With each passing year in the new millennium, the music scene grows progressively worse. This year is no exception. Only a handful of recent artists (Wilco, Beck, The White Stripes, Kanye West, Citizen Cope, Ben Harper) can be hailed as excellent contributors to the world of music, while other “critically artists” (The Decemberists, TV on the Radio, etc.) are only gaining recognition because there are no others worthy of applaud. In other words, critics are praising sub-average artists because they sound exemplary compared to other recent lack-luster releases. I hate to sound like the stereotypical modern-day music basher, but the truth of the matter is, music just isn’t what it used to be—at least not for the past few years. Maybe I’m being too harsh on modern music, by comparing contemporary bands to the powerful music of the 1960s and 1970s. Are ideas running out? Or are artists too lazy and/or incompetent to create worthwhile music?