Say what you want about Amy Winehouse, how ridiculous she looks and whatever drugs she may be on at any particular moment. At least she can sing and she seems to actually enjoy it.
The beehived chanteuse's two-song performance via satellite from London was the highlight of the 50th Anniversary Grammy Awards, which should tell you something.
I made a New Year's resolution to be more positive this year, so I won't namecheck all the performers who sang a flat note or a vapid lyric. (It would take me forever to explain exactly how awful Rihanna's "Umbrella" actually is).
I'll just mention Kanye "George Bush Hates Black People" West, whose Tron-inspired set design only accentuated how drab his performance was. And when he got the microphone after winning an award, his grandiose grumbling proved again what a thoroughly disagreeable guy he must be.
Kanye's first two albums were pretty good, but if he is the future of hip-hop – the biggest sector of the music marketplace – and the monotonous Foo Fighters are the rock band of the moment, then maybe digital piracy is not the only reason for Big Music to panic.
Grammy voters surprised everyone by signaling a preference for grown-up music with nuance and beauty by choosing Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters, which features several singers joining Hancock on Joni Mitchell compositions.
Here's some more good music, my Top 20 CDs of 2007. (Winehouse's Back to Black and Vince Gill's These Days, which both won awards last night, were on my 2006 list.)
1. Robert Plant/Alison Krauss – Raising Sand (Rounder) One would think that the Led Zeppelin frontman and screaming archangel of heavy metal would be a singularly mismatched duet partner for the beatific bluegrass goddess. But with T Bone Burnett's deft production, Plant brings a gentle touch, making the two voices a rich, sweet mix. Best track: "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us"
2. Once – Original Soundtrack (Columbia) and The Frames – The Cost (Anti) First of all, if you haven't seen Once, do so ASAP, so you can hear Glen Hansard and Marketa sing these great songs in a gorgeous, convincing love story. Then grab the soundtrack and the disc from Hansard's unsung band The Frames. Best Tracks: the soundtrack's "Falling Slowly" and The Frames' "When Your Mind's Made Up"
3. The Waterboys – Book of Lightning (W14) In an alternate universe, The Waterboys could easily be the biggest band in the world, with U2 as the other Celtic band that's been putting out great records for more than 25 years. Book of Lightning recalls their earliest and best work. Best track: "The Crash of Angel Wings"
4. King Wilkie – Low Country Suite (Rounder) After making one of the best traditional bluegrass albums in recent years – 2004's Broke – the Charlottesville sextet comes through with a disc of original songs that would fit in the same playlist as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Gram Parsons and The Band. Best track: "Captivator"
5. The Holmes Brothers – State of Grace (Alligator) Levon Helm, Joan Osborne and Roseanne Cash sit in, and the track list includes songs from Lyle Lovett, John Fogerty, Nick Lowe, Hank Williams and Cheap Trick. But the irresistible passion and craftsmanship Sherman Holmes (bass), Wendell Holmes (guitar, piano) and Popsy Dixon (drums) that infuse this one with pure joy. Best track: "I Want You to Want Me"
6. Levon Helm – Dirt Farmer (Vanguard) When Levon got throat cancer several years ago, it looked like one of America's greatest voices had sang its last. After a stunning recovery, that voice isn't as strong, but its expressiveness and urgency are still there, galvanizing a mix of pre-war hillbilly songs and new tunes from Steve Earle, Paul Kennerley and Buddy & Julie Miller. Best track: "The Mountain"
7. The White Stripes – Icky Thump (V2) Jack White continues his habit of making great rock records with a low-budget Led Zeppelin feel. With ex-wife Meg White's drums booming underneath, White's ragged guitar riffs and almost over-the-top vocals make these 13 tracks truly exciting. Best track: "Icky Thump"
8. Kings of Leon – Because of the Times (RCA) In an era when so many rock bands sound the same, Nashville-based Followill clan - brothers Caleb, Jared and Matthew and cousin Nathan - are startlingly original. Their musicianship is powerful and inventive, especially the interplay between drums and bass, but Caleb's uninhibited, otherworldly vocals will echo in your head for quite a while. Best track: "On Call"
9. Lucinda Williams – West (Lost Highway) Williams turns in another masterpiece ten years after Car Wheels on a Gravel Road turned her from cult figure to an Americana heroine. With sharply sweet, quavering vocals she turns concise, unadorned lyrics into raw emotion. Best track: "Learning How to Live"
10. Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby (Skaggs Family) Jazz/rock piano players usually don't fit well with bluegrass bands, but Hornsby's fingers are both nimble and strong enough to keep up with Skaggs and his aptly named band Kentucky Thunder. A deconstruction of Hornsby's “Mandolin Rain” and a hilarious romp through Rick James' “Superfreak” are highlights of 50 minutes of pure virtuosity. Best track: “The Dreaded Spoon”
11. Nick Lowe – At My Age (Yep Roc) Lowe's whispery, urbane vocals are supported by tinkling piano, breathy Hammond organ and a swank horn section. That lush sound is the perfect chaser for Lowe's downbeat tales of “broken-hearted fellows” who still haven't given up hope of fanning an old flame or breaking a new heart. Best track: “I Trained Her to Love Me”
12. Joan Osborne – Breakfast in Bed (Time Life) Osborne's talent has usually outshone her material, but this set of soul tunes, with a musical groove part Philly and part Motown, is a perfect fit. Not many of her contemporaries can achieve the effect Osborne does when her luxuriantly sultry approach occasionally, and always appropriately, gives way to soaring ecstasy. Best track: “Ain't No Sunshine”
13. Willie Nelson, Ray Price & Merle Haggard - Last of the Breed (Lost Highway) This two-disc album's title is apt, but not because the three superstars are all alike. Rather, they come from an era when the country (and western, remember that?) music industry had room for all sorts (and ages) of acts. It's great hearing Willie and Merle turn in fine performances, and it's heartening to know that this project will introduce the great Ray Price to many who may not know why he belongs in this trio. Best track: Hank Williams' “Lost Highway,” or about a dozen others.
14. Feist - The Reminder (Cherry Tree/Interscope) Some friends handed me a copy of this Canadian singer/songwriter/studio whiz's Let it Die a few months before the perfect pop of “1234” alerted everyone to the new iPod in one of those ubiquitous TV ads. The rest of The Reminder, is just as lush, wistful and gorgeous. Best track: “1234”
15. Bettye LaVette - The Scene of the Crime (Anti) LaVette's 2005 I've Got My Own Hell to Raise was one of the very best albums of that year, reintroducing the nearly forgotten soul singer through some well-chosen covers. Her song choices here are a little more obscure, but her gritty, sharp vocal style makes them her own just the same. Best track: Willie Nelson's “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces”
16. Lyle Lovett and His Large Band - It's Not Big It's Large (Lost Highway) Though His Large Band enables him to range from jazz to Western swing to blues and just about anything else, it's Lovett's wry delivery of finely crafted songs that make it all work. Best track: "South Texas Girl"
17. David Gray – A Thousand Miles Behind (OCC/davidgray.com) Never ashamed to let his influences show on his previous seven albums, Gray's razor-sharp tenor does credit to this collection of a dozen live covers written by Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Tim Buckley and more. Best track: "One Too Many Mornings"
18. Brandi Carlile - The Story (Columbia) One might think Carlile just another cute girl with a guitar. But the vocal passion she brings to her sophomore album quickly sets her apart. On these 13 self-penned folk-pop songs her often starts out in a pleasant lilt before sliding and sweeping up to an expansive cry that's faintly reminiscent of Jeff Buckley. Best track: “The Story”
19. Infamous Stringdusters - Fork in the Road (Sugar Hill) Drawing comparisons to bluegrass giants like Blue Highway and Seldom Scene, this Nashville-based sextet both chooses and writes material perfect for their three capable lead singers, and each song's arrangement gives all six pickers the chance to show off their chops, whether on solo breaks or intricate ensemble playing. Best track: “Letter from Prison”
20. Linda Thompson – Versatile Heart (Rounder), Richard Thompson – Sweet Warrior (Sony Wonder) and Teddy Thompson – Upfront & Down Low (Verve Forecast) Richard Thompson brings his peerless guitar attack to another in a 25-year-long string of fine solo albums since splitting from Linda, whose voice remains rich, full and sweet. Son Teddy got the best of each parent's talent, evident on each track of a lush tribute to 1960s country music. Best tracks: Richard's "I'll Never Give It Up," Linda's "Give Me a Sad Song," and Teddy's "Walking the Floor Over You"
