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Bulldog · 06-16-2010, 04:42 PM

I'm just gonna round up five off the top of my head...

Emmylou Harris
More known for being a singer than a songwriter, but I think she deserves a mention here anyway. Apart from having a real grip on what makes country rock work in her earlier career, she's got a hell of a voice which really gives her work a very warm and unique vibe. Plus her dabblings in a more alt-rock style (for want of a better phrase) in the 90s and early 2000s are just brilliant.

Townes Van Zandt
Our Mother the Mountain is not only my favourite gothic americana album of all time (as well as one of the earliest), it's also one of those albums I'd recommend to absolutely anyone, regardless of whatever standing you may have on something that has the word 'country' associated with it. The guy really knew how to pull off a very dark, desolate kinda vibe with his music to perfection too.

Elvis Costello
Fairly obvious coming from me. He's got one of those voices you either love or hate, and for me it gives his music a fairly unique edge and sense of character, which are basically the two things I look for in all music. As well as having a real talent for the lyric, he's never been afraid to try something new to him - two more ways for an artist to work their way into my good books.

Leonard Cohen
The king of the downbeat, utterly miserable vibe. That said, there are quite a few songs of his I can think of that are actually fairly uplifting. Anyway, the man could very well be my favourite lyricist of all time, and while he lacks that one end-to-end classic album for me (although three or four of them come very close), any poem of his given the musical treatment just gives off such an atmosphere. It's hard to explain why, but I love him to bits.

Scott Walker
My favourite singing voice of all time, bar none. Plus, he went from this to this over the years - 'nuff said.

06-16-2010, 04:42 PM	#15 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	I'm just gonna round up five off the top of my head... Emmylou Harris More known for being a singer than a songwriter, but I think she deserves a mention here anyway. Apart from having a real grip on what makes country rock work in her earlier career, she's got a hell of a voice which really gives her work a very warm and unique vibe. Plus her dabblings in a more alt-rock style (for want of a better phrase) in the 90s and early 2000s are just brilliant. Townes Van Zandt Our Mother the Mountain is not only my favourite gothic americana album of all time (as well as one of the earliest), it's also one of those albums I'd recommend to absolutely anyone, regardless of whatever standing you may have on something that has the word 'country' associated with it. The guy really knew how to pull off a very dark, desolate kinda vibe with his music to perfection too. Elvis Costello Fairly obvious coming from me. He's got one of those voices you either love or hate, and for me it gives his music a fairly unique edge and sense of character, which are basically the two things I look for in all music. As well as having a real talent for the lyric, he's never been afraid to try something new to him - two more ways for an artist to work their way into my good books. Leonard Cohen The king of the downbeat, utterly miserable vibe. That said, there are quite a few songs of his I can think of that are actually fairly uplifting. Anyway, the man could very well be my favourite lyricist of all time, and while he lacks that one end-to-end classic album for me (although three or four of them come very close), any poem of his given the musical treatment just gives off such an atmosphere. It's hard to explain why, but I love him to bits. Scott Walker My favourite singing voice of all time, bar none. Plus, he went from this to this over the years - 'nuff said.