Grammys

Sean Nelson, MSN Music Editor, offers some opinions at http://music.msn.com/music/grammys/bestworst?GT1=9076 Of course, his opinions are foolish and misguided on a couple points.

He says, "I don't know much about television, but if I were in charge of a network, you can be sure that Shakira would have her own weekly prime time show in which she would be required to repeat the showstopping explosion of rhythm, melody and undulating sexuality that she performed with Wyclef Jean about an hour into the 2007 Grammy Awards. Compared to 'Hips Don't Lie' (they don't!), the rest of the show was pretty lackluster."

I won't call Shakira's performance lackluster, but it was awful. It made me think of Disney's Aladdin, where Robin Williams's role was hardly lackluster, either, but it is embarrasing. There's little doubt about why the Dixie Chicks took criticism for a principled stand when this sort of offensive orientalism passes for entertainment.

Nelson continues:
"Other great performances: Justin Timberlake tearing into the break-up-centric gossip porn 'What Goes Around,' which he introduced as the best song he'd ever written. It was excellent, but I wonder if I was the only one who doubted that he was really playing that piano. Still, the hand-held Justin-cam was pretty sweet."

and

[among the lowlights] "Uh, John Mayer beats Justin Timberlake for best pop album? I'm not saying I care, I'm just saying, John Mayer?!"

Nelson has poor taste in music. If "What Goes Around" is Timberlake's best song, then we have heard of him only because Bubblegum sells. One wonders how popular he'll be when his voice changes and he starts shaving. John Mayer was the "find" of the evening. I hadn't heard of him, but his performance and award revealed that pop is not yet dead.

Nelson also list among the low points:
"Carrie Underwood's tribute to Bob Wills and Don Henley proved that without studio tricks, some American Idols belong back home, singing into the hairbrush. She wasn't as bad as soulless country fakes Rascal Flatts, who desecrated the Eagles' 'Hotel California' and 'Life in the Fast Lane.' And I HATE those songs!"

That tribute excluded references to Bluegrass, skewing the history a bit, but nevertheless deserves praise as one of the highlights of the show, and revealing that Underwood may not be as shallow as she first seems.

Nelson complains further:

"The whole 'sing a song on stage with Justin Timberlake' contest thing. Do we really need more audience voting theatrics? Isn't one 'Idol' enough?"

I can agree here. In fact, the ads promoting the show all week pushed this (and Timberlake generally) so hard that I nearly decided to skip the show. Fortunately, I was asleep by the time of Timberlake's much vaunted duet, and was spared some misery.

I also agree with Nelson that:

"It was unquestionably cool to see the Dixie Chicks sweep the major categories, if only because it gave the sense that the Grammy voters weren't too buried in SoundScan charts to notice the fact that music can still interact with the culture in a meaningful way when it takes a stand. Still, their "I'm speechless" shtick sounded pretty scripted, and Emily Robison looked a bit like she just stepped out of a Robert Palmer video when they performed 'Not Ready to Make Nice.'"

I generally dislike Country, but I think the D-Chicks are good.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
I generally dislike Country, but I think the D-Chicks are good.

Mayer plays a nice strat. The rest of the show was non-descript.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Sean Nelson, MSN Music Editor, offers some opinions at http://music.msn.com/music/grammys/bestworst?GT1=9076 Of course, his opinions are foolish and misguided on a couple points.

He says, "I don't know much about television, but if I were in charge of a network, you can be sure that Shakira would have her own weekly prime time show in which she would be r Country, but I think the D-Chicks are good.

Originally posted by GinoJ
Can you please summerize your main point in a few sentences?©

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Originally posted by Wulebgr
[b]Sean Nelson, MSN Music Editor, offers some opinions at http://music.msn.com/music/grammys/bestworst?GT1=9076 Of course, his opinions are foolish and misguided on a couple points.

He likes Timberlake and dislikes the Eagles. He favors bubblegum pop over music with substance. He's a poor music critic that likes offensive performances that should make him ashamed of America.[/b]