I agree with GoldenRhino. His voice is hardly beautiful on a technical level. However, I think the enjoyment we get out of his voice comes from his ability to write melodies that he can deal with. As many covers as I've heard, only his voice is able to make an impact on me, regardless the song.

[quote="Raid"]Hello IM. First of all, Happy 916! I have some question for all of our friends here.

Why do you listen to the pillows? [/quote]

Because

[quote="Brye916"][quote="Raid"]Hello IM. First of all, Happy 916! I have some question for all of our friends here.

Why do you listen to the pillows? [/quote]

Because[/quote]

I agree with Rhino on this one.
But for me, Sawao's voice is soothing and I could listen to it anyday *no homo* xD

As for the band itself, the music, the melodies, the energy they bring when they play live, it's out of this world.

[quote="GoldenRhino"]but beautiful? That's really stretching it.[/quote]

Wasn't there some phrase about the eye of the beholder?

When it comes to singing popular music (rock or pop or whatever), I think singers should be beheld not for the songs they sings, but for the the songs that they write that they sing. That's why it's hard for me to get into at lot of music these days. I enjoy songs that are performed by their composer. Sawao writes really great stuff.

And yeah... his voice. Beautiful... , no. I don't think his voice is beautiful, but I'm glad it isn't. For me, Sawao's voice works for the pillows because of its sound. It's not all perfect and shit, but it's real. When he struggles to hit notes and shit, there's still the emotion in his voice that go with the song and lyrics, and in that lyric imperfection, I find a new kind of perfection... something that feels just right. I can find something that feels somewhat like beautiful in a majority of his songs when they are performed. I think the imperfection in his voice... the fact that Sawao has been able to succeed despite his "vocal limitations", makes him and his band all the more interesting.

And of course, there's always this, to remind us that Sawao once had a pretty "beautiful" live voice:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuQ3BkhYIO8[/url]

EDIT: Anyone notice that the older lives (like, pre-1997) sound a lot more similar to their studio counterparts in terms of lyrical quality? Especially from what I've seen on Walkin' ON the Spiral.

[quote="Tidusauron12"]And of course, there's always this, to remind us that Sawao once had a pretty "beautiful" live voice:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuQ3BkhYIO8[/url][/quote]
...Actually, this is dubbed.

^Wut?

...Seriously, I didn't know WBHZ was dubbed. My DVD just lost a lot of value.

[quote="Tidusauron12"]...Seriously, I didn't know WBHZ was dubbed. My life just lost a lot of value. [/quote]

Why the hell do you think it's dubbed? Sounds live as hell to me.

this one should have been used 6 months and 8 days ago

[quote="Tidusauron12"]When it comes to singing popular music (rock or pop or whatever), I think singers should be beheld not for the songs they sings, but for the the songs that they write that they sing. That's why it's hard for me to get into at lot of music these days. I enjoy songs that are performed by their composer. Sawao writes really great stuff.

And yeah... his voice. Beautiful... , no. I don't think his voice is beautiful, but I'm glad it isn't. For me, Sawao's voice works for the pillows because of its sound. It's not all perfect and shit, but it's real. When he struggles to hit notes and shit, there's still the emotion in his voice that go with the song and lyrics, and in that lyric imperfection, I find a new kind of perfection... something that feels just right. I can find something that feels somewhat like beautiful in a majority of his songs when they are performed. I think the imperfection in his voice... the fact that Sawao has been able to succeed despite his "vocal limitations", makes him and his band all the more interesting.

And of course, there's always this, to remind us that Sawao once had a pretty "beautiful" live voice:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuQ3BkhYIO8[/url]

EDIT: Anyone notice that the older lives (like, pre-1997) sound a lot more similar to their studio counterparts in terms of lyrical quality? Especially from what I've seen on Walkin' ON the Spiral.[/quote]

Tidusauron hit that shit right on the nail

[quote="Brye916"][quote="Tidusauron12"]When it comes to singing popular music (rock or pop or whatever), I think singers should be beheld not for the songs they sings, but for the the songs that they write that they sing. That's why it's hard for me to get into at lot of music these days. I enjoy songs that are performed by their composer. Sawao writes really great stuff.

And yeah... his voice. Beautiful... , no. I don't think his voice is beautiful, but I'm glad it isn't. For me, Sawao's voice works for the pillows because of its sound. It's not all perfect and shit, but it's real. When he struggles to hit notes and shit, there's still the emotion in his voice that go with the song and lyrics, and in that lyric imperfection, I find a new kind of perfection... something that feels just right. I can find something that feels somewhat like beautiful in a majority of his songs when they are performed. I think the imperfection in his voice... the fact that Sawao has been able to succeed despite his "vocal limitations", makes him and his band all the more interesting.

And of course, there's always this, to remind us that Sawao once had a pretty "beautiful" live voice:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuQ3BkhYIO8[/url]

EDIT: Anyone notice that the older lives (like, pre-1997) sound a lot more similar to their studio counterparts in terms of lyrical quality? Especially from what I've seen on Walkin' ON the Spiral.[/quote]

Tidusauron hit that shit right on the nail[/quote]
Seconded/Immortalized.

I think my favorite song for just Sawao's vocals is Sayounara Daisan Wakusei.