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[Valhelm]

Gaf, what band or musician do you think has the best lyrics? Preferably since 1995.

I'm a bit biased, but I'd have to pick the Decemberists' frontman Colin Meloy. Some of his more abstract songs, such as Don't Carry it All or The Infanta are really quite breathtaking , while others like The Crane Wife and The Mariner's Revenge Song are great examples of musical storytelling.

Colin Meloy's lyrics, especially when paired with his band's instrumentals, are pretty damn impressive, as are his vocabulary and poetic skill.

What are your favorites?

 

[stufte]

Eminem.

 

[harSon]

Me (Drake)

 

[Grinchy]

Admittedly, I don't listen to a lot of music these days, and rarely is it brand new stuff. But, I will always take the opportunity to promote Brother Ali.

 

[Fracas]

Creed

This didn't get first post, so it's not really funny anymore lol. I agree with you on the Decemberists. Fleet Foxes are really good too.

 

[flippedb]

We had this thread a while ago. I went with The Tallest Man on Earth.

 

[Spider from Mars]

Isaac Brock

 

[Arc]

Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) or Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem)

 

[Currygan]

Thom Yorke

Laura Marling

 

[Wafflecakes]

Florence Welch

 

[Tesseract]

Lullaby - Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter

 

[Deified Data]

Billy Corgan.

 

[peppermints]

Josh Ritter.

 

[ThanksVision]

She isn't the best, but Laura Marling has been hitting me p hard lately

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_QfaJtU9kE

new album soon, can't wait

 

[Lambtron]

Conor Oberst.

 

[Gouty]

Thom Yorke

Radiohead is my my favorite band and I'll be the first to tell you, no. Absolutely not.

Billy Corgan.

Love the Pumpkins too. Billy shits words like he shits songs like he shits friendships.

 

[Horseticuffs]

John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats should truly be the poet laureate of these United States of America.

you roared into the driveway of our southwestern ranch-style house
on a new kawasaki, all yellow and black
fresh out of the showroom.
our house faced west,
so the big orange sun positioned at your back,
lit up your magnificent silhouette.
how much better?
how much better can my life get?
900 cubic centimeters of raw whining power.
no outstanding warrants for my arrest.
whoa-whoa. whoa whoa.
the pirate's life for me.

i hopped on back of the bike, wrapped my arms around you.
and i sank my face into your hair.
and then i inhaled as deeply as i possibly could.
you were as sweet and delicious as the warm desert air.
and you pointed your headlamp toward the horizon,
we were the one thing in the galaxy god didn't have his eyes on.
900 cc's of raw whining power,
no outstanding warrants for my arrest.
hi diddle dee dee.
god damn!
the pirate's life for me.

I'm a big Decemberists fan as well.

 

[Data West]

Jordan Dreyer.

 

[blame space]

yeah i was gonna say isn't it darnielle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnLol5gJWj4

 

[MuddyDonut]

Lil B

 

[DanteFox]

John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats should truly be the poet laureate of these United States of America.

you're joking right?

 

[mattiewheels]

I like Joanna Newsom's lyrics a lot, of course.

Love Jarvis Cocker, he's my top guy.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Eminem.

Mom's spaghetti.

 

[MuddyDonut]

Oh and I woke up sucking a lemon guy.

 

[JABEE]

Joey Bada$$ is pretty good for an 18-year old.

 

[triplestation]

kanye west obvs

 

[rar]

i'd have to think about it, but off the top of my head

alex turner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou1iMvB64oc

the tallest man on earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIjbuVvAX9Q

jamie t
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDhwoZteZqA

 

[Horseticuffs]

yeah i was gonna say isn't it darnielle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnLol5gJWj4

Thaaaaaat's a good fellow!

you're joking right?

I don't joke about the Mountain Goats.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Drake.

 

[Buddha Beam]

Neil Hannon. The man is on par with guys like Bob Dylan and Tom Waits when it comes to good lyrics and balancing them against music. Really good at painting a picture in your mind's eye.

Fiona Apple is really good too. I didn't much care for her most recent album though.

 

[surrealist]

Billy Corgan.

Yes.

His older work is incredible.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Also, Jesse Lacey.

 

[User 100115]

Jesse Lacey and Fiona Apple kinda win this hands down.

 

[Ultima_5]

Yes.

His older work is incredible.

Despite all my rage I am still just Nicholas cage

 

[The Last Emperor]

Lil B

my man

 

[Tain]

2 CHAINZ

 

[enzo_gt]

Hopsin. The shining beacon of hope in modern cRap.

 

[blame space]

when is brand new gonna release another album

 

[Macca]

Kid CuDi.

Real stans capitalise the D. Cause that's where he was born and raised in.

 

[Guess Who]

Conor Oberst.

.

 

[C4Lukins]

I would go with Colin Meloy as well.

 

[User 100115]

when is brand new gonna release another album

As long as Lacey actually writes it, I'll be hyped. He didn't write the last one.

 

[blame space]

he wrote some of the songs. vin writes interesting stuff, don't hate.

 

[HiResDes]

Bill Callahan.

 

[Korey]

Eminem

 

[ClassyPenguin]

Ben Gibbard, Mark kozelek, Joanna Newsom, Maynard James Keenan

There's too many to name, I just can't pick one.

 

[Camp Lo]

Can't go wrong with Brother Ali or Common

 

[ajcacio]

I always thought Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada wrote exceptional lyrics in a genre not known for lyrical depth.

 

[bomma_man]

alex turner
nick cave
jarvis cocker
brit daniels
james murphy
lyrics are generally the least important part of music for me though, or at least the element i pay least amount of attention to (unless they're spectacularly good or bad)

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

Admittedly, I don't listen to a lot of music these days, and rarely is it brand new stuff. But, I will always take the opportunity to promote Brother Ali.

This is a great answer. Varied topics that are all thoroughly explored and pleasingly delivered.