Scene: A South London pub this afternoon, over several beers.
Cast: Yours truly, two musicians, (female), A PA monitor engineer, and a recording studio tape op, (both male)
Proposition: We buy albums from male singer songwriters for the quality of their lyrics, and albums from female singer songwriters for the quality of their voice. True or false?

Cast: Yours truly, two musicians, (female), A PA monitor engineer, and a recording studio tape op, (both male)
Proposition: We buy albums from male singer songwriters for the quality of their lyrics, and albums from female singer songwriters for the quality of their voice. True or false?
can't entirely agree
to borrow a thought from another thread, Paul McCartney is a male singer song writer, and who buys his albums for the lyrics (or would admit to buying them at all?) I picked up his recent release "Memory almost full", based on printed review somewhere - a huge disappoinment to say the least, as was for that matter the much ballyhooed Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration.
OTOH, one of my recent favorites for both reference testing and listening pleasure is/are the under appreciated Canadian folkie group the Wailin Jenny's, and in addition to meltingly beautiful vocal solos and harmonies, the lyrics can stand alone as poetry. I've seen these gals perform live twice in a small venue (former church), and they never fail to satisfy.
http://www.thewailinjennys.com/
to borrow a thought from another thread, Paul McCartney is a male singer song writer, and who buys his albums for the lyrics (or would admit to buying them at all?) I picked up his recent release "Memory almost full", based on printed review somewhere - a huge disappoinment to say the least, as was for that matter the much ballyhooed Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration.
OTOH, one of my recent favorites for both reference testing and listening pleasure is/are the under appreciated Canadian folkie group the Wailin Jenny's, and in addition to meltingly beautiful vocal solos and harmonies, the lyrics can stand alone as poetry. I've seen these gals perform live twice in a small venue (former church), and they never fail to satisfy.
http://www.thewailinjennys.com/
pinkmouse said:We buy albums from male singer songwriters for the quality of their lyrics, and albums from female singer songwriters for the quality of their..![]()
...album covers. Someone had to be honest.
Re: Re: Re: The great debate
IIRC, there was no female vocalist on the Blind Faith album, but with the "airplane" cover photo probably sold a few bazillion copies to pubescent teenage boys who couldn't find their dad's Playboy stash
rdf said:
...album covers. Someone had to be honest.
panomaniac said:
Indeed...
IIRC, there was no female vocalist on the Blind Faith album, but with the "airplane" cover photo probably sold a few bazillion copies to pubescent teenage boys who couldn't find their dad's Playboy stash

My music purchases lean disproportionately over towards female vocalists.
Some of these, significantly Mylène Farmer, sing in languages I don't comprehend.
Also, Dead Can Dance, who sing in a language no-one comprehends (she makes it up as she goes along)
So that pretty much gives the game away as far as it concerns my tastes.
Some of these, significantly Mylène Farmer, sing in languages I don't comprehend.
Also, Dead Can Dance, who sing in a language no-one comprehends (she makes it up as she goes along)
So that pretty much gives the game away as far as it concerns my tastes.
Have to agree with sy (is he a canuck?)
Let me add elena ledda - a voice to die for, bod dylan for the lyrics ( a voice to die of), the bulgarian national radio womens choir for the sheer raw power womens voices are able to convey, and tom waits for both lyrics and a voice to die from and of.
Let me add elena ledda - a voice to die for, bod dylan for the lyrics ( a voice to die of), the bulgarian national radio womens choir for the sheer raw power womens voices are able to convey, and tom waits for both lyrics and a voice to die from and of.
Quality and overall sound
True. You don't have to be a great vocalist to make a great recording.
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