Singer: Lee Dewyze
Song: "The Letter"
Monkeys As Critics' Take: Is Lee intentionally paying tribute to Alex Chilton? If so? You're my idol, Lee Dewyze. I'd lay odds he isn't even vaguely aware of the Alex Chilton connection. He seems to have the Blues Brothers band backing him up and he's rocking a sort of '60s bruiser/hipster look. Yes. I know that's conflicted. It's a properly Seeger-ized version of the song, a little bit brasher and brassier than its original incarnation. But why would Lee be doing this? This is not "New Jersey's Next Great AC Lounge Singer." Because if it were, Lee would stand a really good chance of winning with this performance. He's trying to be a showman, but it also looks like he's singing for a voucher at the buffet.
Randy, Ellen, Kara and Simon Say: Yo. You know what's cool? It's cool that Lee chose a bluesy soul version. As per Randy Jackson, Lee knocked it out da box. Ellen compares Lee to her favorite pen. Kara says that she's never heard him sound better or look more comfortable. Simon's surprised by the song, saying it wasn't a recording performance, dubbing it "quite corny."