A recent comment in another thread by misterioso regarding my usually intense dislike of any “football anthem”-style song by The Jam (eg, “Billy Hunt”) got me thinking about singers I usually like who nevertheless have a certain vocal range or affectation I consider a “danger zone,” an area that usually saps their vocal superpowers, or at least my ability to enjoy their singing voice. Paul Weller sounds like he’s vomiting mud whenever he sings one of those hooligan chant songs. I’m curious to hear whether you share my feelings over the following singers’ vocal range or affectation danger zones, whether you find other zones to be hazardous to your enjoyment of their voices, and whether you want to identify another singer you like who has a a clearly dangerous vocal range of affectation.
As an example of what I’m talking about, although I will not include this singer in my list, because he’s got too many danger zones for my tastes, as soon as David Bowie slips into his “Anthony Newley” voice (eg, “Stay”) I’m most likely lifting the needle. To my ears, that is an incredibly unpleasant vocal affectation from a frequently enjoyable singer. He has other vocal affectations that have been known to spoil the party for me, but that one is really annoying.
Another example is Jim Morrison‘s voice almost any time he tries to “rebel yell.” For a guy with a deep, manly voice, he’s got one of the worst rock yells in history. Listen to him try to exhort his bandmates into a solo on “Break On Through” or “L.A. Woman.” I am willing to give Morrison plenty of rope, in part because he’s so unintentionally funny, but it’s sad hearing him attempt to do a rebel yell. Another rough-voiced singer who suffers from this weakness is David Johanssen. He can push it so far on those New York Dolls records and sound pretty good for a guy with a lousy voice, but push it one step too far and he sounds as phony as he would in any of his future performance guises.
Following are a few singers I like a lot so long they stay clear of their danger zone, at least as I hear it.
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