Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991 TAG: 9102150341
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Tracie Fellers/Staff Writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"Another Day in Paradise" isn't a completely worthless effort from Phil Collins, but social conscience doesn't earn a Grammy. Face it, Phil. Your flair for the catchy pop song has gone flat.
Bette Midler? Give me a break. Yeah, yeah, there's a war going on, which makes "From a Distance" relevant. But Nanci Griffith's version of the song far overshadows that of the marvelous Ms. M.
There's no way U could have escaped 1990 without hearing M.C. Hammer's ubiquitous "U Can't Touch This." But a stolen melody and a British Knights commercial does not a Grammy make.
Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" is certainly a credible pop song. But while Carey is destined for greater stardom, she hasn't paid her dues yet - at least not for a record of the year.
Album of the Year: My vote goes to Quincy Jones' "Back on the Block," a sophisticated collection of jazz- and rap-flavored songs that successfully pulled together talents as diverse as Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Kool Moe Dee and 13-year-old discovery Tevin Campbell. Creating memorable songs with a melange of distinctive musicians is what Jones is known for.
However, if academy voters make their selections based upon on record sales instead of creativity - something they haven't hesitated to do in the past - M.C. Hammer's megaplatinum "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" may walk away with this award.
Song of the Year: "Another Day in Paradise"? Sorry, Morrison. This song is as unworthy of an award as Wilson Phillips' "Hold On."
The clear winner is "Nothing Compares 2 U," penned by Prince.
Best New Artist: Mariah Carey should win easily over other contenders for this award: The Black Crowes, rocking country act The Kentucky Headhunters, retro disco queen Lisa Stansfield and the saccharine Wilson Phillips.
Her self-titled debut isn't without flaws, but her seven-octave voice and powerful delivery shine.
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female: Choosing one here is tough. Newcomer Lisa Stansfield's "All Around the World" is a pleasant throwback to '70s Philly soul. With "I'm Your Baby Tonight," Whitney Houston scored a fresh, funky return to her R&B roots. You already know where I stand on "Nothing Compares 2 U" (thumbs up) and "From a Distance (thumbs down).
That leaves Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love." So she's a bit of a show-off, with those soulful, gospel-inspired inflections and crystal-clear high notes. But if your voice had the potential to shatter a plate-glass window, you'd probably show off, too.
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: I'll side with Morrison here and choose Michael Bolton's "Georgia on My Mind."
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group: I like Bruce Hornsby's style. (I'm a sucker for any real piano player in this synthesizer-driven age.) But I don't think he and the Range will pick up the Grammy this year.
I wouldn't mind seeing Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville win with "All My Love." Or the B-52's "Roam" would be a bearable choice.
But the re-release of "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers was all over Top 40 radio this summer, so it wouldn't surprise me if it's the choice of academy voters.
Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female: My choice would be Melissa Etheridge's "The Angels." But I bet the academy goes for " Black Velvet," Alannah Myles' tribute to Elvis - even though it's barely worth a listen the first couple of times, and a good way to get a headache after the first 20.
Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male: It would be refreshing to see Neil Young take this category for "Rockin' in the Free World." But look for Jon Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" to get the nod. It's palatable and commercial.
Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group: The Rolling Stones just aren't what they used to be. And Midnight Oil and the Red Hot Chili Peppers just haven't got the kind of mass acceptance the academy looks for.
So that makes it a toss-up between "Janie's Got a Gun" by diehard rockers Aerosmith or "Suicide Blonde" by INXS - and I'll go with the latter.
Best Hard Rock Performance: All five nominees have a shot - AC/DC, Motley Crue, Jane's Addiction, Faith No More and Living Colour.
The safe bet is Faith No More. The band's blend of hard-core rock, funk and rap attracted a lot of attention last year. But I'll be daring and choose Living Colour to repeat with "Time's Up." These guys have social consciousness and plenty of style.
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Yes, it has been a big year for Janet, but I don't think she deserves this award for "Alright," an apt description of the song.
My favorite is Anita Baker's "Compositions," but it's not as good as Baker's 1986 "Rapture," a modern classic.
So the award should go to song stylist Regina Belle, for "Make It Like It Was." This woman knows how to wrap her rich alto voice around a romantic ballad.
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Finally . . . the category I've been waiting for. Now if only each contender could perform for me - just me - in person. But I digress.
The strongest nominees are Luther Vandross for "Here and Now," Johnny Gill for his self-titled solo album and Babyface for "Whip Appeal."
My choice? Johnny Gill. His sleek, sophisticated baritone and steamy stage presence offer irrefutable evidence that this guy has a showbiz future. Just ask anyone - especially any woman - who caught his act at the Roanoke Civic Center last month.
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: Nice try, Mark. "The Secret Garden" is a worthy choice. But the academy won't honor it - unless it picks "Back on the Block" as album of the year. My guess is that its voters will choose En Vogue's "Born to Sing" instead.
Best Rap Solo Performance: Anybody but Vanilli Ice. Unfortunately, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the academy voters gave this lukewarm Iceman the award.
But if they can see anything other than dollar signs, they'll choose Queen Latifah for "All Hail the Queen." The first lady of rap proves that the genre can be about much more than macho posturing.
Best Rap Performance By a Duo of Group: I hate to admit it, but Morrison couldn't be more right. I vote for Public Enemy's "Fear of a Black Planet" - strong, sometimes caustic, but always eye-opening.
Best Country Vocal Performance Female: Reba McEntire's "You Lie" should win.
Best Country Vocal Performance Male: Ditto on Garth Brooks.
Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group: Yep, The Judds clearly are the winners here.
by CNB