Real Kato Blog: American Idol, Week 3: The Guys

Predictions: Blake and Chris S safe. Sanjaya and Jared should be out.

Blake: 8/10.
It's kind of a weird start. The lyricism is good but the singing is a little pitchy. He's doing well, but it's not vocally challenging. At least he's still unique. Randy and Paula both liked it, though they didn't know the song (WTF)? Simon didn't understand a word of it, but says he's unique and not karaoke-ish like some of the others.

Sanjaya: 6/10.
Uh, I really didn't need to know he was a hula dancer. It's a pitchy start; it sounds small and thin. It's karaoke-ish and not challenging. Randy asks where's the guy we first saw? Paula says the guys around him are raising their game, so he needs to get out of his comfort zone. Simon says it's not as ghastly as last week, but the hula and the hair are weird, and vocally it's just not good.

Sundance: 5/10.
He's singing Pearl Jam, which should be a good choice. But he's very pitchy, and he's singing closed-mouthed. And the performance lacks grit. Randy says it's pitchy, but he likes the Southern-rock infusion. Paula likes his unique quality. Simon says he lost his charm from last week; he sounded like a generic bar singer, and the performance was indulgent.

Chris R: 6/10.
A country song, ugh. It's mediocre, pitchy, boring, and amateur. Where's the guy we liked from last week? Randy liked it, saying he put his own style to Keith Urban. Paula says it's a good song choice, with pop-country intonation. Simon says it's good but cutesey, and nasally, and not up to his potential.

Jared: 4/10.
It's pitchy and cheerleader-y. He sounds strained. He's like Don No-Soul Simmons with that sweater. Randy says it was actually good. Paula says he needs to color up the way he sings. ("Color up"? I wish she said he needs to be "blacker".) Simon says it's not very original, and that it gets lost in the mix.

Brandon: 8/10.
It's a strong start; it's like he's channeling Hendrix. I like the song choice, and this might be the best I've seen from him so far. Randy says it's a good song choice but he messed up the ending. Paula says it's phenomenal. Simon says it's not memorable, and that he didn't represent himself well at all.

Phil: 2/10.
It starts breathy and awful. Does he have a cold? It's pitchy and shouty. Ugh. Randy says it was interesting... the high notes were good, kinda like Steve Perry, but the low register was all over the place. Paula says the low part was chancy, and that this wasn't his best performance. Simon says he didn't get it at all; it was odd, and a strange song choice.

Chris S: 8/10.
This song suits his style. He's on key. This is what we like from him. Randy says it's not his favorite song choice, but it's the best vocal of the night. Paula says it's not her favorite performance, just middle-of-the-road. Simon says the beginning was good, the middle was shouty, and the song just isn't hook-y.

Standings:
Blake: 8.5
Chris S: 7.8
Chris R: 7.3
Brandon: 6.0
Sundance: 5.8
Phil: 5.0
Jared: 4.7
Sanjaya: 5.3

Eliminated:
A.J.: 7.0
Rudy 7.0
Nick: 5.2
Paul 2.0

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