Soul vs Technique

[datura800.livejournal.com]

I hope he won't mind me quoting him, but I read an interesting assertion in Alex's review of the new Mariah album (today's Guardian):

"Carey's voice has been mocked, bizarrely, as being a triumph of technique over soul - an argument that fails to comprehend that technique and soul are intertwined, that technique primarily exists as a means to convey emotion".

I thought this would be a good discussion to have here - it's a point I quite strongly disagree with (generally, not specifically with relation to Mariah), but I'll wait to see if anyone is interested in commenting before launching into it.

Comments

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Technical virtuosity has never seemed generous to me! For me any music at all is more than I can currently do, but vocals are magic anyway, more indeed god's gift than the result of study*. Which reminds me of a friend pointing out that the problem with a lot of mid-level bands is that the vocalist will not consider putting the same amount of training into what he does than the guitarist has already poured into his craft before he even joined the band.

* Also of course Americans seem to be more comfortable saying "I would like to thank god for my fantastic voice/immense wealth/10-inch penis" than the British.

Short short version "'s just showing off, innit?"