"Beating" My Head Against the Couch

So I woke up this morning whistling a happy tune. I always wake up in this manner on AI day. It's a bright light in the midst of my otherwise same ol' same ol' week. Weird as it may seem, I think about it all day. Some may say I need a hobby...but I've got plenty of hobbies. I just LOVE AI night. Tonight I drove to Twin to watch it with Whitney and her friend Nicole. I'm sure I looked like a BIG nerd with my notepad taking notes, as I watched and sighed as the night turned into a bust. I was pretty excited about another Beatles night since last week was so "Wow". I downloaded 4 of last weeks songs, which is saying a lot about the talent. I was willing to throw a little bit of money their way I liked them so well. Tonight was a much tougher night in comparison to last week. Not so "Wow" I'm afraid. While not one singular performance was a standout, fabulous performance for me, I did like, heavy use of like, not love, a few of the performances. Here is how the night shaped up for me:

Jason Castro and Brooke White share the spot for favorite. While Jason's rendition of "Michelle" was rather corny, I couldn't help but love him. His interviews are endearing and I still love his voice, style and mannerisms, which carry over to his performances. Did you love his little French hand move during the song? That is why I find him so endearing. I also love Brooke for the same reasons. Her quirky, awkwardness is charming, plus she is talented and pretty. I didn't think she did terrible with "Here Comes the Sun", but I also didn't find it particularly memorable either. She also gave an awkward twirl and 'woo' in the middle of her song that made us all laugh and talk about how much we like her. I would be very happy if either of these two win the whole shebang, however I think David A. is going to give them a run for their money. Little girls LOVE David A. I've chatted with quite a few over the last week and the consensus is all "DAVID A. is soooo cute!"

Amanda Overmyer: I think she is getting pretty close to being in the bottom three, maybe not this week, but soon. She was predictable singing "Back in the U.S.S.R." and she will only ever be successful on songs she can yell her way through.

Kristy Lee Cook: Definite bottom 3. My prediction for going home tomorrow.

David A.: He is definitely a VERY good singer, but I am neutral on tonight's performance and will probably continue to be so. My favorite of his is still "Imagine" and I haven't felt the same again since.

Michael Johns: We all know the guy isn't going to win, but I will cross my fingers he sticks around for awhile. I just like the guy. Plain and simple. He is very nostalgic for me. I think he is fun to watch and I would buy his stuff. I didn't think he did all that bad with "A Day in the Life". I viewed it more favorable than the judges.

David Cook: To quote my sister "I want to get down to the bottom of his hair!" We share this opinion and just can't get past his hair to even give his singing any merit. He combs it clear from the back of his head to get it to come down past his forehead! Weird, weird, weird! He completely reminds me of my pals in high school who had a band and played little concerts for us on the weekends at parks and in warehouses. For me he is a "Tries to hard". I remember one concert where my drummer pal brought out the gong for a Led Zeppelin song. Can you say "Voice box?" I will give a shout out to Whitney's friend Nicole who does like his vocal talent and style. So there are people out there not as petty as Whits and I and can look past his obvious shortcomings and give the guy the credit he probably deserves. I agree with the judges, he does act smug about it all and there is a huge difference between smug and confident.

Carly Smithson: Yikes what an ugly shirt! I was so tuned into the shirt I could hardly focus on her version of "Blackbird". I have always liked this song and was excited to hear it. Two words: Nothing. Special. Nicole says that Sarah McLachlan has a much better version of the song and thus it was hard to give Carly credit for her attempt. I will be checking out Sarah McLachlan's version tomorrow.

Sayesha: She looked beautiful, but was forgettable with "Yesterday". She is also one of my predictions for bottom 3 this week.

Chikezie: Not as great as last week. I was looking forward to him tonight, but was not as jazzed as I was hoping. I did like the bluegrass vibe to "I've Just Seen a Face" though. He is a possible bottom 3 this week.

Ramiele: This was a terrible, hokey performance. I hated it, hated it! From her outfit, to the song, to her stage presence, blah! Possible bottom 3.

In conclusion! I will not be downloading anything this week, except possibly Sarah McLachlan's "Blackbird". I made a few predictions that will be interesting to see if they happen. Top 4 finalists: David A., Brooke White, Jason Castro and Carly Smithson with Michael Johns and David C. as #'s 5 and 6. I can't even begin to predict what could happen after the final 4. They are all so different and talented, although I will I bet a bag of m & m's that David A. will be in the final 2. AI is driven by tweens and teens and they all seem to love him. Anyone up for the challenge? I'll even send the m & m's 1st class if David isn't in the top 2.