Idol 20: Guys' Round 2

1. Michael Johns - "Go Your Own Way"
He sounded pretty good tonight. There were a few notes that sounded a little off, but he really pulled it off when he got to the chorus. He's still on my list of 6.

2. Jason Castro - "Want to Be Your Everything"
I loved his video clip. He's so down-to-earth and humble. Very endearing. I was a little concerned when I saw him with his guitar again this week. I figured the judges would have something to say about that, and I was right. I hope he'll take their advice and leave it behind next week. It's almost like a safety net. I hope he's not awkward without it.

On to his performance. It was okay. Not the best, but not the worst, either. I still like him; I just hope he does something different, something memorable next week.

3. Luke Menard - "Killer Queen"
His voice is higher than what I like, but it was good for this song. Much better than last week. I don't think he's got the staying power, though.

4. Robbie Carrico - "Hot Blooded"
I enjoyed seeing the video clip of him drag racing. (Billy and I used to go to drag races before Caleb was born and it was always a lot of fun. We'd like to take the boys one of these days.)

At first, his performance seemed good, but as he went on, he seemed to be lacking. It was okay. Last week was better for him.

5. Danny Noriega - "Superstar"
I really like the Carpenters, and Danny's voice is pretty good, but I just don't like his personality. I find him very annoying. I'm ready for him to go, but that's doubtful. He was better this week than last.

6. David Hernandez - "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
I like his voice and he sounded great again tonight, but I'm not a fan of the song he picked. At this point, when Simon said it was the best vocal of the night, he was right. Then came the other Davids...

7. Jason Yeager - "Long Train Runnin'"
He was much improved over last week's snooze fest, but he's still got a lot to prove. Billy pegged it right when he said it was a very "cruise ship" performance.

8. Chikezie - "I Believe"
I was more impressed with him this week. For one thing, his clothes weren't screaming louder than his singing, though he was dressed a little too casual. Almost sloppy. But his voice was really good, and he played around with the song some instead of imitating the original. I wasn't familiar with the song, though. He needs to pick something more in the mainstream.

9. David Cook - "Alright Now"
Yea! Another word nerd! Simon might have been bored by his video, but I thought it was really interesting. I never would have pegged David as someone who liked language and wordplay so much. I love how they pieced together his interview clips with all his big words. I never would have realized that otherwise.

On to his performance... The best of the night - to this point! He did a great job playing lead guitar while he sang. And every note sounded on key. He really rocked. Robbie Carrico can take some lessons from this guy.

10. David Archuleta - "Imagine"
He's another really likable, down-to-earth guy. I love how he just smiles so big when he gets complimented. He's not full of himself and cocky; he's humble and truly happy. And he has the voice to beat this season. If he doesn't win the whole thing, I'll be surprised. He's got an amazing voice, amazing control. This one really was the best performance of the night!

My six are still the same, though they're starting to find some order now. Well, maybe one has dropped out for someone else. Not sure yet. What I am sure of is this: David Archuleta is my top pick, followed by David Cook. The order of the others is still in question.

My picks to go home this week: Luke Menard and Jason Yeager. (Same as last week.)

It's a lot easier to judge the contestants' voices by listening to the samples on iTunes. We can all admit that we're influenced somewhat by appearances, personality, and mannerisms, but those perceptions aren't so strong when you're just listening. Try it and think about whether or not you'd actually buy an album based solely on voice.