by lankou » Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:47 am
I really don't get it, really. There is no such thing as a "natural" falsetto. All the artists you mention - and i'm a big fan- "force" their voices. If you get to hcat with Mr Campbell, don't expect him to sound like on his records (besides, his vocal stylings went thru various stages).
Of course, i agree that JR overdoes it many times, but didn't people like Barry White, Solomon Burke or Brook Benton? It is just a vocal tradition inherited from US black music. There are also a whole heap of bluesmen who forced their voice.
And, if we get to talk about JA music, well, forcing one's voice is also a tradition from way back when. The rest is just down to personal taste. I wouldn't include Gramps in my fave singers (nor Peter Tosh) but i feel that such criticism is rather unfair. There are nice songs where he duets with his brother which sound good. It can bring a nice counterpoint to Peter's vocals, which can tend to become formulaic at times.