Who got kicked off and who is competing this week by speed, calibrations by Ian Schneider supervised by James C.C. Manning. Of the first 4 booted, 3 had songs in the slowest 10/24 songs.  The faster “Suspicious Minds” had a terrible tempo gimmick that backfired–the 126 BPM to 58 BPM triplets in the middle and back  was the equivalent of the most hokey gadget play in football, as a fake statue of liberty play, reverse and wide receiver throws the ball to the QB – that will work, but if not,  ”OH, THE CRASSITUDE!”Of the men, David Archuletta was amazing.  Idol’s band is quite simple *awesome* – and in Shop Around, one can literally feel the band pick it up a level of enthusiasm with this kid.  Last night, the yet to be calibrated  ”Imagine” had the judges drooling – I have accompanied singers on piano for 33 years, and yeah, that kid is just amazing. Enough for now. Tomorrow I will post all the speeds for the week.  It is not about the tempo *itself* so much that makes one good or bad – it is “are you friends with it or are you uncomfortable playing in time?”  I see the competition coming down to David versus Asiah Epperson, who last week was completely professional and wildly at home in her speed – ie, she has amazing *timing*.  That is how Hicks won – I called that at first audition.  This year, though, there are at leat 5 or 6 that would have beat Hicks or McPhee last year – *easily*.