Magnificent Voices

Well, I checked the rest of the music board, and didn't see any such topic, so I thought I'd toss it out there; in short, exactly what the thread title says. Just singers with absolutely breathtaking, amazing, or even just plain interesting voices.

(obviously, this sort of thing is highly subjective, but eh, why not. Besides, I'm hoping to find some new music to enjoy, heh- genre's really not much of an obstacle [tongue])

I'll start things off with a handful-

The inestimable Ofra Haza. Not necessarily my favourite of hers (that would probably be this one), but it showcases her impressive vocal talents rather nicely. And if her voice sounds oddly familiar, but you can't quite place it... well, this might jog your memory, heh...

Dame Shirley Bassey. Really, how much more needs to be said? Aside from maybe a slightly shamefaced admission to a soft spot for the old-school divas, heh...

Well, to offset the divas, how about the bass singer who held the world's record for the lowest note ever achieved by a human voice for nearly twenty years? I refer, of course, to Southern Gospel artist (and backup singer for Elvis for nearly a decade), J.D. Sumner. I'm not sure, once again, that this is my favourite of his, but... dang, what a voice!

And, an entry that... well, if nothing else, it gets in on 'just plain interesting'- (warning: Christian music, for those prone to taking offense at such things)- Mac Powell, lead singer of Third Day. This one is a favourite of mine, heh. Might not be the best showcase of his voice... this might be a good contender for that... but yeah- love it anyway.

So, musically-inclined tropers, what say you? Got any hidden gems, or wildly popular favourites that just so happen to have mind-blowing voices/lead vocalists?

Hmmm, JD Sumner. Impressively monstrous lows and all, but the dude sings bass songs an octave lower just because he can and it sounds... not good. IMO of course.

One of my favourite vocalists is Mike Patton simply because he can do anything with his voice - sing, scream, beatbox, rap, croon, whisper, throat-sing, impersonate opera vocalists, even modulate his voice to sound like a woman.

As far as pure singing goes I've always been a fan of this guy, these days he's lost a lot of his voice to aging and vocal injuries but back in the day he could pull off insane shit like this:

Kelly Zouhary from Runforyerlife is the sexiest thing since sex.

Yma Sumac had an impressive vocal range and used it very strangely.

Michael Gira. While not technically as gifted as some of the people already mentioned, his voice is has a kind of warm depth and textural malleability to it that is just velvet to my ears, particularly on Swans' '90s albums and his work with Angels of Light. Of the former, I give you "The Most Unfortunate Lie"; for the latter, "Palisades".

Both of those were awesome.

edited 11th Jun '12 5:43:06 AM by Wheezy

Christian Alvestam. Full stop. It would be good enough for metal if he only had that monstrous growling vocals, but his clean singing voice is the single most beautiful voice I've ever heard.

Also, Ettore Rigotti of Disarmonia Mundi, while not that good of a singer, still has an incredibly soothing voice (NINJA'D: Got a better example)

Likewise, Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter makes me cry (in a good way) with his singing.

Magnus Winterwild of Axenstar doesn't have a particularly great voice, but he deserves mention for having the balls to sing like this in power metal, a genre otherwise known for bands fronted by Dickinson imitators and other vibrato-ridden vocalists.

Warrel Dane from Nevermore has a... quite interesting voice.

On the harsh side of the spectrum, there's Mat Bruso from Bury Your Dead, my single favorite harsh vocalist which I'd take over a growler any day. The main difference between him and other hardcore vocalists is that they try to sound like they wanna fight you; he sounds like he wants to fight you and certainly IS GONNA WIN.

edited 17th Jun '12 6:24:09 PM by NEO

I have a bunch, but it's more fun to post them one at a time.

edited 11th Jun '12 10:51:16 AM by Wheezy

I find it funny how similar Mike Patton sounds to Cedric from The Mars Volta when he hits those high notes.

A fabulous voice and, as a bonus, an exquisite Moog solo from the too-often underrated Max Middleton:

Mark "Tansoback" Mohr sang on Christafari's album Soulfire, alternating between your typical laid-back reggae-style singing and this stuff, which I can only assume is reggae's answer to metal's rough vocals.

Unfortunately, Tansoback stopped singing in that style immediately afterwards... because he discovered that the technique was literally destroying his vocal chords, and would have left him mute if he continued.

Let me see...

• Bonnie Raitt has a massively under-appreciated set of pipes. Warm, rich, sensual and just tar-stained enough to provide some soul, she makes you feel the music. And she's still going.
• Geoff Tate (of Queensryche) had himself the kind of voice that metal legends are made of. Sure he's a joke these days, but there was a moment when his voice was an otherworldly calling card.
• Robert Plant, 'nuff said. Plenty of singers have burnt out their vocal cords trying to hit notes that were apparently his birthright.
• Ronnie James Dio. Some vocal coaches tell you to sing from your belly. That man sang from his fucking toenails.
• Lemmy from Motorhead. He proved that smoking too much and having a thick accent are benefits, not hindrances.

Bonnie Raitt does have a very fine voice.

Also, forgot to mention Swans' other primary vocalist in my last post: The inimitable Jane Jarboe. For an appropriately complex demonstration of her abilities, I give you the 1997 tour version of the group's 1984 track "I Crawled". Listen carefully.

Never been the biggest QR fan, but Tate's vocals on stuff like 'Take Hold of The Flame' are awesomely powerful. Seems it's inevitable for metal wailers to start sucking with age, Halford is a mockery of his former self and even Bruce Dickinson sounds weary.

I can't believe this song hasn't been featured yet

Seriously now, is this actually doable IRL? I mean, that range and power... (Impressionable noob is me)

edited 17th Jun '12 7:06:45 AM by TheHandle

It's very doable, Black's certainly a great singer but he's not using anything that singers don't usually do besides powerful falsetto (his register switching in the opening run is pretty skilful). In fact I'm reasonably confident I can sing Master Exploder myself, if not quite as convincingly as the original performance. As for the microphone-less singing, that sometimes happens, though not as presented in this deliberately unrealistic clip - opera vocalists for one train to be heard without a microphone over whole orchestras. The microphone/head-exploding obviously never happens IRL.

I didn't need you to point out the last point, but yeah. I've done one year in choir (I can sing the bass parts for Mozart's Requiem pretty well), and one year by myself. Next year I'm taking the step and actually taking singing lessons. Do you think it would be advisable for me to try to go for this song right away? Would be a great motivator to work my falsettos, which I totally suck at.

Anyway, to stay on topic, Sharon Den Adel

Does she deserve her fame as one of the best metal singers alive? I dunno, but her voice definitely has a soothing, rounded edge I can't help but lose myself in.

Erika Wennerstrom of the Heartless Bastards. Another song. Something from their most recent album. She's got a strong voice, and when she lets loose, it's a thing of magic. Even restrained, though, you can feel the power behind it, and the emotion. Great blues-rock voice.

In the same vein, Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. Not quite as good, but still pretty great.

Beth Gibbons. Whether solo or with Portishead. Her vocals are haunting and powerful. And All Mine is one of the creepiest performances I've ever heard.

It's a little predictable, but Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. [[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQZhN65vq9E&ob=av2e Another one.]] When she lets loose and lets her voice soar, it's pretty spectacular.

May as well throw in a man. Hawksley Workman. Here and here. He's got a very theatrical vocal style. Very cabaret. But he's a great singer.

For your listening pleasure, the inimitable Diamanda Galás:

Well most of my favorite male singers are of the Perishing Alt-Rock Voice variety, so if we're going by singers who I love who are also technically good, then...

LIZ FRASER

also CORIN TUCKER for her amazing vibrato

edited 17th Jun '12 8:34:06 PM by Trillhouse

Francesco di Giacomo, the only man on Earth who can make you cry when singing a song about apes:

Seriously, the song is about an ape.

Was it the Rape Ape? Will someone ever put that fic into song?Technically we are all apes. As for a magnificent voice that just isn't a singing voice:

REMOVE THE OLD WHEEL!

edited 18th Jun '12 1:32:08 AM by TheHandle

Well, technically it was from a concept album about evolution, about a proto-man in love with a more highly evolved proto-woman.

And it did not involve The Protomen in any way shape or form?

Buddy Lackey of Psychotic Waltz has a bizarre and warbly voice that always reminded me of Ozzy Osbourne if he actually learned how to sing and in particular, to be able to do so in in a way similar to John Arch on earlier Fates Warning. Very good at weaving around a lot of eerie vocal melodies through the hazy psychedelia that was their particular brand of progressive metal.

Christian Mertens John Tardy/Chuck Schuldiner/Martin Van Drunen combo on Dark Millennium's ''Ashore the Celestial Burden'' adds a terrifyingly lucid narrative force to guide their epic narratively arranged songs. The higher ranged howl he goes for evokes a particular sense of absolute and surprisingly human aspect to a form of music that for the most part, is alien and utterly impossible to relate to on a purely emotional standpoint.

Craig Pillard pioneered the immense and sustained low-register thundering growl, sounding often like an additional bass guitar backing up some already meaty riffage on early Incantation. His voice alone makes roughly any metal band he's participating in sound a few mountains heavier than it would have otherwise.

Speaking of Martin Van Drunen, he does horrible things with his voice no one should be able to do during his legendary stint in Asphyx.

Glen May of Tyrant may have been in a traditional metal band but his "clean roar" had a level of ferocity to it that rivalled or even surpassed the manic aggression of the most rabid South American extreme metal acts of the time.

Justin Hawkins of The Darkness has an amazing, Freddie Mercury-esque voice. Seriously, that voice is the sex. If the band hadn't had run into trouble, they would have been the biggest thing since sliced cheese.

Steve Miller's voice is pretty cool as well. Jungle Love may be one of my favorite songs at the moment.

edited 20th Jun '12 6:30:52 PM by MrMallard