Entertainment For Lively Minds
Modern Storytellers
Posted by kidpresentable on 16 May 2009 - 10:12pm.
I enjoyed the recent podcast reminder of Ray Davies' great way with a story, compacted into song-length. I was listening to The Divine Comedy earlier today, and whilst the observational style is very different, I would rate Neil Hannon as one of my favourite songwriters and as a great modern storyteller. The more recent "A Lady Of A Certain Age" featured on a Now Here This cd a couple of years ago, so here's another favourite of mine, "Our Mutual Friend" (from "Absent Friends", 2004).
Who else would you put forward as a great modern storyteller?
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Is it okay
if I really don't like Mr. Coconut Head and his bland tunes?
DV are one band that totally escape me
Nick Cave
No one sings a good murder ballad like Nick!
Robert Earl Keen always tells stories
2 best of this ilk, by him, are: "Jesse With the Long Hair etc" and "The Road Goes on Forever". But many more in his canon, including the best version of Blackie Farrells "Sonora Death Row", covered well also by Dave Alvin.
(I wonder how long before the Lily, Rosemary etc merchant gets a mench.....)
"Beeswing" and "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" also come to mind, but I can't rememember who did them......
Re "Coconut head" above; sounds more like his buddy Duke Special, who really does look like an unkempt coconut.
That 'Beeswing' bloke...
like you, his name escapes me. Tall, wears black, beret, beard...
That's it!
Jacques Loussier.
Calexico
Calexico do the kind of storytelling I like best - feeding you enough cinematic images to make up your own story.
"Crystal Frontier" is a Coen Brothers film waiting to be made (and probably best listened to without the video):
Cave, Waits and MacGowan are among the modern masters, though in each case I think their best stories are now far behind them.
Might not be a popular choice with the Massive
But Alex Turner is a great modern storyteller, as is Mike Skinner circa 'A Grand Don't Come for Free'.
I could offer up any number of AM songs for your consideration, but 'A Certain Romance', 'Mardy Bum' and 'When The Sun Goes Down' off the first album alone.
Also Madness - particularly 'Our House', for instance. Reviews of the new album suggest it might qualify although I've not heard it yet.
Cathal Coughlan
far too many to mention from his days in Microdisney, Fatima Mansions to his solo work. No-one tells a surreal, sinister story in song like the greatest Irishman ever (cf. The Word magazine)
Storytellers have been my favourites for the last 15-20 years.
Mostly folk/blues/americana type stuff. I could bore you all night with details but since the original post asked simply for modern storytellers, I'll bore you with a list of names instead. Most can be found on Spotify...some will never be found there!
Already mentioned
Shane McGowan
Nick Cave
Robert Earl Keen
Tom Waits
Richard Thompson
Not yet mentioned
Steve Earle
Bob Dylan
Brooce
Todd Snider
Elvis Costello
Lucinda Williams
Kathleen Edwards
John Hiatt
Seth Lakeman
Michael Marra
Loudon Wainwright III
Mary Gauthier
Lyle Lovett
Slaid Cleaves
Fred Eaglesmith
Rod Picott
Jack Ingram
Randy Newman
James McMurtry
Steve Forbert
Eric Bogle
Ry Cooder
Gillian Welch
Guy Clark
John Prine
Neil Young
Paul Simon
Ray Lamontagne
ed...that's enough!
OK....gotta go to bed now....up early....playing golf for next two days....Alyth, wherever that is.
M Ward
Will come up under this category a lot.
Love 'im.
The Long Blondes
The "Someone To Drive You Home" album is full of detailed stories.