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ENTERTAINMENT

Netflix’d: House of Cards Season 1

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house of cards

Format: Hour-long Drama

Genre: Political Thriller, Drama

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Kate Mara, Robin Wright, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly, Sakina Jaffrey, Sandrine Holt, Kristen Connolly, Constance Zimmer

Length: 13 Episodes

Similar Too: The West Wing, Homeland, Breaking Bad (or maybe it’s better called a combination of those shows?)

Well, here it is. We’ve been talking about it for years, and now the time has finally come for web-based television. Analysts have been predicting that the state of the internet would eventually combine with that of television, allowing for TV shows to premiere, air, and be viewed entirely online. Netflix, perhaps America’s foremost distributor for on-demand streaming media, has certainly been an indication of how close we were coming to that day, but all their shows had aired on other channels previously. Now, however, Netflix has finally bridged the gap, with House of Cards, a new political drama that had it’s entire first season put on Netflix on February 1rst. House of Cards Season 1 has already become Netflix’s most watched program, and has been met with high critical acclaim. So in regards to popularity and it’s reported potential to change the television landscape, the only question is if the show really lives up to all the hype.

A remake of a British mini-series from the 90s, House of Cards Season 1 is set in contemporary America and focuses on main character Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a South Carolinia congressman who can’t really be called a protagonist. The character is so ruthless and unquestionable in his methods that he can’t really be seen as an anti-hero either, he’s closer to being a straight up villain. The closest thing we have to a protagonist in this show is a young journalist (Kate Mara) who gets tied up with Frank after he’s denied a promotion to secretary of state. We then see how Frank has composed an elaborate plan to get what he wants in office, and needless to say plenty of bad shit goes down, from his involvement with a drug-abusing Pennsylvania congressman (Corey Stoll), to the tilting relationship he has with his wife (Robin Wright).

I have to admit, it’s funny that I was watching this show intermittently while viewing The West Wing. I couldn’t help but compare the two, as they’re both political dramas set amidst a fictional presidential administration, but the two shows don’t really have very much in common at all. If anything, House of  Cards is a more serialized version of The West Wing, that’s also R-rated, and happened to have really brushed up on it’s Shakespeare. Right from the start the show has really noticeable tension, from the music to the camera work. As the story goes on, and the twists become more regular, you start to realize that none of these characters are safe, and the show certainly doesn’t disappoint in regards to closure. For this reason the show really benefits from having it’s entire season released at once, as viewers can go through the show at a brisk pace without it ever losing any of its intended momentum.

The show certainly has quite a group of talented backers, with Beau Willimon (The Ides of March) as showrunner, and Eric Roth and David Fincher as producers. Fincher (The Social Network) definitely appears to be a driving force for the show, as he directed the first two episodes. Having an A-list director for the first two episodes could have actually hurt the show stylistically, similar to how people were complaining that Martin Scorsese’s direction of the pilot of Boardwalk Empire made the work of that series’ other directors seem inconsistent. Instead though, the show never outdoes itself, and it actually retains its unique style throughout. One of the most distinguishing features of this show is that they allow Frank Underwood to break-the-fourth-wall from time-to-time. Such a tactic could have proved gimmicky, especially for a show as serious as this, but instead it acts as a fascinating feature for us to get inside the mind of this cunning character, and eventually we realize that we the viewer are the only person that Frank tells the truth too.

With all it’s double-dealings and smoky room politics, the show sometimes feels like a 70s political thriller, but it’s undeniably ultra-modern. There’s a lot of usage of technology on the show, including internet usage (the show makes a reference to how satirical youtube videos can really harm a politician’s career), but most notably cell phones. Introducing another cool technique that plays with Fincher’s visual sensibilities, occasionally you will see character texting. Rather than have the camera zone in on the cell phone, the view will instead stay on the character and then a dialog box will pop up that shows what they are reading/saying. It’s used quite effectively in the start of the season, although it becomes less common in the second half. I really hope that the next season will find even more clever ways to use this technique.

So how’s the acting? Well, it excels here too. Kevin Spacey has always been one of our generation’s best screen actors, and he certainly indulges in this character. Speaking in a southern accent and using colorfully flamboyant language, Frank Underwood holds every scene he’s in, even if we’re aware of how evil he is. The supporting cast is all great too, with Kate Mara proving that acting ability runs in her family, as yes I will admit that I was under the impression that she was her sister Rooney for most of the series (I misread the credits I guess). Corey Stoll also gives a rather excellent performance as the womanizing and drug-addicted Peter Russo, as he gives the character the right amount of affability and cowardice that makes you really wish that he achieves redemption.

House of Cards is certainly a great show, but it isn’t perfect. The plot is spread too thin at times, and there is a sense of filler every now-and-then that does give me the feeling that I’m watching a TV Show. I feel that the best television dramas (The Wire, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos) have a more organic feel, and really give you the sense that you’re viewing a great movie, or reading some sort of excellent novel. House of Cards Season 1 does feel a bit televised at time, but that shouldn’t distract that this is possibly the best freshman season of a show to come out in a fairly long time. Already you can feel the writers and film makers have found a voice for the show, and it results in a sublime series that really unravels the seedy side of politics. With a second season already in the works, as well as the much discussed revival season for Arrested Development nearly here, Netflix might very well become the best television breakout since AMC, and it’s not even on TV.

The Harlem Shake Phenomenon

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Have you heard about the craze taking over the viral world?  Well you must have, unless you live under a rock.  The Harlem Shake phenomenon has taken over the internet and I must say, I am amused.  I am a YouTube junkie and have come across this new video trend that is sweeping the blogosphere and  viral video world.

The Harlem Shake is a latin techno song by DJ Baauer.  It’s actually really sick and has an amazing beat.  The song alone has coaught my attention but the videos people have made to go along with this song are EPIC!

Each video is about 30 seconds long and involves one person “shaking,” usually in some form of a mask.  The “shaker” is surrounded by people going about their normal routine, when suddenly…the bass drops and the video skips to a room full of people dancing like crazies!  It is the most laugh out loud video’s I have seen in awhile!

There are so many good videos to mention, there are the fire fighters, the Norweigan Army, the old people, etc…  The list goes on.

I am tempted to make one for myself, maybe involving my dog (hmmm?) maybe not.  All I know is that if you have not seen some of these Harlem Shake posts you are seriously missing out!  You can search them on www.youtube.com or check some out here!

Album Review: Grouper – The Man Who Died in his Boat

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Grouper:          The Man Who Died In His Boat

Score:          7.9/10

 

Similar Artists:          Tiny Vipers, Mirroring

Genre:          ambient, singer-songwriter

 

The best way to describe Liz Harris’ output as Grouper would be to reference one of her lyrics, in which she claims to be an “Alien observer in a world that isn’t mine”. This disconnect of environment comes up often in the music of Grouper, and is harrowing in its evocation of aloneness. A certain humane element is lacking in the music as the voices we hear are all lost ones, who are desperately seeking attachment to a like being. She creates this often horrifying mood through the tone of her voice, the strum of her guitar, effects pedals and little else. The minimalistic aesthetic gives the songs a raw feel that enhances the believability of the artist’s sorrowful anguish. There is no anger within these songs, as Liz Harris’ cry is not one of exasperation, but one of remorseful contemplation. Through her work, Liz Harris recollects her tainted childhood memories, and the crucial moments which shaped her views upon the world.

“The Man Who Died in His Boat”, Grouper’s 8th full length, was inspired by an event experienced by Liz at a young age where she peered inside a boat that washed up near her home. She found it brimming with trinkets and belongings, yet the owner had vanished never to reappear. Although the abandonment in this case was of an inanimate object, it is the kind of experience that becomes trapped within the confines of our conscious mind, and allows for endless provocation. Much like this memory, the subject matter in Grouper’s music is all highly personal, and much of the lyrics are un-decodable in meaning. Liz has stated in interviews of her fear towards enabling the listener to grasp too much of a song’s identity, and in turn revealing too much of her own. This is the reason her voice is so hidden on the majority of her releases. Despite her enigmatic personality, it can be discerned that these releases represent mournful memoirs from her life.

This album is a return to the style developed on her revelatory 2008 LP, “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”. The comparisons are not in album title alone as this is, for better or for worse, a carbon copy of that album. Both albums were actually written and recorded during the same time period, but Liz has waited all these years to actually release it; perhaps in fear of it being too personal. These are her, for lack of a better word, folk records. Unlike some of Grouper’s other releases, of which there are many, these could actually be considered songs. With the album’s prominent use of acoustic guitar, Liz walks the line of being called a singer songwriter at certain moments.

There is certainly a new found accessibility that has been issued to her music in the last few years and “The Man Who Died…” is most representative of this. Up until now, “Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping” on her previously mentioned 2008 album, was the closest we got to peering inside Liz’s heart. While it could be argued that none of the songs here match the sheer beauty of that song, many follow it in theme. “Towers” and “Living Room” both stand out in a way that is unusual for an artist who is so non-attention seeking, and there are even some bright spots to be found if you look deep enough. Thankfully, the atmosphere is not entirely opaque, and there is the occasional glimmer of hope. Whether it stems from a brighter guitar chord or a tenderly sung lyric, we are hinted at some ray of light that is guiding the protagonist towards a nestled home.

Listening to Grouper for hours on end becomes a heartache. Grouper’s music had never really sunk in with me before, but after now challenging myself with dissecting one of her albums I realize it is because I didn’t let it. The music can become disturbing in its subtleties to the point where listening to it on repeat is painful. This is especially true when going to sleep or other reflective moments in the day. She has crafted a sound that is audacious, but not always listenable. So in terms of emotional effectiveness this album gets top honors, but personally I think I am going to let it collect some dust on the shelf for a while, and save it for a day where I am feeling particularly masochistic.

 

Track Listing:

1.) 6

2.) Vital*

3.) Cloud in Places

4.) Being her Shadow

5.) Cover the Long Way

6.) Difference (Voices)

7.) Vanishing Point

8.) The Man Who Died In His Boat*

9.) Towers*

10.) STS

11.) Living Room*

* – Album Highlight

Country Class from the 2013 Grammy Country Nominees

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Courtesy of http://blog.newsok.com
Courtesy of http://blog.newsok.com

Sunday night was a night that I was proud to be representing the country genre on Manhattan Digest as America noticed the Country Class exuding from the 2013 Grammy Country Nominees.  From the wardrobe choices, to the performances, the individuals and groups were able to hold their heads high. My predictions were almost spot on, and every winner truly deserved their Grammy.

Move over Beyonce and Jay-Z, because Tim McGraw and Faith Hill stole that red carpet spotlight. Tim looked so dapper in his classy cowboy hat, while Faith was stunning in her sleek black dress. They were not only polite and friendly, but were seemingly genuine and happy to be attending the ceremony.

Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert’s duet of “Home” and “Over You” was a medley not to be reckoned with. The composition was a hybrid of southern belle meets southern comfort with Lambert’s bedazzled white cocktail dress and sweet lyrics, while Bentley’s performance was heartfelt yet edgy.

Lets not forget Hunter Hayes’ interlude of “Wanted”. Although short, he demonstrated his vocal and musical talents in this minute and a half introduction. He managed to shine and woo the audience right before introducing the women of the night.

From the moment she stepped foot onto the carpet, to her exceptional performance, Carrie Underwood glistened throughout the night. She wowed the red carpet without even having to bear any excess skin in a sleek black Roberto Cavalli dress. During her acceptance speech for best Solo Performance, she not only seemed surprised but also humbled, a sight rarely seen. Lastly, her performance of “Blown Away,” literally did what the title says. As spectacular as the light show was, my attention was not taken away from her powerful vocals. She has a command over her voice that should be praised and elegance to her performance that was not gaudy but impressive and creative.

Country has a reason to be proud; embodying class, style and talent at an evening where musicians come together to have their night to shine. If I hadn’t convinced you in my first article to check out some of these talented artists, hopefully now with the show stopping performances, you take a look into what country really has to offer the music industry.

Pamela Erin Gordon

Skrillex Takes it All: DUMBstep!

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Skrillex Grammy awards
Skrillex wins Dance Music categories at the 2013 Grammy Awards

So, unfortunately, my predictions for the winners in the Dance music category at the Grammy’s this year were off.  I must admit I had a feeling the outcome would be this way but I hoped that the Grammy board would step away from the commercial front runner and actually give it to someone with talent.

So Skrillex’s single Bangarang took home the Grammy for Best Dance Recording.  Yawn!  Dubstep is so 2011!  But I guess the Grammy awards didn’t get the memo.  Although I wanted SHM to take it I would’ve been happier to see Avicii win then Skrillex.

He also won Best Dance/Electronica Album.  I listened to Bangarang, the album, and was totally unaffected.  It was the same mechanical beats over and over.  Kaskade was definitely robbed, but I think this is just the beginning for Dance Music.  Hopefully in the years to come dance artists will be recognized for their talent and of their commercial appeal.

I am so tired of DUMBstep and Skrillex!  I’m sure everyone agrees!  First off, that hair!  Last night he looked like he hadn’t showered in months.  I get it, you’re a DJ and you’re so unique and special, but it’s the Grammy Awards!  Show some respect and wash your hair.

I am really angry with the outcome last night and hope that other dance music fans were as well.  Feel free to let me know how you feel!

Boobs or Snooze; The 2013 Grammy Awards

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This year’s Grammy awards brought out an array of fashion.  Despite CBS’s comical dress code, the stars still looked hot this year.  CBS sent a notice that the attendees of the Grammy awards should not wear anything revealing; no plunging necklines, side boobs, or butt views.  Although CBS tried to control the fashion, many artists clearly disregarded the networks warnings. This is the 2013 Grammy Fashion review.

One artist who visibly paid no attention to the dress code was Katy Perry.  Perry’s revealing mint green Gucci dress was skin tight and the peep hole at her chest was anything but censored.  Her cleavage was fully exposed!  The dress was unattractive and Katy Perry looked a little undone.  Not her best.

 

Katy Perry Grammys
Katy Perry at the 2013 Grammys

Another artist who ignored the no “bare skin’ rule was Kelly Rowland in Georges Chakra.  The fitted black gown was beautiful and had many, many revealing lines.  If she moved the wrong way all of her naughty parts would have been on display.  Thankfully there were no slips, but it was obvious Rowland was unfazed by the clothing regulations this year.

 

Kelly Rowland Grammys
Kelly Rowland at the 2013 Grammy’s

I have to admit I was slightly let down by the fashion at the Grammy’s this year.  Nothing really astounded me.  That being said, there were a few celebrities whose choice of dress was beautiful and warrants mentioning.

My best dressed this year goes to; Rihanna!

 

Rihanna Grammy's
Rihanna at the 2013 Grammy’s

I must admit I fully expected Rihanna to completely go against the dress code and shock us all, but she decided to keep it tasteful.  The singer rocked a dazzling red Azzedine Alaia gown, sheer panels’ criss-crossed over the chest and haltered on the neck.  The skirt was full and flowing chiffon.  She looked elegant and still made a statement.

Carrie Underwood looked striking last night.  She was put together from head to toe.  The strapless Roberto Cavalli gown hugged her curves and accentuated her toned arms.  The pattern on the dress was elegant and the beading on the skirt was breath taking.

 

Carrie Underwood Grammy's
Carrie Underwood at the 2013 Grammy awards

Faith Hill really surprised me this year.  The knee length frock she wore fit her perfectly and the sheer, embroidered top was lovely.  The lace jacquard on the skirt was so subtle you could barely see it.  This J. Mendel dress looked stunning on Faith Hill.

 

Faith Hill
Faith Hill at the Grammy Awards

And now for my favorite part of the Grammy’s… the WORST DRESSED.  The Grammy’s always brings out some of the most outrageously heinous fashions.  And, oh, they did not disappoint me this year!  I’ll try and narrow it down to my top 5 this year.

#5 – Jennifer Lopez

 

Jennifer Lopez Grammy
Jennifer Lopez at the Grammy’s

 

J.Lo’s dress looked like a hefty bag.  The cut out for her leg to stick through made no sense!

#4 – Nicole Kidman

 

Nicole Kidman Grammy's
Nicole Kidman at the 55th annual Grammy awards

Her dress aged her and the muted colors washed her out.

#3 – Adele

 

Adele Grammy's
Singer Adele at the 55th annual Grammy’s

I feel wretched naming Adele as one of my worst dressed, but the pregnant Grammy winner looked like she was wearing curtains!

#2 – Solange Knowles

 

Solange Knowles Grammy's
Beyonce’s little sister Solange

Beyonce’s younger sister looked like a cracked out Diana Ross.  The sparkly green dress was cheap looking and the orange heels were horrible.

#1 – Ashanti

 

Ashanti Grammy
Ashanti at the 2013 Grammy Awards

Ashanti’s floral dress was too revealing and looked cheap.

Lastly, I want to shout out a few of the men who rocked it last night…

 

Hunter Hayes
Country Cutie Hunter Hayes

Country cutie Hunter Hayes looked handsome in his Hugo Boss black suit.

Justin Timberlake in Tom Ford at the 2013 Grammy awards

 

Justin Timberlake rocked his Tom Ford suit and had all of us ladies swooning.

 

The fashion at the Grammy’s this year was toned down compared to previous years.  No one really amazed me.  I remember tuning into the Grammy’s and being dazzled by the unique costumes the musicians would adorn.  I look forward to the outrageous red carpet and can only hope that next year will be more eventful.

Downton Abbey Recap: These Have Always Brought Me Luck

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Downton Abbey
Credit to: Itv.com

Last time on Yellington Abbey! Carson and Lord Robert yelled because Ethel got her whore hands all over Harriet Jones’ luncheon. Half the family yelled at Branson for wanting his daughter to be Catholic and everyone yelled at Edith for having an opinion. [Read more…] about Downton Abbey Recap: These Have Always Brought Me Luck

55th Annual Grammy Awards Live Coverage!

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8pm Eastern Time tonight, CBS                  

CBS standards and practices is desperately trying to avoid a repeat of this (Photo Source: Wikipedia)
CBS standards and practices is desperately trying to avoid a repeat of this (Photo Source: Wikipedia)

7:30 pm Eastern: Good Evening! Welcome to what will be the first of many Manhattan Digest awards ceremony liveblogs! LL Cool J hosts the ceremony, which starts at 8 pm Eastern time on CBS. This should be an interesting evening tonight, with the Album of the Year award showing a surprisingly rock heavy slate with Mumford and Sons’ Babel, Fun.’s Some Nights, The Black Keys’ El Camino, and Jack White’s Blunderbuss, with Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange being the sole R&B outlier. Personally, I think that Babel and Channel Orange are the clear favorites, with Channel Orange being my pick to win the whole thing.

That being said, I’m here mostly to look at the show in terms of its’ presentation than to heavily critique the award choices themselves. The Grammy’s are known mostly for being the safest show on the February awards season, often only garnering attention for a killer performance (such as Elton John and Eminem’s killer performance of  “Stan” in 2001), or some truly horrendous fashion calls (see Jennifer Lopez’s infamous green dress from the 2000 show). The latter is under intense scrutiny this year, as earlier this week CBS standards and practices sent out a letter vilifying the use of thongs or costumes that allow for exposed “breasts and buttocks”, singling out that earth-shattering corrupter of morals: the thong. Needless to say, my gut instinct is telling me that someone is going to find a way to defy this (odds on favorite here? Rihanna).

I would love for tonight to be a dialogue as we all react to the show together (and get different opinions at the same time), so feel free to use the comments section below and get involved in the conversation! Stay tuned to Manhattan Digest for more updates as the ceremony unfolds!

 

Taylor Swift at the Grammy Red Carpet (Source Grammys.com)
Taylor Swift at the Grammy Red Carpet (Source Grammys.com)

7:45 p.m.: Some early updates from the red carpet. Generally speaking it looks like the artists are complying with the S+P guidelines, with only a handful of particularly deep plunging necklines (including Miranda Lambert and Ashanti). Similarly the men seem pretty buttoned up, with a surprisingly large number of skinny ties. I think Taylor Swift’s dress was pretty impressive from a fashion standpoint. Conversely, Adele’s floral print design leaves a lot to be desired.

For me though, the highlight of the red carpet was Jennifer Lopez’s angry shrieks of protest after Ryan Seacrest noted that her dress was skirting the lines of what CBS was allowing screaming “I’m just showing a little leg and a little shoulder!”.

 

7:57 p.m.: Three minutes to the curtain and a large number of the awards have been given off camera already. Notable award winners included Gotye (who won two awards including Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Duo/Group Pop Performance – the latter with Kimbra for “Somebody that I Used to Know”), Skrillex (who also wont two awards for Best Dance Album and Best Dance Recording both for Bangarang), Rihanna (for her video for “We Found Love”), and Taylor Swift (for Best Song Written for Visual Media ).

Additionally it was announced on the red carpet that Ms. Swift will be the opening performance tonight, so expect to see her on your TV screens sometime in the next few minutes.

8:15 PM: And on cue we open with a weird man on a bike with a torch to introduce Taylor Swift who opens the show with “We are Never (Getting Back Together)” in a very sideshow circus vibe that involved a boyfriend strapped to a carnival wheel, trapeze artists, fire spinners and a large amount of pyrotechnics. The performance itself was pretty mediocre in spite of the spectacle, but it seemed like a fine way to amp up the crowd for tonight’s show.

Afterwords, we see our first appearance of show host, LL Cool J. He devotes his somewhat meandering opening monologue discussing music as a vehicle for bringing people together before pitching it to Eddie Sheeran and Elton John to perform Sheeran’s song “A Team”. I love Elton John as much as anyone, but it seemed like he was off for most of the song and it adversely affected the vocal harmonies. I did enjoy the off in the crowd staging aspect that they used, as it seemed to highlight the “lighter song” vibe that one gets when listening to “A-team”.

Fun. Performing Carry On (Source Grammys.com)
Fun. Performing Carry On (Source Grammys.com)

8:27 PM: LL  Cool J asks us to use #Grammys when talking about tonight’s show before kicking it to J-Lo and Pitbull (with a split screen to the infamous green dress from 2000) with Pitbull fawning over J Lo before announcing the nominees for best solo pop performance:

The nominees are:
“Stronger” (Kelly Clarkson), “Set Fire to the Rain” (Adele), “Wide Awake” (Katy Perry), “Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jespen) and “Where Have You Been?” (Rihanna)

AND THE WINNER: Set Fire to the Rain by Adele.

Adele gives a very brief speech (in which she called back to last year’s six wins) before Neil Patrick Harris enters to introduce Fun. (whom have six nominations this evening). Fun. then took the opportunity to play “Carry On.”, which started a little slow but picked up once the instruments kicked in. Once it built, we got a performance with a very strong cinematic vibe, including the obligatory downpour towards the end. One thing did bother me about the performance however, and that is why frontman Nate Ruess wore those Capris?

8:48 PM: Bonnie Raitt and John Mayer appear to introduce Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley. The duo play a couple of country tracks in “Over You” and “Home”. Their performance was perfectly fine and fairly low key compared to the immediately preceding performance before cutting to LL Cool J on American Bandstand in an awkward transition. LL then takes the opportunity to pay tribute to Dick Clark.

LL Cool J then makes an another abrupt transition, introducing Miguel and Wiz Khalifa, whom perform “Adorn” . The performance was sizzling, with Miguel showing off his pipes and performing the standard issue R and B theatrics. From there, our performer then announced the nominees for…wait for it…best country solo performance (because that made sense to me too right?)

The nominees for best country solo performance:
“Home” (Dierks Bentley), “Springsteen” (Eric Church), “Cost of Living” (Ronnie Dunn), “Wanted (Hunter Hayes), “Over (Blake Shelton), and “Blown Away” (Carrie Underwood)

AND THE WINNER IS: “Blown Away” by Carrie Underwood.

8:58 PM: LL Plugs social media again before telling everyone in the Northeast to stay warm and kicking it to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, whom are presenting song of the year.

The nominees are: “Adorn” (Miguel), “The A-Team” (Ed Sheeran), “Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jespen), “We are Young” (Fun. Feat Janelle Monae), and “Stronger” (Kelly Clarkson).

AND YOUR WINNER: “We Are Young” by (the now completely dry) Fun.

Nate Ruess gives a speech that has the first real crack of the night in “I don’t know what we’re thinking writing this chorus, now that we’re in HD and you can see our faces, we are clearly not young.”. They then thank Jay-Z (who mouths a “You’re Welcome” from the crowd) and Chick Corea before the orchestra kicks in to introduce Johnny Depp. I want them to win more awards now because they are clearly the only people so far who have not taken this awards show too seriously tonight.

Depp is there to introduce Mumford and Sons in 20 words or less. They play their hit “I will wait” in front of a large display of lights and had an excellent performance aside from some sound issues that seemed to keep the backing vocals from coming through, though the remainder of the sound was very impressive.

Justin Timberlake performs at the 2013 Grammy Awards (source: Grammys.com)
Justin Timberlake performs at the 2013 Grammy Awards (source: Grammys.com)

9:15 PM: We return to Ellen Degeneres and Beyonce (in a pantsuit tonight) whom do a shticky introuction for Justin Timberlake, whom is here to perform “Suit and Tie”. The screen goes black and white, which is probably not a right call because it makes Justin Timberlake look disturbingly like Rick Astley. Jay-Z then climbs on stage to perform his verse. The screen then goes color befor Justin does a new song with a full orchestra and band (Update: The song is titled “Pusher Love Girl”). All internet memes aside, the performance is excellent and realizing the irony in saying this about someone whose only a few years older than myself, he still clearly has it.

Following that performance, we next see presenters Kelly Rowland and Nas, whom announce the nominees for a new category: Best Urban Contemporary Album

Fortune (Chris Brown), Kaliedoscope Dream (Miguel), Channel Orange (Frank Ocean)

AND THE WINNER: Channel Orange by Frank Ocean

9:30 PM: 

During the commercial, we saw a hard release date for Justin Timberlake’s new album, which will drop on March 19th.

Dave Grohl and Pauley Perette (Abby from NCIS) whom are here to announce that Dan Auerbach won producer of the year earlier in the day, before presenting the award for best Rock Performance

“Hold On” (Alabama Shakes), “Lonely Boy” (The Black Keys), “Charlie Brown” (Coldplay), “I Will Wait”, (Mumford and Sons) and

“We take care of our own” (Bruce Springsteen).

AND THE WINNER: “Lonely Boy” by the Black Keys

Following that, Maroon 5 and Alicia Keys perform “Room on Fire” and “Daylight”. While Maroon 5’s performance of Daylight was fine, “Girl on Fire” felt a little flat at points. This was a bit troubling as if there are two vocal artists who not only can, but are expected to let their vocals soar, it’s Adam Levine and Alicia Keys.

Kaley Cuoco and Keith Urban next came out to introduce the award for “Best Pop Vocal Album”. The nominees were:

Stronger (Kelly Clarkson), Ceremonials (Florence and the Machine), Some Nights (Fun.). Overexposed (Maroon 5), and The Truth About Love (Pink).

AND THE WINNER: Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

Kelly comes up and wings an acceptance speech, where she mentions being “stuck to Miranda Lambert” and expressed interest in working with Miguel. It was truly spontaneous and very welcome in this very overstuffed and seemingly overscripted show.

9:55 PM:  After a performance from Rihanna that had shades of Adele’s performance of “Someone Like You” from last year, Carly Rae Jespen and Ne-Yo come out to present the award for best Rap/Sung collaboration

“Wild Ones” (Flo-Rida f. Sia), “Tonight” (John Legend f. Ludacris), “Cherry Wine ‘ (Nas f. Amy Winehouse), “Talk that Talk” (Rihanna f. Jay Z), and “No Church in the Wild” (Jay-Z/Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean and the Dream)

AND THE WINNER: No Church in the Wild by Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and the Dream.

In a classy move, Jay-Z gave most of the speech to Frank Ocean and the Dream, whom both give quick shout outs. Jay-Z on the other hand, simply thanks “The swap meet, because that’s where he (The Dream) got that hat.”

10:02 PM: The Lifetime Achievement award was announced with The Temptations, Carole King, Ravi Shankar, Patty Page, Glenn Gould, Charlie Haden, and Lightning Hopkins amongst the recipients.

After the break, Kat Dennings comes out to introduce the Black Keys, Dr. John, and the New Orleans Preservation Hall Band. All parties involved come out rocking, performing the Black Keys’ hit “Lonely Boy”. While I am typically not a fan of brass instruments in Rock Music. Adding to the proceedings was Dr. John, whom was dressed about as outlandishly as one could possibly be on a grammy stage, in full Hoodoo gear. It was a great performance, I do with it would have highlighted Dr. John a little more.
This was then followed up by Kelly Clarkson performing a medley including “Tennessee Waltz”, “Natural Woman”, in order to honor Patti Page and Carole King. This then segued into the nominations for best country album.

The nominees are: Uncaged (Zac Brown Band), Hunter Hayes (Hunter Hayes), Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran (Jamey Johnson), For the Record (Miranda Lambert), The Time Jumpers (The Time Jumpers)

AND THE WINNER: The Zac Brown Band’s Uncaged.

Bruno Mars and Rihanna during the Bob Marley Tribute (Source Grammys.com)
Bruno Mars and Rihanna during the Bob Marley Tribute (Source Grammys.com)

10:13 PM:  We now get the Grammy’s tribute to Bob Marley with Bruno Mars, Sting, Damian and Ziggy Marley. The tribute started with Bruno Mars, who performed his hit single “Locked out of Heaven”. After the first chorus Sting came out in a fun moment as “Locked out of Heaven” is really Bruno Mars’ attempt at writing a police song. This then segued into The Police’s “Walking on the Moon”. This performance has been the best of the show so far, as Bruno hung out there with Sting and didn’t look out of place, though it looked like Sting initially hindered by the fact that “Locked out” was sped up.

Midway through the performance, Rihanna, Damian and Ziggy Marley came out and performed “Could You be Loved”. This actually created a largeness to the performance that made it feel more worthy of the Grammy stage, eclipsing even Rihanna’s prior appearance 15 minutes earlier.

10:30 PM: LL introduces The Lumineers, whom perform their hit single “Ho Hey”. The performance seemed perfectly servicable, and it seems like they have fixed the microphone problems from earlier. This then swept into Jack White’s performance of “Love Interruption”. After the completion of “Love Interruption.” Jack then exploded into “Freedom at 21”, giving the perfect loud kick after two quieter songs.

Katy Perry is now out to present the Best New Artist award. She marvels at the dedication it takes to get to that point before offering a little solace for those who didn’t win, saying: “I didn’t even get nominated for best new artist, but now I have my own eyelash line!”

The nominees are: Alabama Shakes, Fun., Hunter Hayes, The Lumineers, Frank Ocean

AND THE WINNER: Fun. (Fun has taken two Grammys tonight, I think they are now very much in the discussion for Album of the Year).

I think this one is a little bit of a shocker, I was pretty sure Frank Ocean was going to be a mortal lock for this one.

Hour three right now seems to have been a lot kinder to this show than the first two hours.

Carrie Underwood and her projection screen dress (Source: Grammys.com)
Carrie Underwood and her projection screen dress (Source: Grammys.com)

10:45 PM: And apparently I jinxed everyone (sorry!).

Hunter Hayes is out to sing (I wasn’t impressed, but I’m not a country guy) before introducing Carrie Underwood, who then sung two of her songs. Carrie’s vocals did not feel particularly impressive, but the lighting for this was particularly impressive as they used Carrie’s dress as a proxy for a projection screen, allowing for a neat visual that worked out superbly.

After this, Prince made a rare appearance to present Record of the Year, looking like a hybrid of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Puff Daddy.

The Nominees are:
“Lonely Boy” (The Black Keys), “Stronger” (Kelly Clarkson), “We are Young” (Fun.),“Somebody That I Used to Know” (Gotye f. Kimbra), “Thinking About You” (Frank Ocean), “We are never ever Getting Back Together” (Taylor Swift).

AND THE WINNER: “Somebody That I used to Know” by Gotye f. Kimbra.

11:04 PM: We come back to “Take Five” (no introduction, but it’s one of my favorite Jazz songs of all time, so uh, I know it…and now you do too.) for what I’m assuming is the tribute to Dave Brubeck as performed by Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Kenny Garrett.

Neal Portnow and Ryan Seacrest (who’s now the honorary chairman of the Grammy Foundation) are out to introduce Justin Timberlake. Mr. Timberlake comes out to shill for the Grammy Foundation and the new “music educator” award.

We now get the in Memorian Montage, which includes Dave Brubeck, Donna Summer, Andy Williams, Chuck Brown, Robin Gibb, Patti Page, Davy Jones , Dick Clark, Fontella Bass, Hal David, Marvin Hamlish, Richard Adler, Andy Griffith, Ravi Shankar, Adam Yauch (Adrock of the Beastie Boys), Levon Helm and others. Looking back at that last sentence, it seems like every genre of music took a heavy loss in 2012.

This then leads to a tribute to Levon Helm fronted by Elton John, Zac Brown, Mumford and Sons, T-Bone Burnett, Mavis Staples, Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes as they played “The Weight”. This performance had a looser jam band performance due to the larger nature of this collaboration. Elton seemed a lot stronger in this performance than his earlier performance with Eddie Sheeran. This performance is easily in the upper echelon of performances tonight.

11:18 PM: We return to Juanes paying tribute to Elton John singing “Your Song” in English and Spanish in a very intimate acoustic vibe before kicking it to Frank Ocean, who’s performing his single “Forrest Gump”. They start with a cool visual effect where Frank is running on a video screen before completing his run up a hill to his keyboard in person. Frank wrenched a ton of emotion into this one and it created an excellent and haunting performance

We’re down to one last award, Album of the Year, and Adele is here to award it after making a quick crack about she got knocked up after winning Album of the Year last year.

The Nominees are:

El Camino (The Black Keys), Channel ORANGE (Frank Ocean), Blunderbuss (Jack White), Some Nights (Fun.),Babel (Mumford and Sons)

AND YOUR WINNER: Babel by Mumford and Sons.

A pretty deserving winner and one of my favorites from earlier. They managed to spread the love around somewhat with only Jack White not making the winner’s podium during the course of the show tonight.

11:42 PM: We’re down to the grand finale, a performance by LL Cool J, Chuck D, Tom Morello, Travis Barker, and DJ Z-Trip, whom performed “Whaddup”, which was a fun way to end the show if only because Chuck D’s voice IS rap to me, and LL was game. It was a pretty solid performance and I would kill to see the single, though it would not have killed CBS not to stick fee plugs in the middle of the song.

My Final Thoughts: This year’s Grammy ceremony felt a little overstuffed with tons of abrupt transitions and sequences and with a little bit of breathing room we could have cut some of the weaker performances (notably the lacking Maroon 5/Alicia Keys collaboration and Hunter Hayes’ introduction of an introduction). Additionally, at times the show had a somber, joyless feel at points during a night that should be the biggest party for the music industry of the year. That being said, what you expected to deliver did deliver (the Marley and Levon Helms’ tributes, as well your Album of the Year candidates’ performances), so check out those seven performances.

Also some enjoyable moments I didn’t get to point out amid the I Love Lucy Conveyor Belt pace of the show:

  • Taylor Swift was rocking out to EVERYTHING. I’m not sure why, but this is really amusing to me.
  • The full extent of Kelly Clarkson’s gushing about R+B artist Miguel
  • Once the show hit hour three and it slowed down a little bit, it seemed like the show was able to gel a little more as the orchestra wasn’t cutting off awards speeches at the 30 second mark as it did for Fun.’s first speech

Final Verdict: If you haven’t seen the whole show, it’s probably not worth watching all three hours. You owe it to yourself to YouTube up the Marley tribute though, and I would probably check out Fun.’s , Jack White’s, and the Black Keys’ performances as well. LL Cool J was passable as a host, but the role of host honestly felt superfluous with the rapid pace that the show took.