Every time I feel like giving the Grammy’s a second chance they severely let me down.  I will admit that Sunday’s show was much better than the show has been in recent years.  But I turned off the show with a feeling of…”that’s it?”  Maybe last year was so strong this one just pales in comparison.  I love that there’s less awards and more live performances. Though some of the live sets seemed flat.  Despite all the pomp with Taylor Swift’s song, the performance was extremely wooden.  It was like a movie with great set desgin but a crappy screenplay.  Fun. picked a dull song for that venue.  Kelly Clarkson seemed like she just woke up from a nap after being put to sleep by Fun. I think the lighting tech took a lunch during Rihanna’s song and was doing acid for Bruno Mars’ set.  And to top it off, probably the most energetic performance of the night with Chuck D and LL Cool J was cut off!  Maybe it wasn’t so much what was in the show but what was missing. Where was the MCA tribute?  I get the Levon Helm tribute.  Totally warranted and great performance.  But Bob Marley over MCA?  And honestly…if you had to pick between MCA and Levon Helm: MCA is more important.  I get covering Beastie Boys songs is difficult…but Sabotage is doable.  Why not a DJ set/mix of their work?  DJs are hot right now.  And where was the electronic music?  They had an EDM tent last year.  This year, I’m not sure David Guetta was even let in the building.  I get that folk music is hot right now.  And I appreciate the show embracing it…but that doesn’t mean to overkill it.  There is such a thing of too much of a good thing.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Frightened Rabbit:

1. The Greys (Sing The Greys)
2. I Feel Better (The Midnight Organ Fight)
3. The Wrestle (The Winter of Mixed Drinks)
4. The Modern Leper (The Midnight Organ Fight)
5. Fuck This Place (A Frightened Rabbit EP)
6. Skip The Youth (The Winter of Mixed Drinks)
7. Nothing Like You (The Winter of Mixed Drinks)
8. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (The Loneliness and The Scream)
9. Heads Roll Off (The Midnight Organ Fight)
10. Music Now (Sing The Greys)
11. Home From War (State Hospital EP)

Buy Frightened Rabbit’s new album, Pedestrian Verse, now!!!

The Super Bowl is over and I can’t say I’m happy about the game. I agree with Frank Gore…the better team did not win.  The 49ers played a piss poor first half but came roaring back in the second half to almost pull off an amazing comeback.  There was one thing standing in there way:  the officiating.  No, I’m not a sore loser…and no I don’t think that had the right calls been made that it would have guaranteed the 49ers’ win…but it would have been a fair game.  On the 4th down play at the end of the game…there was pass interference  The announcers thought it was pass interference   All 50 people who were at the party I was attending (even the Ravens fans) thought it was pass interference.  Even the Baltimore players thought it was pass interference.  Only one person didn’t agree.  The ref.  Since the game, people who are defending the call have been saying “you’re not going to get those calls at the end of the game.  You have to make the big play.”  Why?  Why on the last play of the game does the defense get the benefit of the officiating?  Why doesn’t the defense have to make the big play?  Basically, everyone defending the non-call is saying that on the last play of the game, the defense is allowed to cheat.  It’s wrong…and the more this happens…it’s only going to set up an unforgivable disaster.  Mark my words.  In the next couple of years, a official/referee is going to get murdered for making the wrong call.  And maybe it needs to happen to get the NFL to wake up and do something about the horrendous officiating that has all but plagued the game.  I’m not condoning a murder…but when you play with fire…only bad things can come from it…and the only way you learn is when you finally get burned.

And if the NFL is going to lean toward any team…why would you lean to the team that has a murderer on the roster?

Could not be better timing with the new Jim James album and his mellow vibe.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By My Morning Jacket:

1. One Big Holiday (It Still Moves)
2. Librarian (Evil Urges)
3. Cobra (Chocolate and Ice)
4. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2 (Evil Urges)
5. Golden (It Still Moves)
6. Holding On To Black Metal (Circuital)
7. Xmas Curtain (At Dawn)
8. Where To Begin (Elizabethtown)
9. O Is The One That Is Real (Split with Songs: Ohia)
10. Thank You Too! (Evil Urges)
11. Dondante (Z)

Buy Jim James new album, Regions of Light, now!!

This weekend saw one of the most horrific tragedies to ever occur during a live music event.  Over 200 people killed and over 100 more injured because of another pyrotechnic display gone awry.  There are really very little words that can describe the devastating event in any sort of light other than misery.  Apparently the incident occurred because the lead singer of the performing band lit a flare onstage. Stupid doesn’t even describe it.  But calling names and pointing blame is practically useless now.  I hate when artists try to compensate for lackluster performances with elaborate stage shows.  It convinces everyone that in order to enjoy a live show…there has to be something more to it.  So every band thinks it’s imperative to outdo the other.  It’s not.  Live shows are about live music.  It’s hard to get too deep into this subject without feeling upset for the families.  And that’s all we should be concerned about.

Mike Patton was known for years for being one of the most bizarre live performers of all time.  His band Tomahawk (one of his 50 different musical projects) returns this week.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Tomahawk:

I read the magazine The Week.  There’s a small section in it called “It Wasn’t All Bad.”  It’s a very small section but always has some very positive news articles.  Recently I read a great story online about a rapper which reminded me of these articles.  I’m sure you’ve all heard the song “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  And if you think you haven’t heard it…you have.  Here’s the video for a refresher.  During the chorus, there’s a Nate Doggish rapper named Wanz singing the hook.  Turns out Wanz is a 51-year-old singer from Seattle who up until this song broke was working as a computer technician who had all but given up on his career in music.  He was singer for hire working for about $25 a song/hook and was rarely lucky enough to even hear the final product of the songs he sang on.  Now he has the number one song in the country, he quit his job to go on tour, and is final living out his greatest dreams.  And what’s best about this story is he’s still incredibly humble.  He said even if he’s only known as that guy from the “Thrift Shop” song…he gets to be that guy from the “Thrift Shop” song.

It just goes to show…you’re never too old for your dreams to come true.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Tegan & Sara: