Rachel Crow and Astro Steal Show at X Factor

Last night on X Factor it was movie night.  With the wealth of songs from movies, it's a mystery to me while the judges made some of the choices they made.  Most notably, Stacy Francis was forced to sing the only-marginally likable "Queen of the Night" from The Bodyguard and the strain could be heard in her voice.  It didn't showcase the richness of her voice at all.  Surprises abounded, however with Astro giving a spellbinding performance of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile complete with original rhymes.  Also, Marcus Carey surprised me, giving a soulful and rich performance of "I'm Goin' Down" from Car Wash.  It's an awesome song and I gained a new appreciation for his vocal skills.  Josh Krajcik was predictably given a Joe Cocker-style Beatle cover "With A Little Help From My Friends" from Across the Universe.  He nailed it, channeling Joe Cocker to perfection.  Reports have indicated he was told by X Factor doctors to lay off the cigarettes.  We'll see if his vocals hold.
The showstopper of the evening for me, however was Rachel Crow singing "I'd Rather Go Blind" from Cadillac Records.  It's awe-inspiring that such mature vocals come from such a young girl.  The other performances did not stand up as well, with Drew doing an adequate, but ultimately dull rendition of "Fix You" and Lakoda Rayne sounding over-polished on "Wanna Love Somebody Like You" from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.  Stereohogzz did a nice job vocally, but the song choice was strange:  they sang Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" from Me, You and Dupree.  Leroy Bell was strong but forgettable on "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" from The Runaway Bride.  And last but not least is Chris Rene.  Chris, whom I admire and WANT to like, did an inexplicable cover of" Pastime Paradise"--that is to say "Gangsta's Paradise" from Dangerous Minds renamed.  It was a so-so cover and very predictable.


Here's an awesome cover of Adele's "Someone Like You" by independent artist Travis Ratledge....love it love it love it.