"Some Things Are Pure, and Some Things are Right": Arcade Fire Wins the Grammy for "Album of the Year" and some other Grammy Thoughts

February 14, 2011

That was the reaction from Arcade Fire’s twitter after taking home the Grammy for Best Album and man, was this award deserved.  I apologize if I’m a little all over the place, but I’m honestly too excited to write.  I screamed when they announced the award.  I’ve only ever screamed while watching TV one other time in my life (that came when Zach Parise of Team USA scored with 24 seconds left in the Gold Medal game in the 2010 Winter Olympics to tie it up against Canada, however, let’s not talk about how that ended…).  Not only did I scream at the top of my lungs, but I also jumped on top of my friend, and paraded through my room.  I actually missed the English portion of the victory speech thanks to my excitement.

Yes.

God, I’m happy. So many times I thought to myself while watching artist after artist getting rewarded for mediocrity that there was no way The Suburbs would pull through.  I lost more and more faith after seeing the band lose the “Best Alternative Music Album” and “Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals” to the Black Keys.  Now, I love the Black Keys, but Suburbs absolutely deserved to come away with some hardware.  If you’ve read my review of the album then you know that I adored The Suburbs. It’s just beautiful.  To quote myself, ”The Suburbs is much more emotionally-wrenching than any of Arcade Fire’s previous albums.  The lyrics are those of a band at its strongest, showing more emotional meaning than Funeral while being less overtly political than Neon Bible.”  Seeing them live at the front of the pit at Madison Square Garden August 2nd certainly helped them cement their reputation in my book. Not only can they compose beautiful music, but they have a knack for unbridled performances.  This was especially true tonight; for all the hate “Month of May” seems to get, it is still a great song that’s even better live. Tonight’s performance of the rocker was simply superb and the encore of “Ready To Start” was also pretty fantastic.  Just purely emotional, almost cathartic, performances. 

Now who expected this outcome when the nominees were announced?  How did Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, or Katy Petty not end up winning? No, I don’t think they deserved it, but this is the Grammys after all and indie bands, even indie mega-stars like Arcade Fire, aren’t expected to win. I just can’t help but feel like justice was served tonight in Los Angeles. 

For all that is said about the death of the album, what does The Suburbs mean? Is this the revival of the album? Is this what contemporary music needs or am I just getting ahead of myself?

Congratulations Arcade Fire. You deserved it.

- Lucien Flores

 

While Michela also vocally rejoiced in the unprecedented, but proper and fitting, win of Arcade Fire, to avoid repetition with her reaction, here is a summary of the rest of the awards:

Other winners included Lady Antebellum who snatched up both “Record of the Year”, “Country Album of the Year” and “Song of the Year” through her success of “Need You Now”, a pop-country mix that has dominated Top 40 radio. While Cee Lo Green won for "Best Urban/Alternative Performance", Justin Beiber was  surprisingly shut out, despite being one of the most advertised acts of the night. 

The Black Keys: Lookin' Sharp Boys

Mirroring their fortunately astute appreciation for quality music that honored Arcade Fire, the Recording Academy donned The Black Keys with “Best Alternative Music Album” for Brothers and with “Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group with Vocals” for “Tighten Up” off the same record. Neil Young won “Best Rock Song” with “Angry World” and Them Crooked Vultures, the latest project by Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, won “Best Hard Rock Performance” with “New Fang”.

Cee Lo and Paltrow.

Besides for Arcade Fire, the night’s performances were mixed. Muse delivered a solid performance of “Resistance”, the title track of the album that won them “Best Rock Album.” While the novelty of the Bob Dylan, Mumford & Sons, and The Avett Brothers trio held promise and the latter two delivered in their solo sets, Dylan’s incomprehensible aged grumbles spoiled their collaborative “Maggie’s Farm”. Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” was surprisingly moving and secured her win of “Best Female Country Vocal Performance”. The performances by Bieber, Usher, Rihanna, and Eminem were predictably derivative (save for Dr. Dre’s appearance). Yet, the fun from the colorful Lady Gaga and the Elton-John-esque jaunt by Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow did manage to recover mainstream’s Grammy effort.

- Michela Smith


The Grammy's are an annual opportunity to yell "YES!" and REALLY?!" at the television set out of passion for the music that connects to our human experiences and speaks to our very souls. The Grammy's honored that tradition tonight and in the Recording Academy's recognition of those not always heard on radio airwaves, several underdog artists were given the chance to sing directly to us. 


- Common Ground Consortium