Oh I've tried, God how I've tried and the best I can come up with is that Mr Lakeman, Sir, I think that's what Lizzie is after, is a singer. Oh he also scrapes a fiddle. I will freely admit I have only seen the clips recommended by his number one fan but then they must be him at his peak surely. I really, really will be making an effort to catch him live, it is obviously a powerful performance. But on the bits I have seen I stand by my original comment and the reason I started this thread in the first place : Anothjer Pop artist who's lost his way.
Here's a clue to my thinking. Good folk songs are carried by content, the quality of the singers voice and certainly any pop music like affectations are usually to the detriment of the song. Once I become aware of how good a singer thinks he sounds the spell is broken for me. Now this is not that I don't appreciate a good voice - Mick Ryan makes me quiver when he holds those long deep notes. But he sings as if he just happens to have a good voice. He uses his voice to show the song not the other way around as is the way with the pop world. Which of course is why most performers in that idiom all sound like their first hit. For example, The Mavericks, brilliant first hit but then a lot of copies.
Gotta go, need to think of a controversial thread to start,seem to have failed with this one!!!!!!!
(whoops, one ! is quite enough I believe)
Incidentally how do I use underline on a mudcat posting? (???)
Andy