PunBB

I am Problem Bear, reviver of lost threads. (But aren't you proud of me for using the search function?).

I think Gord's voice on the last few albums sounds great - Leave comes to mind as a particulary good performance.

What bugs me, after listening to the Toronto and London downloads, is when he growls or screams through an ENTIRE song. I was looking forward to hearing Locked from the London show, but it sounds like Gord Downie doing a reasonable Gord Downie imitation. You can't say it's because he's losing his voice, because he sings other equally ambitious songs just fine.

On the other hand, I understand that, if you were there, you would see him doing his thing and you'd get caught up in the energy. But, sitting in front of my computer with headphones on, I found myself whispering, "C'mon Gord! Sing!"

Don't hurt me,
John

There's a search function?!? :lol: Nicely done, John. Nobody'll have a problem with this Problem Bear!

I know what you mean. I kinda noticed it at the Detroit show but figured it was simply because it was a new tour. I was happy to be there I really didn't give too much thought. I thought his voice was intentionally raw during the Gray Cup performance for an "inyerface" effect. Plus it was cold.

Over the past few days I've been listening to some of the '98 - '02 shows DLd from the Hipfans Tracker and in comparison, he does sound different, less melodic, lately. Maybe his voice too, is in between evolution. IBE rocks, though, and the way he pushes it on SIKU is cool as hell.

Don't know the answer, don't have a clue; I just know I dig the groove live or in the studio and as long as he's singin', I'm lis'nin'.

~Scott

I think that the slight change in Gord vocals is good. I still love IBE as much as I do their first album

Boredom! I think he is getting abit tired signing the same song so much, so he changes them up a bit.

Interesting that you would say he sounds like GD doing a GD impression.

After the show in London, one of the people I went with commented that he seemed to be mocking himself and the audience throughout the performance.

Maybe he really is doing a GD impression at times, satirizing certain expectations of what he should be doing?

Gord goes with whatever he's feeling at the time. The improvisation in his voice during "Music At Work" at the Mod Club was fabulous. The way he sang "Courage" at the Grey Cup was fantastic.

I agree that he gets bored and has to change up how he sings certain songs.

One thing that puts Gord above most singers today is his live energy. People don't understand it when you tell them but I've just witnessed it recently. The guys gives off so much energy it's unbelievable. The performance Gord put on in Sydney in front of a 1/3 full Centre 200 was a show for the ages. To put that much effort and energy into a small show when most fans would have been happy with just an average performance, well that's GORD RIGHT THERE! What a performer! I mean, in a live setting, Gord almost makes my knees buckle. The guy is pure energy. Leave the technically perfect voices for the 12 year old listeners. Give me Gord and Neil and Bob and Jimi and B.B. and Muddy and Eddie Ved and even Joel Plaskett.