It's the 53rd annual Grammy Awards and time for my annual Grammy Round up. If you've never read this from me before.....I stopped caring who wins these things a long time ago. The only thing I care about (and comment on) now is the live performances and the live performances only.
1 Christina Aguilara, Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch Yolanda Adams, & Martina McBride
Up first is an all star tribute to Aretha Franklin
The one that I am most curious to hear is Florence Welch since I mostly know her for fronting an art rock band. and this is not her normal element. She does a great job and so do all the other ladies (of course I would have been surprised if any of them didn't do well).
Basically this performance features top singers in Pop, Rock, Country, Gospel and R&B.
It was cool of LL Cool J to also acknowledge and name the band in the opening introductions too.
Good opening
2 Lady Gaga
Either she's doing a real good vocal impersonation of Madonna or they've figured out how to auto tune singers now to sound like her. At one point she hits the mic with her hat and you don't hear the mic pop, but later near the end of the song, the same thing happens again and you do hear the mic pop - So who knows, she may be lip synching all of it. It's obvious that there are pre-recorded multiple audio backing vocal tracks being played along with the performance. - As for the song, This is my first listen and it is better than anything else I've heard from her, but it does sound at times a lot like Madonna's "Respect Yourself".
3 Miranda Lambert
First time hearing this song. It's a nice song and a really nice performance. I love the band on this one. I wonder is the record sounds like this?
4 Muse
Right Away this band sounds great. This is my first time hearing this song too (you can tell I don't listen to too much mainstream radio). I like the song too. Based on this one song, I am curious to hear more. This is a great performance but they really don't need the dancers for this performance at all though.
I also wish that presenter Lenny Kravitz and announced the song.
5 Bruno Mars, B.O.B. and Jaenelle Monae
I like the B.O.B album of course and thought it was a good example of mainstream music doing something good. I have heard some Bruno Mars on the radio and really couldn't stomache what I heard.....So how come he is so awesome during his portion of the performance? Maybe I need to give his music another listen. I know less about Jaenelle Monae, but she is equally awesome.I am surprised to realize that this performance (so far tonight) is my favorite of the night. I loved this. And NO Lip synching going on this performance at all......that's for sure.
6 Justin Bieber and Usher
OK, I am ready to start hating LOL: The beginning has him singing solo with acoustic guitar. It's nice to hear him sing without any studio tweaking (IE: auto tune, pitch correction, etc). The song says nothing though. The lyrics are Baby, baby, baby, mine, mine, mine, Yeah, yeah, yeah and gone, gone, gone. Then he's joined by Will Smith's kid (you know he will have an album out soon now) with a song called Never say Never. The song isn't all that bad. I might like it more after a few more listens.
Now it's Usher's turn. This is the second time I have seen him live (the first time was on a previous Grammy telecast. I was impressed with him the last time, but this time his performance is all flash and nothing else. At the end of his performance you can hear them turn on his mic and suddenly you can hear him breathing, I guess they turned it on thinking he might say something (he doesn't).
Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers. and Bob Dylan
You know before this even starts that there will be no lip synching. First thing I notice is that the guitar player with Mumford and Sons is not only singing and playing guitar but he's also playing the Effing Bass Drum too (awesome)!
At one point they all look at each other and realize where they are and suddenly really start enjoying themselves. Great performance.
Loved the Avett Brothers too, playing with reckless abandon but never losing their control
So far this is my 2nd favorite performance.
Then everyone joins them with Bob Dylan for Maggie's Farm and it becomes a jam session. Everyone plays well. Bob's voice is incomprehensible. Watching the audience reaction you can tell that JLo just doesn't get this (Bob Dylan wouldn't have made it to Hollywood week).
Lady Antebellum
Good job opening with a cover of the Teddy Pendergrass song, enjoyed the 2nd half too (which I will assume is their own stuff). I enjoyed there performance at last year telecast too. The country (and rock) performers never lip synch (just the pop stars it seems).
Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow
Loved the muppets and I start loving this performance right away. Yes, he's paying homage to Elton's 70's performance on the muppet show. Yes the muppets are lip synching (LOL) but not Cee Lo and certainly not Gwyneth Paltrow. Love the song too.
Another Favorite performance
Katy Perry
Haven't liked anything I have heard of her on the radio, but she is doing a good job while she is sitting on the swing (a Pop star who isn't lip synching, imagine that). Then comes the dance section and she still doesn't lip synch. First time hearing this and I think that maybe with a few more listens I might start to enjoy these songs. Good job Katy you have changed my opinion of you.
John Mayer, Norah Jones and Keith Urban
Wow! great cover of the Dolly Parton song. If this recording is for sale I will buy it! Two guys on guitar and a female singer. This is brilliant and a great example of substance over flash.
Another favorite performance
Eminem, Rhianna, Dr Dre joined by Skylar Gray, and Adam Levine
Amazing! Rhianna bucks her own trends and doesn't lip synch! They bury her vocals though as much as possible to try and hide that she really can't sing. Eminem is riveting though (but he shouldn't wear his pants on the ground). Don't know who the girl is who sings during the second part though (but she's really good). And there is a real band backing all of this and they are great too!
Mick Jagger
Mick does a great job of paying tribute to Solomon Burke. In this American Idol world he's the one performer who can run around the stage, like a teenager and doesn't need auto tune (or pre-recorded tracks) during his performance.....He also wouldn't have made it to Hollywood week (along with Bob Dylan)
Another favorite performance
Barbara Striesand
What? You didn't think she wouldn't be good? This is Barbara Striesand. I am the farthest thing from a Striesand fan (trust me on this), but the woman is one of the greatest female vocalists ever.
Rhianna and Drake
First time hearing this song. Even though Drake is speaking the intro it feels like he is lip synching. Rhianna can suddenly sing so I guess she must be too, Then she moves the mic from her mouth and yet you can still hear her voice and that clinches it.
Arcade Fire
I am not a fan of these guys (yet) but they can rock.
The light show is bit overkill though doncha' think? They don't need the bike riders either.
Arcade Fire (again)
After it's all over Arcade Fire comes out for another song and gives another great performance, made even greater by the absence of an overkill light show (and the bikes).
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So that's it. Those where the live performances. This is why I watch the show. I may not like every performance, but there are always plenty a great and unique performances to make it worthwhile.
I have been a voting member for a number of years now, and I appreciate what the Grammy's does during the rest of the year to help with music education and music advocacy. If you are an independent artist you should consider joining and becoming a voting member. All the details are at Grammy.com
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