What do you think of her voice now?

[Scribble R]

This discussion's happened here and there in other threads, but I thought it'd be interesting to see what everyone thinks.

On one hand, I hate where it's gone (It sounded strangely unstable in some places in EXPO. Her voice is a bit higher as whole, too). On the other, I think it still 'works,' and it hasn't changed THAT much (Again, EXPO Tsumi to Batsu). Oh shit, I'm sitting on the fence. I guess I'm happy with it (Oh shit, I'm being too NICE), but there are certain quirks from the early days that I haven't heard in a while. Ariamaru Tomi sounds like one of her old songs, and she does that well.

(B.B Queen SOTC was also awesome)

[Glathannus]

I prefer her earliest vocals as a signed EMI artist, because the quirks were one of the main things that set her apart from other vocalists. I'm not a big fan of the Dynamite Out version of Koko de Kiss Shite not because the vocals were 'bad', but because the quirks aren't there. On the otherhand I don't like the way the single/album version was produced. So for me the best version is the demo you can find as a bonus feature in Baishou Ecstasy. It's quirkier vocals with less distractions.

I also like many of the demos that don't have videos, mainly for their quirks.

Now I wouldn't go so far as to say that her quirky vocals are her ONLY good vocals. Kokoro (especially on Dynamite Out) is a very solid performance that I couldn't imagine hearing from a younger Shiina Ringo. Plus for an album like Adult, it's better that the vocals aren't quirky.

I don't think she's "losing it" with her vocals. Her vocals are simply changing not necessarily for better or worse. What's more important than whether or not her vocals are quirky, is if she's putting her modern vocals into a composition/arrangement that fits well with her vocal attitude at the time.

[Scribble R]

Yes.

And you could argue that some of those 'quirks' were absent in KZK.

[kuro_neko]

hmmm, this is a discussion that I see on a lot of different forums for many different artists. as a woman, it is inevitable that ringo's voice is going to change a lot as she gets older, although I don't think she lost that quality in her voice that gives her what I consider her main appeal. her very very early stuff (demos and pre MM) has a certain quality to it that can only be what might be termed her adolescent voice. I think a lot of her vocals are also left up to production, because I think the way she sounds in ariamaru tomi has gone against the general grain of what her voice has sounded like recently for Tokyo Jihen.

that being said, I prefer the sound of her voice in Ariamaru Tomi to how it was on Variety and I preferred Ringo's voice on Adult to Kyouiku. Out of her three albums, I'd say I prefer SS and KZK ringo's voice to pre-mm and demo tape ringo.

overall, she hasn't had a radical enough change to really make drastic changes quite yet. some of the artists I listen to have had much more severe changes in their upper register and ringo seems to be hitting those screechy notes just the same more or less.

edit: on a random side note I think as a matter of personal preference that the reason I don't like Ringo's voice on some stuff is due to the production. Her voice is so rich it needs to retain its nature resonance and bass tones, that deep quality is what makes it so beautiful. on a lot of the "cleaner" songs you loose it and then it just starts to sound....dead? shrill? It is a bit hard to describe. overly produced is the word.

[merman]

Originally Posted by kuro_neko

overall, she hasn't had a radical enough change to really make drastic changes quite yet. some of the artists I listen to have had much more severe changes in their upper register and ringo seems to be hitting those screechy notes just the same more or less.

No, you're wrong. She can't wail anymore like she used to and her voice sucks, therefore, she's DEAD

[mizer_unmei]

I think her voice now works well with the jazzy style she's adopted. "Koi wa Maboroshi" is gorgeous and her voice is perfect in it.

Though I do like her MM voice best. But that's probably because I'm a bit infatuated with raw youthful exuberance which her first album exemplifies.

[clowezra]

As mizer said, her vocals are really suiting the styles she's adopting. Either way, I enjoyed EXPO-it definitely wasn't as good as previous concerts, and I can definitely see a change-but I still believe her voice has the spark that makes her stand out from other artists.

[Osiris12345]

I still really like her voice. She's also singing music that suits it well. If you want to hear a voice that's completely shot, listen to Brian Johnson of AC/DC on the records "Back In Black" and "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" and then on "Stiff Upper Lip". I mean, yeah, he screamed to begin with but you can tell it destroyed his voice.

[ShadyNook]

She has more control over her voice and has improved greatly as a singer. I think getting older has ripened her tone.

or maybe its the smoking? I noticed some brownish teeth on the Expo 08 closeups

[Nebularus]

I think SR's voice gets better with age and I love her "more mature" voice. When she reaches down for the low notes (i.e. Kesho Naoshi from Dai Ikkai Ringohan Taikai no Moyou)..........pure ecstasy~