The Grammy Awards are always the best award shows of the year just because of all the great performances even if it is an off year for music. But a funny thing happened at this year’s Grammy, it was almost as if I programmed it. I loved almost all the performances (who invited
Justin Timberlake, I hate when people who are not nominated get to perform unless they are a legacy artist; plus I do not see
Suit and Tie getting nominated for anything next year) and it is almost as if I did the nominating. Sure I could nitpick that
Call Me Maybe was nominated for a songwriting award or how
Norah Jones was shut out despite releases her best single of her career,
Happy Pills. But for the first time I actually endorse every nominee in the most prestigious category, each made my list of
The Best Albums of 2012 (or 2011 thanks to the Grammy’s wonky eligibility rule). Usually one (or four) stinkers sneak in, somehow
Lady GaGa was that past three years. Since it seemed like this year’s Grammys were geared specially towards me, I have a feeling the ratings will be way down and they will be back to nominating unworthy artists next year (maybe
Suit and Tie will get a nod... or five), but I definitely enjoyed this year. Here are some thoughts on last night’s festivities.
- We may be witnessing the downfall of
Taylor Swift, her performer, the carnival meets Wonderland meets Marionettes meets Marie Antoinette was way too much. Hopefully
Red is her
Pop and she will go back to basics with her next album like
U2 did with
All That You Can't Leave Behind.
- Of course
ADELE won the first award, after the great ratings of last year, the show want to continue that even if a live performance off a DVD is a bit cheap way to get nominated. But then again it was not like there was much competition in that category.
- When
Fun. performed at the nomination special I figured they would not get invited to the big show because they already burned off their best song. But they did get to perform and we were stuck listening to the fifth best song off their album (same goes for
Maroon 5).
- I think the suits
Miguel and
Wiz Khalifa were wearing broke my HD. And of course they went on to announce the Best Country Solo Performance.
- A couple weeks ago someone pointed out to me that
We Are Young is a song about domestic abuse ("My seat's been taken by some sunglasses asking 'bout a scar, I know I gave it to you months ago") I it is weird listening to it ever since. Even weirder is a song that may be about domestic abuse won a songwriting award.
- It was jarring seeing
Mumford & Sons perform with an electric bass instead of their trademark stand-up bass. And what was with three of them being clean shaven?
-
Alicia Keys playing the drums = awesome.
- Should I know who Micky Echo is?
- Best acceptance speech of the night, maybe ever: "I would like to thank the swap meet for his hat." -
Jay-Z.
- I really like the aesthetic of the two
The Black Keys, but I would like them to make a full band album at some point, preferably with Danger Mouse producing.
- After every review mentioned
The Police, of course
Bruno Mars had to bring in Sting for his performance. But I wish the
Bob Marley part was much longer.
- I am not sure if there is such a thing as male groupies, but if there are, I am thinking about becoming one for the chick from the
The Lumineers.
- Do someone slip me some acid or was
Carrie Underwood's dress changing shapes and colors?
- How do you invite
Prince to an award show and not get him to perform? This may have been the best awards in recent memory, but not getting Prince to sing was an epic fail.
- I guess it should go down as a successful Grammy awards because
Chris Brown made it through an entire night without punching anyone.
