How I found out
I found the original Broadway cast recording of Jekyll & Hyde on Spotify, and Eder of course sings Lucy on it and does it so magnificently that I never forgot the sound of her voice. Actually, I found Jekyll & Hyde in a pretty random way – I was looking for Adele's Someone Like You and the search results gave me the song of the same name from the musical, as well as the Adele one.
Commentary
So, Linda Eder is essentially one more brilliantly talented musical performer to admire, armed with a voice that can be both huge enough to fill the space of ten football stadiums, and and so very lyrical that it can make a person just burst into tears. Whichever show tune she decides to cover, it turns up amazing in some way, often with a little unique touch of her own. Her 2008 album The Other Side Of Me moved into a more pop/country direction, but frankly, I don't think that style showcases her voice properly. Favourite songs
Someone Like You
Vienna
Both of these songs show the power and expressiveness of Eder's voice brilliantly. She has also made a really charming cover of Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows, which I couldn't find in Youtube.
I would listen to this music when...
I want to spend my time trying to figure out how on Earth it is possible for a mortal human being to possess such a voice. Random lyric sample If I could I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes Give you courage in a world of compromise Yes, I would If I could I would teach all the things I've never learned And I'd help you cross the bridges that I've burned Yes, I would
(If I Could, album The Other Side Of Me) Stars ★★★★★
How I found out
My mother has always loved Billy Joel, so I must have been quite young when I heard his music for the first time. Now I've been a fan too for many years, and the love just keeps growing. Commentary
I admire just about everything in Billy Joel. His voice is incredibly attractive and versatile, practically all of his tunes are so memorable they stick in your head after one listen, and thematically his oeuvre is very diverse, ranging from friendship to love to independence to the Vietnam War! Of course you shouldn't assume that songwriters always write about their own life, but Joel sings with such effortless sincerity that it would be easy to believe he does. Favourite songs
Alright, this is going to be a long list...
Piano Man
My Life
She's Got A Way
Goodnight Saigon
An Innocent Man
Tell Her About It
I would listen to this music when...
Billy Joel is good for almost any situation. Whether you want a good beat to match your uptempo mood or something that touches your heart, he's got it. Random lyric sample Well we all have a face that we hide away forever And we take them out and show ourselves when everyone has gone Some are satin, some are steel Some are silk and some are leather They're the faces of the stranger but we love to try them on
(The Stranger, album The Stranger) Stars ★★★★★
How I found out
The moment I heard this man's voice on the Les Misérables Original London Cast album, I said to myself: "I've never heard such a special voice before, now I must find out what I can about this wonderman."
Commentary
Colm Wilkinson really is a superman in the world of stage music. Not only did he originate the role of Jean Valjean, still considered one of the most coveted and most demanding roles of musical theatre – did you know that he actually was also the first man to play the Phantom – in the workshop performance of Phantom of the Opera at the Sydmonton Festival? When he was a younger man singing through Bring Him Home for the very first time, his co-stars said he was the voice of God, and miraculously, his voice still holds that magic in it now that he's approaching age seventy. I have never waited so anxiously for an album to be released in Spotify as I was when I heard about Wilkinson's new album Broadway and Beyond. And it was worth the wait – track after track, Colm Wilkinson shows both the power and the sensitivity in his never-ageing voice.
Favourite songs
Tennessee Waltz
His covers on Anthem and The Wind Beneath My Wings are also among my favourites, but unfortunately I couldn't find them in Youtube. If you have Spotify, iTunes or something, just look up Broadway and Beyond, okay? Wilkinson actually auditioned for Jean Valjean with Anthem, and after hearing him sing that I'm not surprised that he was immediately cast. I have never heard a better take on it.
I would listen to this music when...
I really want to take time to concentrate on listening and do nothing else. Colm Wilkinson doesn't work as background music because the moment he lets out the first note you forget whatever else you were supposed to do. Random lyric sample Some enchanted evening You may see a stranger You may see a stranger across a crowded room And somehow you know You know even then That somewhere you see her again and again
(Some Enchanted Evening from the musical South Pacific, covered on more than one occasion) Stars ★★★★★
How I found out
Eartha Kitt's Christmas tune Santa Baby is extremely famous and absolutely amusing.
Commentary
My admiration of Ms Kitt doesn't stem just from her singing voice, exceptional as it is. I admire the life she led, how she kept her head remarkably straight even though she experienced rejection many times in her life, sometimes because of her skin colour; supposedly her father was a white man. When she made statements against the Vietnam War, there was so much general tension towards her that she moved to Europe and made her career there for ten years. Kitt spoke four languages fluently (especially French) and many of her songs reflect this talent. She is so unique in many ways, including her looks, her voice, and her perceptions of race. I recommend you look up some quotes by Eartha Kitt, she was a very intelligent woman who knew how to place her words and wasn't afraid to state her opinions.
Favourite songs
Angelitos Negros
Just An Old-Fashioned Girl
Uska Dara
Angelitos Negros demonstrates the power and the beauty in Eartha Kitt's voice, while Just An Old-Fasnioned Girl is just one example of her unapologetically humorous performances. I wanted to feature this specific video of Uska Dara because I have never seen, and never will see hereafter, a performance more fitting to the description of "captivating".
I would listen to this music when...
Eartha Kitt's voice is like a massage to the ears, so when I want to pamper my sense of hearing I know what to do. Random lyric sample C'est si bon De guetter dans ses yeux Un espoir merveilleux Qui donne le frisson C'est si bon Ces petits sensations Ça vaut mieux qu'un million C'est tellement, tellement bon
(C'est Si Bon) Stars ★★★★★
Sorry for the late Voice of the Week, here it comes!
How I found out
I heard Royals on the radio, like everyone else on the planet who has been anywhere near a radio station. Commentary Listening to Lorde was a surprising experience in many ways. First and foremost, there aren't a whole lot of teenage alto singers around who can sing with her confidence. Secondly, I really like the backgrounds, because they are simple enough to highlight her unique voice, but yet there's always an element of interest too. Thirdly, I'm truly amazed that she's a teenaged, female singer (and songwriter) who does not fill up her first album with unintentionally melodramatic break-up songs. Instead, her lyrics are very intriguing and not at all straightforward. But despite all this praise I'm giving, Lorde will probably not rank on my very top favourite artists. She has a couple of songs that really "click" with me, but mostly I would listen to her just as nice background music because, again, there is some musical chemistry issue here that doesn't trigger a total "wow!" reaction from me. However, I'm absolutely giving her the thumbs up for doing something completely different than what the music industry seems to think young women should be doing, and for getting to an incredibly mature start with her first album. Favourite songs
White Teeth Teens
The Love Club
I would listen to this music when...
I'm not in any particular mood but don't want to sit around in a quiet house. Random lyric sample We're never done with killing time Can I kill it with you? Till my veins turn red and blue We come around here all the time Got a lot not to do Let me kill it with you
(400 Lux, album Pure Heroine) Stars ★★★
How I found out
I can't remember if I heard Next To Me first, when it played everywhere (including Glee), or if I heard her cover of Beyoncé's Crazy In Love when there was buzz about The Great Gatsby film. Commentary
For some reason, it took me more than two listen-throughs of Sandé's album (she's made just one studio album so far) to fully appreciate her talent. I think the reason was that her type of voice doesn't quite resonate with me. Not that she doesn't hit the notes or have power in her voice, of course she does, but it's just a matter of preference. (A similar example would be Jennifer Hudson – unbelievably huge voice and great ability to project emotion, yet she bores me. Please don't throw that shoe at me.) However, I then started paying more attention to her lyrics, and came to respect her very much as a lyricist. This week's "Random lyric sample" actually isn't random at all, I chose them because I absolutely adore those last two lines. And there are lots of golden moments like this in Sandé's other songs. Favourite songs
Next To Me
Daddy
Wonder
Do I even have to tell you what an awesome, positive beat Next To Me has? Daddy has some mysterious alluring quality in it, and Wonder makes a great addition to a work-out playlist – tested and approved by yours truly!
I would listen to this music when...
I get home after having a really good day. Random lyric sample If you're looking for the big adventure And gold is all that's on your mind If all you want's someone to take your picture Then I won't waste your time See, maybe I'm too quiet for you You probably never noticed me But if you're too big to follow rivers How you ever gonna find the sea?
(River, album Our Version of Events) Stars ★★★★
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Suggestions for featured Voice of the Week subjects are still welcome! I'd love to "find" some singers or groups that I've never heard of.
How I found out
I was familiar with Love Song but didn't know until quite recently who the original artist was. Then I came across the music video for Brave and both the song and the singer's presence immediately caught to me.
Commentary
You know how in most albums there are usually just two or three tracks that really stick to your mind? Not so with Sara Bareilles. Each of her songs is memorable in some way, thanks to incredibly creative lyrics and genius use of the piano. Right from her very first album, Careful Confessions, it's very clear that Bareilles knows what sort of music she wants to make (but without getting stuck to repetition) and has a great understanding of how music works as well as a very enjoyable voice. There hasn't been a drop in quality with her next three albums either, rather the opposite. I'm always a little skeptical about artists who describe themselves as "self-taught" because they often end up being more like artists in heavy quotation marks, but you would never guess that Bareilles has no formal training in vocals or piano. Favourite songs
Brave
Winter Song
Uncharted
Brave is one of my anthems of inspiration right now. The message is very simple, but it's put in an incredibly uplifting form. And I'm going to go on again about the piano backgrounds, but they are simply wonderful in Winter Song and Uncharted. By the way, this is the first time in Voice of the Week that I had difficulties narrowing down my favourites to just three!
I would listen to this music when...
I simply want some really good, original, high-quality music. With some wicked piano on the background. Random lyric sample Snow White is doin' dishes again 'Cause what else could you do with seven itty-bitty men? Sends them to bed and she calls up a friend Says, will you meet me at midnight? The tall blonde lets out a cry of despair Says, would have cut it myself if I knew men could climb hair I'll have to find another tower somewhere And keep away from the windows
(Fairytale, album Careful Confessions) Stars ★★★★★
How I found out I stumbled across the Hall of Fame music video on one of my Youtube expeditions (it had just been released and made quite a hit) and something about the song and its style just really caught my interest. It was something I hadn't tried before, so I decided to find out what the band's other songs were like.
Commentary
The first thing you are bound to notice when you start listening to The Script is lead vocalist Danny O'Donoghue's voice, which is is along the softer lines but incredibly expressive. He can do amazing things with that instrument, but doesn't overuse the "special effects" like so many singers do. Many of The Script's lyrics go into social issues, and in a very convincing manner I might add. It's like there are actual characters in these songs, around whom the lyrics are made. This is most evident in songs like We Cry, If You See Kay and For The First Time. Even the "I loved her but then it ended" themed lyrics manage to be creative! In addition to all those brilliant, thought-provoking lyrics, these guys clearly put a lot of thought into their instrumentals. Nothing sticks out of place, every instrument just moves the songs along smoothly, but by no means dully. Favourite songs
We Cry
Breakeven
I don't know what it is about the first bars of We Cry that makes me just feel amazing in a second. And Breakeven just... soars up in the air somewhere.
I would listen to this music when... I'm in the car, in the train or in the airplane. Random lyric sample And there are days when I'm losing my faith Because the man wasn't good, he was great He'd say, music was the home for your pain And explain, I was young, he would say "Take that rage, put it on a page, Take the page to the stage Blow the roof off the place."
(If You Could See Me Now, album #3) Stars ★★★★★
How I found out
It's actually quite funny how this happened: I picked up my dad's iPad and opened his Spotify account. The last thing he had done on his Spotify was do a search on Queen, and while the search obviously brought up the Queen, it also revealed various artists called Queen Something – including Queen Ifrica, whom I then checked up purely out of impulse. She turned out to be a reggae and dancehall artist, which was very interesting because Bob Marley is pretty much the only reggae singer I've been familiar with, and I really enjoy listening to him.
Commentary
Reggae is a very male-dominant genre of music, but Queen Ifrica has managed to cut out a territory for herself. While many of her songs, true to the traditions of reggae, express social criticism (such as Streets Are Bloody and To Serve And Protect, with themes of street violence and police brutality respectively), she doesn't hesitate to go for some lighter themes either. Though some pieces are, for the lack of a better description, a bit too reggae/dancehall-ish for my taste, others stray a bit further out of that style. So all in all, there's some nice variety within Queen Ifrica's catalogue, and her voice is very mellow and nice to listen to. Unfortunately, she is also anti-gay and expresses this view in a very uncomfortable manner in her song Keep It To Yourself. Favourite songs
Lioness On The Rise
Calling Africa
I would listen to this music when... I want to remember what summer feels like Random lyric sample I see you pass my way Each and every day Could you stop just once is all I'm asking 'Cause I can't seem to help myself There's something about the way you walk Oh I wish that we could talk
(Far Away, album Montego Bay) Stars ★★★
How I found out
Her song Anything Could Happen was performed on the tv show Glee. I instantly thought it was a great song and wanted to find out more about her. Then I heard what her voice sounds like, and I was hooked past the point of no return.
Commentary Some singers have a very unique kind of voice that just pops out, that you can't possibly mix up with someone else's – Ellie Goulding has that. She's not the first singer to go with the husky type of voice, but she's one of the very few who manage to do it without sounding like they're slowly destroying their vocal chords. She's also got a beautiful high register that sounds like crystal. I think the backgrounds of most of her songs are very intriguing. I like the way how she handles the themes she sings about; I've had to run through most songs more than twice to really grasp the meaning of the lyrics, even though they tend to be "typical" relationship-themed songs. I like it when artists aren't too obvious and predictable! Interestingly, I can listen to Goulding's music to both a relaxing and an energizing effect, depending on which one I need. Favourite songs
Anything Could Happen
JOY
Only You
My first Ellie Goulding discovery – Anything Could Happen – is still my number one favourite from her, hands down. It's on my playlist of inspirational songs.
I would listen to this music when...
I need some positive energy. Random lyric sample I need a mission A dream to stop me talking to myself And now the silence is broken And my soul is to sell I need to pick up the pieces To scatter to the wind
(Believe Me, album Bright Lights) Stars ★★★★
New Year means new ideas for the blog! For one thing, there's an all-new Who Am I? page, because I was never quite happy with the old one. Now I hope it's more interesting and informative – but not too informative, this is the Internet after all. In addition to that, I made a New Year's resolution to explore and find more new singers/bands to listen to, and I'm going to use my blog to help it happen. Every week, I'm going to make a post about an artist, saying what I think of them and sharing a couple of songs by them. I'll be concentrating on recent discoveries (starting off with a couple of singers that I "found" late last year), but if it happens that some weeks I don't have time to properly research a new singer, I'll feature one of my "old" favourites. I'll try to do "Voice of the Week" every Wednesday, but if some Wednesdays turn out to be inconvenient for blogging, I'll make the posts happen some other day of the week.
Please note that I'm just expressing my own, subjective opinions here, and not all of the singers I'm featuring will be my absolute favourites. So I might feel completely indifferent about an artist that you are an enthusiastic fan of. This doesn't mean I disrespect your taste in music or think everyone should hate this artist. I'm not going to use any hate language in these commentaries and offending anyone's taste is the last thing I want to do!
----- This week's voice: Demi Lovato How I found out Of course I knew she existed ever since Camp Rock trailers went all over the place, but the first time I actually checked up any of Lovato's songs was after I heard Warrior at a family friend's confirmation party. Commentary
I was very positively surprised that Lovato actually has a really strong, "belty" voice. She's definitely improved since Camp Rock times. However, the songs themselves are hardly memorable in my opinion, with a few exceptions. The faster songs are mainly lots of beat with melodies that I can't remember five seconds afterwards, and the ballads are mainly lots of emotional belting with cliché lyrics. Lovato's songs tend to stick to the themes We broke up and now you've ruined me or We broke up, but I'm so much better off without you and I'm a super strong person now. I admit though that there are a couple of refreshing exceptions to this, but even then... the way the themes are expressed in the lyrics is extremely predictable and, like I said already, cliché. I guess I'm just a little too old for this kind of music. Favourite song(s)
Nightingale
Something That We're Not
Both of these songs are from Lovato's newest album, Demi. Nightingale is her best ballad in my opinion, I like the melody and even the lyrics too, mostly. Something That We're Not is a sort of song that makes you move, and I actually added it to my Spotify playlist of "running songs" – I'm really trying to make running a regular habit and it's so much easier when you take up-tempo music with you! I would listen to this music when...
I'm running or cleaning my apartment.
Random lyric sample I took that dirty jacket From the trash right where you left it 'Cos I couldn't stand to see it go to waste I know one day eventually Yeah I know one day I'll have to let it all go But I keep it just in case Yeah I keep it just in case
(In Case, album Demi) Stars ★★
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What do you think about my "Voice of the Week" idea? Any suggestions of singers that I should check out? Ideas are welcome at any time!
