Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth?

Yesterday morning I was too ill from Saturday night's revels (no, not alcohol--too much dairy, unfortunately!) to make the drive to Harrisburg for Mass, so I decided that I would wait until I was feeling better and attend a local Novus Ordo.

I think I should have gritted my teeth and made the drive to Harrisburg.

I'm not here to launch into a theological diatribe on the N.O. I believe that it's valid, etc. No, my complaint is from the aesthetic plain. I'm railing against the drums, bass, tenor saxophone, piano, and five lousy female singers that I was subjected to. Honestly!! They couldn't even sing in tune. And I think the only pattern the drummer knew was "dun dun *cymbal* dun dun *cymbal*". That accompanied absolutely everything, not excluding the "Holy, Holy, Holy" and the "Agnus Dei". Beyond the banality of the instruments themselves, the actual musical structure of the "selections" was worse than that of your average pop song. Let's not even get started on the awfulness of the actual texts of the songs. GAH!! I swear, just about every line either started with "I" or had "me" somewhere in it. Honestly, if we're supposed to be praising God, is it really necessary to talk about ourselves the whole way through the song?

After just over an hour of this, I left Mass with a pitful and glazed stare. I was thoroughly traumatized and depressed. Such a sorry state for liturgical music to be in. I'm claiming I want to lead a liturgical music revolution, and I after yesterday's adventures, I understand the need for it more than ever. Oof.