Which indie rock singers can actually sing?

So I'm listening to KEXP this morning, and they play Built to Spill. The music was pleasant enough, but geez, who told that guy he could sing? It seems that he's just another in the long line of indie rock singers who are on the low end of the singing food chain.

So are there any indie rock singers who can actually carry a tune? …who have voices that could win them some sort of singing scholarship to some sort of school of music? It almost seems like having a crappy or at best serviceable singing voice is a prerequisite to being in an indie rock band. Am I totally off on this one?

i would concur, based on my limited exposure to BTS his voice really turned me off… modest mouse does my head in as well…

are the Shins still "indie" seeing as they were on NPR this am? i like The Dears and Iron and Wine.

if you consider red house painters indie, mark kozelek can sing.

carl newman
stuart murdoch
ben gibbard
colin meloy
jeremy enigk
sam beam
john vanderslice
jim james
georgia hubley

Colin Meloy?

He's got that nasally effeminate voice not unlike Ben Gibbard that seems to be coming the requisite for indie rock…imo he's definitely in the bob dylan camp of indie rock…

Originally posted by HoyaSaxa03:

john vanderslice

I am a fan, but no, he cant sing in the way Rhett is talking about

Ted Leo

does Ronan Tynan count?

What about the singer from Muse - Matthew Bellamy? He has the greatest voice I've ever heard

personally vocal range is the last thing that appeals to me, then again i grew up listen to neil young and tom petty

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
then again i grew up listen to neil young

a maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan neeeeeeeeds a maaaaaiiid … mmaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnn ….

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
It almost seems like having a crappy or at best serviceable singing voice is a prerequisite to being in an indie rock band. Am I totally off on this one?

quite a loaded question, rhett.

a. whats indie rock and how many discussions can we have on this, death cab isnt even indie rock anymore.

b. whats a crappy singing voice? i dont know, i am sure you can name some people with "great voices" that i dont like. a voice is like any other instrument. is a fuzzed out guitar a worse sound than a classical acoustic guitar?


that said.

Ted Leo would get my vote.

Originally posted by HomesickAlien:
What about the singer from Muse - Matthew Bellamy? He has the greatest voice I've ever heard

i agree, but probably not "indie rock"

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Colin Meloy?

He's got that nasally effeminate voice not unlike Ben Gibbard that seems to be coming the requisite for indie rock…imo he's definitely in the bob dylan camp of indie rock…

are country singers any better?

Nasally voices WORK for country music, but not rock music. Case in point: Robbie Fulks. He's done hardcore country, pop, and even some straight ahead rock. On the country stuff, his voice works well, on the other stuff…not so well. Dwight Yoakam is another example. His nasally voice works well on traditional sounding country songs, but when he takes to covering the Clash and Queen…ewww bad news.

And what's up with that Joanna Newsom chick and the Devandra Bernhardt dude? They have to be like the worst singers of all time.

Originally posted by white man from town:

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Colin Meloy?

He's got that nasally effeminate voice not unlike Ben Gibbard that seems to be coming the requisite for indie rock…imo he's definitely in the bob dylan camp of indie rock…

are country singers any better?

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Nasally voices WORK for country music, but not rock music. Case in point: Robbie Fulks. He's done hardcore country, pop, and even some straight ahead rock. On the country stuff, his voice works well, on the other stuff…not so well. Dwight Yoakam is another example. His nasally voice works well on traditional sounding country songs, but when he takes to covering the Clash and Queen…ewww bad news.

i dont know what bores me more; you talking about country music, or me listening to it.

10 zzzzzzzz's

I agree about the context being important, but I think you're a little off with some of your examples. I wouldn't exactly call the Decemberists and Death Cab "rock." I mean, sure, they're rock bands in a sense, but it's not like they're dishing out power chords and sounding all whiny. I mean, for as much as I dislike Ben Gibbard, I think his voice works for his bands. Ditto to Colin Meloy.

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Nasally voices WORK for country music, but not rock music. Case in point: Robbie Fulks. He's done hardcore country, pop, and even some straight ahead rock. On the country stuff, his voice works well, on the other stuff…not so well. Dwight Yoakam is another example. His nasally voice works well on traditional sounding country songs, but when he takes to covering the Clash and Queen…ewww bad news.

And what's up with that Joanna Newsom chick and the Devandra Bernhardt dude? They have to be like the worst singers of all time.

<img src="http://www.hunderttausend.de/relaunch/liesmich/2001_05/2001_05_24_bob_dylan.jpg" alt=" - " />

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Nasally voices WORK for country music, but not rock music.

i was speaking more along the lines of just being a "better singer".

Sorry, should have saved that for the Fulks board.

Much more interesting fodder is to be found on this board, like Loserpalooza, HFStivalshite, or the latest totally unoriginal British band to completely rip off bands from the 80's but still sell out the Black Cat because their fans were in diapers in the 80's.

Originally posted by white man from town:

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
Nasally voices WORK for country music, but not rock music. Case in point: Robbie Fulks. He's done hardcore country, pop, and even some straight ahead rock. On the country stuff, his voice works well, on the other stuff…not so well. Dwight Yoakam is another example. His nasally voice works well on traditional sounding country songs, but when he takes to covering the Clash and Queen…ewww bad news.

i dont know what bores me more; you talking about country music, or me listening to it.

10 zzzzzzzz's