New York, London, Paris, Munich...

During my lunch today I was reading some stuff on The Awl (I've said it before: you really should be reading this site regularly) and one of the pieces was about a pop singer named Ke$ha (yes, really; it's pronounced "kesh-a"). There are video clips, and a link to a song by a rapper named Flo Rida (it's pronounced like "flow rider," not "Florida") on which she was featured. This young lady broke some sort of record for sales on iTunes the first week her song was available.

It's a good article, but as I watched the clip of her performance on Ellen I was thinking: has the bar really fallen this far through the floor? I know that musical preference is highly subjective, some performers think of themselves more as entertainers than as artists, and not all albums can be Revolver or London Calling, but come on. This is what's passing for popular music these days? It's just...vapid. There's nothing to it.

I can't even tell whether or not Ke$ha (I hope to heaven that's not how it's spelled on her birth certificate) is a good singer, because what's coming out of her mouth can't really be called singing. Say what you want about the traveling freak show that is Lady Gaga, but at least she can sing.

Last week we were at our friends' house for New Year's Eve, and of course they put on the Ryan Seacrest/Dick Clark thing so we could watch the ball drop. But a bit later we were watching The Black-Eyed Peas, and all eight of us, who are in our mid-40s or older (except the Mrs., who's knocking on that door) were sitting there going, "This is music?" I found myself thinking I'd rather be watching Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper on CNN.

[Speaking of BEP, some kids up in Canada made a cool video to go along with one of their songs. It's one continuous, unedited take and is pretty impressive. I recommend watching it with the sound off, though, because it's one of the stupidest songs I've ever heard, and it will get stuck in your brain and make you want to cry. (Video via Fake Steve Jobs)]

There's also a story on The Awl about the band Vampire Weekend, and while they may come off as somewhat more artistic, their music does nothing for me either. I'm an equal-opportunity curmudgeon.