Classic D Man

Not too long ago, Evan Dando was an alternative music pin-up--and for good reason. His guitar-pop with a sometimes country twinge produced at least a dozen hook-filled tracks that never grow tiresome. The D Man has recently been re-living summers past and cannot stop spinning The Lemonheads. The sweet meloncholy that permeates Dando's songs taps into a vein that has nothing to do with the drugs that he often laments. Enjoy "Confetti" or check out "Rudderless" and "Backbone" here. Or maybe a back-porch version of "It's About Time." Because I know you've probably only heard this and this.

Speaking of that subtle country vibe, if someone in Nashville covers "It's A Shame About Ray" they will finally be cool or at the very least would have a justifiable hit. Yep, that's Johnny Depp in the video. He is pretty cool too.

Five Things

Some shared thoughts and musical moments from the past week.

• Last weekend The D Man saw Sting in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand for his Symphonicity Tour. As always, the Englishman sounded great and the clan had an excellent time. Sting's arrangements were fantastic (as expected) and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra extended a richness to the songs that was refreshing and almost heavenly (unexpected). The concert's atmosphere was relaxed as Sting discussed aspects of each song he played, developing a unique backstory that was interesting even to longtime fans. The D Man especially enjoyed performances of some of his favorite songs from Sting's solo material, including "Russians," "Mad About You," "Shape of My Heart," and (giving me chills) "Why Should I Cry For You?"
• Has a song ever sounded better on the Vegas strip? Maybe. But it wasn't this cool, and The D Man wasn't with you.
• Check out Passion Pit's cover of "Tonight, Tonight" by Smashing Pumpkins. Yes, that is a dude singing.
• Rumination incarnate. For the inward search.
• Sting also performed "End of the Game" and it was lovely. None of us had heard the song before. Apparently a Brand New Day B-Side.

Song of the Week

Jack Tatum sounds like the name of a linebacker. But this dude from Blacksburg, Virginia, pays sensitive homage to that starry-eyed vein of dream pop first perfected in the Eighties by some of indie-rock's finest. Check out Wild Nothing's "Summer Holiday" from debut Gemini, complete with reverbed falsetto vocals and an introspective guitar line. Sounds just like it should--nostalgic and gorgeous.

Classic D Man

Sufjan. Stevens. New. Album. The four words have stumbled around The D Man's brain for the past several days. Apparently, Sufjan has not only been gigging with his friends from The National, but he has been hard at work in the band's Brooklyn studio recording a new album. Bryce Dessner explains that Sufjan is "very solitary in what he does" and that the new material does not sound like his older records. "It's going to be incredible," Dessner adds. "It's probably going to blow people's minds." With my mind already blown, Sufjan will just need to (gently) pick up the pieces.

Enjoy this goofy fan video for "He Woke Me Up Again," from 2004's masterful Seven Swans. The song contains the best banjo lead/organ accompaniment of all time. And it somehow manages to sum up The D Man's feelings for Sufjan's music, the Divine, and years of patient waiting: I was asleep. And He woke me up again.

Five Things

The D Man is another year older. But still in his prime. The best songs from his June 8 birthday.

• Mark Kozelek's cover of "New Partner" (driving to work 7:15 a.m.)
• Wild Nothing's "Summer Holiday" (at work 10:25 a.m.)
• The Very Best's "Chalo" (driving to play golf 1:15 p.m.)
• Beach House's "Zebra" (driving to dinner 8:05 p.m.)
• Beach House's "Lover of Mine" (driving to movie 9:30 p.m.)
• Bonus: AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" (Iron Man 2)

Song of the Week

Stars slay the summer again with a killer single worthy of "Ageless Beauty." Check out the video for "Fixed" from the Canadian band's fifth album, The Five Ghosts. Amy Millan's vocals breeze over a shoegaze-lite pop arrangement and nestle their way into a bed of synths. That means good listening, folks.

Music and Memory

The D Man purchased August and Everything After in early spring of 1994 at a baseball tournament in St. George, Utah. Largely driven by the emerging airplay of "Mr. Jones" on MTV (who is this white dude with dreads? why his belly hanging out? why is this a breath of fresh air after everything else on the radio?), The D Man walked down the street to K-Mart and picked up the album. When I returned home and told my older brother about my new tunes he protested and said I should have picked up The Cocteau Twins. Typical.

Regardless of what hindsight haters might say, Adam Duritz' songwriting was brilliant on Counting Crows debut release. There was not a weak song on the record and the sing-along choruses were cathartic. Duritz' lyrics were supple and descriptive in a derivative (albeit melodically-worthy) Dylan vein. "Round Here," "Omaha," "Anna Begins," "Rain King." You know them all.

Perhaps tapping into some faux-junior high desperation, my favorite track (aside from the obvious ones) was the angst-riddled and nostalgia-fueled "Sullivan Street." I'm almost drowning in her sea / she's nearly falling to her knees. Pretty straightforward, sure. But The D Man loved the way Duritz added the buh-ba-buh-ba after singing take the way home for the second time. Loved the way the chorus changed (as with most of Duritz' best songs) to tell an ongoing story. Loved the gorgeous, live-feel production (thanks to T-Bone Burnett). The D Man listened to this track countless times in his basement bedroom. And he can primarily thank the Crows for being the gateway to artists like Dylan that he would discover later in high school. Take the way home, indeed.

Song of the Weekend

Hope you enjoy your long weekend as much as these royal dudes from the East Coast. Hit the beach. Grab some In-N-Out. Beat down a surfer. Whatever. Just make sure you spend some time thanking our men and women that have made this fun possible.

Hunger Strike

Rip recently caught Pearl Jam at the Garden. The Black Keys opened. But he was really bummed that he missed Band of Horses opening the following night. Hate to break it to you, brother, but Eddie Vedder and Ben Bridwell filled up the arena with "Hunger Strike," the rarely-sung-live Temple of the Dog classic. Vedder sounds in-the-pocket as always in this excellent fan footage. And Bridwell hits Chris Cornell's high notes with aplomb. Notice how the easy-going South Carolinan is uncomfortable singing slaves. Damn, he is talented, cool, and nice.

Song of the Week

Check out this epic, in-the-zeitgeist, post-dancerock track from LCD Soundsystem's new release, This Is Happening. James Murphy sings "You wanted a hit / but maybe we don't do hits." Ummmmm, right. If you heard this song while entering a record store, you would not make it out alive--like entering into the hippest wormhole in the time-space continuum, the vortex keeps spinning around until you succumb to the outer reaches of coolness. You wanted a hit? Baby, you just got something bigger.

Five Things

Heading for the weekend. Life is good. Still like music too.

• With twenty-four contestants left, The D Man predicted that Lee Dewyze and Casey James would be the last two men standing in American Idol. Easy peasy. Lee Dewyze, a naturally-gifted vocalist and former paint sales clerk from Chicago, should now win the entire thing.
• Best hair metal song of the moment: "Last Summer's Evil" by TNT. !!!!!!!!!!
• Janelle Monae's "Tightrope" (featuring Big Boi) is some Outkastic funk.
• Band of Horses hits the sweet spot everytime. Check out an electric version or chilled-out acoustic version of "Laredo."
• "Empire Ants" from Plastic Beach is an incredible track straddling two seemingly disparate soundscapes. Damon Albarn's production values are vivid.

Song of the Week

Get up close and personal with the Brood King on The National's new video for "Bloodbuzz Ohio." Matt Berninger's narrow baritone takes flight with (a swarm of bees and) an exquisite rock'n'roll arrangement that lesser mortals scarce can comprehend.

The National

After The National's performance last night on Letterman, The D Man can confidently proclaim that, right this very minute, there is not a better band on the planet. And who provides those ethereal backing vocals on "Afraid of Everyone," both last night and on the album version? None other than long-time friend Sufjan Stevens. Go pick up High Violet today, now out in your local record store and even on sale for $7.99 at Target. Probably the best bang for your musical buck since you pilfered In Rainbows.

Five Things to Remember While The D Man Is In Trial

The D Man is going all Matlock for the next two weeks. (Here is hoping that my lucid arguments do not get overruled). So while The D Man is out seeking justice in a venerable courtroom of this great state, his loyal cadre of readers should remember the following five things:

• Some (potentially) great albums come out in May: Broken Social Scene, The Hold Steady, The Dead Weather, The National, Band of Horses, and LCD Soundsystem will be hitting a record store near you. Even Crash Test Dummies drop a new album called Oooh LaLa! Who knows, right?
• May is a great time to listen to the following songs: "Street Lights" by Josh Rouse, "Sometimes Life Isn't Easy" by Mew, and "Pushover" by The Long Winters. Just saying.
• If you haven't fallen in love with Teen Dream, well, there is not much that The D Man can do for you.
• Sun Kil Moon is releasing its fourth full-length, Admiral Fell Promises, on July 13th. Buy the record straight from Caldo Verde Records and get the four song I'll Be There EP.
• Did The D Man mention that The National is releasing an album? Check out a live performance of "Terrible Love" called The Castle Rock Session here.

Song of the Week

Band of Horses are on the run again in "NW Apt." The song's straightforward, guitar-chugging goodness will propel you down the street and make you smile at well-placed choruses and simple chord progressions. Check out Infinite Arms when it hits record stores this May.

NW Apt.

Band Of Horses | MySpace Music Videos

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady drops Heaven is Whenever next week. "Hurricane J" hits the Minnesota band's sweet spot. Stark the Vinyl Shark jumping with a cold one right now.

Song of the Week

The Tallest Man on Earth (aka Kristian Matsson from Sweden, not Barcelona) just released sophomore album, The Wild Hunt. The troubadour's voice lends himself to comparison's with Bob Dylan and his spare production is a folk-revival of sorts, although his songs are decidedly forward-looking in their ultimate tone. "King of Spain" is an excellent example of Matsson's vibrant finger-picking and vocal agility.

Five Things

Some random observations from the past couple days.

• "Welcome to the Plastic Beach" is Snoop Dogg's best track since his Nineties heyday. One of several great songs from Gorillaz' excellent new album.
• Drive By Trucker's The Big To Do is another solid collection of ragged country-rock stories.
• Cannot get this song out of my head. Been four months.
• Go is very good.
• The D Man is bummed that he missed Record Store Day on Saturday. Good deals on records. Special releases. Cool kids and posers alike hanging out just to be a part of the scene. But someone has to work and earn the cash to keep the record stores alive in the day and age of digital. So is The D Man's contribution.

Song of the Week

One of The D Man's all-time favorite songs from his early years is "Maneater" by Hall & Oates, the baddest white-soul duo since Lewis and Clark. The groovy bass line and mysterious keys and horns were just about the coolest thing from the early Eighties. Rip recently suggested that The D Man give a listen to The Bird and the Bee's interpretation "of the masters." Like he said, any band who wants to pay tribute to Hall & Oates is cool with me. Indeed.

Jónsi

Jónsi gets all prettied up for his "Go Do" video from his first solo album, Go. Can't blame him. Painting your face and embossing your clothes with feathers will do wonders for your singing career. Or at least it will make you look like a cockatiel. The D Man has written plenty about Sigur Ros and the group's supernatural powers. Jónsi flies into bright realms on his solo effort and embellishes "Go Do" with pop accoutrements galore. Sum total? A joyously original track.

Song of the Week

This Spring is turning into a great time of year for music lovers. With new albums coming out from The National, Broken Social Scene, The Hold Steady, LCD Soundsystem, and Band of Horses, there are plenty of good tunes to go around. The D Man is a big fan of Ben Bridwell and his friends--especially their high-pitched harmonies and accessible swirls of indie guitars. Check out "Compliments" from the band's forthcoming third-album, Infinite Arms, which dabbles in some countrified sonic space.

Five Things

The D Man is willing to share more of his random thoughts with his loyal cadre of readers. So here it goes.

• Vampire Weekend has more rhythm, funk, syncopation, and flow than nine out of every ten rappers. The Columbia-grads put on a great show last week and sounded tight, inspired, and fresh. Check out the new video for "Giving Up the Gun," featuring a few interesting cameos.
• The D Man received this text from his (unnamed) brother, who was attending a concert over the weekend: "Jet rocks!" No, thankfully he was not talking about The Jets, but still: Jet rocks? Maybe Jet rocks for people who watch VH1 every morning and have a ten-album collection that consists of The Eagles Greatest Hits and Yanni: Live at the Acropolis. But for people who love and listen to actual rock music? Original, bona fide rock music? Not so sure. Jet arrived in 2003 attempting to ride the wave of the so-called rock revival led by the likes of The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives, and even fellow Aussies The Vines. Unlike their better peers (particularly The Strokes and The White Stripes), Jet opportunistically aped every imaginable band possible (The Stones, AC/DC, Oasis) to become one of the most corporate, vanilla, and inauthentic "rock bands" of the past twenty years. The band would make Joe Jonas blush--this actual review of a Jet record says it all. Indeed, The D Man concurs with critic Nick Sylvester's even less nice review of the band's most popular album to date, Get Born. The very act of writing this hit piece has reminded The D Man that he needs go pick up the new Under Great Northern Lights box set as soon as possible. Relief.
• Still love this song.
• The National's "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from the forthcoming High Violet is stunning. I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees.
• These three songs from Broken Social Scene's much-anticipated album are quite good.

PS22 Chorus

The D Man had a great choir director in high school. When Mr. Keck wanted to cut loose, he rocked out with some American folk songs. But this sensitive pony-tailed guy? He leads his chorus through endearing renditions of Journey, Survivor, and Coldplay.

PS22 Chorus is a fifth-grade choir from Public School 22 in Staten Island, New York. The diverse group of kids has received more than 14 million YouTube hits and been featured with artists such as Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, and Common. Recently, they were featured on three songs from Passion Pit's fantastic debut album, Manners, including the infectious sing-a-long from "Little Secrets." Check out the chorus doing "Lisztomania" from Phoenix. Thanks to G-Reese via B-Reese for the heads up.

Classic D Man

When "Bizarre Love Triangle" came on the radio the other day, I sang every word. The D Man realized that the song has held up remarkably well, especially considering the last decade's computer-assisted foray (or even obsession) into danceable pop music influenced by the likes of New Order and other Eighties post- new wave purveyors.

The D Man was also reminded of Frente!'s lovely version of the song from 1994. I remember listening to the song on late-night summer drives and thinking Australia's Angie Hart had the most perfect voice in the universe. If you have watched American Idol recently, you do not need to be told that a second-take rarely measures up to the original. But Frente!'s "Bizzare Love Triangle" is worthy of discussion as an authentic interpretation of a fantastic pop song, thanks to Hart's bittersweet restraint and the lilting acoustic line somehow discovered among the bleeping synths of the original.

Song of the Week

It takes an ocean not to break. The National debuted "Terrible Love" on Fallon this week and The D Man is thrilled with the sound of another anthemic breakdown of brooding post-rock and mega-chorus brilliance. The band's fifth album, High Violet, does not hit record stores until May, but The D Man is excited about everything he is seeing and hearing. The album cover takes a decidedly In Rainbows-esque turn to something brighter and more magnanimous than the band's previous (albeit superlative) artwork. And if the band's pulsing energy on display with "Terrible Love" is any indication of the album's thrust, we are in for a treat.

Danny Gokey

The D Man has been a consistent American Idol viewer for the past few years. Yes, a young Bowie or Tweedy is unlikely to grace the stage, but it is still compelling reality television with some seriously talented individuals.

Arguably one of the best human beings to appear on American Idol, Danny Gokey stole the hearts of viewers last year with his story, sincerity, and authenticity. Losing his young wife shortly before appearing on Idol, Gokey inspired listeners, sent up great performances, and eventually finished third behind lesser-voiced Kris Allen and just plain scary Adam Lambert.

His debut album, My Best Days, was just released. Making a wise career decision to go country, Gokey can now sing straightforward songs suited to his big soft-gravel voice--and can even mention the Lord to an understanding audience. (Gokey was a church choir director before Idol). If there is someone worth supporting on country radio, The D Man suggests that you give Mr. Gokey a try. Or you can listen to Lambert and try not to catch something.

Classic D Man

Singer-songwriter Mark Linkous (aka Sparklehorse) passed away this weekend after taking his own life. Massively talented and destined for major stardom after the release of Sparklehorse's first album in 1995, Linkous opened for the likes of R.E.M. and Radiohead. But he instead filtered much of his lush and melodic music through experimentation, ultimately becoming a cult figure beloved by his fans and fellow musicians, including the many artists that he collaborated with such as PJ Harvey, David Lynch, Tom Waits, Daniel Johnston, The Flaming Lips, and most recently Danger Mouse on the just released Dark Night of the Soul.

In 2006, The D Man wrote the following about Sparklehorse's fantastic album, Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain:

Indeed, many of these songs sound as if they were composed in the belly of a mountain, dew-eyed from ages of Van Winkle dreaming and obscured by the depths of the earth. Mark Linkous has been called reclusive, and there is a hermit-like quality to his music that echoes from forest hollows—intimate, unsettled, lonely but cautiously hopeful. And perhaps it is the few streams of hope that bubble up to the surface, through the static, which makes this record so fresh and vital—unlike past efforts, Linkous seems slightly reborn after sleeping for so long.

Unfortunately, Linkous could never escape his constant battle with depression and other demons. Like many gifted artists before him, he will best be remembered through his music. Enjoy The D Man's favorite Linkous moment below. May your shade be sweet.

Song of the Week

Frightened Rabbit is still responsible for one of the best guitar-pop songs of the past few years. And with the band's forthcoming third album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, the guys from Selkirk take center stage among the recent cast of solid Scottish bands such as Camera Obscura, Glasvegas, Idlewild, and of course, Belle & Sebastian. The D Man likes the new single "Swim Until You Can't See Land," even if no bagpipes get wet.

Road Trip

Music is an essential element to any good road trip. Music can enhance your time in the car unlike any other pastime. Mood, location, time of day, weather, and a host of other factors can (and should) determine your personal soundtrack. There is nothing worse than the wrong song at the wrong time. But there is something enjoyable, exciting, and even enriching about listening to the right song on the open highway.

The D Man recently hit the road for San Diego. Seaworld. Legoland. The works. Enjoy my music log on what proved to be a fantastic time. As you will see, The D Man was on his game and hit all the right buttons.

• Monday. Started in the early morning with Beach House's exquisite, hazy Teen Dream. Absolutely perfect. While leaving the Wasatch Front, the late winter clouds hung low, and the Baltimore duo's music extended the clouds right into the car.
• During the bleak winterscapes of central Utah, The D Man went with The xx. The atmospherics could have been sexier except for Mrs. D Man curled up in her velour sweats reading Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. (Note: she cried for the first time at page 57. Yep. Page 57).
• Next: Alligator from The National. High point: "All the Wine" and "Abel" over the snow-riddled summit of Beaver pass.
• After emerging from the Virgin river gorge, The D Man slipped in Rules from The Whitest Boy Alive. No better album for the vast desert on a clear, forward-looking day. Awesome.
• Coming down into Las Vegas, Kanye West's Graduation was on track five.
• Tuesday. While trying to find some breakfast on the streets just off The Strip, we listened to The Very Best. Brilliant selection. The D Man wondered whether anyone would notice. Nope.
• Setting out for California, we listened to Nashville from Josh Rouse. The D Man really loves this album, especially in the springtime. Needed to get those open-hearted vibes going.
• Across Death Valley, had to go with something big, anthemic. Kings of Leon did the trick. Pulled into Barstow while listening to this song.
• Played the Beach Boys as we headed down into the coastal valleys of California. A tradition of sorts, dating back to road trips as a kid. Is there a better soundtrack for the coming surf and sun?
• We hit San Diego at night, which obviously required something smooth, urban, breezy. Ne-Yo. Check. Year of the Gentlemen. Check.
• Wednesday. Animal Collective.
• Thursday. The D Man pulled out a special treat while driving on the Pacific Coast Highway to Legoland. The Outfield. Greatest Hits. A triumph that I will never forget. Awesome drive, awesome day.
• Beach House. Again. Displaying serious versatility, the duo's music transformed into an ethereal accompaniment for the setting sun.
• Friday. We listened to Camera Obscura while driving through the palm-tree lined streets of Coronado. Who knew a Scottish band could be so pitch-perfect on an island?
• Saturday. The return trip is always difficult when it comes to your music selection. That sense of anticipation and excitement is gone. Road trippers need strong songs to carry them home, songs that can retain the trip's excitement or at the very least ruminate on the good times past.
• California rain on a Saturday morning: Begone Dull Care from the Junior Boys. The D Man wondered at this stage whether he is one of the best road trip DJ's of all time. Seriously.
• Enjoyed my first listen to Spoon's Transference.
• Two Suns from Bat for Lashes carried us up and over the cloud-shrouded El Cajon pass. This song was brilliant as we made the ascent.
• In the desert again, we needed something sprawling, open, and somehow American. Wilco's Summerteeth fit the bill. Maybe The D Man's favorite album from Chicago's finest band.
• Eventually slowed things down with Sun Kil Moon's Tiny Cities, one of The D Man's favorite driving albums of all time. More rain. More thinking. The rest of the car was asleep or reading (Little Women is apparently pretty long), so The D Man contemplated big things. Shot to the moon / Read a paperback and I wanna come home / Soon.
• Getting closer to Vegas again, The D Man loosened things up with Passion Pit. The kids woke up and liked what they heard. On the other side of Vegas, we continued the happy pop vibes with Vampire Weekend's Contra and The Very Best (again).
• Hit more rain and snow just before our stop in Cedar City. Beach House. A third time.
• Sunday. The D Man eased things into his final day of driving with The Kings of Convenience. Probably have listened to Declaration of Dependence more than any other album the past few months.
• Neko Case. Ryan Adams. Maxwell. Home.

Song of the Week

The D Man has "Little Secrets" as his ringtone and it is one of the better choices he has made. Why? Because even when obnoxious people call it still makes me feel good about life. Higher and higher and higher.

Check out the new video for "Little Secrets." There is absolutely no reason why Passion Pit shouldn't be selling millions of records. Of course, I suppose the fact that the general populace has sketchy taste in pop music is a problem. Alas.

Classic D Man

If this is not the best ten-minute acoustic song of all time, then there are some spine-tingling verses that deserve a serious explanation. On "Lost Verses," Mark Kozelek shapes the sentimental into the artistic, an aesthetic feat that few singer-songwriters ever accomplish. The patient buildup and lovelorn payoff are pure emotional electricity. And the open-tuned guitar finale? Brilliant.

BONUS: Check out this incredible live version, captured somewhere in America.

Song of the Week

Midlake just released their long-anticipated album, The Courage of Others. The band's much-beloved 2006 album, The Trials of Van Occupanther, sets an extremely high bar--it was one of the fifty best records of the decade. Check out "Acts of Man," a fitting song for the dog days of February.

Peter Gabriel

The D Man has always worshiped the work of Peter Gabriel, even though the video for "Shock the Monkey" scared me as a little kid. Gabriel's unique creativity has spawned countless classic tracks, both far-reaching in the popular and intimate in the personal. So it shouldn't be a surprise that at this stage in his career, with an overwhelming catalog to maneuver against, Gabriel is releasing an album reinterpreting the songs of other great artists. Scratch My Back is due out in March, offering up renditions of Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Elbow, and Bon Iver, among others. Hear the beautifully orchestrated "Flume," one of the standout tracks from Bon Iver's recent classic, For Emma, Forever Ago. Gabriel's reverent incantations are stunning.

Song of the Week

The D Man is a fan of Matthew Ryan's sparse traditionalism that is rooted in a minimalist approach to the Nashville music scene where he makes his home. His work with Neilson Hubbard in Strays Don't Sleep is underrated excellence, and his unique voice has been described as a "hushed rasp, with words catching like vows destined to be broken--one of modern music's most potent whispers." Check out "We Are Snowmen" from Ryan's recent release, Dear Lover.

Grammy Redux

The Grammy Awards have become fairly ridiculous and an exercise in excess. (Not to mention the bloated and contrived music industry "moments"). So naturally The D Man slogged his way through the entire affair so he could bring you some semblance of sanity. Enjoy. (Mrs. D Man's comments are in italics).

• Lady Ga-Ga arrives! “She is so gross.” The D Man wonders whether Madonna was ever this contrived, and then a soot-covered Elton John shows up for a duet. Close call.
• Song of the Year? "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. At least my son knows the version from The Chipmunks.
• On Jennifer Lopez: “She’s got a major girdle on. No way.”
• Green Day is now in rarified company--one of the most overrated best-selling bands of all time. Green Day the Musical? Did The Seussical end its run? We are a long way from “Longview.”
• On one of Green Day's musical singers: “She must be a meth addict or something because her skin is awful.”
• Tired of Taylor Swift acting so surprised. That is all.
• Beyonce going with the Tina Turner Beyond Thunderdome look. No complaints here. But I am surprised to see her without two ladies next to her that have had their thighs carefully measured. Yes, you know what I'm talking about.
• Just noticed Weird Al in the crowd. Finally. 51 million youtube views cannot be wrong.
• "Nicole Kidman's face looks like Play-Dough. Molded.”
• Was Pink getting ready for a Vulcan wedding? Man she was bad. I felt violated when she took off her robes. “Ooh, she’s wet, honey. They dipped her in water.”
• Zac Brown Band as Best New Artist? How out of touch is this show? Keeps breaking new barriers every year.
• The D Man's best joke of the night: “At least the Peas will bring the Boom Boom Pow.” (Giggles). Lyric of the Year has to be "Mazel tov." But I'm not gonna lie. Loved the dancing boom-box guys. I think the Timpview drill team must have let the Peas borrow their costumes.
• Lady Antebellum was really singing. Good for them. Not a bad song either. A Fleetwood Mac-style burner.
• I voted for “Livin' on a Prayer," if you were wondering.
• Record of the Year goes to “Use Somebody” by The Kings of Leon. Given the inadequate category choices, not so bad.
• Robert Downey, Jr. is on fire. And he knows it. Jamie Foxx, not so much. He is starting to get on my nerves with the whole double-threat thing. Leave that to Neon Deon. And why keep pretending to sing if everyone knows you are not singing and apparently does not care if you sing?
• “I’m just imagining your Dad watching this and it makes me laugh.”
• Slash appears for a shill-out solo. (Sigh).
• Mary J. Blige performs at every awards show. If she is not careful, she could become the female Stevie Wonder.
• Green Day wins Rock Album of the Year. Somewhere people cared.
• The Zac Brown Band had to pretend they were stoked to play with the legendary Leon Russell, right? No matter. A half-way decent performance. Cold beer on a Friday night. Pair of jeans that fit just right.
• On Stevie Nicks: “Her voice is so raspy.” The D Man: “That is because she’s got a quarter-sized hole in her nose from all the coke she snorted.”
• Lionel Richie comes out. “Yeeesssss.” Smoothest presenter of the night. And it is not even close.
• Was I supposed to get 3D glasses for the tribute to Michael Jackson’s tribute to the planet earth? Thankfully I stole a pair after Avatar.
• Michael’s alleged kids accepting a word on his behalf. Creepy. Grammy people, get a clue.
• Lyric of the Night: “I highjacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold.” Sheesh. Thanks, Bon Jovi.
• Bocelli can sing. Refreshing. Mary J. Blige brought the goods too. She can come back next year. Just don’t sing “Superstitious.”
• The Dave Matthews Band? What can The D man say? At least they are good musicians, sound tight, and know how to play to a large audience.
• Maxwell was DYNAMITE. Classy. Talented. “My favorite performance so far.”
• Still a fan of dead artist montages.
• On Lil' Wayne: “I don’t know how his pants stay on when he’s running around like that.” Half his song with Eminem and T-Pain was blocked out. Mercifully.
• Strange, Taylor Swift’s Fearless didn’t make The D Man’s Top Twenty List. Oh well, there is always next year when Vampire Weekend wins. Ummm, wait.