Michael---This is one of the most difficult classic rock songs to sing. He lacks the range and power and control required to do this song justice. Michael should never have attempted it. He sounded very good through the first half of the song, although it sounded like a Steve Tyler impersonation. The second half was horrible. He was off key, pitchy, and made a mess of alternately screaming and whooping the high notes, not to mention completely losing the timing and control. Granted, it is a very difficult song, even for singers who have the range for it. Performance-wise, he was good, but imitative.
Syesha--Vocally, this was absolutely beautiful and nearly perfect, although she was slightly straining and a little pitchy on a few notes during the big buildup at the end. My problem with it is that her voice is almost too beautiful for this song. This song requires an edge and a kind of been-through-hell-but-still-have-hope kind of attitude that made it perfect for Fantasia, who defined the song. Still an excellent performance, and she had a risk in taking on a song that is so identified as a former Idol winner's song.I just hope we get to see more of her personality next week, if she is still there.
Jason---The judges loved it. I thought it was pretty good, and definitely better than last week. He has a marketable style, and chose an interesting arangement of the song. He also gave credit to the original artist who came up with the arangement, so points for that. Good performance, okay vocal. Potential to do better, I think.
Kristy---this is one of the few country songs I really like.....unfortunately, Kristy's voice , although reasonably clear and in tune within her very limited range, is weak, nasal, and brittle.She sounds borderline screechy/squeaky and strained when she tries to belt, as though her voice is about to crack. It isn't that challenging or big of a song , yet she had to make a big effort to (barely) manage it.This is the best she has sounded, but her best just isn't good enough to compete with the others left this season.She did an okay job performance wise this time. For once, she was not the worst of the night. Overall, it was good.(for her)
David C---This was not good.(for him)..Pitchy more often than usual, and , although none of the vocal was really bad, it just was half good/half shouting, and put together in a mismatched-sounding way. This really did sound like a reasonably good karaoke performance. Performance wise, it was also kind of karaoke and cheesy, and the 'give back' at the end came off as not really fitting, but he seems like he tries hard and is a decent person, so he probably meant well.
Carly---not nearly as difficult a song as Dream On, but nonetheless a very challenging song to do justice to. Other than being unable to hold on to a few of the major notes and cutting them short just a little, she nailed it. The judges are full of poo, she did not over-sing it or lose control at all. (fun fact--The judges go mostly by what they hear at the previous rehearsal and what they are told to say, so it isn't like what they say on the night means much anyway. ) This one is meant to be a bit over the top. She pushed her voice just enough to get the right vibe without going shouty, then eased off for great dynamics.The song suited her.She sang it right and sang it well. It is an angry/sad song, and she performed it right. She looked great, too.
David A----reasonably good vocal on a moderately easy to sing song choice. Nothing wrong with this performance, technically,and the way it is aranged, it could almost fool listeners into thinking he has some power to his voice if they don't listen too closely...Reasonably good, but this performane, vocal, and song didn't hold my attention.He is consistennt, but also consistently unexceptional.
Brooke---this was the first time I really wasn't drawn in at all by her performance. She sounded like she was having some problems. Vocally, she was only slightly better than Kristy this week,wich isn't good.(for her)....This was my least favorite performance by Brooke.
Vocally okay, performance wise okay, but not nearly her usual standard. Others are getting better while she is idling.
Overall, Carly had the best vocal of the night, although anyone who hasn't either sung or at least heard several different people sing the song she performed (not to mention the original) may not apreciate how well she did.Also, it was not a good choice for a show like this , so may work against her. Still, vocally impressive in an odd way. Syesha was close behind.She delivers the most consistent technically good vocals .She performed well, but she does need to put more into performance and choose songs that suit who she is.Even though he bored me, David A ties with Jason for 3rd best this week. Jason's performance was cool enough in a unique(for Idol) way.Everyone else had a bad week.(except Kristy, but her best is still not that good)
Worst of the night was definitely Michael's butchering the end of Dream On.