Just Breathe Vocals

BigHub74

It sounds like Ed is singing with a cold on just Breathe. I've never heard his voice sound like that not on anything, even the Into The Wild stuff. Which makes the song that much better. I wonder...Anyone else Notice this? Or am I imagining it? If he is its genius and ballsy at the sametime.

Human Tide

If you're referring to the way he pronounces "understand" and "end" at the beginning of the song, it seems like he has been doing that more frequently over the last few years. The vowels sometimes sound shorter and more nasal, particularly with the "a" and "e". I don't really know why he started singing that way. I used to think it wasn't intentional, but it's become clear that he does it on purpose in certain situations. Don't mean to be too negative, but I think it sounds bad. Just Breathe is a good song, but his vocal delivery kind of ruins certain parts of it for me.

TJ25487

I agree. His voice does sound different. It sounds nasally but in a good way.

Trixie

"It sounds like Ed is singing with a cold on just Breathe. I've never heard his voice sound like that not on anything, even the Into The Wild stuff. Which makes the song that much better. I wonder...Anyone else Notice this? Or am I imagining it? If he is its genius and ballsy at the sametime."

I totally agree. It's funny, because when I saw them at the amphitheatre in Toronto back in August, I turned to my friend and said, "It kinda sounds like Ed has a cold". My friend couldn't hear it but I thought he did. Then when listening to Just Breathe for the first time, I thought, "wow, it still sounds like he's got a cold". My best guess is that it has to do with smoking. When I've had a particularly late night with a lot of smoking and drinking, I sound like I have a cold the next day too. Either that, or he really did have a cold (or was getting over one) when he recorded it.

wolfamongwolves

BigHub74 wrote:

It sounds like Ed is singing with a cold on just Breathe.

that was the very first thing I thought when I heard it too. I thought "why didn't he just wait a few days til it had passed to record the vocals?" It used to bother me, but now I'm used to it.

pandora

TJ25487 wrote:

I agree. His voice does sound different. It sounds nasally but in a good way.

uh oh could it be the midwest upbringing showing up
I say that in the most enduring way - being from WI
love the accent
and I love the different ways he sings- thats cool
I love the pleading sound on The End
and Driftin- a little countryish??
and when he makes his voice like an instrument doing a little do wop all good for me

staz17

Trixie wrote:

Either that, or he really did have a cold (or was getting over one) when he recorded it.

If the lead singer in a band has a cold, they wont go in to recording until he's 110%. Remember they are trying to fulfill all of our needs but also make money off of the music they create

danny

TJ25487 wrote:

I agree. His voice does sound different. It sounds nasally but in a good way.

i agree!

DeLukin

I think it's intentional and fits the folksy mood of the song. Not sure if 'folksy' is the right word, but when I first heard Jeff's galloping bass in the verses I thought maybe they were going for something a little twangier on that one...

cannotstaylong

I didn't notice it much upon first listen and still don't, for the most part. Doesn't bother me, I think the song and the vocals sound amazing.

SomethingCreative

oh man I thought this was gonna be another auto-tune thread...remember that?

Diggy381

I always thought it sounded like he had a head cold on the studio version of Release. . .

theboxerorthebag

remember that one well.

SomethingCreative wrote:

oh man I thought this was gonna be another auto-tune thread...remember that?

soulsinging

Human Tide wrote:

If you're referring to the way he pronounces "understand" and "end" at the beginning of the song, it seems like he has been doing that more frequently over the last few years. The vowels sometimes sound shorter and more nasal, particularly with the "a" and "e". I don't really know why he started singing that way. I used to think it wasn't intentional, but it's become clear that he does it on purpose in certain situations. Don't mean to be too negative, but I think it sounds bad. Just Breathe is a good song, but his vocal delivery kind of ruins certain parts of it for me.

i feel this way about the end more than just breathe.

Quarterman98

I think several songs on the new album sound nasally. Just Breathe and Amongst the Waves stick out the most.

It works ok on Just Breathe, but that whole "did I say that I need you" is pure garbage. Completely ruins the song.

KillTaker

Nothing more than age on the vocal chords and the emotion of the song.. Combined they produce different sounds with age.. His vocal timbre on many PJ songs he sings now has changed.. 1990 was a long time ago..

Evacuation Rules

Quarterman98 wrote:

It works ok on Just Breathe, but that whole "did I say that I need you" is pure garbage. Completely ruins the song.

...not as bad as "The Fixer" middle-8 - destroys the song IMO - same with "Severed Hand".

wolfamongwolves

Quarterman98 wrote:

It works ok on Just Breathe, but that whole "did I say that I need you" is pure garbage. Completely ruins the song.

Oh, that hurts! that part tears me up every time I hear it.

pdxtrub

It's more subtle., but he does it on Crazy Mary, and Off He Goes. I think it's simply a stylistic choice, like to how he gets exceptionally gravely on Comatose or Habit.