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"[T]hey failed to see that War was an emotional LP rather than a political one. -- Bono, on Americans' view of the album |
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"[T]hey failed to see that War was an emotional LP rather than a political one. -- Bono, on Americans' view of the album |
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It Was a Beautiful Year for U2Encore: The Irish band should win its fair share of Grammys again for their latest album. Alicia Keys is another expected winner.
Press-Enterprise (Calif.),
February 24, 2002
They won three Grammys last year, when only the "Beautiful Day" single was eligible. In an ideal world, you could assume that U2 would probably pick up a few more this year for the rest of All That You Can't Leave Behind.
The world, of course, was anything but ideal, and the group's songs became a reassuring touchstone after Sept. 11. The album's sentiments were underscored when the Irish band launched the second leg of its American tour at a time when most European acts were canceling theirs. Good reasons, but hardly the only ones, that U2 will likely walk off with an even bigger load of gold gramophone statues this year. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has spent the last decade or so in a push to shift its annual awards from the stodgy, out-of-touch and old-standby choices that were inevitably at odds with the more contemporary or artistic work that fans and critics admired. U2, with eight nominations in seven categories, is one of the few acts capable of satisfying both the old timers and the new guard. The group, which released its first album in 1980, has won a total of 10 Grammys, four connected to 1987's landmark The Joshua Tree. And even though ATYCLB marked a return to the earnest, straightforward rock of U2's past, the album was also popular with a younger concert-going audience. In 2001 -- despite a cooling economy, the year-end specter of terrorism and pricing a large number of their tickets at a comparatively modest $45 -- U2 had the second-largest grossing tour of all time, next only to the Rolling Stones' 1994 extravaganza. U2 and Madonna were the only major acts to sell out all their concerts last year; she did 28, they did 80. U2 became such an all-around favorite that the audience at the American Music Awards turned on 'N Sync when it won Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group last month. "Aw, quit booing," 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake said when they reached the podium; "U2's gonna get Grammys." Should U2 wins Album of the Year -- though it would have to top Bob Dylan and the underdog O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack -- it would be the only group to ever win the award twice. But while Bono can always be counted on for a good acceptance speech, Wednesday won't be U2's night alone. R&B newcomer Alicia Keys appears destined to collect her own sizeable set of trophies. Much was made of the fact that the Grammys' nominating panel put the ballyhooed Keys into six categories while the acclaimed, but less commercially successful, India.Arie matched Keys on each one -- and then got a nomination for Album of the Year, too. But in the general election, look for Songs in A Minor to turn the classically-trained Keys (protege of admired industry veteran Ahmet Ertegun, which doesn't hurt) into a major winner. The other big fuss is likely to be made over the O Brother soundtrack. The Cohen Brothers' quirky comedy about backwoods jailbirds who wind up with a hit song not only resulted in a real hit -- the so-called Soggy Bottom Boys' rendition of the classic "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" -- it also boosted bluegrass' profile. The soundtrack, individual songs and producer T-Bone Burnett are up for awards -- six, all tolled. And contributors Ralph Stanley and Alison Krauss and Union Station, hardly newcomers to the Grammys, also have nominations independent of O Brother -- but this time, far more people will be paying attention. © Press-Enterprise (Calif.), 2002. All rights reserved.
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