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Raff 
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 29 2005
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 24429
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 Topic: James Labrie’s Voice
Posted: February 25 2006 at 03:51 |
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I voted for the third option, though I've often thought he was absolutely dreadful. His performance on "Once in a Livetime" was abysmal, but some of his studio recordings show he's got some potential. Strangely enough, I like him best when he impersonates other singers - James Hetfield on "Train of Thought", Ian Gillan in the cover of "Perfect Strangers" on "A Change of Seasons"... Not my favourite singer by any means, anyway. I tend to prefer baritones to tenors, and La Brie's style lacks originality as well.
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hamham
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 05 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 184
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 22:04 |
he never really bothered me all that much 
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Valarius
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 08 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 1480
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 20:25 |
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I think he is an amazing singer!
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AtLossForWords
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 11 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 6699
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 19:08 |
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For all of you nay-sayers. I have two words for you. COME ONNN!!!! Seriously, come on and go check out James LaBrie's solo album Elements of Persuasian. I think that is truly his best vocal performance, even better than Awake or Images and Words. He shows some more control, but also more range. I was quite suprised by the quality of the album when I bought it.
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"Mastodon sucks giant monkey balls."
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PaHa
Forum Newbie
Joined: October 28 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 22
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 17:18 |
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James LaBrie is one of the best male vocalist I ever heard.
I especially like his his voice on Octavarium (the album). He can sing with every emotion he wants. I like dramatic vocals (Arena) and LaBrie is great! It's seems there's no limit to his voice. He can reach every tone he wants to.
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MajesterX
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 30 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 513
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 16:12 |
I cannot understand why people don't like his voice. I f you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at alll. 
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bctruce
Forum Groupie
Joined: June 08 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 79
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 12:27 |
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I just can't take Labrie's voice. It hurts to listen.
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TheLamb
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 18 2005
Location: Israel
Status: Offline
Points: 416
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Posted: February 24 2006 at 12:25 |
Some people claim to "not be able to put their finger" on why Labrie's voice annoys them.
I think it might be the almost constant vibrato he uses in most of his songs... Although on Awake he sortof controls his vibrato pretty well, on most other albums he over-uses this and it's sometimes annoying. It dosen't bother me at all but I'm not crazy about it.
Also, he often adds sighs at the end of words so sometimes it sounds really wierd. For instance, if he would sing the word "Annoying", it would be "Annoyinnngah"... Or something like that... You know what I mean? Anyways, it's pretty annoying....
Despite these factors I love his voice I think he's very good on Awake, although he is ABSOLUTELY GENIUS on A Change of Seasons... The rest of the albums are not bad at all aswel.
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Sean2989
Forum Groupie
Joined: June 05 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 50
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Posted: February 20 2006 at 00:59 |
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Being a colector of Dream Theater Bootlegs and Live CDs as well as all there studio ablums, he has lost some of his punch over the years. Since his vocal surgery he has lost some of the clarity in his voice but he still has the same amazing range that he has always had...... By far some of the best live tracks come from Live at the Marquee and Live Scenes. I think that he has a great voice, as well as a very adapitable one as well, if you span his carrer with DT you can find alot of diversity between the CDs which show that he can sing and well!
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http://my.opera.com/YtseJam/homes/albums/12552/thumbs/Dream% 20Ball.jpg_thumb.jpg
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Mharo
Forum Groupie
Joined: June 04 2005
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 75
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 22:32 |
I think Labrie's voice is the main reason that I don't enjoy DT a lot. He's quite good in some songs, but usually I don't like his timbre at all (such a shame  ).
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Suritis: The Remembering.
Hopefully we should appreciate that given points in time are not so significant as the nature of what is impressed on the mind, and how it is retained and used.
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jesperz
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 12 2006
Location: Singapore
Status: Offline
Points: 233
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 22:26 |
 Fede wrote:
For me he has an AMAZING voice. All the musicians on
Dream Theater are amazing too. I think he has the best progressive
metal voice, no doubt. Albums like "Images and Words"," Awake" and
"Scenes from a Memory" shows it at his best. A lot of people don't like
his voice:
WHY?????????????
I really don't know.
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Most likely is about the timbre of his voice... =)
Z'
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<<Dark side of Z' Drummination>>
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Fede
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2006
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 216
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 22:07 |
For me he has an AMAZING voice. All the musicians on Dream Theater are amazing too. I think he has the best progressive metal voice, no doubt. Albums like "Images and Words"," Awake" and "Scenes from a Memory" shows it at his best. A lot of people don't like his voice:
WHY?????????????
I really don't know.
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CryoftheCarrots
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 29 2005
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 674
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 21:31 |
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I first heard a Dreamtheater live cd and thought great band but the vocals terrible.Too much vibrato etc.Then I was given Octavarium, what a difference.That album sold me on Dreamtheater.I think LaBrie over extends live but in the studio he shines.
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Emiaj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 30 2005
Location: Peru
Status: Offline
Points: 127
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 20:35 |
James LaBrie's voice sounds so similar to Robbie Williams'
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jesperz
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 12 2006
Location: Singapore
Status: Offline
Points: 233
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 12:35 |
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Another subjective question, oh well....
Technically, i think James LaBrie did quite a good job. He got all his
vibrato and stuff controlled well... Well, in live, DT actually played
3 hours plus rock show, maybe his parts are 1 and a half hours. But
what the heck, it is still long hours of singing... So technically he
is good, that is something i can't deny..
Timbre of his voice, well, subjective.. Some may like it, some may not.
Voice timbre actually is a very difficult thing to please all ppl. At
least he tried his best on the technique. You can actually tell he is
improving since IMages and words all the way up to octavarium.
So..... To sum up my reply, Technically he is good, but voice timbre is
a very subjective question and i didn't want to comment anything on
that. LOL.. Neutral Neutral!
Cheers!
Z'
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<<Dark side of Z' Drummination>>
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Rockin' Chair
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 15 2005
Location: Italy
Status: Offline
Points: 153
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Posted: February 19 2006 at 04:58 |
James Labrie's voice is the only thing I don't like by Dream Theater.
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AtLossForWords
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 11 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 6699
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Posted: February 18 2006 at 18:18 |
Certif1ed wrote:
AtLossForWords wrote:
Certif1ed wrote:
(...)
It's amazing what you can do with Antares 
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I saw that you posted here, and I knew exactly what you posted. Dream Theater are true perfectionists with their albums, and I support them using recording technology like Pro Tools to get the best possible result for an album. This doesn't subtract at all from their musical genius. No matter how many effects or how many remixes are done to a song, it will always sound like the human being playing or singing the song. The best result comes from when a band mixes their natrual talent and creativity with the technological enhancements of modern musical recording and mixing.
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I rather think you miss the point.
Do you know what Antares is?
http://www.antarestech.com/
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Yes, producers often use it in studios to get voices that you can't exactly make yourself.
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"Mastodon sucks giant monkey balls."
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sleeper
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 09 2005
Location: Entropia
Status: Offline
Points: 16449
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Posted: February 18 2006 at 18:14 |
s1ipp3ry wrote:
I was listening to "Images and words" yesterday and I couldn`t help but thinking that if there is one small problem with it and the problem is in the vocals, for me labries voice starts off OK but after a few tunes starts to bug me theres something in James Labrie`s tone , I can`t put my finger on , I hope what I am saying doesn`t offend anybody but I believe DT would have lifted in people impressions had they got a fantastic singer like the guy from STRIDE. Dream Theater should have aimed for mass apeal by investing time in a formula that works by using a melodic voice with excellent range somebody that sings like 70`s Kansas`s Steve Walsh or Boston`s Brad Delp.
DT sacked Charlie Dominici but atleast he sounded like Geddy Lee a bit, thats a start 
In many ways its as if DT didn`t want a singer with great vocals to overshadow their musicality but I think if the target is mass apeal vocals are the key
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They sacked Charlie because he wanted to take the band in a more comercial direction, something that the others didnt agree with.
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Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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sleeper
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 09 2005
Location: Entropia
Status: Offline
Points: 16449
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Posted: February 18 2006 at 18:12 |
I dont know what it is with this bashing of Labrie, he has very distinct vocals that people can either love or hate (personally I love them, I could never hit those high notes). As far as the studio goes, he shows the range in his vocals on every album, and I'm guessing its this amazing range that led DT to add him to the line up. On the Live In Tokyo I&W DVD he was growling and shouting a lot and his vocals sucked there and I dont think it did him any good because after I&W I dont think his vocals were as good until Scenes.. but since he has been fenominal, especially on Live At Budokan. I believe he also has an opera singing coach now witch helps to explain the constant improvement in his vocals these last few years.
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Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Guests
Forum Guest Group
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Posted: February 18 2006 at 18:07 |
I was listening to "Images and words" yesterday and I couldn`t help but thinking that if there is one small problem with it and the problem is in the vocals, for me labries voice starts off OK but after a few tunes starts to bug me theres something in James Labrie`s tone , I can`t put my finger on , I hope what I am saying doesn`t offend anybody but I believe DT would have lifted in people impressions had they got a fantastic singer like the guy from STRIDE. Dream Theater should have aimed for mass apeal by investing time in a formula that works by using a melodic voice with excellent range somebody that sings like 70`s Kansas`s Steve Walsh or Boston`s Brad Delp.
DT sacked Charlie Dominici but atleast he sounded like Geddy Lee a bit, thats a start
In many ways its as if DT didn`t want a singer with great vocals to overshadow their musicality but I think if the target is mass apeal vocals are the key
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James Labrie’s Voice
