YiR'09: The Blog's Musical Review, Part 3.

Vocal performances are judged separetely in this review from artistic efforts for a very distinct reason: Sometimes an artist can score that one song in a year a hit it big time, whereas another artist can solidify its fame further than that one hit, his efforts went well beyond that combining artistic innovation, sales, touring, the works. But that doesn't mean that a song, by not having the same exposure, looses its beauty, so thats why we hit it separately. Just like a really sucky song can have a great video, same premise works here.

That said, we kick of the Vocal Performances Categories (Songs):

BEST ALTERNATIVE

MUSIC PERFORMANCE

"TU VERSUS YO" PERFORMED AND 
PRODUCED BY JUANGO DAVALOS

From the EP "Un Niño Antiguo" (DR, 2009)

Runnerups: "Happy Up Here" by Royksopp; "El Blues del Ping Pong"by Rita Indiana 
y Los Misterios; "Si No Fuera por Tí" by Enrique Bunbury and "Electromovimiento" by Calle 13.

Juango Dávalos is one of the best kept secrets our country has to offer the market right now. His debut single, "Té Versus Yo" has been Number 1 in all pop-rock radio stations in Santo Domingo, based on catchy vintage tunes, melodic vocals and great effects on a very well achieved album. One can only imagine this product placed under the right hands where top would be for this promising new dominican solo artist. The other noteworthy song in the runnerups post, is probably dominican gazelle Rita Indiana and her band "Los Misterios", composed of well known rockers, that are experimenting with the music arround them, namely, street mambo. Rita's most important contribution, if any, has been bringing a new crowd of listeners to her concerts and present them with a brand new sound and melodies very attipical for what the crowds in Cinema Cafe or Quintana are used to, and that is probably as award-worthy than anyone else here.

BEST URBAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE

"RIGHT ROUND" PERFORMED BY FLO RIDA

PRODUCED BY DR. LUKE

From the Album : "R. O. O. T. S." (USA, 2009)

Runnerups: "I Know You Want Me (Calle 8)" by Pitbull; 

"Electromovimiento" by Calle 13; "We Made You" by Eminem;

Even over the pop sensation "I Know You Want Me" by Pitbull, Flo Rida's rendition of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" excells by literally remaking the sucess of the original song, and vilelly I dare say, overcomes it. No, Flo's version will not be an instant classic, but boy is it good on the dance floor!

BEST ROCK MUSIC PERFORMANCE

"QUIMICAMENTE MEJORADO" PERFORMED BY POOLPO

PRODUCED BY POOLPO

From the EP "Octopus" (DR, 2009)

Runnerups: "Funny The Way It Is" by Dave Matthews Band;

"Wrong" by Depeche Mode; "For What It's Worth" by Placebo.

The sound and the energy that oozes from this single, the last from the "Octopus" EP that featured singles like "Hacia el Final del Arcoiris" and last years nominee for Best Dominican Rock Single, "Popular", rock though all six songs of the ep. It still amazes me how low key dominican talent is kept, with so much of it growing everywhere. The single has a video directed by Jean Gabriel Guerra, not exactly a masterpiece but delivers in showing the strong, sound blasting performance that the band brings to every live show they're in.

BEST POP MUSIC PERFORMANCE

"JUST DANCE" PERFORMED BY LADY GAGA 
FEATURING COLBY O'DONNIS AND AKON

PRODUCED BY RedOne

From the Album: "The Fame" (USA, 2009).

Runnerups: "Vuelvo" by Beto Cuevas; "Single Ladies (Put a 

Ring on It)" by Beyoncé; "Womanizer" by Britney Spears.

Most definetly one success story for the ages. "The Fame" has been out since late 2007, but Lady Gaga didn't really come into our televisions until well into late 2008 when her song "Just Dance" rumbled through every chart possible, even becoming 2009's first Number 1 Song in Billboard Magazine's Top 100. And more so, the re-issuing of "The Fame" saw the rebirth of singles like "Poker Face", "LoveGame" and "Paparazzi", this last one a tribute to said professionals and the media in general. Britney made her comeback, but we were busy Just Dancing.

Tomorrow we round up the Recording catergories with Best Male, Female and Group Vocal Performances, and 2009 Song of the Year.

Ehl.