"Folk Singer's Blues"

So it appears yet another of the American Idol folks has put out an "album." I swear, every time one of those things crops up, it's like a little piece of me dies. I mean, I know I've never been the best singer around--there are any number of people who would argue at extensive lengths that my voice lacks a lot of things (pitch, tone, the ability to carry a tune, listenability). But in the music my brother and I make, my purpose is always clear--I write the words and make a concerted effort to sing them as well as I can. And it works. Several people have told me that my voice fits the music (whether that speaks well of my voice or ill of Clif's guitar playing--and whether or not those people were lying to me--remains to be seen). And really, I'm just using the vocals to get the words across. It's all about the words and the ideas of the songs.

But ah, American Idol...yes, an entire show where the style is more important than the substance, where flash and histronics trump real talent and a depth of ability or craft. Let's have someone else write all the songs, play all the instruments, coach us on how to sing, and use Pro Tools to cover every blemish, cracked note, and false bit until there's no life left in what was maybe a mediocre song to begin with. Yes, American Idol is everything that is wrong with popular music today. The American Idol winners do not create new music; no, they simply ape and mimic musical styles. Each person has been billed as within a specific genre or style, a certain type of singer. The emphasis is always on the smooth production and studio trickery.

Meh. I'm kvetching. It just annoys me to see talentless hacks getting record contracts. I'm not saying Clif and I should have the contract in their places, simply that it's a travesty that someone could go on a freakin' gameshow (which is essentially what American Idol is) and win a recording contract for having a pretty face and being able to pretend to have talent. Not a single one of 'em is capable of writing an actual song themselves, and wouldn't know how to perform said songs if they didn't have a dozen people telling them how. At least Clif and I, amateurs though we are, do it all ourselves and have some sort of talent.

Feh. Bedtime, I think. That's enough venting.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Cross-Eyed Yeti, "Substance Abuse"