Grammys album a rocky road of good, bad and awful

As usual, 2007's Grammy nominees are an extremely mixed bag. Playing as a kind of semi-discerning alternative to the NOW! That's What I Call Music compilations, this particular mix showcases both a tiny bit of the best and a whole mess of the worst of what 2006 had to offer, with everyone from Paul McCartney to the Pussycat Dolls chipping in. As with any record-exec-arranged mix, especially one that's been hastily compiled by a label dubiously known as "Strategic Marketing," it's best to separate the good from the bad and the bad from the just plain ugly. \nThe Good:\nGnarls Barkley kicks the album off on a high note with "Crazy," a song so good it's virtually hater-proof. The Dixie Chicks' cathartic redemption song "Not Ready to Make Nice" is the year's hottest fuck-you. John Mayer is no friend of the dwindling Bush crowd either with his passively anti-war "Waiting On the World to Change," and The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California" and Keane's "Is It Any Wonder," both infectious pleasures that are anything but guilty, remind us that rock 'n' roll isn't quite dead yet. \nThe most inspired choices here are also the easiest on the ears. Imogen Heap's seductive, electronic "Hide and Seek" is a rare gem, and Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" is an old-fashioned acoustic respite amid a jumble of radio hits. Sir Paul McCartney makes a brief appearance with "Jenny Wren," the best track from his last solo record. \nThe Bad:\nJustin Timberlake's overplayed and over-quoted "SexyBack" is the best of the bad, but that's not saying much. James Blunt's cloying, syrupy "You're Beautiful" is here, too, just in case you wanted to hear it 50 more times, and Pink's "Stupid Girls" was cool the first time I heard it, but there are certainly far better songs on her latest album to choose from. Of course The Fray is here, representin' the safety-sealed corporate rock stable with "Over My Head (Cable Car)." Advice for The Fray: If you really want to be the next Coldplay, start by writing good songs. Also, I apologize to her legion of fans in advance, but I wish Mary J. Blige and her formulaic "Be Without You" would just go away. \nThe Ugly:\nOnly three of the 23 tracks could be categorized as unlistenable. The Pussycat Dolls' trudging R&B yawn-fest "Stickwitu" is even worse than its title would suggest, and American Idol-winner Carrie Underwood's paean to the Bible Belt, "Jesus, Take the Wheel," is odiously skippable. Bringing up the rear is possibly the worst song in recorded music history, The Black Eyed Peas' painfully awful "My Humps." \nIt's always hard for me to recommend an album that's essentially comprised of cherry-picked hits, but like it or not that's what the Grammys have always been about, or at least the parts of the Grammys that are televised. For a year that saw brilliant LPs by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Decemberists, My Chemical Romance and TV on the Radio, this year's nominee list, as always, just feels thin. At least the Chili Peppers finally get their due.