In the past, if you looked up the word stodgy in the dictionary, you might come across a picture of the Grammy Awards. The artist that won lacked originality and conformed to every one of society’s norms.  Somewhere over the past few years that all changed.  Of late it could be said, “these aren’t your grammy’s Grammys anymore. “

Recently, the Recording Academy has gone to great lengths to provide a greater variety of performers and created some choice pairings (Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder an  exception).  Last year’s show peaked in the cool and hip factor, but early indications are this year will not live up to that standard.  Coldplay fans will be treated to a duo with Rhianna but most anti-Coldplay folks (and there are a sizable amount of you) will just shun it off as another reason to dislike the band.

There are however some interesting battles for the phonographic trophy (pun intended.)  In the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, it will be Foo Fighters versus Megadeth and Mastodon.  Though it’s been a strong year for the Mastodons, (including a discovery of dozens of them in Snowmass Village.) I think the Foo Fighters will walk away with the award.  Ever since Jethro Tull beat Mettalica in 1989 this award has been problematic. Which might explain how Dream Theater and Sum 41 even got invited to this party.  As usual this category becomes more of a head shaker than head banger.

For the Best Rock Album, it’s rock royalty holding company with a more recent generation of rockers.  Fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jeff Beck are paired up against The Foo Fighters, Kings Of Leon and Wilco.  I am going to give the nod to Wilco.  Though none of these artist produced their best all around work for this year’s prize, The Wilco album, “The Whole Love” is their most realized work since 2004 Grammy winner “A Ghost Is Born.”  There is an outside chance that the Grammys will salute the career of Les Paul by giving Beck his eight Grammy for his homage to the guitar pioneer.

The Best Alternative Award is even more of a mix bag.  ‘Indie flavor of the month’ Bon Iver will be challenged by ‘we have a hit now, we need a band’ Foster the People,  ‘we will always be alternative no matter how popular we get’ Death Cab For Cutie, “alternative my butt, we call it rock and roll’ My Morning Jacket and “we invented the word alternative’ Radiohead for the best prize of them all- an establishment reward for being ‘anti-establishment.’ My vote goes to My Morning Jacket just because they are just amazing and just alternative enough however, people for some reason like this Bon Iver who is just depressing enough to make him hip.  It’s a chance for the Grammys to assure you of they haven’t lost their groove.