The distinguishing characteristic of vocal quality (separate from pitch and volume), is called timbre (pronounced 'tamber') and can be thought of as a texture, ranging from silky smooth (i.e. Whitney Houston) to gritty (i.e. Taj Mahal, below). These are three of the most unique voices you will encounter, and it's as if they were meant to sing these three songs, which progress in gravity from "fun" to "vaguely emotional" to "heavy and deep."
#1.Taj Mahal - "Queen Bee" (1997)
Quite possibly the most delightful feel good song I've heard. The opening guitar lick and bass are like a guy leaning over with a big smile and saying "listen up, this is gonna be a good one". Taj Mahal's vocals in this song are clearly brilliant, and the bass provides a perfect playful energy. One sign of great music is the precise use of instruments, meaning the addition of certain sounds in very specific locations rather than spraying them around just because they're there. If you listen closely toward the middle of the song, you'll hear a few saxophone notes every couple bars, and this is only done in certain verses. Only a handful of sax notes in the whole song. An amateur sax player or producer would be tempted to do a lot more. It takes some genius to simplify things so fittingly. This variation and subtle detail helps prevent the song from getting old as Taj stands on his mountain and spreads the love. Perfect 10/10.
#2. Courtney Barnett - "Depreston" (2015)
Sydney-based Courtney Barnett delivers an absolutely beautiful account of moving to a depressing town and wishing she could rebuild and start over. In all likelihood this should be a depressing story, but instead Courtney focuses on little things like saving money with her new percolator. The way her lazy, matter-of-fact style reduces a significant life event down to small, comfortable pieces makes this song as close to aural Xanax as it gets. This attitude permeates the entire song, including the lazy guitar that can't decide between background and lead. Courtney's genius is that it sounds like none of the instruments really matter very much, which completes the picture on an even deeper level. Also, the way she sings in tune with very low power (she's almost talking) combined with her unique melodic style (her choice of ups and downs in pitch) makes her exceptional both artistically and technically. As the Aussies say, she makes it seem "Too easy." Best song of 2015. 10/10.
#3. Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car" (1988)
Audio pros use Tracy Chapman's voice to test sound system quality due to its subtlety and depth. Tracy has the ability to tap right into your soul. Beyond her one-of-a-kind voice, her passion is palpable and her lyrics and storytelling are poetic, yet easy to follow and engrossing. She uses a good deal of vibrato, which is the shaky, undulating quality that requires power and tension in the vocal chords, although she makes it seem effortless. Courtney Barnett, in contrast, uses almost no vibrato with her ultra-easy-going-no-tension style. By the end of the first few lines, you have been transplanted into Tracy's world. I'm not aware of a song that can more quickly and effectively create such a deep empathic connection. And that simple guitar lick* repeats over and over and hovers around like a skeleton in the closet. Off the charts 11/10.
* A lick is a series of notes that repeats either back-to-back or at various points throughout the song, functioning like a theme.
No comments:
Post a Comment