I've always thought of the Grammys as a sham awards, but I've never actually looked over previous winners - there's almost all certified classics all throughout the 20th century. It drops the ball...
I've always thought of the Grammys as a sham awards, but I've never actually looked over previous winners - there's almost all certified classics all throughout the 20th century. It drops the ball here and there, but the Oscars never got it right 100% of the time either - it often takes more than a year to really know the best thing of that year.
It starts to fall apart right around 2005. The infamous '1989' beating out 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. 'Morning Phase'?? I had forgot that record existed - sleepy adult contemporary stuff that's pleasant enough, but surely not the era defining album of 2014. 'Golden Hour' is a personal favourite of mine and one of my all-times, but it's a clumsy record and pretty inoffensive - perhaps the fact an album I hold in such high regard won and I didn't even know speaks to the award's relevancy.
All that said, I'm wondering if 2005 is around that sweet spot when the music industry began to change. iTunes, decline of Billboard/MTV, limewire, YouTube. Music culture has gradually become less homogenous, and it's possible those 'classic' albums are only so because discoverability was so much harder. Match that with harder to measure popularity and impact, maybe the Grammys didn't 'sell out', but struggled to become that broad church everyone would confide in.
I wish there was a music award, similar to the Oscars, that briefly brings everyone together and who's winners are 'worthy' (or at least, worthy enough). Folks often point out The Mercury Prize, but (aside from being limited to the UK) even their nominations are of a certain sound and a certain sphere. I think it might just be the nature of the medium.
TPAB is probably the best album of the last decade but I can understand this one. It didn't feel like people truly appreciated it until a few years later, once all the layers could be fully...
The infamous '1989' beating out 'To Pimp A Butterfly'.
TPAB is probably the best album of the last decade but I can understand this one. It didn't feel like people truly appreciated it until a few years later, once all the layers could be fully explored (it's one of the densest albums I've ever heard, lyrically). I don't believe for a second that Kendrick's Pulitzer is really for DAMN and not just a reputational win because of TPAB.
Meanwhile Taylor Swift is a Grammy darling, and 1989 really was a killer album from her. Given how the Grammys have traditionally treated... "urban"... categories, it's not a surprise that a Grammy darling's great record beats out a rap album that took even rap circles many months to fully appreciate.
I honestly can't remember an album release that felt as weighted or as important as TPAB. So much discussion and excitement, calls for it to be the first Pitchfork 10 since MBDTF. There was a hum...
It didn't feel like people truly appreciated it until a few years later
I honestly can't remember an album release that felt as weighted or as important as TPAB. So much discussion and excitement, calls for it to be the first Pitchfork 10 since MBDTF. There was a hum to it that, at least for me, has yet to be repeated ('Ants From Up There' did come fairly close, but I think folks are cooling a little on that one).
But, admittedly, I spend a lot of my time on 'music nerd' forums, and I suspect it takes time for those waves to reach a broader audience/appreciation.
Okay so this is a take I’ve never seen before. I’m deeply curious about why you would categorize it as “clumsy”? Is it lyrics, song order, production, thematics, or something else? I rarely see...
'Golden Hour' [is] a clumsy record and pretty inoffensive…
Okay so this is a take I’ve never seen before. I’m deeply curious about why you would categorize it as “clumsy”? Is it lyrics, song order, production, thematics, or something else? I rarely see this record mentioned, much less with a critique that isn’t favorable so you’ve got me interested.
I think it's important to acknowledge the faults of any 'art' that you love, and I think my critique is fair when looking at the record from the lense of 'was this the best album of the year?' I...
I think it's important to acknowledge the faults of any 'art' that you love, and I think my critique is fair when looking at the record from the lense of 'was this the best album of the year?'
I surely don't think anyone would deny the album is 'inoffensive' - it's 13 pretty simple pop songs that your Grandmother would probably have no issue with. There's no serious experimentation of sound, no weird chord progressions or beat switch ups. Kacey's vocals are pretty much flawlessly performed throughout - she's not growling or yelping or mumbling, and the lyrics are all soft and twee.
'Clumsy' is a little bit more critical, but I don't think it's a completely self assured/fully matured album throughout. There's some endearingly corny lyrics on 'Happy and Sad' and 'Space Cowboy'. 'High Horse' is this weird club pop country mix that doesn't quite sit right. 'Velvet Elvis' almost sounds designed to be a song your drunk uncle might start line-dancing to at a bar.
I think generally when awarding the 'best' albums we want to recognise music that's moving its respective genre forward, and makes a statement on the culture it's born from. Music that's exciting - music that makes you rethink how you listen to music - music that inspires other artists to go further.
'Golden Hour' is perfect in it's own way. I absolutely adore it. 'Slow Burn' is a perfect song. It's brought a smile to my face every time I play it, and has been a companion to me since its release. I'd urge anyone to listen to it.
I appreciate you writing out more on this! I am fully aligned that the lens of "is this album of the year?" is completely different than "is this a good record".
I appreciate you writing out more on this! I am fully aligned that the lens of "is this album of the year?" is completely different than "is this a good record".
I've always thought of the Grammys as a sham awards, but I've never actually looked over previous winners - there's almost all certified classics all throughout the 20th century. It drops the ball here and there, but the Oscars never got it right 100% of the time either - it often takes more than a year to really know the best thing of that year.
It starts to fall apart right around 2005. The infamous '1989' beating out 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. 'Morning Phase'?? I had forgot that record existed - sleepy adult contemporary stuff that's pleasant enough, but surely not the era defining album of 2014. 'Golden Hour' is a personal favourite of mine and one of my all-times, but it's a clumsy record and pretty inoffensive - perhaps the fact an album I hold in such high regard won and I didn't even know speaks to the award's relevancy.
All that said, I'm wondering if 2005 is around that sweet spot when the music industry began to change. iTunes, decline of Billboard/MTV, limewire, YouTube. Music culture has gradually become less homogenous, and it's possible those 'classic' albums are only so because discoverability was so much harder. Match that with harder to measure popularity and impact, maybe the Grammys didn't 'sell out', but struggled to become that broad church everyone would confide in.
I wish there was a music award, similar to the Oscars, that briefly brings everyone together and who's winners are 'worthy' (or at least, worthy enough). Folks often point out The Mercury Prize, but (aside from being limited to the UK) even their nominations are of a certain sound and a certain sphere. I think it might just be the nature of the medium.
TPAB is probably the best album of the last decade but I can understand this one. It didn't feel like people truly appreciated it until a few years later, once all the layers could be fully explored (it's one of the densest albums I've ever heard, lyrically). I don't believe for a second that Kendrick's Pulitzer is really for DAMN and not just a reputational win because of TPAB.
Meanwhile Taylor Swift is a Grammy darling, and 1989 really was a killer album from her. Given how the Grammys have traditionally treated... "urban"... categories, it's not a surprise that a Grammy darling's great record beats out a rap album that took even rap circles many months to fully appreciate.
I honestly can't remember an album release that felt as weighted or as important as TPAB. So much discussion and excitement, calls for it to be the first Pitchfork 10 since MBDTF. There was a hum to it that, at least for me, has yet to be repeated ('Ants From Up There' did come fairly close, but I think folks are cooling a little on that one).
But, admittedly, I spend a lot of my time on 'music nerd' forums, and I suspect it takes time for those waves to reach a broader audience/appreciation.
Okay so this is a take I’ve never seen before. I’m deeply curious about why you would categorize it as “clumsy”? Is it lyrics, song order, production, thematics, or something else? I rarely see this record mentioned, much less with a critique that isn’t favorable so you’ve got me interested.
I think it's important to acknowledge the faults of any 'art' that you love, and I think my critique is fair when looking at the record from the lense of 'was this the best album of the year?'
I surely don't think anyone would deny the album is 'inoffensive' - it's 13 pretty simple pop songs that your Grandmother would probably have no issue with. There's no serious experimentation of sound, no weird chord progressions or beat switch ups. Kacey's vocals are pretty much flawlessly performed throughout - she's not growling or yelping or mumbling, and the lyrics are all soft and twee.
'Clumsy' is a little bit more critical, but I don't think it's a completely self assured/fully matured album throughout. There's some endearingly corny lyrics on 'Happy and Sad' and 'Space Cowboy'. 'High Horse' is this weird club pop country mix that doesn't quite sit right. 'Velvet Elvis' almost sounds designed to be a song your drunk uncle might start line-dancing to at a bar.
I think generally when awarding the 'best' albums we want to recognise music that's moving its respective genre forward, and makes a statement on the culture it's born from. Music that's exciting - music that makes you rethink how you listen to music - music that inspires other artists to go further.
'Golden Hour' is perfect in it's own way. I absolutely adore it. 'Slow Burn' is a perfect song. It's brought a smile to my face every time I play it, and has been a companion to me since its release. I'd urge anyone to listen to it.
I appreciate you writing out more on this! I am fully aligned that the lens of "is this album of the year?" is completely different than "is this a good record".