21st Century Bob Dylan?

[tristy]

Yeah, so I've been recently digging Bob Dylan alot. I've had his new 3 disc Best-Of on repeat for days, and I've grown to love songs like Blood In My Eyes and Subterranean Homesick Blues. I never realized the influence that Dylan had over bands and artists I love, like Radiohead and Johnny Cash, and even the Beatles. But, here's what I really want to know...

who are some bands/artists that are the modern day equivalent of Bob Dylan? Not just in sound, but in lyrics and delivery? I know Kou will immediately say Tom Waits, and trust me, I'm on that. I have a new appreciation for this kind of music, so I'm going to give Tom Waits a second chance. But, who else? All-Music.com says The Cold War Kids followed in his footsteps, but I already like them.

Anyone?

[Guest Kou]

Wouldn't Bob Dylan be a 21st century Bob Dylan?

[GRIFT]

The 'New' Dylan title has be placed on a lot of folk over the years. Ironically at the opening of Bruce Springsteen's career they tried to sell him as the new Dylan, but it hasn't been until his later, and recent acoustic outings that he's actually come close to the Dylan sound and style. Check out the Devil's and Dust.

Most modern folk will point you to Connor Oberst who has some of the most socially relevant music of the last twenty years, yet sadly gets alot of lol emo fag, treatment from people. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is one of my favorites, and his newest effort is fucking stellar.

Also, I think that alot of argument can be made for Eddie Vedder... but maybe he's more like the new Neil Young.

Finally, check out Townes Van Zandt. Steve Earle famously said, 'Townes Van Zandt is the greatest songwriter of all time and I'll say that standing on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots.'

[tristy]

Wouldn't Bob Dylan be a 21st century Bob Dylan?

[probablyoliver]

yeah, definitely Connor Oberst / Bright Eyes. I'd suggest Lifted, Or The Story Is In The Soil So Keep Your Ear To The Ground, one of the most asthetically pleasing and all round awesomest albums I've heard. If you want to go back a bit furthur, I'd suggest Fevers and Mirrors, as that's a beautiful album too.

I'm Wide Awake is good, but only after a few listens. I remember on first listen it was a bit slow and dull, but as I've listened more and more it's become one of his best efforts. Cassadaga (the new album) is all round very stunning, and really was quite ground-breaking, "No One Would Riot for Less" is a fantastic song.

Maybe Matthew Good, not so much for the sound but the general idealisms and relevance, I can possibly see a connection.

[Tarheels.]

Allow me to completely back the Conor Oberst motion.

Lifted,I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Cassadega, really just the majority of the later Bright Eyes albums.

Plus he is phenomenal live, and puts so much emotion into all of his songs, he is probably the closest thing to Bob Dylan in our generation.

[Colly]

I think the tag was thrown at Willy Mason a little while back too, I hate labels like that though so I won't comment.

[MalaCloudy Black]

The 'New' Dylan title has be placed on a lot of folk over the years. Ironically at the opening of Bruce Springsteen's career they tried to sell him as the new Dylan, but it hasn't been until his later, and recent acoustic outings that he's actually come close to the Dylan sound and style. Check out the Devil's and Dust.

Most modern folk will point you to Connor Oberst who has some of the most socially relevant music of the last twenty years, yet sadly gets alot of lol emo fag, treatment from people. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is one of my favorites, and his newest effort is fucking stellar.

Also, I think that alot of argument can be made for Eddie Vedder... but maybe he's more like the new Neil Young.

Finally, check out Townes Van Zandt. Steve Earle famously said, 'Townes Van Zandt is the greatest songwriter of all time and I'll say that standing on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots.'

I'll go as far as seconding Townes, Our Mother The Mountain is a fucking fantastic album. There's not a song on it that I don't like.

[Hobo]

The 'New' Dylan title has be placed on a lot of folk over the years. Ironically at the opening of Bruce Springsteen's career they tried to sell him as the new Dylan, but it hasn't been until his later, and recent acoustic outings that he's actually come close to the Dylan sound and style. Check out the Devil's and Dust.

Most modern folk will point you to Connor Oberst who has some of the most socially relevant music of the last twenty years, yet sadly gets alot of lol emo fag, treatment from people. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is one of my favorites, and his newest effort is fucking stellar.

Also, I think that alot of argument can be made for Eddie Vedder... but maybe he's more like the new Neil Young.

Finally, check out Townes Van Zandt. Steve Earle famously said, 'Townes Van Zandt is the greatest songwriter of all time and I'll say that standing on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots.'

I'll go as far as seconding Townes, Our Mother The Mountain is a fucking fantastic album. There's not a song on it that I don't like.

I'll third Townes, though he did die in 1996. The man was an amazing songwriter for me it's Townes Van Zandt in terms of the best of his albums (sadly I haven't got too many), his close friend Guy Clark is too a great songwriter... Though not for this thread. I'd actually rate Steve Earle as a modern Johnny Cash.

The second I read the title I thought Connor Oberst, one of my friends is hugely into him and I have a couple of albums that he send me, I know I have "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" and I've listend to it once. I'm yet to really form an opinion, but I do like one or two songs of his.

Springsteen has a bit of Dylan-esque in him, but Oberst is probably nearer to Dylan than.

[Bigal]

Having seen him live, Willy Mason could fall into the category.

And he isn't particularly like him musically, but at the same gig Damien Rice looked scarily like Dylan in his blue cord jacket, white shirt and orange trousers. Plus his silhouette looked like 60s Dylan >_>

[Quom]

Andrew Bird for poetic turns, Oberst for god awful voice and being closest as a package, M. Ward for being a better version of Oberst, Okkervil River for lyricism (although they're not acoustic and not really Dylan, they're supposedly Lou Reed's fave band though and are def part of the undergrad college art fag type scene).

In reality though there is no real new Dylan. Whilst Bright Eyes are probably closest Oberst's lyrics really can't stand up to Dylan's. The bands and singer/songwriters that can aren't really making the same sort of music as Dylan.

[tristy]

I didn't mean for people to take the "21st Century Dylan" tag literally. I'm just looking for a modern take on the music that Dylan made popular (or to a lesser extent, played). It's all because I'm a production freak and don't like my music to sound like it was recorded underwater (VerbalPuke, I'm looking at you).

I don't know if that makes any sense, but that's what I was trying to get at with this topic.

[Quom]

Avoid Bright Eyes pre I'm Wide awake then.

[ROC]

Honestly, I think Tom Morello's Nightwatchman project sums up more Dylan's stance than Oberst. Admittedly, Morello's is also more focused on politics than some of Dylan's stuff, but I prefer him miles ahead of Oberst because Morello never holds back his thoughts...and frankly Oberst sounds like a pussy. ( )