I have to agree with the others - Hugh really does not have the 'right' voice for these songs. His singing voice has 'issues' anyway, but in a way, that almost makes me enjoy it more. Because....this man is so insanely talented in so many ways, large and small, from his acting and writing and musicianship right down to athletics and juggling or magic tricks. His voice is one thing that is *not* crazy-talented - just average - but because of that, it engenders a warm affection in me.
I also love it on these songs for another reason. When he sings them....he sounds like my dad used to. My dad loved jazz/blues/big band music, and I think he had a 'secret musician' inside him as well. He loved to sing, but when people were listening, he'd use this slightly 'affected' sound...I think in an attempt to get a 'bigger' sound, or one with more resonance, like he thought some of the professional singers of the day sounded. It was 'performance', not relaxed.
I can hear that same phenomenon when Hugh sings. Because he's putting on a bit of an American accent with them, it's not fully 'natural'. It's an 'act', no matter how open he is trying to be with it. Also, the accent he uses gives a particular sound to some specific vowels....and somehow, that makes his voice sound *exactly* like my dad. (Hugh doesn't normally sound like my father in either his native accent, or his House accent. It's *only* when he's singing these songs.)
So I will always hold great affection for these albums, and their unique sound, and the person behind them....even if I can agree that they are not the best representation of the genre for many reasons.
Warm affection may be the right term.Or "Darling" as you qualified the las pic we saw. The fact that he is aware of the imperfections and wrote a perfectly brilliant self deprecating intro to Let ThemTalk last year adds to the love.
I also love it on these songs for another reason. When he sings them....he sounds like my dad used to. My dad loved jazz/blues/big band music, and I think he had a 'secret musician' inside him as well. He loved to sing, but when people were listening, he'd use this slightly 'affected' sound...I think in an attempt to get a 'bigger' sound, or one with more resonance, like he thought some of the professional singers of the day sounded. It was 'performance', not relaxed.
I can hear that same phenomenon when Hugh sings. Because he's putting on a bit of an American accent with them, it's not fully 'natural'. It's an 'act', no matter how open he is trying to be with it. Also, the accent he uses gives a particular sound to some specific vowels....and somehow, that makes his voice sound *exactly* like my dad. (Hugh doesn't normally sound like my father in either his native accent, or his House accent. It's *only* when he's singing these songs.)
So I will always hold great affection for these albums, and their unique sound, and the person behind them....even if I can agree that they are not the best representation of the genre for many reasons.
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