Joan Baez - Do I just not get it?


Hi,

I'm a relatively young music/audio guy (24). I recently bought a remaster LP of Joan Baez "In Concert" which I've heard is a great album, both musically and soundwise.

This is my first exposure to Joan Baez - and not meant to offend fans... But I could not make it past song two. Now I love singer/songwriter music, and certainly enjoy female vocals and acoustic guitar... but her voice! It is unlistenable! She uses so much vibrato and sounds like a sheep... baaaaaaa... Stevie nicks can at least get away with being a sheep because she has the rock music to keep the attention away... but joan Baez - How do you guys enjoy listening to this stuff? The vibrato is terrible!
goatwuss

Showing 1 response by panderso

Amusing to hear Goatwuss take from the other side of 50. It makes me re-examine my early impressions of Joanie. When I hark back to memories of her singing 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands', or 'Ride Me High', I don't remember vibrato, and certainly not thinness (yes I know, Goatwuss, you didn't suggest thinness).

My impressions are all of warm rich tones; a revelation in their day. Remember, we were just coming off The Weavers' bouncy, earnest, dustbowl version of folksong, with female vocals tuned like a bagpipe, all nasal Anglo-Celtic skirl. I'll have to go dig out Baez Sings Dylan - was the vibrato really there all along?

I suspect, as J.D. offers, that you had to be there.
Nowadays; over-sharing, over-warbling...