A random, Paste-y list from Paste magazine:
1 Brandi Carlisle
2 Chan Marshall (Cat Power)
3 Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons)
4 Sally Ellyson (Hem)
5 Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
6 Neko Case
7 Jim James (My Morning Jacket)
8 Jonsi Birgisson (Sigur Ros)
9 Gillian Welch
10 Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon)

Some great picks, although I had to google Brandi Carlile and Sally Ellyson to find out who they are and still... ? I woulda found a way to sneak Feist and Emma Pollock in there if I made the list, but overall, it's dece.

I'm guessing this list is sort of like the best voices who are technically good singers in a classic sense, seeing that next week they have their "best worst voices in indie rock" list...which I'm guessing will include voices like Tom Waits, Craig Finn, and other singers who get knocked because they "can't sing" (but still use their voices remarkably well).

I don't know Brandi Carlisle (or, I know who she is, but that's all), but Chan Marshall can sing literally anything and I would stop what I was doing and listen. I also like the tone and textures of Leslie Feist's voice. Either solo or as a guest vocalist, she's always really compelling (for example, in 2009, she's starred on two duets on Dark is the Night and "You and I" on the Wilco album). I'm surprised Paste didn't have her in their 10. As for the male voices, technically, you can't beat Antony, and for technique and expressiveness, Thom Yorke has to be mentioned too. So I like their list, and now I really should have a listen to Brandi Carlisle and Sally Ellyson.

Like that list, pretty unique. And it's good to see Chan Marshall and Neko Case receive some much deserved praise.

On that note, how can you have a list of the 'best voices of indie rock' and not have Will Sheff and/or Britt Daniel on the list?

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Like that list, pretty unique. And it's good to see Chan Marshall and Neko Case receive some much deserved praise.

On that note, how can you have a list of the 'best voices of indie rock' and not have Will Sheff and/or Britt Daniel on the list?

Like I pointed out, I think that NEXT week's list may have voices like those guys on it, since they aren't singing in a traditional sense. That is, my grandmother wouldn't be offended to hear Chan Marshall, but she would likely wrinkle her nose at Will Sheff and Craig Finn.

On that note, I completely agree, Will Sheff and/or Britt Daniel BETTER be included on that "best worst voices" list.

And their list of the 'Best Worst Voices':

1 Will Oldham
2 Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel)
3 Karen Peris (The Innocence Mission)
4 David Berman (Silver Jews)
5 Dan Bejar (Destroyer/New Pornographers)
6 Joanna Newsom
7 Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)
8 Colin Meloy (The Decemberists)
9 Emil Svanangen (Loney Dear)
10 Matt Berninger (The National)

Wow, Joanna Newsom on a 'best voices' list? (even a best worst voices list!) I love Joanna, so that's cool. I can listen to all the voices on the list, no problems, in fact I like quite a few of them. The exceptions are, I don't really like Dan Bejar or Conor Oberst.

Ah, I was kind of hoping Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, etc.) would make the list.

Jo News' voice is definitely getting more, uh, listenable than it was on Milk Eyed Mender, but it's still a pretty hard pill to swallow.

But for all of her shrieking, Dan Bejar and Dave Longstreth have the most grating voices in music. It took me a long time to warm up to Bejar, and i still haven't warmed to Longstreth.

quote:

Originally posted by HeyThatsMyShoe:

10 Matt Berninger (The National)

Whaaat? Seriously, is his voice really "bad"? He's baritone, he's uncommon sounding, sometimes his tone isn't especially varied, but he can carry a note, and he sings a melody. He doesn't fit on this list, even at No.10.

Berninger can sing; great voice.

On that note, how can you have a list of the 'ANY BEST/WORST voices of indie rock' and not have Will Sheff and/or Britt Daniel on the list?

I mean come on Frag, it is Paste after all.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Berninger can sing; great voice.

On that note, how can you have a list of the 'ANY BEST/WORST voices of indie rock' and not have Will Sheff and/or Britt Daniel on the list?

I would swap Berninger with Sheff. I love Sheff's vocals and I think he's a very capable vocalist, but it's a very 'of the people' sort of voice.

And Britt has somehow gotten a very long way for a man that barely ever finishes a word on record. I mean, I love the guy, and I can usually always understand what he's saying, but he has this slack jawed assumption that you know what he's saying 3/4 of the way through a word so he just stops and takes a break for a little while.

"So com'awwww... tell me 'm wrawwww..."

Their comment on Matt Berninger was:

The sound of his voice is soothing and perfect for The National’s moody songs, but Berninger’s range must be squat because he only sings low and a little bit lower.

Technically, true, but I think he can definitely sing, so he's not really one of 'best worst' voices; he's a competent voice.

While I agree with the "Britt Daniel doesn't finish words" thing, the dude can also sing, probably even better than Berninger.

Certainly both of them can sing better than Craig Finn, who should be on here. Or Eddie Argos, if you can call what he does singing. He also might be too punk rock for the coffee house snoozefest that is Paste magazine.

I don't think it has anything to do with being a competent singer; I think it seems they were going for choosing voices that grandma would raise an eyebrow at on first listen. Grandma would love Chan Marshall as much as anybody, but I don't think she would appreciate the vocal timbre of Conor Oberst or Matt Berninger.

Though we obviously all love them. :P

And Craig Finn should have topped this list: if he and Joanna Newsom aren't the epitome of voices that you would call "acquired tastes" in indie rock, then I don't know what is.

Though I think you are right bonzob, Finn and Argos are likely too rawk/punk for Pastes taste, though they have given good reviews to both bands in the past.

Spencer Krug should definitely be on a list like that, and I'd also add Avey Tare. Both are great at what they do, but neither is going to make the church choir. I agree Matt Berninger doesn't belong in this context. And Will Oldham at the top is a little puzzling as well. I never considered his voice that bad.

Also, Satomi from Deerhoof, Corin Tucker from Sleater-Kinney, Alec from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Josephine from Love Is All.

I guess Dylan, Bjork, and Tom Waits aren't eligible because they aren't considered indie?

I agree that Will Sheff and Spencer Krug would have been good calls, too.

My girlfriend can't stand weird voices so I basically just listed all the singers who drive her crazy. I am forbidden from playing Deerhoof and Sleater-Kinney when she's in the car. And Okkervil River and The Hold Steady are usually only allowed for about three songs before she switches to something else.

EDIT: Oh, and since they mentioned Conor Oberst, how 'bout the lead singer of Titus Andronicus? He sounds exactly like Oberst, just angrier.

Oh, I think Alec from CYHSY! and Satomi from Deerhoof would be in the 'worst' voices in indie, but not the best worst. They really cannot sing, whereas the artists on Paste's list can (albeit with their own mannerisms/stylistic quirks).