Sunday, February 12, 2012

Mickey Mouse Ears at the Grammy Awards - A Mature Review

  • Tonight, I am watching the 54th Grammy Awards Show, hosted by LL Cool J.  Since I would rather listen to a book than music, I don't pay much attention to what's hot on iTunes.  Watching the annual Grammys is how I find out who is who.  I am going to critique the show, and the performers.  Well for as long as I stay awake that is. 
  •  Bruno Mars was the first act. I have heard the name, but have never seen him perform.  He was throughly entertaining.  I would buy his album.   
  • Next was Bonnie Rait and Alica Keys.  They did a tribute to Etta James.  I would download that one.  
  • They gave an award to Adele.  I don't know who she is but she has an English accent.  Yes I do live under a rock.
  • The next performer was Chris Brown.  I don't know his music and really didn't enjoy his performance.
  • Marc Antony and Fergie were the next presenters.  Best Rap Performance.  JZ &  Kayne West for "Otis".
  • Reba is up next to introduce Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson singing  "Don't You Want To Stay".  I like Kelly Clarkson, never heard of Jason Aldean.   Their duet was okay, wouldn't download it.
  • Great Target Commercial! Alouette 
  • Jack Black introduces Foo Fighters - Who? Too much guitar and I couldn't understand the words that the singer was screaming.  I guess it's what's called Hard Rock, Heavy Metal?
  • Rihanna and Cold Play perform.   She is lying on the stage singing.  I don't get it.  Okay she is up and working it out.  I think she is saying " We found love in a hopeless place?"
  • Chris Martin from Cold Play with Rihanna sing "Princess of China" then 
  • Cold Play band perform "Paradise" - Nope not a fan of either. 
  • NCIS's Paulie Perrett and Giants Mario Mannhingham & Victor Cruz present best rock performance "Walk" by the foo fighters.
  • Commercial featuring Willie Nelson who performs the "The Scientist" the soundtrack from the short film entitled "Back to the Start". If you download the song on iTunes, the proceeds benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.
  • Ryan Seacrest introduce Maroon 5 celebrating the beach boys "Surfer Girl" & Foster The People "Wouldn't it Be Nice".  I kinda liked Foster The People.
  • The Beach Boys sing "Good Vibrations" Gosh they are old.
  • Stevie Wonder introduces Paul McCartney, someone else & Joe Walsh - the song is "My Valentine".
  • Didn't get the names of the presenters but the  Best R&B Album - Chris Brown.
  • The Civil Wars ????  Had to google - duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White.
  • Taylor Swift sings "Mean"  Was this about Kayne West?
  • Funny McDonald's Ad about some old dudes trying to pick up a woman.
  • Neil Patrick Harris Presents  Song of the Year to Paul Epworth Producer and singer Adele Atkins for "Rolling in the Deep".
  • Kate Beckinsale and LL Cool J introduce Katie Perry - performs "Part of Me". Over produced, too Lady GaGa for me. 
  • Miranda Lambert &  Dierks Bentely present Best Country Album  to Lady Antebellum. I've heard of Lady Antebellum, but don't know who Lambert and Bentely are.
  • Gweneth Paltrow introduces Adele she sings "Rolling In the Deep" She got quite an ovation, Adele, that is. 
  • Taylor Swift- Tribute to Glen Campbell The band Perry performs "Gentle on my Mind".
  • Blake Shelton sings "Southern Nights".
  • Glen Campbell has Alzheimer's. He sings "Rhinestone Cowboy".  That was touching.
  • Carrie Underwood is joined by Tony Bennett to sing a duet "It Had To Be You." You go Tony.  
  • The best new artist Boniver - really never heard of him.
  • The president of the Grammys -  tribute to those who died this year.
  • Jennifer Hudson pays tribute to Whitney Houston.
  • Tribute to Don Cornelius With today's version of dance music. Foo Fighters and Chris Brown.  Guess I haven't been dancing lately.  "Let's do the Twist." "Anyone?" This "dancing" looks like all they are doing is jumping up and down.   I guess there isn't much difference between twisting back and forth and jumping up and down.
  • Okay now there is a Mickey Mouse head, hey why is everyone wearing mouse ears?  Wow I don't get it!  I am so out of touch.
  • Drake introduces  Niki Minaj  An exorcism? Stained glass windows, church, she is in manacles. I thought today's dance music was a little out there.  This is way too weird for me.  I guess it is supposed to be irreverent?  The song is "Roman Holiday"????
  • Lady Antebelium presents record of the year.  "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
  • Dina Ross presents the album of the year "21" by Adele.
So after watching the Grammy Awards, I remember why I don't have any music on my iPod.  I'd rather listen to a good book.
But if anyone has a few recommendations I would be willing to listen.

Here is today's entry from Anna's diary:
Tues February 12 1929
Lincoln's birthday. Jean half day. Jewel Marie home. Brought Junior there. Went to N. York with Edythe.  I bought two new black dresses.  Home evening. Heard Phil Armand over radio.
[She may have been referring to Phil Armand  - Phillip Armand Hamilton Gibbs an English Journalist and Novelist]

    10 comments:

    1. I urge you to listen to Civil Wars and see if you don't become enthralled. My daughter had their you tube channel on one day last summer and I listened for about an hour and became hooked. haunting melodies, lyrics you can understand and relate to.
      As for Adele, I have become addicted to her voice, her down to earth personality and her rapid rise to fame. Give her a listen or tune into her channel on Pandora.
      Thanks for the rundown. Your synopsis helps me to realize I missed nothing.  I didn't watch because some of the more weird acts put me in a bad mood.

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    2. Very cool post, Lynda.  Like you, I have perhaps HEARD OF many of these musicians but could not identify them.  Out of the current music loop but not too worried about it.  My kids do make cd's for me sometimes, alerting me to music that they think I might like.  I always appreciate that but I just don't listen to that much contemporary music.    Bruno Mars?  Really?  I never heard of him.....and so many more.

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    3. Lynda - Bon Iver is excellent.  Joe was a fan, and I know that he is on the USB in Joe's car that Anne was going to give you.  I really love the song Holocene from his new album ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE).  As for the mouse ears, the electronic artist Deadmau5 performs in mouse head and if you go see him live they hand out those mouse ears and people show up in mouse costumes.  :)

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    4. Love the descriptions! Now I don't need to watch it.

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    5. I didn't even bother to watch the Grammys...to be honest, I can't remember the last time I did in the first place. Most of the people I've maybe heard of but know nothing about (like Adele)...or have never heard of (like Bon Iver - who are, apparently, from my neck of the woods...).

      I know a lot of people were really mad because they did this HUGE tribute to Whitney Houston and almost forgot about Etta James...and how Chris Brown won some award even though he beat the crap out of his ex (Rhianna)...and how Rhianna was acting weird and...

      I didn't really care. Oh well :)

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    6. Thanks, Erin.  As I watched Bon Iver accepting the award, I wondered if he was an artist that Joe would have been interested in.   I will have to check out the Holocene video.
      Thanks also for letting me know about Deadmau5.  That's so interesting.  It is definitely that G-Gap going on here.

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    7. Thanks I will give Civil Wars and Adele a listen.  

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    8. I know - - who the heck is Bon Iver??!   He looked like the guy who loads my groceries.  I mean, so normal looking!

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    9. The Civil Wars ????  Had to google - duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White.  My Prayer Sister, Cindy works for Joy Willam's father at the Christian camp Mount Hermon here in the Santa Cruz Mountains.You lasted longer than me watching this spectacle. I made it to the first award to Adele. I didn't know who she was either. I saw an interview with her with Anderson Cooper and really liked her. I would buy her CD (no ipod here). You're right, we are old and the Beach Boys are older! I wish I hadn't given my BFF (at the time) sister my collection of Beach Boy albums. At least I'd be able to understand the words.
      We changed channels and watched Downtown Abbey. Now that's another topic!

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    10. For what it's worth, you're hipper than me. I didn't even attempt the Grammy's--haven't for years. I love music, but I'm hopelessly outdated. If it's been released in the last ten years and I didn't hear it by accident from something my daughter's listening to, I don't have a clue.

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