the top 10 guys: getting better...

The top 12 guys came through last week like a vacuum on a carpet. In other words, they totally sucked. Week two of the semi-finals give the 10 remaining to shake off the nerves and save their faces or to prove to the voting nation that sucking is about the best we can hope for.

And they didn't do badly, certainly better than last week, but then sitting cross-legged silently on the stage would have been an improvement. They're still not in the ladies' league, but at least they're not waving any white flags.

But anyway, here they are, my initial impressions, subject to rewatch, review and revision and, as always, from the worst to the first.

Sanjaya Malakar (Steppin' Out). If he weren't so cute, I would probably have walked out of the room during this performance. He changes up the appearance with pulled back ponytail and hat with a big band song, but has the passion of a tree stump. Randy calls it a bad high school talent show performance. Randy is being kind.

Brandon Rogers (Time After Time). Brandon admits he's worried about singing a slow song, dedicated to his gramma. He should have been. Randy says it's boring. Yeah. It was. But because I adore Brandon, I know he'll not let me down next week. Vote Brandon so I can have a next week!

Jared Cotter (Let's Get it On). Jared says he's gonna challenge himself, because Simon told him too. And he gives a decent karaoke performance of the number. Simon invokes the memory of "The Love Boat." I always like when he agrees with me. (Note: it's only the second number of the night, and I'm already wondering what Paula drank for lunch.)

Nick (Vote For) Pedro (Fever). Nick decides to test me by singing a song I detest. I give him credit though for putting the song through a different spin cycle, one that has Simon snapping his fingers and for returning to the genre that sets him apart from the others. Simon disses his clothing and tells him he needs charisma. Where does one buy charisma anyway?

Phil Stacey (Missing You). Well, Phil still hasn't figured out that a good song has a successful beginning to go with the middle and end, and to top it off, they let him begin the show. I am not liking this week's performance as much as last week, even though Randy calls him "hawt," and Paula pretty much echoes Randy. Simon nails it when he calls Phil "unoriginal," but in comparison with the other guys, Phil's karaoke is more than enough.

AJ Tabaldo (Feelin' Good). AJ chooses a song I'm not familiar with, but it's becoming clear that the guys are taking last week's criticism to heart. I wouldn't put this performance on my iPod or anything, but the judges give him appropriate props for stretching beyond the typical (and increasingly more expected) cruise ship karaoke bar tripe.

Sundance Head (Mustang Sally). Finally Jason justifies being in the top 40, much less the top 20. Randy falls all over himself, Paula falls all over Randy and Simon, while not cutting him at the knees, tells him he can do better.

Chris Richardson (Geek in the Pink) Oh geesh. What happened to the guys all sticking to songs I recognize? Alas. But I liked it, even though I didn't understand more than three words and the bouncing and non-stop lyrics seemed to render him a bit out of breath. Randy says HAWT, Paula mumbles and Simon says best of the night. Okay, I'll say one of the six best, but not quite the best.

Blake Lewis (Virtual Insanity). Blake says he's singing for his mom and his really cool dad. And he sings a song that I've never heard so I have nothing with which to compare it. So, standing alone, I think the performance was FAB. Randy agrees, so does Paula, but Simon disses two-thirds of the performance, labeling it as copycat. He might be right. I don't know. But I liked it, so I really don't care what Simon says.

Chris Sligh (Trouble). Chris says he's going to dedicate his song to the woman he married. I didn't even know he was married, and it's a touching thing. I knew I liked this guy, and he more than makes up for the snark from last week, reprising a song Taylor was known for last season. All of the judges, including Simon, give him major thumbs up. So do I.

So that's it for me. So who's taking a long bus ride home?

Who I want: Sanjaya and not Brandon.
Who should: Sanjaya and Nick.
Who will: Nick and Jared.

It's your turn. Who should and will?

The women tomorrow. See you then.