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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
 Posted - 01/10/2007 : 19:30:57
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So which two other songwriters would you have up there on the podium with Charles.
For me
Obvious - Tom waits and Elvis Costello
Less obvious more personal - Kristin Hersh and Nick Cave
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
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spunXtain
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 19:32:52
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*crickets chirp*
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Got coffee, got donuts, got wasted... |
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spunXtain
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 19:34:38
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*tumbleweed rolls by*
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Got coffee, got donuts, got wasted... |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 20:55:28
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Frank is great, but Bob Dylan is king, in my book. But it's no knock on Frank Black to say he's not quite Bob Dylan when it comes to songwriting. Frank comes right after Bob. My other favorites include Lucinda Williams, Randy Newman, and Leonard Cohen. And for a minute there, I thought Nellie McKay was gonna be a great songwriter. Except she quit writing good songs after one brilliant album ("Get Away From Me"). And -- don't laugh -- I think Elton John is a pretty damn good songwriter.
 And aren't you havin' fun? |
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spunXtain
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 21:02:30
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GTFO my internets
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Got coffee, got donuts, got wasted... |
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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2007 : 23:28:15
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| Kristin Hersh, David Byrne |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 00:31:21
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Robert Pollard, Kristin Hersh, Jason Lytle (although he has to prove himself even more),
Dylan obviously.
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God save the Noisies |
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kelladwella
= Cult of Ray =
Germany
729 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 02:09:50
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I second Randy Newman.
PJ Harvey, Morrissey |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 02:23:16
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| Bob Mould, David Bowie. |
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pixiestu
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2564 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 02:39:46
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Noel Gallagher
Okay, that's just one. But I can't think of anyone else as good as Charles and Noel.
"The arc of triumph" |
Edited by - pixiestu on 01/11/2007 02:41:40 |
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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 03:53:31
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Love what David Bowie said about Charles' songwriting. Paraphrasing 'Charles writes with great imagination. He sees the affinities of things and has those affinities illuminate the subjects of his songs.
Great. Haven't heard Robert Pollard, Rob Crow and Jason Lytle. I'll go check them out. That's why I started this thread. Anymore?
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
Edited by - trobrianders on 01/11/2007 03:55:50 |
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jackruby
- FB Fan -
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 07:20:15
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David Lowery and Burt Bacharach
"Change me Mommy...I pooped my soul." |
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theonecontender
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
565 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 08:35:27
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| Syd Barrett is an amazing songwriter. Even stranger than FB. |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 09:42:50
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| Not anymore. |
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matto
= Cult of Ray =
USA
954 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 10:40:10
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iggy pop n' siouxsie sioux!
sminki pinki |
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 11:03:39
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Gotta give another vote to Robert Pollard. Tottaly different, but totally amazing. Perhaps my two favourite living songwriters.
maybe I'll kick it
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 11:19:04
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I listened to a few Pollard clips this morning on emusic. I hope his songwriting is better than his voice.
And aren't you havin' fun? |
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 11:32:50
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His voice is beautiful. What clips did you listen to?
maybe I'll kick it
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 11:57:28
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Thanks, speedy. I'll check those out. I had listened to some random cuts from his 2006 albums. I was impressed by the sheer volume of his output, but out of five or six samples, didn't find a song that sounded pleasing or made me want to come back for more.
And aren't you havin' fun? |
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klocke
- FB Fan -
10 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 14:53:40
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(couldn't narrow it down to two...sorry)
Adam Green - kinda like a weird mix-up between FB and Dylan; very immature and childish in topic, but also hilarious
Elliott Smith - excellent guitar player; had a beautiful, haunting voice
Notorious B.I.G. - no laughing!! no one in hip-hop (and maybe in all of music) paints such vivid pictures w/ their storytelling |
Edited by - klocke on 01/11/2007 14:56:08 |
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Born to Lose
- FB Fan -
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 15:58:57
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| Although Frank is definitely my favorite, John Linnel, Ray Davies, and Elliott Smith are also incredible songwriters. Bob Dylan goes without saying as well. |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 16:48:04
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Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Howe Gelb, Robert Smith
If you look at the sheer range of styles he's explored, Robert Smith has to be near the top of the list. Prior to Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss me, the Cure albums were basically solo albums. He did all the writing and arranging of everything.
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jeffamerica
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 16:53:00
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Robart Pollard is brilliant, but he really has no inner monologue. He's written about 8000 songs, and about 200 of them are stunningly fabulous, and the rest are spectacularly crappy.
We're just lucky artists like Dylan, who probably also have written 8000 songs have thrown the spectacularly crappy ones in the trash where they belong!
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jeffamerica
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 16:58:14
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
Thanks, speedy. I'll check those out. I had listened to some random cuts from his 2006 albums. I was impressed by the sheer volume of his output, but out of five or six samples, didn't find a song that sounded pleasing or made me want to come back for more.
And aren't you havin' fun?
IMO, his solo albums kind of suck. I bought 3 of them, and there's about 1 good song on each. I'd start with guided By Voices.
It's not easy to get into Guided By Voices, it just happens one day. One minute all the songs sound the same, the next you're hooked. Get the "Greatest Hits" album (Human Amusement at Hourly Rates) and put in on while you're doing something else and one day you'll start loving it.
Then you can move on to sifting throught the cruft to find the gems.
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jeffamerica
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treetime
- FB Fan -
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 22:50:10
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| Gene and Dean Ween. |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2007 : 23:56:42
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The Greatest Hits album is great but I can think of another 50 great songs by GBV probably.
Ohh and I think Robert Pollard solo records are almost the same as GBV, musically and quality-wise.
as for GBV: Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, UTBUTS (very lo-fi and superb) and the more
listenable records Isolation Drills and Mag Earwhig!
as for Robert Pollard: Normal Happiness, From A Compound Eye, Kid Marine, Waved Out
I would say that 75% of RP output is great, that's maybe lower than FB, but I enjoy RP more than FB nowadays. That can change any minute, though
good call for Ray Davies and Elliott Smith
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God save the Noisies |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 00:04:25
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quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman
The Greatest Hits album is great but I can think of another 50 great songs by GBV probably.
Ohh and I think Robert Pollard solo records are almost the same as GBV, musically and quality-wise.
Well sure, I've got 3 "best of" GBV playlists and they all have about 40 songs on them. Alien Lanes was the one that did it for me. But the greatest hits gives you a great taste of both the low-fi and high-fi stuff.
Definitely worth giving a second chance to Bob Pollard. I can totally understand people not liking it at first or saying all the songs sound the same. I can't recall anyone saying they immediately liked GBV the first time they heard them.
-ps maybe I'll give the solo albums a second chance :)
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jeffamerica
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Edited by - Jefrey on 01/12/2007 00:05:43 |
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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 05:37:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Jefrey
Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Howe Gelb, Robert Smith
paul mccartney ?????? are you joking ????
he can only rhyme house with mouse, and that's it. he is not a songwriter - he has absolutely nothing to express. zero. his songs are totally boring, artificial and meaningless. "all he ever did was yesterday" - and that he borrowed from somebody else, if one believes the latest gossip. my impression of paul mccartney is, that - in terms of art & talent - he is the most shallow & boring person one can imagine. of course, he has an ear for melodies, but that is all ! he has absolutely no idea what a song is. has anybody seen "paul mccartney in the abby road studios" ? god, that was painful.
among the songwriters i praise are syd barrett, bob dylan, beck somehow, howe gelb, john lennon, roger waters, suzanne vega. and some others, like my girlfriend. oh, and how could one forget cat stevens and the guys from souled american.
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
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Kirk
= Cult of Ray =
USA
633 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 07:09:04
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M. Ward
- His lyrics are "cute" yet satisfying. The melodies are catchy, although his songs are short and almost incomplete. I'm a fan of song-endings, and it seems like most artists can't do them well. |
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Steak n Sabre
* Dog in the Sand *
Uzbekistan
1013 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 10:42:37
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Robyn Hitchcock
E (of Eels)
That would round out my top 3...
 What?... Me Worry???  |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 11:18:17
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quote:
Originally posted by two reelers
quote:
Originally posted by Jefrey
Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Howe Gelb, Robert Smith
paul mccartney ?????? are you joking ????
he can only rhyme house with mouse, and that's it. he is not a songwriter - he has absolutely nothing to express. zero. his songs are totally boring, artificial and meaningless.
Frank once rhymed "vision" and "television" does that make him a bad songwriter? |
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velvety
= Cult of Ray =
Portugal
536 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 14:02:43
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"Number" and "cucumber" was the tipping point for me.
Maybe Kristin Hersh is up there with Frank, i guess. I really admire how she can find strange melodies in the simplest chord progressions. |
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The Holiday Son
= Quote Accumulator =
France
2010 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 14:10:55
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In a totally different style from Frank, Les Claypool.
(I second Paul McCartney btw) |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 16:55:24
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Whoever writes Nickelback's songs.
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Topic |
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Other songwriters as good as Frank
