Is it my imagination, or are all the good/great "new" singer-songwriters female?

[speedoo]

I'm talking about the relatively contemporary ones. Where are the males that rival Lucinda Williams, Patti Griffin, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Gillian Welch, etc.? It seems like every time I become aware of a singer songriter that's worth listening to, it's a female.

Where are the males to remind us of Dylan, Cohen, Lennon, McCartney, etc.?

[taterguy]

1. You must not be looking in the right places

David Gray is highly regarded even though he's not my cup of tea

Eric Bachman puts out great records under the name Crooked Fingers

Ben Folds

Kevn Kinney

Tommy Womack

The guys from Drive-By Truckers

Those are just a few I can think of off the top of my head and I don't even pay much attention to music anymore.

[speedoo]

2. I've heard David Gray, and I've heard of Drive-By Truckers.

Gray is nice, but for whatever reason he does not capture my attention the way any of the females I listed does. Too "commercial" maybe. I'll have to check out Drive-By Truckers more, they might interest me.

Never heard of any of the rest.

But seriously, can you compare any of the males you mentioned with the greats of old? In terms of all time great female singer-songwriters, I would put Lucinda Williams up against anyone. Including Joni Mitchell, etc.

[Chan790]

3. No but...

among the females you listed...the only one that is with even the possibility of someday being in the same sentence comparable to the greats is Lucinda Williams.

No, none of the guys listed are in the same category. If you give me 20 minutes I might come up with a guy though...

(10 minutes later of propping though mp3s.)

I've always been very impressed by Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie. He might have the potential. He's erratic though...some of his stuff is amazing and some of it makes you wonder why he released it because it's clear even he dislikes it. He's more of a wordsmith than a song writer (IMO)...the lyrics are the art.

[speedoo]

5. About Lucinda...

I am just now getting into her stuff. Some of it amazes me. What's your favorite album of hers?

And re. the "greats", IMO Dylan is above all others, as in, another universe. And some have compared Lucinda to him, but it's way, way too soon for that, IMO. Basically comparing a 20 year career to nearly 50 is unfair.

Did you know they toured together not too long ago?

Thanks for the Ben Gibbard info. I will definitely check him out.

[MissMillie]

13. I'm gonna disagree here

Patty Griffith is just wonderful.

And I don't see Aimee Mann on the list and she should be.

[speedoo]

16. Patti Griffin IS wonderful.

as is Nanci Griffith ;-)

I wasn't making anything like a complete list, just my current faves. I'll have to check out Aimee Mann, thanks.

[LynneSin]

4. Damien Rice - nuff said

I'll be seeing him in concert again in May

[speedoo]

7. He's ok.

My comments on him are identical to what I said re. David Gray. But I'm glad you like him.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

6. Might want to check out Ted Leo.

I haven't heard his stuff, but it's supposedly very smart/political.

One lyric I do remember reading about: "What I stand for/I usually stand behind."

:hi:

[speedoo]

8. Thanks, SA. I'll do so. By the way, Dylan's coming to the NYC area soon...

Late June, he'll be out in Westbury, plus a few other dates nearby.

http://www.bobdylan.com/moderntimes/tour/main.html

Just wanted to let you know!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

9. Probably too pricey for me.

;)

BTW, thanks for the tip on Yourmusic.com -- great service.

[speedoo]

11. Maybe not...

Not sure what's too pricey for you, and I don't know about Westbury, but he'll be in Woodstock and tix should be well under $100 there.

Glad you like yourmusic! :thumbsup:

[liontamer]

10. The "old" male great singer-songwriters become well known when the industry was hostile to females

Now that the music industry is slightly more willing to promote them, it does seem that there are a lot more. However, there are still new male singer-songwriters out there. In fact, there are more males with contracts than there are female ones. It's just that the females are apparently more to your taste. 40 years ago, most of these women would never have gotten contracts. Consider yourself lucky that good music isn't being hidden from you because executives don't think anybody wants to hear women.

[speedoo]

14. I can't disagree with you.

My only knowledge is as a fan, who's been a fan since the 50's. But to be fair, before the rock era really got going, there were plenty of females in pop music... Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Patsy Cline, Ella, and I could go on. But it seems that once rock started dominating, female artists became very very scarce, and I have no doubt that the industry had a lot to do with that.

Yes, I do consider my self lucky these days. But I think it's more the genres I favor than my taste, in terms of females vs. males. It just seems like females are currently dominating the genres I favor (roots music, basically, including bluegrass, blues, folk, etc.).

[Joe Fields]

46. Joni Mitchell and Carole King?

[liontamer]

50. i didn't say there weren't any

janis joplin came out in that time period too, but even in the mid 90s music executives would refuse to put two women on the same bill. That's why Sarah McLachlan started lillith fair. She was tired of hearing that nobody would pay money to see only women.

[SteppingRazor]

12. Couple things

1) Define "new." I mean, Lucinda Williams is actually kinda old, no? Her first album came out in the 70s.

2) Even skipping the rock-band suggestions others have put in (Death Cab, etc.) and sticking with the singer-songwriter genre, there's plenty of young male singers. Hell, few people have been compared to Dylan as often as Bright Eyes has. I think the comparisons aren't necessarily valid, but the dude's still a good songwriter. Ed Harcourt's another pretty good example of a young male singer-songwriter. ... hell, there's actually a bunch of them. What about Sufjan Stevens? According to many critics' top 10s (not mine, but hey...), he penned the best album to hit shelves in 2005. Just gotta dig around, I guess.

3) Those people who suggested rock bands over singer-songwriters did have a point, despite my dismissiveness in Point No. 2, above. Incredibly talented male singer-songwriters are more-easily found in indie rock. I dig The Hold Steady a lot. Good stuff.

[speedoo]

17. 1. "new" is basically new to me, and maybe to many other fans.

Lucinda as far as I know did not start getting much attention on any of the indie radio stations until a few years ago. Yes, her first album goes back to 1978, but that and her second album got zero attention, per wiki. Her first album that got any notice at all was her third, released in 1988.

2. Thanks for the suggestions.

3. Thanks, I'll look for those good male singer-songwriters in indie rock. It's not my favorite genre, but I have found some good stuff there in the past.

[SteppingRazor]

18. If you're not really into punk or indie rock...

I'd give these Ted Leo and Death Cab suggestions amiss. You're probably not gonna like them.

However, if you're into the sort of acoustic, singer-songwriter stuff, I'd highly recommend you check out Greetings From Michigan and Illinoise, both by Sufjan Stevens, as well as Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground and Cassadaga, both by Bright Eyes.

Also, you into alt-country at all? Amazing stuff there, from Wilco to Ryan Adams.

[speedoo]

23. Thanks.

I really appreciate the recommendations. I have to confess, I must be clueless re. alt-country. I think I will have to read wiki or something on genres, since my understanding seems wrong.

Wilco, yes I can see that, and I will dedfinitely check out Ryan Adams. what about The Decemberists... what genre are they?

[SteppingRazor]

31. I guess I'd call The Decembrists "indie pop"...

that whole Belle and Sebastian/Postmarks/Pernice Brothers/Decembrists thing certainly deserves it's own label, though. I've heard it called "Chamber Pop," but I don't know how widespread the phrase is.

As for Ryan Adams, the dude's freakin' awesome. I swear by him. Gold, Love Is Hell, Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights are all excellent. His pre-solo work with Whiskeytown is also outstanding.

[speedoo]

32. Whoah. Ryan Adams IS awesome.

Sampling "29" now. Tremendous talent and range of styles, very impressive. You just gained him a new fan.

[SteppingRazor]

33. And that's not even one of my favorites of his!

Yeah, the guy's pretty damn unbelievable.

Glad you like him, and even happier that I could help! :)

[speedoo]

38. This is almost scary.

I'm a huge Dylan fan and I live in NYC. Born and raised here (a long time ago.... I was working in Greenwich Village as a teenager about the same time Dylan was), and returned a year or so before 9/11.

I see Ryan has lived here for some time as well and I just checked out his "New York, New York" video (some coincidence re. the timing of that video, huh?). I also noted that his early musical life was a lot like Dylan's, and there are other parallels.

I'm gonna try to go up to Kingston, NY in a few weeks and see him live.

For a long time I have believed there will never be another Dylan, but if anybody performing today can eventually prove me wrong, this might be the guy.

[SteppingRazor]

47. I used to argue that Beck was my generation's Dylan...

given the eclecticism, surreal lyrics, DIY ethic, NYC folkie background, etc., but I haven't tried to make the argument lately. While I really dig both Beck and Adams on their own terms, there's only one Bobby. In the last sentence of your post, try replacing Dylan with "greatest songwriter in human history."

"For a long time I have believed there will never be another greatest songwriter in human history, but if anybody performing today can eventually prove me wrong, this might be the guy."

See? It just doesn't work. :)

[speedoo]

48. I know, I know.

Bobby keeps proving it over and over doesn't he?

From Hard Rain to Watchtower to Tangled Up In Blue to Ain't Talkin' he just keeps adding to the library of great songs. And the Never Ending Tour just keeps on rolling.

[bbernardini]

15. Jim Boggia, Stuart Davis

www.jimboggia.com

www.stuartdavis.com

Two of the finest singer-songwriters of any lifetime, both male.

[speedoo]

21. I wish their sites had some sample music.

Maybe on Amazon?

[bbernardini]

24. D'oh! Jim Boggia sample music here:

http://www.myspace.com/jimboggia

[speedoo]

26. Thanks. Jim's talented, for sure.

But if those tracks are representative, I wonder if he will gain much traction. Seems like a James Blunt kind of singer, and already Blunt is being condemned as over-exposed (appropriately, I might add), which could be a kiss of death in the pop music area.

In any case, not the kind of style I like.

Sorry.

[bbernardini]

27. Actually, he's in no way like James Blunt.

Far more clever than that. I can't access myspace from work, so I'm not sure what songs are up there, but Jim's really hard to pigeonhole.

[speedoo]

28. "Talk About The Weather", "Nothing Wrong With Me"

and "Let me Believe", plus a very good cover of "Somebody to Love" (which actually showcases his excellent voice nicely).

[AngryAmish]

19. What about Run-DMC?

[speedoo]

25. I'm just not into rap/hip-hop that much.

I dig some of it, maybe I should check him out, since he's one of the best. Definitely a male dominated genre, huh?

[some guy]

20. I'll throw in Steve Earle

I've been listening to Lucinda longer than I've been listening to him, so if she counts as "new", I'll count him as "new" too.

:hi:

Otherwise, I don't know. I just generally prefer female singer-songwriters, so I'm more apt to pay attention to a new female voice, and that's why I am more aware of them than whatever males there may be.

edit: 2 "e"s in been...

[speedoo]

22. Yup. Definitely dig Steve.

I wish somebody had told me about Lucinda a long time ago.

[unpossibles]

29. Andrew Bird, David Gray, and Xavier Rudd come to mind

and I'm sure there are many I am forgetting right now. And I'm not sure I would say Lucinda Williams or Gillian Welch are that "new" as they've both been around about 10 years or more, and Patti Griffin (who I don't really care for) has been around even longer if I am not mistaken.

check out:
Andrew Bird
Todd Snider (very John Prine-ish)
David Gray
Ben Harper
Pete Yorn
Xavier Rudd
Billy Bragg
T-Bone Burnett
Richard Thomson
Elvis Costello's later rock albums (The Delivery Man, & When I was Cruel are both excellent)

not all are that new, but may not have heard them

[speedoo]

30. That's a good list.

A lot of them I like a lot. I really like Elvis Costello's latest album a lot, and I like T-Bone Burnett and Richard Thomson a lot as well. Pete Yorn impressed me with his "Splendid Isolation" version on the Warren Zevon dedication album, so thanks for reminding me of him.

[unpossibles]

34. no problem - I love music and sharing ideas

there were a couple in this thread that I also want to check out or had forgotten about. You will probably like Todd Snider - he gets written off as a joke often, but I really like his writing, and it's not all funny. Again, he reminds me a lot of John Prine, but more contemporary.

Have you heard Michael Hedges? he's dead now, but has several albums, some instrumental, some with vocal. Amazing guitar player, kind of in the Leo Kottke vein. You may or may not like Elliot Smith - he's actually pretty good, but some feel he's too pop or whiny, but I like him.

If you want to hear samples of artists, check out http://www.pandora.com - internet radio started by the people who did the music genome site a few years ago. They don't have some things, but they have turned me onto a lot of stuff too by recommending artists based on songs/artists I liked. Sometimes it's way off (no, Ricky Martin is not the same as Tito Puente...), but overall I love it, and you can listen to short samples of many artists' songs if you don't want to sign up.

[regularguy]

35. I've noticed I've been listening to mostly female performers lately:

Regina Spektor, Laura Veirs, Aimee Mann, Lily Allen, Jill Sobule, etc. I don't think there's any deep reason, just chance probably.....

[speedoo]

39. I like Jill Sobule.

She performed on the Warren Zevon tribute album. Very nice.

[GenDem]

36. I agree that the females may have the edge, now

Which is a good thing.

As far as males -- I think Ellis Paul, Damien Rice, Rufus Wainwright, and Sufjan Stevens are all really great.

[speedoo]

40. Sufjan Stevens has been mentioned by several others.

Definitely will be checking him out. Thanks.

[Beausoleil]

37. Here's a few great male singer-songwriters

Slaid Cleaves (I'm usually more into female voice, but Slaid's is one of the best male voices I've heard)
Kevin Welch
James McMurtry (Larry's son)


Ryan Adams, Todd Snider and Steve Earle already mentioned.

[LostinVA]

41. I haven't seen you in a long time!

Hello!

And yes, I agree with your OP.

[HuskerDU]

42. I agree with you. But forget about looking for gender equity and

check out Iris Dement! She is the best singer/songwriter around right now IMO. Although her voice is a bit of an acquired taste, her songs blow me away with emotion.

[Beausoleil]

43. Iris Dement

I LOVE her voice! She's great with John Prine on his duet album, In Spite of Ourselves, especially (We're not) The Jet Set.

[HuskerDU]

44. That is a great album!

And I love her voice too. The woman is REAL!

[hellbound-liberal]

45. Steve Earle is a great singer/songwriter who is fairly contemporary.

He writes good songs and he is very well respected in the industry. I'm sure there are others but I can't think of any right now.

[hellbound-liberal]

49. How about John Mayer? His name should have come up by now.

I also think Jack Johnson is decent though I don't listen to his music all that often.

[RevolutionaryActs]

51. How 'bout Bright Eyes?

Nice to you posting again btw. :loveya:

[graywarrior]

52. Nope. I'm finding some excellent guy writers from Canada

[greendog]

53. Rufus Wainwright, Josh Ritter n/t

[Shakespeare]

55. I am completely in love with Rufus Wainwright's voice.

Love, love, love me some Rufus.

[unpossibles]

56. me too! I thought of him for this thread this morning on the way in to work

not sure how I forgot. He's great. And someone above mentioned Jack Johnson and John Meyer, who has recently grown on me. I could not stand Meyer's early singles, but I've come to appreciate him.

G. Love has some good stuff too, as do Chris Isaac, and Beck.


Joe Jackson, Mark Knopfler, Leon Redbone, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Bryan Ferry, and David Byrne are some more older guys who have some amazing solo material, although not necessarily the typical "singer-songwriter" fare either.


<rant>On the other hand, there are many amazing female singers getting lots of credit for their hard work right now, and that is a great thing to see/hear, especially since while I have nothing against someone having sex appeal and using it (Sade for instance), I do cringe when popular culture only takes women artists "seriously" when they are sexy.

It's such a ridiculous double standard, but hard to pin down exactly since so much music is more or less about sex (rock and roll, funk, etc.). Again, there's nothing wrong with it: many, many artists do a great job being sexy and selling sexy music, but I hate when that is the only barometer used, especially since it is aimed at female artists more often.</rant>

[wildhorses]

54. thanks for this thread speedoo

good to see you and i am bookmarking this one:hi:

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

57. Uhhh this is ridiculous. I'd say they're pretty even...

Conor Oberst (bright eyes)? Ted Leo? Rufus Wainright? Less recently, Elliott Smith? There are ton of males that rival those you mentioned, (whom aren't even that current...)