The thrill is long gone

[ladyapple27]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1877372-1,00.html

Robotic vocals have no emotional impact. Some of the greatest vocal recordings of all time featured less-than-perfect vocals. Percy Sledge was out of tune on "When a Man Loves a Woman." Ben E. King was straining in the upper limits of his vocal range on "There Goes My Baby." Hank Williams' voice wasn't capable of vocal gymnastics, yet his songs pack a powerful emotional punch. The trick is to know when a flaw enhances a performance.

Comments

[sirtobybelch.livejournal.com]

Some of my favorite musicians have less-than-perfect vocals. Tom Waits has an amazing voice or Jonna Newsom they both have beautiful voices but they are not perfect and that is what is wonderful about them. I often wonder if it is really worth having the best technology if it means we give up or lose the human factor. With out imperfection there is no beauty if that makes any sense to you.

[eqfe.livejournal.com]

Some voices are so bad they're good, Hank Williams is a good example. Other artists have angelic voices and no ability to choose decent material (Anne Murrey with the exception of "Snow Bird"). But its hard to beat a great voice and good material, Pat Benatar for example.

Of course in the latter case, she's classically trained. I always found it interesting that if you listen to a rock, pop, R&B artist live, they are rarely half as good as the recording. On the other hand every performance of an opera is within a hairsbreath of the same artists recordings. Of course live music has its own appeal.