Grammy Nomination for Some AWT Favorites

Although I don't really care for the Grammys, there are some AWT favorites that received nomination and I wanted to point them out

Feist - Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album
Paul McCartney - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Solo Rock Performance
U2 - Best Pop Performance By a Group, Best Rock Performance By a Group
Plant & Krauss - Best Pop Collaboration
Beck - Best Solo Rock Performance
Bruce SpringSteen - Best Solo Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album
White Stripes - Best Rock Performance By a Group, Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Album
Wilco - Best Rock Album
John Fogerty - Best Rock Album
The Shins - Best Alternative Album
Alison Krauss - Best Country Female Vocal Performance
Miranda Lambert - Best Country Female Vocal Performance
Trisha Yearwood - Best Country Female Vocal Performance
Steve Earle - Best Country Collaboration
Willie Nelson - Best Country Collaboration
The Greencards - Best Country Instrumental
Jim Lauderdale - Best Bluegrass Album
Cherryholmes - Best Bluegrass Album
Tony Trischka - Best Bluegrass Album
Ricky Skaggs - Best Bluegrass Gospel Album
Bettye Lavette - Best Contemporary Blues Album
Doyle Bramhall - Best Contemporary Blues Albumn
Peter Case - Best Traditional Folk Album
Levon Helm - Best Traditional Folk Album
Charlie Louvin - Best Traditional Folk Album
Steve Earle - Best Contemporary Folk Album
Patty Griffin - Best Contemporarey Folk Album
Tom Waits- Best ContemporaryFolk Album

Best of 2007

This is My updated Best of 2007. Wilco is still #1 The artists with the highest debuts are White Stripes and Wrinkle Neck Mules at 3 and 4 respectively. The Hackensaw Boys and JohnDoe also debuted in the top 10. While Paul McCartney and Sarah Borges entered just outside the top 10. This list does not inlcude any albums released on June 26th. So Ryan Adams and Kelly Willis will have to wait until next month. Also, as usual, I did some rearranging based on further reflection. Enjoy the list and feel free to tell me how you agree or disagree. Also, make no hesitation to trash me or my intelligence in any way you see fit. I'm used to it.

1) Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky"
2) Patty Griffin - "Children Running Through"
3) White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
4) Wrinkle Neck Mules - "Wicks Have Met"
5) Assembly of Dust - "Recollection"
6) Hackensaw Boys - "Look Out"
7) The Broken West - "I Can't Go on I'll Go on"
8) )The Shins - "Wincing the Night Away"
9) Son Volt - "The Search"
10) John Doe - "A year in the Wilderness"
11) Paul McCartney - " Memory Almost Full"
12) Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - "Diamonds in the Dark"
13) Willy Mason - "If the Ocean Gets Rough"
14) Dale Watson - "From the Cradle to the Grave"
15) Modest Mouse - "We Were Dead Before he Ship Ever Sank"
16) Feist - "The Reminder"
17) Charlie Louvin - "Charlie Louvin"
18) Infamous Stringdusters - "Fork in the Road"
19) Nathan - "Key Principles"
20) Olav Larsen and the Alabama Rodeo Stars - "Loves' Com to Town"
21) Adam Hood - "Different Groove"
22) Elizabeth Cook - "Balls"
23) Rocky Votolato - "The Brag and Cuss"
24) The Basement - "Illicit Hugs and Playground Thugs"
25) The Greencards - "Viridian"
26) Pela - "Anytown Graffiti"
27) Joe Ely - "Happy Song from Rattlesnake Gulch"
28) Cadillac Sky - "Blind Man Walking"
29) Martin Sexton - "Seeds"
30) Two Cow Garage - "Three"
31) Hoots & Hellmouth- "Hoots & Hellmouth
32) Norah Jones - "Not Too Late"
33) Bill Kirchen - "Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods"
34) Adrienne Young - "Room to Gow"
35) The Dexateens - "Hardwire Healing"

Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full

Forty years ago in 1967, on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club album, Paul McCartney asked this question, “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” Paul McCartney is now 64. Actually, he turned 65 yesterday (6-18-2007). So I would like to answer this for him. Yes, we need anyone who is releasing music this relevant at any age. As for feeding him, the album is already number one on the internet download charts, so I don’t foresee him bouncing any checks at the grocery store. The easiest way to describe the songs by any artist is to refer to their influences, which is very perplexing when it comes to a Paul McCartney. For example, how many album reviews refer to songs as Beatle influenced or use some term like “Beatlesque?” That might apply to certain songs on this album. But can you call a song by an artist Beatlesque if the artist “is’ Beatlesque. Much of the music is very progressive, but Wings was at the very foundation of 70s prog rock. So that term falls short as well.

In a nutshell, Memory Almost Full is completely influenced by the genius living in Paul McCartney’s mind. But not in some tacky attempt to capture old glory, like you see with many older rock stars. McCartney clearly does not believe in going backwards or even standing still. He refers to this in the song “Vintage Clothes” as he says, “Don’t live in the past. Don’t hold on to something that is changing fast. What we are is what we are. And what we wear is vintage clothes.” As for me, I’m looking forward to when he’s 74. Happy birthday Paul.

This review also appears on: http://twangville.com/

"Dance Tonight" Video