Grammys: aftermath
It looks like my crystal ball was on the fritz. I only had a 50% success rate (6/12) - including Record of the Year and Alternative Album - on my Grammy predictions last Friday.
I was surprised that Herbie Hancock won Album of the Year (a very left field choice) and glad that Springsteen picked up three more awards (although none were in the general categories). I'll have to seek out his winning instrumental, "Once Upon a Time in the West," from the tribute album "We All Love Ennio Morricone." Indie label Saddle Creek won its first Grammy for Best Packaging (Bright Eyes' "Cassadega"). Very cool.
What was up with Tom Hanks' over-the-top introduction of the awkward Beatles tribute? It featured the Cirque du Soleil collaboration, "Love" and the selections from the film "Across the Universe." Both were ho-hum. "Love" won a couple Grammys; sadly Paul McCartney didn't for his stellar solo CD.
As for the performances, enough with Alicia Keys already. The opening "duet" with Sinatra was slilted at best. Her next segment was even worse.
An orchestra added nothing to Foo Fighters' "Pretender," from their overrated album. The band's Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins could've cleaned themselves up a bit for the performance.
A still sexy Tina Turner looked ravishing at 68 and overshadowed Beyonce on the medley of Turner hits. Tina: come back out of retirement and do some theater shows!
The "Stomp!" percussive treatment on Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" was weird, but at least it was a change of pace.
Watching Morris Day & the Time again was fun - that is, until "Jungle Love" was ruined by a mash-up with Rihanna's "Umbrella." Kanye West and Daft Punk was exciting; West's tribute to his mother, unusually moving. Didn't know he could actually sing with passion.
Rock 'n' roll legends Jerry Lee Lewis (one writer compared him to a Southern judge) and Little Richard were sluggish and definitely looked their age. John Fogerty was great though as the glue that held the segment together.