Sound Ideas
The Human Element
Kudos to Dave Grohl for extolling the “human element of making music,” that you should learn your craft on an instrument or sing into a microphone, during last night’s Grammy Awards.
“It’s not about being perfect,” the Foo Fighters frontman said as he accepted one of his band’s five Grammys in the Adele-free rock categories. “It’s not about what goes on in a computer.”
Then the Foo Fighters (whose mainstream rock lacks the artistic gristle of Grohl’s old band Nirvana but at least has human zeal and energy) played a song as part of a segment with electronic dance acts. Go figure. [Actually, Grohl has since clarified his stance: http://www.foofighters.com/us/news/oh-what-night%E2%80%A6 ]
Unquestionably, last night’s most affecting performances came in stark, natural vocal showcases. Grammy darling Adele matched her six-Grammy sweep with a triumphant “Rolling in the Deep,” begun a cappella to waste no time in proving she has healed from her November throat surgery in Boston. And Jennifer Hudson sang an emotive “I Will Always Love You” to honor Whitney Houston, whose Grammy-eve death cast its shadow on the ceremonies. Before her sad slide, the gospel-steeped Houston was all about the voice.
Still, Grohl’s comments hit a chord at an event where performers like Rihanna, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj relied on canned vocal tracks if not outright lip-syncing to chase perfection in their chaotic routines. In lieu of stage turns by Madonna or Lady Gaga (who was seemingly mourning behind that black-net veil), Minaj grabbed the controversy ring with a Catholic-themed exorcism, but it just seemed crazy and tasteless. Blue-haired Katy Perry fired up a better showstopper with her Russell Brand kiss-off.
Speaking of blue hair, perhaps the Beach Boys needed more vocal padding beyond guests from Maroon 5 and Foster the People and a gaggle of other backing musicians/singers. It didn’t bode well for their summer reunion. By contrast, despite suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Glen Campbell shined in singing “Rhinestone Cowboy,” sounding so lucid and engaged that it made his Feb. 23 Farewell Tour stop at Boston's Wilbur Theatre all the more enticing.
Then there was the closing jam where Paul McCartney almost turned "Carry That Weight/The End" into "Free Bird" via a six-guitar tradeoff, with Grohl, Joe Walsh and Bruce Springsteen joining McCartney and his hired hands. Grohl held his own with a grin, happy not only to play with an ex-Beatle but that everyone had learned their instrument.
One other quick note lost in the Grammy weekend hubbub. Within hours of Houston’s death, Boston pop duo Karmin (who graced the cover of the Improper last fall) performed on “Saturday Night Live,” a coup for a virtually unknown act whose major-label debut hasn’t dropped yet. But unlike Lana del Rey, who was thrown to the wolves on “SNL," Karmin flashes uncanny pop chops and charisma, particularly when Amy Heidemann rap/sings with Minaj-like ferocity (no wonder the duo grabbed YouTube fame). Heidemann and keyboardist/foil Nick Noonan pretty much nailed it on “SNL” (even if they seemed perky and shallow compared to thoughts of Houston). They did, however, mix pre-recorded vocals with the live mic. Hopefully they won’t lose the “human element” if they ever make it to the Grammys stage.
Here are clips of Karmin on “SNL”:
“BROKENHEARTED”
“I TOLD YOU SO”
