a blog about a lot of things

 I wrote this during December and January and I thought I published it. I didn't actually. Mostly written in airports, so you can blame the clunky writing to jetlag. As always, I follow music reviews a lot cause that's the only way I can find most of these bands (that and soundtracks) so the sample is not free of bias. Although the ranking is. And I'm pretty sure if Jai Paul released an entire album of 'Jasmine'-esque quality, it'd take the #1 spot. Maybe next year 10. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas Why: I'm still listening to this album while typing this. Classic Cohen with the themes of depression, longing, love and faith. The tones of religious seriousness intertwine with the usual sarcastic humor, with Cohen starting to sound more later-years and nostalgic. Cohen fans will love it. Actually, everyone will. 9.  Japandroids -  Celebration Rock Why: Punk classic style for the teenage wasteland with lyrical absolutes of good and evil. High int...

I did one of these way back in 2009 (http://randomnonsenseaboutthings.blogspot.com/2009/11/best-singer-songwiters-1970s-and.html). That was three years ago. Time flies, yeah? I thought I'd do an update/ do-ever since my tastes have changed maybe a bit. 1. Bob Dylan - USA Why: The greatest songwriter of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly. Still touring on The Neverending Tour. The writer of the anthems of the entire counterculture movement. Folk music was for a long time (and still is to a point) Bob Dylan at the top and everyone else next. Former Poet Laureate thinks they should teach Dylan lyrics in poetry classes. Academics keep nominating him for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Dylan isn't just a songwriter. He's not any one thing either. Undefinable except as the most important influence on serious lyrics being written even today. 2.  Leonard Cohen - Canada Why: It's almost a cheat to count Cohen as just a songwriter. Because he isn't. He's a ...