Came here to say this. Cat’s got a bit of the scratchy breathy thing, but not the vocal fry or stupid fake diphthongs.
This and this doesn’t sound like any toddler I’ve ever met. Yeah, it’s got the effect under discussion, but “sounds like a toddler” isn’t it.
I apologize for what I am about to do.
Listen to this Gillette commercial, but first have someone tie your hands down so you won’t be tempted to jam something sharp into your eardrums to make the awfulness go away. Then have that someone press play on the video and run for their life/sanity.
Ready? Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxbZsZ5mOQM
Gah! Not only does this singer take an energetic pop song and turn it into a funeral dirge, but she also appears to have learned to “hip sing” by studiously following the directions in the instructional video that was posted upthread:
“It sounds the same when everyone sings it, but it’s very (cough) unique.” :smack:
That singing style may have been inspired by chanteuses from France, who have been singing in a breathy whispery style for years, right? An example is: Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un m'a dit - YouTube
Someone crank out a neologism for this travesty already. How about TWAT Rock (too wounded and tired)?
I’m not familiar with the examples the OP provided, but they sound much closer to the Cat Powers, Fiests and Regina Spektors of the world. What I like to call “Female Indie Singer/Songwriter” . They clearly derive influence from Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan and Jewel (“Adult Alternative Female Singer/Songerwriter”) but are very different “Female Adult Contemporary” artists like Celine Dion.
I like all the artists you named, which probably helps explain why I fail to share the outrage over this musical style. Although I don’t love the latest offering (the Gillette commercial), it is simply boring, not grating.
Yeah, I dig it.
IMO - there are two different axes of annoyance, and we should take care to distinguish the two.
We’re getting some hate for Regina Spektor and Cat Power, but really their only sin is to use their breath to do strange things with their timbre. This is no different from how every young woman talks nowadays, and I find a lot to like about it.
To me, the real sin is all the vowel-bending from an artist like Sia. Nobody does that except maybe if you’re emulating an Ozarks accent like CCR did back in the day. Nobody talks like that. All these singers are just imitating this pretentious thing for no discernable reason. It sounds horrendous and I don’t understand why anyone would imitate it.
Whoosh…it’s a reference to how when she started Spektor was accused of being an Amos clone (like Tori in turn was considered a Kate Bush wannabe). Obviously wrong, but it happened.
I tend to agree with this. I don’t love the breathy, barely audible style of singing, but then again I don’t love the singing/screaming at the top of her lungs that a lot of (mostly female) singers do. But what annoys me like fingernails on a chalkboard is the affected bending of vowels and fake accent that you describe. If it were one singer’s go-to style, then OK. But it is copied over and over and over and is just annoying. That Gillette commercial is horrible, and a fine example of the problem.
I was thinking Mazzy Star
Hope Sandoval strikes me as more mumbly than breathy on most of her songs.
“Dragging Finger Nails Slowly Across a Blackboard”?
Nevermind, zombie thread
I don’t think it really fits that bill. It has been returned to so many times over the years.
Yes, this thread is not undead. It is immortal!
Great way to put it! Timeless. Evergreen.
It cannot die.
Just recently: not only the “Venoise” thing which I get so much pleasure from hate listening to.
The one about
“Are you curious… Forget all the prople make you furious”
“We were made for each other and that is precious
They’re just jealous They’re just jealous”
Moonlight Breakfast - Summer (Official Video)
Catchy tune. Can’t stop listening. Thanks for reminding me of it!
But the video is kind of lame.
Agreed, and again I will not idly stand by and hear Cat Power defamed like this. Her timbre is not an affectation, she just sounds like that. She may have benefitted from the surge in popularity of that style, but she has vocal and emotional range as well as songwriting chops. She is not a “waif” by any stretch, nor is she trying to be one.