Name your lame duck artist........

Seems to me when you pan an artist you imply you have taste. You didn't hurt my feelings. I think PB is highly talented and didn't want anyone not giving her a shot just 'cause some dude with tin ears says she's crap, than which it doesn't get much worse. I could understand your not digging her, but "doesn't get much worse"? No, only tin ears and a taste vacuum could come up with that. Leonard Cohen too, a major lyrical talent, to say the least. If you think either of these folks are crap (whether or not your cup of tea -- another matter), then the failure is yours. Same if you can't discern that and how why PB smokes Diana Krall. It's not all personal taste. Some things are better than others.

Thomastrouble: see my last. Madonna does have talent, but not musical talent. I referred to PB and Leonard Cohen.
Hmmm, my lame duck? There are so many. Obviously there's lots of stuff that sucks outright, so that only a musical ignorant or tin eared person could possibly like it. Yanni. David Sanborne. There's nothing there. Pablum. George Winston. Audible wallpaper. Music shouldn't smooth, it should move. Here: I think George Thoroughgood (sp?) sucks. K? Celine Dion too. Donna Summer. Could go on and on, but don't have any desire to offend. Still, some judgments are so far off track ya gotta call them on it.

Elvis? I have no use for him, and pretty well despise the whole sensibility, but I would never deny the talent and voice.

Maybe you two don't have tin ears. Maybe you just don't know what to listen for in PB and LC. Hard to say. But you are missing out.

And as for not getting out enough, maybe so, but only because I spend so much time listening to all kinds of awesome music on my nice Hi-Fi.

Dankmobius: everything you said is right (which means I agree), except about Barber. Give her another shot. You didn't get sufficient exposure to hear the twists, edge, depth, intelligence and cleverness that are simply absent from the others.

I know this is an opinion thread, but calling out metallica and kris kristoffersen...? crazy talk. maybe if you look at what they've done just the past few years.

Overrated in those categories would have to be Steve Earle and White Lion.

Truman - re: Joel, there are a number of hysterical and insightful essays by pop culture vulture chuck klosterman that I encourage you to check out. He has an enormous amount of respect for BJ, and credits him with everything that he is due...and still makes a compelling argument that he's ultimately culturally insignificant. A great read for fans and critics alike - highly recommended.