Shania Twain mentors Idol Six

Shania Twain (left, Getty Images) was a fine guest judge during audition rounds this season so she's been brought back to help mentor the remaining finalists.

This should be amusing. Had the theme been the broader country category one could imagine the contestants could find some sort of song to fit them. But the theme is Shania's songs and her tunes, in general, have been written from a female point of view. Will be most interesting to watch the guys scrap over the few unisex songs from the 50 songs provided. I sure hope someone shows a sense of humor tonight and Big Mike winds up with Man! I Feel Like a Woman! or Lee has to settle for the spoken word interlude in That Don't Impress Me Much ("So you're Brad Pitt? That don't impress me much.")

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Shania amusingly notes that she was surprised that guys had to sing her songs and wondered how they might do. "Disappointed they didn't sing Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" Yes, me too.

Slow-witted Lee Dewyze kicks things off with one of the few Shania songs a guy can do (You're Still the One) and, as usual, half sleeps and half growls his way through it, bumping all around the key and never quite hitting it correctly. He's awful but for some reason Americans are celebrating mediocrity on this show and he's a lock to face Crystal in the finals.

Michael Lynche sings Shania's It Only Hurts While I'm Singing This Lousy Song. Boring. And, almost assuredly, his last time on the Idol stage.

 Meantime, the judges continue on their path of ignorance. Kara calls Shania a very "connected singer." Uh, no, she's not. Once popular, with a Def Leppard-meets-fiddles sound (thanks completely to her ex-husband Mutt Lange), her songs topped the charts more for their then-novel pop sound and not because she was some amazing singer. It's quite telling that now that she doesn't have Lange with her she hasn't released an album in a decade and none are on the horizon.

Casey James, along with the other two guys, sings Don't and helps make the case that when Shania considers writing another ballad she should hear the word "Don't" in her head and heed it. They all sound the same and lack strong melodies. That said, Casey did a good job with the material and far outshone the competition thus far. His best performance in weeks.

Crystal leeches the life right out of Shania's perky No One Needs to Know. Perhaps Shania's most country-oriented song and one of her best, Crystal was a major disappointment. Limp, lifeless, joyless, pick your -less and that was Crystal this week.

Aaron Kelly soars tonight on You've Got a Way and if anyone in power is listening, he should be made the new lead singer in Rascal Flatts (even if they aren't looking for one.) Tho just 17, Aaron sings with maturity, depth and strength with this kind of country-pop balladry. He'd be great as leader of Rascal Flatts cuz, unlike the sour guy they have now, Aaron is delightful. Charming. Can't say enough about him tonight. He and Casey, far out front.

Mandisa did a better job on Any Man of Mine years ago than Siobhan's self-conscious mess with it tonight. And the annoying screaming's back. Blech.

Prediction: Bottom three should be Lee in the deepest basement followed by Mike and Crystal. But it's fixed to keep Lee safe. Going home: Mike.

Best: Aaron and Casey.

Shania did a decent mentoring job. Some good advice.

OK, time for Dancing with the Stars results on DVR and then Glee.

Comments

[MrsEvans]

Hi all.

[MrsEvans]

Lee is stinkin up the joint as usual. I am sure they will praise him though. I think Idol should stop with the theme nights. Let the singers choose songs that they want to and stop having to be something they are clearly not.

[Lesley]

Ooof, that was bad. And Shania Twain has a big enough songbook for an entire Idol episode? What next, the Shania Twain Glee episode? Full disclosure : LOVE Shania, but only two songs --Man, I Feel Like a Woman and That Don't Impress Me Much. Fun to sing at karaoke.
Were the judges hearing something different?

[MrsEvans]

No Lesley. They heard him loud and clear. He is the chosen one for the season and songs are currently being selected for his album so they have to say he is good. That is my story and I am sticking to it!

[HoCo]

MrsEvans, you are 100 percent right on. You're saying the exact same thing my mom's been saying. The judges seem paid to praise this paint store schmuck. He's awful but he can do no wrong on this show with the judges. He'll make his album. It won't sell. But he'll take the space of someone more deserving.

[Lesley]

I don't know this song Big Mike is singing but he's doing a good job. He always does. But nothing special. To be honest, all his songs sound the same.

[MrsEvans]

Big Mike is a one trick pony. Good at his one style but he lacks diversity.

[gail]

HI
I LIKE LEE.

I think the beginning of that song sounded like fail but he turned it around. Lee has potential and he is about the only one that keeps trying to make the songs his own and change them up. He got a cool raspyness to his voice.

He's got potential it'll just take a couple years to develop it. I've seen it happen before!

Bought the movie It's Complicated today....a must see movie....Alec Baldwin, Maryl Streep...
funneh!

[HoCo]

The song was an album track, not a single. I didn't recognize it until he got to the chorus, then I remembered it by the title. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I like Mike but not on this song and not that song at all. Afraid it's his last hurrah.

[Lesley]

Making dudes sing Shania Twain should give them an automatic pass this week.

[MrsEvans]

HoCo - your mom is a smart woman!

[MrsEvans]

Casey is HOT tonight...oh and the vocals aren't half bad either! :)

[Lesley]

Swooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon

[MrsEvans]

swooning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsEvans]

hahahahahaha!

[Lesley]

F Lee. Casey and Crystal in the finals.

[MrsEvans]

Dream on Lesley, Lee is their chosen one! :(

[Lesley]

Oooh, speaking of, Casey would be fabulous singing Dream On by Aerosmith!

[MrsEvans]

Yes Lesley! Me likey that idea!

[HoCo]

Casey was quite good tonite on a mediocre song. he elevated the song and is the first one thus far to avoid the train wreck Lee and Mike caused.
I'd prefer to see him in the finals than Lee. Heck, I'd rather they bring back Sanjaya and swap him in for Lee cuz even that goober wasn't as ear splitting bad.

[MrsEvans]

I don't know any of these Shania songs except for the one Lee mangled.

[Lesley]

I love Crystal but this wasn't my fave. It's very Magic Garden circa 1974.

[MrsEvans]

How much do we love Crystal? Even if she is not your style, you can't deny the girl has killer natural talent!

[gail]

Finally Crystal may have a voice....this I like...a little personality. Her teeth are looking whiter too....wonder if Ryan did that as payback for Crystal saying Ryan betrayed her.

[Lesley]

Crystal's boyfriend looks....well...clean!

[MrsEvans]

Boyfriend? I assumed she had a husband. Is he the baby daddy?

[Lesley]

I was wondering the same, MrsE. For some reason, I don't think that's the baby daddy

[HoCo]

Oops, Gail, we're slipping back into the miss column. Lee and Crystal crashed into the train wreck tonite. So far only Casey delivered anything remotely listenable. Crystal ruined one of the few Shania Twain songs I actually like. Or should I say, liked past tense?

[Lesley]

Aaron is sounding a little Kenny Loggins-ish here....I love Kenny Loggins..

[MrsEvans]

My fav Shania song. Isn't this kid 16? Inappropriate material for him. Haha did he take out the "made love" lyric?

[MrsEvans]

17. my bad.

[Lesley]

MrsE--so very astute! He did take that line out. AWww, ewww, he was singing it to his mommy!!!

[gail]

I liked what Crystal did with that song...and you know I haven't liked her a bit. Go figure...maybe it's the fool moon. Has anybody checked it out it sure is purdy.

Aaron sounded good. I have to say I did not listen to Ruben I mean big Mike...he just reminds me of Reben sooooo much.

[MrsEvans]

When is she not ugly? Sorry, that wasn't nice.

[Lesley]

Sayonara Siobhan

[MrsEvans]

I.loathe.her.

[MrsEvans]

Really?! Really?!

[Lesley]

Judges are on crack tonight. Shania looked to be in pain during Siohban's performance.

[Lesley]

Siobahn, Lee and Crystal were my least faves tonight.

Casey and Aaron were my faves

Big Mike, same ol' but he was good.

Time to hear how Brittany's cat has been reading her diary on Glee.

g'night y'all!

[MrsEvans]

nite!

[HoCo]

Crystal's boyfriend is not the father of the baby. she was not married to the dad.
Agree with you Lesley