I actually turned away a bit during this and tried to decide if I'd like it if it was by some unknown set of musos. Yes, I still liked it, although the mannered opening almost lost me. posted by maudlin at 12:08 PM on February 15
Of course he can carry a tune, but he also has a fair bit of practice/has some training and is, no surprise, a gifted mimic. Listen how he pretty much drops the R and T sounds from heart, pretty typical because singing R in heart sounds lame and the T would pop. Listen how he sings the O sound in Pillow, that isn't the way most people would speak it but it sounds good while singing.
I have the barest amount of vocal training, a few years, but I have sung choral music at BAM so that is good enough to be an internet expert. posted by Ad hominem at 12:12 PM on February 15
I love Hugh Laurie, but I'm not feeling this at all.
I feel bad about not liking listening to Laurie's take on American blues stuff. Because he can really play the piano, and he puts a great band together, and he's a fine singer, but the specific timbre and delivery of his dressing-up-as-a-bluesman vocals just doesn't sit right for me. Unchain My Heart sort of showcases the problem: it just feels too clean, too much like kind of a square impression of soul, in a song that's gotta have some dirt in the vocals. Doesn't have to be a Joe Cocker gravelfest or anything, but you listen to Ray Charles do it and there's that rough edge he's riding that slips out of control just right a couple times late in the song when it's peaking. Laurie's take just feels kind of staid.
It's nice, it's clean, it's obviously doting—the guy loves this stuff—but it's just ends up not sticking the landing for me. posted by cortex at 12:16 PM on February 15 [16 favorites]
Well I think he should sing that particular song angrier. Unchain my heart should be a demand, not a request. posted by Ad hominem at 12:29 PM on February 15
Cortex - try his take on Dr. John. (I'll admit maybe the reason I like it is because he sounds similar to Dr. John and it triggers the same endorphins in me as a result, though.) posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:30 PM on February 15
For some reason, I was expecting a Toni Braxton song. posted by empath at 12:32 PM on February 15 [9 favorites]
For those who do like Hugh's music, there's an hour-long Great Performances available at PBS.org. (Also at the PBS site: some info about the concert with links to an interview with Hugh Laurie and a downloadable track.) posted by kristi at 1:45 PM on February 15
I'm sorta meh about his singing, but dang vac2003, I like your post title. posted by BlueHorse at 2:06 PM on February 15
Laurie's clearly got some musical talent and a genuine affection for the style, but this particular piece doesn't really do it for me. The execution is competent, but it lacks sufficient amounts of what one might call "stank." posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 4:30 PM on February 15 [2 favorites]
Just about every episode of Jeeves and Wooster has a Hugh Laurie rendition of some song.
/shakes fist impotently at Netflix Streaming saying J&W "unavailable" posted by Celsius1414 at 6:59 PM on February 15 [1 favorite]
This is the second pleasant "oh, that guy can sing!" moment I've had today.
The first was from Vin Diesel of all people. posted by Popular Ethics at 9:36 PM on February 15
Thanks. I understand what is being said about a lack of gravel, but I still enjoy it a lot. The band helps to make up for any deficiency and I actually prefer this to rougher versions, although somewhere in between would be nice. posted by blue shadows at 11:40 PM on February 15
What, did the bass player miss the dress code memo? posted by rossination at 8:40 AM on February 16
posted by ooga_booga at 11:29 AM on February 15