This is my recap of the Top 13 performances.  I’m using the Adam Lambert scoring system - basically a 1-5 with a 5 being an Adam Lambert-esque performance (Probably won’t be too common) and a 1 being a performance worthy of ending the contestants run on the show.

Lauren Alaina – “Any Man of Mine”

This performance proves how much stronger the contestants are this season versus last.  Lauren wasn’t her best but still blew away Siobhan Magnus’ version from last year (I was a big Siobhan fan).  No question in my mind that Lauren is the most versatile/talented female in the group, but she needs to choose songs that do a better job of showing off her voice.

Casey Abrams – “With a Little Help From My Friends”

One word – genius.  He has to be the most unique contestant with a serious chance of winning.  Casey picked a great song and his performance was perfect.

Ashton Jones – “When You Tell Me That You Love Me”

I’m not a big fan.  Her voice isn’t strong enough to compete with the other girls in the competition and this particular performance proved it.  Ashton is my pick to go home tonight.

Paul McDonald – “Come Pick Me Up”

If James Blunt and Chris Martin had a child…it would be weird.  But seriously, Paul has Stewart’s voice and Martin’s moves.  I wasn’t thrilled with the performance, mainly because I couldn’t hear him very well.  Regardless, he’s one of my favorites and brings something different to the idol stage.

Pia Toscano – “All By Myself”

Did anyone else notice that Pia sang the same line over and over again?  Pia is obviously the contestant that Idol is pushing hard right now and she can definitely sing.  I want to see what happens when she sings something other than a popular ballad. 

James Durbin – “Maybe I’m Amazed”

The performance was very good but I felt his voice sounded a little better last week.  The Adam Lambert comparisons frustrate me since James doesn’t have anywhere near the same range or vocal control.  With that being said, he is still super good and should go very far in the competition.

Haley Reinhart – “Blue”

Maybe I’m crazy but this girl deserves more credit than the judges give her.  She’s hot, has a really different style, and can flat out sing.  I agree with Randy that the performance was a little boring but she still sounded great.

Jacob Lusk – “I Believe I Can Fly”

Jacob is a beast.  I’m not sure if his style can sell records but boy can he sing.  He may have been off key in the middle but his performance was still one of the best of the night.

Thia Megia – “Smile”

She really does sound like Michael Jackson.  I rarely agree with the judges but they were spot on, the beginning was much better than the middle and end.  Thia has a pretty cool voice but I’m not sure if she can hang with Lauren and Pia.

Stefano Langone – “Lately”

I mentioned above that I rarely agree with the judges.  Here is the perfect example.  I don’t think Stefano sounds good at all.  I get that he’s a good-looking, nice guy with a great story, but that’s not enough.  The fact that he was the wild card pick and Clint Jun Gamboa (arguably the best male singer in the top 24) didn’t even get a chance to sing again really bothered me.  I don’t see Stefano lasting very long.

Karen Rodriguez – “I Could Fall in Love”

Karen was one of my favorites coming in but her performance didn’t do much for me.  It was similar to Paul’s in that I couldn’t hear her very well.  She has a really good voice and I’m hoping she sticks around and does something a little more upbeat.

Scotty McCreery – “The River”

If he sings a country song it will sound great.  I wonder how many times he can get away with it though.  Based on his non-country performances from Hollywood week he should stick with his genre for as long as possible.  Even if he gets sent home surprisingly early, this kid is going to have a big career in country music.

Naima Adedapo – “Umbrella”

Another wild card pick that made no sense to me.  Kendra sings her tail off and they choose Naima.  Her performance this week was odd.  Her voice sounded good at the beginning and the reggae part was pretty rad.  The dance moves were just awkward and when she sings with her deep voice it just sounds bad.  If Naima survives this week she can thank Rhianna for tweeting “Vote Naima.”