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A "Unique" Voice...

A bunch of the artists I enjoy most have what may be considered as a very unconventional vocal quality. Now everyone is "unique' as are their fingerprints, to be shure, but the artists I'm thinking about are real standouts in that they are unmistakeably...well....odd perhaps. An aquired taste as their voice could easily grate on many. Maybe I should give some examples and that would be a better way to get what I mean accross:

Tom Waits comes first to mind. The little girl voice of Joanna Newsom. Those two I enjoy very much. One I just can't stand to listen to myself, Diamanda Gallas - Hey If I wanted to hear screaming like that I can just 'forget' to do the dishes a few nights in a row! Oh, yeah, Sean reminded me recently of the most bizarre, Klaus Nomi, whose mezzo soprano voice sounded more like a woman than a man. Actually Klaus was difficult to categorize himself. But actually, his voice was quite lovely as far as conventions go. So he wouldn't really qualify.

I guess what I'm saying is that these are not conventionally 'pretty' voices, yet they are engaging to many nonetheless, and certainly gifted artists, as far as those I've mentioned goes.

I'll leave it at that...any others come to mind?
jax2

Showing 2 responses by slothman

slothman
311 posts
 
Alanis Morrisette has a distinct vocal style that seems to be emulated in part by many of the young angst female vocalists of late. It's like - I'm a woman, I can sing and I feel like kicking you in the nuts.

Chris Rea has a very deep and smoky voice that totally sets the mood of his music and plays off especially well with the slide guitar presence. Works for me on 'Road to Hell' anyway.
slothman
311 posts
 
OK Marco, for me it's gotta be Lou Reed.....specifically 'Velvet Underground & Nico'. I bought it at a used record store because I remember seeing it in my friend's older brother's stack. Since he was "cool", I now was just as cool having it in my collection. I remember putting it on for the very first time and just cringing at the vocals - I bounced the needle off every track, cringed even more and then expeditiously resleeved it and stuck it in the back. If it wasn't for disco, I probably would have never rediscovered it - truly one of my most impressionable albums personally.
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