So, for Lee DeWyze’s second performance on last night’s American Idol, the singer was given a song choice directly from Executive Producer Simon Fuller. (The other) Simon commanded Lee to sing REM’s Everybody Hurts. I could go on about throaty vocals, but I thought that this track actually exposed Lee as a bit of a one-trick pony. He’s not capable of creating emotion in songs beyond ‘rock voice’. It’s good, but it’s not great. And I feel like he brings every song to the same place. But maybe I’m just desperately hoping that Crystal wins and wanting Lee to be bad!

Judges Comments:

* Randy Jackson: That was definitely better. I could feel your passion…it started off a little pitchy in the first couple of bars, but you pulled it together. And I could feel that Lee that I love by the end. I liked that man, it was a lot better.

* Ellen DeGeneres: I felt like you went off a couple of times, but I don’t care about that, it’s really about the performance. A couple of times you really, really got into it and I was like “here we go, this is exciting” and then you pulled back again. You could feel everybody get excited when you did that, and then you pulled back. So I wanna see more of that from you.

* Kara DioGuardi: Lee, what makes you great as a performer is that you’re emotionally accessible. And that I can feel every word that your saying and that you’re telling a story. It wasn’t a perfect vocal, but I love that about you.

* Simon Cowell: Lee, I thought that was a brilliant choice of song for you. You went a little bit off-melody in parts. I think what I’m feeling from you tonight Lee – and I understand this – is that you’re nervous. And you’ve got another song to come. I think you’ve got to really understand what this night can do in terms of changing your life. And when you come out for your last performance, I want a 10 out of 10. Because you’re capable of it.