Feevrit Vocalists?

[Galefore]

Aight, so, this one's pretty self-explanatory. Which vocalist does it best for you? Explain your answer. Essay counts for 20 points of your overall score.

Anyway, I've got quite a few. I think it really is a question of style and genre; to pin down ONE vocalist who does it best for me would be unfair simply because, much like any other instrument, the "Quality" of a vocalist is subjective to both style and listener.

Some favorites of mine are:

Spencer Chamberlain: Mainly for his range as a screamer. He has an impressive grasp over highs, lows, and mids, which is rare, and uses excellent technique and control. Most screamers these days rely on trickery to produce "brootal" screams, but Chamberlain uses raw emotion straight from the throat, the way "harsh" vocals SHOULD be presented. His cleans are rough and grungy, which I like a lot for his style of music. It definitely fits Underoath's darker sound better than Aaron Gillespie's vocals would have, which is not to say I don't have a ton of respect for Gillespie as well (favorite drummer, after all).

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David Bazan: Bazan's deep, smoky voice fits his brutally honest lyricism so perfectly that I can't see anyone else singing his songs. His words are often mournful, and so is his rich delivery. Excellent dude in person as well, btw. He takes all of the charisma and character a good vocalist should have and creates beautiful music from it.

Click to view video.

Dustin Kensrue: Dustin Kensrue began his career singing in a more nasal upper register. Was it bad? No, not really. Their second and third records are, after all, influential post-hardcore classics. But when Kensrue began exploring the richness in his voice, and the lion-like roar of his harsher singing, he found his sweet spot. On Major/Minor, Kensrue is rich and soulful. Shame we won't hear too much more out of him.

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Aaron Weiss: Aaron Weiss is featured here because there are few vocalists who are quite so emotional and animated with their delivery. A true poet, Weiss spits his powerful words at rapid speed, whether singing or shouting, and tends to absolutely captivate the listener. His throaty and nasal voice may be off-putting to some, but it's anything but whiny.

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Jason Aalon Butler: Taking many cues from Glassjaw vocalist Daryl Palumbo, Butler's ability to deliver a line is ****ing phenomenal. Another fine lyricist, he sings with fire and bile about his parental issues and knows damn well how to get the listener as riled up as he is. Whether live or on record, Letlive is gonna make some goddamn waves, man.

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Dallas Green: One of my favorites simply because he's unique. His cleans were the best part about Alexisonfire, imo, and his solo work shows him off as an excellent songwriter and a VERY soulful singer. Here's hoping for more great things in Green's future.

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Honorable mention:
James Veck-Gilodi: This dude came to my attention whilst browsing for bands in the vein of my current musical tastes. This band was apparently once a post-hardcore band, but since the departure of their screamer, they've settled for more soulful music than before. A lot like a less-douchy Jonny Craig or a more subtle Dallas Green, this dude's voice and style has impressed me quite a bit. Definitely one to watch.

Click to view video.

I am sure I forgot some. When I remember them, I'll definitely post about them. XD

NOW. GO. TELL ME YOUUUUUURS.

[Spritedude]

Here's the first two that come to mind, probably because they're the only vocalists I've really taken the time to analyze, them being from my two favorite bands and all.


Thom Yorke: His soft but piercing voice can range from relaxing, to energetic, to just plain haunting. With all the thought provoking messages that Radiohead has in their music, Thom's vocals does a good job at making sure they stay with you. I also love how he gets so into the music on stage that he doesn't even seem to care what he looks like.
Here's one of his more "haunting" songs:

Click to view video.

And a live performance to show how crazy he gets:

Click to view video.

Chester Bennington: Many may not agree with me, but I love Chester's voice. He has just the range and pitch to fit with the innocent yet aggressive nature of Linkin Park's lyrics. He can get a bit nasal during live performances, but when he does it right he does it right. I also like his style of screaming, which has more of a emotional, distressed tone rather than straight up anger.

Click to view video.

[Bomby]

Faye Wong: Aside from having a very "sweet" quality to her voice, she can carry the weight of a song emotionally like none other, never overdoing the belting. I also like that during her career she dared to be different from others in the Chinese music industry, which is even less allowing of artistic freedom than your American major labels. I guess that last part has little to do with her singing beside the fact that she pretty much invented Chinese scatting. But yeah, she has my favorite voice of any singer I listen to.
Moar
MOAR

Nick Drake: The slightly raspy timbre of his voice matches the quiet melancholy of his music perfectly.

Beck: Might seem a strange choice, but once again, he kind of has a similar raspy, emotional tone to his voice like Drake and can adapt well to different moods of songs like Faye Wong. Plus, we have a similar vocal range, so his songs are easy for me to sing along to.

Bilinda Butcher: Not a powerhouse singer by any means, but god damn do her vocals just blend into the music. It's like if you had the most comfy mattress and pillows, plus the smoothest sheets to go with it.

Grace Slick: Grace Slick just sounds like someone who will not put up with your bull****. It's like she's dragging you into aural LSD or something.

Elliott Smith: A unique, thin, whispery voice. Unfortunately I can't sing along because his range is much higher than mine.

Lykke Li: I guess the timbre of her voice is kind of similar to Faye Wong's...

Nat King Cole: Classy as a mother****er.

Erykah Badu: See Lykke Li, Faye Wong.

D'Angelo: Part of it might have to do with the way he layers his vocals, but whatever.

Nas: What, I can't include a rapper? Dude simply has the perfect voice for rapping. He's sounded like a wise man since he was a teenager.

[Cosmonautical]

There's a crapton of guys that impress me, vocally, and usually for many different reasons. It seems like there's a time and a place for most things.

I am really impressed by Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace and his technique, although I really find it hard to pin down even ten of my "favorite" vocalists. The most important thing as a singer is having memorable character and dynamics! If you can carve a niche that few others sound like, you're doing it right.

[Galefore]

Good choices, all! Don't stop there. Keep 'em coming, music lovers!