It shows how bad things actually are. I bought the Norah Jones CD about the same time I bought the box set of the Songbooks by Ella Fitzgerald. At a used cd shop, I swapped the six individual songbook cds I had and topped up my generous offer with some currency for a great deal on what was essentially a new box set. All comparisons are odious, I know, but if one generation can produce Ella and a couple of generations down what we get is Norah, we is in serious trouble my friend. The Grummys are a marketing tool obviously in the hands of record companies. The Norah Jones album first of all should not be classified as "Jazz", as that simply debases the currency. Treating it as some kind of high quality pop, it should gather something like 7 out of a possible 10. To give it 8 Grummys is nuts and a sad reflection on awards as a whole, which can only lead one to conclude that the record companies will, at this stage, do anything to have product that sells in very high numbers. If that is what is required to keep them afloat, so be it. How to tell the grain from the chaff is getting harder though. Do you know that the regular price of a single cd that is not a big selling item benefiting from some special is up here? $28.00 plus about 15% in sales taxes. Thank God stuff like the Norah Jones cd is discounted, it takes a bit of the sting out of following the crowd and buying one. And, oh, BTW, I know it's an American obsession, but please leave guns out of this...
8 Time Grammy Award Winner? For Real?
I'm sure everyone out there is sick and tired of my whining. But, I (once again) feel the need to vent.
Today, (Sunday, May 25th) which happened to be a damp, drizzly day in Connecticut, Lisa (my better half) and myself, strolled into FYE in the Danbury Fair Mall. She went her way to DVD movies, and I went mine into "Pop/Rock" CDs. After about 15 minutes or so, Lisa found me at the register with a copy of Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me". As we stood in line, she looked at the CD cover and we discussed my new CD purchase. She noticed that of the 14 songs contained on the CD, only 2 were written by Norah. One song (#13) was a collaborative effort.
We further discussed the fact that many of the best artists use non-original material. But, Lisa did make an intersting comment; "Hmmm, she said. I'm surprised that someone awarded Best New Artist would only have 2 original songs". Again, an interesting observation.
Well, I didn't let that take the wind out of my sails. I just continued looking at that little blue sticker on the front of the CD case stating "8 Time Grammy Award Winner", " Album Of The Year", "Best New Artist", "Song Of The Year". I had never heard the complete album, but I figured, it's gotta be halfway decent.
Upon arriving home I put the CD through my usual ritual (Wash, Cut, Polish and Demagnetize), placed the CD In the Audiomeca and sat back to listen to this exciting new "Grammy" performance.
You're kidding, right? This is it?
O.K.,O.K. Kinda cool voice with a sandy kind of texture, (although, she sounds like she was recorded using a plastic microphone), average piano playing skills (although, on cut #1 the piano sounds like it's under water), and on cut #9, she had an almost Ricki Lee Jones "kind of" quality. Overall, not a bad recording, but I wouldn't put it high on the "sonics" list.
So, this is "today's" Grammy material Huh?
I'm certainly glad I'm not a postal worker skilled in firing automatic weapons, cause I feel like I'm losing my mind.
Has anyone found this "Grammy Award Winner" worthy of it's status?
My opinion? I'd have to concur with the title of the first song,"Don't Know Why".
Today, (Sunday, May 25th) which happened to be a damp, drizzly day in Connecticut, Lisa (my better half) and myself, strolled into FYE in the Danbury Fair Mall. She went her way to DVD movies, and I went mine into "Pop/Rock" CDs. After about 15 minutes or so, Lisa found me at the register with a copy of Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me". As we stood in line, she looked at the CD cover and we discussed my new CD purchase. She noticed that of the 14 songs contained on the CD, only 2 were written by Norah. One song (#13) was a collaborative effort.
We further discussed the fact that many of the best artists use non-original material. But, Lisa did make an intersting comment; "Hmmm, she said. I'm surprised that someone awarded Best New Artist would only have 2 original songs". Again, an interesting observation.
Well, I didn't let that take the wind out of my sails. I just continued looking at that little blue sticker on the front of the CD case stating "8 Time Grammy Award Winner", " Album Of The Year", "Best New Artist", "Song Of The Year". I had never heard the complete album, but I figured, it's gotta be halfway decent.
Upon arriving home I put the CD through my usual ritual (Wash, Cut, Polish and Demagnetize), placed the CD In the Audiomeca and sat back to listen to this exciting new "Grammy" performance.
You're kidding, right? This is it?
O.K.,O.K. Kinda cool voice with a sandy kind of texture, (although, she sounds like she was recorded using a plastic microphone), average piano playing skills (although, on cut #1 the piano sounds like it's under water), and on cut #9, she had an almost Ricki Lee Jones "kind of" quality. Overall, not a bad recording, but I wouldn't put it high on the "sonics" list.
So, this is "today's" Grammy material Huh?
I'm certainly glad I'm not a postal worker skilled in firing automatic weapons, cause I feel like I'm losing my mind.
Has anyone found this "Grammy Award Winner" worthy of it's status?
My opinion? I'd have to concur with the title of the first song,"Don't Know Why".
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- 52 posts total
- 52 posts total