I was so glad to see an accomplished composer as this weeks mentor. The song and its structure is just as important to a performance as the vocal. These were complicated arrangements that would prove to be the greatest dividers of wheat from chaff. The two most obvious casualties of this detail being Jason & Brooke. They were simply in over thier heads. David Cook did make the most of it, tho more than half of his song just didnt sound good. Carly did a good job of it, opting for a more upbeat tune. That composer (forgot the name) should be a permanent consultant for the show, as he was so good at finding the right song for the singer. Carly would have chosen Brook’s song otherwise. Such was the case with Syesha, as her song brought out the stage actress in her. As talented as she is, shes always seemed like a very good mimic of the Whitney songs shes mostly hooked on, but she really stands out when singing outside her little box.

Now for Archuleta. As much as I dont like his style, I can finally see what it is about him. Aside from the EMO thing which is hugely popular with the preteen girls that scream for him, he was able to tackle a very complex arrangement like a seasoned prefessional. His creamy smooth vanilla voice flowed right thru all the transitions & changes of tune. He really has a natural gift. While I did not like the song I can admit (without placing ‘begrudgingly’ in front of it) that he is the most talented on the show. But David Cook wins by a nose on pure marketability and the actual enjoyment of his performances. I predict a Cook/Archuleta showdown, with Cook (this time with begrudgingly added) taking second place.