American Idol: The night of the bad arrangements

With each passing week I get the feeling that this Idol selection process is not on the up and up. A couple of the contestants get star treatment--better orchestral arrangements, better lighting and camera angles, almost always high praise from the judges, while other contestants who are as good or better are not given the same production values and continually shot down.pby the judges.

Elliott was BY FAR the best of the night for me as far as VOCAL performance is concerned. While I agree that the arrangement could have been toned down in Elliott's song, I don't think Chris came close enough to matching Elliott or surpassing him even if Chris was good too. It was definitely the Spanish guitars on stage that gave a misleading "great" perception about Chris's vocal performance. This becomes evident when you only LISTEN again to their performances. Foster and Boccelli gave Chris a good advice but he didn't follow it well enough in the actual performance. He was a little bit shaky finding his notes from the start. He got better in the middle. But the last third when he "belted" it out, he strained his upper register and he lost control of his heavy vibrato.

When it comes to Elliott's performance, you could totally hear the conviction and emotion he incorporated to his singing. I've noticed he's been criticized before for his vibrato but I thought everything was well placed this time around thanks to his familiarity with the song and the fact that he loves it. The entire performance was practically flawless. No gimmicks whatsoever. Just pure, non-strained, heartwarming, smooth and soulful vocals.

I believe that Chris is the best. He may not be the best singer, but he is th ebest performer. I absolutely love him. He is the only reason I can get me hubby to watch the show with me. GO Chris. I also liked his story that they showed in the auditions. I realize that it was just a cheap producer trick to get ppl to vote for him and like him, but guess what it worked. At least we didn't have to hear about his dear OLD grandpa and inmate dad EVERY single week.

Just to make sure you know what you (and everyone else) thinks they may have seen of Katharine McPhee, here is a blow up the her most 'exposed' moment (this is SFW).

http://www.beyondhollywood.com/gallery/?p=933&Qwd=./katharine-mcphee-yellow-dress-cleavage&Qif=katharine-mcphee-apr26-10.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=M&Qtmp=FS#qdig

Close your eyes and listen... good advice. I think you'll find that you'd like a replay button for Chris and Taylor. Elliot pleasant to hear.. once. I hope he continues to improve, it makes the show interesting. Still predicting the guys top 3 tonight, the girls the bottom. Kellie should by all rights go, but if the voteForTheWorst has its way we're saying bye bye to Paris tonight.

Taylor Hicks is still the most musically talented AI contestant. Don't listen to Simon & co., listen to HIM and play it back. He was actually very, very good and has a quality to his voice that I've never heard on AI before. Next, Elliott has a wonderful voice and is better than Chris. Chris will be somewhere doing Rock music without a doubt and I definitely like him! Katharine should DO OPERA and Paris, Broadway!! Kellie is just pitiful and I just can't listen and watch her anymore. PLEASE, play Taylor's song back and just enjoy him and not the hype of the others.

oops, meant to say Taylor will go, not Chris. jeez, the whole world is watching and i can't type the right name. been watching Paula too long, whatever she's got i must be catching.

Chris SUCKED BIG TIME. He sounded liked every half-baked bar singer in the country. In fact, Taylor, Paris, Kellie (especially Kellie) and Chris could do commercials for Hoover Vacumms, they sucked that much.

Katherine and Elliot are the only decent singers left in the competition, and I predict they'll be the final two.

I wached for the first time the kid with the cool jacket and jeans is the best,All the rest were like watching a high school talent contest.The show has declined,I see that Paula needs to see Dr Melphia from the Sapronos.The Gal is drunk are needs a long vacation with Maria Carrie.

Like some of the other comments made, I don't understand the genres of music being presented to the contestants. Let them sing what they sing best, for crying out loud. This years seems to be the worst for the categories given to them to sing. I think Taylor is the best all-around performer but he did seem uncomfortable at the first of his song. I had heard he was going to sing "Try a Little Tenderness" the Otis Redding version. Maybe he was told he could not sing it but it would have been so much better for his personality and voice. I know it will never happen, but I just wish one time when a contestant gets totally whacked by the judges, he/she would comment on what they are told they can and cannot sing. I don't dog the other contestants even though I am a strong Taylor fan. I applaud them for having the guts to get up there and sing and then wait to get dumped on by the judges. When Kellie said she was scared last night I thought she was being totally honest. She actually looked scared. I remember last year when they had Broadway night that Bo Bice (who I love) sang some unmemorable song and then was told what a lousy job he did on it. I sat there thinking what was expected of a southern rocker. Oh well, GO TAYLOR!