We on Award Tour: 2006 Grammy Nominations

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, not because of the inches of snow that is piling up outside but today saw the release of the nominees for this year’s Grammy awards. We have about two months until the actual awards are handed out (February 11) so I stop caring about them by them and just turn into the show because the Grammy’s always have the best performances none of which have been announced yet. Mary J Blige landed the most nominees with eight. Granted R&B artist always have an advantage because there a bunch more categories. Following close behind with six were the Red Hit Chili Peppers. Here’s an abridged list with my thought (for a full list of all 832 categories check out the Grammy page):


Record of the Year
Be Without You - Mary J. Blige
You’re Beautiful - James Blunt
Not Ready to Make Nice - Dixie Chicks
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

Who Will Win: Not Ready to Make Nice
Who Should Win: Crazy
Should Have Been Nominated: God’s Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash

Apparently the Grammy voters are the only people who aren’t completely sick of James Blunt. But I have to give it up to them for putting the most addictive song of the year that never gets old, Crazy, in the category.


Album of the Year
Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks
St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley
Continuum - John Mayer
Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
FutureSex/LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake

Who Will Win: Taking the Long Way
Who Should Win: Continuum
Should Have Been Nominated: Modern Times - Bob Dylan

I’m not sure what is the bigger shock, the unlistenable Justin Timberlake album getting nominated or Bob Dylan not getting one. I reviewed all but St. Elsewhere and the one I’ve listened to the most this year has been the John Mayer one so it would get my vote.


Song of the Year
Be Without You - Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters
Jesus, Take the Wheel - Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Not Ready to Make Nice - Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Dixie Chicks)
Put Your Records On - John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters
You're Beautiful - James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek, songwriters

Who Will Win: You’re Beautiful
Who Should Win: Not Ready to Make Nice
Should Have Been Nominated: Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

Keep in mind this is a songwriting award and sadly I think Blunt will take this one home, but one of my favorite lyrics this year were to the bridge of the Dixie Chicks’ song. This may also be the first year with two country artist up for this award in the same year. Well if you still consider the Dixie Chicks country. And the infectious groove is what makes the song great, but the lyrics to Crazy are overlooked.


Best New Artist
James Blunt
Chris Brown
Imogen Heap
Corinne Bailey Rae
Carrie Underwood

Who Will Win: James Blunt
Who Should Win: Corinne Bailey Rae
Should Have Been Nominated: Gnarls Barkley

Always the hardest to predict and there really aren’t any artists that stand out here. Surprisingly Gnarls Barkley is missing after getting nods for two of the big awards when this is Heap’s only nod and Brown just got some lesser R&B ones.


Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Ain’t No Other Man - Christina Aguilera
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
You Can Close Your Eyes - Sheryl Crow
Stupid Girls - Pink
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall

Who Will Win: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
Who Should Win: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
Should Have Been Nominated: Hurt - Christina Aguilera

Also missing from Best New Artist is Tunstall but may take this home to make up for it. It must have been a bad year for female pop when that horrible Pink song gets a nod. And I may be nit-picking, but I’d take Hurt over the nod here.


Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
You're Beautiful - James Blunt
Save Room - John Legend
Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer
Jenny Wren - Paul McCartney
Bad Day - Daniel Powter

Who Will Win: Jenny Wren
Who Should Win: Waiting on the World to Change
Should Have Been Nominated: Nothing Left to Lose - Mat Kearney

Two of the most overplayed songs of the past twelve months but when it comes to the Grammy’s always go with the old dude, even if it wasn’t really the best


Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
My Humps - The Black Eyed Peas
I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray
Is It Any Wonder? - Keane
Stickwitu - The Pussycat Dolls

Who Will Win: Over My Head (Cable Car)
Who Should Win: I Will Follow You into the Dark
Should Have Been Nominated: The Mixed Tape - Jack’s Manninequin

Here’s a hodgepodge category although I was looking forwards to the Grammy’s for a Pussycat Dolls free awards show yet here they are. Well at least no Paris Hilton.


Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
For Once in My Life - Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder
One - Mary J. Blige & U2
Always On Your Side - Sheryl Crow & Sting
Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado & Timbaland
Hips Don't Lie - Shakira & Wyclef Jean

Who Will Win: One
Who Should Win: One

I know other U2 fans would rip me for saying this but I love the Mary J Blige version as much as I do the original. I wouldn’t count the pairing of Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder Out though.


Best Pop Vocal Album
Back To Basics - Christina Aguilera
Back to Bedlam - James Blunt
The River in Reverse - Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Continuum - John Mayer
FutureSex/LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake

Who Will Win: The River in Reverse
Who Should Win: Continuum
Should Have Been Nominated: Eye to the Telescope - KT Tunstall

Ugg, more Timberlake. Seriously, can someone explain to me how did this guy become a credible artist?


Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
Nausea - Beck
Someday Baby - Bob Dylan
Route 66 - John Mayer
Saving Grace - Tom Petty
Lookin’ For a Leader - Neil Young

Who Will Win: Someday Baby
Who Should Win: Someday Baby
Should Have Been Nominated: Better Way - Ben Harper

Bob Dylan finally show up as well as other of the old guard with Petty and Young. But if I nominating a Young song I’d go with his Let’s Impeach the President song.


Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
Talk - Coldplay
How To Save A Life - The Fray
Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Saints Are Coming - U2 & Green Day

Who Will Win: Dani California
Who Should Win: Steady, as She Goes
Should Have Been Nominated: Boston - Augustana

So let me get this straight, Cable Car is a pop song but How to Save a Life is a rock song. Um, yeah, okay. Gotta love the Grammy’s and all their odd decisions. But with 832 categories you need to fill them out somehow.


Best Rock Song
Chasing Cars - Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Tom Simpson & Paul Wilson, songwriters (Snow Patrol)
Dani California - Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, songwriters (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Lookin’ For A Leader - Neil Young, songwriter
Someday Baby - Bob Dylan, songwriter
When You Were Young - Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer & Ronnie Vannucci, songwriters (The Killers)

Who Will Win: Lookin’ for a Leader
Who Should Win: When You Were Young
Should Have Been Nominated: Boston - Augustana

Again this goes to the songwriters and another one of my favorite lines of the year goes to the last couple lines from The Killers song. The Grammy’s aren’t as liberal as say the Oscars but I wouldn’t be surprised if the anti-Bush song takes this home.


Best Rock Album
Try! - John Mayer Trio
Highway Companion - Tom Petty
Broken Boy Soldiers - The Raconteurs
Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Living With War - Neil Young

Who Will Win: Stadium Arcadium
Who Should Win: Try!
Should Have Been Nominated: Modern Times - Bob Dylan

Is Dylan not getting an Album of the Award nod is shocking, this is even more so. And more fun with category: John Mayer Trio - Rock; John Mayer Solo - Pop.


Best Alternative Music Album
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
At War With The Mystisc - The Flaming Lips
St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley
Show Your Bones - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Eraser - Thom Yorke

Who Will Win: St. Elsewhere
Who Should Win: Whatever People Say I Am, That's what I'm Not

It may just be time to eliminate the alternative category. This is becoming more and more a worthless award every year.


Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Ring the Alarm - Beyoncé
Be Without You - Mary J. Blige
Don't Forget About Us - Mariah Carey
Day Dreaming - Natalie Cole
I Am Not My Hair - India.Arie

Who Will Win: I am Not My Hair
Who Should Win: Be Without You
Should Have Been Nominated: S.O.S. - Rihanna


Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Heaven - John Legend
So Sick - Ne-Yo
Black Sweat - Prince
I Call It Love - Lionel Richie
Got You Home - Luther Vandross

Who Will Win: Got You Home
Who Should Win: I call it Love

More fun with categories: Heaven - R&B; Save Room - Pop. But when it comes to the Grammy’s, never vote against the dead dude.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
That Heat - Sergio Mendes Featuring Erykah Badu & Will.i.am
Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes Featuring The Black Eyed Peas
Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me) - Outkast
3121 - Prince

Who Will Win: Crazy
Who Should Win: Crazy

I like to refer to this as the Not Ghetto Enough Award for black artist that make music that doesn’t fit into what has become a bland R&B genre.

Best R&B Song
Be Without You - Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters
Black Sweat - Prince, songwriter
Déjà vu - Shawn Carter, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Beyoncé Knowles, Makeba, Keli Nicole Price & Delisha Thomas, songwriters
Don't Forget About Us - Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jermaine Dupri, songwriters
I Am Not My Hair - Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders & India Arie Simpson, songwriters

Who Will Win: I Am Not My Hair
Who Should Win: I Am Not My Hair

Like I said before, R&B has gotten bland as none these songs are really that well written but I can’t really think of anything to replace them with except Anthony Hamilton should have gotten a nomination somewhere.


Best R&B Album
The Breakthrough - Mary J. Blige
Unpredictable - Jamie Foxx
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship - India.Arie
3121 - Prince
Coming Home - Lionel Richie

Who Will Win: The Breakthrough
Who Should Win: 3121
Should Have Been Nominated: Ain’t Nobody Worryin’ - Anthony Hamilton


Best Rap Solo Performance
Touch It - Busta Rhymes
We Run This - Missy Elliott
Kick, Push - Lupe Fiasco
Undeniable - Mos Def
What You Know - T.I.

Who Will Win: What You Know
Who Should Win: Kick, Push
Should Have Been Nominated: Dynamite - Rhymefest


Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Ridin - Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone
Georgia - Ludacris & Field Mob (Featuring Jamie Foxx)
Grillz - Nelly Featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp
Mighty “O” - Outkast
Don't Feel Right - The Roots

Who Will Win: Ridin
Who Should Win: Don’t Feel Right
Should Have Been Nominated: Brand New - Rhymefest & Kanye West

Chamillionaire has swept every rap award this year so I don’t see why the Grammy’s would be different and ever since the Weird Al send up, I’ve warmed up to the orginal.


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Smack That - Akon Featuring Eminem
Déjà vu - Beyoncé Featuring Jay-Z
Shake That - Eminem Featuring Nate Dogg
Unpredictable - Jamie Foxx Featuring Ludacris
My Love - Justin Timberlake Featuring T.I.

Who Will Win: Déjà vu
Who Should Win: Déjà vu
Should Have Been Nominated: Work it Out - Jurassic 5 & Dave Matthews Band

Can’t say I really like any of the songs nominated but Work it Out was vastly overlooked. And what's with Eminem and That songs


Best Rap Song
It's Goin' Down - Chadron Moore & Jasiel Robinson, songwriters (Yung Joc)
Kick, Push - Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriter (Lupe Fiasco)
Money Maker - Christopher Bridges & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Ludacris Featuring Pharrell)
Ridin - Anthony Henderson, J. Slainas, O. Salinas & Hakeem Seriki, songwriters(Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone)
What You Know - A. Davis & Clifford Harris, songwriters; (Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson & Curtis Mayfield, songwriters) (T.I.)

Who Will Win: Ridin
Who Should Win: Kick, Push
Should Have Been Nominated: Don’t Feel Right - The Roots

In my review of the song I made fun of Money Maker for a silly lyric like, “Took yo momma nine moths to make you, might as well shake what yo momma gave ya” yet here it is nominated for a songwriting award at the Grammy’s.


Best Rap Album
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor - Lupe Fiasco
Release Therapy - Ludacris
In My Mind - Pharrell
Game Theory - The Roots
King - T.I.

Who Will Win: Game Theory
Who Should Win: Game Theory
Should Have Been Nominated: Blue Collar - Rhymefest


Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Howard Benson
Every Man for Himself (Hoobastank) (A)
Flyleaf (Flyleaf) (A)
In With the Out Crowd (Less than Jake) (A)
One-X (Three Days Grace) (A)
The Paramour Sessions (Papa Roach) (A)
Popaganda (Head Automatica) (A)
Saosin (Saosin) (A)

T Bone Burnett
Thunderbird (Cassandra Wilson) (A)
The True False Identity (T Bone Burnett) (A)
Walk the Line — Soundtrack (Joaquin Phoenix & Various Artists) (A)

Danger Mouse
Pieces Of the People We Love (The Rapture) (T)
St. Elsewhere (Gnarls Barkley) (A)

Rick Rubin
American V: A Hundred Highways (Johnny Cash) (A)
God's Gonna Cut You Down (Johnny Cash) (T)
Stadium Arcadium (Red Hot Chili Peppers) (A)
Taking the Long Way (Dixie Chicks) (A)
12 Songs (Neil Diamond) (A)

Will.i.am
About You (Mary J. Blige Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
Big Girls Don't Cry (Fergie) (T)
Damn Girl (Justin Timberlake Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
I Am Somebody (Santana Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
I Love My B**** (Busta Rhymes Featuring Kelis & Will.i.am) (T)
Mas Que Nada (Sergio Mendes Featuring the Black Eyed Peas) (T)
Timeless (Sergio Mendes) (A)

Who Will Win: T Bone Burnett
Who Should Win: Rick Rubin

I’m pretty sure “T” is for track and “A” is for album. Odd that Rubin is up for producing just one of Cash’s songs and the whole album.


Best Short Form Music Video
8th of November - Big & Rich
When You Were Young - The Killers
Here It Goes Again - OK Go
Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Writing on the Walls - Underoath

Who Will Win: Dani California
Who Should Win: OK Go
Should Have Been Nominated: Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

What a way to end the Grammy coverage with a nomination for the treadmill video.

Walk Me Out in the Morning Sun

At first listen to Nightcrawler, the third album from Jersey’s own Pete Yorn, it is pretty much a let down. His first two albums was a return to root-rock in the mold of John Mellencamp and fellow Jersey denizen Bruce Springsteen but with a modern edge to it. But I wasn’t sold on his previous albums upon first listen either as they both grew on me to become permanent staples in my playlist. And more I listen to Nightcrawler, the more I’m coming around to it.

The main problem with this album is its rocky start, Vampyre is a little too dark and moody to kick of and album even with its weird upbeat outro. Then it moves into For Us (which features Dave Grohl of The Foo Fighters the drums) that just doesn’t click well. The album gets on track with Undercover, a classic Yorn song with electric elements but still rooted in rock music. Policies follows it up with a driving ambient which sounds like what Pearl Jam would have sounded like if they listen to too much of The Beach Boys. The Man is one of Yorn’s best, a soft lilting balled with lush harmonies provided by the Dixie Chick’s Natalie Maines. While Maybe I’m Right is right up there will all of Yorn straight ahead rock songs with crushing guitars.

The album does fall into tedium for a few songs until he starts sing about “Michael Jackson in Disney Land” where he’s walking around holding hands with Goofy. Um, yeah, you read that right. Actually Splendid Isolation actually works even with its absurd lyrics. But there are some more sidesteps on the album, Broken Bottle is a little to slow and could put you to sleep, same with Ice Age. Georgie Boy is just a little weird in a British kind of way.

Now apparently this album is the last in a trilogy of albums based on the events of one day. Looking at the album titles, Musicforthmorningafter, Day I Forgot, and Nightcrawler, it makes sense although it never crossed my mind listening t the individual songs on those albums. I’ll have to play all three in sequence and maybe it will click. But if you were to make a trilogy based on the events of a day, the night version shouldn’t be the least entertaining. But then again Nightcrawler may grow on me more like the pervious ones do.

Song to Download - The Man

Nightcrawler gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

It's Been Two Long Years Now Since the Top of the World Came Crashing Down

Some say there is no such thing as bad publicity, but sometimes that isn’t always true, like, say, when you offend the majority of your fan base and have your records pulled from the radio like the Dixie Chicks did at the start of the Iraq War. Of course that was back in a time where is you were against the president, you were anti-American, and now, a couple years later, even some Republicans have been piling George Bush leading him to the lowest poll numbers by a two term president not named Richard Nixon.

But even before their comments, the Chicks have been alienating country radio by drifting to more bluegrass and pop sounds on their last album Home. That tend continues on their latest outing, Taking the Long Way, as the group even brought in noted rock and rap producer Rick Rubin who had much success resurrecting the career of Johnny Cash with his American Recoding sessions. But unlike the American Recordings, there are no cover songs as the Chicks wrote all the songs on the album with help from artist as diverse as Keb’ Mo’ and Sheryl Crow.

At the beginning of the album, most of the songs seem to focus on the infamous comments mentioned earlier, most notably on the aptly titled Not Ready to Make Nice. So if you think the Chicks have soften on their position on this administration, the title pretty much says it all and they even touch on the backlash with lyrics like, “How in the world can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge that they’d write me a letter sayin’ that I better shut up and sing or my life will be over.” But that theme doesn’t linger long as songs quickly transition into more familiar territory like relationships. Then the album ends with the I Hope, a gospel song that was released last year to benefit those hit by Katrina.

As the Chicks move away from traditional country, they start moving into genre, the best result being I Like It, a song that sounds influenced by the girl group of the sixties. Then there is the album opener, The Long Way Around that sounds exactly like Learning to Fly by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers but with fiddles. Lullaby is as soft as the title suggest. Baby Hold On hits the emotional intensity of songs like You Were Mine from their first album. Really the only song here that would have fit on previous albums the brilliantly titled Lubbock or Leave It which has that same pure rage as Sin Wagon. Unfortunately some songs on the album suffer from being uneven where the verses are great but the chorus doesn’t hold the intensity or vice versa. This is most apparent on Silent House where the chorus just rubs me the right way.

Song to Download - The Long Way Around

Taking the Long Way gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Don't You See Baby, This Is Perfection

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. I advise you to watch them first (the links to the video are the bold headers, inside the post will lead you to iTunes where you can buy the song and in some cases the video itself) before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things.


Shakira - Hips Don’t Lie (Fans Only)

Quite possibly the funniest thing ever. I don’t know why any video outlet would show the other version. Well, then again it does have Shakira in it moving like Shakira. They should have thought of doing a dudes only version too because those are the best part especially the ones who thought it was a good idea to film themselves without their shirts most notably the dude during the line, “Don't you see baby, yhis is perfection.” Sadly my tape must have been lost in the mail.


Kelly Clarkson - Walk Away

This video would have been more entertaining had it been not for the Shakira video as it has basically the same theme but with actors in scripted situations instead of real people. But the scene with the dudes in the locker room almost makes up for it. The song itself basically ends Kelly Clarkson’s run as guiltiest of all pleasures as her last two songs were no where as entertaining as Since U Been Gone and Behind These Hazel Eyes. Plus she looks nowhere as good in this video either, but I wonder with her constantly moving her hips, was this her submission to be in the Shakira video?


Not Ready to Make Nice - Dixie Chicks

I’m sure this video has some deep meaning to it, but it went way over my head which means it will go over every country fan’s head. But I have a feeling it has something to do with Bush, and his supporters, being morons. Way to continue to alienate your fan base Dixie Chicks. If you understand what’s going on, please fill me in.


The Flaming Lips - The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song

Again, I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m not sure I want to. But really you can’t go wrong with weird Chinese chicks with penchants for putting croissants, doughnuts, and raw red meat on random people then have them chased by fat dudes, cops, and a dude in a grizzly suit respectively. The dude from The Flaming Lips was even the dude who got the red meat treatment.


The Wreckers - Leave the Pieces

Nothing really special about the video, but this the first real contender to top my Best Songs of 2006 list. And since I plan on buying the album, this is the only place I can listen to it before it’s released because I’m not dropping .99 for a song if I’ll be buying the album later. For those who are not sure who The Wreckers are, it’s basically Michelle Branch and some other chick.


Rihanna - S.O.S.

Again, nothing special here with the video, but the song is great, you just can’t buy it yet. And the music industry wonders why people continue to steal their product. Well don’t build up a demand if you cannot supply the product especially if they can get it elsewhere for free. Actually the video is worth watching to see Rihanna go from uber-hot to uber-creepy when she busts out her 80’s look. That is of course because the song samples the Soft Cell classic Tainted Love. I was a little weary when I first heard it but it definitely grew on me. And it looks like she will have the rare feat of having the summer anthem in back to back summers. Granted Pon de Replay grew old as the temperature grew cold and landed at the paltry 69 on my Best Songs of 2005 list. But with the nostalgia feel, maybe S.O.S. will have some staying power.



There are a bunch of cool new things over on iTunes this week. First and foremost is almost all of the Dave Matthews Band studio albums, along with Dave Matthews and Boyd Tinsley’s solo albums, for the very first time. For fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, there is a really cool offer for those who preorder their new album, Stadium Arcadium, you get first crack to get tickets to their summer tour. And for you television buffs, NBC just recently added Scrubs to the iTunes library. I wonder if the show will have a The Office type surge, which, when put up on the service late last year, was one of the most downloaded shows and even saw a ratings boost quickly taking the show from almost canceled to being moved to NBC’s Must See TV lineup. Too bad Veronica Mars is still not on the service that way I could have downloaded the show Thursday morning and watched it later that day, but instead I have to wait until tomorrow to see the episode because it would be wrong to download it threw other means. Of course if I did, it would take until Saturday for it to actually download anyways, not that I know that from experience or anything.