I just watched the second half of the Grammys. I may go back and watch the first half if someone tells me it was worth it. Some thoughts on what I saw:
- Stevie Wonder is not a sideman for the Jonas Brothers. No. I'm going to spend the rest of my life pretending I didn't see that.
- Adele has the best accent ever.
- Radiohead is consistently disappointing live.
- "Music" is neither a place nor a closed system. Calling someone "one of music's all-time greats" (as Josh Groban did Neil Diamond) forces the creative pursuit of music-making into a NARAS-shaped box. It's not just Groban; the Grammys have been doing this for years. ("music's biggest night, anyone?")
- Whoever mixed that Jay-Z, Kanye, T.I., Lil' Wayne business was clearly a Lil' Wayne fan.
- Robin Thicke looks uncomfortable in his own skin. He needs to drop the George Michael act, which is wholly unconvincing, and start writing great songs again.
- Phrasing and dynamics apparently aren't handed out until you turn 50. Adele and John Mayer may have snuck some early.
- Ne-Yo's voice is purty.
- Lupe Fiasco looks like a young Herbie Hancock.
- I wish Samuel L. Jackson were my friend.
Most importantly, congratulations to my fellow Freestyle Love Supreme members Lin and Bill, and my Rock Band buddy Alex, for the "Best Musical Show Album" award for In The Heights. Yeah boys!!
