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 Country music sweetheart, Taylor Swift, performs at the Pengrowth Saddledome in this file photo. DARREN MAKOWICHUK/SUN MEDIA |
Every time the Grammy nominations come around, I suddenly turn into Weekend Update’s Seth Meyers.
“Really?” I find myself asking no one in particular. “You nominated them? Really? And for that? That was the best album you heard this year? Really?”
Naturally, this year is no exception. I’m still scratching my head at the Dave Matthews Band getting two nominations (for record of the year and best rock album) for their decent but hardly monumental Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. And the fact that Whitney Houston and Kanye West’s albums were no-shows. And several dozen other oddball selections and oversights.
Here are some of the standouts. We’ll see how things shake out when the awards are handed out in L.A. on Jan 31.
For the whole list of nominees, see jam.canoe.ca.
But I doubt they’ll make any more sense to you.
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Really.
Top Dogs
Beyoncé earned a whopping 10 nominations for the CD I Am ... Sasha Fierce, the ubiquitous Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Halo and tunes from the Cadillac Records soundtrack.
Taylor Swift pulled in eight noms for her album Fearless and the tunes You Belong With Me and White Horse.
Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Kanye West each snagged six nods, though West’s acclaimed 808s and Heartbreak was shut out.
Wonder whose acceptance speech he’ll crash to whine about that. DJ David Guetta, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga walked away with five nominations each, which is pretty good for Jay-Z considering he didn’t even release a CD during the eligibility period. Bruce Springsteen, Kings of Leon, T-Pain, Keith Urban, Colbie Caillat, producer RedOne, soundtrack composer Michael Giacchino and classical engineer John Newton grabbed four noms each.
Who got three? Who cares.
Canucks
The big story, of course, was 23-year-old Toronto rapper Drake, who was nominated for best rap solo performance and best rap song for his single Best I Ever Had.
But he isn’t the only Canuck newbie on the list; Toronto R&B singer Melanie Fiona also earned her first nomination for the song It Kills Me, from her debut album The Bridge, and Montreal trip-rock outfit Beast are vying for best short form music video with Mr. Hurricane.
The more familiar faces; perennial favourite Neil Young, who is deservedly up for best boxed set for Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972) and — believe it or not — best solo rock vocal performance for Fork in the Road.
Juno-dominating rockers Nickelback got a token nod in the best hard rock performance category with Burn it to the Ground from their Dark Horse CD. Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden is up for best traditional pop vocal album.
Michael J. Fox is up for best spoken word album for his release Always Looking Up. David Foster could take home best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocalists for A Change is Going to Come, from Seal’s last album.
That’s 10 nominations in all — the same number as Beyonce. Which is apt, since she probably earned as much last year as the entire Canadian music industry.
What Are You Doing Here?
As always, there were enough old-dude nominations to remind you that Grammy voters aren’t getting any younger — or hipper.
A new live version of Daryl Hall and John Oates’ Sara Smile somehow got nominated for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals; likewise, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood’s Live From Madison Square Garden CD is up for best rock album, while the song Can’t Find My Way Home is vying for best rock performance; Memphis soul organist Booker T. Jones garnered two nominations (best pop instrumental album and best rock instrumental performance) with his comeback album Potato Hole; and guitar hero Jeff Beck’s live version of The Beatles’ A Day in the Life is also up for best rock instrumental performance. Hang in there, Tommy James; your time will come!
The Fame Game
Every year there’s a roster of seemingly random celebs who garnered Grammy noms. This year’s list includes Jamie Foxx (up for three R&B awards); Johnny Depp (best album notes for the Hunter S. Thompson box set Gonzo); Steve Martin (best bluegrass album for The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo); Tia Carrere (best Hawaiian music album — which she actually won last year); Jonathan Winters, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Madsen, Jimmy Carter and Carrie Fisher (best spoken word album); Stephen Colbert (best comedy album for A Colbert Christmas); Harlan Ellison (best spoken word album for children — I swear I’m not making that up); David Hyde Pierce and Ed Asner (also up for best spoken word album for children — what in heaven’s name are kids out there listening to?).
Missing in Action
The Pretenders, Morrissey, The Decemberists and The Dead Weather all released deserving albums last year that nobody on the Grammy selection committee seems to have noticed. Even some nominees got burned — while Wilco were recognized for their CD Wilco (The Album), it’s in the best americana album category, which is sort of like nominating Radiohead for best blues album.
Domestic Disputes
Jay-Z and wife Beyonce go head-to-head in the best rap/sung collaboration category, while married singer-guitarists Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi face off for the best contemporary blues album award. No matter who wins, you know somebody is sleeping on the couch on Grammy night.
Polka Power
Earlier this year, the Grammys discontinued the best polka album category, which was dominated by bandleader Jimmy Sturr. After much shock and outrage — well, relatively speaking — his fans found a simple solution: They nominated him in the best traditional folk album category. Take that, Recording Academy. And condolences to every traditional folksinger on the planet.
Voices of Degeneration
The nominees for best solo rock vocal performance include croakmeisters Bob Dylan (for Beyond Here Lies Nothin’) and Neil Young (for Fork in the Road). No disrespect, but if that doesn’t prove that Grammy voters aren’t even listening to these albums, nothing will.
Weirdest Grouping
The best pop instrumental performance category is a race between trumpet legend Herb Alpert, banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, art-pop pianist Imogen Heap, jazz bassist Marcus Miller and singer Maxwell (clearly, they couldn’t find enough things to nominate him for).
Here’s a thought: Have them form a band on Grammy night.
The Lonely Island — aka SNL comic Andy Samberg and his friends — are vying for best rap/sung collaboration for their T-Pain number I’m on a Boat.
What, no D--- in a Box?