Arcade Fire wins album of the year 2011, NARAS Grammys

[audiogeek]

Didn't see that one coming.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of music performances at the awards show, both in artist selection and non-BlackEyedPeas-ness.

[ryst]

Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers killed it tonight.

[Clayphish]

Total surprise! Really glad to see them win! I bet there are a few upset people though.

[spice house]

Fair choice, it was a good album.

Considering how music usually has nothing do with it, suprising

[Keire]

**** yeah, Canada!

[RCM - Ronan]

I have not seen the whole thing yet (Just watch Cee Lo and Gwynth), but so far the production crew have a lot to be proud of. Smooth show, and pretty darn good sound for such a complex show.

[kojak]

While I agree the performances and whatnot were mostly cool, the Grammys haven't meant shit in well over a decade. More like 2. I'm happy for Arcade Fire and whatever, but who gives a shit about a Grammy at this point? It's just a big commercial. Anyone who pays attention to the business knows this is nothing more than the industry promoting whoever they thinks will sell their last remaining CDs, until a year or two from now, when physical sales will be basically non-existant, other than people selling discs from the stage, if at all.

[djmukilteo]

Originally Posted by Keire

**** yeah, Canada!

yeah!
Being an old guy I do like Arcade Fire!
Still watching it....
The Grammy's used to be the big deal and I'm sure it still is for some...I'm just getting old like Bob!....but it was good to see him out there with his harmonica...reminded me a little of a Bruce Springsteen get together on stage!
Mick and the lads are coming up....not too interested in the Beaver and M&M, not my cup of tea but those guys are all popular. Thye must have cut out some of those lyrics though...a few blank audio spots. I guess we still have network censors with a job.
Rhinanna was a little pitchy as was Katy, I guess no autotune for those high notes....Randy from Am Idol would have caught them on that!
Nora Jones was good on Joliene..as always....
Lots of show and entertainment...Didn't quite get the whole C-lo...at first I thought Elton was out there?!
OK Mick is on gotta go!

[Chris Lago]

I was expecting Katy Perry to win album of the year, damn... As much as I like Arcade Fire... Really?

[SynthLine09]

I had not heard of arcade fire until today....

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by ryst

Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers killed it tonight.

In terms of musicianship and instrumental skill, they were great ! Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers - along with Janelle Monae and Esperanza Spalding, caused me to be frequently surprised and generally happy with the respect shown for tangible *musical* talent, which is often lacking in the mainstream. ------------------- OTOH: Gaga, Bieber, Usher, Muse, Arcade Fire & Eminem are all vastly overrrated imo.

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by RCM - Ronan

I have not seen the whole thing yet (Just watch Cee Lo and Gwynth), but so far the production crew have a lot to be proud of. Smooth show, and pretty darn good sound for such a complex show.

That Cee Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow performance had a certain magic to it, and totally surprised me.

[thedoner]

I watched the Grammies with the usual low expectations and was actually pleasantly surprised. Overall the sound was really good too. Happiest moment of the night for me was the ever so deserving Esparanza Spalding winning for best new artist over Bieber etc. There is some justice in the world after all.

[rack gear]

Originally Posted by ryst

Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers killed it tonight.

total awesomeness... the above and eminem...

[mattg082]

It's nice to see real rock bands wining for a change. They deserved it IMO. I hope we get to see more bands like this with real energy and great songs instead of bieber,Kate perry and gaga.

[LimeMusic]

That entire production crew deserves award... Excellent work!

It was really cool to see some lesser known bands getting on stage and rocking it. I didn't care for some of the music, but some of those bands had some real talent! It was also nice to see them actually being able to play their songs live well, as opposed to Katy Perry who couldn't even hit the higher notes of her big radio hits. Hopefully musicianship will win over image in pop music again...

And, as a side note... I'm so in love with Gwyneth Paltrow right now...

[Ken Lewis]

Full Discloser: I was nominated for Eminem

I think NARAS does itself a huge disservice every year by picking the one album out of the five, year after year after year, that should not win AOTY. It makes the Grammy's look like a joke. and yes i am bitter.

I bought the Arcade Fire album months ago before nominations. i love rock. I REALLY wanted to like that album. I was so completely and utterly bored out of my mind by the seventh "song" (if you can actually call those jam sessions songs) that it became a coaster. Seriously, if this is the best album of 2011 our industry deserves its complete and utter lack of record sales.

Other than that rant, CeeLo and the Muppets were amazing. Janelle Monet was awesome. all the performers i thought were great minus maybe Arcade Fire's first song which i had an epileptic seizure during, but i was bored comatose at the time and didnt even know i was seizing.

end of rant

[mattg082]

For laughs google arcade fire stole my basket ball...the comment section alone is worth it.

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by Ken Lewis

I bought the Arcade Fire album months ago before nominations. i love rock. I REALLY wanted to like that album. I was so completely and utterly bored out of my mind by the seventh 'song' (if you can actually call those jam sessions songs) that it became a coaster. Seriously, if this is the best album of 2011 our industry deserves its complete and utter lack of record sales.
>

Arcade Fire has all of their eggs in the spacey vibe / ambience basket. Their rhythms, repetitive chord patterns and instrument/vocal colors are a surface which if scratched reveals very little melodically-based songcrafting. Which is why they blatantly overcompensate with flashing lights, and other theatrical stunts. However, as a collective unit, they almost attain a 'TV on the Radio' level of synergy and relentless momentum.

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by LimeMusic

Hopefully musicianship will win over image in pop music again...

IMO, Usher uses extensive autotune because his vocals are not that great. (But maybe the over-reliance on autotune actually weakens a vocalists' skills ?). Bieber was weak, if you strictly/technically focus on his vocals exclusively. ----- But there was a good amount of melodic development & elaboration overall - even some respect for jazz, and skillfully playing an instrument.

Lady Antebellum though

[YUGA]

and Muse won the best rock album

but for me, this is the biggest news today.
http://www.thekingoflimbs.com/

[Whitecat]

Could not be more thrilled that Arcade Fire won, I think it was well deserved, it's a great record that gets better and better every time I hear it, and they work hard.

Back in 2001 when Steely Dan pulled off a somewhat similar upset I can say that I was less-than-impressed - I'm a HUGE Steely Dan fan but the relevance factor was fast approaching the event horizon at the time of that gong. This time around (with Eminem once again the odds-on-favourite being 'beaten') I think the zeitgeist is right.

[kojak]

Originally Posted by Happy Musicfan

Arcade Fire has all of their eggs in the spacey vibe / ambience basket. Their rhythms, repetitive chord patterns and instrument/vocal colors are a surface which if scratched reveals very little melodically-based songcrafting. Which is why they blatantly overcompensate with flashing lights, and other theatrical stunts. However, as a collective unit, they almost attain a 'TV on the Radio' level of synergy and relentless momentum.

Yeah I honestly have no idea what the allure of this band is...people all over the world, including some folks who's opinion I truly respect (Bowie, etc) love these guys, but I really don't see it...I bought the first record, I really tried to like them...but it just seems like a bunch of wierd jamming and sort of boring experimentation. I'm certainly all for experimentation and new sounds, but this just doesn't seem fleshed out, or thought about at all. I know that's not the case, I'm sure they do spend a ton of time and hard work making their music, but it just doesn't come across. At least to me. I'm open to the idea that it's over my head or something, but for whatever reason it just does not resonate at all...they just sound like a watered down Talking Heads.

[Whitecat]

Originally Posted by kojak

...they just sound like a watered down Talking Heads.

And yet David Byrne is another one of their many highly-regarded celebrity fans...

[Happy Musicfan]

Originally Posted by kojak

Yeah I honestly have no idea what the allure of this band is...people all over the world, including some folks who's opinion I truly respect (Bowie, etc) love these guys, but I really don't see it...I bought the first record, I really tried to like them...but it just seems like a bunch of wierd jamming and sort of boring experimentation. I'm certainly all for experimentation and new sounds, but this just doesn't seem fleshed out, or thought about at all. I know that's not the case, I'm sure they do spend a ton of time and hard work making their music, but it just doesn't come across. At least to me. I'm open to the idea that it's over my head or something, but for whatever reason it just does not resonate at all...they just sound like a watered down Talking Heads.

So that makes at least 2 Canadians dissing the winner, eh ? Thematic melodic development isn't their trip, but they really aren't watered down, sonically. Their textured, dark, neo-psychedelic ambience is quite relentlessly concentrated & fortified, and forces us to stop and experience their suburban freight train, in the rain.

[Whitecat]

Originally Posted by Happy Musicfan

So that makes at least 2 Canadians dissing the winner, eh ?

Err, I'm legally Canadian as well, eh? So not all of us are haters.

(as well as legally British, mind you)

[RTR]

I did not even know who Arcade Fire was,,,,ya I was surprised, but it was good to see someone that can actually play music instead of a MPC win!!

[Dove]

Here's one Canadian that thinks it is well deserved and is showing a trend that bucks the predictable formula. ;-)

Arcade Fire ushers in a new diverse breed that goes way beyond the usual fare that has been touted by the musical gatekeepers up until now. The internet is influencing things.

No wonder an innovator in his day (Bowie) sees it for what it is. Byrne is another one that sees the importance of a group like Arcade Fire getting a wider audience. The mainstream has been kept in a narrow field for far too long. The internet is changing that.

It's all good.

Now we need to see groups like Coco Rosie get their due (beyond Europe).
So many great bands exploring new sonic horizons beyond the status quo.

[88fingerz]

Originally Posted by jampottt

Lady Antebellum though

They stole the melody of their "I need you now" from Alan Parson's "Eye in the Sky".