Best Current Singer / Songwriter
 

2 Words

John

Mayer

4 Words

Damien Rice Is Better.

J/K I like him better but there are so many good ones I dunno if I could pick. Right now I loves

Gavin Degraw
David Gray
Connor Ondrasik (sp?)
Ben Jelen

Then you have the female ones.

Sarah Mclaughlan
I know some guys like Michelle Branch

Well theres a lot.....out of all the ones mentioned I dunno who I like best

Asta!!

Ralph Covert. Not many outside of Chicago have heard of him, but he puts John Mayer, Jack Johnson, and all those pretty boy Dave Matthews wannabe's to shame. Best....Lyrics.....Ever.

www.ralphcovert.com

I also forgot to mention Ben Harper, Jason Mraz. Guess I should check out this Ralph guy too.

Asta!!

how about Rufus Wainright.... yea i know hes not all that current but hes still pretty damn current.. and (though i dont like them all that much) dashboard confessional i mean just look at how many singels this guy puts out its like up to one a month now

Conor Oberst is the best current one ever.

However, current songwriters are simply starved compared to what's gone by in the past.

No one will ever match Townes Van Zandt

^^ Thats his fuckin name....I feel like an ass now.

Asta!!

Chris Carrabba

<center><font size=6><i>And you meant it!!...You meant it.....</i></font>
http://www.socalscene.net/HOB/Dashbo...essional_2.jpg

Asta!!</center>

Kathleen Edwards

She gets unfairly compared to Lucinda Williams at every turn, but she outshines Lucinda in every way.

Gillian Welch

I just licked my screen...

Okay, no I didn't... But I sorta wanted to :lol:

>_<

IF I HEAR THAT GOD DAMNED SPIDERMAN SONG ONE MORE TIME I AM GOING TO GO INSANE. MORESO THAN ALREADY.

gillian welch, emmy lou harris, neko case, ani difranco, i could go on and on... honestly john mayer hasn't written a creative word or cord in his life time.

AHAHAHA!!

Asta!!

correct...

MAN i can't believe i didn't think of gillian and ani, i love them.

"3x5" is a solidly creative and beautiful song...the acoustic version, anyway. But I agree that Mayer has no place anywhere near this post.

Do recently deceased folks count? If so,

Elliott Smith

or maybe Stephen Lynch, hehe.

I'm a Neil Finn fan myself (former Split Endz & Crowded House). Has been around for a while and still going.

yes yes, both great suggestions -- if we're aloud to nominate dead folks i also throw in jeff buckley :).

I respectfully disagree, simply because EVEN before Mayer was "popular" he shit was amazing long before he ever signed with a record company. It's not like he's got someone writing his music....

I agree that maybe he's not THE BEST, but I hold much respect for his music..

No no no no. You don't have to be barely post pubescent to be current. All the youngsters can sit down and take a lesson from:

TOM WAITS.

Here's the difference between Ralph Covert and other songwriters:

Others songwriters write a song about being in love.

Covert writes a song about a guy named Bill who, in July of 1973, falls in love with a girl named Mary, but because he's about to move overseas, is torn between his love for her and his other comittments.

It's the specificity of the lyrics that move me so.

Sondre Lerche.

PJ Harvey.

Liz Phair. Saw her in concert a few months ago. I'm in love. Fucking hot. Much better looking in person than in photos or on T.V.

George Michael and Eric Clapton

I don't mean to kill yer fantasies n what not but I actually heard she's a lesbian by a few friends....and been one for a while. I agree she's hot as hell. Kinda sux if it's true.

Asta!!

I'll stick up for John Mayer too. I think he's written some really great songs.

Puts on a sweet live show too.

I've met her, shes not a lesbian :) she just got recently divorced a year or so ago, and she had a song on her album called H.W.C. which stands for "Hot White Cum" Referring to her then current boyfriends semen...

yes.


(but i still think even he bows to Townes Van Zandt. and i like tom waits a lot)

Ladd Mitchell of Park. His lyrics are haunting. They get me every time.

Paul Simon, or maybe Paul McCartney