Ray Davies would be at the top of my list with David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Tom Verlaine and lately Molly Rankin (Alvvays) is really moving up in my estimation.
Does a particular musician’s songwriting and artistry speak to you above all others?
I’ve enjoyed all forms of music over the 60+ years of music being the one constant in my life. My music tastes have certainly evolved over time. I’ll cover that in another thread some day. Currently i find myself listening to jazz > 95% of the time. There is one particular artist who really speaks to me and i thoroughly enjoy each of the >270 songs he has written, arranged, recorded, and produced. Every other artist falls far short for me.
Guitarist Chris Standring lays down unique grooves in each song that can inspire (in me) toe tapping, soulful reflection, sensuality, air guitar picking, and other effects depending on the song.
This is a personal connection I’ve developed with Standring’s music. I’ve had the opportunity to hear him play in an intimate diinner music house in Nashville the past 2 years. My wife loves his music also, which is the cherry on top!
Does anyone else have a musician who speaks to them?
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After answering mostly in the negative to this question by agreeing with another poster who had already said what I was going to say, I have to admit that there are a couple of artists that came to mind last night. Pixies - this is a really, really different kind of a rock band. When I told people I was intrigued with Pixies they suggested I listen to Sonic Youth. Not even close in my opinion. Frank Black’s mind is not stuck on the usual topics, and his musical insights are quite unique to my ears. Nobody else is doing anything like that. The latest stuff from the Pixies continues in the tradition, not re-treading old ground but similarly exploring new perceptions of our culture and life in general, and expressing them musically and visually with videos. James Booker - as Hugh Laurie said in this video interview "He’s making connections all the time, musical connections and emotional connections, and heading in directions that - other people, it just wouldn’t occur to them to do." https://youtu.be/NRSFAAbsRMM?si=jafsAQHEpCkrww9D I think those same words apply to Frank Black as well, even though Frank isn’t even close to the technical prowess of James Booker. Hardly anybody is. That really doesn’t matter as much to me as the ability to communicate ideas through music. There are deep connections intertwined in the music. Maybe other music does this kind of thing just as much but I don’t pick up on those connections as well as I do with Frank and James. Or maybe I’m just not as interested in the topics most of the time. So I guess they are thinking about many of the same kinds of things I am, and effectively expressing them in music. |
@asmithkash I love Radiohead. My original 45 rpm pressing of In Rainbows is sonic heaven. They were sort of, if not “The Beatles” (no band in history but them had that kind of dominance of everything in pop music) of my teen years, the “Zeppelin” of my teen years, the band who, especially after releasing Kid A, were the clear #1 pop band in the world who all the kids wanted to be like. |
@rettrussell, + 1 re Michael Hedges. I am very thankful that I was able to see him perform live. It was a truly memorable experience! I'm also looking forward to the upcoming documentary film about him that his family is heavily involved in. |
Not really. |
If music does not speak to me, I don't listen to it. I could not say if any of these speaks to me above others, though. These are just partial lists. Jazz: Return to Forever, Steve Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders, Anthony Braxton, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Oregon, Keith Jarrett. Prog: Area, Riverside, Thinking Plague, Henry Cow, Genesis, Banco, Magma, National Health, Gentle Giant, After Crying, Univers Zero. Classical: Charles Wuorinen, Joan Tower, Stefan Wolpe, Magnus Lindberg, Alban Berg, Unsuk Chin, Toru Takametsu, Milton Babbitt, Penderecki, Ligeti.
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@willyht +1 |
So, so many, in several different genres and subgenres. Defends on my mood, for sure. Robert Fripp - While King Crimson is usually known for their somewhat angular, intense music, Fripp could compose some achingly beautiful songs, too. The Night Watch, Book of Saturday, I Talk to the Wind, I'm walking on Air are a few. Yes - Close to the Edge - From the chaotic intro, to the quiet passages, to the intense passages, this takes the listener on a real journey through various moods. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Eternity's Breath, Meeting of the Spirits, Vision Is a Naked Sword are examples of music with great melodies, coupled with insane levels of musicianship, that puts a huge grin on my face, and leads me to lose track of time. Elliott Carter - Concerto for Orchestra, Three Occasions for Orchestra, Three Illusions for Orchestra (and others). While some may consider Carter's music to be a bit of a challenge, those things that people consider challenging, are the very things that sweep me up, and mentally transport me. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme. Nothing needs to be said... PFM - Per un Amico, Storia di un Minuto. While the U.K. was much better known for prog, Italy had many bands that were the equal of those U.K. bands. PFM is the best known. Great musicianship, high levels of complexity, and tons of beautiful melodies. Allan Holdsworth - his unique approach, and vocabulary was really unprecedented. He really did not have any musical predecessors. And his chops were monstrous. Even his unique chords, were otherworldly. I could seriously go on for pages...
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Kristeen Young is my undisputed numero uno - 11 self-released albums since 1997, over 120 songs, and every single one of them is among the best I've ever heard; music I needed to hear but didn't know existed until 2018 when I read about her in a David Bowie discography (David duetted with her on a song from 2003).... She's on all the streaming platforms, but physical media, not so much.... |
There are too many good musicians to list; but, what I listen for is either an instantly identifiable style or tone. Examples would run the gamut from JJ Cale to Jaco Pastorius. Picking a great lyricist is much easier. Below are a few that I think can turn a great and/or memorable - quotable phrase: Billy Bragg Leonard Cohen Lloyd Cole Elvis Costello Ray Davies Bob Dylan Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout) Joni Mitchell Morrissey Richard Thompson Paul Westerberg
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