What do you most often listen for in a vocalist?

brianlux
brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
in Other Music
Obviously most of us will say a combination of these choices, but which is the one that, generally, is of the highest priority for you. 
Just having fun here- there are no "right" answers!
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni

What do you most often listen for in a vocalist? 12 votes

Vocal prowess/skilled, a vituoso (Tony Bennett, Maria Callas, etc.)
0%
Powerful, driven, dynmaic voice (Chris Cornell, Eddie Vedder...)
25%
lastexitlondonBrainofBGAjeff2040 3 votes
Soulful (James Brown, Tina Turner...)
8%
DukeSpirit 1 vote
Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
33%
goldrushstatic111jjflashbrianlux 4 votes
Emotional (Chris Carrabba, Adele...)
8%
tempo_n_groove 1 vote
Quirky (Mark Mothersbaugh, Bjork...)
8%
Loujoe 1 vote
Great voice or not, give me good moves (Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson...)
0%
Other (Not combinations- one trait. Explain and give examples)
16%
josevolutionTim Simmons 2 votes
«1

Comments

  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,474
    Emotional (Chris Carrabba, Adele...)
    I went w emotional.  Pure emotion can be powerful.  Aretha Franklin was soul but had power and emotion with it.  Cornell was power but also had emotion with it.  Michael Jackson soung for his life every time he hit the stage and that was raw with emotion.

    So yeah.

    Emotion.
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,812
    IDK if this would fall under 'prowess' but I've always been impressed with the sense of presence from singers like Mike Patton, or Bjork or Thom Yorke... their voices are more instruments contributing to the song then they are a person singing words. 
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,474
    Emotional (Chris Carrabba, Adele...)
    Merkin Baller said:
    IDK if this would fall under 'prowess' but I've always been impressed with the sense of presence from singers like Mike Patton, or Bjork or Thom Yorke... their voices are more instruments contributing to the song then they are a person singing words. 
    Maynerd fits that bill too.
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,812
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Merkin Baller said:
    IDK if this would fall under 'prowess' but I've always been impressed with the sense of presence from singers like Mike Patton, or Bjork or Thom Yorke... their voices are more instruments contributing to the song then they are a person singing words. 
    Maynerd fits that bill too.
    1000%
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,669
    Other (Not combinations- one trait. Explain and give examples)
    If they sing good lyrics and are supported by competent players that make the music good.
  • jjflash
    jjflash Posts: 5,031
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    I'm having a hard time parsing 'feeling/expressive' from 'emotional'. Are they not one in the same?

    I'd argue you can overlay 'feeling/expressive' onto all of the other categories and make them better for having done so. For example, 'soulful' is good...but is taken up a notch when done with feeling (see @tempo_n_groove 's Aretha spot-on comments above). Virtuosity is impressive...and even moreso when done w/ expression. Etc, etc
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    jjflash said:
    I'm having a hard time parsing 'feeling/expressive' from 'emotional'. Are they not one in the same?

    I'd argue you can overlay 'feeling/expressive' onto all of the other categories and make them better for having done so. For example, 'soulful' is good...but is taken up a notch when done with feeling (see @tempo_n_groove 's Aretha spot-on comments above). Virtuosity is impressive...and even moreso when done w/ expression. Etc, etc

    Yeah, I can see your point.  I was thinking emotional as in "emo".  

    Emo singers- to my ears are- more overly emotional than I care for.  They kind of have a pity-party style that doesn't work for me.  Feeling/expressive to me is more well rounded, more rooted in a wider experience.  Neil Young, for example, even at a younger age seemed wise for his years.  "Sugar Mountain" to me sounds like wisdom coming from a young artist rather than whining. 

    But I'll concede that I could have done a better job on those categories.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Loujoe
    Loujoe Posts: 11,759
    edited July 2023
    Quirky (Mark Mothersbaugh, Bjork...)
    Nice to try Brian. 
    Quirky gives me the chills. Bjork, perry Farrel, zappa, les Claypool  Mike Patton sometimes.
    Drawn to something different.

    That being said...............

    Been spinning an old Harry Bellefonte record I just found to mellow my soul.

    Love it all at different days of the week. Just no modern country for my ears. Not in my blood. No offense to anyone that digs it.
    Post edited by Loujoe on
  • Loujoe
    Loujoe Posts: 11,759
    Quirky (Mark Mothersbaugh, Bjork...)
    .
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    Loujoe said:
    Nice to try Brian. 
    Quirky gives me the chills. Bjork, perry Farrel, zappa, les Claypool  Mike Patton sometimes.
    Drawn to something different.

    That being said...............

    Been spinning an old Harry Bellefonte record I just found to mellow my soul.

    Love it all at different days of the week. Just no modern country for my ears. Not in my blood. No offense to anyone that digs it.

    I too like some of the quirkier singers out there.  
    Perry Farrel is terrific!
    I don't know if David Byrne is still considered as one with a quirky voice, but he sure was back in the day and I really liked is off-beat style.

    My folks -- especially my pop- liked Bellefonte a lot which was great because although I wasn't much into their style of music (G.I. generation), I though Harry B was very cool!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Loujoe
    Loujoe Posts: 11,759
    Quirky (Mark Mothersbaugh, Bjork...)
    I'd stick Mr Byrne in there.

     Music that initially makes me uncomfortable then gets seared into my brain is what I've been drawn to. Lee Scratch Perry did that well. Throwing unexpected oddness into his music. Tom waits kills me too. Likely more emotional but sure is experimental at times. 
    Oh Sees are getting to me too thanks to. @tempo_n_groove suggestion.

    So much music...so much time.

    Love you all

    Good thread Brian
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    Loujoe said:
    I'd stick Mr Byrne in there.

     Music that initially makes me uncomfortable then gets seared into my brain is what I've been drawn to. Lee Scratch Perry did that well. Throwing unexpected oddness into his music. Tom waits kills me too. Likely more emotional but sure is experimental at times. 
    Oh Sees are getting to me too thanks to. @tempo_n_groove suggestion.

    So much music...so much time.

    Love you all

    Good thread Brian

    Thanks for chiming in here, Loujoe.  
    "So much music... so much time"... so true. One of the things I love about music and books is that there is always something I haven't heard or read.  It's a never ending process of discovery!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • jjflash
    jjflash Posts: 5,031
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    brianlux said:
    Loujoe said:
    I'd stick Mr Byrne in there.

     Music that initially makes me uncomfortable then gets seared into my brain is what I've been drawn to. Lee Scratch Perry did that well. Throwing unexpected oddness into his music. Tom waits kills me too. Likely more emotional but sure is experimental at times. 
    Oh Sees are getting to me too thanks to. @tempo_n_groove suggestion.

    So much music...so much time.

    Love you all

    Good thread Brian

    Thanks for chiming in here, Loujoe.  
    "So much music... so much time"... so true. One of the things I love about music and books is that there is always something I haven't heard or read.  It's a never ending process of discovery!
    ^^So true, @Loujoe and @brianlux
    I'm not sure which is more rewarding: discovering a new band/artist whose sounds rattle the marrow of your bones, or crossing paths with an album - one that's been available for years, perhaps decades - and having that Eureka! moment for having discovered a treasure that's long been hiding in plain sight.
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    jjflash said:
    brianlux said:
    Loujoe said:
    I'd stick Mr Byrne in there.

     Music that initially makes me uncomfortable then gets seared into my brain is what I've been drawn to. Lee Scratch Perry did that well. Throwing unexpected oddness into his music. Tom waits kills me too. Likely more emotional but sure is experimental at times. 
    Oh Sees are getting to me too thanks to. @tempo_n_groove suggestion.

    So much music...so much time.

    Love you all

    Good thread Brian

    Thanks for chiming in here, Loujoe.  
    "So much music... so much time"... so true. One of the things I love about music and books is that there is always something I haven't heard or read.  It's a never ending process of discovery!
    ^^So true, @Loujoe and @brianlux
    I'm not sure which is more rewarding: discovering a new band/artist whose sounds rattle the marrow of your bones, or crossing paths with an album - one that's been available for years, perhaps decades - and having that Eureka! moment for having discovered a treasure that's long been hiding in plain sight.

    Well said, JJ.  I LOVE that Eureka! moment!  That's how I felt when I came across Randy California's Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds LP (in a thrift store, no less!), and Dead Moon's first album, In The Graveyard-- both quit some years after their release.  Hooray!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,803
    edited July 2023
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.
    Post edited by goldrush on
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    goldrush said:
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.

    Excellent picks, all.  Nice to see Lou B get a tip of the hat!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,803
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    brianlux said:
    goldrush said:
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.

    Excellent picks, all.  Nice to see Lou B get a tip of the hat!
    It’s a cool topic, Brian, and not as easy to choose as you first think. Certainly put my grey matter to the test this morning!
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,812
    goldrush said:
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.
    Reading through the new  posts, and was kicking myself for not mentioning Lanegan… you beat me to it. 

    His work (both solo & other) touches me in a way nothing else does. I’m not in the habit of ranking voices or talking about the GOAT, but that guy’s voice is one of the all time greats. 
  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,803
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    Merkin Baller said:
    goldrush said:
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.
    Reading through the new  posts, and was kicking myself for not mentioning Lanegan… you beat me to it. 

    His work (both solo & other) touches me in a way nothing else does. I’m not in the habit of ranking voices or talking about the GOAT, but that guy’s voice is one of the all time greats. 
    Tim Rogers (lead singer from You Am I) once said:

    “If that voice don’t make you feel, then you ain’t got air inside ya”. 

    It’s one of my favourite quotes, and sums up exactly how I feel about Lanegan. 
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Feeling, expressive (Neil Young, J Mascis...)
    goldrush said:
    brianlux said:
    goldrush said:
    What do I look for in a vocalist?

    Lanegan. I look for Lanegan.

    I went for ‘Feeling / Expressive’ over the others because the most important thing to me is how the singer makes you feel, regardless of genre, virtuosity, power etc.

    My favourite singers would include people like Mark Lanegan, Michael Stipe, Foy Vance, Eddie, Scott Hutchison, Neil, PJ Harvey, David Lowery, Lou Barlow… All of them could probably fit just as well in other categories, but all of them have the ability to make me feel something that can just stop me in my tracks.

    Excellent picks, all.  Nice to see Lou B get a tip of the hat!
    It’s a cool topic, Brian, and not as easy to choose as you first think. Certainly put my grey matter to the test this morning!

    Thanks! 
    And hey, I hadn't even thought of the added bonus of grey matter exercise, lol.  Keeping the brain tuned up is always a good thing!  :smile:
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

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