I was having a quite decent morning today, eating my breakfast and watching last night's Top Chef, when I came across a press release that informed me "buzz band du yesterday," Black Kids had signed to Columbia Records" (those weren't their exact words.) In the mere matter of seconds that it took me to comprehend what I was reading, I went from horrified to hysterical and ended up at disappointment. But that is getting ahead of myself...let me explain.

I remember Black Kids. I use that term because the band seemed to come in and out of the blogosphere so quickly that they were like a past life's dream of a past life. I heard their four songs (yes, four songs) thanks to a positive review from Pitchfork, but thought they were just okay. I gave them the benefit of the doubt by seeing them play at last October's CMJ Music Marathon. Without going too far into details, it was a complete disaster. The band had a hissy fit on stage because of technical issues, and after almost an hour of the crowd waiting around in the uncomfortably packed Annex, they played what could only be described as a mediocre set, at best. And since then? I haven't barely a peep.

Granted, the reason we probably haven't heard much progress from the band was because they were being courted by dimwitted major labels, who think that us crazy indie-rock fans love the next best thing, so therefore the rest of the world will, too. It's absolutely hysterical that these people do not look back at track records of these "buzz" bands and see that no, they never sell millions. And it is hysterical that a band like Black Kids, who have only released four (four!) songs so far on their MySpace page, would want to sign to a label like Columbia, that has no interest, whatsoever, in the longevity of their career.

But then I look around at the state of our recording industry, at the sight of Mom and Pop record stores closing, the decline of album sales, and the struggles of quality artists to survive in our ADD world. And I think about all those suits in their big fancy offices reading a blog one day and seeing some talk of a band. Months later they have offered them the world, a promise that is so unrealistic that people still tend to believe it, only to play victim in the end. And I sigh, take a big sip of my coffee, and move on with my life... because this can will only result in a major disappointment to all those involved.