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        1st Floor >> Library >>  The total change in vocal style between albums
        
(Message started by: Ryan on Apr 18th, 2002, 1:14am)
Title: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Ryan on Apr 18th, 2002, 1:14am
Just curious if anyone else has noticed that Sarah has this Edith Piaf like wider vibrato in her voice that she did not have before the Sarah Slean Ep and Nightbugs?  It's like listening to two different singers in many respects.  I'm trying to be polite, but it many respects I don't find it all that desirable, even if I still go see her in concerts like I do and enjoy Nightbugs thoroughly.  There was a purity to her tone that is now not so present.  Did someone tell her that she should add a heavy vibrato in order to make her sound more distinct and unique?  Just a thought.
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Thom_E_Yorke on Apr 18th, 2002, 4:30am
Yeah, it's true... Her voice changed a little between this two period.

*christophe*
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Nikolita on Apr 18th, 2002, 5:42pm
I don't know if I would consider the voice change a bad thing though...  I mean, if an artist didn't change over time, we wouldn't see improvement, and although we might not like some of her new sounds as much as old ones, it is natural for her to make a progression onto something different.  If the beatles, (or even Madonna for that matter  ::)) had kept to the same stuff on all their albums, would they have lasted as long and been as popular?  I don't know... I guess I'm just saying that we have to give her a little credit for being able to change her style and accept that change as personal growth.

anyways, just my thoughts...

nikolita^_^
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Ryan on Apr 18th, 2002, 8:54pm
I don't think that really gets to the heart of this matter at all, honestly.  I study voice/opera and am a classical musician getting my masters, and while that means jack squat I suppose, I do realize when someone is adding unnecessary qualities to their voice.  Her voice is now affected, and not as pleasant nor as interesting to listen to as I felt her work on Blue Parade was...in my opinion that is.  Her songwriting has tons more variety in the style, but I feel like someone told her that she had to change it or risk sounding like a facsimile of other pianist/vocalist female songwriters; someone who had a control on the direction of her career.  It's like getting bad advice from a bad voice teacher who thinks they're doing wonderful things for you, but they aren't helping you at all.  To just take it at face value and say, she was trying to grow.....is a copout.  I still love her music, I still love her voice, but she sounds like she is compromising her talent for a foot into the big leagues....to be different, to stick out and be noticed.  Nightbugs is great.....the new vocal styling change is less than appealing.
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Nikolita on Apr 18th, 2002, 11:35pm
whoah man!

I am sure that you know more than I do on the whole voice bit, and I  totally respect that, but I don't think you should be reading too much into it either.  I doubt that Sarah has lost control of her career . . . She signed the contract to Warner before Blue Parade (as far as I know), letting her write Blue Parade independantly without a commitment to the label until she was ready for night bugs.  She seems to know what she's doing.  And even if she was persuaded to sing in a different way, it was her choice and she obviously agreed to it.  I, myself, prefer her first albums, but I find her new sound to still be appealing.  I don't know . . . I see and agree on the basics of what you are saying, but I don't think you are giving Sarah enough credit, thats all.  :)

take care!

nikolita^_^
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Thom_E_Yorke on Apr 19th, 2002, 5:57am
Her voice is f*cking wonderful ;D ( Sorry for the F word )

*christophe, explicit lyrics*
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by KerilovesSarah on Apr 19th, 2002, 10:21am
???

As a former student of voice, I too noticed a difference in Sarah's vocal tone, however, I rather enjoy it!  I think it fits with the songs on the album.  I don't personally find her sound to be "affected", just different.  I agree with the poster that said that it may just be more of an evolution of her style.  Some songs it is more present than others... but the songs are different as well.  

My personal opinion is.......

Sarah ROCKS.

Keri
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Hejira on Apr 19th, 2002, 2:19pm
I like her voice right now.  I prefer what she does vocally right now in general to the way she sang on her indie records.

I just think her singing was kinda flat (not in terms of flat/sharp, just kind of dull) and uninteresting in general on her first two records.  Her enunciation didn't really help.

I saw her live late last year and I think she sounded great...and she seemed to be testing out the extremes a bit more.
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by RayChel on Apr 23rd, 2002, 4:21am
Yeah I noticed the change too (and I'm not a student of voice).  I loved Sarah's voice on her first couple of albums but I like it even more now because it's jazzier and reminds me of seeing her in concert. But she can mix it up. She can sing sweetly and soft in one song (i.e. flat?) and totally jazzy and spunky in another.  I do see it as a progressive thing but I DO wonder if that was her decision or someone else's. In any case I don't think she can go wrong.  ;D
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Jareed on Apr 24th, 2002, 8:38pm
Maybe it's just interpretation... I think that for BLue Parade and pre Blue Parade her voice was alot lighter and kind of vulnerable in a sense. For Nightbugs, it's alot more, i dont know how to explain it, but solid? aggressive? something like that


but bottom line, i think her voice is damn sexy  ;)
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by HomemadeRADIOHEADshirt on Apr 27th, 2002, 11:06pm
I disagree with the wording of your subject...
She didn't change for anyone.
I think she's more artistically sound for that.
She did what she obvioulsy wanted, she can.
And I revere her.
She is still growing as an artist/singer/songwriter/performer/photographer
I hope I have the priveledge to witness the variation in style and sound often. Sarah Slean, if put at the level she deserves would not be describable in mere words and sound.
I just arrived here, I am not leaving this Hotel.

Jay
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Jareed on Apr 28th, 2002, 8:48pm
the other day i listened to all 3 albums in a row (i dont know why i havent done that before) and you can actually hear the progression of her voice/writing/production etc etc etc ... for me, her progression has made complete sense, you can actually kind of foresee (forehear?) Night Bugs when you listen to blue parade and so on ... it's kind of like, foreshadowing. when you listen to all 3, at the end of nightbugs, i realized that it all made sense and was kind of an 'ohhhh, i see' moment for me... maybe i should do more calculus instead of this ;) hell no.........
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by guyfromARGYLEROAD on Apr 29th, 2002, 6:46am
Jareed is absolutley right.
And after reading up on Slean recently...I read that she studied OLD vuadville, broadway female artists such as Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
She WANTS to GROW, not CHANGE.
And as you can see from her Toronto show the other night is very new to a lot of experiences.
Hail the queen of the Night Bugs.
J
Title: Re: The total change in vocal style between albums
Post by Yaron on Apr 30th, 2002, 4:18pm
It's all Sarah, I promise you.