Winehouse, West will win big at Grammys

This year Grammy turns 50 … and she doesn’t look a day over 95! Not that anyone’s ever accused the Grammys of looking a little old and out of touch or anything. Ahem. Here at the half-century mark, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences isn’t exactly breaking new ground.

Still, predictability isn’t always a bad thing. Kanye West leads the pack with an impressive eight nominations. But the real question for Kanye is: Will this be the year he finally scores the Grammy Holy Grail — album of the year?

The competition’s stiff with equally favored soul powerhouse Amy Winehouse, who racked up six nominations of her own. The rest of the field is filled with Grammy standards, like Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen and a couple of those endearing non-Sanjaya “American Idol” contestants.

Who will win? Who should win? Helen A.S. Popkin and Ree Hines hash it out. 

Album of the year
“Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,” Foo Fighters
“These Days,” Vince Gill
“River: The Joni Letters,” Herbie Hancock
“Graduation,” Kanye West
“Back To Black,” Amy Winehouse

Kevork Djansezian / AP file

Helen’s take: No Bruce Springsteen? That’s odd. Especially since Grammy loves its “seasoned” artists. And “Magic” is fairly old school Bruce compared his recent recordings. Was it country vet Vince Gill or Herbie Hancock (with added points as he’s up here for a Joni Mitchell tribute) who knocked the Boss out of the running? Please don’t tell me Bruce was usurped by Foo Fighters — that “Saturday Night Live” digital short, “People Getting Punched Just Before Eating,” is the most memorable thing that band did all year. Not that “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,” is awful. It’s just not that interesting.

The serious competition here is between Kanye West and Amy Winehouse. Unfortunately for Kanye, once again it’s the right category but the wrong year. “Graduation” is certainly deserving, but it doesn’t have the freight train resonation of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black.” Here is a very young woman channeling pure Spector — Ronnie’s chops (and hair), Phil’s Wall of Sound.

Ree’s take: Yes and no, or no and yes. Whichever. You’re right about the greatness that is Amy. She’s my hands-down personal pick. Not only did she craft a rare every-track-is-single-worthy piece, but she also affords me my favorite pastime: the cool-kid gloat. I get to whip off my imaginary Oliver Peoples frames and rave about how I bought the “Back to Black” import before most peeps on this side of the pond even dreamed about the blossoming train wreck. Yeah, I had her lesser debut album, “Frank,” too. Bask in my poser glory.

As for who’s taking home the shiny, your powers of prognostication fail you, my friend. It has to be Kanye. This spares everyone the requisite Kanye chorus of it’s-not-fairs, and — what the heck — he deserves it. The man’s in an unheard of groove, where each release is better than the much-hyped album before it. Give Kanye his most coveted tiny, tacky gramophone already.

Record of the year
“Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé
“The Pretender,” Foo Fighters
“Umbrella,” Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
“What Goes Around…Comes Around,” Justin Timberlake
“Rehab,” Amy Winehouse

Helen: Turns out, Beyoncé ain’t so “Irreplaceable.” Note Rihanna’s joint with Beyoncé’s secret BF Jay-Z; “Umbrella” is chock full of rumbling goodness and much more engaging than Beyoncé’s breakup ballad. Speaking of breakup songs, no way is Justin Timberlake’s Britney Spears track, “What Goes Around…Comes Around,” winning here. It was interesting when Justin performed it on “SNL,” but lost more energy with each repeated play. Meanwhile, why is “The Pretender” even here? Is Dave Grohl’s mom on the nominating committee?

Frankly, discussing any song besides “Rehab” is a waste of time. It’s this year’s “Hey Ya!” It’s “Milkshake,” only way more complicated.

Ree: It’s a complicated “Milkshake!?” Really? I’m going to assume that’s some kind of insane shorthand for, “it’s catchy!” Unless you live in alternate universe where “Milkshake” permeated pop culture with its apt-albeit-ironic refrain while raking in loads of professional accolades. (In which case, tell me more of your strange world and all its wonders.)

So, even though I’d side with, er, bizarro “Milkshake,” I’m calling this one a shocking win for Foo Fighters. It’s not like I really think they should take this for “The Pretender” — it’s OK but hardly the best track up there, or even on the disc — but the potential vote split could work in their favor. Most of the other selections fall into neo-R&B, pop-R&B or some variety of R&B-ishness, leaving the Foo folk the only choice for the rock-minded voter.

Helen: Here in Bizarro World, me prefer “infectious,” not catchy.

Song of the year
“Before He Cheats,” Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
“Hey There Delilah,” Tom Higgenson, songwriter (Plain White T’s)
“Like A Star,” Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter (Corinne Bailey Rae)
“Rehab,” Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
“Umbrella,” Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius “Dream” Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Rihanna featuring Jay-Z)

Helen: Please note, neither record nor song of the year feature a Kanye West single, leading me to believe that the voters included him in eight other categories out of laziness, and never actually listened to “Graduation.” Who’s with me?

Meanwhile, here’s one shining example why Vince Gill might be on to something when he says the Grammys don’t respect country music — the requisite country inclusion in this category is by a former “American Idol” contestant. Grammy, now that you’re older, you need to save your energy. Stop fronting, and from here on out, just nominate “American Idol” artists. You know you want to! Where the heck is Sanjaya?

Again, it’s a waste of time to discuss anything but “Rehab.” See Phil Spector reference above.

Ree: It took four people to write “Umbrella?” Seriously? As for your “American Idol” platform — chill. First of all, Carrie Underwood morphed into a country music darling ages ago, so her “AI” baggage counts for naught. Secondly, I’d like to remind you that this is the category Grammy pretends has nothing to do with the performer. This is, supposedly, all about writing chops. Having said that, not totally believing it, it’s ripe for a singer/songwriter win. That narrows the field to the endearing package of smooth talent that is Corinne Bailey Rae or the frightening mess o’ genius that is Amy. In other words, congratulations Amy!

Helen: “Chill?” Who says “chill!?”

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