Best known for singing with Can for a few years.Quoting bac0n (view post)
Best known for singing with Can for a few years.
Rakim
Follow The Leader
Back in the early 90s when I was an avid fan of this burgeoning thing called hip hop, Erik B & Rakim became rapid favorites. It was Erik B's thick beats and clever sampling that drew me in, but it was Rakim's smooth baritone delivery that kept me. Rakim has a voice that many have tried to imitate but to date I have yet to hear anyone successfully emulate - that understated confidence that says, "yeah, I'm the best, end of story, get over it". Hell, Rakim could say the word tomato and make it sound badass.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
- Don't Sweat the Technique
- Tomato... Tomato... Tomato... Tomato... Tomato...
Leslie Feist
Everything is Under Control
While Ms Feist might not have the firepower that some of the other folks on this list are blessed with, what she does do exceedingly well is working with what she has, something that made itself abundantly clear when I saw her live the last time she was in town. While others such as Midge Ure, Annie Lennox & George Jones really shine when they get their full diaphragm into it, it's Feist's restraint that sets her apart.
Take a closer look at how she sings, and you will see a person who can mold the sound coming out of her mouth to just about any shape she wants, be it a silent shout, a loud whisper, or anything in between.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Mushaboom
- Inside and Out
Jimmy Rushing
If These Are The Blues, Then I Don't Wanna Be Happy
When it comes to belting out a blues tune, Ol' Mr. Five-By-Five stands alone. Or more accurately, he sits. On a really big chair. The thing is, tho, Jimmy has this friendly voice that sounds kinda like your grampa, so when he laments about his girl leaving him for someone new, he makes it out to sound like the world is laughing at him, and he's laughing too.
And then there's his chops when he sings some of that big-band jazz. He can get a room swinging with that depth charge of a voice of his. Big fun.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- I'm Coming Virginia
- It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
- 'Deed I Do
- Did You Ever
Bobby Darin
Handsome!
If ever a voice captured the essence of suave, debonair, charm and outright handsome, it was the crooning of Bobby Darin. His voice had the ambiance of a smoky lounge with low lights and fancy cocktails, or maybe a night on a bearskin rug in front of the fireplace with your lover and a favorite glass of wine.
Bobby Darin will always hold a special place in my heart, because his song More was the first dance at my wedding.
Songs you oughta listen to:
- More
- Beyond The Sea
- Mack The Knife (of course)
Frank Sinatra
Fuck Yeah
I mean, seriously. No discussion on the merits of vocal prowess has any legitimacy whatsoever without The Ultimate Master Himself, The Chairman of the Board, Frank F'n Sinatra. I mean, just look at the guy. I wish I had the balls to croon in a nice suit and a fedora.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Any you can find.
Tom Waits, anyone?
Damn straight. I need to get into more of Old Blues Eyes music, especially since "I Did It My Way" and "Fly Me To the Moon" are awesome.Frank Sinatra
Fuck Yeah
I mean, seriously. No discussion on the merits of vocal prowess has any legitimacy whatsoever without The Ultimate Master Himself, The Chairman of the Board, Frank F'n Sinatra. I mean, just look at the guy. I wish I had the balls to croon in a nice suit and a fedora.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Any you can find.
And "Beyond the Sea" is fantastic and gloriously joyful. I don't mind its overuse in the slightest.
BLOG
And everybody wants to be special here
They call your name out loud and clear
Here comes a regular
Call out your name
Here comes a regular
Am I the only one here today?
Bob Dylan and Regina Spektor need to make this list.
Ya know, I've never been that enamored of Dylan's voice in and of itself, nor of the way in which he wields it, tho come to think of it, he went through that Lay Lady Lay phase where he was actually sounding not half bad.
Iarla Ó Lionáird
Crown Jewel of the Emerald Isle
Okay, now for an obscure one. Iarla is one of the most prominent singers in the Irish Sean nós tradition, an old gaelic vocal style which relies heavily on the vocal prowess of its singers, for, sean nós singers typically do so without accompaniment. And the minute you hear his voice, you realize that, yes, his voice would be great by itself. Hell, I would even venture to say that having him singing in a band with guitars and drums and whatnot is kinda like putting A1 on a steak. Nonetheless, his band, The Afrocelts, seem to make it work somehow, but they are always sounding their best with Iarla's beautiful vocals front and center.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Eireann (with The Afrocelts)
- Lagan (with The Afrocelts)
His voice is an acquired taste, but the way he changes it to fit the genre of music he's creating seems to fit the description of "voice as an instrument". Also, if you're not familiar Regina Spektor, certainly seek her out. She can use her voice as powerfully as anyone I've heard, sending chills down my spine, and then literally use it as an instrument, making drum and beat sounds, in the next instant. She's amazing.
Good God, the awesome is strong in here, bac0n.
My Mom - 10
I found an awesome clip of Jimmy Rushing performing with a full jazz orchestra, including the incomparable Count Basie.
Check it out and behold the awesomeness of Jimmy Rushing.
Allison Krauss
Angel of BlueGrass
Allison Krauss is a ludicrously beautiful woman with a voice to match. With a voice as soft and delicate as a rose petal and as innocent as a newborn, one can't help but wonder if there's a halo hidden under her hair and white wings tucked behind her back.
Like most bluegrass & country crooners, she's at her best when her heart's aching, though at times the soft pain in her voice is hard to take, leaving you wondering just how something so awful could happen to such a nice girl as Allison Krauss. But, still, to our benefit, the sad songs keep coming because, well in Allison's own words, if the songs "...make you feel like crap, you oughta do 'em."
Word.
Allison Krauss's latest is a collaboration with Robert Plant. I've only heard a few songs off of it, but what I've heard so far I've liked. A lot.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
Elizabeth Fraser
A voice as mesmerizing as her eyes
Most of the time when Fraser's singing, I can't make out what the hell she's saying, and on those rare occasions when I can, I can't ever ever make sense of the nonsensical words coming out of her mouth. But that's not the point, for Fraser's vocals are just another layer in the swirling, heavily layered ethereal soundscape of the Cocteau Twins, and you don't need to understand what's coming out of Fraser's mouth to enjoy the beauty of it.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
Major props for Liz.
That Krause/Chieftains collab used to make me weep like a baby. I'm pretty much desensitized to murder ballads, though, now.
Allison Krauss is the shit. I really liked her work on the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
Bob Dylan's voice is actually the second best thing that he does. I'd say his song writing ranks first of course, and I'd actually place his guitar work behind his vocals and song writing. Now before you tear me to pieces KF I still think he's a damn good guitarist. I just think that he could have benefited from having someone else do the guitar work instead, sort of like Bob Segar or in a way Bruce Springsteen (both let their back up bands do most, if not all of the, instrument work). I cite as an example Bob Dylan's version of Along the Watchtower, which is great except for the guitar work. I think Jimi Hendrix's version blows it out of the water because of the amazing guitar work. But I'll admit I haven't heard enough Dylan (only three albums thus far) to truly judge.
On a final note, Love and Theft was good but not half as good as Modern Times. Both pail in comparison to Blood On The Tracks (these are the only albums I've heard from Dylan so far). I was kind of disappointed about "Theft" since I've heard so many good things about it and I loved the other two discs.
BLOG
And everybody wants to be special here
They call your name out loud and clear
Here comes a regular
Call out your name
Here comes a regular
Am I the only one here today?
Tracey Thorn
The Sad Dance Diva
With a face that seems locked in a permanent forlorn expression and the sort of voice you could take comfort in if your love walked out on you in a jazz club, Tracey Thorn, the voice behind Britpop band Everything But The Girl, is yet another one of those people who's at her best when when her emotions are in the toilet. Not the kinda thing you'd expect coming from a group that's produced quite a few dance hits, but I guess that is to be expected, for I don't think I've ever heard her actually sing a song that's actually... happy.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
Ella Fitzgerald
The First Lady of Song
If anyone ever deserved to be on a list that celebrated vocal prowess, it's Ella Fitzgerald. I'm only now beginning to discover her power, so I'm probably not the best person to describe what it is that's so awesome about her singing abilities, so I'll let others do the talking for me.
"Man, woman or child, Ella is the greatest of them all." - Bing Crosby
"I didn't realize our songs were so good until Ella sang them." - Ira Gershwin
She was the best there ever was. Amongst all of us who sing, she was the best." - Johnny Mathis
"Play an Ella ballad with a cat in the room, and the animal will invariably go up to the speaker, lie down and purr." - Geoffrey Fidelman (author of the Ella Fitzgerald biography, First Lady of Song)
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
- Oh, where to begin... for starters, you can check out her scat pwnage here, check out her take on Summertime by clicking here. Hell, just do what I do: go to youtube, search on her name and get ready to be dazzled.
Ella Fitzgerald has owned, does own, and will continue to own all.
QFT.
*approves*Elizabeth Fraser
A voice as mesmerizing as her eyes
Most of the time when Fraser's singing, I can't make out what the hell she's saying, and on those rare occasions when I can, I can't ever ever make sense of the nonsensical words coming out of her mouth. But that's not the point, for Fraser's vocals are just another layer in the swirling, heavily layered ethereal soundscape of the Cocteau Twins, and you don't need to understand what's coming out of Fraser's mouth to enjoy the beauty of it.
Songs You Oughta Listen To:
My faves are Lorelei, Donimo, Fifty fifty clown, Fotzepolitic & I Wear your Ring.
Kinda despise her for being with Jeff Buckley, though.
*apoplectic with envy*
Richard Ashcroft
King of the Shoegazers
Ya know, for someone who could really use a nice steak dinner, Richard Ashcroft sure can bellow with the best of them. Mr. Ashcroft is responsible for the most painfully sad lyric I have ever heard: "Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown, I know I'm coming down."
Jesus. That lyric never fails to get me into a shitty mood. But what's worse, Ashcroft's ability to hang onto certain words and drag them out is what really gives that line a lot of its punch. It's like having to wait to get hanged, and I got to give a guy props when he can use subtle texture changes and nuances in his voice to effect such a powerful change in the feel of a song.
God, I love The Verve, and Ashcroft's vocal prowess is the main reason why.
Songs you oughta listen to.
This album:
I mean, seriously. If you don't have this album, then you need to get it. Now. Stop what you're doing. Kill if you must.
Nice. I'm a big fan of that album. It's a shame they broke up so soon.
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