna: "Lost" - Struggled with some of these notes, and she needs diction exercises. It's not that she's bad, but after the last several, man, they're all starting to blend in together.

Angela: "Never Gone" - hmmmm... pulling out the Colton Dixon tune... could be Christianish! It was smart to pick a relatively unknown song that was similar to the kind of vibe she achieved when she wrote and performed her own song two weeks ago during Hollywood week. She nailed it. Smart, smart.

Amber: "I Believe In You and Me" - She has everything that was lacking in Breanna - sparkle in her smile and an attack to the song that seems effortless. I hope she doesn't get overshadowed. She is the best of the brand of the female african-american strong vocalists this season.

Kree: "Stronger" - Very similar to the last performer, her country chops blow Janelle away. She has soul, spirit, grounding that is unmatched. The only thing she needs is a catchier song. But I really loved it and loved her.

Adriana: "Stand Up For Love" - She's going for the "we are the world" moment right out of the gate. And with that last note, she might have done it.  Her only saving grace is that she went last and that she isn't one of the african-american girls.

Candice: "Ordinary People" - I love hearing a girl belt this song. She is the black soul version of white country Kree - just effortless. I would love to see Candice and Kree in the finals.

So Thursday night we find out which five go on, and tomorrow we get the boys. They have been really pumping up these girls to get one of them through to win since it has been so long since a girl has won. So... is there a winner here? A couple?