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With last week's show resulting in Kevin Covais getting the boot, I was hoping for a better show this week. I was really disappointed. I mean they just weren't very good, despite singing songs from the 21st Century.

Paris Bennett
Work It Out by Beyonce

Bucky Covington
Real Good Man by Tim McGraw

Chris Daughtry
What If by Creed

Taylor Hicks
Trouble by Ray LaMontagne

Mandisa
Shackles (Praise You) by Mary Mary

Katharine McPhee
The Voice Within by Christina Aguilera

Kellie Pickler
Suds in a Bucket by Sara Evans

Lisa Tucker
Because of You by Kelly Clarkson

Elliott Yamin
I Don't Wanna Be by Gavin DeGraw

Ace Young
Drops of Jupiter by Train

My usual favorites, Chris Daughtry and Katharine McPhee, both did okay, but neither one wowed me tonight. I thought Chris sounded at least as good as Scott Stapp with his rendition of What If?, and though I like Creed, I've just never really cared for that song much, and I'm not sure that it's a good choice for the Idol crowd overall. I think he would have done better with something like With Arms Wide Open - though I have to give him credit for not wavering from his approach, something that Simon seemed to take back from last week after harping on it previously.

Mandisa, my feel-good contestant, had a nice song, but it felt too over-the-top for her as well, and didn't show enough of her spirit, instead being a bit too fast-paced. I like the fact that she didn't slow things down, but you've got to give the audience a chance to enjoy you while you're out there, and she didn't do that. I don't think she'll be leaving anytime soon, in any case.

My favorite of the night was probably Elliott Yamin, and I don't like Elliott a lot, but I thought he gave a very solid performance. The same can be said of Taylor Hicks. I like Taylor's goofiness, but that was toned down this week and I didn't like it as much as his previous songs.

I don't really like Paris Bennett much either, but I thought she turned in one of her better performances in a while. Bucky Covington turned in one of his better performances in a while by going country, and I think it might be enough to keep him from the bottom of the heap this week.

Meanwhile, I certainly don't care for Ace Young, and I think he absolutely slaughtered Drops of Jupiter by Train, and as such he might find his way to the bottom three once again, this time with prior resident Lisa Tucker and the always surprising Kellie Pickler.

Though I want to pull for Kellie because she's from North Carolina, I just can't. Her voice is really quite good, but she doesn't have that "it" factor, and the only way she gets you into what's happening is by saying something you don't expect. Sure, it's cute and charming, but that doesn't mean that it is talent. Then again, it worked for Jessica Simpson, so maybe it will work.

In any case, I suspect we'll see Lisa finally voted off this week.

Update: Lisa did indeed find her way to the exit this week, and for the second week in a row I happened my way to two-of-three of the bottom three, this time wth Ace and Lisa. Instead of Kellie, however, it was Katharine. Strange indeed.