The guys punched up their game this week, making the final outcome much tougher to call. Overall, song choice was better, vocals were stronger, and the performances were all-around more powerful.

The evening began with Mario Vazquez, who continued to showcase an extensive wardrobe of hats. While his song was upbeat and a crowd-pleaser, the lyrics lacked depth, and I just can't shake the sense that Mario is all show. He's a good enough singer, but he needs to display a bit more range.

Music teacher Anwar Robinson opted for Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." His vocals were as smooth as ever, and he exhibited good control of the song. He's been a consistently good performer, and tonight was no exception.

I got distracted by Joseph Murena's mismatched outfit, which consisted of a striped suit coat, a white button-down shirt, and jeans. While I've seen blazers work with jeans, this one didn't for some reason. He also sang "Let's Stay Together," which wasn't the strongest choice. While he was decidedly better than last week, Simon compared Joseph's performance to something one might hear in a Portugese nightclub circa 1974.

David Brown's number started out muted; he didn't hit his stride until about halfway through the song. I liked David a lot when we first saw him audition in New Orleans, but he hasn't been living up to the early promise he showed. All of the judges said something similar tonight - David can do much better, if he gets the chance.

Rocker Constantine Maroulis continues to be a crowd favorite, and his take on "Hard to Handle" gave credit to his personal style. Constantine isn't afraid to work it - all of it: the microphone, the stage, the camera, and the crowd. While his voice might not be the best of all the guys, Constantine is clearly a showman, and his fans do love him.

The talent versus appearance debate continues to rage around Scott Savol, who has an uncannily rich voice. Each week is less of a question of whether he'll sing well- - he always does (and did again tonight) - as whether he'll finally have found the "look" that'll work for him. Tonight he was closer, sporting slightly tinted specs that gave him a bit more edge, but not quite there yet.