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Lesser Known Singer Songwriters Sought

S

Shaun555

pfm Member
Hi,

I am always looking for a music "hit" - that buzz you get when you find someone with something new to say or saying something old in a new way. I am a big fan of Roy Harper, Townes Van Zandt, Joni Mitchell, David Ackles, Randy Newman, Marlon Williams, Ed Kuepper,Gene Clark, Kate Bush, Scott Walker, Josh T Pearson, Bill Fay and Harry Chapin. Trouble is these guys don't generate too much music now. Lately I have found Jason Isbell and Asaf Avidan who for me are very impressive. Given the aforementioned are there any lesser known original artists (I realise some of the above are not "lesser known") who you could recommend who have that gift of originality together with a distinctive voice.

Thanks

Shaun
 
On reading your title I was going to suggest Harry Chapin, but you’re way ahead of me.

How about Paul Buchanan, both for his solitary solo album “Mid Air” and his work with The Blue Nile, and Willie Vlautin, songwriter with Richmond Fontaine and The Delines?

(Above examples selected on the basis that my Pa hasn’t had time for much popular music since Chapin died, but enjoys and has seen both in concert.)

Also, how about Judee Sill, sort of a female Bill Fay?
 
Kacey Musgraves has been hitting the right spot for me recently since hearing a track or two on a demo
 
Possibly disqualified on the grounds that he worked with a co-writer, the first three Albert Hammond albums are great in a Chapin-with-Neil Diamond polish way (compare “The Free Electric Band” with “WOLD”, for example). The MOR set in from “99 Miles From LA” onward, though.

Outliers on the Kate Bush scale: Joanna Newsom, Julia Holter.

More traditional: Mickey Newbury, try the “Heaven Help The Child” album.

At the risk of recommending a 30 year old album by a dead guy, have you heard Lou Reed’s “New York”?

Mark Knopfler’s solo material might appeal if you fancy a gruff, Northern English version of Americana.
 
This is inevitably like the Amazon recommendation system: because you like X, you might like Y. But you actually might hate Y.

Nevertheless, if you like Kate Bush, you might like:

1. Eivør. Faroese singer-songwriter. Possibly the only pop star ever to sing in Icelandic in order to broaden her market. Although she also sings in English, and her native Faroese. Her she is with a great Kate Bush cover:
But this is more personal to her ('Trøllabundin'):
If you like, start with the most recent live album, 'Live in Tórshavn'.

2. Susanne Sundfør. Norwegian singer-songwriter, a megastar in her native country, singing in English. Started off very much in homage to the 1970s Randy Newman-ish style, moved heavily into melodic, synth-based electronica, with latest album more acoustic. If Kate Bush and Thom Yorke had a daughter, this is what she'd sound like. Her best song from her best album ('White Foxes' from 'The Silicone Veil'):
The best song from her latest album ('The Sound of War' from ''Music for People in Trouble'):

Enjoy (I hope)!

- Garry
 
Don't know if he qualifies as lesser known but in any case his back catalogue is impressive - Loudon Wainwright III
 
Clifford T Ward - Singer Songwiter (still available at a reasonable price on CD)

Runahild (Norwegian folk easily available on BANDCAMP)

Lucy Kruger (BANDCAMP again)

Ayla Nereo (BANDCAMP yet again)
 
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