"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 

Looking Ahead: A Brief Glimpse Into 2011 and Other News - Cold War Kids Sampler & The Black Keys Do Battle With Vampire Weekend

Here's some music news and song samples to whet your appetites for a few of 2011's new releases from The Decemberists to Okkervil River, Cold War Kids, Danger Mouse, and more. Enjoy.

Okkervil River appeared on Jimmy Fallon last night and debuted their song, “Wake and Be Fine," Their new album, I Am Very Far is to be released May 10 and will be added to the list of albums to the right.  If you don't know Okkervil River, I'd take a listen...they're pretty good.

So The Decemberists new album, The King Is Dead, leaked the other day. I'll have a review up before the end up the month, but in the meantime, you can listen to it over at NPR. Here is the opening track, "Don't Carry It All." The album is slated for a January 18th release. They're playing January 24-26th at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan and January 28th-29th at the House of Blues in Boston.  Be sure to check the Boston Music Scene page as well.

Danger Mouse is collaborating with Italian composer Daniele Luppi on a new album inspired by the film soundtracks of Ennio Morricone. For this project, entitled Rome, Danger Mouse procured the help of Jack White and Norah Jones.  Hear snippets of a few songs below. This blogger's personal favorite is the Jack White sung track that comes at just about 2:00 minutes in. Rome drops March 1st.

Kentucky based indie rockers Cage the Elephant release their new album, Thank You, Happy Birthday, today. The band appeared on my music radar in 2008 with their twangy indie-blues song,  "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." However, their debut album was nothing great and it remains to be seen if their follow up album will resonate with audiences. A review will be up before the end of the month, but until then this is "Shake Me Down."

Cold War Kids' Mine Is Yours comes out January 25th, but if you can't make it until then without new Cold War Kids material, enjoy "Royal Blue" and "Louder Than Ever."

The Black Keys released Brothers May 18th and yet audiences still can't get enough of them. They were on SNL last week and on Letterman yesterday. Check out the band playing their hit single "Tighten Up" on SNL. The rock duo also played "Howlin' For You" on SNL and Letterman (wish they would have changed it up).

So that's a wrap for now. We'll have more on these albums when they finally drop, but until then, keep on listening and of course, reading Common Ground. 

- Lucien Flores

~ UPDATE ~

Cold War Kids released a sampler of 5 songs off Mine is Yours. Now two of these songs ("Royal Blue" and "Louder Than Ever") have already been released, but this is the first taste of the other three tracks. Also, I forgot to mention it earlier, but the band is playing at the House of Blues in Boston on March 22nd. Tickets are $20 so pick some up today. I'll be going...maybe I'll see you there?

~ January 12th ~

The Black Keys were once again on late night television last night, gracing Stephen Colbert with their presence on his Colbert Report.  On the show, Colbert enlisted help from the Ohio-based garage rockers and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend to aide with his selection for the Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Of course, the Black Keys supported their own Brothers while Ezra supported Contra. Eventually, Colbert had the two bands face off in a Sell-Out Off and hilarity ensued. Colbert also poked fun at Arcade Fire, Band of Horse, Mumford & Sons, and other artists.

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This Is A Music Review Of "Brothers." "Brothers" Is an Album by The Black Keys

by Lucien Flores

January 10, 2010

The Black Keys, Brothers, Nonesuch, 2010

2010 was the year the two-piece blues-based rock outfit, the Black Keys, burst through their garage door and cemented their reputation as premier indie rockers. While guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney of Akron, Ohio were certainly not unknown after amassing an impressive career of five albums, two EPs, and one collaborative hip-hop experiment, the Black Keys now appear to be gaining the most mainstream success they’ve ever garnered after releasing their latest album, Brothers - and the accolades keep on coming.  Their hit single, “Tighten Up,” reached number one on the Billboard Rock Songs Chart and has since been nominated for the Grammys’ “Best Rock Song.”  The band has additionally been nominated for three other Grammys including Best Alternative Music Album and has earned Rolling Stone’s second best album of the year title.  Furthermore, one cannot turn on the TV, go to a movie, or boot up a videogame without hearing a new track from the Black Keys.  Is this praise deserved?  Well in a word: yes.

Brothers continues the Black Keys’ musical growth where 2008’s Attack & Release left off.  Prior to that album (produced by Danger Mouse), it was fairly easy to identify any Black Keys song as most sounded remarkably similar; the Black Keys never left the realm of dirty and riff-tastic blues-rock.  With Brothers, the Black Keys weren’t afraid to take risks; Dan Auerbach experiments with a whispery falsetto that provides the perfect counterpoint to his ever-raspy howl and the band utilizes more keyboard and bass than ever.  These changes are certainly welcomed and make Brothers sound much more soulful, complete, and polished than any previous effort, making it arguably the Black Keys’ best outing yet.

Dan Auerbach Turns His Swag On

“Everlasting Light” opens the album with Auerbach’s beautifully crunchy guitar and Carney’s deep drum beat driving the song before Auerbach unveils his shiny new falsetto.  This song is a total throwback to late 60s and early 70s blues rock, yet doesn’t sound like any previous Black Keys song to date.  “Everlasting Light” is a perfect opener for the album, showing the listeners that Black Keys have indeed grown.  The strongest tracks on the album continue this arrangement of crunchy guitar and messy drums, from “Next Girl” to “The Go Getter” and “Sinister Kid” and the aforementioned “Tighten Up.”  The latter is incredibly catchy, beginning with a light whistle hook before Carney’s fill-heavy drumming and Auerbach’s soulful vocals kick in.  About 2/3rds through the song, the music melts apart before being revived with an even hazier and messy sound for the last minute.  The bonus track “Ohio” may actually be one of the better songs on the album; after its sing-song opening and bluesy verses, Auerbach delivers a powerful, Neil Young esque solo for over a minute to close out the track in what sounds like an unintentional homage to the great guitarist whose song of the same name is a classic.  Another great track, “The Only One,” has a gentler feel to it, yet sticks with the sonic theme of the album.  This kinder, gentler sound is continued with the last four songs of the album as compassion and passion drip from Auerbach’s grizzled mouth. 

Patrick Carney Pounding Away

While the tracks on Brothers depart from the typical Black Keys sound, the album itself does not change up that much.  The album clocks in at just under an hour (not including the bonus track) and a little diversity would do the album wonders.

Ultimately, Brothers is a very promising album for the Black Keys.  The band has grown considerably from their early days as garage-rock rockers who would churn out albums in a day and it will be very interesting to see what the band does from here.  Will they continue growing or stick to their tried-and-true methods?

Overall Grade: 8.5 

Other thoughts:

This isn’t necessarily a criticism of the album, but of the band’s live shows. While, they are certainly very energetic live, they tend to have very repetitive set lists. Minus a few of the new tracks, the set list for the Brothers tour was basically identical to a show of theirs from the Attack & Release tour.  I would love for them to diversify their sets.