Here Come the Girls...

And so here we go...another season of "American Idol" where the top 24 are the "best" the judges have ever seen.  Really?  Better than Carrie Underwood? Kelly Clarkson? Sh-t, at times, I am unsure whether this top 24 could out singWilliam Hung.

Paige Miles got things kicked off with an awfully boring midtempo .  While Miles has chops (at times too much), I couldn't help but feel like I was watching a high school talent show while she performed.

Ashley Rodriguez did a piss poor job imitating Leona Lewis's "Happy" with her inability to reach the low notes and second rate version of a not-so-great song already.  I was not "happy" having to listen to it.

With high hopes for Janell Wheeler, you couldn't help but be disappointed with this (bad) karaoke version of Ann Wilson and Heart's "What About Love".  Perhaps she should put an APB out for the notes she couldn't find during the song.

Lilly Scott finally brought the evening to night with the Beatles "Fixing a Hole".  Scott's unique voice and personality is a nice fit in a year that is filled with many forgettable faces and personalities.

80's Madonna reject Katelyn Epperly sounded good on her version of the Beatles of "Oh! Darling", however I couldn't get past her "Wedding Singer" like outfit.

My ears bled and John Lennon turned over in his grave when Haeley Vaughn covered yet another Beatles song.  In contrast to the others who sung Beatles songs, I didn't want Haeley to hold my hands, I wanted to take them and slap the voice out of Vaughn and this terrible performance.  There is also something about her that honestly makes me hate her when I look at her...odd. In her favor, Vote for the Worst wants to keep her because of her wretched performance.

Lacey Brown disappointed immensely when Brown sounded more like the drunk girl who thinks her sh-t don't stink at a local karaoke performance than someone who has the confidence and skill to win a competition like AI.  I haven't seen something that pitchy since watching the Tigers pitching rotation.

Michelle Delamor channeled Alicia Keys in her performance of "Fallen", however I found it a very forgettable and grating performance.

My favorite contestant this year, Didi Benami, did a somewhat solid job with Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am", however I didn't love the slower and somewhat indulgent performance.  That said, she is one of the better female performers this year.

Anna Paquin lookalike Siobhan Magnus made me want to throw my shoe at the television during her version of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"...a grating song even sung by Isaak.  If it weren't for the video starring the beautiful Helena Christensen, I would take a shoe to Isaak, as well.

Female frontrunner Crystal Bowersox disappointed with a lackluster version of Alanis Morissette's of "Hand in My Pocket".  For the first time during a Bowersox performance, I looked forward to when the song would finish.   Still, in a year with weak competition, Bowersox still shines above the other contestants.

Katie Stevens made me feel like I was watching the girl who is dared by her friends at prom to get up on stage and sing and then destroys by singing a song that is 30 years too old for her.  With solid chops for a girl her age, hopefully Stevens will quickly learn how to choose the right songs so that she remains for a few more weeks.

It looks as if it is going to be a long season and if this is what we are going to see all season from the girls, Simon may be wrong on his predicition of a girl winning it all.