Stevie's Voice on In Your Dreams

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by tabruns

Anyone have a different take on the vocal eras?

I know next to nothing about the technical aspects of music, so if I sound like a total moron here, I do apologize

I'd say..

Buckingham/Nicks - Her "young girl" voice, still instantly identifiable as Stevie, but quite weak.

Fleetwood Mac / Rumours / Half of Tusk - More mature version of her young-girl voice, able to hit those high notes, able to be soft and delicate. Evident on the White Album, Rumours, and Sara, Beautiful Child and most of Sisters of the Moon.

The other half of Tusk - Angel and Storms, I think anyway, are notably different from the vocals on Sara, Beautiful Child. Sisters of the Moon straddles both. During most of the song, she sounds as she did on Rumours, but on the "Mooo-oooo-oooon" parts, the change is evident. Her voice is getting rockier here, deeper.

Bella Donna / Mirage - She's lost access to most of her high notes, but her voice has become more powerful; ie, Edge of Seventeen. Sustained notes now consistent with the rest of her voice; ie, Gypsy.

Wild Heart - Almost identical to Bella Donna / Mirage, but a much more noticeable use of vibrato.

Rock A Little - Raspier by far, noticeable strain when trying to hit some notes (think Sing For Things, HAEWAFY) her roughest vocals, I'd say.

Tango / OSOTM - Very limited range now, but a lot of power, gains quite a nasal quality. Noticeable problems with her voice when she tries to sing notes she just can't hit - WISYA.

Behind The Mask / Street Angel - While her voice isn't as nasal as it will become, her range barely changes at all, and she just sounds bored throughout. (The Street Angel tour, however, shows a remarkable return to form)

The Dance - A notable improvement, her voice sounds strong and confident, never straining. Her Rhiannon and Dreams are particularly stunning. Gold Dust Woman shows her using different levels in her singing, and Silver Springs shows the passion and emotion. Lots of vocal nuances.

TISL - Very similar to the dance, but it's nice to see some glorious falsetto notes. She goes for some high notes again, and she hits them nicely. Sometimes sounds overly nasal - Too Far From Texas springs to mind, again, lots of vocal nuances.

SYW - combines both the power in The Dance performances, with the worst of the nasal quality in TISL. Particularly evident on SYW and Destiny Rules. She sounds fantastic on Thrown Down and Running Through The Garden, while she resorts to shouting on Everybody Finds Out. Very flat vocal delivery throughout, and noticeably different to the vocals on TISL.

IYD - She seems to have lost most of the nasal quality in her voice, but, when it is noticeable, she uses it in a much more effective way. The vocals are more nuanced, rather than flat and boring, so it doesn't sound jarring and works really effectively. Some gorgeous high notes throughout, and she never tries to go for a note she can't hit.

If I was to lump her voice into categories, I'd go.

B/N-Tusk - Young Stevie.

Bella Donna/Mirage/Wild Heart - Powerful, Rock Voice Stevie.

Rock A Little - Inconsistent vocally Stevie.

Tango/Other Side Of The Mirror/Behind The Mask/Street Angel - Sleepy Stevie.

The Dance/Trouble In Shangri-La - Return to form Stevie.

SYW - Nasal Stevie.

IYD - Knows how to use her voice effectively Stevie.

[equeen102289]

I was shocked when Moonlight started. I never thought I'd hear Stevie sing like that again. Thank you, Dave.

What I love most about her vocals on this album is that they are not nasally. Or as someone said before, when it does get slightly nasally, it's used in an effective way. It's as if Stevie has finally learned what to do with this mature voice she has gained over the years.

Now I'm just hoping she will use these same vocals on the songs live and not slip back into that "Dreams" comfort zone range.

[LittleSpacey]

I have always loved Stevie. And I have to say, OSOTM has always been an album I LOVE. I always wondered if that voice she used on that album was somehow changed electronically or something because it sounds so radically different from anything else. It sounds like the voice on the Red Rocks concert. Nasally is one way Id describe it. However, it has this kind of echo-y, almost electronic sound to it. I have always wondered why it sounded like that. Hmmmm.

[mikephxaz]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

I'm really liking her voice on this album. I think her voice sounds weathered, beautiful, lived-in and is perfect for an album about her life experiences. She sounds like she has lived these songs and she has. I have to say the more I listen to Moonlight, the more I think it's probably one of the best vocals of her career. Same with Your May Be The One. Of course, her voice is perfect for Soldier's Angel and Ghosts are Gone, but even on the mellower songs like For What's Worth, her voice adds depth to the songs. You believe her.

I also like the way she tries everything on this album vocally. She not saying "NO" I can't sing that. She just sings it. It's what a lot of her latter albums were missing - VARIETY!

I hope this album helps her build confidence about her vocal ability. If she can hit that note on Italian Summer, she can navigate about anything.

i absolutely agree with your thoughts!

[jwd]

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC VOCALS ON IYD! Stevie and everyone involved with the record's sound should be so proud.

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

If she can hit that note on Italian Summer, she can navigate about anything.

one thing that baffles me is that so many people think stevie sings higher than she really does the last note on italian summer is lower than the highest notes in rhiannon, EO17, silver springs, etc. and i'm talking about her performances from the last decade, not the 70's/80's. i agree that her voice sounds good on IYD but you can't say her range on italian summer should make her confident in her upper register.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by carrie721

one thing that baffles me is that so many people think stevie sings higher than she really does the last note on italian summer is lower than the highest notes in rhiannon, EO17, silver springs, etc. and i'm talking about her performances from the last decade, not the 70's/80's. i agree that her voice sounds good on IYD but you can't say her range on italian summer should make her confident in her upper register.

I fully agree with this. Stevie's definitely singing in the same register as she was on TISL... she's just using a broader range/is less monotone on IYD .

[RickRobert]

She sounds great on IYD Using more of her range too. She hits high B flats on Wide Sargasso Sea - she hasn't done that in a while. Hope that doesn't stop her doing it live...

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by carrie721

one thing that baffles me is that so many people think stevie sings higher than she really does the last note on italian summer is lower than the highest notes in rhiannon, EO17, silver springs, etc. and i'm talking about her performances from the last decade, not the 70's/80's. i agree that her voice sounds good on IYD but you can't say her range on italian summer should make her confident in her upper register.

It's the power of the note and no warbling. She sounds like a SINGER! She doesn't be Mariah Carey to achieve confidence. She sounds great on that note and hopefully it will give her more confidence.

[gypsy4life]

Stevie's voice, on this album, and the latest live shows she has done, is exceptional.
My Mom was watching a clip from the Heart and Soul tour, and she said "Stevie is singing like she did years ago."

She is on fire, and I am loving every second of it!

I think her vocal on "Italian Summer" may be some of the longest, strongest notes she has sang in years.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by carrie721

one thing that baffles me is that so many people think stevie sings higher than she really does the last note on italian summer is lower than the highest notes in rhiannon, EO17, silver springs, etc. and i'm talking about her performances from the last decade, not the 70's/80's. i agree that her voice sounds good on IYD but you can't say her range on italian summer should make her confident in her upper register.

I agree. Yes, we are all euphoric over the fact that there is a new friggin' Stevie Nicks album to explore and enjoy. But in the cold light of day, although her vocals are terrific throughout, note-for-note, this album is consistently in her lower register. I mean, she goes downright basso on the chorus for "For What It's Worth." Yeah, there are a couple of high excursions on "Wide Sargasso Sea," but with that exception, she sings comfortably within a male tenor range. TISL contained a lot more vocal range. A lot more. IYD is the first Stevie album that I could sing along to comfortably with no effort at all.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

IYD is the first Stevie album that I could sing along to comfortably with no effort at all.

BULL****!

[Keith]

"burning from the middle.."

Still listening to the stream, but for the first time I actually stopped and listened to the same song (I had only been listening to the record from start to end).. and the song was Moonlight. Everything about this song, but especially her vocals... stunning...

I love the almost whisper rasp of the beginning vocals - as soon as she starts singing, her voice becomes the focus... and there is so much going on in the song.. but it's her voice. I love how she sings "she's lonely.. lost.. she's disconnected...." the whole verse.

and the ending... "she sat in a chair for months.. just staring.."

you know. how ever this record does saleswise I think the success will be how much many of her fans will love this album.. it's already found a permanent home in my soul.

and Annabell Lee begins.. and he dances around in his flat.. smiling and listening..

[melacine]

Originally Posted by equeen102289

I was shocked when Moonlight started. I never thought I'd hear Stevie sing like that again.

Amen, I can't agree more

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

I fully agree with this. Stevie's definitely singing in the same register as she was on TISL... she's just using a broader range/is less monotone on IYD .

I don't know music technically, so maybe the "same register" was the wrong term to use. But I'm sure you can understand what we mean by it. Her voice sounds different than TISL. It's not that deep gravel sounding voice she had on Say You Will especially and to a lesser degree on TISL. To a total music amateur like me, it sounds like she's singing higher. I mean compare Destiny Rules to Moonlight?

I was blown away when I heard people say her voice sounds weathered, I don't think she's sounded this good in years, and my jaw dropped open when I first heard Moonlight.

--Shel

[Thrown_Down]

I agree, the vocals on 'Moonlight" are like nothing I've heard from her in years. Sort of soft and girly in places... Not really heard that since Rock A Little.