It's a 21st Century Meltdown...

Pick a song, any song from the "21st Century". Doesn't sound too hard. But clearly, this was a tough challenge for our remaining 7 Idol wanna-be's.

For the first time this season, I was UNDERWHELMED.

A swing...and a miss!!!

SCOTTY - since you chose to sing "Swingin'", let's use a baseball analogy here. You know your friend and fellow contestant, James Durbin? Heard of him? Well, he swings for the fences every week. He knocks it out of the park every week. You are happy just to get on base. This performance was so lightweight and silly, I felt like you were phoning it in. A trip to the Bottom Three might solve THAT. But your raised eyebrows, sideways-microphone, and camera-flirtation came across as you...taking this whole thing for granted this week. Worst performance of the season so far for you. Don't take our love for granted, Scotty. Even YOU have to earn it. I'm not going to vote for you JUST because I live in North Carolina. Dude.

The lunatic escapes the asylum

JAMES - I love it that you go all out, every week. If you go down, you'll go down in flames. Or at least your piano will go down in flames. But not this week. You were like an insane circus conductor, waving your poker stick in the air and taking your falsetto to decibel levels we've never heard on this show before. Hey, if Matt Bellamy asks you to perform HIS song on American Idol, what are you going to do? Crush it. And you did. This is one "Uprising" that I'm ready to join.

Our pin-up girl

HALEY - there are some of us out there in the viewing audience who have been waiting for you to sing Adele all. season. long. And now that you've done it...I wish it had been better. It pains me to say that. Adele's original of "Rolling in the Deep" just kicks so much ass, you had to come out there and KILL IT to do it justice. Instead, you looked a little intimidated. This song is about a woman done wrong and she's PISSED about it. You just weren't angry enough. This performance wasn't terrible, but you could have taken it so much further, and I'm disappointed. You looked like a beautiful, bodacious, curvy pin-up girl in the polka-dots and wavy hair. Michael thinks you are totally hot. And you are. I just wish this performance had been, too.

The Diva Dances with his Father

JACOB - I feel for you this week. This performance was restrained. Who would ever think the judges would need to ask YOU for more?! But it was clear, you were very moved by this song and what it means to you. I'm cool with that. But I was worried the entire performance that you were going to break down in tears, so I couldn't concentrate on how great you can sing. I have a feeling you'll bust it out next week. But you can spare us the shiny suit next time.

I'm back at Rick's Bar in Ann Arbor

CASEY - I felt like I was back in college for Monday $1 Beer Night - everyone is wasted, talking too loud, and the band is just sawing away onstage and no one is listening. There is something very loose and unrehearsed about you that I like, but like Scotty, this just felt lightweight to me.

Ne-Yo's not worried

STEFANO - you flirted with the camera for this entire performance, begging us to come "Closer." No, thanks. We got Stefano Gone Sexy this week. Although you kept those pleading-looks to a minimum (for you), you tried to convince us that you are tortured by your sexiness, crushed under the weight of how damned good-looking you are. PUH-LEASE. This was a timid dance performance, not a strong vocal performance. Unless people are voting for style over substance, you should be in the bottom.

Jennifer Lopez, licensed therapist?

LAUREN - girl, if you don't get some confidence fast, you are going home. You know it's not a great performance when the judges spend all their time telling you what they WISH you had sung, instead of what you DID sing. Idol is not a therapy session. Yes, you are only 16. But you better start acting like you belong on that stage, or America will very willingly throw you off of it. I love you, but this Sara Evans song came across as another featherweight performance (I'll throw you in there with Scotty and Casey). Come ON. If you were "Born To Fly", then you need to prove it. This was kinda weak, kinda safe, and it kinda sucked.

My Bottom Three: Scotty (for lack of effort), Lauren, and Stefano
Who will go home: Stefano (if there's any justice in the world)

What did YOU hear last night?!