Best Singer-Songwriters of Today

13

Comments

  • Hey now! I'm not all that familiar with Shawn, but I like Ed Sheeran. He did a cover of Nina Simone's 'Be My Husband' that won me over. 
    https://youtu.be/5Lv1fsEE9ag
  • I already know you're not gonna like it, rgambs. So, you don't even need to bother listening to it. 
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    rgambs said:
    Ed Sheeran.
    Shawn Mendes. 
    Boooooo!!!!! 

    Nah, they aren't horrible but they write empty pop songs mostly devoid of anything deeper than surface sentimentality.  

    I was taking the piss. Can't stand them.
    Yes, empty is what they write. 
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Some asshat I used to work with thinks Ed Sheeran is alternative rock lol
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • rgambs said:
    Ed Sheeran.
    Shawn Mendes. 
    Boooooo!!!!! 

    Nah, they aren't horrible but they write empty pop songs mostly devoid of anything deeper than surface sentimentality.  

    I was taking the piss. Can't stand them.
    Yes, empty is what they write. 
    I don't believe you, so I'm going to listen to Shawn Mendes. Thank you in advance.
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    rgambs said:
    Ed Sheeran.
    Shawn Mendes. 
    Boooooo!!!!! 

    Nah, they aren't horrible but they write empty pop songs mostly devoid of anything deeper than surface sentimentality.  

    I was taking the piss. Can't stand them.
    Yes, empty is what they write. 
    I don't believe you, so I'm going to listen to Shawn Mendes. Thank you in advance.
    Enjoy. 
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
  • eddieceddiec Posts: 3,832
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    I already know you're not gonna like it, rgambs. So, you don't even need to bother listening to it. 
    I don't need sold on his talent, he's got a ton of it! 
    I'm just not impressed with his songwriting, so far.  He doesn't handle metaphor or symbolism well and his songs seem to be geared toward mass appeal.  Shawn Mendez, all the same times 2.

    I listen to them both when they come on the Coffee House, but I can't dive deep into their songs like most of the others mentioned here.  They are just dance tunes and empty fun.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Okay, I understand you better now. We're good.
  • dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
    Tom Waits is still alive and a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young combined.

    And I love all three of those guys.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    edited November 2018
    dankind said:
    Tom Waits is still alive and a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young combined.

    And I love all three of those guys.
    Eh, I don't know about that.  He has his loyal fan base, but he's always been a poor man's John Prine to me.
    He's awesome sure, but better than those three combined?  Not a chance!
    Post edited by rgambs on
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Thank you for the Mason Jennings heads-up, eddiec! I am listening to a MJ playlist and he's great so far. 
  • dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    Tom Waits is still alive and a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young combined.

    And I love all three of those guys.
    Eh, I don't know about that.  He has his loyal fan base, but he's always been a poor man's John Prine to me.
    He's awesome sure, but better than those three combined?  Ridiculous!
    This sounds like it's coming from someone who's only ever heard the song "Ol' 55" or maybe "Downtown Train." Any comparisons to John Prine end there.

    And I love John Prine. "Angel from Montgomery" is one of best songs ever written--albeit, my favorite version is by Bonnie Raitt. But every John Prine song sounds the same. The same could never be said for Tom Waits, despite his immediately recognizable gravelly voice.

    His experimentation with surrealism lyrically and instrumentally that began with Swordfishtrombones and that continues to inform his recordings puts him in a different stratosphere than anyone I've mentioned, except maybe Highway 61 Revisited-era Dylan. He can still write a naturalist narrative ballad a la The Boss or Neil, but he just has many more arrows left in his quiver than those guys. 

    Again, I love everyone we've mentioned, but late-era Tom Waits is so far ahead of late-era Bruce or Dylan (although The Tempest was damn good). And Neil Young seems to be primarily focused on live shows and going down memory lane these days, which is fine. Le Noise and Psychedelic Pill were great records; Fork in the Road, Storytone, The Monsanto Years and Peace Trail were not.

    I just wish Tom Waits didn't take so much damn time between albums. And it would be nice if he'd tour again before one of us dies.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
    Oh, and thread integrity -- Jesse Sykes, who also needs to get her ass moving on a new album. 
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • njnancynjnancy Northern New Jersey Posts: 5,096
    edited November 2018
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    Tom Waits is still alive and a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young combined.

    And I love all three of those guys.
    Eh, I don't know about that.  He has his loyal fan base, but he's always been a poor man's John Prine to me.
    He's awesome sure, but better than those three combined?  Not a chance!
    Tom Waits wrote Jersey Girl so he's okay in my book. :smiley:
    Post edited by njnancy on
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,368
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • mfc2006 said:
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    And I thoroughly enjoy your stuff as well! 
  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,218
    dankind said:
    Tom Waits is still alive and a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young combined.

    And I love all three of those guys.

    If we're allowed to mention old(er) guys, I'm a big fan of Richard Thompson, who's still active (and amazing).
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • mfc2006 said:
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    :clap:
     Holy shit, Cluthe/Lee is awesome! I just visited the last page of the Cluthe/Lee thread and found a reverbnation link...and was blown away.

    I will check Brian out next. Don't call your audience jerks, man. That's bad for business.   
  • jjflashjjflash Posts: 4,815
    Since the thread began as a comparison b/t Lamontagne and Hozier....

    Earlier this week I saw Ray play solo, having seen him once before about ten years ago with his band. It was just him, his acoustic guitar, and John Stirratt (Wilco) on bass. I was more looking forward to QT with my wife and a double date with some good friends over dinner and the show. Man, Ray's voice blew me away. It's like a rush of wind across worn sandpaper, a full-throated whisper. Hearing his stripped down sound was spellbinding. If you get the chance to see him play during this solo tour, take it.

    I know little about Hozier other than a few songs played on The Spectrum. If we're choosing b/t him and Hozier I gotta give the nod to Ray. He's got the time-tested catalog, has an incomparable voice (which brought to mind another tortured soul with a voice from the gods, Cornell), and there's a reason other artists like MMJ and members of Wilco hitch their trains with his.
  • mfc2006 said:
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    :clap:
     Holy shit, Cluthe/Lee is awesome! I just visited the last page of the Cluthe/Lee thread and found a reverbnation link...and was blown away.

    I will check Brian out next. Don't call your audience jerks, man. That's bad for business.   
    Ha! Valid point. I was going all 2004 Ryan Adams on you guys there. 
  • mfc2006 said:
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    :clap:
     Holy shit, Cluthe/Lee is awesome! I just visited the last page of the Cluthe/Lee thread and found a reverbnation link...and was blown away.

    I will check Brian out next. Don't call your audience jerks, man. That's bad for business.   
    Ha! Valid point. I was going all 2004 Ryan Adams on you guys there. 
    What I like about your music is your vulnerability. You lay it all out there, and I can understand why you would want to share that with people and why you would feel protective at the same time. I really liked 'Go On' and 'Baby I Do'!
  • njnancynjnancy Northern New Jersey Posts: 5,096
    edited November 2018
    I really like Marc Roberge from O.A.R. - he performs solo acoustic a lot. He has a really nice voice and I love the stripped down guitar and singer act. I like the band also, they are my new obsession but I really enjoy listening to him do his songs solo acoustic. 

    https://youtu.be/CI_n0tWeMBc
    Post edited by njnancy on
  • njnancynjnancy Northern New Jersey Posts: 5,096
    edited November 2018
    mfc2006 said:
    Pretty disappointed not to see me mentioned in this thread yet. Jerks. 
    I wasn’t mentioned either, man. But, I do really like your stuff!
    :clap:
     Holy shit, Cluthe/Lee is awesome! I just visited the last page of the Cluthe/Lee thread and found a reverbnation link...and was blown away.

    I will check Brian out next. Don't call your audience jerks, man. That's bad for business.   
    Ha! Valid point. I was going all 2004 Ryan Adams on you guys there. 
    What I like about your music is your vulnerability. You lay it all out there, and I can understand why you would want to share that with people and why you would feel protective at the same time. I really liked 'Go On' and 'Baby I Do'!
    I don't know how to listen to either of you guys, i only know you by your user names. :frowning:
  • https://www.reverbnation.com/presentlyfalling is for mfc2006 & 2-feign- reluctance (Cluthe/Lee)

    http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm is for ledvedderman (Brian Zilm)
  • njnancynjnancy Northern New Jersey Posts: 5,096
    https://www.reverbnation.com/presentlyfalling is for mfc2006 & 2-feign- reluctance (Cluthe/Lee)

    http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm is for ledvedderman (Brian Zilm)
    Thank you. 
  • You're welcome! And, I agree that Jersey Girl is reason enough to love Tom Waits. :)
  • njnancynjnancy Northern New Jersey Posts: 5,096
    I found this short talk/performance from Marc Roberge about his relationship with his 'fans' and in the very beginning are some of the reasons I like him so much besides his singing.....

    https://youtu.be/kJ7ja6mwYT4


    Now I'll go listen to Brian and Cluthe/Lee
  • Thanks for sharing that link, man. I appreciate it. I appreciate the kind words. I neglect my reverb nation account a lot, most of my unreleased stuff is on SoundCloud.com/brianzulmmusic. Much more good stuff on there I think. I also have an album on Spotify and elsewhere under my name and it’s called Ferdinand.  
Sign In or Register to comment.