Your favourite vocal performances

[Lockyer24]

I'm a sucker for female vocals. Way Out West - 'Mindcircus' featuring Tricia Lee Kelshall and Lamb - 'Gorecki' spring to mind.

 

[Portia]

Yeah, I don't have much to add...

"Grace" by Jeff Buckley is a clear winner for mine. Most singers can't even pretend to have the range or control to cover this one. Gets the nod on technical and emotive grounds.
Matt Bellamy I rate over-all in this category but I can't pinpoint one track. More on emotive grounds than on difficulty.
Beth Gibbons ranks highly - I'd point people in the direction of "Roads" as her best commercially recorded performance.
Edith Piaf rules.
Mike Patton is technically excellent, but I've never been much impressed by emotion exhibited in his singing - I don't think there's much there, I always get the impression that any shifts and lilts are just him giving his throat a good workout.
Kasey Chambers gets by purely on emotion conveyed - her voice is ****ing terrible though. Pick a song.
"Cry Me A River" - Julie London is another good one on both counts.

Can't think of more just now.

 

[pav_is_god]

I love Jon Spencer's voice, especially on JSBX's 'Orange' album, he's got such a great range for a blues/rock singer.

I also like Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys who's got a really rough voice that works really well with the type of blues that they play.

 

[mace007]

- The entire Diorama album by Silverchair. Daniel Johns' vocal improvement without enhancement is a wonder. Australia's greatest vocalist and someone whose creativity just seems to keep expanding.

Even more remarkable is that he apparently smokes like a chimney too.

Off the top of my head, Eddie Vedder's performance in Rearviewmirror is astounding. The final 'Rear view mirror!' before the 'I gather speed...' section is great.

 

[MAL FUNCTION]

im going back yesteryear as i dont know much of these new artist's these days.( it scares me from what i've heard so far on most that i've heard ...no offence ! ..but, thats just silly ol' me possibly... mmm - I SAID POSSIBLY ! )
some of my fav vocals are :

1/. STEVE PERRY ( also lead vocals in the group....'JOURNEY' )
2/. PETER CETERA ( " " ....'CHICAGO' )
3/. JAMES REYNE ( " " ....'AUSTRALIAN CRAWL...) unique with his own sound i guess !
4/. JOHN FARNHAM ( also temp lead " " ....'LITTLE RIVER BAND' ...early 80's )..he has a great voice , but he needs more say, a differant style like he did in L.R.B for a short time ( not that his solo stuff was'nt too bad )..but hey !..thats just what i liked ...thats all. !

 

[smasha]

How could I forget Mike Patton?-a genius of the vocals.

 

[raskolnikov]

I'm not really a big Roxette fan but I think Marie Fredrickson has one of the best voices I have heard.
I also love Angie Hart from Frente!

 

[Z_K]

I think I can sing. There are not heaps of blokes who I don't think I could cover half successfully if I had to. Cornell does things that are so out of this world that thinking about attempting to get myself there hurts my lungs. It's truly amazing ********. The very best, as Carlos has alluded to is Slaves and Bulldozers.

I love voices that can be genuinely soulful and aggressive in the space of an albulm. Patton can do it in one song, Cornell just takes each extreme further.

Jeff Buckley just drips emotion. As mentioned, Grace is probably the one that best shows his stuff.

Patton is playing with you. The first time I listened to Angel Dust right through I was actually put off by it's diversity. It felt like it was mashed together after years of "fazes". He runs the show like few others. He's a freak. Not a huge fan of the song, but Easy is so restrained and perfect.

Dunno if they have been mentioned but Staley and Cantrell formed one of the great harmonies in rock history. Good enough to be mentioned seperately probably, but that sound effects me immensly and in many ways. Staley in "Man in the Box" kicks arse.

Freddie Mercury is one of the great frontmen. Alot of bells and whistles, but the MF could sing.

Phil Lynnett is all class. Faultless on every song on "Jailbreak".

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Alister Bell from Speedstar's "Bruises You Can Touch", on the tracks 'Song For You', 'This Everyday Life', 'Crazy Happy' and 'Good Morning Saviour'.

Haunting in parts, his range and ability to hold notes is absolutely superb.

EDIT - Agree with Northboy with regardes to FM, has about the best voice I've heard. Unbelievable range and power.

 

[gothecrows]

Matt Bellamy I rate over-all in this category but I can't pinpoint one track. More on emotive grounds than on difficulty.

Try singing Microcuts and tell me it's not difficult!

 

[materamagic]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Tom Petty. Listen to his passion on "There Goes My Girl" "Refugee" "American Girl" "The Waiting" "Breakdown" and his distictive and mature style on more recent stuff such as "Runaway Trains" "I Won't Back Down" "Free Falling" "Learning To Fly" and many more.

Steven Tyler when he came back with Aerosmith in the later 80's absolutely went off I believe he got better. "Janies Got A Gun" "Rag Doll" etc...

The vocals in Golden Slumbers shows McCartney's effortless vocal range transistion in a matter of seconds without taking breath, it seems many cite Lennon as the better singer but McCartney was and continues to be a versatile vocalist. Checkout "Monkberry Moon Delight" from RAM and "So Bad" from Pipes Of Peace. This is the same guy!

 

[Mint Condition]

Who wants to live forever - Freddie Mercury
The Fallen Priest - Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe
Nessun Dorma - 3 Tenors in the early 90's
Child in Time - Ian Gillan
Jesus Christ Pose - Chris Cornell
Love Reign O'er Me - Roger Daltry
A Day in the Life - John Lennon

 

[harry_hawka]

Absolutely anything Jeff Buckley every did. Just sublime. But, if I had to narrow it down, I'd choose some of his live work. The whole Live at Sin'e Cd is just the most pure sounding vocals I've ever heard. Similarly, Jeff's version of "Lover You Should've Come Over" on Live at Olympia is unbelievable. That's still one of my favourite songs ever, simply because it is brutal, yet Buckley portrays it so elegantly. It's as if his pain is beautiful.

For some of his more rock work, Eternal Life is superb.

More:

- Beth Gibbons on the whole 'Dummy' album.
- Some of the work by Liz Fraser on Mezzanine- In particular Angel and Teardrop.
- Regine Chassagne on In The Backseat by the Arcade Fire
- Thom Yorke - Street Spirit (Immeeeerrrrrrssse your soul in love), Pyramid Song (such haunting vocals throughout), Let Down (Oonnnnneeedaaaayy I am gonna grow wings), Fake Plastic Trees (It wears him out, It weeeeeeeeeeears), Lucky, Fog, True Love Waits, Like Spinning Plates (singing backwards), etc.
- James Mercer on both Shins' albums. Hearing him live was just awesome- in terms of vocals, my favourite is Saint Simon.
- Morrissey on There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore. All is work is special, but these two songs in particular.
- Beach Boys on God Only Knows
- McCartney on Across the Universe

 

[materamagic]

Absolutely anything Jeff Buckley every did. Just sublime. But, if I had to narrow it down, I'd choose some of his live work. The whole Live at Sin'e Cd is just the most pure sounding vocals I've ever heard. Similarly, Jeff's version of "Lover You Should've Come Over" on Live at Olympia is unbelievable. That's still one of my favourite songs ever, simply because it is brutal, yet Buckley portrays it so elegantly. It's as if his pain is beautiful.

For some of his more rock work, Eternal Life is superb.

More:

- Beth Gibbons on the whole 'Dummy' album.
- Some of the work by Liz Fraser on Mezzanine- In particular Angel and Teardrop.
- Regine Chassagne on In The Backseat by the Arcade Fire
- Thom Yorke - Street Spirit (Immeeeerrrrrrssse your soul in love), Pyramid Song (such haunting vocals throughout), Let Down (Oonnnnneeedaaaayy I am gonna grow wings), Fake Plastic Trees (It wears him out, It weeeeeeeeeeears), Lucky, Fog, True Love Waits, Like Spinning Plates (singing backwards), etc.
- James Mercer on both Shins' albums. Hearing him live was just awesome- in terms of vocals, my favourite is Saint Simon.
- Morrissey on There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore. All is work is special, but these two songs in particular.
- Beach Boys on God Only Knows
- McCartney on Across the Universe

mccartney didnt sing across the universe, but hey mentioning his name is relevant to the great vocalists thread

 

[harry_hawka]

Haha, just revisited this thread and saw what I wrote. I meant Lennon, was reading an article on McCartney at the time and had his name in my head, meh. In general, I like McCartney's work best, but this song is my fave Beatles.

 

[materamagic]

Haha, just revisited this thread and saw what I wrote. I meant Lennon, was reading an article on McCartney at the time and had his name in my head, meh. In general, I like McCartney's work best, but this song is my fave Beatles.

he is duetting on an up coming single with none other than Robin Gibb who has a unique voice, no one else has his voice.

 

[skylark18]

Some of my faves;


Warren Zevon...Mohammeds Radio

Neil Young...Helpless

Bruce Springsteen...Backstreets

Totally agree

also Ann Wilson from heart Unchained Melody (Live)

 

[oxx]

Chaka Khan - Be Bop Medley/Night In Tunisia

John Lennon - Twist and Shout.

Bruce Springsteen - Born to run

Bon Scot - Ride On.

Mel Torme - Dont Get Around Much Anymore.

Stevie Wonder - Anything

Donald Fagen - Josie

Nat King Cole - Chestnuts

 

[-Buzz-]

Cornell does things that are so out of this world that thinking about attempting to get myself there hurts my lungs. It's truly amazing ********. The very best, as Carlos has alluded to is Slaves and Bulldozers.

Great song. But I like 'Limo Wreck' on Superunknown better:

"I'm the wreck of you
I'm the death of you ALL
I'm the wreck of you
I'm the break and the FALL"

Such darkness and anger in his delivery, but through it all there is just a sense of beauty about his voice. Makes a hell of a combination.

Also love his work on 'Call Me a Dog', 'Times of Trouble' and 'Say Hello To Heaven' from Temple of the Dog. And the interplay of his voice with Vedder's in 'Hunger Strike' is godly, even though the song itself is pretty cheesy.

Speaking of Vedder, his vocals in 'Black' are so haunting and powerful. One of my fav songs. Also like 'Indifference' from Vs, because he sings with unusual power and clarity.

Staley and Cantrell singing 'Rooster'.

Axl Rose. His vocals on 'You Could Be Mine' are loud, fast and dripping with malice. Had one of the best raspy growls in rock. The way he used to open WTTJ during live performances still blows me away. Also probably explains why his voice was so rooted after the illusion tour.

Robert Plant - Achilles Last Stand and Kashmir.

 

[Borscht Mat]

The Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
Rattle 'n Hum version of "I still Havn't Found what I'm Looking For" - U2

 

[krisholio14]

my favorites in terms of vocalists

robert plant - the rain song

al green - lets stay together

marvin gaye - lets get it on

dionne warwick - promises

stevie wonder - you are the sunshine of my life

mike patton - evidence

jay kay - when you gonna learn?

robert harvey - too high

ian curtis - atmosphere

layne stayley - them bones or would?

nate dogg - these days