The singer / songwriter title seems to be attached to performers with a full-band, radio 2 type sound recently (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that sound, each to their own and all that) but i've always preferred singer / songwriters who can pull of being memorable and beautiful in a much more pared down way.

 

I'm thinking Chris on Coldplay's drumless stuff (Lost Highway, See You Soon), Damien Rice (Blowers Daughter, Elephant (save for the bit in the middle), Ray Lamontagne (Burn), those sorts of purer solo-efforts where the voice, guitar, and maybe one more sound to fill in space is all that it takes.

 

Anyone got recommendations which are really powerful in their simplicity?

 

I'll kick off with

 

Finn Daniel - Snap [ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cM2iKj9gboI]YouTube - Finn Daniel - Snap[/ame]

Nick Drake - Place To Be [ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9IUqN9ozmhw]YouTube - Nick Drake - Place to be[/ame]

Dick Gaughan - Workers Song [ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdl4ijru8o]YouTube - Dick Gaughan - Workers' Song[/ame]

Bon Iver?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXgbRKa3-kk]YouTube - regina spektor - Braille (11:11)[/ame]

 

 

Everything on Regina Spektor's 11:11 was relatively simple and really beautiful.

Bon Iver?

 

What's a decent Bon Iver track Briggins? Chance to be a taste maker, am looking for new stuff :)

 

Forlackofabettertitle - that's a great song, haven't really heard much Regina Spektor, although have heard her name a lot. There's not many piano-ballads that have stuck in the memory, be nice to see a better hit rate with that kind of thing cause I play myself, could never write vocals for piano songs that I was happy with though :confused:

 

Do like that song Colourblind by Counting Crows though, hadn't thought of that for a while....

Most of Damien Rice is pretty simple and beautiful.

I know there's about 30 seconds worth of exception to the 'without the full band sound' in the middle of the song but Elephant by Damien Rice is one of the best examples of that, amazing projection of what he appears to be going through.

 

Is hard work sometimes his stuff, he sounds like he's been through a fair bit :confused:

Two words: Ray Wilson. He's put out three acoustic guitar albums since 2003 that are absolutely brilliant. Go here - http://www.raywilson.co.uk

 

Also, Brian Vander Ark from The Verve Pipe has put out some pretty good solo artist material.

What's a decent Bon Iver track Briggins? Chance to be a taste maker, am looking for new stuff :)

 

Forlackofabettertitle - that's a great song, haven't really heard much Regina Spektor, although have heard her name a lot. There's not many piano-ballads that have stuck in the memory, be nice to see a better hit rate with that kind of thing cause I play myself, could never write vocals for piano songs that I was happy with though :confused:

 

Do like that song Colourblind by Counting Crows though, hadn't thought of that for a while....

 

Check out the song For Emma. One of the best songs of the year for sure.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0yaQ20dpWI]YouTube - Bon Iver - for Emma[/ame]

Check out the song For Emma. One of the best songs of the year for sure.

 

 

That's lovely, the brass made it feel more like Christmas too :)

Anything by Glen Hansard. His music to me may be better than Coldplay's, and that's saying a lot from a personal music standpoint.