Round 1: Contemporary

James Durbin, "30 Seconds to Mars."
Concert ready performer- just what he has been doing for the last 4 weeks.

Jacob Lusk, "No Air." No good. This guy does not know when he is good and when he is bad and that is BAD. It was a terrible song choices for many reasons, not least of which is that it is a duet! It came across as a bad 2-for-1 ad. Look at me, I am so good I can do the girls and the boys part!

Lauren Alaina, "Flat on the Floor." I don't think she did herself any favors doing a former AI winner's song. All the talent has now been coached out of her. All that's left is a mockery of her natural self.

Scotty McCreery: "Gone." the Montgomery Gentry original is 100% better but he did OK

Haley Reinhart: "You and I," a song Lady Gaga performs in concert but has not released. It was probably a mistake to do a song that nobody has heard. Sometimes her voice disappears- what is that all about?

Round 2: Classics from the 60s and 70s

James Durbin, "Without You." Very nice until he hit the power notes. Had he hit a few and then brought the song back down to Earth, I would have been with him all the way, but he stayed up there in thin air until his oxygen was all gone.

Jacob Lusk, "Love Hurts." This was almost beautiful until he started thinking about how he had to scream his way into the finals. All he did was to scream himself into tonight's elimination.

Lauren Alaina, "Unchained Melody." This was the nail in the coffin for her chances to win it all. This song was the definition of SAFE. The judges didn't know what to say because they just heard a robot sing in place of the girl who used to be Lauren Alaina.

Scotty McCreery, "Always on My Mind." this wasn't Elvis. this was Willie and he sang it pretty convincingly. He added 20 years to his 16 years while he was singing- that's good acting. He showed that he knew what the song was all about. And I will repeat what my wife says about him. "I always understand every word he says". Yes, half of you probably think he is a light weight but I would put good money on him to be the male equivalent of Carrie Underwood- and that means song pitch opportunities for those of us who write Country music.

Haley Reinhart, "The House of the Rising Sun." The right decision to start her off singing without accompaniment. It punctuated the drama of the powerful lyrics and melody of the classic. I thought it was the best overall performance of the night.

Who goes home?- that's easy- Jacob. But I don't think he realizes it yet. I think he thought he did great because the judges are afraid to be honest.