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Posts: 7232
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | You guys (except for a couple) are kinda missing the point. Anyone can list a favorite (insert topic here)... How about WHY they are your favorite.
Ya'll (well most so far) seem to have plenty of ammo to trash what you don't like, and for the most part know nothing about... how about some props for what you DO like. Seems to me it takes pretty big balls to dis someone else's favorite artists when you can't even list why you like your own favorites.
I'm just sayin... |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Jackson Browne
Bob Seger
John Cougar Melon-head,
[But I think he is just John Mellencamp these days]
Relatively simple songs with Good Lyrics. I thought that I explained myself
These people, at least in the recordings, do not strive to be musical virtuosos
(Jackson plays piano anyway)
But the reason I appreciate these artist is for the lyrics. |
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Posts: 2487
| Hey Slipkid........From Quadrophenia...
I left my Brain on the 5:15..............
Cool album......for sure.......I am doing a medley that has parts of this work all through it, including 5:15. Yeah The list on this thread, for me, would be huge so two off the top would be The Who, they were the first of the great front man, hard driving rock music, guitar god, rock band I ever came into contact with. My brother is 7 years older than me and back then would order records if they had not made it to the USA yet from the local Record store owner. So I was real lucky to have been exposed to great music at a young age.
I still think YES was the band that put "It all together" for me. They had lyrics that were not easy to understand and were thought provoking and mood setting and beautifully presented by Jon and very hard to mimic. A guitar that was unlike anything else and once again difficult to copy. same with Bass... big time, Keys... what can you say about Rick Wakeman, and the rest of the keyboard geniuses they worked with through the years and Drums from Bruford and White is as good as it gets. The whole package was unlike anything else and still is. |
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Posts: 4232
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | This thread is tougher Miles, because at the individual level, a standout artist has in some way elevated himself/herself/themselves above the huge variety of entertainment available to each of us. Therefore, they are comparatively rare, especially to the many, MANY artists whose efforts join the countless other releases that come and go.
I listen to a huge variety of music, so I was not sure how to answer this without typing well into the night. But before I define my rationale for what I like, I'd like to (respectfully) address the underlying motivation for this thread. I posted my thoughts regarding artists I don't care for. I purposely did not go into details specifically because, while I am entitled to my opinion, I am not entitled to pound away with it a la Dr. Phil Hartman or whatever that guy's name was. I am well aware that music which absolutely grinds my nerves might for some unknown reason appeal to other people. Likewise, I am just as certain that my musical predilections will almost certainly have my children rolling their eyes in frustration at some point in the all-too-near future. I can only justify my responses by saying that they were typed with a fair dose of middle-aged sarcasm flavored with a dollop of droll humor. Just because I say I don't like something doesn't mean that A) I HATE it. or B) That I'm foaming at the mouth just thinking about it. I don't care for it...simple as that...I would rather folks not presume some latent maliciousness underlying something as mundane as my personal opinion.
Now, on to a more pleasant point of view.
After some thought, it occurred to me that, while many names leap from the ether when asked about who I like, only two artists come to mind whose CD I will buy sight-unseen or sound-unheard:
[list]
[*]Mark Knopfler--Here's someone who can not only absolutely play the frets off a guitar, but can write lyrics that are elegant and charming, winsome and heart-rending, colloquial or global. He also has an unnerving ability to cram the emotion of an entire set of lyrics into a groaning lead riff comprised in its totality of just a few notes. That kind of touch is supremely competent, confident, and rare.
[/list]
[list]
[*]Brendan Nolan--An Irish troubador, one of seemingly thousands. Brendan has the quintissential capacity to make you laugh and clap with the most familiar of Irish traditionals. But he backs it up with a song-writing ability and earnest, sincere talent that can lead you to feel as if you had lived the immigrant experience. Moreso than most, his voice, guitar, and bodhran draw illustrations so vivid, you can see them in colors. And when he's finished, you may genuinely feel for the people in the lyrics.
[/list]
I trust I have adequately explained my more positive preferences. I might add that there are many artists that I like, but I think the OFC membership would soon change threads if I went into detail about them all. But these two are my standouts.
Oh yes! One more word that is so self-explanatory I feel no real need for justifications.....
BACH! |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Recently I've gained a renewed appreciation for Brian Setzer. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Knopfler for sure...
Few can play as elegantly.... what seems to me, simultaneously fast and slow with an apperant effortlessness.
He was the first guitarist who's sound to me, was strikingly original and completely unique. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I'm pretty fickle, ask me next week, but this week it's a local salsa merangue band ...
Alex Torres and his latin orchestra, authentic salsa and merengue
Reason: Music like when I was growing up on the lower east side. Like most salsa bands, ryhthm is complex, very danceable, enjoyable melody.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Oq2_yrtKQ |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Oingo Boingo.....because they were great!
Toy Matinee/Kevin Gilbert...because of the diversity |
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October 2005
Posts: 4065
Location: Utah | Benny Hill. Gotta love the lyrics. ;)
There are really too many artists to list that I like. The main things that attract me to them are interesting lyrics and music that meshes right with the lyrics. Some level of excellence in performance is important, too. |
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December 2001
Posts: 7232
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Hey Patch...
Wow!!! Your response was what I was looking for, although I didn't realize it at the time. It gives me an idea of how to even respond myself.
The qualifier for me in your post was "artists come to mind whose CD I will buy sight-unseen or sound-unheard" That pretty much narrows the field.
I can only think of two artists at the moment that I would buy a CD sight unseen or get tickets to go see... now I need to think of why :( |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | The "why" to me is almost always an emotional thing. Someone can be technically brilliant (e.g. Tommy Emmanuel) but strike no emotional chord with me.
From the teenage years, The Who hit upon that "I don't fit in" type feeling that probably every teenage boy has. I absolutely loved Pink Floyd during the period from Meddle to Wish You Were Here - just that ability to phase out and get lost in the music and lyrics which were almost from a different world. With Yes, I love the layers upon layers in their music - some songs I can listen to 10 times and hear 10 different things. I can understand why someone might not like them, it can sound like a cacophony the first time you listen.
As for a sight unseen CD, my last one was by Zucchero (an Italian singer) and it didn't disappoint. |
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March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | John Prine this week because
(a) his songs are great (witty, gritty, ironic, cryptic, sentimental...)
(b) I can make a reasonable shot at performing some of them.
(c) reminds me of a happy time when I started listening to him.
(d) he's not into being a megastar. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Lynyrd Skynyrd and / or The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.
Coz they make me tap my feet and nod my noggin. |
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Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Buy sight unseen? (which is a bit redundant, of course....) ....pre-unheard?
Mozart
XTC (the late lamented)(I'm waiting to see what Mr. Partidge sounds like on his own.)
....um, that's about it.
Of artists I KNOW.
Most music I buy is stuff I've never heard before, I either take a flyer because it looks like it might be interesting or it's in a section of the store (I still need to feel it first...) that I'm looking for music in that genre for new exposure. (Latin "world beat" country jazz punk whatever)
Artists I LIKE? Well, if it's an artist I LIKE they are almost as likely to release something I can't stand as something I love. (eg: Neil Young)
My tastes are eclectic and vary from moment to moment. I see no common thread from Aerial to Zappa, Armatrading to Zevon, ABBA to Andy Williams. |
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July 2007
Posts: 325
Location: Texas | Eva Cassidy - beautiful voice and a great guitar player - sad that she died at 32 in 1996. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Johny Clegg - for proving you can dance & be happy about serious subjects. |
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June 2005
Posts: 1320
Location: Round Rock, TX | Steely Dan and XTC: I buy whatever they release - period. Yet to be disappointed.
They are never less than musically compelling and many, many of their songs are ones that will MAKE me stop what I'm doing and listen, until the song is over.
All of Steely Dan's studio albums (including Donald Fagen's) and all of XTC's, from Skylarking on, are permanently on both my iPods and my iPhone - just to make sure... |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Most of the time (in the past) when I bought a CD from a favorite artist "sight unseen" I ended up being disappointed. I think this is what comes from listening to the same genre by the same musicians over and over.
That's one reason I always like the "Rotation" thread when someone throws it back up. It really introduces me to some cool new music and artists. |
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October 2002
Posts: 181
Location: Queens, NY | The most underrated band in the world: King's X.
Honorable mentions: Rush, Tool.
And when I'm really, REALLY in a rotten mood: Rollins Band. |
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October 2002
Posts: 181
Location: Queens, NY | OK. Here's why (sorry, Miles).
King's X: Great musicians. Their bad songs are better than most and their good songs are great. And almost every CD has at least one (usually more) great song.
Rush: Pretty much the same thing, plus I'm always a sucker for a great drummer, and Neil Peart is one of my favorites.
Tool: They're a little more hit or miss, but their good stuff is great. Ditto on the drummer (Danny Carey).
Rollins Band: I prefer lineup with Rollins, Chris Haskett, Sim Cain, and Andrew Weiss/Melvin Gibbs (1987-1997); rather than the Mother Superior version (1997-2003). Very down, dark stuff (think Tool on steroids), and Rollins doesn't so much sing as scream at the top of his lungs.
Second Honorable mentions: Coldplay, U2
Coldplay - I thought their first three CD's were excellent. Haven't really heard the new one yet.
U2 - Talk about staying power! So many great songs...too numerous to mention. Except for that weird Zooropa/Pop phase, a great band! |
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August 2003
Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | Ron Block (AKUS) on acoustic guitar. Has to be one of the most tasteful players alive.
Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass... can't be touched IMHO! They create such elaborate nonchalance with their music. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I initially agreed on Knopfler, but then realized I've never bought one of his CDs. He's great, but never got me to the store.
In terms of what I like to listen to it's Croce. I had everything he's done. I like the clever phrases and the fingerstyle, simple playing that went with his ballads and a voice I could relate to. After reading you guys who like drummers, I realized I don't really like drummers. They drown out the music and you can keep time by tapping your foot.
I used to like everything the Eagles did, primarily for the lyrics and fairly simple music, but they lost me when they got too big. |
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August 2008
Posts: 32
Location: Glendale, AZ | Al Stewart. Loved him since “Past, Present and Future” in the 70’s. No big impressive guitar skills, but I enjoy the songs he writes.
BareNaked Ladies: Got hooked on to them in the mid 90’s and I have been following them since. I enjoy watching them play live. They have fun, they play note perfect, and just put on a good show. Going to see them on the www.shipsanddip.com cruise.
Jonathan Coulton: Again. No amazing skills, I just really like his songs. Fun, quirky, pop kind of stuff. A computer programmer (code monkey) who decided that what he really wanted was to make a living as a rock star and went about making it happen. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Ditto on the Al Stewart.
He's not a "brilliant" guitarist, but he's no slouch either.
He HAS however, used some pretty impressive guitarists on his albums/tours, like Peter White, Laurence Juber, and MasterTempleman's mate, Isaac Guillory(RIP).
He currently tours acoustically (he plays annually at this little venue two miles from my house) w/California guitarist Dave Nachmanoff.
I like his songwriting style in that he's a student of History, and uses a goodly amount of historical content in a lot of his work. It was (and still is) a refreshing change from the inane, insipid "rock&roll lifestyle" lyrics, or oopy-goopy "love songs" that were/are so prevalent. He also was very "cinematic" in his songwriting and his instrumentation.
He's also a pretty astute collector of fine wines . . . |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | RT played on several Al Stewart LP'sas well.... |
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The Artists you LIKE, and why.
