Idolator
Idolator readers may still be arguing about whether or not Herbie Hancock's low-selling Joni Mitchell tribute should have trumped the better-selling young pop things for Album Of The Year at the Grammys, but Ben Ratliff of the New York Times knows why jazz fans shouldn't be so hyped about what the upset means for the genre: it's "a singer-songwriter record" with weak-ass drums! He also calls it "exquisitely acceptable," which works as both straight-faced assessment and deliciously succinct zinger depending on which word gets the emphasis. [NY Times]
Comments
My wife put it best last night when she read my long debate with loudersoft and said, "I get it -- you don't hate Herbie Hancock, you want the Grammys to be internally consistent." Bingo.
Why the fuss? Don't the Grammys EVERY YEAR choose the album based on a combination of Oldest Artists+Longest Careers?
The only way Amy or Kanye could have won is if they were against Vampire Weekend, Mylie Cyrus, and Soulja Boy.
I've pretty much universally hated Grammy choices since Jethro Tull got one of those rock awards back in the 1980s. On the other hand, you had to kind of smirk when someone the State Department wouldn't let int the USA won what, five awards? A big thumb of the nose to the Bush Nazi State!
Even though I'm still predominately a dated hair-metal listener, I did enjoy Herbie and the big orchestra do Rhapsody in Blue. There were some awesome chops on display on a timeless classic! Even on the dinky analog Zenith TV speakers, it was smooth, like buttah. Nice blast from the past...
@Maisie: Nahh, Miley definitely would have won that.
Amidst all the Hancockery this week, has anyone else noticed that he looks like he could be Tay Zonday's dad? Hell, with a resemblance that eerie, the two could even be the exact same person. Who knows.
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