Nails on a Chalkboard Voices

She doesn't try hard enough is her problem. Tries to be cool and Americana and all folksy but its just lazy person pop trash with zero artistic content. Well, maybe a tad here and there. But mostly unimaginative and boring and that goes for her voice too.

 

Hah! But he can still play bass right?

 

I'd have to agree with you that none of the Grateful Dead had "conventionally" good voices, but to me their standout vocals appear on their studio album, Workingman's Dead, which they do sometimes struggle to find notes and harmonize, but to me it just adds color and authenticity to their country/rock sound.

But what do I know. This is what Mountain Girl, Jerry's partner at the time, had to say about the album, “They were expected to sing all those parts, and it didn’t go well. It sounded like cats howling.”

Guess she spent a little too much time in the studio listening to takes.

 

Paula Cole... sometimes she has the voice of an angel. Other times she sounds as though she could sing backup for the devil himself

 

LOL. Yea, but it's not as ironic that way.

 

Oh yes, I can agree with Gwen. Gorgeous and nice person, but no talent in the singing department. Gorgeous will get you a long way apparently.

 

How dare you accuse me of that!

 

Very surprised to hear someone say Janis. I know everyone has their own thoughts and opinions
but (At least in my personal opinion here) Thats like hearing someone doesnt like Pizza!
(You do like pizza don't you?)

 

Neil Pert was very much the anchor of that band. I saw a documentary that talked about Pert's long motorbike journey that he and a mate took after his wife passed away. It was a cool story.

 

Not necessarily a fan and frankly haven't listened to anything by her in years, BUT last I heard her I thought she had an amazing voice...? Did I just get lucky or something?

 

I think Sheryl made a mistake taking up with the country crowd. She's just not that good at it. I liked some of her quirky rock like stuff, not an amazing voice but well done with character.

 

I've never thought amazing was the word, but certainly not terrible either. I always thought she just kind of fluffed through it lazily and that kind of shuts me off.

 

Yeah...that Cranberries chick is the worst. Instant headache.

 

See, I would say the same thing about Neil Young. His voice is actually appropriate to that Neil Young song, because he wrote it. I'll throw Keith Richards into that mix too, namely all the Stones stuff up to and including Talk is Cheap and Main Offender and Bridges to Babylon. 'Thief in the Night' and 'Don't Have To Mean It' he's got the gravel older Keef voice, but my wife says his singing voice is better than Mick's. Happy wife, happy Teledriver.

My point is their voices, written and sung by the same guy, should and usually do fit each other- it become appropriate. And any other way would be weird. I do like Tom Jones' version of Prince's 'Kiss' however.
Generally I think singer/songwriters write songs for/to their voices. There are exceptions- some singer/songwriters wrote a song and pictured so-and-so singing it, then sometimes approached and sold the idea to that singer, to the huge success of that song. Barry Gibb and Neil Diamond come to mind, but I know there are others.

Boy, that was a digression! Sorry for the rant everyone.

 

I loved Janis, but yeah... some of her stuff was as bad as her other stuff was good. I wish she had lived long enough to receive some vocal training. Man, she would have been incredible!

 

Adele, Bono, Madonna, Paul Simon, Cher, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Mercury.
And at risk of banishment to the deepest regions of hell, I don't actually like Elvis much either.

 

Geddy Lee and the guy from Stix.