Live rock Critic 26 The Grammies February 2012
I have been listening to many uninspiring performances lately, I will write about them, but the Grammies are more recent and relevant. Start with Madonna at the Super Bowl first for a moment. I ignored the overproduced gay dance which such as Gaga performances offer. Madonna’s voice was monotonous and reeked of over processing and auto tune. Madonna stumbled during a simple dance or positioning move .
The Grammies. Many performers did a better job at the Grammies than they had when I viewed and listened to them on previous occasions. Cold Play were better than when I reviewed them. Ryhiana performed a very sexual dance but not that well nor did she sing that well. Chris Brown danced and sang, the dance uninspired I thought, the singing supplemented with much pre recorded product and not really great. Why other writers focussed on his past behaviour I do not know, what about the performance?
The Foo Fighters won five Grammies. I had previously rated them as superior to any other band I had reviewed . The performance at the Grammies was better than any I had previously viewed. Foo Fighters were far more powerful and precise than I had heard in the past. Dave Grohl proudly announced that he had taped his band’s winning record in his garage studio. The authenticity of David Grohl’s band was mentioned by other reviewers and authenticity was a desirable attribute rewarded with Grammies. I noticed many of the performers whom I had labelled inauthentic were not awarded Grammies.
Jennifer Hudson’s performance was widely praised but I thought it was schmaltz. Whitney Houston was not schmaltzy. Paul McCartney was terribly schmaltzy in the maudlin romantic standard he was trying to foist upon us. It was a boring Valentine Schmaltz 2012.
The Beach Boys tribute brought out some of the most despised bands I had reviewed last year. Foster The People and Maroon Five were pathetic . The Beach Boys were really good, I like just like the record live. Glen Campbell was surprisingly polished and tuneful, better by far than the performances of the tribute to him. Bonny Rait and Alicia Keys failed to impress with their duet.
Nikki Menaj was bizarre in an unsuccessful way. She had a ton of pre-recorded performance and those horrible homo erotic male dancers. Taylor Swift’s Hillbilly performance failed to move me. I found it uninspired rote delivery and very repetitive. Katie Perry out performed the other female vocalists, her singing was dynamic and powerful but the choreography was poor.
Lady Gaga and Coldplay sat unhappily as Foo Fighters won best record.
Fortunately the Grammies went on to a dance party with the Foo Fighters performing Rope very loud dynamic and powerful, what I expect live from award winners.
There was a very good techno pop performance following Foo Fighters with interesting graphics and electronic effects.
I enjoyed Elton John who starred in a commercial which was very entertaining.
The Grammies ended well with Paul McCartney redeeming himself from the disastrous romantic standard stillbirth. McCartney’s vocal and musical performance was perfect when he reprised his iconic tunes. McCartney’s guitarists were flawless and something else as well. What is that essential and elusive performance characteristic which can make0- tunes from fifty years ago sound interesting and entertaining? What is missing from tunes which are uninteresting even when they are new?
The Grammies. Many performers did a better job at the Grammies than they had when I viewed and listened to them on previous occasions. Cold Play were better than when I reviewed them. Ryhiana performed a very sexual dance but not that well nor did she sing that well. Chris Brown danced and sang, the dance uninspired I thought, the singing supplemented with much pre recorded product and not really great. Why other writers focussed on his past behaviour I do not know, what about the performance?
The Foo Fighters won five Grammies. I had previously rated them as superior to any other band I had reviewed . The performance at the Grammies was better than any I had previously viewed. Foo Fighters were far more powerful and precise than I had heard in the past. Dave Grohl proudly announced that he had taped his band’s winning record in his garage studio. The authenticity of David Grohl’s band was mentioned by other reviewers and authenticity was a desirable attribute rewarded with Grammies. I noticed many of the performers whom I had labelled inauthentic were not awarded Grammies.
Jennifer Hudson’s performance was widely praised but I thought it was schmaltz. Whitney Houston was not schmaltzy. Paul McCartney was terribly schmaltzy in the maudlin romantic standard he was trying to foist upon us. It was a boring Valentine Schmaltz 2012.
The Beach Boys tribute brought out some of the most despised bands I had reviewed last year. Foster The People and Maroon Five were pathetic . The Beach Boys were really good, I like just like the record live. Glen Campbell was surprisingly polished and tuneful, better by far than the performances of the tribute to him. Bonny Rait and Alicia Keys failed to impress with their duet.
Nikki Menaj was bizarre in an unsuccessful way. She had a ton of pre-recorded performance and those horrible homo erotic male dancers. Taylor Swift’s Hillbilly performance failed to move me. I found it uninspired rote delivery and very repetitive. Katie Perry out performed the other female vocalists, her singing was dynamic and powerful but the choreography was poor.
Lady Gaga and Coldplay sat unhappily as Foo Fighters won best record.
Fortunately the Grammies went on to a dance party with the Foo Fighters performing Rope very loud dynamic and powerful, what I expect live from award winners.
There was a very good techno pop performance following Foo Fighters with interesting graphics and electronic effects.
I enjoyed Elton John who starred in a commercial which was very entertaining.
The Grammies ended well with Paul McCartney redeeming himself from the disastrous romantic standard stillbirth. McCartney’s vocal and musical performance was perfect when he reprised his iconic tunes. McCartney’s guitarists were flawless and something else as well. What is that essential and elusive performance characteristic which can make0- tunes from fifty years ago sound interesting and entertaining? What is missing from tunes which are uninteresting even when they are new?
