Friday, February 12, 2016

GRAMMY WATCH – General Music/Main Categories: My Picks and Predictions


Here are my picks and predictions for the General/Main music categories for The 58th Annual Grammy Awards.


Record Of The Year

• Really Love
      D'Angelo And The Vanguard
      D'Angelo, producer; Russell Elevado & Ben Kane, engineers/mixers; Dave Collins, mastering engineer
      Track from: Black Messiah
      [RCA Records]

• Uptown Funk
     
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
      Jeff Bhasker, Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson, producers; Josh Blair, Serban Ghenea, Wayne Gordon, John Hanes, Inaam Haq, Boo Mitchell, Charles Moniz & Mark Ronson, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
      Track from: Uptown Special
      [RCA Records]

• Thinking Out Loud
     
Ed Sheeran
      Jake Gosling, producer; Jake Gosling, Mark 'Spike' Stent & Geoff Swan, engineers/mixers; Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineer
      Track from: X
      [Atlantic]

• Blank Space
     
Taylor Swift
      Max Martin & Shellback, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Sam Holland & Michael Ilbert, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
      Track from: 1989
      [Big Machine Records]

• Can't Feel My Face
      The Weeknd
      Max Martin & Ali Payami, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Sam Holland, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
      [Republic]


My Pick and Prediction: UPTOWN FUNK – total, infectious and pure fun funk!

~


Album Of The Year
• Sound & Color
     
Alabama Shakes
      Alabama Shakes & Blake Mills, producers; Shawn Everett, engineer/mixer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer

• To Pimp A Butterfly
      Kendrick Lamar
      Bilal, George Clinton, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat & Anna Wise, featured artists; Taz Arnold, Boi-1Da, Ronald Colson, Larrance Dopson, Flying Lotus, Fredrik "Tommy Black" Halldin, Knxwledge, Koz, Lovedragon, Terrace Martin, Rahki, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Thundercat, Whoarei & Pharrell Williams, producers; Derek "Mixedbyali" Ali, Thomas Burns, James "The White Black Man" Hunt, 9th Wonder & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

• Traveller
     
Chris Stapleton
      Dave Cobb & Chris Stapleton, producers; Vance Powell, engineer/mixer; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
      [Mercury Nashville]

• 1989
      Taylor Swift
      Jack Antonoff, Nathan Chapman, Imogen Heap, Max Martin, Mattman & Robin, Ali Payami, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Ryan Tedder & Noel Zancanella, producers; Jack Antonoff, Mattias Bylund, Smith Carlson, Nathan Chapman, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Imogen Heap, Sam Holland, Michael Ilbert, Brendan Morawski, Laura Sisk & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
      [Big Machine Records]

• Beauty Behind The Madness
      The Weeknd
      Lana Del Rey, Labrinth & Ed Sheeran, featured artists; Dannyboystyles, Ben Diehl, Labrinth, Mano, Max Martin, Stephan Moccio, Carlo Montagnese, Ali Payami, The Pope, Jason Quenneville, Peter Svensson, Abel Tesfaye & Kanye West, producers; Jay Paul Bicknell, Mattias Bylund, Serban Ghenea, Noah Goldstein, John Hanes, Sam Holland, Jean Marie Horvat, Carlo Montagnese, Jason Quenneville & Dave Reitzas, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne & Dave Kutch, mastering engineers
      [Republic]


My Pick and Prediction: SOUND & COLOR – though 1989 may pull up.

~

Song Of The Year
• Alright
      Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
      Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
      [TDE/Aftermath/Interscope; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, SonyATV]

• Blank Space
      Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
      Track from: 1989
      [Big Machine Records; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Taylor Swift Music/MXM admin. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Inc.]

• Girl Crush
      Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (
Little Big Town)
      Track from: Pain Killer
      [Capitol Records Nashville; Publisher(s): Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Hoodie Songs, HillarodyRathbone Music admin. by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC]

• See You Again
      Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (
Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
      Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
      [Atlantic; Publisher(s): Artist Publishing Group West/J Franks Publishing/Andrew Cedar Publishing admin. by WB Music Corp./Wiz Khalifa Publishing admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Charlie Puth Music Publishing/Artist 101 Publishing Group admin. by Warner Chappell Music, Universal Pictures Music, UPG Music Publishing]

• Thinking Out Loud
     
Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
      Track from: X
      [Atlantic; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Music Publishing/BDi Music Limited]


My Pick: SEE YOU AGAIN – I really hope this wonderful tribute wins.


My Prediction: THINKING OUT LOUD

~

Best New Artist

Courtney Barnett

James Bay

Sam Hunt

Tori Kelly

Meghan Trainor


My Pick: TORI KELLY


My Prediction: MEGHAN TRAINOR


THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

Check us out on YouTube – Please Subscribe (It’s Free!)
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Thank YOU!


GRAMMY WATCH – Pop Music Categories: My Picks and Predictions


Here are my picks and predictions in the Pop music categories for The 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Best Pop Solo Performance
• Heartbeat Song
      Kelly Clarkson
      Track from: Piece By Piece
      [RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited]

• Love Me Like You Do
     
Ellie Goulding
      Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
      [Republic]

• Thinking Out Loud
      Ed Sheeran
      Track from: X
      [Atlantic]

• Blank Space
      Taylor Swift
      Track from: 1989
      [Big Machine Records]

• Can't Feel My Face
      The Weeknd
      Track from: Beauty Behind The Madness
      [Republic]



My Pick: CAN’T FEEL MY FACE


My Prediction: THINKING OUT LOUD

~

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
• Ship To Wreck
      Florence + The Machine
      Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
      [Republic]

• Sugar
     
Maroon 5
      Track from: V
      [222 Records/Interscope]

• Uptown Funk
      Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
      Track from: Uptown Special
      [RCA Records]

• Bad Blood
      Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
      [Big Machine Records]

• See You Again
      Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth
      Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
      [Atlantic]


My Pick and Prediction: UPTOWN FUNK – Tough and tight category though.

~

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
• The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern
     
Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap
      [RPM Records/Columbia Records]

• Shadows In The Night
      Bob Dylan
      [Columbia]

• Stages
     
Josh Groban
      [Reprise]

• No One Ever Tells You
     
Seth MacFarlane
      [Republic]

• My Dream Duets
     
Barry Manilow (& Various Artists)
      [Verve Music Group]


My Pick: NO ONE EVER TELLS YOU – Seth MacFarlane delivers the goods here and I hope he wins, but it is very competitive.


My Prediction: THE SILVER LINING: THE SONGS OF JEROME KERN – though Manilow could pull it off (duets means everybody on that album will probably throw support his way).

~

Best Pop Vocal Album
• Piece By Piece
      Kelly Clarkson
      [19/RCA]

• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
      Florence + The Machine
      [Republic]

• Uptown Special
      Mark Ronson
      [RCA Records]

• 1989
      Taylor Swift
      [Big Machine Records]

• Before This World
     
James Taylor
      [Concord Records]


My Pick and Prediction: 1989 – Swift should have no problem getting the win here, but don’t count out James Taylor.



THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

Check us out on YouTube – Please Subscribe (It’s Free!)
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Check out Antonio Cassone’s Author Page on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003OC3MME
Thank YOU!


GRAMMY WATCH – Dance/Electronic Music Categories: My Picks and Predictions


Here are my picks and predictions for the Dance/Electronic and Contemporary Instrumental categories for The 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Best Dance Recording
• We're All We Need
     
Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
      Andrew Bayer, Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, producers; Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, mixers
      [Ultra/Anjunabeats]

• Go
     
The Chemical Brothers
      Tom Rowlands & Ed Simons, producers; Steve Dub Jones & Tom Rowlands, mixers
      [Astralwerks]

• Never Catch Me
     
Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
      Steven Ellison, producer; Kevin Marques Moo, mixer
      Track from: You're Dead!
      [Warp Records]

• Runaway (U & I)
     
Galantis
      Linus Eklöw, Christian Karlsson & Svidden, producers; Linus Eklöw, Niklas Flyckt & Christian Karlsson, mixers
      Track from: Pharmacy
      [Big Beat/Atlantic]

• Where Are Ãœ Now
     
Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber
      Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, producers; Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, mixers
      Track from: Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ãœ
      [Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic]


My Pick & Prediction: WHERE ARE U NOW… yes, I know.  I thought I would never root for a Bieber song, but it’s pretty damn good.

~

Best Dance/Electronic Album
• Our Love
     
Caribou
      [Merge Records]

• Born In The Echoes
     
The Chemical Brothers
      [Astralwerks]

• Caracal
     
Disclosure
      [Capitol Records]

• In Colour
      Jamie XX
      [Young Turks Recordings]

• Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ãœ
      Skrillex And Diplo
      [Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic]


My Pick & Prediction: SKRILLEX AND DIPLO PRESENT JACK U

~
 

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
• Guitar In The Space Age!
     
Bill Frisell
      Bill Frisell
      [Okeh]

• Love Language
      Wouter Kellerman
      Wouter Kellerman
      [Listen 2 Entertainment Group]

• Afrodeezia
      Marcus Miller
      Marcus Miller
      [Blue Note Records]

• Sylva
      Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest
      Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest
      [Impulse!]

• The Gospel According To Jazz, Chapter IV
     
Kirk Whalum
      Kirk Whalum
      [Mack Avenue Records]


My Pick: AFRODEEZIA


My Prediction: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JAZZ, CHAPTER IV




THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

Check us out on YouTube – Please Subscribe (It’s Free!)
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Check out Antonio Cassone’s Author Page on Amazon at
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Thank YOU!


Thursday, February 11, 2016

Time (from TEARS AND THUNDER) (1996 - Audio)

Get the FREE audio downloads from this album at http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/1752068 -
from my spoken-word/audio-play "Tears and Thunder," TIME visits how precious it is indeed.  Become a fan of Cassone on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Antonio-Cassone-Books-Photography-Videos/146268915387723 and also visit http://www.reverbnation.com/antoniocassone to see and hear more works by Cassone - Thanks!



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Thank YOU!



Wednesday, February 10, 2016

GRAMMY WATCH – Rock Music Categories: My Picks and Predictions


Here are my picks and predictions for the Rock music categories for The 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Best Rock Performance
• Don't Wanna Fight
      Alabama Shakes
      [ATO Records]

• What Kind Of Man
      Florence + The Machine
      Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
      [Republic]

• Something From Nothing
     
Foo Fighters
      Track from: Sonic Highways
      [RCA Records]

• Ex's & Oh's
     
Elle King
      Track from: Love Stuff
      [RCA Records]

• Moaning Lisa Smile
     
Wolf Alice
      Track from: My Love Is Cool
      [RCA Records/Dirty Hit]


My Pick: EX’S & OH’S


My Prediction: DON’T WANNA FIGHT…though, this is a really tough one to call.

~

Best Metal Performance
• Identity
     
August Burns Red
      [Fearless Records]

• Cirice
     
Ghost
      [Loma Vista Recordings]

• 512
      Lamb Of God
      Track from: VII: Sturm Und Drang
      [Epic Records]

• Thank You
     
Sevendust
      [7Bros Records]

• Custer
     
Slipknot
      Track from: .5: The Gray Chapter
      [Roadrunner Records]


My Pick and Prediction: CUSTER

~

Best Rock Song
• Don't Wanna Fight
      Alabama Shakes, songwriters (Alabama Shakes)
      [ATO Records; Publisher(s): Alabama Shakes Publishing/Break Mirrors Music]

• Ex's & Oh's
      Dave Bassett & Elle King, songwriters (Elle King)
      Track from: Love Stuff
      [RCA Records; Publisher(s): Elle King Music/EMI Music Publishing, Inc./Bassett Songs/EMI April Music, Inc.]

• Hold Back The River
      Iain Archer & James Bay, songwriters (James Bay)
      Track from: Chaos And The Calm
      [Republic; Publisher(s): B-Unique/Kobalt/Iain Archer/Kobalt]

• Lydia
      Richard Meyer, Ryan Meyer & Johnny Stevens, songwriters (Highly Suspect)
      Track from: Mister Asylum
      [300 Entertainment; Publisher(s): MCID]

• What Kind Of Man
      John Hill, Tom Hull & Florence Welch, songwriters (Florence + The Machine)
      Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
      [Republic; Publisher(s): Rodeoman Music/EMI April Music/Universal Music Publishing]


My Pick: EX’S & OH’S


My Prediction: DON’T WANNA FIGHT

~

Best Rock Album
• Chaos And The Calm
     
James Bay
      [Republic]

• Kintsugi
      Death Cab For Cutie
      [Atlantic]

• Mister Asylum
     
Highly Suspect
      [300 Entertainment]

• Drones
     
Muse
      [Warner Bros. Records]

• .5: The Gray Chapter
     
Slipknot
      [Roadrunner Records]


My Pick & Prediction: .5: THE GRAY CHAPTER

~

Best Alternative Music Album
• Sound & Color
     
Alabama Shakes
      [ATO Records]

• Vulnicura
      Björk
      [One Little Indian]

• The Waterfall
      My Morning Jacket
      [Capitol Records]

• Currents
     
Tame Impala
      [Interscope]

• Star Wars
     
Wilco
      [Anti/Dbpm]


My Pick & Prediction: SOUND & COLOR



THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

Check us out on YouTube – Please Subscribe (It’s Free!)
http://www.youtube.com/cassone2007
Check out Antonio Cassone’s Author Page on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003OC3MME
Thank YOU!


GRAMMY WATCH – R&B Music Categories: My Picks and Predictions


Here are my picks and predictions in the R&B Music categories for The 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Best R&B Performance
• If I Don't Have You
     
Tamar Braxton
      Track from: Calling All Lovers
      [Epic Records]

• Rise Up
      Andra Day
      Track from: Cheers To The Fall
      [Warner Bros. Records]

• Breathing Underwater
     
Hiatus Kaiyote
      Track from: Choose Your Weapon
      [Flying Buddha / Sony Masterworks]

• Planes
     
Jeremih Featuring J. Cole
      [Def Jam Recordings]

• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
      The Weeknd
      Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
      [Universal Studios/Republic Records]


My Pick and Prediction: EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) – The Weeknd has had quite a freshman year and he will be rewarded greatly.

~

Best Traditional R&B Performance
• He Is
     
Faith Evans
      Track from: Incomparable
      [Prolific Music Group/BMG]

• Little Ghetto Boy
     
Lalah Hathaway
      [Entertainment One/8Th Floor]

• Let It Burn
     
Jazmine Sullivan
      Track from: Reality Show
      [RCA Records]

• Shame
     
Tyrese
      [Voltron Recordz]

• My Favorite Part Of You
      Charlie Wilson
      Track from: Forever Charlie
      [RCA Records]


My Pick and Prediction: MY FAVORITE PART OF YOU – Charlie Wilson is like fine wine; he just gets better with each album. Though, Tyrese may give him a run.

~

Best R&B Song
• Coffee
      Brook Davis & Miguel Pimentel, songwriters (Miguel)
      Track from: Wildheart
      [RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment; Publisher(s): Art Dealer Chic, Pop Killer/Dleaurean]

• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
      Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
      Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
      [Universal Studios/Republic Records; Publisher(s): SONGS Music Publishing, LLC, o/b/o Songs Of SMP, Songs Of Universal, Inc. and Sing Little Penguin, Universal Music Corp, CP Music Group, Inc., Universal Pictures Music and UPG Music Publishing]

• Let It Burn
      Kenny B. Edmonds, Jazmine Sullivan & Dwane M. Weir II, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)
      Track from: Reality Show
      [RCA Records; Publisher(s): JazLady Publishing, Dwane M. Weir II/Sean Michael Anderson Music LLC/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Sony/ATV Songs LLC]

• Really Love
      D'Angelo & Kendra Foster, songwriters (D'Angelo And The Vanguard)
      Track from: Black Messiah
      [RCA Records; Publisher(s): Ah Choo Music Publishing/12:00 AM Music admin. by Universal Polygram International Publishing, Ear Kandy Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.]

• Shame
      Warryn Campbell, Tyrese Gibson & DJ Rogers Jr, songwriters (Tyrese)
      [Voltron Recordz; Publisher(s): Peer Music/Sounds From The Soul/Campbell Kids Music/Warner Chappell/@PenTorious D.J. Rogers Jr. Sounds From The Soul/Gibson & Gibson Music Publishing]



My Pick and Prediction: EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) – for me, it is between this one and REALLY LOVE, but this one is nominated in a few more cats and has an Oscar nod to boot.  It just seems that the momentum should go this way.

~


Best Urban Contemporary Album
• Ego Death
     
The Internet
      [Odd Future/Columbia]

• You Should Be Here
     
Kehlani
      [Tsunami Mob/Atlantic]

• Blood
     
Lianne La Havas
      [Nonesuch]

• Wildheart
     
Miguel
      [RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment]

• Beauty Behind The Madness
      The Weeknd
      [Republic]


My Pick: WILDHEART – I REALLY want Miguel to win.


My Prediction: BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS – Again, The Weeknd had a very strong year and will rise to the top here as well, though I hope Miguel pulls it out.

~

Best R&B Album
• Coming Home
      Leon Bridges
      [Columbia Records]

• Black Messiah
      D'Angelo And The Vanguard
      [RCA Records]

• Cheers To The Fall
      Andra Day
      [Warner Bros. Records]

• Reality Show
     
Jazmine Sullivan
      [RCA Records]

• Forever Charlie
     
Charlie Wilson
      [RCA Records]


My Pick: FOREVER CHARLIE – Awesome showcase and very deserving.


My Prediction: BLACK MESSIAH – D’Angelo’s masterpiece.


THE 58TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this year’s Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

Check us out on YouTube – Please Subscribe (It’s Free!)
http://www.youtube.com/cassone2007
Check out Antonio Cassone’s Author Page on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003OC3MME
Thank YOU!