saved!

It was Lennon-McCartney night for the AI contestants last Wednesday and here are my thoughts on their performances:

Aaron Kelly. The Long and Winding Road. He sang it but didn't do bring anything new or do anything exciting with it. Ho-hum.

Katie Stevens. Let It Be. One of my favorite songs of all-time and I'm glad she was able to give a strong and soulful rendition. I actually felt what she was singing.

Andrew Garcia. Can't Buy Me Love. His voice seems okay for acoustic versions but it sounded forced when he had to belt out. It didn't help him any that the band drowned him out even more.

Michael Lynche. Eleanor Rigby. Big Mike was able to show off some lung power with this song but I didn't like the R&B/rock arrangement.

Crystal Bowersox. Come Together. Loved her performance even though her nose sounded a little stuffy. She had a few well-placed screams, she looked like she was really enjoying herself and she had a didgeridoo to accompany her. Wonderful as always.

Tim Urban. All My Loving. Well, he didn't do so badly this time but I just don't think his voice is up to par with most of the other contestants. Randy was really harsh on him though.

Casey James. Jealous Guy. He turned in his electric guitar for an acoustic one and had a cello to accompany him. There was a lot of emotion and soul to his singing and it was GREAT.

Siobhan Magnus. Across the Universe. She gave a laid back rendition which was enchanting most of the time.

Lee Dewyze. Hey Jude. I expected that after his "life-changing" performance last week, he'd continue to take the ball and run with it but I think he stumbled a bit with this one. I don't know what to make of the bagpipes either.

But, in my humble opinion, it was a pretty good night all around.

It was a big shock, however, to find out that Michael Lynche was getting the boot. What?! How does America vote? I can't believe Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia have hung around this long despite their mediocre performances but Big Mike, who has been one of the most consistent singers in the group, got the lowest number of votes this week. Crazy.

Thank goodness, after he sang This Woman's Work, the judges unanimously decided to save him and he'll be back next week.


Mood Music: Yesterday by The Beatles