The sublime vocalists you have heard..

[Sweet FA]

Derrick Harriott

 

[May Kasahara]

Skin (Skunk Anansie)

Ugh, I can't stand her voice, all that sandpapery shouting.

 

[Sunspots]

Andy Fairley

I'll probably get rocks thrown at me, but I'll add Elvis.

Nina Nastasia

Yes, yes, and yes.

Alison Moyet, (and I like what she's doing now as Antony and the Johnsons)

Yes (...and ).

 

[Bazza]

Iam. If you're going to talk MCs then I would throw in Big L first and foremost, then Q Tip, Guru, Mata Ace, Biggy and all of The Pharcyde.

 

[Roadkill]

John Jones from the Oysterband. Lovely, rich voice.

Also:
Maddy Prior
Joni Mitchell
Kate Rusby
June Tabor
Bob Dylan
Paul Simon
Morrissey

 

[zenie]

I always think of sublime meaning something smooth and lovely, not just powerful?

 

[Bazza]

Solid Air by John Martyn is sublime. Which is odd considering he jibbers his way through most of it.

 

[Iam]

Iam. If you're going to talk MCs then I would throw in Big L first and foremost, then Q Tip, Guru, Mata Ace, Biggy and all of The Pharcyde.

If? Oh, but I am going to (continue to) talk about MCs, lots and lots and lots and lots...

All decent, those, although I find Guru to be monotonous after much more than a few songs, normally.

Tip's in my top 5, for sure.

I was trying to be a bit more recent, though. All mine have released decent records showing their skills in the last couple of years, rather than being "the best" or anything like that.

 

[Bazza]

I was simply naming them because, purely in my opinion of course, hip hop's golden era was New York hip hop in the mid-90s.

Yeah, you have a point about Guru.

Oooh, shit, Slick Rick as well. Great storyteller.

 

[mtbskalover]

how bouts bradley nowell from sublime,
or stza crack from leftover crack/choking victim/no cash/etc/etc

 

[milesy]

sparky

 

[Sunspots]

I always think of sublime meaning something smooth and lovely, not just powerful?

I dunno, I tend to think of it as 'awe-inspiring' and/or 'splenderous'. (??)

 

[johnnymarrsbars]

the girl from mazzy star.

 

[gabi]

Whats the geezer's name from Blind Melon? He had a completely unique voice, i spose it could also qualify as sublime at times..

Oh - Mike Patton too. Unbelievable vocalist.

 

[tarannau]

I always wanted to see Glen Goins live, the best of Parliament/Funkadelics 50+ strong band of musicians on vocal. He had one of the most impassioned, purely soulful voices you'll ever hear. Severely underrated - amongst all the confusion, wacky outfits and downright weirdness of the p-funk tours, you'll just hear this amazing voice pushing through all the fug. Same goes for Donny Hathaway - one of those voices that makes the hairs on your neck stand up and brings a tear to your eye.

 

[May Kasahara]

the girl from mazzy star.

Hope Sandoval. Another one who doesn't seem to be doing much, but has a direct line to the emotional control centre.

 

[Reno]

Nina Simone
Karen Carpenter
Chrissy Hynde
Scott Walker
Jeff Buckley
Esther Phillips (aka Little Esther)
Stevie Nicks
Mara Carlyle
Jake Thackray
Brendan Perry
Billie Mackenzie
Dionne Warwick
Karin Dreijer Andersson
Green Gartside
Liz Fraser
Tracey Thorn

 

[Flashman]

Not really sublime, but I like the distinctive too-many-fagsedness of the likes of Jesse Sykes and Marianne Faithfull.

 

[Iam]

Mark Lanegan

 

[Reno]

There's a guy call Jimmy Scott. Pretty old now, he's a jazz singer. He has Kallmann's syndrome which means his voice never broke. He has this amazing soprano voice. Saw him at Ronnie Scotts a few years ago. Sublime indeed!

Amazing voice, saw him live ten years ago. He looked like he was about to keel over, but the voice was still there.

 

[Cloo]

The most spine tingling non-classical vocal performance I’ve heard was from Natascha Atlas with TGU at Reading years ago. There was a bit with her singing Arabic chant over a drone base and it moved me to tears – so beautiful.

Been lucky to hear some great singers in classical concerts. I got to hear Placido Domingo singing a role in Simone Boccanegra at the Royal Opera a few years back. His characters voice was first heard off stage, to which a character on stage responds ‘His voice, what bliss’ – my mum turned to me and said ‘You can say that again!’. It really was remarkably beautiful, even given he’s past his best – there’s a reason the man’s a legend.

 

[Bazza]

Aaaah, yes, Susheela Raman has an amazing voice.

 

[twistedAM]

Country music has given us many but top of the pile for me would be Patty Loveless.

 

[Pigeon]

Blixa Bargeld.

Oh, and Winston Rodney.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Kate Bush
Sinead O'Connor
Elizabeth Frazer, from Cocteau Twins
Hope Sandoval, Mazzy Star
Joani Mitchell


There are many good male singers, but imo, if you're looking for a sublime, ethereal sound, the best female vocalists are without equal.

 

[Geri]

katherine jenkins was ace on emmerdale last night...

Katherine Jenkins was on Emmerdale?!

I do think she has a fantastic voice - her duet with Vittorio Grigolo on his album sends shivers down my spine.

 

[vogonity]

Julie London. Gorgeous, sensual - like silk and velvet.

 

[Biddlybee]

Another vote for Gillian Welch here, and Hope Sandoval.

 

[Wookey]

Ugh, I can't stand her voice, all that sandpapery shouting.

I like Skin because she does that screaming (Yes, It's Fucking Political!) but also she has a really sweet singing voice (Charity, for example.) I like the dichotemy.

Another vote for Julie London here.

And has anyone mentioned Tracey Chapman? Her voice made me stop and listen.

 

[rekil]

Obvious old ones like Billie Holiday, and Bessie Smith.

Neko Case when I saw her last year. Mary Margaret O'Hara. Cat Power.

Kate Bush
Sinead O'Connor
Elizabeth Frazer, from Cocteau Twins
Hope Sandoval, Mazzy Star
Joani Mitchell

Sinead O'Connor was on telly last night and her voice seems to be gone. She was shit.And she was banging on about how we all need god.