Entertainment For Lively Minds
An Open Letter
Posted by Joe R on 17 February 2010 - 1:49pm.
Dear Florence off of Florence and the Machine,
I saw your performance at The Brits last night. Just so you're aware, shouting in tune is not the same as singing.
All the best,
Joe
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Oh, sweet mercy!
I'm not alone.
I guess
Someone must like it giving the number of records she shifts. Most people would agree Dylan has never sung, Lou Reed has never sung and many many others.
Sounds like snobbery to me.
It's not meant to be
The point is that I actually think she can sing - she clearly hits the right notes. However, she appears to have confused emotion and dynamics with sheer volume.
I'm with Joe R and I like Neil Young for god's sake
As well as countless other 'non-singers' in the Dylan/Reed mould. 'Snobbery' is way off the mark.
I want to like Florence + the Machine, really I do, but she's just too... hysterical for me.
Snobbery
How so?
I think it's just a simple case of a performer dividing opinion.
Shall I just save us some time
and invoke Godwin's Law now? :)
I like
it when people shout in tune
Usually..
these sorts of comments are usually made to seperate "proper musicians" from others and often occur in discussions about punk / prog.
The x factor is full of people who can sing well in a traditional way yet their careers vanish after 5 minutes of hype. Every artist divides opinion in one way or another so who can say what is the right or wrong way to perform.
Long live the shouters and talkers and everyone in between.
Give Diamanda Galas a go, she may not sing conventionally but she is a hell of a "vocalist"
"Long live the shouters and talkers and everyone in between"
As stated up there somewhere I couldn't agree more with that sentiment. The less polished the performance the better, as far as I'm concerned. But I still can't abide Florence and think 'snobbery' is a tad unfair...
I value my ears too much to listen to any
Diamanda Galas performances, thankyou. (shudders)
"I'm mad, me!"
I'm sick to death of her cultivated zaniness, particularly as it seems as if it was cultivated by someone else. Her most obvious antecedent? Well I can only think of one...
and I'll let YOU decide which one I mean...
What a lovely clip!
I love tea and cake, too!
Good innit!
...although I've just remembered one other combo who I reckon were probably a huge influence on FloMach:
This one starts off very quietly (not).
I thought she was great.
Really.
I think she's great
and that it was a great paring:
Also I would take issue with the shouting thing. I like shouting i songs but she isn't doing that. I would say she is belting. Now that can often not work and can often be an example of someone who doesn't work for me... how often do people think belting can make up for a lack of craft and/or bad lyrics...
But I think Florence + The Machine use belting in a very structured and precise way, that really adds to their tunes and makes for great music.
It's punk meets disco meets musicals and in this case meets grime and it is all good with me.
Yes! Seconded
I caught some of the Brits and saw this. I found myself in the strange position of not really liking any F+tM records I've heard, and generally not listening to much hip-hop at all ... to thinking this was brilliant.
I was genuinely gobsmacked at the speed of the rap, the two tracks seemed to mesh well, and - most importantly, I think - the performers appeared to be having a complete laugh. I think that really sold it.
Shouting in tune.
I was always under the impression that this was normally referred to as "Opera".
I rather like Florence. She's got lovely legs.
She has got lovely legs
She isn't in tune though, shouting, belting or otherwise.
I haven't seen the coverage from last night
But when hearing Flo in the past, it is evident that she and the melody are only occasional acquaintances. Flat as the proverbial kipper's dick most of the time and, sorry, you've got a tin ear if you can't spot it.
Belting
"Belting it out" is about right, and I'm agin it. It gets pretty wearing over one song, so I cannot bring myself to investigate any further.
I found myself complaining that it was "just noise" last night, which was perhaps a little harsh, but confirmed that I'm bedding down nicely into middle age...
Wearing is the word
to my ears a poor singer
, in tune or out of tune , is one that has no modulation in their voice