vocal – Page 9

Thomas Dolby | Simone

Best known for his 1982 dance/funk mega-hit “She Blinded Me With Science,” Thomas Dolby has continued to make music in the decades since. He was also pivotal in the process of advancing the tech behind cell phone ring tones and is now the Homewood Professor for the Arts at John Hopkins University’s Peabody Recording Arts and Sciences program.

Dolby’s 2011 release, A Map of the Floating City, is a full slate of harmonically wide-ranging tunes which were recorded onboard his solar and wind-powered converted lifeboat studio, The Nutmeg of Consolation, at his North Sea beach house in eastern England. “Simone” unfurls the tale of a trans woman’s romance with Dolby’s usual flare for timelessness. This fan-produced video beautifully captures Dolby’s penchant for a retro (and often retro-futuristic) mood.

Starting in Bb, the tune shifts to Ab minor partway through the chorus (at 1:28). At 1:47, verse 2 is in B major. The pivots continue throughout the tune, with harmonic transitions marking each new form section.

Kate Bush | Wuthering Heights

A guest post from our Twitter follower @AndrewOrlowski:

“One of my ten year old girls has become completely besotted by Kate Bush after watching a BBC TV documentary on her, and finds her completely inspiring. As a result, I was listening to ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1978) thinking ‘this has to be my favourite key change/chord change moment in music.'” (2:14)

Bush’s unique bio is nicely summarized by AllMusic: “One of the most successful and popular solo female performers to come out of England during the second half of the 20th century, Kate Bush was also one of the most unusual, with her keening vocals and unusually literate and complex body of songs. Bush‘s music is an ambitious and idiosyncratic melange of folk rock, art rock, prog, and pop, often performed with the bold brio of a West End stage production; her lyrics are artful meditations full of drama, fantasy, danger, and a sense of wonder at the human and natural worlds.”

Quick key-of-the-moment (KotM) shifts are a hallmark of this tune, a flagship within Bush’s catalog and the first single of her career. Starting in A major (more or less!), plenty of KotMs flash by as the fast harmonic rhythm hits us relentlessly (a good example being the repeating 4-chord passage from 0:08 to 0:15, which presents a contradictory jumble harmonically). As the chorus begins at 0:47, we transition to C# major. At 1:12, we’re back to A major (ish), etc. At 2:14 – 2:39, the brief bridge could be heard as a shift to A# major — or merely a huge passing emphasis on the iii chord of F# major. Unusual harmonic progressions and ambiguity of tonality are often part of the fun when it comes to Bush’s catalog.

The Cardinals | I Dreamed a Dream

Vocal quartet The Cardinals (Ben Forster, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Celinde Schoenmaker, and Ramin Karimloo) perform “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, arranged by Nick Barstow (2019). According to Barstow’s website, “the group has a unique folk-musical theatre crossover sound, characterized by bold re-imaginings of musical theatre classics and modern pop with lush vocal harmonies.”

Starting around the 1:00 mark, this new arrangement of the Broadway classic is compelling yet harmonically relatively static, droning on the tonic of F major as the iconic melody floats above. At 2:02, the growing harmonic motion more closely resembles that of the original. From 2:24 -2:35, the arrangement piles on several pivots, landing in C major.

Voctave | Moon River

Here is another rendition of “Moon River” by Henry Mancini, originally from the Breakfast At Tiffanys soundtrack (1961). This performance by Voctave features modulations at 1:36 and 2:23.

Jacques Brel | Marieke

Singer/songwriter Jacques Brel produced music which AllMusic calls “literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that brought him a large, devoted following in France. His audience eventually extended internationally, making him a major influence on English-speaking writers and performers including Leonard Cohen and David Bowie.” After releasing many albums, often built around a contemporary chanson style, Brel produced a musical revue, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, off-Broadway at NYC’s Village Gate in 1968. The show has since enjoyed dozens of well-received revivals.

The show’s 26 story songs included a restless, ever-building waltz, “Marieke” — as much an ode to his Belgian homeland as to his beloved. Modulation at 2:23.

Lyric translation here.

Voctave | Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Voctave has released a new album entitled Somewhere There’s Music featuring this arrangement “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” the track below. Modulation at 1:47, but do yourself the favor of listening to the whole thing.

Jacob Collier | Moon River

Jacob Collier‘s newest release is an arrangement of “Moon River,” written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer in 1960 — it will blow your mind. Starting in Bb, it modulates to Db at 3:48, then to D at 4:34. After a long, winding transition, we end up in Eb at 5:55, and go in many different directions from there before ultimately landing on a…C major chord. 🤯 There is no one like this guy, and this might be his most epic masterpiece yet.

UPDATE | April 12, 2020:

This update isn’t strictly a modulation, but in this 90-minute video Collier breaks down, in granular detail, how he put together the arrangement. It is staggering, and includes a fascinating discussion of harmony.

Scott Alan (feat. Shoshana Bean) | Home

Continuing with Scott Alan‘s music, this is Shoshana Bean (currently starring in Waitress on Broadway) singing “Home” (2008) with an epic key change at 5:42.

There’s a lot of banter at the start of this live video; skip to 2:15 if you want to go straight to the music.

Laura Nyro | Sweet Sky

Regular MotD scout JB contributes “Sweet Sky” by singer / songwriter Laura Nyro (1978):

“Usually there’s some kind of foreshadowing or build-up before a modulation, with the key change acting as a kind of catharsis or accelerant. But the key change at 2:15 in this song is like falling through an unexpected trap door.”

Jacob Collier | Hallelujah

Returning to Jacob Collier today, this is hands down the most beautiful rendition of “Hallelujah” (2018) I have ever heard. The voicings, the reharm, the rhythmic profile, and, yes, a modulation from C major to B major. I’m not going to tell you where it is because you have to listen to the whole thing, and you can see it in the music from this video. Enjoy!