[kevkrom]

Two contrasting styles tonight... but some things remain the same nonetheless -- all of our final five flaws, and they seem to remain the same: Bo really doesn't have much of a singing voice, despite a great stage presence; Carrie and Anthony just the opposite; Vonzelle has all of the pieces, but is inconsistent; and Scott may hit the notes, but doesn't have a good tonal quality or emotional response.

So... on to the rankings...

1. Vonzelle -- Her first song was pretty middle of the road, forgettable even, but the second song was the performance of the night (and it's always better to start weak and finish strong than vice-versa). I continue to maintain that she is the only person in the top 12 who really has the makings for being a "pop star".

2. Bo -- Uneven night for the rocker. He had the best first song, though I could still tell his vocal limitations in that song. The second song wasn't as good, and frankly was a bit boring (especially with the over-used "carry the microphone stand" thing... yeah, I know it's your trademark, but it's silly -- get a new trademark).

3. Carrie -- A better job than the last few weeks, especially on the first number, which I had some issue with as it didn't really allow her to showcase her voice to its fullest, but the energy was great. The second song, while sung well, lacked that energy. Carrie also has a tendency to "swallow" the microphone, which seems to hide half her face much of the time.

4. Scott -- His father wasn't there, so he didn't completely suck. "On Broadway" was a clever choice, and I liked the bit with Simon, but honestly, he really didn't sing it all that well, and the second song was quite muddled, especially in the chorus (so to speak). I also really have a problem with his tone... he hits the notes (most of the time) but doesn't seem to have the support behind it.

5. Anthony -- This is the week we discover the actual power of Anthony's fan base, because he's going to need them to survive. The first song looked like a high school amateur night entry, and bordered on drawing a negative comparison to John Peter Lewis -- worst of all, it completely took away his best asset, which is his voice. The second song was sung better, but he still looks like he doesn't know what to do on the stage. And how can I avoid the "boy band singer" comment when he chooses to do a Backstreet Boys song?

At this point, it's fruitless to speculate as to who the audience will choose, as for the most part, they've picked their favorites and will continue to vote for them. If we assume that last week's relative standings are intact, Anthony and Scott are already in trouble and did themselves no favors last night. But where will the Constantine bloc go?

[freedumb2003]

Your analysis is pretty good, but you missed the fact that Vonzelle was OFF KEY for all of both of her songs.

She is pretty and the camera loves her, but Vonzelle is a terrible singer. Her "Star Search" reach she puts in each song is holding her aloft, but sooner or later the audience has to realize she can't sing.

Carrie does well when she pts herself out there -- but she should avoid ballad-type material. She dissapears. But she hits the notes.

I think this is between Bo and Carrie.

[silent_jonny]

Great scorecard, as always :) I absolutely, positively agree with your #5. Fedorov will probably go home tonight.

But I disagree with your #1. Vonzelle was flat on the second song, if not both. And her diva-style vocals are really beginning to annoy me. Simon was right when he told her that she's very vulnerable this week. If Fedorov doesn't go, then it will be Vonzelle.

Bo has limited range, but to his credit, I think he knows this and chooses songs that fit that range. He killed with "Stand By Me".

Carrie was the best she's been in weeks--on both of her songs. Not only did she sound great, she looked great. She was finally enjoying herself.

Slingblade's time is short, he may not be bounced this week, but it will happen soon. I think the pity votes are helping him more than the "votefortheworst" crowd. Now if he could only learn to keep his smart-ass comments to himself ...