Lindsey's voice

[CarterNix]

Hi all,

On the new record, Lindsey's voice has come under scrutiny a bit more than it might have done previously, from the media and fans alike, and I just wanted to start a thread to see what people here think.

I think part of the reason for the scrutiny comes from the fact that the vocals are a bit more exposed on the record due to the fairly bare sound it has. I also feel that the production values and the vocal effects perhaps draw attention to his vocal limitations rather than detract from them.

But further to that, I think it's plain to see that Lindsey doesn't quite have to vocal power or range that he used to have. I read somewhere (it might have been someone on here) saying that Lindsey once had one of the great tenor voices of rock music. There's certainly a strong case for that when watching the Dance. These days, Lindsey's voice sounds a bit thinner, and a bit more forced. On the current tour, he drops the key for some songs (I'm So Afraid, Go Insane), while on others, he will simply duck out of the high notes (near the end of Big Love, Bleed to Love Her). It's a lose-lose situation, because either way is bound to be detrimental to the song.

I know all this is a bit obvious and inevitable since he's no longer a young man - I just wondered if maybe anyone was bothered by it. I still believe him to be a good singer, and he still uses his voice well. The new interpretation of Trouble is beautifully sung for example, as is the live version of Down on Rodeo.

Anyway, enough of my thoughts for the meantime, what about yours?

-Tom
www.myspace.com/thomasmarron

[dontlookdown]

Most people lose their higher range as they get older. Some people use it to refine the character of their singing (as Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell have), others just can't (as we can hear in Bob Dylan and Tom Petty's voice).

Lindsey's voice dropped a bit as early as the Dance tour. Remember he used to sing high harmony to Stevie's lead vocal.
He gets a little throaty these days. Tom Petty is suffering from the same thing but I think he has fared much worse then Buckingham.
I think Lindsey could definitely benefit from working with a vocal coach but I think he probably likes to focus more on his playing then his singing. I've always loved his voice - when you listen to the first three albums he made with FM, you can really hear the beauty and character (Walk A Thin Line is pretty amazing). I don't really think the sound and production has anything to do with Lindsey losing his range. His voice isn't any different in the studio now as it was when he recorded most of Say You Will.
I think Under The Skin is just something totally different - and I love the low-fi/vocals-way-back-in-the-mix/guitars-way-up-front thing that he's doing. I much prefer this over a repeat of Out Of The Cradle or Say You Will.

[CarterNix]

Originally Posted by dontlookdown

I think Under The Skin is just something totally different - and I love the low-fi/vocals-way-back-in-the-mix/guitars-way-up-front thing that he's doing. I much prefer this over a repeat of Out Of The Cradle or Say You Will.

I can understand that, but I suppose I take the opposite stance really. I'm looking forward to hearing the completed Gift of Screws tracks, as the versions I've heard have got some really great vocals on them.

-Tom
www.myspace.com/thomasmarron

[shackin'up]

I think under the skin would've been so bare naked without the production, that it would be too in your face. Listen to not too late and show you how on the sirius broadcast. I can imagine that people get scared of such openness and vulnerability: it's almost embarassing. Vocally he can do anything he ever did before, I'm sure. The voice is a bit thinner, but he can hit high notes if he concentrates on it. The examples you give from his liveshow now are correct, but those examples have nothing to do with high notes: they're his high SCREAMS (so afraid, go insanein the end, big love in the end-only on BTLH you're right, but it's the ending of an intense sung show-go figure. High notes-controled? no prob. Not Too late and Save me a place. He can still do it- from beginning to the end). And listen to world turning. He sings that better and intenser than on the SYW-tour.

[Sarah]

yeah, it's obviously changed. i think a big part of the difference is the types of effects used now, though. he's using "standard" effects.. and not as much vox **** as he used to.. transforming and smoothing his vocals, etc.

i like this "worn" style of vocals he has now. but i guess i'm biased, cuz i've liked all the other styles, too.

[LngPrmsdRd]

Maybe someone here who was at Nashville can correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe at Nashville (2nd show of the tour), I'm So Afraid and Bleed To Love Her were both done in their 'familiar' ways...I'm So Afraid being crazy and high-impact as opposed to the lower key style I first saw in Cincinnati, and Bleed To Love Her including the high notes. Now, by BTLH I was like...on top of the world, LOL, I honestly don't remember that TOO well, but ISA I was still...uh, as coherent as I can be at a Lindsey concert.

Reason for me saying all this is that I don't believe he's lost any of his range at all...it's just that Lindsey is constantly looking to change things about his songs, constantly doing things in a new way to see if it works. I really think he just came up with something one day at soundcheck, or in rehearsal, or just in his own head, and there it was onstage. You can tell when he lets loose on Go Insane or the end of Trouble, a little...it's all still there. And I agree with dontlookdown, his voice is the same as it was during Say You Will. I just think he's chosen to use it in different ways. Personally, I love his vocals both live on this tour and on Under The Skin....I've heard a lot of mixed reactions to Under The Skin especially, vocal-wise, but I adore the raw-ness of it. And I think he's made it pretty clear that that was his intention...to just strip it all down and make the vocals bare and light.

~Bree

[mondaymornin1]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

High notes-controled? no prob. Not Too late and Save me a place. He can still do it- from beginning to the end). And listen to world turning. He sings that better and intenser than on the SYW-tour.

I completely agree! I will admit that I was a little worried about how he'd be able to pull off the high notes on his new stuff and the old songs as well. He put that worry to rest almost immediately when I saw him at the first show in Atlanta, opening with Not Too Late. What a ballsy choice...and he hit every note perfectly. I was amazed and in awe.

[dontlookdown]

also remember that since Tusk and Mirage, Lindsey has been speeding up (and slowing down) tape during recording, so maybe some of that perfection that we all love, isn't his true voice.

[goldustsongbird]

Originally Posted by dontlookdown

also remember that since Tusk and Mirage, Lindsey has been speeding up (and slowing down) tape during recording, so maybe some of that perfection that we all love, isn't his true voice.

Don't forget those Big Love grunts on Tango!

[wondergirl9847]

I think he sounds AMAZING on this tour. His voice is strong and powerful and he sounds way better than he did on the SYW tour, IMO and I thought he sounded great then too.

The second Chicago show is still my favorite of this tour that I have been to. His voice was frickin' awesome and he was so ON that night, it was breathtaking. I sesly hope someone recorded that one!

[SteveMacD]

He's lost a lot of range. But then again, does anybody expect a guy who's almost 60 to sound as good as he did 30 years ago?

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by LngPrmsdRd

Reason for me saying all this is that I don't believe he's lost any of his range at all...it's just that Lindsey is constantly looking to change things about his songs, constantly doing things in a new way to see if it works. ~Bree

Wow...that's just wrong. He has lost a lot of his range, just in the way Stevie has over the years. He doesnt even sing "The Chain" like he did on the Dance, let alone Big Love, Go Insane etc. Notice he's also playing the latter two songs in lower keys! Its cause his vocal range is shrinking. Sure I can see him changing things up a bit, but its blaringly obvious his voice has lost those old high notes.

[SNLB]

[QUOTE=wondergirl9847;598385]I think he sounds AMAZING on this tour. His voice is strong and powerful and he sounds way better than he did on the SYW tour, IMO and I thought he sounded great then too. QUOTE]


I couldn't agree more! Sitting fourth row at The Grove In Anaheim and hearing him "belt", for lack of a better term, on some of these acoustic songs pleasantly surprised me. I never paid a whole lot of attention to his voice as being great or not great, but his voice at that Anaheim solo show, and the one I saw at The Wiltern, way up in the heavens sounded unbelievably clear, powerful and STRONG. It was just an added extra bonus for me.

The Wiltern:


This gig's up! I'm outta here!!!!!

[CarterNix]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

He has lost a lot of his range, just in the way Stevie has over the years. He doesnt even sing "The Chain" like he did on the Dance, let alone Big Love, Go Insane etc. Notice he's also playing the latter two songs in lower keys! Its cause his vocal range is shrinking. Sure I can see him changing things up a bit, but its blaringly obvious his voice has lost those old high notes.

I agree, although I believe Big Love is actually still in the same key, but he just ducks out of the high note near the end. Go Insane is the most alarming change for me. He's playing it three or four frets lower than he used to, and understandably the song loses some of it's power.

In terms of Lindsey's voice, I think his peak was the Dance. At that point, his voice had matured to be deep and powerful, without having lost much range.

But then what do I know? My friends keep laughing at me for saying that David Coverdale was a technically better singer than Robert Plant.

-Tom
www.myspace.com/thomasmarron

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by CarterNix

I agree, although I believe Big Love is actually still in the same key, but he just ducks out of the high note near the end. Go Insane is the most alarming change for me. He's playing it three or four frets lower than he used to, and understandably the song loses some of it's power.

In terms of Lindsey's voice, I think his peak was the Dance. At that point, his voice had matured to be deep and powerful, without having lost much range.

But then what do I know? My friends keep laughing at me for saying that David Coverdale was a technically better singer than Robert Plant.

-Tom
www.myspace.com/thomasmarron

I liked his voice during the Mirage era best...still those high notes and some growl was seeping in there too. I think his voice on The Dance DVD was spectacular as well, but if you listen to the boots from the Dance tour...not so hot.