Shake It Loose Cover

[singerguy1]

Hey forum users!

I'm back with another cover, it's kind of a random one-off cover that nobody really knows but it's a goodie! This one is a little bit closer to my normal style. I'm open to any and all critique/feedback I feel like especially during the verses, my voice doesn't cut like it'd like it to - would that be compression/edge training?

[KillerKu]

You've got a nice deepish baritone. I feel like it was a bit stiff during the first few words and warmed up a bit more into the song into something a bit more swinging and emotive.

Stylistically, while it might be sacrilege to suggest it on these forums , I personally feel like a very exciting direction you could take your voice might be to use and explore falsetto or more delicate tones from time to time. Not necessarily as your primary vocal mode, but potentially as punctuation and as contrast.

What I mean is your voice is very masculine and it sounds good, but it's like black is a great color and white is a great color, but the spectrum in between the two has a whole world of beauty that can be very compelling. I feel like adding just something a little more 'delicate' or 'vulnerable' or even 'feminine' could add an element of unpredictability, and sexy 'audacity' to your performances, give you a bit more 'edge' right?

Some great singers like Johnny Cash have made careers staying entirely in a relatively masculine area of voice. It can be done, but it's pretty tough. I know my lower end just doesn't have that 'Cash' factor to make it iconic enough to pull it off. I feel like you are closer, but even other singers who didn't use falsetto like Sinatra would often give very delicate readings to give 'push and pull' in the song.

Plus, you and I are white guys too. Maybe it isn't pc to say it, but to my ears black blues guys like Buddy Guy have those velvety rich, smokey, leathery timbres, right? A lot of those guys have got a little something there. In that context it's a good thing Eric Clapton can play guitar.

Now I'm not saying you can't make it work. I hear the potential for you to top Clapton, for my tastes, but keep digging deep into the blues and check out soul music. Listeners have a lot of great singers to choose from and if you found a little extra spice, some nuance that people identified with you it would help you a lot when you have to go up against those kinds of people.