OK...what do we think of the way Downie's singing has evolved over the years? He's gone from a more gutteral, leather-lunged style (filled with expectorations like the 'BLAKH!' in the middle of Blow at High Dough) to a more fragile-sounding, warbly style with echoes of Geddy Lee on 'Heart of the Melt.' Which Gord do you prefer? Why?
I don't know about other people, but I think Gord's vocals have become more varied with more range, at times more gentle yet still with an edge to them. I like what he tried to do on Heaven, and with songs like Throwing off Glass and Josephine I think he is really showcasing his abilities. The grunting and guttural sounds don't seem to fit the new direction the band is going with their music. Fight, Blow at High Dough, NOIS all suited an in your face vocal style, but now the songs have more depth (in my opinion) and require a deeper vocal range. To me his vocals now take on the character of the song - Membership, Dark Canuck, Dire Wolf, Bobcaygeon, Heaven, Josephine, You are Everywhere and Scar all have their own vocal style to suit the song (in my opinion). I see Gord's vocals evolving the same way I see the band's music evolving ---> for the better.
Stickboy
I really think you're right Stickboy. Gord's vocal range changes a lot - certainly on the newer albums. Each song seems to carry it's own character with it. On IBE, this is especially evident. What I really enjoy with the new album is that even though it has been remastered in a studio, it still has that "raw" appeal that really comes out in their live shows.
That's why I am a big supporter of a live DVD for the band. I think, if marketed properly, it could help the Hip penetrate new, previously untouched markets. I mean really, once someone sees how great the Hip are live, there's no turning back!
I couldn't agree more with all of you. While I love albums like Fully Completely and Road Apples, I simply couldn't see Gord's vocals from that era flowing overly well on songs like It's a Good Life or The Dire Wolf. I believe Gord has simply learned to master the use of his vocal chords over the years, giving him more of a range, but more depth as well.
He sings with more range, but I do realize his range still isn't that great. He walks a very fine line on SIKS and Thompson Girl, VERY FINE LINE!
I love all Gord's styles, but to me, nothing can beat the way he sings Cordelia or Bring It All Back. I guess i'm partial to his old gruff style. It just seems to have more character.
I don't understand why he doesn't just let it all out on an album anymore? He seems to only want to do that live now. Why is that?
My reaction to the changes in his singing style depends on my mood at the time.
Over the last couple of albums (and his solo stuff, too), he appears to be moving the vocal line "up" in the chords of the song -- he ventures outside the root of the chord (I-III-V). He also sings in a higher octave more frequently. This seems to give his voice a little more vulnerability to it. When sung at higher volumes, though, it tends to shriek a bit more.
No doubt, when he sings "in the pocket" of the songs chord structure and his natural octave range, his voice is much more powerful, confident, and radio-friendly. His more "artistic" style gives his voice more emotion and fragility.
So, I guess it depends on what you're in the mood for.
SIKS? Why am I drawing a blank...god that one is bugging me...help me out please
acronymly challenged
Stickboy
emotion and fragility...I couldn't agree more, and I feel like the newer albums have more fragility and emotion to them
Stickboy
I think SIKS is supposed to be SIKU (Summer is Killing Us).
lovin' the acroymn game!
All for now,
Aaron
I normally divided singers into two groups right off the bat; low and high.
High singers are mostly women and some guys who pitch high and can suspend their voices there for almost eternity. Low singers are the crackling bass voices that can't really pitch high nor hold it up there very long. Examples? High singers would be like Britney, Prince, Nick Lachey and Sheryl Crow. Low singers would be like Adam Duritz, GORD, Dave Matthews, The Boss, Jagger (later years), Tyler (later years), etc.
I normally prefer lower singers. The blues type ramblins, deeper "guttural" (as was said above) singers. But, here it comes, most of the time, Gord is singing softly not singing high. When he does pitch high, it sounds like shit and he probably knows this. He doesn't seem like the type to "practice" singing at all. Whereas the majority of high singers have wanted to be singers since they were kids and practice all day.
If Gord was to practice and keep up singing high, then he'll fall into his own with it. Until then, it's a low singer trying to sing high. Imagine a high singer trying to sing low; they're out of their element. Different songs have different feelings which require different ways of singing them but I wouldn't go as far as to say Gord's voice has changed.
And I'm saying this as a fellow singer (hard singer) who smokes way too much and drinks too much whiskey and doesn't practice. I know how hard it is for a low singer to sing high... Listen to the line "Summer's killing us.." you can tell it's strained.
For the record, I quite like the strained quality of the vocal on 'Summer is Killing Us,' and I especially like the way his voice blows out at the very end. But for a tune like 'Melt,' I really think the 'old' Gord---leather-lunged and all---would be tougher and more convincing (Geddy Lee? *shudder*) I DO wish he'd record a song with that old voice, just for the hell of it.
It is amazing, as somebody pointed out above, that Gord can still sound EXACTLY like his old self in concert...because on CD you'd almost think it was a different guy. But my favourite voice is Gord's 'deep' voice...e.g, the intro to 'Locked in the Trunk of a Car' or 100th Meridian. How ominous can ya get!
im guessing Gord has probably taken some vocal lessons...chances are if he kept singing like he did on up to here and road apples his voice would be pretty shot by now...his range would probably not increased like it has...also hearing stories about the a/c being shut off because it would constrict the vocal chords sounds like he has had some professional input into it...also i think alot of it has to do with confidence and a willingness to push yourself to your limits...gord's vocal's have evolved with the band's music becoming more complex
He sings with more range, but not that much more. I've heard him in interviews say that he wants to become a better singer, a better writer, a better performer. He said he always has his guitar handy and is writing all the time. I don't think he takes lessons but I think it's cool that he wants to get better at everything he does. Plus, maybe getting older has more to do with his voice than other factors. He's at or near 40 isn't he? Anyway, to me he's one of the most well rounded and gifted performers in Canada. He's kind of like a copy of Neil Young, except without forty years experience.
clarke Wrote:im guessing Gord has probably taken some vocal lessons...chances are if he kept singing like he did on up to here and road apples his voice would be pretty shot by now...his range would probably not increased like it has...also hearing stories about the a/c being shut off because it would constrict the vocal chords sounds like he has had some professional input into it...also i think alot of it has to do with confidence and a willingness to push yourself to your limits...gord's vocal's have evolved with the band's music becoming more complex
There was a rumour years ago that he took vocal lessons between Day for Night and Trouble at the Henhouse. I don't know how much truth there is to it......I remember reading that Day for Night was expected to be their 'big breakthrough' in the US (by the record company I would imagine) and after the album failed to break big in the States Gord went for singing lessons.
Again....just a second hand rumour.....take it with a grain of salt.