Dave Mathews, David Gray, current Springsteen, current U2, current Tom Waits, current Patricia Barber, D. Krall, N. Jones, and others of this ilk in their individual ways ALL SEEM TO BE STUCK ON ONE BORING, DROANING SOUND.
However, at least these folks have some genuine talent and have shared it with us from time to time. So many of today's music "superstars" really seem to be more full of luck than talent. [Was it ever really different? e.g., What did Dean Martin or Sammy Davis Jr. have to do with music that made them as popular in their time as Tony Bennett?]
From the non-talent list I would exclude K. Kristofferson, early Billy Joel, early Barber, early Krall, and early
R. Stewart, [any Jeff Beck "Truth" and "Beck Ola" fans here? How about "Gasoline Alley"?] who had in the past at least exhibited genuine and unique talent.
This music stuff is "art", right? Enjoyment is with the individual listener. We all believe we have exquisite tastes. I chuckle about the varied opinions here. It's a riot.
I'm a big fan of L. Cohen and enjoy his work even more today [I think his current live music is terrific].
By contrast I worked in Manhattan while Springsteen was coming up and generously stepping in for free at one or two of the bars in Jersy City and Hoboken. Loved his work back then. Today, however, I can't really stand listening to his music.
Likewise with how Tom Waits was a joy for me during many of my late-night college study spurts "the piano had been drinking" but now for me he is just a droaning, scratchy bore forcing his forced "poetry" on someone.
Oh well. At least it's fun communicating these things.
