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HITS Daily Double
[The Civile Wars] could knock out a major album in Best Album, contend in Song and should be a lock in Best New Artist.

TWO HANDICAPPED GUYS
PICK THE GRAMMYS

HITS' Lenny Beer and Roy Trakin Ponder This Week's Grammy Nominations
You’ve seen HITS’ resident Grammy guru Paul Grein’s picks. If you’re betting real money, he’s the expert, and here are his prognostications. If you’re the kind of gambler who takes the Jets as a home favorite, well, then our Lenny Beer and Roy Trakin have their own opinions on what will take place at this week’s nominations announcement.

Trakin: The big Grammy night storyline remains: Will Adele be able to sing?
Beer: And will she be able to speak enough to accept her 362 awards?
Trakin: Do you see anybody beating her for Album, Song or Record of the Year? I don't.
Beer: No, but I find the other potential nominees quite interesting.
Trakin: Do you agree with Paul on Jason Aldean over Taylor Swift for one of the Best Album noms?
Beer: I lean towards Taylor. I do take issue with Paul Simon, and feel that the Adult Pop nominee could easily be Tony Bennett instead.
Trakin: Good shot at the "geezer" slot, or maybe Glen Campbell, whom Grein mentions as a dark horse. Good story.
Beer: But there’s a great story with the Bennett duets, lots of voting blocks represented.
Trakin: How about for the Album hip-hop slot? It’s got to be either Watch the Throne or Kanye's album, which didn't make the deadline last year. Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj have a shot here, too.
Beer: I lean to Tha Carter IV, but Watch the Throne is a major work, with two superstars. My major beef with Paul is The Civil Wars, which I feel he is underestimating. They could knock out a major album in Best Album, contend in Song and should be a lock in Best New Artist.
Trakin: You like "Poison and Wine" for a Record/Song nomination?
Beer: “Poison and Wine” is the best song of the year not on Adele’s album
Trakin: Another one to watch in Record/Song is “Jar of Hearts.”
Beer: “Jar of Hearts” is a modern standard which can contend in multiple categories. I am also curious to see if the Academy makes up for slighting Mumford and Sons last year and goes for “The Cave” in Song and Record.
Trakin: Who do ya like in Best New Artist?
Beer Nicki Minaj, The Civil Wars, Foster the People, The Band Perry and either Christina Perri, Jackie Evancho or, as a longshot, Bon Iver.
Trakin: There might not be a single rock act nominated for Best Album.
Beer: Coldplay delivered too late, Chili Peppers not their best work. Foo Fighters has an outside shot, but I'm not betting on them.
Trakin: Album: Adele, Paul Simon, Taylor Swift, Kanye/Jay-Z, The Civil Wars.
Beer: I agree: Adele, Tony or Paul, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne or Kanye/Jay-Z and The Civil Wars.
Trakin: Record: "Rolling in the Deep," "Firework," "Pumped Up Kicks," "Jar of Hearts," "So Beautiful or So What"
Beer: I'll take “The Cave” over “So Beautiful”…
Trakin: Song: "Poison & Wine," "You and I," "Rolling in the Deep," "Jar of Hearts," "Pumped Up Kicks"
Beer: I agree, although “Edge of Glory” is my Gaga fave. So, let the fun begin. We'll critique the nominations, Mr. Grein's picks and our own on Thursday.