One of the reasons I campaigned pretty hard with Appleyard to get the music board separated on its own board again was because i really enjoy discussing and reading all the different tastes of many of you. I reckon this is just about the best board on BF now, and I’ve got no problem admitting that i’ve discovered more than a few new sounds through sampling some of the stuff that i’ve read about on here that was previously unheard of to me.
And i don’t think you can ever hear enough new stuff when it comes to great singers. I dont think you have to be a muso or even musically inclined to appreciate or possibly even be moved by a special vocal performance.
Anyway, I don’t expect anyone to ever come up with a definitive “all-time list” of anything related to music as I’m sure most of you are the same as me in that your tastes are so varied and your views and moods change so often that nailing down a hard and fast top X would be impossible.
But what are some of the vocal performances in your cd collections that you’d sit someone down to listen to if you wanted to blow someone’s mind?
I'll personally just go with a top 3 for now as i could write thousands of words on the topic (and have far too much time on my hands at the moment after quitting my day job!!).
My number 1 at the moment (and has been for years) is Chris Cornell's mind blowing effort on "Slaves and Bulldozers" off Soundgarden's amazing Badmotorfinger album. In fact my entire top > insert number < could be made up of Chris Cornell moments, but this one has always had me shaking my head in disbelief. The song is a dynamic, brooding monstor of a track in its own right, but Chris's vocals take it to some incredible places.
He starts of sounding like he's making a very believable threat on the well-being of whomever the subject matter is, and proceeds to take it to almost maniacal proportions. "NOW I KNOW WHY YOU’VE BEEN SHAKING" he screams during the pre-chorus with a voice that sounds like its coming straight from Satan's bowels. And just as you think he can't take it any further, he unleashes a chorus that just does not give up, reaching heights that very few singers can pull off and still have it sound musical. I still sometimes hold my breathe without realising it when i listen to it. Yeah, there are over dubs in there, but its still a masterpiece in vocal ability. If you've never heard it, i suggest you blow a joint or whatever does it for you, put the head phones on and be amazed.
My number 2 at the moment is from an artist that i regretfully admit i hadn't heard of until a friend introduced me to her music recently. Eva Cassidy. I can’t recall being moved so much by a person’s voice, not since the first time I heard Jeff Buckley anyway. Her rendition of “Over the Rainbow” which is featured on “Songbird” which from what I can gather is some kind of best of album of sorts, is one of the most effortlessly intoxicating performances i’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Absolutely stunning. I read that she is another who succumbed to the evils of the needle when she fatally over-dosed in 1996. Why is it so often the way that those who are so blessed can also be so flawed? Nonetheless, I certainly plan on discovering a lot more of her work.
My number 3 is Matthew Bellamy's effort on the magnificent “Citizen erased” off Muse’s brilliant Origin of Symmetry album. A lot of my friends who I’ve attempted to get into Muse are often put off by his voice at first. They either say its too similar to Jeff Buckley’s, or its just a bit too different to whatever they’re into. Then I play them this song and it usually hooks them in. The way he effortlessly moves between his normal singing tone, to his head voice and then to that falsetto is truly superb. And while I often have a bit of trouble interpreting his lyrics, whatever the subject matter on this song is, he certainly means it. It is a truly heart felt performance, and is even better live.
Sorry for waffling on. Like I said, too much time on my hands!
And i don’t think you can ever hear enough new stuff when it comes to great singers. I dont think you have to be a muso or even musically inclined to appreciate or possibly even be moved by a special vocal performance.
Anyway, I don’t expect anyone to ever come up with a definitive “all-time list” of anything related to music as I’m sure most of you are the same as me in that your tastes are so varied and your views and moods change so often that nailing down a hard and fast top X would be impossible.
But what are some of the vocal performances in your cd collections that you’d sit someone down to listen to if you wanted to blow someone’s mind?
I'll personally just go with a top 3 for now as i could write thousands of words on the topic (and have far too much time on my hands at the moment after quitting my day job!!).
My number 1 at the moment (and has been for years) is Chris Cornell's mind blowing effort on "Slaves and Bulldozers" off Soundgarden's amazing Badmotorfinger album. In fact my entire top > insert number < could be made up of Chris Cornell moments, but this one has always had me shaking my head in disbelief. The song is a dynamic, brooding monstor of a track in its own right, but Chris's vocals take it to some incredible places.
He starts of sounding like he's making a very believable threat on the well-being of whomever the subject matter is, and proceeds to take it to almost maniacal proportions. "NOW I KNOW WHY YOU’VE BEEN SHAKING" he screams during the pre-chorus with a voice that sounds like its coming straight from Satan's bowels. And just as you think he can't take it any further, he unleashes a chorus that just does not give up, reaching heights that very few singers can pull off and still have it sound musical. I still sometimes hold my breathe without realising it when i listen to it. Yeah, there are over dubs in there, but its still a masterpiece in vocal ability. If you've never heard it, i suggest you blow a joint or whatever does it for you, put the head phones on and be amazed.
My number 2 at the moment is from an artist that i regretfully admit i hadn't heard of until a friend introduced me to her music recently. Eva Cassidy. I can’t recall being moved so much by a person’s voice, not since the first time I heard Jeff Buckley anyway. Her rendition of “Over the Rainbow” which is featured on “Songbird” which from what I can gather is some kind of best of album of sorts, is one of the most effortlessly intoxicating performances i’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Absolutely stunning. I read that she is another who succumbed to the evils of the needle when she fatally over-dosed in 1996. Why is it so often the way that those who are so blessed can also be so flawed? Nonetheless, I certainly plan on discovering a lot more of her work.
My number 3 is Matthew Bellamy's effort on the magnificent “Citizen erased” off Muse’s brilliant Origin of Symmetry album. A lot of my friends who I’ve attempted to get into Muse are often put off by his voice at first. They either say its too similar to Jeff Buckley’s, or its just a bit too different to whatever they’re into. Then I play them this song and it usually hooks them in. The way he effortlessly moves between his normal singing tone, to his head voice and then to that falsetto is truly superb. And while I often have a bit of trouble interpreting his lyrics, whatever the subject matter on this song is, he certainly means it. It is a truly heart felt performance, and is even better live.
Sorry for waffling on. Like I said, too much time on my hands!
