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I'm having trouble understanding what exactly is meant by Singer/Songwriter Songs. Seems like it leaves things wide open to interpretation. Lou Reed and Bob Dylan are singer/songwriters, but I'm guessing that's not the style they're looking for. Then what? Elvis Costello...John Mayer (sans Jennifer Aniston), Beck??There is a listing for this due next week, but there are no "a la" comparisons. Any suggestions?H

I think these listings are usually looking for music on the mellower side, so I think Lou Reed and Bob Dylan are fine examples. Music that really relies on an intimate vocal delivery and the story telling characteristics, more so than full-blown production and intricate arrangements. (Of course, free advice is worth what you pay for it... I get as many rejections as forwards!)Good Luck--

Thanks for replying djdeweese...I somehow get the feeling that if I submit something ala Lou Reed, I'm going to get back a "wasn't contemporary enough" critique. I shudder when I see the "C" word! I'll usually back off listings that use it...what makes an acoustic guitar sound "contemporary"?This might just be a "give Taxi a call and ask them" type of question.

John Mayer (sorry, I might not be spelling his last name correctly)? Dave Matthews (some of his more acoustic stuff), Moby? I know there're lots more out there. Does that help?

From Genre descriptions contained with TAXI listings:Although many vocalists sang their own songs, including early rock & rollers like Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, the term Singer/Songwriter refers to the legions of performers that followed Bob Dylan in the late 60s and early 70s. Most of the original singer/songwriters performed alone with an acoustic guitar or a piano but some had small groups for backing. Their lyrics were personal, although they were often veiled by layers of metaphors and obscure imagery. Singer/songwriters drew primarily from folk and country, although certain writers like Randy Newman and Carole King incorporated the songcraft of Tin Pan Alley pop. The main concern for any singer/songwriter was the song itself, not necessarily the performance. However, most singer/songwriter records have a similar sound, which is usually spare, direct, and reflective, which places the emphasis on the song itself. James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell were the quintessential singer/songwriters of the '70s, and most of the songwriters that followed them based themselves on their styles, or Dylan's. Singer/songwriters were at the height of their popularity in the early '70s, and although they faded away from the pop chart, they never disappeared. In the late '70s, artists like Rickie Lee Jones and Joan Armatrading that were heavily influenced by the sound of the original singer/songwriters crossed over into the pop charts, as did Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman in the late '80s. This resurgence of the style in the late 80's led to a new popularity and exposure for a new crop of contemporary singer/songwriters.

Thanks for the replies folks...yes, that helps!!H