Joe,

There is no accounting for personal taste. Phil had a unique voice (you could love it or hate it) and much of his music seems to be written for that voice.

Phil was seldom subtle in his music, so perhaps strident fits. Clearly, Phil's focus was the message first and the music second.

Another adjective that comes to my mind as I think on Phil Ochs is "haunting." Perhaps due to his obvious love of minor chords. Certainly some of his music haunts my memory. "Too Many Martyrs" and "There But For Fortune" are two that pop up right at this moment.

His first two albums are classics. I confess to little attraction to his later work, but his early work does not confuse me at all. What do you find hard to understand?

Roger in Baltimore