So whos your favourite singer songwriter, new or old?

Post up some vids/lyrics etc. (preferably of a 1 man/woman performer preferably of an acoustic nature of the likes of damien rice, Tom Mcrae, Dylan, Ben Howard etc etc)

One of my favourite tortured souls I keep coming back to and who I would really recommend live is David Ford, whos quite adept with his loop pedal.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY8ni5kPp-E[/video]

Sweet dreams all met with derision
This train, it was armed for collision
It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame

Clap your hands in the sparkle and glitter
Shake your heads at the twisted and bitter
Oh they don’t know how lucky they are

Foot down for the alienation
Look on as your love, its gets lost in translation
To a language that nobody understands

There are smiles as they erode and corrupt you
Of the great expectations you could never live up to
We are lost, we are lost, we are lost

get you coat, ‘cos the righteous are leaving
‘Cos they can’t work out what the hell to believe in
It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame

No abandon, no heartfelt desire
No love could be worth getting fired
For real, it’s surreal, it’s so real

So paint over the cracks and then cover
What you thought was the worst ever pain with another
And the first one, it always comes free

How they love you so cold and so vicious
With friends like these, well who needs politicians
The first one, its always comes free
They tell you heroin takes like ice cream

Clever men know all that and all this
And they will talk and they talk and the don’t ___ listen
It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame

It’s no life but God, it’s a living
Come on Jesus Christ, come back all is forgiven
We are lost, we are lost, we are lost

Have no fear of the state of the nation
Let the facts have no bearing on public relations
It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame

What a model of Christian behaviour
Preach on with the message of “go ____ thy neighbour”
it’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame
it’s a shame, it’s a shame

Watch your step by the crowd of fanatics
While they kill in the name of applied mathematics

Hate the system even though you invented it
Go kill your brothers and claim self defence of it

Picking up all the secrets and tricks to being
One of the guys whom the shit never sticks to

Take you seats for the final calamity
Don’t you look serious, hell, what can the matter be?

Another day and the rot’s getting faster
And all the machines started killing the master

it’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame
it’s a shame, it’s a shame

Toh Kay aka Tomas Kalnoky from Streetlight Manifesto and originally Catch 22.

check out the Streetlight manifesto stuff, fast lively ska punk sort of stuff, then check out his version of the songs played acoustic. the man is a genius.

My cousin, Vivienne Bern!

Have a listen to her stuff and see what you think, she certainly fits your criteria of “1 man/woman performer preferably of an acoustic nature”:

http://www.reverbnation.com/viviennebern

Matt Johnson – the album Mind Bomb was epic, IMHO.

Steve Earle.

John Martyn

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOi_wxypeGc[/video]

Dick Gaughan

[edit] not heard this performance before but he’s bloody brilliant on it 🙂

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3aniiKuxL8[/video]

Michael Messer

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1qWbTQkq48[/video]
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMH4Oy7UfQ[/video]

Leonard Cohen.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHjnjIbwvGI[/video]

Woody Guthrie

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s[/video]

I really love Ryan Adams –
pretty much every album he’s done has a masterpiece within.

“come pick me up ” is a fave!!

Harry Chapin; Joe Jackson;

One of the best. Certainly the most under-rated

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgWW2jEOIo[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARubEiIohdk[/video]

Superb to see live, as he tends to tell some fantastic stories in between tracks. His gigs go on for hours

My cousin, Vivienne Bern!

Have a listen to her stuff and see what you think, she certainly fits your criteria of “1 man/woman performer preferably of an acoustic nature”:

http://www.reverbnation.com/viviennebern

Interesting, I see she is from Glenrothes, I am in Dundee, may have to catch her when she is playing locally.

I really love Ryan Adams

One of my all time favourite covers:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzZhtrsbJzs[/video]

Poor old Tom Mcrae, never had the success he deserves:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z68h8-fxlTY[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfAS6nwYc9g[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iptU6JwOQ9M[/video]

Interesting, I see she is from Glenrothes, I am in Dundee, may have to catch her when she is playing locally.

Nice one. Yeah she runs a few of the Acoustic Music in Fife events and also plays similar stuff in an acoustic two-piece called The Coaltown Daisies.

willy mason, first proper bluegrass/ country guy i got into about 10years ago. previous to that it was all metal and drum n bass.
roy orbison, no need to explain.
lisa hannigan, thanks to richard hawley for having her support him, a good find, beautiful voice wi a hint of the irish.
woody guthrie, thank my grandad for this.
matthew reynolds- Wreck of the hesperus is a superb self produced and recorded album.

Jason Mraz has been a direct influence on my playing style, he’s going through a commercial phase at the moment but his stuff from walking around Paris with just a guitar is most excellent.

Ray LaMontange always a favorite, always will be.

John Mayer, eventhough he has a band, uber excellent.

Jason Reeves, in a similar style to Jason Mraz but with more mellow emphasis.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0w5Jub9Vk[/video]

organic355 – Member

One of my favourite tortured souls I keep coming back to and who I would really recommend live is David Ford, whos quite adept with his loop pedal.

On the one hand, he’s brilliant. On the other hand he’s only one step away from strapping cymbals to his knees.

Where do you draw the line… I mean, early Nine Inch Nails albums were all Trent Reznor I think, but that doesn’t feel right for singer/songwriter.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ9OtYz_6Uw[/video]

Just Love Gordon Lightfoot

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw[/video]

On the one hand, he’s brilliant. On the other hand he’s only one step away from strapping cymbals to his knees.

Bit like this?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBkAjjHL7Gw[/video]

This is pretty special though:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVky7hwuebU[/video]

Well I was thinking more

another one who likes the loop pedal:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYEU91d8ngc[/video]

Probably, going to be a bit ‘Marmite’.

The Tallest Man on Earth:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLRTleMY_mc#t=3m01s[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3pltmw6cmI[/video]

I had the great pleasure of seeing Ray Lamontagne live, which was one of the best gigs ever.

Also a a big fan of Andrew Bird, who if you don’t know, you can stream his new album here

2019

Singers and songwriters??

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS1bvFmwtsA[/video]

Anyone for Duncan Browne?

Luka Bloom…
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEkE76hpK58[/video]

I had the great pleasure of seeing Ray Lamontagne live, which was one of the best gigs ever.

me too, but he didnt really have much chat with the crowd, but thats just the way he is.

Dare I say it I also saw paolo nutini at the same venue, and as it was in Dundee, Kyle from the view was in the audience and came up and did one track with him.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbxMtFBNOyg[/video]

organic355 – I got the impression he is just really shy. People were shouting out “I LOVE YOU RAY”, and you could see how he was embarrassed more than anything. An anti rock star if ever there was one.

Hell of a voice though, and it was in a big venue.

James Yorkston, a wonderful artist:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjznhP4I3HA[/video]

Elliot Smith, the artist I wish I’d seen live more than anyone:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX6etUAIbRU[/video]

Withered Hand, this joyous video made by Mrs Tyred’s wee brother:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue3uIRSuN6k[/video]

Jonathan Richman, just for the chat inbetween.

Buck 65.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPCehtKG8U0&feature=related[/video]

Someone has kindly put an entire Andrew Bird album for you online here

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2atgwpqpEmU#![/video]

Elliott Smith is one of my favourites. Easy to say since he killed himself but there’s always been a lot of bittersweet and depression in his songs but he finds ways to make them seem more accessible.

.. Nick Drake anyone?

Aimee Mann
Cara Dillon
Cerys Matthews
Dar Williams
The Dear Janes
Eddie Reader
Emma Pollock
Emmylou Harris
Fiona Apple
Gemma Hayes
Heidi Talbot
Inara George
Indigo Girls
J. D. Souther
Jackson Brown
Jane Sibbery
Jeff Buckley
Jenny Queen
Jesca Hoop
Judie Tzuke
Julie Fowlis
Kate Rusby
Karen Ann
Kris Delmhorst
Laura Marling
Linda Ronstadt
Lisa Hannigan
Maria McKee
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mechanical Bride (Lauren Doss)
Michael Nesmith
Natalie Merchant
Neko Case
Patty Griffin
Paul Brady
Richard Thompson
Linda Thompson
Rickie Lee Jones
Rilo Kiley
Robbie Robertson
Robert Wyatt
Ron Sexsmith
Sam Phillips
Sandy Denny
Sea Of Bees
Shawn Colvin
Shelby Lynne
Sheryl Crow
Sinéad Lohan
Siobhan Donaghy
Smoke Faries
Susanna Hoffs
Tanya Donelly
Thea Gilmore
Tom Waits
Tori Amos
The Wailin’ Jennies
Just a few to be going on with, these are listed on my phone.
I have a lot more among the 14,000 tracks on my iPod… 😀

Phil Solem

Townes Van Zandt[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGKzWDakK8[/video]

and of more recent british stuff King Creosote is rather good. Not much on youtube though
[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OObmW3PBQ30[/video]

anagallis_arvensis – thanks for the Townes. Saw him at Cambridge folk festival about 6 months before he died. He was so good we went to see him perform his second set the next day. His sense of humour was so dry it was practically Saharan.