MUSIC: American Idol 09: Motown night

Guided by Smokey Robinson, who may be the most uncritical mentor in Idol history, the wannabes offer a mostly listless evening of Motown greats, picking up only at the very end with a couple of fine turns from Danny and Allison.

The rundown:

Matt, "Let's Get It On" -- This song needs to ooze testosterone, and Matt's just not up to it; he's a nice boy playing at being a sexy man. (The prim sweater and tie don't help.) And on Matt's performances in general: His falsetto is not as interesting or impressive as he thinks it is.

Kris, "How Sweet It Is" -- I still want his enunciation to be cleaner, but I like the laid-back vibe, and with the exception of that awful last note, I love that he doesn't oversing or push too hard. Not an earthshattering performance, but very pleasant.

Scott, "You Can't Hurry Love" -- Even after he picks up the tempo, Scott's performance is unrelentingly polite and tepid and dull; the occasional outburst from the horn section and the hard-working backup singers are the only things that give it any life at all.

Megan, "For Once in My Life" -- Her pitch is still a mess, and she has the oddest, choppiest sense of phrasing. But I disagree with the judges and think this was a good choice for her -- the song's always been halfway to cabaret anyway -- and while I can't say I liked it, I hated it less than anything else she's done.

Anoop, "Ooo Baby Baby" -- The melody on those short verses is deceptively angular, and Anoop's not entirely sure of it; the falsetto stuff in the choruses is pretty, but in a bland way that I'm not going to remember when the show's over.

Michael, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" -- Utterly lacking in desperation, and without that, he might as well be singing "Frere Jacques." And he needs to wipe that damn smile off his face; it is not the appropriate facial expression for every song.

Lil, "Heatwave" -- When you have a big voice, one of the challenges you face is that of moderation. Lil fails that challenge here, bludgeoning us through the entire performance. It's not so much a song as it is an assault. (And while it has nothing to do with her singing, I must sadly note that not every woman can pull off a shimmy dress.)

Adam, "Tracks of My Tears" -- When ninety percent of the song is in falsetto (and a pinched, harsh falsetto at that), then you've pitched the song too high. It's the prettiest singing he's done, by a long shot, but Adam still feels more like a bad cabaret act than like a pop singer. The judges' praise is excessive to the point of absurdity.

Danny, "Get Ready" -- Finally, some oomph, some passion, some energy comes through. He still looks a bit awkward on stage, especially when dancing with the backup singers, but the singing is fine, and more interesting than anything else we've heard tonight.

Allison, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" -- I think Allison has a stronger sense of who she is as a singer than any of the other contestants; she's making smart song choices each week. Her enunciation is a bit sloppy tonight, but notice how (in contrast to Lil, for instance) the big note at the end is big without being oppressively so, or feeling forced. Good, solid performance.

For the night: Danny, Allison, Kris, Anoop, Lil, Matt, Adam, Megan, Michael, Scott.

For the season: Anoop, Danny, Allison, Kris, Lil, Matt, Michael, Adam, Megan, Scott.

Deserving to go home: Scott or Megan.