Music

The List Of 2021 Grammy Nominations Is Actually Incomplete Thanks To The Pandemic

Getty Image There are 84 categories for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, but only 83 sets of nominations have been announced. …

This morning, the Recording Academy announced its list of 2021 Grammy nominations. Eagle-eyed music fans may have noticed something was a bit off about this year’s list, though. There are 84 categories for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, but only 83 sets of nominations were announced today. This means the Academy didn’t share the full list of nominees for the 63rd Grammys, and it turns out it’s all because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Academy’s official list of 2021 Grammy nominees, as posted on its website, doesn’t include any nominees for the Best Immersive Audio Album category. Instead, under that heading is a message revealing that the committee tasked with deciding that category’s nominees was unable to meet due to the pandemic, so nominees for the category will be announced at a later date. The message reads:

“Due the COVID-19 pandemic, the Best Immersive Audio Album Craft Committee was unable to meet. The judging of the entries in this category has been postponed until such time that we are able to meet in a way that is appropriate to judge the many formats and configurations of the entries and is safe for the committee members. The nominations for the 63rd GRAMMYs will be announced next year in addition to (and separately from) the 64th GRAMMY nominations in the category.”

While committees for other categories were presumably able to communicate and work in socially distanced ways, that may not have been as practical a solution for Best Immersive Audio Album. Since the category is more technically dependent than others, the Academy found they were unable to properly judge the category during the pandemic.

Find the (almost) full list of 2021 Grammy nominees here.

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Album Review

Paul Terry, Aptøsrs & Cellarscape unite on bold new album “Alternative Piano Club”

Combining his three artistic alter egos, Paul Terry presents an awe-inspiring new 12-track album, “Alternative Piano Club,” written in collaboration with Aptøsrs and Cellarscape. This is an album-length voyage of music that blends acoustic, rock, and piano-driven cinematic sounds.

Torn between this complex emotional spectrum, all the while the piano remains at its core throughout. Paul Terry opens his “Memento Mori (Chromogenic Phase)” contemplatively, creating a solemn, reflective mood. Cellarscape’s “Three Years Of Roses“ is warmer, whereas Aptøsrs’ “Questionnaires“ is much more textured as a large, sculptural post-rock.

“Dave’s Theme,” written by Paul Terry, musically expands the narrative with a touch of cinematic elevation that aligns well. “We Shape The Clouds” by Cellarscape is fluffy and heart-warming, “Writers Behind The Curtain” is somber, more narrative. We are all together in “A Place We Made,” an honest, intimate, emotionally grounded space.

The project contains vocal warmth and cultural depth in the song “This Is My Home“ by Silas Miami & Lana Crowster. Proceeding in a totally different direction is the stronger emotional clarity of Paul Terry’s acoustic storytelling on “Any Time You Want To Fly” and “No Sleep Has Come.” Cellarscape presents a wide, spacious atmospheric moment in “Cygnus,” while Aptøsrs ends with “Rust Mountain (Monochrome Piano Version),” a simple gem that brings the project full circle.

The mixing of Sam Okell and Adam Noble, the mastering of Alex Wharton and Robin Schmidt have, in many ways, brought their polish to it while still making it feel human. “Alternative Piano Club” is a work entity, where three musical personalities met and talk mind in the same emotional language.

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Artist Spotlight

LAST ALEX! balances precision and pulse on the electrifying track “Plus 1”

LAST ALEX!, a Chicago-based artist and producer, comes out with “Plus 1,” a high-energy release that combines technical prowess with an undeniable melodic instinct.

LAST ALEX! puts both craftsmanship and creativity on display here. The song’s strength lies in its balance, in detailed execution without sacrificing feeling, and in complexity without losing momentum.

LAST ALEX! doesn’t fully lean into the cold technique or loose emotion, but finds the sweet spot where skill and soul meet. This yields a polished, vibrant, and musically confident track.

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