Evanesence

I think Evanescence and similar bands owe quite a lot to bands like All About Eve who were doing the whole female fronted alternative rock / goth thing at least 10 years earlier. I still think Julianne Reagan is one of the best female vocalists I have heard.

The only version of Candy Tree I could find on youtube, with video from Pans Labyrinth (which may contain spoilers if you havent seen it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBazAaK8AXQ

Martha's Harbour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oHTyCrIPnU&feature=related

Some will remember the more infamous Top of the Pops version of this :D

Julianne with The Mission, go Wayne go ... :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkuKtTqEJVA&feature=related

Although I have to say that I think Amy Lee does have a good voice and I definately prefer Fallen over The Open Door.
 
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nero120 said:
Okay, then how's this: I'm a musician, and I'm telling you bjork is better. Whether you like Amy Lee better is up to you. :p
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Since we are pulling long schlongs here ;) - I'm a musician and sound engineer by education and I'm telling you, bjork isn't better. More original, yes. More experimenting. Without doubt. Technically better. Not in any criteria or scale.
 
nero120 said:
Okay, then how's this: I'm a musician, and I'm telling you bjork is better.
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The "I'm a musician so my opinion is more valid" line has been cloned and regurgitated by younger band members for decades, and has been boring for just as long. Being more original does not make someone 'better', nor does being more creative. Everyone will take something different away when listening to a piece of music.
 
nero120 said:
My Immortal is such drip-fed emotion though. I much prefer the subtle yet incredibly powerful tones of "All is full of love"...

For Bjorks contribution to creating original music, she is by far the better musician.
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I wouldn't say she was the best singer ive ever heard, but she is certainly a very powerfull vocalist (evanescence I mean)! Love listening to her.

Lacuna Coil are also good!
 
v0n said:
Since we are pulling long schlongs here ;) - I'm a musician and sound engineer by education and I'm telling you, bjork isn't better. More original, yes. More experimenting. Without doubt. Technically better. Not in any criteria or scale.
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Thanks for summing up my opinion very nicely :P
 
v0n said:
Since we are pulling long schlongs here ;) - I'm a musician and sound engineer by education and I'm telling you, bjork isn't better. More original, yes. More experimenting. Without doubt. Technically better. Not in any criteria or scale.
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Since we are talking about singer/songwriters here, my assesment is based on their ability to write songs. Whether you prefer one voice or another is up to you, but how any educated musician could argue that Amy Lee is a better (with regards to her contribution to music and the betterment thereof) musician is beyond me. It's like saying Katy Perry is a better musician than Kate Bush.
 
Lysander said:
The "I'm a musician so my opinion is more valid" line has been cloned and regurgitated by younger band members for decades, and has been boring for just as long. Being more original does not make someone 'better', nor does being more creative. Everyone will take something different away when listening to a piece of music.
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Heaven forebid that one who has dedicated themselves to music might have something of a more informed opinion eh? :)

Anyways, I'm not bothered if you don't care for my opinion, it's a free country I'm just contributing my two cents. Originality of course makes someone 'better' in many cases, the mere fact that they have taken previous influences and used them to create something that hasn't been done before points to this, it is incredibly hard to do, especially in this day and age. In takes some degree of skill and insight to achieve, and I would argue that it makes them much more valuable to music than some paint by numbers musician (regardless of their success or their individual musical ability).
 
nero120 said:
Since we are talking about singer/songwriters here, my assesment is based on their ability to write songs. Whether you prefer one voice or another is up to you, but how any educated musician could argue that Amy Lee is a better (with regards to her contribution to music and the betterment thereof) musician is beyond me. It's like saying Katy Perry is a better musician than Kate Bush.
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It's all to do with your very, very subjective definition of the word 'better'. Bjork may make creative off-the-wall music, but Amy makes very accessible, catchy and likeable songs. Which is 'better'? It's all down to personal opinion.
 
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Lysander said:
It's all to do with your very, very subjective definition of the word 'better'. Bjork may make creative off-the-wall music, but Amy makes very accessible, catchy and likeable songs. Which is 'better'? It's all down to personal opinion.
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Yes, you're right better is subjective. Though all I can say is that as a musician, I find Bjork to be a much more inspiring musician whose contribution to music would likely be better remembered and regarded than Amy Lee's - whether this holds any weight with you is up to you of course!

I realise this all sounds very arrogant and superior, but it's not meant to . I'm merely expressing an opinion from the perspective of one who's dedicated a lifetime to making music. If you feel that this is just as valid (or invalid) as the opinion of a casual music listener then that's up to you. :)
 
nero120 said:
Since we are talking about singer/songwriters here, my assesment is based on their ability to write songs. Whether you prefer one voice or another is up to you, but how any educated musician could argue that Amy Lee is a better (with regards to her contribution to music and the betterment thereof) musician is beyond me. It's like saying Katy Perry is a better musician than Kate Bush.
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No, your assessment of is based on what you perceive as their ability to write songs. I recognize the fact that Bjork's contribution to alternative music is much more pronounced than that of Amy Lee, and on personal level I might actually even prefer Bjork to Evanescence on any given gloomy, winter evening, but purely from technical aspect Amy Lee is better musician than Bjork, in same way as David Sylvian is better musician than Bob Dylan, despite the latter having enormous impact on music, culture and art and the former being somebody most will have to look up in wikipedia. Inspiring, talented, original DOES NOT equal better musician.
 
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v0n said:
No, your assessment of is based on what you perceive as their ability to write songs. I recognize the fact that Bjork's contribution to alternative music is much more pronounced than that of Amy Lee, and on personal level I might actually even prefer Bjork to Evanescence on any given gloomy, winter evening, but purely from technical aspect Amy Lee is better musician than Bjork, in same way as David Sylvian is better musician than Bob Dylan, despite the latter having enormous impact on music, culture and art and the former being somebody most will have to look up in wikipedia. Inspiring, talented, original DOES NOT equal better musician.
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Now we're getting into it!

I do agree with your last point, and Amy Lee probably is a better technical singer than Bjork, but I suppose my idea of a musician (in this context) refers to their ability to write songs (probably moreso) than their ability with their instrument (voice, in this case).

Bjork's strange sounding voice and her original, inventive and emotionally powerful compositions are (in my musical opinion) of better musical quality than Amy Lee's generic pop-rock music, and therefore I class her as a better musician. Not to mention bjorks long and successfull career that encapulates many different sounds, I think the span of the career and the bredth of music produced is an important factor that cannot be overlooked. Any Lee's two samey albums surely doesn't put her in the same leage as an artist such as Bjork?

Edit: Sorry for hijacking your thread Spie, but what do you care? You've just bought a Ferrari! :D
 
milkinc13 said:
how can you say that, Amy lee has one of the best voices in the whole of music, extreamly emotional vocals, especally song such as "like you" really emotional
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Oh dear. Sheltered life much? Have you heard the band live? They are quite abysmal. She can't sing live and they are about as tight as the woman who has just had 8 kids' vagina. I'm not a fan of their music, yes its an opinion and "good" is subjective. However, if they can't perform live to a decent standard (sound like they do on mp3, or as good as) then that basically sums up their quality for me.

There are MANY better female "pop" singers out there. Not just coming from bands that have been mentioned, but you could go on and name people like: Leona Lewis, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion (shudders), etc, etc. None of which I am particular fond of but I recognise the fact that they ACTUALLY have talent and can sing.

Also quite supprised no one has mentioned Sandra Nasic from the Guano Apes. Much better than Evanescene. In my humble opinion :)
 
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nero120 said:
I do agree with your last point, and Amy Lee probably is a better technical singer than Bjork, but I suppose my idea of a musician (in this context) refers to their ability to write songs (probably moreso) than their ability with their instrument (voice, in this case).

Bjork's strange sounding voice and her original, inventive and emotionally powerful compositions are (in my musical opinion) of better musical quality than Amy Lee's generic pop-rock music, and therefore I class her as a better musician. Not to mention bjorks long and successfull career that encapulates many different sounds, I think the span of the career and the bredth of music produced is an important factor that cannot be overlooked. Any Lee's two samey albums surely doesn't put her in the same leage as an artist such as Bjork?
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You are mixing too much personal taste into what is - after all - very simple task. You are closer to defining what makes good artist in your eyes than you are to simple and pure task of judging who is better musician.

I would not pick Abba over Velvet Underground in million years, but I can acknowledge in a heartbeat that ten years of Benny Andersson work proven he is heavens better musician than Lou Reed had ever opportunity or need to be in his 51 year long career.

I would rather rip my car stereo off dashboard than swap Dire Straits CD for Take That but regardless of dark abyss between both in terms of stance and contribution to music, I will not hesitate to acknowledge that Gary Barlow is better vocalist than Mark Knopfler could ever aspire to become after 44 years of singing.

I wouldn't pick Barry Manilow tickets over Nick Cave concert if my life depended on it, but when it comes down to it - you just have to have enough honesty to admit that as annoying as "Mandy" is for a supermarket toilet background music, Barry just is better instrumentalist, musician and composer.

My, yours or anyone else's personal taste just cannot change that.
 
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