Idol Thoughts (Top 9)...

Any popular download on Itunes, eh?  Who gets to determine what is popular enough?  Does it have to be modern?  Does it have to be recognizable?   Could Scotty choose a piano instrumental and actually give himself a chance?  Just sayin'.

Anoop Desai, "Caught Up" - Noop is speeding it back up, and I can only assume the results will be horrendous. Assumption confirmed, Anoop just can't pull off the high energy stuff.  His vocals suffer and he just looks out of his element.  Anoop won't be the next American Idol, but he may have a career as a crooner if he plays his cards right.  (D)

Megan Joy, "Turn Your Lights Down Low" - I don't know if Megan could do anything to get me back.  I've Humpty Dumptied off the Joy bandwagon so hard that it would take a near king's horsemen miracle to put any chance of her winning back together again.  (D)

Danny Gokey, "What Hurts the Most" - Hmmm.   I guess I wasn't feeling it like everyone else.  I actually was a bit bored by that song.  I mean, yeah, the dude can sing, and I'm rooting hard for him, but it felt a bit withdrawn for me.  I just didn't connect like everyone else I guess but it was still great. (B+)

Allison Iraheta, "Don't Speak" -  I love this tune, so that may make this a bit tough.   It's hard to match Gwen Stefani's incredible passion on the original.  I also think the guitar may have been a bit of a mistake, it felt kinda forced and unnecessary.  Overall, it was a nice effort but Allison was a little off tonight. (B-)

Scott MacIntyre, "Just the Way You Are" - Wow, another song I love.  The problem is that when you do that, you are automatically going to come off as an impersonation unless you can really make it your own.  The truth of the matter is that Scott just doesn't have the chops to pull it off.  Also it has nothing to do with his challenge and everything to do with how he made me forget that challenge.  Words of wisdom from Miss Paula Abdul. (C)

Matt Giraud, "You Found Me" - I don't think Matt has the slightest chance at being in the bottom three this week, people will vote like crazy for him no matter how he does here.  That might be a good thing for him, considering that was a pretty mediocre showing.  First, he butchers Coldplay, and now he whiffs on The Fray, maybe modern isn't for Matty boy. (C)

Lil Rounds, "I Surrender" - She had the attitude down tonight, but the vocals weren't quite there.  She reached for it, I'm just not quite sure she found it.  Lil can be amazing, but I don't think she has quite shown us that knockout performance yet. (B)

Adam Lambert, "Play That Funky Music" - I don't know if he wins, but I look forward every week to seeing what he does.  Dude is a performer, and has more control over his voice than anyone in the history of this show.  But is he good?  I JUST CAN'T DECIDE! But he sure is compelling. (A-)

Kris Allen, "Ain't No Sunshine" - Kris gets the last slot tonight now let's see if he earns it.   Indeed!  That was amazing, Kris is now officially someone I can see winning this competition and earns his place beside Gokey and Lambert. (A)

Overall Rankings

Danny Gokey

Adam Lambert

Kris Allen

Matt Giraud

Allison Iraheta

Lil Rounds

Anoop Desai

Scott MacIntyre

Megan Joy

Who should go home:

Megan Joy

Who will go home:

Megan and Scott both feel like they have overstayed their welcome a bit, and could very well show up in the bottom 3, but it's Noop and maybe even Allison who had the kind of performances that send people home at this stage.  They've both been clear of the bottom 3 for a while, they appear safe, aren't popular enough to gather rabid support, and yet not bad enough to gather the sympathy votes.  Officially, I'm gonna say both of them manage to slip bellow Scott whose song was just good enough to re-energize his voters.  Also, in a shocker, the person who should go home finally does.  Bye, Bye Megan.