Grammys Preview & Predictions

Tonight, the 56th annual Grammy awards will be held to look at back at the best in music of 2013. Or, to be more accurate, the best in music from October 2012 through September 2013, due to the September 30th cutoff date for albums to be considered for nomination. This stipulation means that some of the year's most celebrated releases, including Lorde's Heroine and Arcade Fire's Reflektor, won't be eligible until next year's Grammys. This is a pretty big flaw in a system that's already struggling, judging by the confusing nature of and general displeasure with what's been nominated. Today, I will be using the less-than-revolutionary format of "what will win" vs. "what should win" (with an added twist of "who wasn't nominated) to look at how several major categories may pan out this evening. Then, I'll be talking about performances and other parts of the show to look forward to. A list of all nominees & performers can be found here.Without further delay, here's this year's Grammy awards preview.

Album of the Year
The Blessed Unrest - Sara Bareilles
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrick Lamar
The Heist - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Random Access Memories - Daft Punk
Red - Taylor Swift
Who should win:
Daft Punk's album was great. A cool fusion of dance, disco, electronic, funk, and pop, it produced some of the year's best singles in "Doin' It Right," "Lose Yourself to Dance," and of course the inescapable "Get Lucky." "Instant Crush" featured Strokes singer Julian Casablancas on vocals and rode a tasty groove, and "Contact" closed out the record in an epic, fiery blaze. Of these five, Daft Punk's album was the most enjoyable. I wouldn't mind if Kendrick won either; it was one of the best-received rap albums of this Grammy cycle, and it'd be nice for the Grammy awards to finally give a hip-hop artist Album of the Year honors for the first time since Outkast won in 2004 for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
Who will win:
Neither of those two. The Grammys are notorious for playing it safe in this category, as evidenced by past victories by  Herbie Hancock, Eric Clapton, and Christopher Cross over the likes of Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, U2, and Pink Floyd. Macklemore will probably take this, as the voters will think they're giving a hip-hop album some recognition when really The Heist is mostly full of pop songs. Swift has a chance, but I think the amount of time that's passed since the actual release of her record (October 22, 2012) will hurt her cause. If Bareilles wins, it'd shock everyone, as nobody expected her to be nominated at all.
Who wasn't nominated:
My favorite album of 2013, Reflektor, didn't come out in time to be considered for AotY honors. I honestly wouldn't have expected it to be nominated either, though their win for The Suburbs maybe left the door open for a repeat. One record I honestly expected to see, however, was Modern Vampires of the City. That album was superb; it was also pretty universal, as I have trouble imagining anybody who wouldn't be entertained by this record. I even though it had a shot at winning, but unfortunately its not an option. I also think Kanye's Yeezus should be nominated, if not for its merit as a unique rap album then simply for its boldness.

Albums of the Year - #2: Vampire Weekend - "Modern Vampires of the City"

Rating: 9.7/10

Before the May release of Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend were viewed by most as a simple, cutesy, indie pop band. A very good one, to be fair. But to many it seemed that Vampire Weekend were trapped in a bubble, that they had already said everything they had to say, and had nowhere else to go. Everyone knew what to expect from Vampire Weekend, or so they thought. In 2013, the Ivy-bred quartet surprised everybody with the magnificient, twinkling, dazzling Modern Vampires of the City. Some of the band's identifiable characteristics are still present; african-flavored beats, sprightly guitars, and frontman Ezra Koenig's spry vocals all stick around. But this new album is clearly a huge leap forward for the group. The lyrics are better than ever, a bounty of previously unused instruments are introduced, and new techniques a are presented. The most noticeable of these is the use of pitch shifting, employed liberally and masterfully on two of the record's biggest songs, "Diane Young" and "Ya Hey."

Albums of the Year - #3: Wavves - "Afraid of Heights"

Rating: 9.5/10

"We'll all die alone/just the way we live." So sings Wavves frontman Nathan Williams, the millenials'  new poster child for snot-nosed garage punk, on Afraid of Heights opener "Sail to the Sun." On their latest record, Wavves veered off slightly from their lo-fi surf-rock path, adopting a more grunge-influenced sound and putting more effort into production. The result is the group's most polished, most mature, and in truth most enjoyable album to date. Though 2010's King of the Beach had a carefree, adolescent feel, it was somewhat one-dimensional. Afraid of Heights maintains that energy and youthfulness while also at times venturing off and exploring deeper, more complex psychological themes. Sure, there are still fast-paced, quick punk ditties like "Cop" and "Paranoid." But self-loathing tracks like "Beat Me Up" ("That's the reason why/I love the pain/It makes me wanna die") and "Everything Is My Fault" (see title) add a more profound layer to the music of what was once a decidedly straightforward band. 

Of course, Williams sings some if not most of these lyrics with a wry smile. This tongue-in-cheek delivery is to be expected of the singer, and represents the spontaneous, live-in-the-moment attitudes of the band members. This kind of lifestyle can at times be reckless and self-destructive, which is what some of the songs on Afraid of Heights showcase.

Albums of the Year - #4: Queens of the Stone Age - "...Like Clockwork"

Rating: 9.4/10

If there's one man today who does guitar-rock right every time, it's Josh Homme. The QOTSA vocalist/guitarist/mastermind is one of the most consistently excellent musicians in the business, and ...Like Clockwork was no exception. A behemoth in terms of sound and raw power, the new record is jam-packed with crisp guitar licks, dynamic drumming, and slick vocal hooks. There are also several cameos here, and none of them feel forced. Former band members Nick Olivieri and Mark Lanegan contribute backing vocals on "If I Had A Tail," along with Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner. Dave Grohl, who played drums on all of 2002's Songs for the Deaf, sits in behind the kit on four different tracks. Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor helps out on "Kalopsia," and even Sir Elton John gets in on the action, singing and playing piano on "Fairweather Friends." The sheer volume of musicians who go out of their way to help make a Queens of the Stone Age album says a lot about how talented and friendly Homme is.

However, ...Like Clockwork isn't an album just about names. It's also about ten striking, fantastically written and produced rock songs. "Keep Your Eyes Peeled" starts everything off with a creepy guitar rumble and echo-y vocals. Homme shouts during the chorus, "if life is but a dream/wake me up." The clever lyric clearly sets the tone for the track, one of dissatisfaction and desperation. "If I Had A Tail" is an equally unsettling song, as a chorus of backing vocals from those mentioned above cry out in a tortured call of "oh-oh." The production work ups the ante, as the guitars morph from imminent to confrontational in a split-second. A disquieting, raspy whisper comes in after the instrumentals fade, warning "we will control the fight."

Albums of the Year - #5: Washed Out - "Paracosm"

Rating: 9.2/10

In August, chillwave gurus Washed Out gave us Paracosm, one of 2013's warmest, most embracing records. Upon its release, mentioned the album's "variety of lush soundscapes and irresistible grooves," all of which have only gotten better as summer slowly transitioned into fall and eventually winter. Most of what I said back in August still holds true; each track is just as bouncy, light, and smile-inducing as ever. The tranquil "Entrance" still paints an idyllic scene, with the sounds of nature lying under a simple, sleepy riff. Even the colorful album cover says "summer," matching the general tone of the music.

The standout tracks from my early review still sound great, but it's the other tracks which have grabbed my attention in the interim that merit a full-point jump up in score, from the original 8.2 to today's 9.2. The beautiful weirdness of "It All Feels Right" is created via the use of harps, strings, and nostalgic lyrics. In the chorus, Greene purrs, "close my eyes/think about the old times/what's it all about?/the feeling when it all works out." "All I Know" still soars in all of its 80's-inspired glory, soaked with synthesizers and a rhythm Depeche Mode would be jealous of. "Falling Back" and "Weightless" float high atop Greene's smooth vocals and wave upon wave of keyboard.

Albums of the Year - #6: The Joy Formidable - "Wolf's Law"

Rating: 9.0/10

The Joy Formidable are a wonderful little trio from Wales who continuously put out magnificient rock-revivalist albums filled with ambitious sonic landscapes and mammoth drums. Their music is a refreshing take on the modern alternative rock sound: each song radiates positivity as the band aren't afraid to show off their skills with complicated, arena-shaking instrumentals. Singer Ritzy Bryan's bubbly persona and perky vocals only add to the sense of joy in the group's music, as the name suggests. Their style of music lends itself well to a live show, as their songs commonly break off to high-flying instrumental jam sessions of epic proportions. When I saw them back in June, they rocked the Boston House of Blues into oblivion, cranking everything up to eleven in their unapologetically enthusastic way. The show, which had been postponed from April due to the city-wide shutdown during the manhunt of the Tsarnaev brothers who bombed the Boston Marathon, was probably the best of all the concerts I saw all year. This includes the whole of Boston Calling fall's Saturday lineup, which featured Vampire Weekend, Airborne Toxic Event, Gaslight Anthem, and Local Natives.

On Wolf's Law, they continue down the path that their full-length debut The Big Roar forged for them, adding a bit more polish at the expense of some spontaneity. There's no "Whirring" on Wolf's Law, as fewer tracks extend past the five-minute mark, but this makes room for dream-pop pieces and catchy hooks. "Forest Serenade," for example, contains a driven guitar riff and soaring vocals, and follows a more typical verse-chorus format. "Little Blimp" is one of the most forceful tracks on the record, despite taking up under three minutes' worth of disc space. An energetic bass riff and wailing guitars sit under Bryan's encouragement of "paddle me closer, I promise you'll never look back down."

Albums of the Year - #7: Deafheaven - "Sunbather"

Rating: 9.0/10

A black metal album that isn't really a black metal album, San Francisco group Deafheaven's sophomore effort Sunbather ended up being one of the most polarizing and unique releases of 2013. Many people are immediately turned off by the label 'black metal,' not subsribing to the screamed vocals or lengthy track times you'll find throughout the genre. At first, I was one of those people. My knowledge of metal in general is minimal, as I have no clue as to the nuances that separate subgenres and for a long time didn't understand the appeal. Then, I decided to go in with an open mind based on all of the positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Clearly, something was remarkable about this record, whose soft pink cover and stylish lettering didn't exactly scream "metal." It actually ended up the highest-rated original release of 2013 on Metacritic, excluding reissues, box sets, and a Wonder Years album whose score was skewed as it only had four critic reviews total. It also landed in the top ten of year-end lists at Pitchfork, Stereogum, and SPIN, among others. Clearly, there was something presumably excellent that I was missing out on, so I tried something I'd never seriously done before; listening to a black-metal album.

From the moment "Dream House" started, I knew something was special about Sunbather. Yes, the screams are there, but they are pretty much buried in the mix, and actually add to the music (but more on that later). What is so different about this so-called black metal album is that it's just as much post-rock and shoegaze as it is metal. On the surface, Sunbather presents a wall of furious guitars, thundering and lightning-quick drums, and snarled vocals. However, as each song progresses you are greeted with a wave of emotions, including one not typical of a black metal record; happiness. While whether the album is truly metal has been debated by self-nominated "true metalheads," there's no denying that Sunbather is one of the year's most cathartic pieces of music. Fury, grief, melancholy, loss, happiness, tranquility, anxiety, and everythhing in between are represented here. This is because so much emphasis is put on the instrumentals, particularly on the chord progressions of the guitars, which climb summits and sink into valleys time and time again throughout the blissful journey that is Sunbather.

Albums of the Year - #8: Nine Inch Nails - "Hesitation Marks"

Rating: 8.3/10

Editor's Note: Check out my earlier, more in-depth review of the album here:

http://factsforwhatever.blogspot.com/2013/09/album-of-week-nine-inch-nails.html

Arriving half a decade after The Slip and just under four years past Nine Inch Nails' last live show, Hesitation Marks is technically a comeback record. Though the period between records wasn't nearly as lengthy as, say, the gap between My Bloody Valentine albums, Trent Reznor did declare his decade-spanning project to be over back in 2009, at least for a little while. When he eventually did decide to return as Nine Inch Nails, Reznor came back with Hesitation Marks, a lengthy, fourteen-track album full of some of the group's heaviest and most jarring tracks since the turn of the century.

When I first reviewed Hesitation Marks upon release, I gave it a rating of 7.8. As you can see above, my opinion of the album has only improved since. The standout tracks I wrote about back in September remain among the best. "The Eater of Dreams" is still relentlessly creepy, "Came Back Haunted"'s bleeps and bloops sound more cohesive and thought-out, and "Copy of A" is one of the few tracks in FIFA 14 that I haven't grown tired of yet. (For the record, "Worship You" and "We Sink" are still amazing). "Everything" made my top 20 songs of the year, thanks to its harsh production and torrential mood swings. That said, some tracks which I liked back in September, I now love in December.

Albums of the Year - #9: The National - "Trouble Will Find Me"

Rating: 8.3/10

I'll be honest with you; I'm not crazy about the second half of Trouble Will Find Me. After four amazing tracks packed into the top half of the line-up, the album unfortunately drops off in quality a bit. With the major exceptions being the electrifying "Graceless" and pitter-patter of "Pink Rabbits," the tracklist starting with "Heavenfaced" is somewhat lacking. There's nothing inherently bad about any of the songs, but there also isn't anything to pull you in either. Devoid of any kind of earth-shattering moments and leaning too heavily on Berninger's melancholy vocals, songs like "Slipped" and "Hard to Find" merely stretch out the record longer than it needed to be.

That being said, I still gave the album an 8.3. Why's this? Well, though the second division of Trouble Will Find Me is disappointing, four of the first five songs are awe-inspiring. "I Should Live in Salt," "Demons," "Don't Swallow the Cap," and "Sea of Love" more than make up for the rest of the album's shortcomings. All possess that trademark sound all of The National's best tracks do, except maximized to new heights.

Albums of the Year - #10: My Bloody Valentine - "m b v"

Rating: 8.2/10

Perhaps the most exhilirating album release this year was My Bloody Valentine's stellar comeback record, m b v. Unsigned to any major record label, the Dublin-based band and unchallanged kings of shoegaze felt it best to simply make the album available for digital download or physical purchase on their website. Evidently, they either underestimated how much traffic they would receive or overestimated the strength of their servers, as the site crashed within minutes. Considering it was the group's first release since 1991's legendary Loveless, and had been rumored to be in production since 1992, m b v was easily one of the most highly-anticipated indie releases of all time. So, naturally, when the group came out of the blue with a whole new record, thousands instantly tried to purchase it. Think of it like shoegaze's Detox, except it actually saw the light of day and isn't destined to be a disappointment. The site's crashing produced some pretty entertaining reactions online as excited fans were teased by the knowledge that there was new My Bloody Valentine music out there which they were unable to hear.

Albums of the Year - #11: HAIM - "Days Are Gone"

Rating: 8.0/10

HAIM have had quite the year. After generating buzz last year with their three-song EP Forever, this band of sisters took 2013 with the hook-laced Days Are Gone. Melodious harmonies, plucky guitar riffs, and skittish drum beats characterized the indie-pop record that landed on numerous year-end lists. Several fesitval shows and an SNL appearance later, HAIM have been labeled by many as the best new artist of 2013. (Though they missed out on a Best New Artist nod at the upcoming GRAMMY Awards thanks to a confusing nomination process.)

Over the two months between my original review of the record and this one, my love for Days Are Gone has only strengthened, thus the jump up from a 7.1 rating to a flat eight. Songs like "Forever" and "The Wire" are undeniable pieces of pop-rock gold. On "Forver," the start-stop coordination between the bass and drums give the song a nervous feel as main vocalist Danielle is joined by sisters Este and Alana for the chorus.  "The Wire" rides on the backbone of a riff that could've been plucked straight from Rumours, incorporating keys and thundering drums for the hook. "Always keep your heart locked tight/don't let your mind retire," urges Danielle. A miniture guitar solo takes prominence right at the track's conclusion.

Albums of the Year - #12: Lorde - "Pure Heroine"

Rating: 7.7/10

Editor's Note: This review will be more "big picture" analysis than track-by-track descriptions. If you want a more direct look at this album's music, read my review of the record from earlier this year at the link below.
http://factsforwhatever.blogspot.com/2013/10/albums-of-week-lorde-haim-and-yuck-new.html

Two months ago, I gave the newly-released Pure Heroine the same rating you see above. In my review, I emphasized how mature Lorde sounds for her age. Now 17, the teenage Kiwi singer has so far stood by her message of avoiding over-indulgence and hasn't let the fame get to her head. Some feared her down-to-earth quality might evaporate once she reached the level exposure she's currently at, but there haven't been signs of that happening to date.

Albums of the Year - #14: Mikal Cronin - "MCII"

Rating: 7.5/10

Multi-instrumentalist Mikal Cronin has collaborated with several other musicians throughout his young career, including rising garage rock star Ty Segall. But his most impressive work to date may be his second solo record, MCII. Employing a stellar combination of guitar noise and shimmering melodies, MCII is jam-packed with powerful singles with commercial appeal. Three tracks ("Weight," "Change," and "Shout It Out") made it onto my top 75 singles of the year list, and dutifully so. The record is simple and succinct, lasting just thirty-seven minutes, and that's all it needs to be. Cronin doesn't mess around on MCII, getting right down to business. In order for that to work, usually you need impeccably songwriting ability, which Cronin eagerly displays here.

Top 75 Songs of 2013

With very little music expected to be released this December, and as other music blogs beginning their 2013 round-up processes, I figured I'd do the same. To start, I'll be ranking (though not reviewing) my seventy-five favorite songs of this calendar year below & embedding a Spotify playlist containing each song listed descending from #1 down to #75. Feel free to post your top 10's/20's etc. in the comments below, and expect a more in-depth countdown of 2013's best records over the course of December.

75. Vampire Weekend - "Hannah Hunt"

74. Nine Inch Nails - "Various Methods of Escape"

73. Deerhunter - "Back to the Middle"

72. Pearl Jam - "Mind Your Manners"

71. Sky Ferreira - "24 Hours"

70. CHVRCHES - "The Mother We Share"

69. Washed Out - "Weightless"

68. Balance and Composure - "Reflection"

67. HAIM - "Forever"

66. Washed Out - "Entrance"