Some thoughts about the upcoming 2010 Grammy Awards

I've had a couple of people ask me about this year's nominees, but I don't feel qualified enough anymore to make predictions like I used to.  Sure, it was a big deal when I managed music retail shops.  There was always a nice sales bump after the show.  Back then, I had to be cognizant of virtually every category out there, whether I enjoyed it or not.  Billboard magazine always posted a big spread about the major non-classical categories, and I would challenge my staff to beat my picks, dangling some carrot as the reward should one of them actually beat me (and, no, it never happened).  But my picks were made without emotion, mostly, choosing winners based on who I expected the Academy to select, not who I would vote for if I actually had a ballot.  But now, I'm so far out of the loop that I don't even know who some of the artists are.

However, in response to those who asked, I have decided to scroll down the list of categories and offer a few brief comments where applicable.

Record Of The Year:  Cee Lo Green can sing, but the Academy will never vote for a song with F*** in the title for this top award.  The Lady Antebellum track "Need You Now" is a fine tune.

Song Of The Year:  Happy to see Ray LaMontagne in the running.
 
Best New Artist:  I truly hope Mumford & Sons wins but I'm guessing Bieber takes it.  The kid is indeed talented, but child stars seldom have career longevity.  Florence & the Machine is a joke.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance:  I'd bet the farm on MJ.  Never quite understood the Buble' fascination.  Like Adam Lambert's voice but thought the album was just wrong.

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:  I don't think the Glee Cast are all that good, but mark my words, there will be an upswell of talent down the road who were inspired by this television show.

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals:  Listened to the Elton & Leon record last week.  It's very good, but I doubt it'll win.  Probably Mrs. Brand and Snoop.

Best Pop Instrumental Performance:  Laurie Anderson is still alive?  The Jeff Beck album was a colossal disappointment.

Best Pop Vocal Album:  Please, anybody but Bieber or Gaga.  Don't encourage them.

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:  What does this say about the state of Rock music in 2011 when the nominees are Clapton, Plant, McCartney, and Young?  Oh, yeah, right,  John Mayer for his vocals...come on, no!

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:  If it's not Muse, I will be sorely upset.

Best Hard Rock Performance:  Again, what year is this?  Alice in Chains, Ozzy, STP, Soundgarden.  I hope the statue goes to the old guys in Them Crooked Vultures so Josh Homme will finally get his due.

Best Metal Performance:  Wow, just how bad is it out there?  It's no wonder I'm out of the business.  Korn, Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden.

Best Rock Instrumental Performance:  Hope Los Lobos wins.  Fine album.

Best Rock Song:  Actually a tough call.  I'd be happy for any of them except the Black Keys.

Best Rock Album:  Tom Petty's album really isn't Rock and Neil Young's is too...I don't know, minimalist?  If only Pearl Jam could find someone who could really sing...

So completely skipping the R&B and Rap section we come to...ah, never mind.  I can't say much about Country, either, only just that this category is where real songwriting still happens.  There are a few other comments to make...

Best Contemporary Jazz Album:  If you haven't heard Trombone Shorty yet, look him up.  This isn't some old cat, he's 25 years old from New Orleans and I'll wager he'll have a longer career than Bieber.

Best Americana Album:  Let's see, Roseanne Cash, check; Willie Nelson, certainly; Mavis Staples, I guess; Robert Plant, British using Nashville musicians, that's a mulligan; Los Lobos? 


Best Traditional Blues Album:  If Cyndi Lauper wins this over Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Jimmie Vaughan, I'll turn in my union card.  Her album was a disgrace to the genre.

Best Contemporary Blues Album:  I have the Kenny Wayne Shepherd record, but there are no losers in these nominees; Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Bettye LaVette and Solomon Burke.


Best Traditional Folk Album:  I heard one track from Maria Muldaur's album (yep, Midnight at the Oasis Maria Muldaur) and it was outstanding.

Best Contemporary Folk Album:  Another quality category with Ray LaMontagne, Jackson Browne, Guy Clark, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Richard Thompson.

Best Spoken Word Album:  Haven't heard any of these but check out this A-List of nominees; Craig Ferguson, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart, Michael J. Fox, Carol Burnett and Woody Allen!

Best Comedy Album:  Don't know if he'll win, but Robin Williams did a bit about God and his Creation Committee developing human genitalia that had me laughing so hard I couldn't breathe!


Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual:  Funny that Trent Reznor wasn't nominated and he won the Golden Globe for "Social Network".  Go figure...

Best Surround Sound Album:  I know, this is reaching, but if you truly want to hear a tremendous progressive-rock album, get Porcupine Tree's "The Incident."  Steven Wilson is nominated here in what is certainly the most diverse category of the entire procedings. 

Whew!  That took longer than I thought.  Guess I'll now have to watch the show this Sunday.