American Idol 2011 - Live shows, week 2 - Idols

1. Lauren - Any Man Of Mine (Shania Twain)
Uh oh. Every time this has been been done in the past, it's been the kiss of death, and usually for very strong acts too. I suspect the trend may continue based on tonight's performance.

2. Casey - With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker)
More than a little bit shouty and growly. Well, it worked for Lee Dewyze. It wasn't as bad as that, but still did nothing for me.

3. Ashthon - When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Diana Ross)
Strong on the big notes, but very bad on the low notes. Overall, very disappointing, especially given that the judges saved her.

4. Paul - Come Pick Me Up (Ryan Adams)
Don't know the song, and this version was pretty dull. Another one that suffered on the low notes, but this was even worse.

5. Pia - All By Myself (Celine Dion)
Definitely the best so far, but that's no feat. Fortunately, it was a fantastic vocal by any means.

6. James - Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney)
A surprisingly MOR choice for the screecher, but he managed to squeeze a few of them in. A little shaky on some notes, but a minor quibble on another fantastic vocal.

7. Haley - Blue (LeAnn Rimes)
A tough song to sing well, but she pulled it off. Randy's comment that it was "a bit boring" is not inappropriate, however.

8. Jacob - I Believe I Can Fly (R Kelly)
The talent show staple is done yet again. Yawn. Fortunately, Jacob is usually far less boring than the song itself. But he made it interesting in a very bad way. Very shouty and off-melody. He took some risks, but yikes they didn't pay off. I don't know what the judges heard.

9. Thia - Smile (Michael Jackson)
Hilariously, has never heard of Charlie "Chapman", but she gave a captivating performance with a beautiful vocal... Then ruined it with a horrid jazzy bassline. For the record, MJ did not.

10. Stefano - Lately (Stevie Wonder)
One of my favourites has blown it. Overdoing the runs on virtually every single syllable, then made the second half even worse with a ridiculous club beat. Some ballads can survive this, but Lately isn't one of them. Possibly the worst of a very bad night.

11. Karen - No Me Queda Mas (I Could Fall In Love With You) (Selena)
Needless to say, don't know this song. It was okay, but had some rough bits. A bit too big for her.

12. Scotty - Until The River Runs Dry (Garth Brooks)
Whatever. Don't get Garth, don't get Scotty. America will no doubt love him.

13. Naima - Umbrella (Rihanna)
Another unexpected choice, I was expecting something more old school. This one only proved what a great vocalist Rihanna is and why America voted Naima out. A brief ragga and dance interlude can't disguise that. Certainly one of the more lively performances of the night though.

My top 3: Pia, Haley, James (or the first half of Thia)

My bottom 3: Naima, Jacob, Stefano.

Actual bottom 3:
Karen, Ashthon, Haley. What do I know?

Out: Ashthon.

The encore performance was a lot better, but still flawed in the lower register. This performance would have got her far more votes. The judges decided, no save. Best to save it for Pia, no doubt.