Friday, May 31, 2013

Demi Lovato Vs. Ariana Grande

These two teen stars have not only been slaying the charts recently, they have been causing a stir in the world of vocals. Essentially, its Teen Kelly Clarkson Vs. Teen Mariah Carey. But which one comes out on top? Take a look.

Chart Success
This isn't very fair considering that Demi's chart career has been around 5x longer than Ariana's, but it is still worth a glance. If you compare Ariana's The Way to Demi's Heart attack, it is a pretty close race. Way debuted at No.10 on the Hot 100 with 219,000 copies sold, while Attack came in with very similar figures, No.12 with 215,000 (it eventually made its way to an equal No.10 peak). On airplay, Heart Attack has made it to No.7 on Radio Songs, while Way has made it to No.13. You can expect both stars to have double platinum records on their mantles by the end of the year.

However, if you compare both of their first singles to each other, it is still a close match. Demi's first single, This Is Me from the movie Camp Rock, sailed in at No.11 with sales in the neighborhood of 160,000 before moving up to No.9 the following week. So it seems that no matter how you look at it, Ariana is off to a stronger start to her career than Demi, and is comparable to the veteran in todays market.

Vocals
These two big voiced sopranos have been starting wars in the YouTube comment sections since day one. Here on criticofmusic.com, Demi is given vocal grade A, while Ariana scores a superior Star rating; however, this does not mean that the two aren't comparable. Lets take a look:

  1. Belts: Winner - Demi
  • Demi's powerful voice is what she's known for, Ariana on the other hand, can have belts interpreted as shouts, or the belts can lack resonance.
  • Range: Winner - Ariana
    • This is simply fact. Ariana has 4 octaves under her belt (thanks to her explosive whistle register), while Demi has 3.
  • Melismatic Control: Winner - Ariana
    • Demi's runs can come off as sloppy, while Ariana's are very precise and clean. However, both are criminals in the sense that they tend to overuse the technique in live settings.
  • Emotions: Winner - Demi
    • Demi's troubling past lets her connect to music (especially balladry) better than Ariana's peppy Broadway vocals. Demi's voice can go from quivering to forceful in a minute, while Ariana lacks the vengeance that Demi can muster.
    Copycats?
    While their vocals receive universal acclaim, both have had trouble finding their own niche in the Pop world. Demi is starting to find her groove, though she comes off as Kelly Clarkson's younger sister, and Ariana is a straight Mimi copycat. They've both admitted to have heavy influences from both, but is the influence from each Diva a little too much?

    Head To Head
    The final step in deciding a superior, put them head to head. Ariana covered Demi's original 'You're My Only Shorty," and their are plenty of combat video between them. take a listen below.

    Combat Video:
    You're My Only Shorty:
     
     
    Overall, I think Ariana wins. Better control, range, and her fans have her poised to become a massive industry force. Which one comes out on top for you? Comment below and let your voice be heard!











    Friday, May 31, 2013

    Vocal Range and Profile: Adele



    Vocal Range: C3 - E5 - C6 (D6)
    Voice Type: Dark Mezzo-Soprano (3 octaves)
    Vocal Rating: C+
    Recommended Listenings: Hometown Glory, I Can't Make You Love Me, Someone Like You, Rolling In The Deep

    Positives: Adele is known for two things: Power, and Emotion. Though her belts don't stretch incredibly high range wise, they tower over most competitors in terms of sheer force (see Rolling In The Deep). Her emotions conversely, are just as moving. She plays scornful ex-girlfriend, wallowing-in-heartbreak ex-lover, and sweet-wife with gut wrenching ability. 

    Her lower register is weighty and full, (see Hometown Glory). The mid-range and belting register loses weight as it ascends, meaning that lower belts are more powerful than upper ones. Though not often used, Her falsetto is airy and used with great expression (Someone Like You), while the head voice is fuller, though not quite operatic. Excellent, natural vibrato.

    Negatives: Adele uses improper, damaging technique to achieve the resonance of her upper belts. She also opts not to use her falsetto/head voice very often live, though this could be an artistic decision. 
    C3- E5 - F#5

    (Bb2)C3 - Eb5 - C6




    Wednesday, May 29, 2013

    Track By Track Review: Kelly Clarkson - Greatest Hits: Chapter One

    What better way to review an artists entire career by reviewing their Greatest Hits album? Kelly's album hasn't and probably won't experience the longevity of Pink's similar platinum selling set. This album debuted at No.11 on Billboard with 75,000 sold, and has sold 415,000 copies so far. Expect a Gold record by the end of the year.

    Since U Been Gone: Everything about this song is genius, down to the key signature. The crashing guitars and drums make this baby universal, rockers may head bang with no guilt, while pop fanatics can blast their windows to pieces playing this at maximum volume on their speakers. No matter how bad-ass you think you are, I guarantee, when Kelly screams "SINCE U BEEN GONE," you will too. A++

    My Life Would Suck Without You: Following up an earth shaker like Since U Been Gone with another like 'Life' was a big mistake. Someone is going to whiplash. Already a crazy amount of energy has been thrown into the album. Well, this gem is pretty much perfect as well, except for the vocal-less bridge. C'mon, no Kelly power notes? A+

    Miss Independent: Oh god. Another head banger, kind of. Miss Independent is a mixed bag, it has a lot of potential, if only Kelly would've ripped this song apart with her chords, without it, it feels kind of hollow. It's only a guitar riff and Christina, I mean Kelly, and the tempo is killing things too. But that chorus... B

    Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You): So RCA has already pumped out Kelly's 3 biggest songs into the first 4 tracks. Why? Anyways, Stronger is like Gone, you have to sing-along to the chorus, its almost like brain washing (even if the lyrics are pretty bland). Petition for Stronger to become the new national anthem? No? A+

    Behind These Hazel Eyes: Hot damn. It's such a shame this masterpiece was overshadowed by its predecessor, because Hazel Eyes is every bit as good. Great lyrics, great chorus, EXCEPTIONAL vocals, you can't say anything bad about it. You just can't. A++

    Because of You: Some people have criticized the lyrics for sounding too childish, but that's the beauty of them. It makes them more raw, and it makes Kelly's past heart break more palpable. It's a powerful piece of work. A+

    Never Again: Again, the track listing is a bit iffy. Probably the most forgotten song of Kelly's career. It's a shame, cause this song is pretty bad-ass. She's angry, and though she may not break your bones, her words hurt. "If she really knows the truth / she deserves you." Get an ice pack before that burn leaves a scar. A

    Already Gone: The eternal question lives on, "Halo or Already Gone?" Already Gone wins for sure. Better lyrics, better delivery, it's a much more powerful piece than Halo. Kelly Clarkson, the master of the ballad. A++

    Mr. Know It All: It's not bad, but it's not great. On an album like this, Know It All sinks behind the scenes of all the other stand outs. But it can still get stuck in your head like I don't even know what. B-

    Breakaway: The song that saved Kelly's career. Simply put, it's simply beautiful. Nothing about it is over the top, her vocals are fairly restrained, the lyrics aren't complex, yet it comes off as mysteriously beautiful. A+

    Don't You Wanna Stay (Feat. Kelly Clarkson): Kelly's first blatant Country song. The lyrics are far from original, but Kelly's voice blows the roof off this Aldean track. B+

    Walk Away: Sassy, sassy, sassy. Another instant sing-along. A-

    Catch My Breath: Shouldn't this have been the last track on the album? It would've closed everything beautifully, since this song is essentially a summary of the album. Anyways, it's amazing in the way that it starts off with very little, before stealthily morphing into a stunning power ballad. A+

    People Like Us: Hardly original, think Born This Way, but designed more towards destroying the dance-floor. The lyrics are better than the horrifyingly mainstream production, and Kelly's subdued vocal performance. But somehow, it still manages to be charming. A-

    Don't Rush (Feat. Vince Gill): Kelly's been declawed! She's not screaming with vengeance or belting the song to death, which makes it pretty boring. And is Vince Gill really a featured artitst, or is he just a background singer? C-

    A Moment Like This: This also could have served as the final track. Not necessarily powerful per say, but it still might leave you with a baby tear (though not a full out wreck like Because of You). It can easily be written off as cliché, but Kelly's honest delivery makes it more believable. B

    I'll Be Home For Christmas: Yet again, the track listing is ridiculous for 2 reasons, 1) by putting this song at the end, it feels like a bonus track rather than anything else, 2) this was hardly a hit was it? How did this make the track list but not a superior hit like I Do Not Hook Up? As for the song itself, dont expect it to replace the original any time soon. D+

    Bonus Track - Miss Independent (Live): Daaannnngggg. This could easily replace the original, that funky tempo is scrapped, and Kelly belts the thing to death. Christina may have wrote it, but Kelly can SANG it.

    My only real complaint is that the track listing is pretty abysmal. They chose the right tracks (with the exception of 'Christmas'), but they put all the crowd pleasers at the front, which means that there is very little to look forward too at the end. And it also doesn't provide a smooth transition in any sense, Because of You goes to Never Again? My Life goes to Miss Independent? But it is all bearable, because Kelly is just that damn good.

    (It is really hard to grade this album, since it is so diverse, but I'll try to break it down)
    Vocals: A++++++++++++++++++
    Lyrics: B
    Instrumentation: N/A
    Overall: A-

    Monday, May 27, 2013

    Vocal Range and Profile: Lea Michele



    Vocal Range: Eb3 - A5 - D6
    Vocal Type: Lyric Soprano (2 octaves, 7 notes and a semi-tone)
    Vocal Rating: B+

    Positives:  Mixed belts are where she shines, the sounds are produced with great resonance and support. She has the stamina and technique to keep these belts going for extended lengths, such as a concert, without fatigue.

    Her tone is clear and cutting, it can slice through even the thickest instrumentation  with ease, and without being forced (See Halo/Walking In The Sunshine). Her diction is very accurate.

    Negatives: All of her performances have a theatrical feel to them, though this could be because she has only sang Musical Theatre stylings and has yet to venture out of them (AKA Glee and Broadway). Her belts are achieved without vibrato and are overly piercing and more recently lack stamina.

    Monday, May 27, 2013

    Vocal Range and Profile: Michael Jackson



    Vocal Range: Eb2 - Bb5 - F#6
    Vocal Type: Lyric Tenor (4 octaves, 1 note, and a semi-tone)
    Vocal Rating: Star

    Positives: What made Michael Jackson stand out as a vocalist was his distinct voice. His vocal "hiccups" (somewhat like gulping for air or gasping) and breathless stutters were legendary. His grunts were achieved with good technique, and added to an already impressive vocal delivery. His vocals could be fierce and demanding (Smooth Criminal), or mellow and heartbroken (Earth Song).

    He had the ability to sing both staccato (Smooth Criminal) and legato rhythms in perfect timing. His vocal runs were never overkill and were rapidly fluid. He had the ability to hold notes for extended periods without heavy fluctuation in pitch.

    His lows were the darkest part of his range, being heavy and ever-so-slightly smokey. His mid-range gained brightness as it ascended, and his belting range had almost a chameleon edge to it, it could adopt different timbres and tones. It could come with a rock edge, a softer, mellow tone, or a light or heavy timbre.. This allowed for vocal versatility and transitions through different genres.

    Contrary to popular belief, he did NOT solely rely on his falsetto register. Of course MJ used it frequently, but it was not an indication of his inability to sing in full voice. In fact, if you listen to the "Butterflies" acapella, you can hear that all the high notes are sung in full voice and not falsetto.

    Negatives: Voice lacked power and was naturally androgynous. Sounds child-like on many recordings instead of like a full-grown man well into middle age. Often sacrificed diction for feeling.

    Note: There is a lot of flack on the Internet about his range and the counting of exclamations above C6. I'm counting the exclamations in his range because 1) they're not strained 2) They're not unintentional 3) They're clean. And for the Eb2, he has sung down to an F#2 in a 1994 vocal warm-up and the Eb2 is years later in 2001. I don't have a problem putting it in his range, since in 7 years he could have expanded his range. Either way, he still has a 4 octave range. Finally, I scrapped this profile together by combining info from DivaDevotee, BarkBiteBlog and my own notes.