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Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 10:53:50 AM

MovieAddict247

Posts: 3359
Joined: 5/6/2009

I was wondering if there was any interest in a vocals poll. Not favourite artist, but favourite voices. So the voices you love the most, those who could sing the phone book and make it fascinating.

If so, there would be two lists - male and female. They might look some like this.

1. Scott Walker 1. Julie London

Also, if you want, you could add favourite vocal performances to the list (e.g. Scott Walker, Farmer in the City) and so when the list is up at the end, I can add links to great performances.

Any interest? If so, I'll set up an email.

All lists to: empire.vocals@gmail.com

< Message edited by MovieAddict247 -- 26/2/2013 8:34:30 AM >

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 10:59:45 AM

Gimli The Dwarf

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You all know who my number one is!

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 11:03:19 AM

MovieAddict247

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Joined: 5/6/2009

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gimli The Dwarf

You all know who my number one is!

Jo O'Meara?

please tell me that isn't as limp a reference as it looks in typing

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 11:10:46 AM

rawlinson

Posts: 40163
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

Was she the big racist?

Also, can I vote for someone like Ken Nordine?

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 11:13:24 AM

MovieAddict247

Posts: 3359
Joined: 5/6/2009

quote:

ORIGINAL: rawlinson

Was she the big racist?

Also, can I vote for someone like Ken Nordine?

Yep, that's the one.

I think I'll allow Ken Nordine - Green is fabulous. And so then you could have people like Lord Buckley as well.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 11:18:51 AM

rawlinson

Posts: 40163
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

All I remember about S Club is I fancied the one who was in Primeval and another one who wasn't, and a different one was bigotry buddies with Jade Goody.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 11:19:08 AM

rawlinson

Posts: 40163
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

And excellent on Nordine/Buckley, thanks.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 23/2/2013 12:00:51 PM

MovieAddict247

Posts: 3359
Joined: 5/6/2009

quote:

ORIGINAL: rawlinson

All I remember about S Club is I fancied the one who was in Primeval and another one who wasn't, and a different one was bigotry buddies with Jade Goody.

My first CD was an S Club 7 single. It was awesome.

Also, if anyone wants to pimp some voices here, feel free. Lists can be up to 100 (if you want).

I want everyone to vote for Judy Garland and Paul Robeson. Both of them had incredible voices.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 24/2/2013 1:14:52 AM

Cloud Cuckoo

Posts: 393
Joined: 7/2/2013
From: Mind your own

Hmmm, good question. Off the top of my head...

Males

Thom Yorke

Selecting a favourite vocal performance here is like Sophie's Choice, man. Pffffffff... *thinks* Okay, I'll go for Creep. Yorke has a great ability to convey emotion and he uses it to great effect in this song, a hymn to low self-esteem and unrequited love. He carefully modifies his voice to match the lyrics, sounding at times sad, lost, tender, vulnerable, full of longing, and full of self-loathing. The performance builds into a powerfully-delivered climax of such ferocious naked anguish ("She run, run, run, ruuuuuun, ruuuuuun") it breaks me into bits every time. It's a desperately moving performance.

Here's a dramatic ACOUSTIC VERSION.

Also:
Kurt Cobain
Stevie Wonder
Roy Orbison
Andrea Boccelli
Freddie Mercury
Ben E. King
Jeff Buckley

Females

Florence Welch

I'll go with Girl With One Eye for favourite vocals, she sings that quite phenomenally well.

HERE IT IS

Also:
Umm ... Beyonce isn't too shoddy...

NB: I really struggle with females because their voices don't move me as much, probably cause I'm a heterosexual female and like listening to males suffer.

I would say that the classic Motown voices were generally fantastic, both male and female.

< Message edited by Cloud Cuckoo -- 27/2/2013 12:34:04 PM >

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 26/2/2013 8:34:00 AM

MovieAddict247

Posts: 3359
Joined: 5/6/2009

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cloud Cuckoo

NB: I really struggle with females because their voices don't move me as much, probably cause I'm a heterosexual female and like listening to males suffer.

I'm not a massive fan of Yorke, though - but Orbison had one of the most beautiful voices ever.

I've added an email address to the opening post, by the way. I may also add a deadline - March 20th.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 26/2/2013 9:07:36 PM

Mister Coe

Posts: 558
Joined: 20/10/2012

Great thread... it always pisses me off that 'great vocals' are usually regarded as something like Whitney or Mariah, someone who can hit every tiny little spectrum of the vocal range, whereas (to me) it usually just sounds like showing-off. Blame the X-Factor... I usually do.

My idea of great vocals? I love Shane Mcgowen, Tom Waits, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop and Jarvis Cocker. Not a whole lot of range but, my god, you can FEEL what they're singing...

My silly little opinion, anyway...

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 26/2/2013 10:51:48 PM

elab49

Posts: 51557
Joined: 1/10/2005

I'd probably go with my list in the other poll thing but I'm not sure if it's a balanced split male/female - does anyone remember what the thread/poll was called please? I don't think I kept the list on my computer.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 26/2/2013 11:47:17 PM

paul_ie86

Posts: 11207
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http://www.empireonline.com/forum/tm.asp?m=3068394&mpage=1&key=vocal&NID=0#3068515

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 8:11:48 AM

Cloud Cuckoo

Posts: 393
Joined: 7/2/2013
From: Mind your own

I thought of another female singer I like - Adele!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mister Coe

Great thread... it always pisses me off that 'great vocals' are usually regarded as something like Whitney or Mariah, someone who can hit every tiny little spectrum of the vocal range, whereas (to me) it usually just sounds like showing-off. Blame the X-Factor... I usually do.

I despise this too. Great singing isn't about vocal gymnastics and seeing how many notes you can cram in. It's about conveying a song's emotion and making the listener feel. Obviously having range and being technically adept is a great thing, but if there's no emotion, no connection to the lyrics, then it's ultimately a hollow and meaningless performance.

A great example of this was Alexandra Burke's festive massacre of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Yes, her voice sounded very good - the vocals were powerful and she hit all the notes - but her performance could scarcely have been less appropriate for what she was singing (ditto the perplexing Christmassy arrangement). She clearly had absolutely no understanding of the lyrics and what the song was about. The whole thing was contrived to show off her vocal ability. She may as well have been singing the back of a cereal box.

Just horrible. I'll never forgive Cowell and his minions for touching that song.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 12:09:10 PM

horribleives

Posts: 4178
Joined: 12/6/2009
From: The North

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mister Coe

Great thread... it always pisses me off that 'great vocals' are usually regarded as something like Whitney or Mariah, someone who can hit every tiny little spectrum of the vocal range, whereas (to me) it usually just sounds like showing-off. Blame the X-Factor... I usually do.

My idea of great vocals? I love Shane Mcgowen, Tom Waits, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop and Jarvis Cocker. Not a whole lot of range but, my god, you can FEEL what they're singing...

My silly little opinion, anyway...

Totally agree - that Simon Cowell-endorsed idea of what consitiutes a great (ie bland) singer really boils my piss. Give me the all-over-the-place passion of Guy Picciotto, Greg Dulli or Kurt Cobain any old day fo the week.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 12:32:48 PM

Cloud Cuckoo

Posts: 393
Joined: 7/2/2013
From: Mind your own

Fuck, how the hell did I forget Cobain??

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 1:45:22 PM

superdan

Posts: 7202
Joined: 31/7/2008

quote:

ORIGINAL: paul_ie86

http://www.empireonline.com/forum/tm.asp?m=3068394&mpage=1&key=vocal&NID=0#3068515

Oh yeah, what happened to that poll? *sees who started it* Oh right, never mind

I'll give it some thought and get a list in as soon as I can.

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Post #: 17

RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 1:55:42 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4172
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

Just waiting for someone to come in with Jon Anderson...

I think for me it has to be Bill Withers and, if I had to pin it down to one performance, the live version of Hope She'll Be Happier on Live at Carnegie Hall. Chills down the spine.

I'm not big on female vocalists. That's not a sexist thing, by the way, just that my favourite genres of music (prog, jazz, 70s funk/r&b) are relatively light on the female voice, but Grace Slick probably pips it. I quite like Sally Oldfield too, but I completely realise she's very much the female Jon Anderson.

Oh, and even though I hate the X Factor and everything it stands for, and I don't particularly like her, but I thought Stacy Solomon did one or two astonishing performances - her duet with Michael Buble left me speechless, and I hate that type of music. She had (has) a very pure tone which goes against what is popular these days (the warbling octave shifting alluded to in other posts in this thread), and with the right training she could have had an amazing voice. I guess presenting has put an end to her singing career.

< Message edited by great_badir -- 27/2/2013 1:57:10 PM >

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 5:28:49 PM

jonson

Posts: 8057
Joined: 30/9/2005

I'd have to agree I prefer the passionate vocals over the ones that are note perfect, which I guess kind of trends with the music I like
Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Mark Lanegan and honestly I think James Hetfield has one of the best and most powerful rock vocals of the last 20 years.
In a more laid back kind of way, I think my personal favourites would be Neil Diamond and James Taylor. I could listen to both of them sing the phone book.

Female wise I adore Aretha Franklin. She can't be faulted for me.
Despite not being her biggest fan before her death, I think Amy Winehouse had one of the most incredible voices. It saddens me very much we never got to hear more from her.
For passion and brutality though, Skin is also one of my favourites.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 5:37:08 PM

horribleives

Posts: 4178
Joined: 12/6/2009
From: The North

I could listen to Mark Lanegan's voice all day. Ditto Kozelek and Eitzel. Must be a Mark thing.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 5:41:23 PM

jonson

Posts: 8057
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: horribleives

I could listen to Mark Lanegan's voice all day. Ditto Kozelek and Eitzel. Must be a Mark thing.

I'll throw Mark Arm into the mix as well then. You can't beat a bit of Touch Me I'm Sick

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 5:47:12 PM

horribleives

Posts: 4178
Joined: 12/6/2009
From: The North

Indeed. Funnily enough I'm going to see Mudhoney in June and was just about to mention it in the Who You Seeing? thread. The last time I saw them in 2010 they opened with Into The Drink, Suck You Dry and You Got It and I couldn't stop smiling. It was also nice to be one of the youngest people at a gig for a change.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 27/2/2013 8:41:47 PM

Mister Coe

Posts: 558
Joined: 20/10/2012

quote:

ORIGINAL: jonson

I'd have to agree I prefer the passionate vocals over the ones that are note perfect, which I guess kind of trends with the music I like
Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Mark Lanegan and honestly I think James Hetfield has one of the best and most powerful rock vocals of the last 20 years.
In a more laid back kind of way, I think my personal favourites would be Neil Diamond and James Taylor. I could listen to both of them sing the phone book.

Female wise I adore Aretha Franklin. She can't be faulted for me.
Despite not being her biggest fan before her death, I think Amy Winehouse had one of the most incredible voices. It saddens me very much we never got to hear more from her.
For passion and brutality though, Skin is also one of my favourites.

Good call on Aretha.

But you mentioned Skin (from Skunk Anansie, for the uninitiated)... a firm Internet handshake and pat on the back for that one. one of my favourite bands. I'm sure you know this, but they're on tour next month after a big comeback with two excellent albums, particuarly the most recent one, 'Black Traffic'... if you ain't got a ticket, do yourself a favour and get one. Skin is even more amazing live than on record.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 5:08:46 PM

Zatoichi

Posts: 2508
Joined: 30/9/2005

Hmm, lemme see...

Simon & Garfunkel (can I do that?

)
Jim Morrison
Thom Yorke
Jon Anderson
David Gilmour
Marvin Gaye
Stevie Wonder
Rodriguez
Nick Drake
Robert Plant
David Bowie
Johnny Cash
Sam Cooke
Freddie Mercury
Roy Orbison
Al Green
Roger Daltrey
Jack Bruce
Steve Marriott
Michael Stipe
Roger Waters

Sandy Denny
Dusty Springfield
Aretha Franklin
Grace Slick
Janis Joplin
Vashti Bunyan
Joni Mitchell
Cass Elliott
Annie Lennox
Nina Simone

To name a few.

< Message edited by Zatoichi -- 12/3/2013 5:09:40 PM >

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 6:10:17 PM

Cloud Cuckoo

Posts: 393
Joined: 7/2/2013
From: Mind your own

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zatoichi

Simon & Garfunkel

Yes. Their harmonies are sublime, and Garfunkel's performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water is breath-taking.

quote:

Thom Yorke

Yay!

quote:

David Bowie

Interesting choice. It's certainly distinctive.

quote:

Sam Cooke

Nina Simone

Excellent calls, especially Cooke.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 7:02:39 PM

OPEN YOUR EYES

Posts: 3450
Joined: 5/2/2012
From: Living on Lynch's quiff

Kate Bush
PJ Harvey
Nick Cave
Thom Yorke
Charlyn Marie Marshall
Pete Doherty
James Skelly
David Bowie,prefer his younger voice though.
Scott Walker
Joshua Homme
Paul Banks
Victoria Legrand
Olly Knights,depends on the song
Iggy Pop
Roland Orzabal
Guy McKnight
Mick Harvey
David Bryne
michael jackson
Johnny Cash
Beck
Devandra Banhart
Jarvis Cocker
Dan Auerbach
Michael Stipe
Ian Curtis

< Message edited by OPEN YOUR EYES -- 24/3/2013 3:56:50 PM >

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 8:02:09 PM

impqueen

Posts: 6765
Joined: 24/7/2006

My favourite singer is Nina Simone.

In Alphabetical Order (If this is still on I�ll order them and get a list in)

Bill Kenny
Bob Marley
Bruce Springsteen
Bryan Ferry
Cat Stevens
Chet Baker
Colin Meloy
David Bowie
David Byrne
Dean Martin
Elliott Smith
Elvis Presley
Eric Burdon
Hugh Cornwell
Iggy Pop
Isaac Brock
Jack White
James Brown
James Taylor
Joe Strummer
John Fogerty
John Lee Hooker
Johnny Cash
Jonathan Richman
Josh Homme
Joshua Tillman
Leonard Cohen
Lou Reed
Louis Armstrong
Marvin Gaye
Muddy Waters
Neil Young
Nick Cave
Ray Davies
Richard Manuel
Richard Marx
Robert Johnson
Sam Cooke
Scott Walker
Screamin� Jay Hawkins
Shannon Hoon
Simon and Garfunkel
Steve Harley
Tampa Red
Tom Petty
Tom Waits
Wilson Pickett

Aimee Mann
Aretha Franklin
Beth Orton
Billie Holiday
Bjork
Bonnie Raitt
Cass Elliot
Cat Power
Chrissie Hynde
Dolly Parton
Dusty Springfield
Ella Fitzgerald
Etta James
Fiona Apple
Fran�oise Hardy
Grace Slick
Janis Joplin
Joan Armatrading
Joan Baez
Joan Jett
Joni Mitchell
Judy Garland
Kate Bush
Lena Horne
Linda Ronstadt
Loretta Lynn
Mary Weiss
Nina Simone
Patsy Cline
Patti Smith
Ronnie Spector
Stevie Nicks
Suzi Quatro

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 9:03:01 PM

tommyjarvis

Posts: 6609
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From: Caught somewhere in time

I don't really know if I could do a whole list but Sebastian Bach out of Skid Row would definitely be number one for me.

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 12/3/2013 10:31:01 PM

Rinc

Posts: 12504
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From: A park bench, with a newspaper quilt

Otis Redding

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RE: Empire's Favourite Voices - 13/3/2013 9:52:54 PM

boaby

Posts: 2786
Joined: 29/12/2006
From: Aberdeenshire

Axl Rose
Steven Tyler
Robert Plant
Michael Hutchence
Andrew Stockdale

Shirley Manson
Annie Lennox
Sharleen Spiteri
Emili Sande
Lzzy Hale.

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Post #: 30