Grammy Awards: Review Revue

Robbie Daw | February 11, 2013 7:00 am

Adele added another award to her collection. Gotye added another minute to the 15 he already has by winning three statues. Fun.‘s Nate Ruess and Frank Ocean each sounded out of key. Katy Perry‘s breasts appeared to have tripled in size. Justin Timberlake returned with a standout live performance that included a full orchestra and Jay-Z. And Kelly Clarkson admitted on-air that she doesn’t know who Miguel is.

These were just a few of the moments during the three-and-a-half hours that made up the 2013 Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 10). We admitted in our wrap-up of music’s so-called big night that the whole thing was pretty underwhelming on this end. So how did the rest of the Internet react? Head below for a roundup of reviews.

:: E! Online quipped, “So, that was…long,” before adding the following: “But even though we didn’t really know what to expect in the first place, there were plenty of surprises—and no one seemed more surprised by who won Grammys this year than the people who actually won them.”

:: The Washington Post was entertained: “…for the first time in too long, the Grammys telecast was a good time in and of itself — a refreshingly coherent celebration of our increasingly incoherent popscape. There were A-game performances, trophy-hoarders who deserved to win them and very few reasons to wince, grouse or wish you were watching Downton Abbey.”

:: The Boston Globe was less enthused: “The only thing more erratic than the list of winners was the live performances. They were all over the place, from thrilling to surprisingly medicore. Opening the show with ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,’ Taylor Swift mashed up Alice in Wonderland, Nancy Sinatra, and a Victorian court theme. Fun. frontman Nate Ruess was pitchy as fake rain poured down on him during ‘Carry On’.”

:: The Chicago Tribune didn’t think it was all fun. and games: “A long speech by host LL Cool J threatened to derail the awards right near the start, and a presentation by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences president, Neil Portnow, cut short a tribute by Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Kenny Garrett to the late jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. But there were redemptive moments, not the least of which was a massive sing-along version of The Band’s ‘The Weight,’ in honor of drummer Levon Helm, who died last year. The song was perfectly suited for passing the vocals, with the Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard and Mavis Staples shaking the rafters.”

:: New York’s Daily News reminded us about, oh, yeah — Katy Perry’s boobs: “The 2013 Grammy Awards were no place for wardrobe malfunctions. With a strict dress code this year, stars toned it down to the point of barely taking fashion risks, but there were a few head-turners. Katy Perry, for instance, had everyone seeing double… with a skin-tight mint gown that would have been modest, if it weren’t for the huge keyhole cut out in the chest area.”

:: And the Los Angeles Times reminded us that, oh, yeah — Frank Ocean and Chris Brown hate each other: “Ocean’s tuxedo covered all but his hands, but it appeared as he picked up his award that his left arm remained encased in a wrist brace he’d exhibited Thursday at the rehearsals for this year’s broadcast, a remnant of his scuffle last month with Brown over a parking space at a recording studio.”

:: Finally, Twin Cities’ Pioneer Press summed up exactly what we were thinking about this year’s Grammys: “British folk group Mumford and Sons, power pop act fun. and garage rockers The Black Keys may have walked away with multiple Grammy Awards Sunday, Feb. 10, but two soul singers from different generations stole the show. Former boy band star Justin Timberlake, 32, used the annual awards show as a launching pad for his impending third album The 20/20 Experience by appearing several times during the ceremony, performing a medley of new songs and even starring in two commercials (for Target and Bud Light)… Elsewhere, Minnesota’s own Prince, 54, nearly brought the show to a standstill by doing little more than gracing the stage.”

What did you think of the 2013 Grammy Awards? Let us know your thoughts below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!