American Idol: Second Round, Males

This was much better than last week, but it's still not very good. There are only a few guys here who belong in the overall Top 12. Bring on the girls.

Here's the order of how the 10 male finalists performed last night, with the odds of winning it all in May:

1. Chris Sligh
Terrific. Brought back memories of Doug Gray in his prime. Beginning was the best part. Thought the song fell apart a bit in the middle, but he brought it home. Lots of talent here. Liked the suit and sneakers.
Odds of winning: 10-1

2. Sundance Head
Powerhouse voice. Clearly has loads of talent, but we're not seeing it 100 percent of the song. That could be deadly once he's singing against the girls. Wonderful range but over the top in spots. I hate it when the backup singers share the spotlight.
Odds of winning: 12-1

3. Blake Lewis
Nice performance. Thought the beatbox-scat moonwalk bit in the middle was highly original. That move alone brings him back next week and wins over thousands of fans. Well-done falsetto to close out. Get used to seeing him.
Odds of winning: 15-1

4. Phil Stacey
Pulled out John Waite classic, following in Alison Krauss' footsteps. Thought he was off-key, perhaps an octave too low, throughout. Just a very average performance. Not convinced this guy is that good.
Odds of winning: 30-1

5. Nicholas Pedro
Better effort than last week, but still kind of average. The bar is high, people. He's just not a contender.  Thought he took a song with which he could have dazzled, but kind of eased it out. Give him credit for the difficult arrangement.
Odds of winning: 40-1

6. Chris Richardson
Brian Austin Green was doing this stuff 10 years ago on "Beverly Hills, 90210." This is not original. Have to disagree with the judges. Their praise will keep him around, but I would be shocked to see this kid in the final 10.
Odds of winning: 50-1

7. Jared Cotter
Better than last week, but still mediocre. Singing a Marvin Gaye classic with his good looks will inspire the girl vote, but he's just not that talented.  Thought he forced a song that should have been delivered like velvet.
Odds of winning: 75-1

8. A.J. Tabaldo
Sorry. Just not going to convince me. Song choice exposed his lack of talent. He would be a good choice for a low-budget wedding, but doesn't belong on the Idol stage. Pitchy. Ending was OK but didn't save performance.
Odds of winning: 75-1

9. Brandon Rogers
Great song, weak delivery. Difficult to cover Cyndi Lauper, one of the underappreciated singers of our generation. Marginally talented at best. Seems like a nice kid, but his days are dwindling.
Odds of winning: 75-1

10. Sanjaya Malakar
What was that? Weak voice. Sounded like he was auditioning for the Mickey Mouse Club. No strength. It was like he raided his father's closet for the garb. No testosterone. To compete on Idol, you need to sing from deep within. There's only a tide pool here.
Odds of winning: 75-1

Comments

[Joe T]

I have to disagree with you on Nick Pedro. He's better than everyone. How can you have him fifth?

[Christine]

I watched Idol for the first time this season since they went into the finals. I didn't understand the fuss over Chris Richardson, either -- and actually, his mannerisms brought back bad memories of an old boyfriend. Sligh was good, and I thought Brandon was too, although he underperformed. The local boy, Nick, reminded me of a '50s lounge singer. Two worst of the evening: Sanjaya (who looked like he was going to cry when he was criticized) and Jared (flat as a board, and that is one sexy song).