The "American Idol" auditions might have been in Hollywood's backyard on Thursday (February 3), but they were short on A-list talent — except for the Gutierrez brothers.

In a parade of L.A.-area "Idol" hopefuls that ran the gamut from pitchy to crazy-pants (see the frenetic woodsman funkateer the Human Tornado), twentysomething siblings Mark and Aaron were a welcome ray of soulful and in-tune crooning.

Mark, a 28-year-old math teacher, and his younger brother Aaron, a shoe salesman who ribbed his brother by honking "nerd!" during the duo's audition interview, initially gave off the vibe of goofy, starry-eyed wannabes with elastic smiles ready to confound the judges with a complete lack of singing talent. Even Mark remarked before the audition that, "They're gonna see some scrawny little kids coming in, and they're not gonna expect to hear what they're gonna hear." But when the Gutierrez brothers stepped in front of the judges, they proved that regardless of how "scrawny" they appear, they were both packing some brawny vocals.

The duo fittingly crooned soulman Bill Withers' inspirational 1972 hit "Lean on Me," with Mark assuredly belting the lyric, "You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand." Aaron joined in with equal enthusiasm, and a similarly bold, velvety voice that proved talent — as well as lady-killer smiles and deep dimples — run in the family. Both snapping their fingers in brightly colored polo shirts and scarves, the two melded their buttery vocals together when they harmonized on the chorus and then closed the song in an eruption of smooth, satiny trills.

Jennifer Lopez, who proclaimed midway through the show that "L.A.'s just crazy," gave them an emphatic "yes," and Steven Tyler, who called the performance "godlike," added, "After today, it was just what we needed."

After handily scoring the judges' glowing praise and a golden ticket, Mark picked up his younger brother, and the two gleefully ran out of the audition to the rest of their family.

What did you think of the Gutierrez brothers? Let us know in the comments!

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