BuzzSugar

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:30:26 PST

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores. So I take a spin through each week's music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. Here are today's selections:

Music for the TV: When I think of The Fray I can't help but associate them with the golden era of Grey's Anatomy. So maybe that's why, despite receiving mixed reviews, I'm keeping an open mind about their newest CD following the breakout success of that Grey's song "How to Save a Life." Nothing too different going on here, but "You Found Me" is emotional and "Never Say Never" is a pretty track.

Idol success: Remember when Melinda Doolittle was on American Idol and every single time she sang the judges were all, "You are perfect"? I'm pretty sure they said that every single time. Anyway, now her first album is out and critics think she's pretty great too. Check out some of her soulful tracks including "Fundamental Things" and "Wonderful".

One more up next, so

read more. Pop punk fun: I remember hearing the song "Face Down" on the radio and it reminded me of the Plain White T's track "Hey There Delilah" in terms of its earnest acoustic rockness that I can't help but embrace. I never looked up who sang it but it's a band from Florida called The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and they have a new album out that is similarly infectious. I downloaded "Pull Me Back" and "You Better Pray."

Link Time! 12/4

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:32:19 PST

Cinematical gives a rundown of the top seven Asian-American actors ready to break out, according to them.
According to the MTV Movies Blog, Kevin Smith wishes to make a Jay and Silent Bob animated film.
Head on over to Moviehole if you want some juicy plot details about the X-Files sequel.
Vulture has "obituaries" for the fallen heroes from last night's Heroes.
You Ain't No Picasso whips up a playlist for No Country for Old Men.
Popwatch is wondering: Whatever happened to Melinda Doolittle?
TV Filter suggests a remedy for writers' strike blues: watching the independent pilot Apartment 413. Hey, it's got puppets.

Which "Idol" Contestant Would You Bring Back?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 13:32:00 PDT

Seeing all the booted "American Idol" finalists cheering on Jordin and Blake from the audience last night made me wonder: If you could have brought back one of them for the finale, who would it be? (You can let me know in the comments if you would rather have replaced Jordin or Blake.)

Photo courtesy of Fox

"American Idol" Elimination: Melinda Moves Out

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 09:18:19 PDT

In the end, being consistently good wasn't enough to get Melinda Doolittle into the "American Idol" finals. The most experienced contestant of the season was booted before the final two, making way for a Blake vs. Jordin finale next week.

I'm torn about Melinda's elimination. On the one hand, I saw it coming - and on the other hand, I was hoping that all of you were right and she'd be around another week. There are a slew of "Melinda was robbed!" stories being written right now, and I see the point there; I think she's the most talented, and certainly the most professional and polished, "Idol" contestant this year and, based purely on singing, she's the best the show has ever had. And yet, the buzz on her was always that she was boring, or old, or just lacking whatever star power she'd need to really be the "Idol" winner, and I don't think voters just care about singing - they want a great entertainer. As I said yesterday, though, I don't think Melinda needs the "Idol" title at all; she's going to get a record deal and put out some amazing music, and she might be better off without producers trying to shove her into a pop/rock box.

A few more thoughts about the results show, including the hometown visits, so

Jordin looked more upset at Melinda's elimination than Melinda did. They were roommates through at least part of the competition, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Melinda was a mother figure to Jordin.
By advancing to the finale, Jordin broke a curse that had been with "Idol" since the beginning: Until this week, every contestant who'd gone first when the top three sang had been eliminated.
Really, I wonder how Seacrest felt about losing his intro spot to a cartoon. Homer got a lot right, of course ("Simon was scary, Paula was nice ..."), but Seacrest is better for at least one thing: Homer's "This ... is 'American Idol'" just didn't have the usual punch.
Jordin's hometown visit: So! Cute! But I have to say, singing "I Who Have Nothing" for the Glendale public probably took that exuberant, screaming crowd down a few notches, huh? That song = gloomy.
Just for posterity, the final Idol Challenge question: Which season five finalist was not in the final two: Elliott, Katharine or Taylor? Ha.
Speaking of Elliott, he looks so much better with the curly mop of hair (though he might want to consider shaving). He also seems so much more comfortable on stage than he ever did on "Idol."
"This! Blake! Has! Taken control! Of me!" Ryan "sang" as he sat down next to Blake. Then he asked Blake if he really does like big butts; Blake responded "I can't lie." That's my boy.
Scariest part of Blake's hometown visit: the throngs of teenage girls pounding on the window while Blake did his radio interview. I mean, wow.
Melinda seemed incredibly gracious and loving in her hometown visit video - but I suppose that's no surprise by now.
Loved the little kids who played junior versions of the finalists in the pimpomercial.
So I have to ask ... with Melinda gone, could Blake actually win this thing?

Photo courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": Now, That Was Actually Good

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 09:22:19 PDT

I think Tuesday's "American Idol" performance show might have been the one I've been waiting for all season - and it couldn't have come at a better time. Singing three songs apiece, each of the final three turned in at least one pretty good performance, making tonight's elimination tough to predict. Will America vote on personality, putting Jordin and Blake in the finals? Or will they go by talent, setting up Jordin and Melinda for the head-to-head finale?

Tuesday's show also gave us some glimpses into the contestants' offstage personalities (finally!), with Jordin freaking out over getting a star on her local mall's version of the walk of fame - the only star, so far as I could tell - and Melinda wiping away tears when her town named a street after her. While I usually dread the results show, I'm actually looking forward to seeing the rest of the hometown visit footage tonight.

But at the end of the night, someone will have to leave. Don't forget to vote on who you think is going home, and to read my take on the performances,

read more Jordin Sparks: First song - "Wishing on a Star," Simon's choice. It started out a little rocky, but Jordin was grooving it by the chorus - and grooving might really be the only appropriate word, because the arrangement was some weird smooth jazz thing. Randy said it sounded like Beyonce, Paula didn't say much but seemed to like it, and Simon hated the arrangement. You'd think the judge who picked the song would get to have some say in the arrangement, too, but maybe not. Second song - "She Works Hard for the Money," producers' choice. Her voice sounded better on this one, though she looked a little less comfortable and more tentative than I'm used to seeing her. Randy said Jordin was hot no matter what she sings; Simon said she seemed a little old-fashioned. I actually agreed more with Randy than with Simon on that one. Third song - "I Who Have Nothing," Jordin's choice. For some reason the dress she wore for this song reminded me of one of my old dance recital costumes, and that plus the song itself gave me a very musical theater-ish vibe. The big issue - as Simon summed up well in his comments - was that Jordin is so emotional when she sings, and she really tries to connect, but she's just not believable singing such a powerful song at 17. I wish she'd done "A Broken Wing" instead. Blake Lewis: First song - "Roxanne," Paula's choice. Did anyone else think the backup singers sounded way off key during this performance? Blake sounded better than they did, that's for sure. His voice really doesn't have a lot of texture to it, but I thought it was a perfectly pleasant performance, though I could have done with less microphone-stand dancing. Randy and Paula liked it; Simon was lukewarm. Second song - "This Love," producers' choice. Ugh, I hate this song, but I admit it was the perfect choice for him. Even his beatboxing was perfectly appropriate. He's not a great singer, but he is a great entertainer (remind you of anyone, Taylor Hicks?), and this performance played to his strengths. Randy told him to make sure he does songs like that when he decides to make an album, and I totally agree. Third song - "When I Get You Alone," his choice. I'm going to say that if Blake stays in the competition tonight, this will be the performance that saves him. The Robin Thicke song had a great energy for him, and he delivered a good vocal performance with - again! - appropriate beatboxing. Absolutely my favorite performance of his in the whole competition. Also, I applaud him for incorporating plaid into each of his three outfits over the course of the night. The judges liked it - even Simon, grudgingly. Melinda Doolittle: First song - "I Believe in You and Me," Randy's choice. I guess you're allowed to sing Whitney Houston if the judges make you. But they shouldn't make you, because damn, this is the first time she's sounded bad in this competition (at least to my ears, my boyfriend's ears and the ears of everyone in the Sugar chat room last night). The judges, on the other hand, heard a completely different thing, because they thought it was Melinda's best performance in a long time and awarded round one to her. Second song - "Nut Bush City Limits," producers' choice. I didn't know this Ike and Tina Turner song at all, but Melinda totally rocked it, dancing like she hadn't since Bon Jovi night and working a serious Tina Turner groove. She really can be a great performer when she turns it on. The judges called it brilliant; Randy again awarded the round to Melinda, though Simon and Paula said it was a tie. Third song - "I Am Woman," Melinda's choice. I was really excited when I heard she'd be reprising this; it was one of my favorite performances of hers earlier this season. I don't remember the details of that first performance, so it's hard to compare, but I loved how comfortable she seemed on stage, flinging her jacket around and busting some moves with the backup singers. I know I've said throughout this season that she seemed too old, or too awkward, or too shy to be the "Idol" champ, but she's so consistently good that I think she deserves a spot in the finals, at least. Who should go home: This is so hard. I actually liked Jordin least on Tuesday, but overall I think she has the most star potential. I think Blake has the biggest fan base, and while he's disappointed me recently, he really redeemed himself on Tuesday. That leaves Melinda. If you'd asked me before Tuesday's show, I would have said she was the one to go; now, though, I really think she deserves to stay. So Jordin should go based on this week alone, but Blake should go based on overall talent. Who will go home: I still have a feeling Melinda's going. I'd love to see her for another week, but actually, it would probably be OK for her to go now; I don't think she needs the "Idol" title to have a great career. Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol" Elimination: Later, LaKisha

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 09:15:30 PDT

In the end, the first person Simon predicted to win "American Idol" this season didn't end up making the final three. Early favorite LaKisha Jones got voted off this week after a few so-so performances. I don't think LaKisha ever quite matched the intensity of her performance in the first week, and a lack of versatility and an unwillingness to listen to the guest mentors might have hurt her in the end. She does have a powerful voice, though, and I wouldn't be surprised if she goes on to have a decent recording career. Plus, LaKisha, look on the bright side: You got to kiss Simon Cowell. OK, maybe that's not such a bright side.

But LaKisha's ouster might be second only to another big announcement: The "Idol" producers will be spinning off the show into a nationwide search for a band, which will follow the "Idol" format of televised auditions, live performances and phone-in votes. The show - currently called "The Search for the Next Great American Band," how inventive - is expected to debut in September. The producers will be the same, but Seacrest and the judges won't be making the trip over, so we can look forward to a whole new group of crazies. I've got to say, I'm not sure about this trend of shows launching spinoffs on the heels of their weakest seasons (you hear me, "Grey's Anatomy"?). What do you think? Meanwhile, to hear some of my other thoughts on Wednesday's results show,

Oh, Seacrest: "You can really tell we have an hour to fill tonight," he said, after an extended segment of making random folks on the street sing "Staying Alive."
Pink was wearing ... a spider? Blake, meanwhile wore a T-shirt meant to look like the front of a tuxedo, and Jordin wore some earrings the size of her head.
Finally, we got to learn a little bit about the "Idol" contestants personally! Doesn't it seem like the "meet the family" bits came earlier in the other seasons? Among the revelations: Three of the final four (all but Jordin) are only children; Melinda was a goody-goody in school while the other three were troublemakers; and little-kid Jordin looked exactly like teenage Jordin.
Pimpomercial: A "Hard Day's Night"-ish homage, set to "You Really Got Me," with the four remaining Idols running away from a throng of cheering children.
The group sings are a guilty pleasure of mine, but the Barry Gibb medley really did drag on, didn't it? The best part was Seacrest referring to the four of them as "The Lewis Sisters."
Barry Gibb's voice = nails on a chalkboard. Seriously, ow.
"The top three get to go home!" Seacrest gushed to the final four. Actually, Ryan, all four of them get to go home - just three of them will be followed by an "American Idol" crew the whole time.
Cuteness of the night: The contestants huddling together and refusing to face Seacrest when he (finally) got around to reading the results.
About 45 million votes came in this week, down from last week but well above the pre-"Idol Gives Back" average.

Fox

"American Idol": The Final Four Boogie, Bore Me

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 09:20:51 PDT

How many times have I said this "American Idol" season that things will get better once it really starts to matter? Because wow, was I wrong. It's down to the final four, and yet I'm still waiting for even one of these contestants to deliver a performance that really wows me. Is it sad that my most memorable moment of the season so far is still the Blake/Chris R/Chris S/some other dude boy band from Hollywood Week?

This week, we got eight uninspiring Bee Gees songs, coached by Barry Gibb, who looked every bit the aging hippie. The two most remarkable parts of the evening: 1) Seacrest gave us our first "Seacrest out!" of the season, and 2) I found myself agreeing with Paula on a number of occasions. Don't forget to vote on which contestant is going home, and to read my take,

read more Melinda Doolittle - First song: "Love You Inside Out." Melinda does the '70s disco thing so well, but she didn't really put any interesting spin on the song. It was pleasant to listen to but nothing special, and once again, she seemed old to me. Simon called it a backup singer's performance. Then there was some weird Simon vs Paula banter while poor Melinda stood on stage looking baffled. Second song: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." This performance started out slow, but it built into something big and impressive by the end. Her huge power notes alone should be enough to move her through till next week, I'd bet. Paula babbled something about Melinda needing to throw her technique away and surprise us, and I think there was a point hiding in there somewhere. Melinda's been consistently good, but she hasn't done anything crazy or risky yet, and I would love to see her really go for it next week.
Blake Lewis - First song: "You Should Be Dancing." What a weird performance. I thought Blake would be all over the Bee Gees' dance music, but the off-key falsetto and the beatboxing combined for something fairly awful. That was maybe the first time I haven't found a little something redeeming in one of Blake's performances. Randy didn't like the beatboxing; Paula didn't like the rest of it; Simon hated everything. Second song: "This is Where I Came In." You know, I appreciate Blake's commitment to making plaid sexy again, but it really just seemed like his sweater was missing a sleeve. I liked the first half of the song; then I realized it was just repeating the same couple of notes over and over again. Simon called it "tuneless," and I don't know the song well enough to know if that was Blake's fault or the song's. The highlight, though, was Blake's cute dancing, which just might give him enough votes to overcome the weak performances.
LaKisha Jones - First song: "Stayin' Alive." I don't know what happened over the past few weeks, but I've started to find her voice fairly unremarkable. Also, once again, LaKisha managed to totally blow off a mentor's advice (this time ignoring Barry Gibb's points about using falsetto on the chorus). Girl doesn't listen, does she? Paula thought the slowed-down tempo killed the audience's energy; Simon said the performance was "scary in parts," which I thought was overly harsh, but I didn't like it either. Second song: "Run to Me." Yawn. Better than her first performance, but there still wasn't anything grabbing me about it. Her voice really cracked on the last note, too, which I guess is what you get for shouting through your first song. Paula told her she's still a champ, while Simon said LaKisha and Blake seemed most vulnerable after their performances.
Jordin Sparks - First song: "To Love Somebody." Barry Gibb said that of all the hundreds of people who have done this song, he's never heard a better version than Jordin's. Wow, I bet there are a lot of professional singers above the age of 17 who were pretty offended by that, huh? She was back to form after last week, and even the show-offy, Mariah Carey-ish stuff she threw in toward the end of the song managed not to be too annoying. The judges and I all declared her the winner of round one. Second song: "A Woman in Love." I think Barbra Streisand tends to be on the list of "artists one should never imitate on 'American Idol,'" right alongside Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey - so I suppose I should give Jordin kudos for trying. She sounded so consistently off-key for a lot of the song that I actually wondered if it was intentional, but I'm still impressed with how much emotion she puts into every song she sings - she really goes for it every time.
Who should be in the bottom two: LaKisha and Blake Who will be in the bottom two: LaKisha and Jordin. Who's going home: LaKisha. Blake had a bad night, but I think his fans realize that and will have called and texted in force. That's why I put Jordin in my bottom two instead of him, and it's why I think LaKisha will be on her way home tonight. Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": The Top Six Rock Me (Gently)

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 09:14:06 PDT

With no rockers left in this year's "American Idol" crew, I expected Bon Jovi night to be a bust - especially once I learned that everyone had to pick Bon Jovi songs, many of which have been ruined forever for me by too many nights of awful karaoke. Surprisingly, though, I thought this was one of the better all-around performance nights on "Idol" this season, even if the rocking was mostly mild. I don't forsee any of these kids having a sparkling alt-rock career, but it was fun to watch them try.

Two quick "Idol Gives Back" notes: The event has now raised $70 million, and George and Laura Bush popped in via pre-taped message to thank everyone for their generosity.

Now, onto the RAWK! Don't forget to cast your vote for which two singers are going home, and to hear my take on the night,

read more Phil Stacey: Phil said he was the kind of kid who sang "Blaze of Glory" into his comb in front of the mirror. Why he needed the comb in the first place remains an open question. He gave the song a little country twang for "Idol," which was a good call, and Randy and Paula both thought it was great. I didn't think it was Phil's best performance (though it was also far from his worst), and his consistent position near the bottom of the voting plus drawing the unlucky first performance spot on Tuesday might mean he's going home this week; I agree with Simon that he didn't do well enough to get another chance. Jordin Sparks (at right): Well, it had to happen sometime - Jordin was really not very good this week. It could be her age finally showing through, because she seemed like a little girl playing rocker dress-up, from the big Diana Ross hair with red streaks to her out-of-tune "Living on a Prayer" that did absolutely nothing to show off her voice. She got points with me, though, for admitting that she knew the performance hadn't been good and confessing that rock week was hard for her. Simon called her shrieky and accused her of oversinging, but I thought she actually should have done more with the song. LaKisha Jones: LaKisha picked "This Ain't a Love Song," which Jon Bon Jovi called a soul singer's rock song. I thought the first half was a snoozer, but in the final chorus she actually started strutting around the stage and showing some personality and really performing, which she hadn't done for a while. It made me remember why I liked LaKisha way back when. Simon told LaKisha he could kiss her after that performance, and then he ... did. On the lips. And then kept absently rubbing the bits of her lipstick off his lips. Nice. Blake Lewis (at left): Dude, Blake went brunette! Jon Bon Jovi was not sold on Blake's beatboxing rendition of "You Give Love a Bad Name," but I thought it was totally awesome. Sure, it was risky, and a lot of people might feel it's messing with a classic, but if you don't take risks with that song, you remind people of that time they had one too many mai tais at the karaoke bar, you know? At least his version sounded fresh and fun, and I'm glad he showcased his beatboxing after several weeks without it. Somewhat shockingly, the judges all praised him - even Simon, who said his willingness to take chances is what will bring him back next week. Chris Richardson: He was not at all amused by Seacrest introducing him as Justin Timberlake, was he? Then he totally flubbed his answer to one of those stupid audience questions. Dude, grow a sense of humor. Anyway, he seemed comfortable singing "Wanted Dead or Alive," and though his boy-band bouncy-dancing bugged me during the performance, he didn't sound so bad when I closed my eyes. The judges said vaguely nice but not enthusiastic things that essentially amounted to "too little, too late." Melinda Doolittle (at right): Her "I'm so not a rocker" speech was adorable, flubbed "rock on!" sign and all. Then she came out singing "Have a Nice Day" by strutting all over the stage, dancing with the guitarist, and, dare I say, totally rocking. It occurs to me that she's truly a student of music, altering her style and performance to each week's theme, but not in a fakey way. It was great to see her showing more attitude, too. Who should be in the bottom three: Based only on tonight, it should be Chris, Phil and Jordin Who will be in the bottom three: Based on both last week and this week, it will be Chris, Phil and LaKisha Who's going home: Chris and Phil (in, uh, a "Blaze of Glory")
Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": The Top Six Try to Inspire

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:08:10 PDT

Tuesday's "American Idol" was one of the most earnest hours of television I've ever seen. From Seacrest's intonation - "This Is 'Idol Gives Back.'" - to the videos from Africa to the "songs of inspiration" theme, "Idol" went to great lengths to prove that "Idol Gives Back" is Very Important. How important? For what might be the first time, the performance show was taped in advance so producers could spend more time on Wednesday's benefit.

Really, though, it's tough to be snarky about "Idol Gives Back." I appreciate that "Idol" picked a charity that will help both in the U.S. and abroad, in inner cities and rural areas. And hey, maybe this will encourage people to seek out other organizations that could use their time or money.

But because I can't be nice for this whole recap (unlike the judges, who were unusually sweet on Tuesday), I've got to harp on a couple of things:

In one of the taped segments, Simon visited a food bank and discovered that - shock! - there are poor people in America! And there are kind-hearted volunteers who help feed them! Either he exaggerated his surprise, or he needs to get out more.
News Corp. is donating 10 cents per vote for the first 50 million votes. Now, $5 million is nothing to sneeze at, but I just wonder how that $5 million compares to their revenues from just one episode of "Idol."

Onto the performances. Don't forget to tell me who you think should go home, and you can get my take on the matter if you

read more Chris Richardson (at right): Chris sang "Change the World" that way he does, which is to say nasally and oddly high-pitched and boy-band-ish. We even got a little Backstreet Boys-style dancing breakdown about halfway through. The judges seemed pleased - Simon thought it was sexy, even - and I'm going to bet that if you generally like Chris, you probably liked this, and if you don't, you didn't. Melinda Doolittle: I didn't think her version of Faith Hill's "There Will Come a Day" was her most compelling performance, but I could also imagine it being on the soundtrack at a Starbucks right now, and I mean that as a compliment. Honestly, now that she's looking better and more comfortable with herself, I'm not sure anyone (including Jordin, this year's dark horse) can beat her. Blake Lewis: Blake rocked the popped collar - well, as much as a popped collar can be rocked - while singing John Lennon's "Imagine." Not gonna lie, I thought the performance dragged on a bit, but that's what "Imagine" does, and it was cool to see him try a straightforward take on a classic. It's maybe the most pure singing we've heard him do, and it wasn't bad. LaKisha Jones (at left): OK, this is LaKisha's third time singing a song made famous by another "Idol" contestant: "And I Am Telling You" (Jennifer Hudson), "Jesus Take the Wheel" (Carrie Underwood) and now "I Believe" (Fantasia). Hey Keesh? Put the iPod on shuffle next time; we're tired of the "Idol" songbook. I've got to admit, LaKisha's worn out her welcome with me, and I wouldn't be surprised if she's the one going home tonight. Phil Stacey: Phil (who's now being backed by Vote for the Worst, if you hadn't heard) went country again this week, singing Garth Brooks' "The Change." I'd started to come around to Phil after last week, but this performance reminded me of all the things I don't like about him (wobbly notes on verses, awkward stage presence). It also felt like it was about 20 minutes long. The judges must have been listening to someone else, though, because they said it was his best outing on the show. Simon even said he had a "spring in his step." Jordin Sparks (at right): As we've seen several times already, Jordin's quite the crier, so I'm going to blame her emotions for all those wobbly, super-quiet notes at the beginning. By the chorus, though, she was on. I hate to keep hammering on the "she's 17!" thing, but ... dudes, she's 17, and she's miles more mature than the other "Idol" teens of the past (Diana DeGarmo and Paris Bennett come to mind). I wouldn't say this was one of the best "Idol" performances ever, like Randy did, but it was pretty great. Who should be in the bottom three: Chris, LaKisha and Phil Who will be in the bottom three: It's hard to say - will the Idol Gives Back incentive incite more people to vote? and will they spread their votes around or pick favorites? But I'm actually going to go with Chris, LaKisha and Phil Who's going home: I have a pet theory that nobody's going home; it would spoil the charitable mood. But if someone does, I'm guessing it will be LaKisha. Her support seems to be waning (only our national frustration with Sanjaya saved her last week) and her "Idol" copycat behavior might doom her this time. Photos courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": Not Much Twang in Country Night

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:31:35 PDT

Country night is typically one of my least-favorite "American Idol" theme nights. It's not that I don't like country music - I just don't like bad country music, and amateur singers butchering the songs by attempting maximum twang certainly qualifies as bad country.

At the same time, it's always been a little awesome to watch, just because the potential for disaster is so high. So I couldn't help but be disappointed by Tuesday night's mostly boring performances. Nobody came out in a 10-gallon hat. Nobody tried Shania Twain. And the singers who wouldn't be good at singing country got around the rule by singing the least-country arrangements they could find.

Martina McBride - who amazed me with her ability to look both 25 and 55 over the course of that opening montage - proved herself an intelligent mentor, but the show itself was a little odd, with several awkward mentions of the tragedy at Virgina Tech. I suppose if there's any time for overwrought emotions, it's country night, though. And reality TV must soldier on. Don't forget to vote on the singer you think is heading home, and to see what I thought of the performances,

read more Phil Stacey (at left): I did not have Phil pegged as a country singer - in fact, I increasingly wasn't pegging him as a singer at all - but he sounded awesome on "Where the Blacktop Ends." He also took Martina's advice and loosened up, showing more personality in this one performance than in all his other final-round outings put together. The judges were fans, but I don't know how they formed their opinions, given that Paula and Simon were apparently playing "who's got your nose?" while he sang. Seriously, anyone else see that? Jordin Sparks: I was worried Jordin was becoming forgettable: Before Tuesday's show, I was trying to name the Idols off the top of my head, and her name was the last I remembered. I have a feeling her "Broken Wing" performance will change that. She sounded so awesome, she even made herself cry. She was also wearing what appeared to be a duct-tape dress, but I'll let that go under the circumstances. Simon said he can see Jordin winning "Idol." Sanjaya Malakar: I had my fingers crossed for a cowboy hat and chaps, but I just got a red bandanna. He sang "Something to Talk About," and it was weird, because maybe for the first time, he didn't really give us much to talk about. No weird hair, no faux-Sinatra, no bilingual choruses - just lots of dull, bad singing. Maybe his lack of freakiness will finally spell the end for him? Hey, a girl can hope. LaKisha Jones (at right): I am way biased here, because I hate "Jesus Take the Wheel" with a deep and all-consuming passion, but I seriously despised this performance. I will limit my "Jesus should have taken the wheel there" jokes to one and just say that I think she lost the song completely on the chorus. It didn't help that the styling department let her down bigtime (bad hair! big gold boots!). The judges were harsh, but I think accurately so. Chris Richardson: Martina McBride called Chris "versatile," which made me question her taste severely, because I didn't realize "versatile" meant "everything sounds the same." Timberfake is bringing monotone back. Usually he can perform his way out of a bad song, but he seemed totally bored on Tuesday. Minus five points for sniping back to Simon that "nasally is a form of singing - I don't know if you knew that." Minus a million points for mentioning Virgina Tech - no matter how honest a sentiment, it comes off like a dig for votes.
Melinda Doolittle (at left): I'm against fake hair generally, but extensions were a good choice for her - she looks at least five years younger, and her neck issue (shall we say, neckless issue?) is less apparent. Her "Trouble is a Woman" sounded more soul than country, but that's such a blurry line anyway, and when Simon compares you to Tina Turner, you must be doing something right. This week I finally started believing that she'd be a great "Idol" winner - and I loved Simon telling her to ditch the humility. Blake Lewis: He covered a Tim McGraw song, but it wasn't very country-sounding. Not that that's a bad thing, necessarily. The trouble is that it sounded a lot like his Keane song from earlier in the competition, and like a lot of his other performances, and I'm getting worried that we're losing what made him Blake to begin with. Meanwhile, Simon picked Blake's critique to give his own Virgina Tech shoutout, which was just awkward. Who's safe: Jordin and Melinda. After that, anything's possible, though - and I never thought I'd say this - I hope Phil makes it through this time. Who should be in the bottom three: Sanjaya, LaKisha and Chris Who will be in the bottom three: LaKisha, Phil and Chris Who's going home: Chris Photos courtesy of Fox