Alternative rock News and Reviews. 90s alternative rock and beyond.

Top 10 - Bad but Good Singers (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:26:00 -0700

A lot of the greatest music is sung by singers who don't have a great voice (in the technical sense). In fact bad singers are often much more interesting and memorable than good singers. There is something about a song sung by a less than perfect vocalist (or bad singer) which often gives it more meaning than if sung by a pitch perfect singer. I would argue that most of the great music performed over the past 50 years was sung by singers with interesting, sometimes bad voices. So this article pays tribute to the screamers, warblers and groaners who sound like nobody else.

1. Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan has a voice that seems to polarise opinion like few other musicians. In fact I know a few people who claim to love his music but can't listen to him because of his voice. However there is a good argument to be made that his voice is perfect for his songs, would he have been nearly as popular if he had a normal singing voice? I don't think he would. Dylan's songs have been covered by literally hundreds of other artists but how many of these cover versions have stood the test of time like the originals? Only perhaps Hendrix version of "All along the Watchtower", The Byrds "Mr Tambourine Man", Stevie Wonder "Blowing in the Wind" and a handful of others could it be argued that the cover eclipses the original. Nobody sounds like Dylan and his voice enhances his music.

2. Lou Reed
Lou Reed never had the most tuneful of voices when he first started with the Velvet Underground but got worse each year. I think he must have decided at some point during the early 80s, f$#k it I'll just talk the lyrics.

3. Tom Waits
Tom Waits makes Dylan sound like a choir boy. It's pretty incredible to listen to the transformation in Waits voice around the early 80s. When he first started out his voice was fairly normalish. Waits voice has an incredible potency to it, especially today. Whether it is a spoken word piece or a simple ballad, with Waits voice this music becomes something strange and otherworldly. Very few if any singers have the ability that Waits has to take a fairly simple song and make it sound so odd.

4. Neil Young
Neil Young has written some of the sweetest folksy songs and some of the greatest angry rock of the past 50 years. His voice seems at odds with these styles of music but somehow his high pitched warble fits perfectly with these styles. Songs like "Sugar Mountain" and "Harvest Moon" could sound like corny shtick in the hands of other musicians but Young seems to have an ability to make simple sentiments sound very meaningful. His voice has a fragility to it which is a perfect fit with the music he makes.

5. Kurt Cobain
Cobain had a unique voice. What he lacked in technical ability his voice more than made up for in raw power and aggression. Undoubtedly one of the all time great screamers in rock.

R.E.M. back in the studio

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

According to the R.E.M. official website they are back in the studio with producer Jacknife Lee to work on a new album.

Lee co-produced the band's last album ACCELERATE and in an interview with onlineathens.com suggests the new album will have a similar "live" in the studio sound.

Read the full story here http://www.remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1088

Live Concert Series - Evan Dando of the Lemonheads live at the Annandale Hotel 5th April 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:27:00 -0800

Watch live concert footage of Evan Dando (the Lemonheads) live at the Annandale Hotel courtesy of Moshcam.

You can watch the rest of the concert at Moshcam.com.

Download Eels mp3 "little bird" from the upcoming album End times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:50:00 -0800

The Eels are offering a free dowload of the track "little bird" from thier upcoming album End times. Download the mp3 by clicking on the below graphic.

You can read all about the new album End Times at eelstheband.com.

Yo La Tengo live on the mountain stage - Listen here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:21:00 -0800

Yo La Tengo play the mountain stage playing tracks of thier recent album Popular Songs. Listen to the concert here as part of the excellent NPR live concert series.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120278773

Pavement to release compilation album

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:16:00 -0800

To coincide with thier reunion gigs next year pavement are to release a best of compilation featuring previously unreleased radio sessions. Guitarist Scott Kannberg told NME that the album will most likely feature numerous outtakes along with the groups most successfull songs. There's talk of doing a best-of, with some really cool outtakes on that," he explained. "The very first radio show that Pavement ever did has never been released. I don't think anyone's heard it, so we'll put that out there sometime."

Pixies Doolittle tour - Download free EP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:08:00 -0800

As part of their hugely successful ongoing Doolittle tour, the Pixies are giving away four songs recorded at thier recent gig in Paris on October 16. (Via TwentyFourBit via Slicing Up Eyeballs.)

Doolittle 20th Anniversary Live Sampler:
01 Dancing the Manta Ray
02 Monkey Gone to Heaven
03 Crackity Jones
04 Gouge Away

Just click on the widget below to get your free sampler.

Tom Waits "Glitter and Doom" free preview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:52:00 -0800

TomWaits.com is offering a free preview of Tom's new live album "Glitter and Doom" out 24th November 2009. Click here to download 8 tracks from the new album. The album documents waits critically acclaimed 2008 tour of the same name.

Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom Live from Anti Records on Vimeo.

Eels new album due in January

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:31:00 -0800

The eighth EELS studio album, entitled END TIMES, will be released January 19, 2010. Spinner are premiering a free preview of the track "little bird" from the album. You can listen to it here. http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2009/11/11/eels-little-bird-song-premiere/

20 epic songs of the 90s

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:32:00 -0800

20. Sparklehorse - Someday I will treat you good

19. Hole - Malibu

18. Beck - Loser

17. Soul Asylum - Runaway Train

16. Spin Doctors - Little miss cant be wrong

15. Oasis - Wonderwall

14. Offspring - Self Esteem

13. Pavement - Shady Lane

12. Urge Overkill - Sister Havana

11. Sonic Youth - Diamond Sea

10. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony

9. Blind Melon - No rain

8. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones

7. Soundgarden - Black hole sun

6. Radiohead - No Surprises

5. REM - Drive

4. Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the name

3. Pearl Jam - Alive

2. Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, tonight

1. Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit