Singers whose voices are faultless

[Cuellar]

Rufus Wainwright isn't it?

[buzby]

<dons flak jacket>
Sia Furler
She can go from a husky whisper to blowing the roof off within the same song, can crack her voice at will for added emotive effect, is a highly successful songwriter (which has it's downside in that lots of singers who buy her tracks end up doing bad impressions of her guide vocal) and a very innovative video director to boot. She doesn't perform live much anymore due to the effect touring and publicity had on her health (she attempted suicide in 2010), but having had the chance to see her a couple of years ago it was even better than listening to her records.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I don't want a faultless singer - when a singer has limits and you can feel them striving to be better and sometimes failing, that's worth a million octaval snakes-and-ladders from the warble divas.

On another note, the gutteral voice of say, Louis Armstrong is by no stretch 'faultless' but his performance is what counts, he performs songs like an actor plays their part - this is what is lost in talent shows and the like, that the best singers are all good storytellers and actors. A lot of those names mentioned at the start are not technical virtuosos but supreme actors.

I didn't mean literally faultless. Mariah Carey is a technically faultless singer, but she sounds like a caterwauling android. I'm talking about people - like Louis Armstrong or Tom Waits -  who have outstandingly good and distinctive voices.

[poodlefaker]

Chet Baker
Blossom Dearie
Johnny Hartman

[Danger Man]

I heard an entertaining rumour that Ryder never turned up to the recording session for that, so Watson ended up doing both parts himself. Might be bollocks, but I'd like to believe otherwise.

As probably the only person in the world who bought a copy I have to say it sounds like Shaun to me.


He basically bellows 'Bar-see-loooooooooooo-na' a few times and must have spent under a minute in the recording studio.

[the science eel]

Rufus Wainwright isn't it?

If you're looking for over-emoting up-their-own-arse camp wankers, then yes

[Jerzy Bondov]

I'm not sure I'll get much support for this one, but Neil Finn's voice just works for me.

His voice seems to have held up amazingly well over the years too, but then I wouldn't have him down as the hard-living type.

No I'm with you on this, he's got a great voice. *insert link to that video of Paul Young singing Don't Dream It's Over*

[wosl]

I didn't mean literally faultless. Mariah Carey is a technically faultless singer, but she sounds like a caterwauling android. I'm talking about people - like Louis Armstrong or Tom Waits -  who have outstandingly good and distinctive voices.

I realise now I twisted some of the gist.  The bit in the OP about singers with "proper pipes" and the proviso "even if you don't particularly care for their music" somehow got jumbled together as "singers whose vocals you recognize the quality of but don't especially love" (plus I was mindful of you wanting to avoid having this turn into another version of My Favourite Singers).  Hence my homing in on Harriet Wheeler when she cropped up, as a very solid singer whose work I respect and actively enjoy, but who doesn't really affect me on that deeper level that she seems to affect others (with the exception of little bits and pieces, like the end of Can't Be Sure; the way she signs off on that is a bit goosebumps).

[Cuellar]

If you're looking for over-emoting up-their-own-arse camp wankers, then yes

Well, you're wrong.

[Steven]

Well, you're wrong.

Yes, and he's also a fabulous dancer.

I've put on him doing Careless Whisper with Ben Folds and people pull a face "What's this awful cover of Wham?" until Rufus' vocals kick in and their face changes.

[Crabwalk]

I realise now I twisted some of the gist.  The bit in the OP about singers with "proper pipes" and the proviso "even if you don't particularly care for their music" somehow got jumbled together as "singers whose vocals you recognize the quality of but don't especially love" (plus I was mindful of you wanting to avoid having this turn into another version of My Favourite Singers).  Hence my homing in on Harriet Wheeler when she cropped up, as a very solid singer whose work I respect and actively enjoy, but who doesn't really affect me on that deeper level that she seems to affect others (with the exception of little bits and pieces, like the end of Can't Be Sure; the way she signs off on that is a bit goosebumps).

Yeah, it's all gotten a bit confused hasn't it. Most great singers don't have faultless voices as that's often where the character comes in. Nina Simone, Gil Scott-Heron or Mark Eitzel would be good examples of that.

[wosl]

Dionne Warwick might a fair shout for the opposite.  More than once, I think, Clive James has characterised her as a singer whose technical skill is well nigh unimpeachable, but who neither imparts nor induces any great feeling when she pipes up (which you could argue is no great loss on things like 'San Jose).  I haven't heard enough of her back catalogue to take serious issue with him, so I'll go along with it.   

[Gulftastic]

Mike Matijevic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F6FMQLke0Q

Titus Burgess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=238Lcjbecb4

[Tikwid]

Tanita Tikaram

Have to admit she did do a pretty good job on her cover of Steve Earle's Galway Girl, as well as her original song about Russel Brand's wedding.

[pupshaw]

Greg Lake
Todd Rundgren

[wosl]

Great calls, both.  Good shouts for being pitch-perfect (although Todd's on record as saying he "needs a bucket to carry a tune in," the wag); clear, powerful and very distinctive.  Neither could put a foot wrong in their prime, could they.  You'd have to put a gun to my head to make me to choose one as a favourite above the other.

[chveik]

Dionne Warwick might a fair shout for the opposite.  More than once, I think, Clive James has characterised her as a singer whose technical skill is well nigh unimpeachable, but who neither imparts nor induces any great feeling when she pipes up (which you could argue is no great loss on things like 'San Jose).  I haven't heard enough of her back catalogue to take serious issue with him, so I'll go along with it.   

I disagree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tIlHOQemU

[Nowhere Man]

Marvin Gaye of course.
Noddy 'foghorn' Holder

all of the classic Beach Boys I reckon, most of all Brian, Carl (an angelic voice) and Dennis. Although Al also (and still has) a cracking voice and I might get some stuck for this but at his peak Mike Love had a very pleasing voice too, especially his bass harmonies. Carl had the best voice but Brian and Dennis could be absolutely heartbreaking or spellbinding on some of those 60s/70s records.

Surprised I don't think I've seen John Lennon mentioned, well him anyway. And Macca.

The very underrated Carl Wayne from The Move. Not to mention Roy Wood.

Steve Marriott
Roger Daltrey
Elvis Presley
Sam Cooke
Levi Stubbs
Otis Redding

and check out the fucking pipes on David Ruffin everyone:
https://youtu.be/GatpGFlMcAE

Same goes to Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and the recently departed Dennis Edwards. The Temptations had an amazing number of incredible singers.

[jobotic]

Francoise Hardy
Margo Guryan

I'd also say the Everly Brothers, when the song is right.

John Lee Hooker - he's no Mariah Carey but what a wonderful voice.

[Jockice]

As well as several others already mentioned (Mackenzie and Robinson especially) I'd like to add Feargal Sharkey. Yes, even on some of his solo stuff.

[holyzombiejesus]

Despite thinking this is a bit of a stupid thread, I'll say Lee Hazlewood and Vashti Bunyan.

[Jockice]

Well, you're wrong.

No, he's completely right.

[phantom_power]

Lots of my picks have already been mentioned so I will just add John Grant to the list

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Francoise Hardy

yes yes yes

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Despite thinking this is a bit of a stupid thread, I'll say Lee Hazlewood and Vashti Bunyan.

It is a bit of a stupid thread; I was in a drunkenly upbeat state when I started it.

[Cuellar]

No, he's completely right.

Sorry, you are also wrong.

[chrispmartha]

I'd struggle with Nina to be honest. When I saw the Cardy's she was flat countless times.

Lovely girl though.

Oi Leave Nina alone, my wife gave me permission to run away with her if I ever met her (and if she was up for it obviously, I hadn't planned on kidnapping her, well thats a little lie) - little did she know my band was down to support A Camp a few weeks later - until we had to cancel at the last minute :-(

[Swoz_MK]

Bruce bleedin' Dickinson

[wosl]

this is a bit of a stupid thread

Once you accept that we've ended up with the one thing Mission Control didn't want to happen (because they were pissed when they were briefing the crew, apparently), it's all right.  Nice Relaxing Poo's started listening to Annie Haslam, so it hasn't all been a waste of time.

[SpiderChrist]

anybody mentioned Judee Sill yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0feFedDW_iQ