When I first read that American Idol will tackle the Rolling Stones this week, I was scared. I mean, imagine the possibilities! Save two or three people, it's going to be a train wreck.

Fortunately, it wasn't a train wreck. Well, not a big one. Our pick for this week's worst performance isn't exactly a bad performance, but more a bad judgment call. But our pick for this week's best performance isn't exactly pitch-perfect, literally. (I can't believe I just typed those words down, but hey, it happens.)

So, starting this week and for the next ten weeks, we'll make our picks for this week's best and worst performance. Here's the inaugural week, let's see whose performance last night was naughty and whose was nice. First up, the worst.

This week's naughty lister: Tim Urban's "Under My Thumb"


I'll admit I'm not that familiar with the Rolling Stones songbook. This is one song I'm not too familiar with, which is why I didn't immediately understand why Abbey thought it was just bad. Me, I'm interested in anyone who can take a song and push it in an aurally different direction (hello Kris Allen) and, for taking such risks despite not being in the best position tonight, Tim deserves kudos.

That said, it was the wrong song to risk. I listened to the original version afterwards, and thought it was a charming little song, with the xylophone and the deceptively simple melodies. I understand where Tim is basing his reggae rearrangement, but it ended up sounding like something that's not out of place in some elevator. Or some really cheesy second-hand shirt store. To quote Glee's Sue Sylvester, "first I was aroused, then I was furious." Okay, except for the aroused part--it was boring.

Sure, there were other bum performances. Lacey Brown also played with her song a bit, and her take on "Ruby Tuesday" ended up lacking. Andrew Garcia got it all wrong--never mind he didn't bring his guitar with him. But at least they kept a critical part of their songs' Rolling Stones-ness intact. Tim? That's desperate.

This week's nice lister: Siobhan Magnus' "Paint It Black"


A clarification: I am absolutely objective on this one. Sure, the beginning was very shaky: one of her off-pitch notes stood out so much it's like a huge crack in a glass window. And sure, the end wasn't that good either--I loved her glory note on "Think" but a similar approach on this song had me literally looking away from the telly.

That said, this is a performance that benefits from both Siobhan's eccentric personality and noticeable sense of artistry. I was glued to the screen, curious for what she'll do next. It takes guts to start "Paint It Black" on a slow note. It may not have turned out perfectly, but she definitely knew what she was doing. I don't know if she deserves the Adam Lambert comparison, though. As a fan, that is a scary thing to make.

If the flaws were so noticeable, then, why not pick the other performances? I would've chosen Aaron Kelly's "Angie" but, while he chose the right song, in unfortunately highlighted his limited vocals. Maybe he'll get it right soon, but isn't not happening this week or the next. And while Crystal Bowersox has never disappointed--there was something cool with her take on "You Can't Always Get What You Want"--I'm afraid to say she's starting to bore me. Can she do something else?





(Image courtesy of Fox)