April 28, 200916 yr Author :o Another good song from her, but this time it's one I can actually listen to without that shrill voice she usually adopts attacking my ears. It's simple but totally catchy, it just annoys me that her other songs couldn't be sung properly. I mean, phrases like 'faux-quirky' are thrown about a lot but not really in the direction of La Roux. Elly practically defines the term. Her whole image and voice on the first two singles seem like a big act to be 'cool'. I can see why she did it, she wouldn't have got very far with her real voice and look (I haven't been following her, but I'm thinking of that photo with her mum) so she had to adopt the odd voice and sullen tomboy look to get somewhere. I can appreciate that her songs are good, but I wish they were performed in the style of "Bulletproof" more often than not because I can't stand her other voice. :( It seems weird really, I wouldn't have expected something so different to have made the album. They do sound like two different artists and I wouldn't necessarily expect fans of one vocal style to be fans of the other. (fans of IFTK might find this too plain and people who like this might recoil when they hear her other songs) I'd expect this to go to #1 though as it seems to have appeal to fans and non-fans so far. But lots of people evidently love the way she sounds? Furthermore she comes from an entirely different scene of music, her image is pretty much hers I think, it reflects her musical background and interests. It's also projects a lot of pathos, she sounds URGENT and most of all GENUINE when she sings 'In for the Kill' (the middle 8 esp). From what you seem to be saying you believe she should adopt a more standard image and standardise her vocals which essentially would make her like every other artist out there? Personally what I find so refreshing about her is how she pushes away from what we accept as "normal" in pop. She's sullen, she's confrontational and she's unusual. Why rid of her of the quirkiness, we'd have a pop landscape filled with Little Boots if we took that attitude to everyone who doesn't 'fit'. It also baffles me as to why you think she's somehow 'fake', singing rather shrilly because it wasn't going well before? Erm? Her voice is very folky and shrillness compliments that, it's when they decided to add electroness to the mix that the backing changed but the vocals didn't. Also the album isn't her repeating one trick either. If you choose to download it when it leaks you'll find a whole heap of styles and different techniques used. It's a real proper mix.
April 28, 200916 yr But lots of people evidently love the way she sounds? Furthermore she comes from an entirely different scene of music, her image is pretty much hers I think, it reflects her musical background and interests. It's also projects a lot of pathos, she sounds URGENT and most of all GENUINE when she sings 'In for the Kill' (the middle 8 esp). From what you seem to be saying you believe she should adopt a more standard image and standardise her vocals which essentially would make her like every other artist out there? Personally what I find so refreshing about her is how she pushes away from what we accept as "normal" in pop. She's sullen, she's confrontational and she's unusual. Why rid of her of the quirkiness, we'd have a pop landscape filled with Little Boots if we took that attitude to everyone who doesn't 'fit'. It also baffles me as to why you think she's somehow 'fake', singing rather shrilly because it wasn't going well before? Erm? Her voice is very folky and shrillness compliments that, it's when they decided to add electroness to the mix that the backing changed but the vocals didn't. Also the album isn't her repeating one trick either. If you choose to download it when it leaks you'll find a whole heap of styles and different techniques used. It's a real proper mix. Completely agree. ;) I can't really see why her singing is fake.
April 28, 200916 yr I don't like 'In For The Kill' at all but I do like 'Bulletproof'. I much prefer her vocals on 'Bulletproof' as imo it sounds like her voice isn't very strong on 'In For The Kill.'
April 28, 200916 yr But lots of people evidently love the way she sounds? Furthermore she comes from an entirely different scene of music, her image is pretty much hers I think, it reflects her musical background and interests. It's also projects a lot of pathos, she sounds URGENT and most of all GENUINE when she sings 'In for the Kill' (the middle 8 esp). From what you seem to be saying you believe she should adopt a more standard image and standardise her vocals which essentially would make her like every other artist out there? Personally what I find so refreshing about her is how she pushes away from what we accept as "normal" in pop. She's sullen, she's confrontational and she's unusual. Why rid of her of the quirkiness, we'd have a pop landscape filled with Little Boots if we took that attitude to everyone who doesn't 'fit'. It also baffles me as to why you think she's somehow 'fake', singing rather shrilly because it wasn't going well before? Erm? Her voice is very folky and shrillness compliments that, it's when they decided to add electroness to the mix that the backing changed but the vocals didn't. Also the album isn't her repeating one trick either. If you choose to download it when it leaks you'll find a whole heap of styles and different techniques used. It's a real proper mix. Of course they do, it just not real to me. I just obviously don't get her as, apart from the middle 8, the sounds un-natural on all of "In For The Kill". Perhaps if the vocals were pleasant I could see all of this. (though I see where you're coming from with 'urgent' - it's definitely attention grabbing) I suppose I'm sort of saying that. What I'm saying is that she shows what her normal voice is on "Bulletproof" and now this quirky stuff just seems more put on than before. I suppose putting on a different voice for singing is nothing new though. I wasn't saying she sings like this because it wasn't going well before, just that her voice on this song wouldn't have got her very far (as pleasant as it is) because it's not particularly different. So this different voice has helped her stand out and get attention, it's just unfortunate that it's not nice to listen to for me. I don't know how anyone who has heard "Bulletproof" can say she doesn't sound like she's putting on a shrill voice on things like "In For The Kill". It doesn't sound real. That's just a comment about the voice, nothing to do with how she comes across with putting the lyrics across in her songs. A bit like how people would criticise say...Diana Vickers by saying she's putting on this nasally voice to sound different and it comes across a bit fake. I might just download her album when it comes out. I've enjoyed the first two songs, but found it hard to get past the voice. But "Bulletproof" is really, really good and that song Popjustice posted..."Close My Eyes" (?) sounded listenable. Perhaps, in time, I'll get used to the voice as she sounds quite promising otherwise.
April 28, 200916 yr I actually like this! :o Much better than the rather dire 'In For The Kill'. Her voice is much better on it too!
April 28, 200916 yr Author Of course they do, it just not real to me. I just obviously don't get her as, apart from the middle 8, the sounds un-natural on all of "In For The Kill". Perhaps if the vocals were pleasant I could see all of this. (though I see where you're coming from with 'urgent' - it's definitely attention grabbing) I suppose I'm sort of saying that. What I'm saying is that she shows what her normal voice is on "Bulletproof" and now this quirky stuff just seems more put on than before. I suppose putting on a different voice for singing is nothing new though. I wasn't saying she sings like this because it wasn't going well before, just that her voice on this song wouldn't have got her very far (as pleasant as it is) because it's not particularly different. So this different voice has helped her stand out and get attention, it's just unfortunate that it's not nice to listen to for me. I don't know how anyone who has heard "Bulletproof" can say she doesn't sound like she's putting on a shrill voice on things like "In For The Kill". It doesn't sound real. That's just a comment about the voice, nothing to do with how she comes across with putting the lyrics across in her songs. A bit like how people would criticise say...Diana Vickers by saying she's putting on this nasally voice to sound different and it comes across a bit fake. I might just download her album when it comes out. I've enjoyed the first two songs, but found it hard to get past the voice. But "Bulletproof" is really, really good and that song Popjustice posted..."Close My Eyes" (?) sounded listenable. Perhaps, in time, I'll get used to the voice as she sounds quite promising otherwise. But what I don't understand is your logic. What's to say that the style of vocal delivery on "Bulletproof" isn't her 'normal voice' and instead put on. You seem to be forming the argument that because the more standard, generic delivery on "Bulletproof" appeals to you more that the more quirky and personally unpleasent delivery on "In for the Kill" must somehow be fake because you don't like it? Your choice of language perplexes me too, "putting it on" etc. You seem to be making a tonne of assumptions to form an argument without any genuine factual basis to them. I suggest you step outside the box and listen to some more typically unorthodox vocalists such as Karin Drejer-Andersson, Björk and Joanna Newsom to gain a sense a less introspective attitude to vocal delivery.
April 28, 200916 yr Hated Quicksand. Really liked In For The Kill, and I really like this also. It's catchy and punchy. Although i'm not quite sure it'll be as big as In For The Kill. I don't think that sng could have come off any better for her personally... although the Ravey remix helped the song gain popularity a LOT once some mainstream DJs started playing it. The style of vocals are vv differerent though, and I am not sure whether this will prove to be good or bad for her, as they really do sound like two completely different people...
April 28, 200916 yr This is an improvement on IFTK, but then that's not saying much. As long as she doesnt shriek her songs are ok.
April 28, 200916 yr But what I don't understand is your logic. What's to say that the style of vocal delivery on "Bulletproof" isn't her 'normal voice' and instead put on. You seem to be forming the argument that because the more standard, generic delivery on "Bulletproof" appeals to you more that the more quirky and personally unpleasent delivery on "In for the Kill" must somehow be fake because you don't like it? Your choice of language perplexes me too, "putting it on" etc. You seem to be making a tonne of assumptions to form an argument without any genuine factual basis to them. I suggest you step outside the box and listen to some more typically unorthodox vocalists such as Karin Drejer-Andersson, Björk and Joanna Newsom to gain a sense a less introspective attitude to vocal delivery. Not at all, it's just glaringly obvious that the "Bulletproof" vocals are her natural vocals. Why would you have that as your normal voice and think 'hey, why don't I shake things up on this next track and try to make my voice sound more generic?' it just doesn't make sense. I know no one actually has any proof over what her normal singing voice sounds like but if you have a plain voice, you're far more likely to try dressing it up as something else than having a naturally distinct voice and trying to make it sound more bog-standard. As for your suggestions, I've definitely listened to bits and pieces from all three actually. The shorter tracks from Joanna's debut, a random slection of Björk songs I was sent and I've heard Karin on "What Else Is There" and "Heartbeats". I can't say I'm bowled over by any of them but I find them nice enough to listen to. None of them are quite as weird, vocally, as La Roux from the limited material I've heard.
April 29, 200916 yr I don't think it will be number one but they definately have another big hit on their hands. TBH I've only recently grown to like 'In For The Kill' after listening to it a lot, whereas my love for 'Bulletproof' came on first listen. It sounds very much like a lot of the typical female electro-pop artist's material but still manages to forge its own identity. I don't think I can tolerate too much of the banshee wailing so I'm pleased to read their album is gonna be a mix of the two.
May 6, 200916 yr GOD I LOFF THIS WOMAN. In any case, the voice is quite gasmic REGARDLESS of whether it's being 'put on' or not. I have to agree that, especially on Quicksand (:wub::wub:) it really does help convey a...desperation (?) of sorts that really helps it stand out. It's quite fair to say that Little Boots doing Quicksand and IFTK would be nowhere near as good...but I'd frankly love to hear La Roux give New In Town or Earthquake a go tbh :wub: In case I get leapt on, I do actually want Little Boots' AND La Roux' babies, so that's not to disparage my dahling Victoria :smoke:
May 7, 200916 yr Watch the video here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/ne...000/8038450.stm It's nice but her face looks weird.
May 7, 200916 yr Watch the video here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/ne...000/8038450.stm It's nice but her face looks weird. Apart from her having a 'just trod in dog $h!t' face for three and a half minutes, the video is quite good. I like all the imagery, nice colours, shapes and stuffff. ^_^ She comes across well in the interview as well, I think.
May 7, 200916 yr The whole 'walking' theme reminds me a bit of Robyn's 'With Every Heartbeat'. I agree that her face looks a bit odd, but in general I quite like the video. :wub:
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