GLANCING AT THE GRAMMYS
Every year without fail, the Recording Academy makes its share of obvious and ridiculous Grammy Award nominations, as well as a few pleasant (and deserving) surprises.
It was business as usual Dec. 7, when the contenders in the 49th annual Grammy Awards were announced.
* Somebody has some explaining to do about choosing the Pussycat Dolls' "Stickwitu" as one of the five nominees up for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal. Even the most cynical listener would have to admit the song is a tasty piece of ear candy, but Grammy worthy? What's next -- a lifetime achievement award for the Spice Girls?
* Love it or hate it, one thing's for sure about American Idol -- the Academy doesn't look down its collective nose at the show's winners. Carrie Underwood is in the running for Best New Artist, and her "Jesus, Take the Wheel" has been nominated in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category. (At the last ceremony, first Idol winner Kelly Clarkson took home two Grammy Awards, and fellow Idol champ Fantasia Barrino was up for multiple honors.)
* Members of the hard-core country music community still may hold a grudge against the Dixie Chicks for Natalie Maines' infamous comment about President George W. Bush, but not the Academy. The group is nominated in three of the general field categories -- Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Not Ready to Make Nice"), plus Album of the Year (for Taking the Long Way). In country-specific categories, the Chicks are in the running for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal and Best Country Album.
* Sergio Mendes' lone Grammy win came in 1992 in the Best World Music Album category (for Brasileiro). Percentage-wise, Mendes has a pretty good shot at winning another -- two of his songs ("That Heat" featuring Erykah Badu and will.i.am and "Mas Que Nada" featuring the Black Eyed Peas) have been nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. His competition in that category is Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," OutKast's "Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me)" and Prince's "3121."
* The evergreen Dion, rock 'n' roll's answer to Tony Bennett, explored his roots with Bronx in Blue, and kudos to the Academy for nominating the under-the-radar CD in the Best Traditional Blues Album category. A victory will be hard-earned because it's up against James Hunter's U.S. breakthrough, People Gonna Talk, plus efforts by blues veterans Tab Benoit, Duke Robillard and Ike Turner.
* It wouldn't be the Grammys without Jimmy Sturr receiving a Best Polka Album nomination. In fact, a Sturr album has won this particular honor in five of the last six years.
The 49th annual Grammy Awards ceremony will air Feb. 11 on CBS.
Every year without fail, the Recording Academy makes its share of obvious and ridiculous Grammy Award nominations, as well as a few pleasant (and deserving) surprises.
It was business as usual Dec. 7, when the contenders in the 49th annual Grammy Awards were announced.
* Somebody has some explaining to do about choosing the Pussycat Dolls' "Stickwitu" as one of the five nominees up for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal. Even the most cynical listener would have to admit the song is a tasty piece of ear candy, but Grammy worthy? What's next -- a lifetime achievement award for the Spice Girls?
* Love it or hate it, one thing's for sure about American Idol -- the Academy doesn't look down its collective nose at the show's winners. Carrie Underwood is in the running for Best New Artist, and her "Jesus, Take the Wheel" has been nominated in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category. (At the last ceremony, first Idol winner Kelly Clarkson took home two Grammy Awards, and fellow Idol champ Fantasia Barrino was up for multiple honors.)
* Members of the hard-core country music community still may hold a grudge against the Dixie Chicks for Natalie Maines' infamous comment about President George W. Bush, but not the Academy. The group is nominated in three of the general field categories -- Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Not Ready to Make Nice"), plus Album of the Year (for Taking the Long Way). In country-specific categories, the Chicks are in the running for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal and Best Country Album.
* Sergio Mendes' lone Grammy win came in 1992 in the Best World Music Album category (for Brasileiro). Percentage-wise, Mendes has a pretty good shot at winning another -- two of his songs ("That Heat" featuring Erykah Badu and will.i.am and "Mas Que Nada" featuring the Black Eyed Peas) have been nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. His competition in that category is Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," OutKast's "Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me)" and Prince's "3121."
* The evergreen Dion, rock 'n' roll's answer to Tony Bennett, explored his roots with Bronx in Blue, and kudos to the Academy for nominating the under-the-radar CD in the Best Traditional Blues Album category. A victory will be hard-earned because it's up against James Hunter's U.S. breakthrough, People Gonna Talk, plus efforts by blues veterans Tab Benoit, Duke Robillard and Ike Turner.
* It wouldn't be the Grammys without Jimmy Sturr receiving a Best Polka Album nomination. In fact, a Sturr album has won this particular honor in five of the last six years.
The 49th annual Grammy Awards ceremony will air Feb. 11 on CBS.
posted by Chris M. Junior at 3:49 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home