Canadian Idol: Gals Can't Match The Guys

Tuesday was ladies night on Canadian Idol, and the feeling was right. Nevertheless, the 11 remaining women weren't nearly as consistent as their male counterparts.

While self-assured opener Ashley Coles gave a full-throttle performance of Heart's "Alone," some of the song's notes called in sick. Even the wind beneath every contestant's wings, judge Sass Jordan, admitted that the tune was a bit out of Coles' range.

Kati Durst fared slightly better, especially considering that she picked Dobie Gray's infamous bowel movement, "Drift Away," the biggest karaoke cliche ever. That tune has spent more time in dive bars than Paul Newman in The Verdict. Plus, it gets docked an additional point for its affiliation with the worst karaoke singer ever, Uncle Kracker. Nonetheless, Durst slowed the song down and drained it of most of its cheesiness.

"I think it's really easy in our land-o-fromage in which you have found yourself placed to lose that genuine relaxed hippie chick vibe that you bring to the table," advised judge Zack Werner. "If you survive, you've just got to be Kati."

After two unexceptional performers, Alyssa Klazek stepped up looking like some stoned kindergarten teacher in a dress, which kind of resembled a hackey sack. Klazek confessed to host Ben Mulroney that she's in love with eliminated Idol contestant Matt Dixon.

But despite having her own slightly less successful Bobby Brown cheering her on in the crowd, the singer delivered a fairly weak version of India.Arie's "Ready For Love." As judge Jake Gold coldly put it, "Alyssa, I just felt you took the soul out of that song."

Valerie Jalbert, on the other hand, interpreted Jordan Hill's "Remember Me This Way" with confidence and competence. But despite Jalbert's technical proficiency, Werner wisely said that she's a little too "act-y."

The same could also be said for the self-consciously retro Steffi D, who came out looking like Sandra Dee and launched into Ella Fitzgerald's "I Only Have Eyes For You." Though D's voice was unexceptional, her phrasing was excellent. Nevertheless, unless she ditches the time travel bit, she probably won't win. At the end of the day, Idol worshippers would most likely rather hear "Since U Been Gone" on the radio than "Swanee River."

Unfortunately, 25-year-old mother Sarah Loverock didn't exactly bring it back to the kids when she covered Michael Bolton's "Since I Fell For You." Despite criticizing Loverock's song choice, Gold admitted that she was the best performer so far. Loverock was the best — until Alisha Nauth took the stage and belted out Bon Jovi's "Always." After the song, Werner vowed to love Nauth's performance aaaaaaaaalways, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls at home, Alisha is a great reason to watch this show all summer."

The generally critical judge had even more niceties to heap upon Eva Avila following her soulful take on Sarah McLachlan's "Angel": "I think it's amazing what great judges we are. It's so amazing that this show exists and we are able to draw from this incredible country and get people as good as Eva to be here. Week after week, you are going to be the standard to which we measure the other contestants."

The quirky Nancy Silverman measured up surprisingly well against Avila as she combined the vocal styles of Alanis Morissette and Fran Drescher and flailed passionately through Jann Arden's "Could I Be Your Girl."

In contrast to this unique performance, Montreal's Anna-Belle Oliva delivered an overly polite Disney version of Jeckyll And Hyde's "Someone Like You." Granted, the artist displayed a powerful voice, but her emoting often lacked genuine emotion. As the uncharacteristically critical Jordan said, "There's some really nice tones in your lower register, but the higher stuff needs a little work."

Luckily, Ashley Coulter ended it strongly by flexing her soulful, textured voice during a bluesy take on Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me." Nevertheless, the judges were unimpressed.

"This is the deepest pool of Canadian talent we've ever had on this show," Werner said. "And you've got to do something young and cool and fitting with who you are when you're around next week."

Here's hoping that everyone does just that.