I totally get you with that. When I'm indifferent to everything, pop radio will be my fix, but certain songs will get me pulled back into the music I really love, which tends to be depressing.
One thing I've noticed; on pop radio, Rihanna's vocal tone is similar to Regina Spektor's. People can, ostensibly, sing a pitch perfect version of "Diamonds," but I've never heard anyone else capture that weird minor chord she hits on vocally. The, "Shine briiiiight..." bit. Listen to her, then listen to covers; it's really nuanced, ultimately, but bears mentioning.
Like:
and a very highly rated cover:
The covers always sound brighter, because possibly they build to the note different. I swear Rihanna starts with the minor chord, and merges it into the note the music suggests. It is partly her vocal tone, and partly her building into the way she builds.
This girl actually gets closer to the tone I'm referencing than the vast majority of covers. But she's still not quite captured the essence there. There's some over-singing going on, but she tries to stay true to the vocal melody, while falling short. There's definitely a minor tone in Rihanna's delivery that permeates throughout.
It's as nuanced as Rihanna can be, but it's there, and the covers can't capture it.
I think it's that way with most songs and covers, and that is subjective to the nth degree; people hear different things in that respect. For example; a cover I prefer to the original that a lot of people have been wont to **** upon:
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Ingrid Michaelson (Army of Three) - Somebody That I Used To Know
I prefer Ingrid's cover, even though she doesn't have the exceptional octave jump. I actually find hers more emotive.
Subjective. Fo sho.
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