AI: Back to Back

Yesterday wasn't a very good day. If I were a Sim, you would've seen a pink diamond hovering above my head. I felt better once I left the office. One reason for my improved mood was the chance to finally sit down and write about Tuesday's American Idol. The small things give me joy. Of course, I was only able to extract it from my PDA this morning, so here it is...

After last night's run, I got back to the house with just enough time to shower before AI came on. It has been my experience that everything seems better after a good run. Colors look brighter, food tastes better, people are nicer and Idol contestants sound better. This may not be the case in reality, but it's hard to tell when on a runner's high.

This week, contestants performed songs released in the year they were born. If I had to choose a tune from my birth year, I would go with "Annie's Song" by John Denver. It's simple, sweet and sounds great in the shower.

Nadia started the night off with "When I Dream", a slow, sultry song that she didn't sell well. Paula complimented her appearance, which is Paula-speak for "I didn't like your singing." I predict Nadia will receive the second lowest number of votes.

Bogart rocked "Free Bird". He may not be the best singer in the competition, but I like the quality of his voice. I can easily imagine hearing it on the radio. He also has this presence on stage I find engaging. It wasn't his best song, but it wasn't bad. With the way America has been voting, he will receive the third lowest number of votes.

Anwar sang "I'll Never Love This Way Again". It's unusual for guys on Idol to perform songs originally done by women. It's ambitious and risky, but Anwar has done it twice. A few weeks ago, he attempted Chaka Khan and fell short. This week, he sang Dionne Warwick and shined. His voice, control and range were working fine.

Then Anthony "Potter" Fedorov surprised me by wearing normal clothing. He sang "Everytime You Go Away" and actually did a decent job.. I still say he's this year's John Stevens, but his voice is much better than the red-haired crooner's.

On AI, it's all about the song choice. The selection becomes more critical if a contestant occupied the popularity basement the week before. Vonzell had a big decision to make, but as the grail knight from Indiana Jones would say, she chose... wisely. "Let's Hear it For the Boy" was an energetic, upbeat tune that she sold with gusto.

With his rendition of "She's Gone", Scott got my vote for most improved. In a week, he raised his game from dismal to merely uninspiring. It's a huge leap, but I predict he'll be the one saying goodbye to Idol Island this week.

Country Carrie tried to rock with "Love is a Battlefield". She made her voice gravelly, but I was unconvinced. It felt like a Nadia song. Simon said it was like watching a kitten that wants to be a tiger and I agree.

Constantine closed the show with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". I give him seven for showmanship, six for singing and three for the tongue. Simon called it "astonishing", which is as ambiguous as saying something is "interesting". The last few weeks have shown that Constantine excels at novelty songs, but I wonder if his novelty will soon wear off.

For the first time ever, I correctly predicted the bottom three. Of course, I completely messed up the sequence. Scott somehow eluded elimination and Nadia was sent packing. I haven't been as diligent as I should be about voting, but I'm definitely dialing Bo's digits next week. No more of this bottom three nonsense. Okay, no more Idol talk for at least five entries.