Do you find Daniel Johnston's music slightly overrated?

Question

His songwriting is honest and the music is great. But it does take an effort to listen because he is often off-key and the sound quality (ok, that part is not his fault) is often so-so.

Can we agree that he's original, talented and honest without making of him the ill-tortured-genious he is depicted as?

Answer 1

Yes.

Answer 2

yes and no.

i think the its not overrated music, just too hyped up for someithing that will be fully appreicated by a small few.


I first heard his songs being covered by Kathy McCarty, I heard walking the cow and it was such a beautiful song,
i bought a album of daniel johnston songs covered by Kathy McCarty, all of them great.
This was in like 95'
i didn't care who Daniel Johnston was, didn't really know who she was covering and didn't care............

then came file sharing, before it was shut down i took an opportunity to listen to the original songs.........

i was shocked and horrified at how bad the sound and voice were......i got over it and have most of his albums.....

but the beauty is the honesty were there. and the pain..........
but is he a tortured genius?

to call him genius is to measure the quality and depth of his work not his vocal preformace.......
i say based on that yes, he is a genuis.

Answer 3

I've never thought of him as a genius, so I guess I agree with you.