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"[\n\n](http://blog.gq.com/blogs/the-q/%2CDanaInfo%3DSCNPNYA54.advancemags.com%2BLee-Dewyze.jpg)\n\n (After last week's Paige Miles mercy killing, we are now left with 10 contestants still on the board. But any typical episode of American Idol_ only features about three crucial data-points. These are those data-points. You're welcome.)\n\n _\n\nYou could not choose a more ill-equipped batch to sing R&amp;amp;B. Not if you traveled to Pennsylvania Dutch Country and handpicked a pack of bonneted milkmaids, slid them a Teddy Pendergrass tape, and told them to go forth, heart in hand. And yet here they were, your mostly white and particularly soulless top 10 guided by this week's mentor, Usher, to sing some sweet soul music. Couple that with the fact that the Worst Idol Season Ever chatter reached a fever pitch this week, and you've got the makings of some hot garbage served with a side of morning breath.\n\nSo you can imagine our surprise when last night's episode wasn't just a non-disaster, unlike the smoking wreckage that was the previous week, but actually sort of, well, great. Especially if we can ignore the travesties of Didi Bemani (too old), Aaron Kelly (too young), and, sadly, our hero, Siobhan Magnus (too normal). There was Katie Stevens not ruining Aretha Franklin, Crystal Bowersox\u2014in stilettos and a backless dress\u2014nailing Gladys Knight, and Michael Lynche turning India.Arie into man's music and doing it without the smugness. And those were just sorta good! So in a reversal of last week's Bad, Worse, Worst countdown we're switching things up and accentuating the positive.\n\nTHE REALLY, REALLY GOOD THING: Lee DeWyze was in the loser's lounge last week when he failed to dap the late, great Alex Chilton after performing The Box Tops' \"The Letter.\" He bounced back in a potentially game-changing way this week, selecting The Cornelius Brothers' harmonize-athon \"Treat Her Like A Lady.\" (Hear it here.) Usher, who was kind and weirdly avuncular all night\u2014he repeatedly called the contestants \"Star\" and \"Kid\"\u2014was enchanted by DeWyze in the pre-taped segment. The bleary-eyed rocker didn't disappoint. His voice is a timeworn type\u2014granular, raspy, the essence of mediocre post-Pearl Jam grunge music. Like Bush, but maybe dumber. But recontextualizing that slurry, half-cocked growl with R&amp;amp;B and pop has sent DeWyze down untapped avenues. He slayed this week and had us thinking maybe this guy could actually win this thing. Simon agreed, noting, \"This is the night your life may have changed forever.\"\n\nTHE PRETTY DARN GOOD, DEFINITELY NOT BAD THING: Andrew Garcia doesn't suck anymore. Huzzah. Garcia has been in a rut ever since he was ordained The Favorite after an inspired remake of Paul Abdul's \"Straight Up\" during Hollywood Week. Since then he has scraped and clawed to rediscover what it was about that song that worked. Intrepid Garcia fans can find some great YouTube performances of his covers of songs like Michael Jackson's \"Man in the Mirror,\" Iyaz's \"Replay,\" and Keri Hilson's \"Knock Me Down.\" Rock-solid R&amp;amp;B pop, built on a foundation of melody: That's where Garcia lives. So his choice of the otherwise verboten Chris Brown's &amp;amp;#xE2;&amp;amp;#xBF;&amp;amp;#xBF;\"Forever\" (Hear it here.)\n\n was triply inspired: It's a truly terrific pop song, elastic and surprisingly uplifting. It's got a heap of cultural currency after Jill and Kevin's Big Day AKA That Damned YouTube Wedding Video. And there was something incongruously charming about Garcia, all awkward build and nerd charm, sitting on a stool singing a song about dancing forever. We are not afraid to admit we've gone back and listened to this remake at least seven times after the fact.\n\n **\n\n THE HEY, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WAY WORSE THING: **There is no phrase more terrifying than, \"Coming up next, Tim Urban tackles Anita Baker.\" But you know what? Urban almost pulled it off. This now counts as the second time this season we're defending the goofy Disney sitcom star-in-waiting, but we can't help ourselves. Urban showed some strange taste in choosing Baker's \"Sweet Love,\" (Hear it here.) but we are certain that at least one person (Hi Mom!) was psyched on it, and frankly, it shouldn't have been as good as it was. Sure, it was lounge-y and he couldn't handle Baker's lower register, let alone her otherworldy tone. But he hit the big note over and over, and as Randy pointed out, it was all in key. Faint praise, especially compared to the mauling the judges doled out after that. Critiques like \"Had no swag to it\"; \"You were singing like you were sneaking into a bedroom\"; and \"Like a mouse picking a fight with an elephant\" were all uttered. Urban simply smiled and giggled his way through each barb, knowing full well that there are hordes of pre-teens in thrall to his floppy mane and crooked grin. Simon knew it, too, sighing, \"it doesn't matter what we say.\" He's right. Urban wins again.\n\nNEXT WEEK: Nine is the number. Sixty-one is also a number, but we're going to focus on nine."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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