Rant: What's happening?

No Idol recap this week, but I do have something to say about the state of the competition.

This time last year when the top nine took the stage, they sounded like pros - it was like watching a music festival or something(I've never been to one but that's what I envision it to be..). They all had personalities, there was the balladeer(archie), the rock guy(cook/michael), the rock girl(carly) and everything else and yes, you have that in this season but what makes last season so much better is the fact that the top nine could choose songs, perform them AND I could name all of them and put the voice to the name.

This year I can't.

Yeah, sure you've got Danny who can choose songs, 'Lil who has a gorgeous voice she never puts to good use and Megan who has such a different voice but no one is a triple threat - no one stands out and does what they do extremely well.

The biggest disappointment for me this year is 'Lil. She was amazing during the top 36, I wanted to hear a whole record from her but after that one, brilliant Top 12 performance, everything went wrong. It was the last straw for me when she did horribly during Motown week. That's supposed to be her area, the time when she comes in, sings a song and knocks us off out seats. This week was just painful - I had to stop watching halfway in because it was horrible.

I hate Alison. Yes, she has a voice and yes, it's beyond her years but that's what's wrong with her - the voice is too old, and it hits you on the head. She's too much - the voice, the song choices, it's like they're all out to kill you or something. That's what I get from her, she can't sing a ballad well because she doesn't have a soft side - she's too young and like Simon said, she shouts the song.

Last season Jason was a bit iff-y but he was better than some of the guys because he was quirky and interesting. Yes, Scott has a story and I have nothing against blind people singing, I would say the same thing if he didn't have a handicap but it's just that he's sooooo boring. Week in and week out he gives us boring ballads with no dimension or dynamics. He has a gorgeous voice but I'd like to see him use it on songs other than ballads for once.

Not related to the talent but I'd like to say it as well - I saw this article about Simon being 'Idol's most disrespectful judge' and I was so offended. The purpose of a judging panel is to tell someone what he/she did wrong and/or right by means of the judge's opinions and Simon is stating an opinion. If I was a judge I'd tell that person what I thought of what he/she did, regardless of whether it's good or bad. Some news people - the music industry, like a lot of others is cut-throat, and if you can't take something from an A&R person I'm afraid you won't be able to last a few minutes.

I believe that everyone has a right to an opinion and I used to think that the US was this really, really free place where everyone can say what they think but if they're attacking someone for saying what they think - I don't know how to look at the country now.