American Idol - Tell Me Your Dreamzzzzzz...

American Idol was all about inspirational dreams. But most of the dreams tonight were the ones I was sleeping through in an unusually detached edition of Idol. Like the song goes, you've got to take your passion and make it happen yet many of the performances tonight were insular. It was so off that even Randy Jackson started to sound like Cowell with his negative criticism. So here's what went down:

Michael Johns delivered an OK version of Aerosmith's "Dream On". Johns set the tone early on, he seemed more in love with his dream than the audience. There wasn't much you could technically say was bad except I wasn't feelin' it.

Syesha Mercado followed with a Mariah Careyish take on Fantasia's "I Believe". Mercado has the raw talent to be a superstar but lacks the charisma. And as long as she believes dog whistle frequency high notes are her main selling point, she's not going to make it.

Jason Castro came up with the performance of the night, a straightforward but effective reading of Iz's "Over The Rainbow" aka the song that Dr Greene died to on ER. Bonus points for playing the Ukulele. It was nice and effective.

Kristi Lee Cook broadened her palate so to speak, she didn't sing for the troops so she was sure to have lyrics about God. Lee Cook's voice is still slight and characterless but she pushed it nicely against the gospel singers backing. And for the first time...ever...she showed some emotional conviction.

David Cook turned in his weakest performance in some time with - I forget what the song was even called. "Immortal"? The song was not that great to start with and Cook seemed to wander through it in a haze. Maybe the issues he's had mentioned in the press is getting to him. And there's a reason why Our Lady Peace isn't known here. Who? Exactly. Maybe if this was Canadian Idol but it's not.

Carly Smithson tackled Queen's "The Show Must Go On" and found out maybe the opposite is true. Why Idol contestants choose to do this song year after year is beyond me, in addition to Freddie Mercury's incredible voice he was dying while recording this track which added to the drama of a man fighting for every last second of life. No Idol contestant past present or future will ever be able to replicate that feeling and inevitably come up short. Particularly if they get lost and start swallowing the big notes like Smithson did tonight.

David Archuleta went with Robbie William's "Angels", a song I find personally annoying though I know it was popular. Archuleta made the mistake of playing piano on the song which made the first half plodding in pace. When Archuleta let the band take over he focused on his vocal and made you wish he did the whole song without the piano. A pretty good night for a guy who I'm convinced gets his endless jacket wardrobe from Members Only.

Brooke White closed out with Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" and came up with a solid replica of the Tapestry classic. It was like a cozy blanket on a cold night and White was in her element. I like that Randy Jackson called her out on her throwing the devil horns to her family.

Traditionally no one goes home on Idol Gives Back week, they just roll the votes over to next week like a Presidential election. But you never know what Ryan Seacrest holds in his cue cards (except his brutal ad-lib about Simon Cowell's Chihuahua's, the best moment of the night). In the race to the middle this week I think Smithson is the most vulnerable but Mercado will go because she has less of an identity.