American Idol 9 - The Top 3

Now that one of the legitimate title contenders has gone home in Mike, it's time to decide who is the American Idol this year. The three contestants who have the highest likelihood of success outside Idol according to USA Today 3 weeks ago have survived and now will duke it out to see if anybody can knock off the Momma Sox. Tonight they get their own choice and a judge's pick. Good luck on the judge's pick.

PERSONAL SELECTIONS

Casey - OK It's Alright With Me - Casey picks a bluesy little strumming number instead of a rocking song with an electric guitar, which surprised me after he's been away from the electric for a good few weeks. The vocal was kind of boring for a Top 3 performance even though it was a good performance. Based on what Lee does, this could be trouble because this will not beat what Crystal does.
GRADE: C

Crystal - Come To My Window - Crystal lays the harmonica back on America after 10 weeks without it, and picks a song right in her wheelhouse (which is an understatement). She changes it up a bit and makes it her own despite keeping it memorable and within her range. This is the look of a winner and this is what made her the frontrunner to begin with. Solid performance and despite the judges wanting "a moment", she's all good.
GRADE: A

Lee - Simple Man - There's a reach on the chorus of this song and Lee just does not have the voice for it. He basically flatlined his way through the song, and while it was a nice song to choose, I really don't think it was the right choice if you were going to sing it like that. The judges are absolutely in love with him, perhaps more so than Crystal which is a surprising dynamic. It's looking like Lee and Crystal are going to make it really tough for Casey to dig out.
GRADE: B-

JUDGE'S SELECTION

Casey - Daughters - Casey gets out the electric guitar on a song where he can't show it off. Sad. I have one problem with this song and that is the arrangement was apparently even slower than the original. For a cute soft song, you don't need to slow it down any more. This is the nail in the coffin, bro. I love this guy but he is not going to make the finals. This was a good performance but the judges did him no favor here.
GRADE: C+

Crystal - Maybe I'm Amazed - This was a very interesting choice for Ellen's first judge pick. I don't know that I get it, but Crystal has a solid voice to perform nearly anything and she knocks this one out of the park. Crystal is here to win the competition and she showed off some vocal range she did not show before, as the judges correctly noted. Not her best performance, but close.
GRADE: B+

Lee - Hallelujah - You know what's sad about this song choice from Simon: he wants a moment from Lee and he got one...a terrible one. This was the worst performance of the night despite being in the money slot and Idol doing everything to pimp him out with 8 backup singers and an orchestra accompaniment. He was pitchy, missed notes, and to top it off, HE WAS WORSE THAN TEFLON TIM WHO DID THE SAME DAMN SONG THIS SEASON. Of course the judges lapped it up because they aren't listening anymore. This was suck suck suck. So disappointed, and this actually should open the door for Casey even though it won't.
GRADE: D-

So a shocking finish to the night, and American Idol hopefully will not pull this favortism bullshit in the finals that they are so used to. It's a knockout for Archuleta? Wait for it...next week it will be Dewise Dewise Dewise. Eff that, Crystal is the only person here worth listening to in the long term unless these two guys improve dramatically. (Although Casey could play a guitar solo set anytime for me).

TOP PERFORMER - Crystal
GOING HOME - Casey