Early Line

It's early in the season for me to be watching American Idol, let alone pegging finalists, but there are a number of very talented and interesting adults this year -- no one left is actually a bad singer who consistently can't hit the notes as in years past at this stage -- but I do want the kids to go. The Top 12 are figured out this week, with four getting cut, then down to once a week, and I guarantee you'll see at least two great performances every week.

MC has it nailed. As of this week, the competition is between one gal and one guy who are just broke away from their respective packs.

Chrystal Bowersox, guitar slinging young mom who looks nothing like any other Idol winner in the past, who is totally legit as a singer songwriter (if they ever let her play her songs) with a great sense of rhythm and taste in covers, usually on acoustic but completely owning the electric this week:



And Big Mike, Michael Lynche, another young parent just turned dad as the auditions kicked in, proved to be a force of nature next to the other men, even the ones in their 20's:



I'm telling you, Idol doubters, there's a number of other good ones as well, but if these two aren't in the final episode, either something's gone haywire or there is no justice. I can see myself buying her songs. He's a more traditional type of star, but what counts now is how they bring it and continue to grow week to week.

The last time I liked a contestant this much this early was Fantasia Barrino, who went on to win, even though she never looked like what you'd expect from a show like this. She was authentic, she had raw throwback talent like these two (Michael with the theatrical, Crystal with the Bonnie Raitt-era white blues/folk women), and she continued to grow noticeably week to week, giving her all in different ways, going the distance.

And, like Fantasia, these two are gunslingers. You can see it in their eyes, especially during the judging, they know what they've done but they're smart, they're thirsty to absorb the feedback.

C'mon, Crystal.