Spike ,'Conversations with Dead People'
There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.
Huh. To my ear, they all share a vocal quality that I can't quite articulate.
Well, as noted, the lead singer in two of the bands is the same guy. But yeah, there is kind of an indiepop/emo singing style. Also, the recording technique is generally not very slick, so it won't typically be run through Autotune or something like that.
Like I said, I can't really describe it very well. It's like -- Dave Matthews and John Mayer have that earnest, I-feel-your-pain-now-let-me-feel-you thing going on, vocally.
The best way I can describe the vocal thing I get from the above indie-boy bands is -- slightly removed? See, that's not quite right. I want to say "ethereal," but I don't mean like Enya or the Vienna Boys Choir.
I can see what you're talking about vocally with the Shins and Ben Gibbard, but to me Colin from the Decemberists has a different feel; he's more of a storyteller, where the others are more about feelings and impressions. I also think his voice is rougher.
Like I said, I can't really describe it very well. It's like -- Dave Matthews and John Mayer have that earnest, I-feel-your-pain-now-let-me-feel-you thing going on, vocally.
Strum Boys
The best way I can describe the vocal thing I get from the above indie-boy bands is -- slightly removed? See, that's not quite right. I want to say "ethereal," but I don't mean like Enya or the Vienna Boys Choir.
Wispy? Whiny? Twee? Ironic?
to me Colin from the Decemberists has a different feel; he's more of a storyteller, where the others are more about feelings and impressions. I also think his voice is rougher.
Actually, I see that. Maybe I just threw the Decemberists in there b/c they're so new to me. Because when I first heard "July July," I thought it was TMBG for a minute.
The best way I can describe the vocal thing I get from the above indie-boy bands is -- slightly removed? See, that's not quite right. I want to say "ethereal," but I don't mean like Enya or the Vienna Boys Choir.
Wispy? Whiny? Twee? Ironic?
Wispy!
Actually, I see that. Maybe I just threw the Decemberists in there b/c they're so new to me. Because when I first heard "July July," I thought it was TMBG for a minute.
That song was one of their earlier ones, and I've seen them (sort of) distance themselves from it now. A bit too obviously pop for their preferred direction. Still the catchiest Decembrist's song. Anyway, that song is atypical for them.
when I first heard "July July," I thought it was TMBG for a minute.
Yeah, I understand that comparison. And really, where I get the Smiths has more to do with the lyrics than the musicianship.
And David, I think twee is more like the Softies or Belle and Sebastian -- athe aren't-we-precious singing style. I'm not sure what term I would use for what Teppy is describing -- "distanced" or "offhand" might be as close as I can get. "
"distanced" or "offhand" might be as close as I can get.
Yeah, that's why I used "distant" above. I don't mean emotionally cold; just somewhat removed.
Ah, emo. I spent months trying to get someone to explain emo to me, to little avail. I finally decided that it's what would happen if punk lost it's spine and started talking about it's feelings.