by kitaj on Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:42 am
generally, I'm not so keen on David's voice in itself. I might be in the minority in thinking he's not so great a singer as he's generally taunted to be. his phrasing is stilted and constrained, his timbre, while gorgeous in itself, is absolutely one-dimensional, and as a vocal improvisor (live), he's often terrible. I've repeated this many times, even in some Q&A's directed to him: why on earth does he not enjoy experimenting/liberating his voice like (I think) he could, I don't know - that's such a pity.
Brendan Perry and, to name but the clear influences, David Bowie and Scott Walker are certainly better singers by a mile.
I've enjoyed his voice best when he keeps it relaxed and open - 'Rain Tree Crow' and 'Dead Bees' are his absolute singerly highlights for me. I also love 'Blemish' so much from that perspective, but on 'Manafon' he's sounding, I don't know - bored as hell I suppose, intellectual, shorn of any vitality whatsoever (except on 'Small Metal Gods' and 'Appalachia'). to complement the barren sonic landscape on that album, I think he should have used so much more warmth and guts - if only for a sharp contrast.
and finally, yes - the in-your-face dry recording style doesn't really do him any favours on that front. why do so many people think reverb is '80s' stylistic evil at all times? reverb is the natural state of sound! why record all the instruments so that the listener is getting the feel of being in a particular room, only to slap your voice in front like a post-it sheet on a recording booth's window pane?