Top 36: Group 3...It's Not Over

We've almost made it to the Top 12, people! Tonight's performances were about the same as the last two performance episodes we've seen. Some good, some bad, and some just strange. Here's the rundown:

Von Smith: You're All I Need to Get By - Marvin Gaye. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Von Smith. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting much from his performance. Von started out a little too low for his range, and it seemed a little weird. But you know what? Von scaled it back a little, and it kind of worked (I can't believe I'm typing these words right now). Make no mistake, Von is still a little too showy, but this performance was the best I've heard from him. Unfortunately, all the previous screaming he's done, in addition to his ill-fated first performer lot, aren't going to add up, and Von doesn't really stand much of a chance to get through on votes alone...maybe he'll get another shot with the wild card. Who knows? Rating: 8

Taylor Vaifanua: If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys. Well, Taylor sure is a pretty girl, and she gave it the old college try. But this performance fell hopelessly flat as soon as she opened her mouth. Taylor could never manage to find her place in the song and the nerves got the best of her. Her performance wasn't good enough. Rating: 6

Alex Wagner-Trugman: I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues - Elton John. This kid is hilarious! Alex managed, without even trying, to do what Norman Gentle was attempting all along: to endear himself to America through awkward performances and decidedly white dance moves. I still can't figure out whether Alex was doing this on purpose or not, but bless his little heart because he made me laugh. Rating: 7 (please note that personality was a major factor in this rating)

Arianna Asfar: The Winner Takes it All - Abba. Arianna had to know that her song choice would be an inevitable pun from the judges' table. I have heard her sing much better before. Honestly, she would have been better to stick with the "cute" Arianna for a couple more weeks, and then chosen a great song with which to blow our minds. This wasn't the week. Arianna should have stayed true to herself. Rating: 6

Ju'Not Joyner: Hey There Delilah - The Plain White T's. I think Ju'Not did a great job with this song, but his one fault was that someone else had already given a really memorable performance of it during Hollywood Week. Does anyone remember Jamar Rogers, Danny Gokey's BFF? Jamar's performance was quirky and memorable...I can still hear it playing in my mind, 3 weeks after the event. Ju'Not did a good job. He didn't do much else than to just slow the song down a little. I think Ju'Not has a distinct John Legend vibe about his voice, minus the confidence of course. I hope Ju'Not gets another shot with the Wild card, because I really think he can pull through. Rating: 7

Kristin McNamara: Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman. First of all, I don't think Kristin's hair was ever "accidentally" purple. I think she was going for a look that didn't work out for her, and decided to blame it on her hairstylist...poor hairstylist. I think Kristin chose a good song for her voice. Kristin doesn't have one of the strongest voices in the competition, but she did a good job of faking it with this performance. Rating: 8

Nathaniel Marshall: I Would Do Anything for Love - Meatloaf. Wow. Nathaniel needs to leave Los Angeles and move to New York. He would make a great cast member of A Chorus Line! Or maybe Wham! is planning a reunion tour. He'd fit in perfectly there. Unfortunately, Nathaniel is just not the right kind of performer for the American Idol venue. It's not gonna work, buddy. Rating: 6

Felicia Barton: No One - Alicia Keys. I know there were a couple of sour notes here, but I love Felicia's voice. One thing that's evident when Felicia sings is that she pours soul into it. I love the richness of her performance and the tone of her voice. If she doesn't make it through with the popular vote, I am expecting a wild card to come her way. Rating: 8

Scott McIntyre: Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby. I think, like Matt Giraud from last week, that Scott sounds better and more natural when he's behind a piano. That being said, he gave a decent performance tonight. I'm afraid his style in music, though, is a little irrelevant for the American Idol audience. I'm not sure how he's going to fare. He seemed to be a crowd favorite, but I don't know if people will vote for someone who has consistently chosen songs that were more than 2 decades old. Rating: 7

Kendall Beard: This One's for the Girls - Martina McBride. Martina McBride is for country music, what Whitney Houston is for pop. It's highly unlikely that an amateur singer will be able to tackle a Martina McBride song with success. Kendall was no exception to this rule. She reminds me of various cute blonde girls who made it through to the semifinals on Idol, but then got cut before the Top 12. I don't expect things to go any differently for Kendall. Rating: 6

Jorge Nunez: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John. If you were able to look past the eyebrows, you probably heard a brilliant performance. Aside from maybe Adam Lambert, I think Jorge has the strongest male voice in the competition. I'm not sure how successful Jorge would be as a recording artist, since his style (Marc Anthony) isn't really popular anymore. But, boy, it's sure nice to listen to him sing a song. Rating: 9

Lil Rounds: Be without You - Mary J. Blige. Lil is a very engaging performer. I loved how she got the audience involved in her performance. She knows her way around a stage and really showed that she's a different caliber of performer than most everyone else tonight. She's definitely one of the more seasoned singers this season. I wish she would have chosen a song that showed off her vocal abilities more, though. Rating: 8

Who will stay? My Predictions: Lil Rounds, Felicia Barton, Jorge Nunez. Remember, that there is another Thursday show this week, and then we'll finally be ready for the Top 12!

Currently Listening To: It's Not Over by Daughtry