'X Factor' Recap - Elimination Night 2

I don’t know what to say. I really don’t.

Tonight’s X Factor featured two wise decisions, one truly terrible one, a performance from One Direction and more padding than the Victoria’s Secret stockroom.

Let’s break it down. I won’t go into the pointless packages (since all they did was take up 45 minutes of the 60 minute-long results show) or the One Direction performance (because I value my life and 1D fangirls can be vicious).

In terms of the good news, the bottom two were Tim and Carlito. Perhaps America read my recap of last night’s show! Right now, along with Restless Road (I know, cue the boos), they are the weakest acts on the show.

Tim sang “You Raise Me Up,” an fairly obvious choice for this middle-of-the-road crooner. One problem with Tim, besides his black-hole-like lack of stage presence, was that his image fluxuated between bluesy pop singer and Josh Groban-esque vocalist. The former attracts the younger girls while the former would make Tim a hit among the soccer mom demographic. Problem is, neither fit him that well. He sounded OK on “Up,” but faulty and pitchy at times. A different kind of artist could slide by on his charisma, but Tim doesn’t have much of that either. I think Tim would be a hit at any high school talent show, but on a national level he just doesn’t stack up.

Carlito, on the other, sang “Beneath Your Beautiful.” It didn’t have the Latin flavor I expect from him, but he finally connected to the audience on some kind of emotional wavelength. It wasn’t a fantastic vocal – there were a few musical potholes – but it was the strongest I’ve heard Carlito yet and the most connected I’ve seen him.

Not surprisingly after those two performances, the judges unanimously sent Tim home.

But what’s the bad news then? I’ve been calling for Tim’s departure for a few weeks now. Well, before Tim’s swan song, my favorite act of the season, Khaya Cohen, was swiftly let go. There’s not much to say about this as, to tell you the truth, as I’m still in a bit of shock.

Khaya’s performance of a Beatles classic may have drawn mixed reviews from the judges and Internet commentators alike, but she is, hands down, the best vocalist of the season. The fact that she and Rachel were let go in the last two weeks is just crazy, especially considering folks like Ellona, Restless Road and Carlito still stick around like bad pennies. Why go on? America will vote as they do, but, so far, the audience has pretty much sabotaged their own season.

I want to boycott. But, alas, I’ll be back next week with my fingers crossed that Alex & Sierra and Lillie stick around a few more weeks!