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
Unusual voices that I like - I'll repeat a few already mentioned: Neil Young, Irs Dement, and Louis Armstrong. Possibly not very well know, but Victoria Williams comes to mind also.

Unusual voice that I've never found a way to like: Yoko Ono
Like him or not, Eminem syncopates lyrics like no other
rapper.

And Barbara, the French singer. Or should I say, chanteuse. An acquired taste, but after 4-5 turns of the disc, I've come to like her 'singing'.
Alanis Morrisette has a distinct vocal style that seems to be emulated in part by many of the young angst female vocalists of late. It's like - I'm a woman, I can sing and I feel like kicking you in the nuts.

Chris Rea has a very deep and smoky voice that totally sets the mood of his music and plays off especially well with the slide guitar presence. Works for me on 'Road to Hell' anyway.