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A "Unique" Voice...

A bunch of the artists I enjoy most have what may be considered as a very unconventional vocal quality. Now everyone is "unique' as are their fingerprints, to be shure, but the artists I'm thinking about are real standouts in that they are unmistakeably...well....odd perhaps. An aquired taste as their voice could easily grate on many. Maybe I should give some examples and that would be a better way to get what I mean accross:

Tom Waits comes first to mind. The little girl voice of Joanna Newsom. Those two I enjoy very much. One I just can't stand to listen to myself, Diamanda Gallas - Hey If I wanted to hear screaming like that I can just 'forget' to do the dishes a few nights in a row! Oh, yeah, Sean reminded me recently of the most bizarre, Klaus Nomi, whose mezzo soprano voice sounded more like a woman than a man. Actually Klaus was difficult to categorize himself. But actually, his voice was quite lovely as far as conventions go. So he wouldn't really qualify.

I guess what I'm saying is that these are not conventionally 'pretty' voices, yet they are engaging to many nonetheless, and certainly gifted artists, as far as those I've mentioned goes.

I'll leave it at that...any others come to mind?
jax2
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
With documentary title in parentheses:

Jandek (Jandek on Corwood)
Wayne Coyne (Fearless Freaks - The Flaming Lips)
Daniel Johnston (The Devil and Daniel Johnston)
Benjamin Smoke (Benjamin Smoke)
synthfreek's avatar
synthfreek
627 posts
 
I think Steve Forbert sounds exactly like Eric Clapton especially in that song that goes..."meet me in the middle of the day let me hear you say everything's ok..."
don_s
271 posts
 
Ferron, Toni Childs, Greg Brown
sean
6,231 posts
 
The first ones that came to mind in terms of actual "unique voices" and not "unique vocal presentations" were Macy Gray, D.C. Dart and Nick Gilder. Unique vocal presentations would open up quite a few more doors...

I'm sure that most of you have heard Macy Gray before and i'm surprised that nobody mentioned her. I don't really like her stuff, but her voice does stand out from the crowd.

D.C. Dart sang for a couple different "punk" bands. His voice reminds me of a cross between Curly from the Three Stooges and a young slapstick Jerry Lewis. No real singing skills to back that "amazing" voice up, so it was strictly a matter of loving D.C. or hating him.

Nick Gilder sang "Hot Child In The City". Remember that song? A lot of people thought it was a woman singing, but it wasn't. At least, i think Nick is a "man" by most traditional definitions : )

As for Miner42's input, i'll have to check out Little Village. I've heard the name before, but never realized who was in the group. Hopefully, their output matches their credentials, as that should be one helluva band !!! Sean
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milliwatt
13 posts
 
In recent years, Antony of Antony and the Johnsons is the most incredible voice I have heard. Hard to describe but has been compared to Nina Simone. His last album I am a Bird now is a really good album.
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