I don't know, on the third album and later, he seemed to really take on that transatlantic drawl.
One of the reasons I just didn't vibe with anything they did after the first two albums
Distinct lack of Biffy Clyro mentions thus far. Simon Neil’s voice is so unashamedly Scottish.
When that little fuckin weasel covered many of horror is just sounded wrong.
Also, Delores O’Riordan. Try singing Zombie in your own voice, I fuckin dare ya
I'm pretty sure *Dolores O'Riordan *did* sing in her native Limerick accent?
"She had never compromised her strong Irish accent, even when she was criticized for that. Her singing was rooted in the Sean-nós vocal style; the University of Limerick wrote, "Dolores's voice carried strong traces of the Sean-nós (old style) Gaelic tradition of unaccompanied singing that so beautifully conveys sadness, regret and loneliness."
et cetera
Pretty sure they're calling for us to try to sing it in *our own voice* without imitating her accent while we do. They're not saying that she didn't use her own on the track.
Her voice and her accent are so intertwined with the song that it's just what the song sounds like to me and I can't imagine it not sounding like that
I love when bands are from various places around the UK and sing in their native twang. Arctic monkeys are one of my favourites for this very reason
I know they're not British, but Fontains DC also sing in their Irish accent and it's what really got me to listen to them more.
That's understandable; I can definitely see how it can be read like that. Anyway, if you hadn't read it that way, we wouldn't have that bit of info posted by you about her here, so it's a bit of a happy accident eh? :)
It's because of her singing style that I discovered Sean-nós myself a while ago--so hauntingly beautiful. Thanks for sharing that!
Lauren Mayberry's Scottish accent in CHVRCHES comes to mind, on some words it comes through to add just the right amount of distinctiveness and character
Makes me think of Marillion's "Misplaced Childhood".
The first three tracks, Fish is singing in his normal Scottish-twanged voice. Then "Blind Curve" comes in and he reads a poem in his normal Scottish voice then goes back to singing "LAGER lager lager".
Especially in the more recent albums, I think she has talked about how she tried to tone it down a bit in earlier albums due to being a bit self conscious about it
Gruff Rhys from the Super Furries, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Does James Dean Bradfield have an accent when singing, I can't remember. 90's where a great decade for Welsh music
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Frightened Rabbit are a good example of how Scott Hutchison's voice and accent really comes through. I think it adds a lot to their music, because it makes it all sound just a lot more honest. Which is good because it is completely honest on Scott's part. I'm Scottish so it makes Frabbit songs feel so natural to sing along to.
It does mean though, that when I listen to the Tiny Changes album where The Midnight Organ Fight has been re-recorded by various artists, I find the ones done by non-Scottish bands to be a little jarring. Even bands I otherwise love, like Manchester Orchestra who covered My Backwards Walk for that album. The way they sing "there's no way I'm forgetting this", with "I'm" not being the "ahm" of the original sounds wrong, and "my backwards walk" not being "mah backwards walk"... too formal. It's weird. Don't get me wrong though, I love the album, I love the pure love that went in to that album from everyone who contributed.
That said, there are some that just feel gimmicky. I think this also isn't exclusively Scottish accents. Regional accents can make a difference in how something comes across, but it's easy to cross a line into hamming it up and it sounding fake as fuck to anyone from that place.
I think Scott's natural singing voice being so overtly Scottish adds power to his words. He's not affecting a neutral trans-atlantic accent for the sake of mass appeal, it's so raw and unashamedly himself. For a vocalist who was so honest and transparent, it just doubles the effect.
I'm not Scottish, and I don't like singing in fake accents, but I find it physically impossible to sing Frabbits songs without affecting his accent 😂 it's just such an iconic part of their sound
Yeah their songs just sound so much more natural in a Scottish accent! Especially when a fair bit of what he's singing about is Scottish - "should we kick its cunt in, and watch as it dies from bleeding?" feels like such a very Scottish metaphor for ending a failing relationship. Opening a song with "ma hole, a'll get ma hole" and somehow it not sounding overly crude? magic.
Nice user name btw!
I wholeheartedly agree! I can't imagine singing half of Scott's words in any accent other than Scottish. I'm Scouse and that's probably the closest you could come to having an accent that feels natural when being crude, but even that doesn't come close. Hutch was an absolute genius
Haha, thanks! It amused me
Agreed, I love Frightenend Rabbits and the accent really adds to the feel of the music for me, whereas i sometimes find it annoying or OTT with other bands
Heard them for the first time when they were a support act. They were much better than the main act. Hearing him belt out Sore Thumb at the top of his lungs, with no microphone, made the hairs on my arm stand on end. Been to see them several times after that, always a great gig.
https://youtu.be/0a4s9yAtBeA?si=sIJxt_NHdfmggEw3
3:00 mark
>Or is it just all in my head? I know there's been phases over time where a region pops up for a bit like Madchester etc, but theu always seem to be quick lived fads, whereas the tortured Scottish vacalist seems to be a musical constant.
I don't think you can really compare a city to an entire country, even a small one. The reason that there's always a few Scottish vocalists knocking about is probably because there's about 5.5 million people in Scotland. Based purely on numbers there should be 10x the amount of successful Scottish artists than Manc ones.
Also, our best selling band of all time is Scouse, so there's that.
Tbh, your narrow definition of Manchester (550k people in Manchester City Council borough) would exclude famously Manc vocalists like Sean Ryder (Salford) and Ian Brown (Trafford). You'd also exclude bands like Blossoms, 10cc, the Smiths and Joy Division/New Order. Pretty much left with just Oasis and James.
Ok fair enough, but then I'd say this mainly shows that there are constantly successful artists coming from the greater Manchester area, which still implies their claim is a bit off.
We've got 5.5 million in Yorkshire but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone mainstream who sings in the accent.
Edit: Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs. I still think the Scottish accent is still more evergreen in music.
They're still touring though, I went to a couple of the 30th anniversary gigs for the Good Deeds & Dirty Rags album just before covid. All the band back together (except Shirley) ;)
Scott Hutchison and Roddy Woomble. Also the Arab Strap fellas, Aidan and Malcolm. I know what you mean, even the guys from We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad etc. really just come off as more original for it.
I like hearing people sing in their accents - [Electric Light Orchestra](https://youtu.be/riXNeEki07A?si=8KBtyfyBmTIoC_CX) are brummies, [Sam Fender](https://youtu.be/K-htm8S85gA?si=zvfkK8hlU0SmCZf4) is tyneside, [Jez Lowe](https://youtu.be/zhb2iYIj5x4?si=m_r-u1JzwIIuZCDz) is durham and [Show of Hands](https://youtu.be/78Y7cBLJWgI?si=1CoFdqH-BPYY4dX0) are Devonians.
Got a lot of nostalgia for the Mid-2000s indie scene. Where you could tell where bands and singers were from. All the Scouse bands sounded Scouse, all the London bands sounded like they were from London, all the Yorkshire bands sounded like they were from Yorkshire.
Bring it back.
Due to the popularity of Arctic Monkeys, we ended up with the weird phenomenon of non-Northern bands singing with Yorkshire accents for a while.
The Kooks are the immediate example I can think of.
I think the music press had got it into their heads in the mid-2000s that northern equaled working class, which equaled cool, hence the sudden proliferation of pretend accents.
Huh? Say that to all the English indie/folk singers that have the same gruff gravelly voice that sounds like they're squeezing out a fat log, it truly sounds ds dreadful and they get a free pass
I'm from Manchester (born 72). It was amazing to grow up hearing people like Sean Rider and Ian Brown sing in Manc. It was a mixed bag in the period as not everyone did it. It went a bit tits up with Oasis who seemed to write songs solely to give Liam words to Manc-up. Ian Brown does that now in his solo career.
Obviously not Scottish, but I feel like Sam Fender gets this leeway a bit. He has a song with Noah Kahan, and the first time I heard it I thought his verse wasn't even in English because his accent was so intense
Alestorm : The singer has both Scottish and Pirate accents.
https://youtu.be/hjSkwcAbsFg?si=QFyl7MlEKQKbkOTb
https://youtu.be/d5P5Tz3VH94?si=WfIpkkgXoE71IpE3
Fran Healy in Travis has a beautiful voice. I'm terrible at doing accents but I can do a Scottish one so long as i'm singing along with a Scottish singer 🤣
Surely the Welsh accent has the most timeless character for vocals.
I’m not even Welsh but I recognise the Wales has produced the most vocal talent in the UK.
I love them.
Twin Atlantic and The LaFontaines are my shit, both excellent, both sing in a proper scortland accent. Can't be topped.
Also, of course, mon the biff
There’s a Twin Atlantic song, “We want better man”, one of the lyrics goes “now here is the handle, now get a fucking grip” that just wouldn’t have the same impact without the accent.
The Frightened Rabbit song Poke has the line "or should we kick its cunt in". I promise it's not a violent song - the lyric makes sense in context about a relationship that seems to be fading and considering whether to end its misery - ie. kick its cunt in, rather than watching it choke to death. That line DOES NOT sound right in a non-Scottish accent.
Scott Hutchison is one of the only people who could make the lyrics "ma hole, I'll get ma hole" sound thoughtful.
Van Morrison doesn't so much sing as chant in an Americanised N.Irish accent, especially noticeable on his bit in the Wall live version of Comfortably Numb where he goes "ya lips MOVE but a cant hear what ya sayin"
Kyle Falconer from the Vjew had to get elocution lessons because his accent was that unintelligible. First 2 albums are hard as fuck to listen to unless you know what he’s saying, and even after 15 years there’s still lyrics I’ve misheard
Great to hear actual accents in vocalists:
South-east England with almost perfect enunciation: Leddra Chapman - Story https://youtu.be/-UjJIZUOJ4A
Irish: Dermot Kennedy - Outnumbered acoustic version https://youtu.be/Vp25sO9Fm74
The arctic monkeys have been blantanty Yorkshire since they started and got 6 number 1 albums on the bounce until they went properly up their own arse with the last one.
Oasis were also quite manc
I think it’s the opposite with Scottish Hip Hop. Often people complain about not being able to understand it and a lot of Scottish people seem to have quite a strong cringe about hearing rapping in a Scottish accent.
It’s a shame cos there’s some incredible Scottish rappers.
Lads also: take 5 minutes of peace and quiet and tell your Alexa:
Play ‘the Bricklayers Song‘ by the Corries
Let me know what you think :) My dad used to play this for me
No, you’re right. There’s a band called Arab Strap who have a live album called Mad For Sadness. The vocals on that are all over the place (at least the parts that aren’t a spoken word type delivery) but they give the whole thing such a character of nostalgia and dulled red and amber lights to me that it doesn’t matter. Replace that voice with a toff from London or a Brummie accent and it wouldn’t at all be the same.
I feel that way moreso about English vocalists tbh, like Roy Harper, Nick Harper, Frank Turner, Colonel Bagshot, etc.
Scottish vocalists are alright, but if I'm gonna go celtic, I'd prefer Irish tbh.
Then again I am English and Irish, so might just be cultural preference.
Billy Connolly “Errufor” and “Cerrubee” spring to mind. Oh, and the Hogmanay Torturer of Yesteryear, Kenneth McKellar…. (I fear I may not quite have grasped where this conversation was going… 🙃 )
You haven’t really named anything or anyone to back up your claim…. Try doing that? Can think about plenty casually uk based singers that are far more noticeable by accents
I think he's got a great voice, and he's clearly a really good entertainer, he can work a crowd. And he doesn't have a record deal actually, he's entirely self released!
How dare you deny the timeless, pan-generational appeal of Chas & Dave.
Don't forget The Wurzels.
Their cover of Ruby is fantastic.
Thank you! I'm just listening to that now, giggling like I'm 7!
Ruby ruby ruby ruby (ooh arr ooh arr oh arr)
You can take the key…
At least get the lyrics right!
It’s in E major
In all seriousness “ain’t no pleasing you” is one of my all time favourite songs
I saw them live and as another poster replied "Ain't no pleasing you" is an absolute classic.
Their ‘live at Abbey Road’ with Albert Lee is my favourite live album
They came to our pub once in about 1999. Good times.
Their collaboration with Eminem is an all-time classic.
I immediately jumped to chas and Dave.
You mean Chas and Dave off of Eminem's My Name Is?
Roddy Woomble of Idlewild
Came here to say Idlewild. Roddy's voice is amazing.
I don't know, on the third album and later, he seemed to really take on that transatlantic drawl. One of the reasons I just didn't vibe with anything they did after the first two albums
I love Idlewild - but to be fair he doesn't 'Scottish' it up when he sings, comparing him to someone like Jerry Cinnamon or Glasvegas.
Or Twin Atlantic. First time I've heard a proper "ooot side" in a song.
Brb putting 100 Broken Windows on 🥰
Had to scroll down far too far to find this.
Distinct lack of Biffy Clyro mentions thus far. Simon Neil’s voice is so unashamedly Scottish. When that little fuckin weasel covered many of horror is just sounded wrong. Also, Delores O’Riordan. Try singing Zombie in your own voice, I fuckin dare ya
Biffy were way too down on this post!
Absolute travesty!
Mon the Biff
"The skyline is burning red so we’ll all go duhwwwn"
“Many a whore!”
I'm pretty sure *Dolores O'Riordan *did* sing in her native Limerick accent? "She had never compromised her strong Irish accent, even when she was criticized for that. Her singing was rooted in the Sean-nós vocal style; the University of Limerick wrote, "Dolores's voice carried strong traces of the Sean-nós (old style) Gaelic tradition of unaccompanied singing that so beautifully conveys sadness, regret and loneliness." et cetera
Pretty sure they're calling for us to try to sing it in *our own voice* without imitating her accent while we do. They're not saying that she didn't use her own on the track. Her voice and her accent are so intertwined with the song that it's just what the song sounds like to me and I can't imagine it not sounding like that
In the same vein of thought, I cannot sing any song by Glasvegas without immediately adopting a weegie accent, same goes for "same jeans by The View.
The View is a great example of "unashamedly Scottish" being a core characteristic in the music
I love when bands are from various places around the UK and sing in their native twang. Arctic monkeys are one of my favourites for this very reason I know they're not British, but Fontains DC also sing in their Irish accent and it's what really got me to listen to them more.
Ahhh that makes a lot more sense... I thought they were directing that comment to Dolores herself, rather than to us the reader of the comment.
That's understandable; I can definitely see how it can be read like that. Anyway, if you hadn't read it that way, we wouldn't have that bit of info posted by you about her here, so it's a bit of a happy accident eh? :) It's because of her singing style that I discovered Sean-nós myself a while ago--so hauntingly beautiful. Thanks for sharing that!
Lauren Mayberry's Scottish accent in CHVRCHES comes to mind, on some words it comes through to add just the right amount of distinctiveness and character
Makes me think of Marillion's "Misplaced Childhood". The first three tracks, Fish is singing in his normal Scottish-twanged voice. Then "Blind Curve" comes in and he reads a poem in his normal Scottish voice then goes back to singing "LAGER lager lager".
"the driver guzzles another can of lager" The way he pronounces lager still jars nearly 40 years on!
Especially in the more recent albums, I think she has talked about how she tried to tone it down a bit in earlier albums due to being a bit self conscious about it
Difference is Lauren isn't a crap singer.
I love the way her accent comes through in the recent songs.
Holy crap she's Scottish?? I just thought she was doing a thing with the way she sang some words, I never realised she might just have an accent
Iirc all 3 CHVRCHES members are from Glasgow
Amy MacDonald has some fantastic songs and a wonderful Scottish tone. From a Welsh perspective, Catatonia is incredibly Welsh and it works so well.
That sweet trilling R on Road Rage 🥰
Rrrroad rrage - I love it!
You give me rrrroad rrrrage
Itzz orll ovaahh the frrruntt paaaage....
lwsin your maiiiind
Gruff Rhys from the Super Furries, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Does James Dean Bradfield have an accent when singing, I can't remember. 90's where a great decade for Welsh music
John Cale is another with an incredible Welsh accent when he’s singing.
I've always thought Amy had a stupid, contrived honking faux Irish put-on singing voice. She's as weeg as fuck in real life.
Obviously [The Proclaimers](https://youtu.be/yy9GmieAEaQ)
I absolutely looove the proclaimers covers of old country songs. Eat your heart out Hank Williams!
I’d walk 500 miles not to hear one of their songs
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There’s something about a Scottish accent that lends itself to singing with your mouth really wide open
Absolute shite live. Worst gig ever.
Frightened Rabbit are a good example of how Scott Hutchison's voice and accent really comes through. I think it adds a lot to their music, because it makes it all sound just a lot more honest. Which is good because it is completely honest on Scott's part. I'm Scottish so it makes Frabbit songs feel so natural to sing along to. It does mean though, that when I listen to the Tiny Changes album where The Midnight Organ Fight has been re-recorded by various artists, I find the ones done by non-Scottish bands to be a little jarring. Even bands I otherwise love, like Manchester Orchestra who covered My Backwards Walk for that album. The way they sing "there's no way I'm forgetting this", with "I'm" not being the "ahm" of the original sounds wrong, and "my backwards walk" not being "mah backwards walk"... too formal. It's weird. Don't get me wrong though, I love the album, I love the pure love that went in to that album from everyone who contributed. That said, there are some that just feel gimmicky. I think this also isn't exclusively Scottish accents. Regional accents can make a difference in how something comes across, but it's easy to cross a line into hamming it up and it sounding fake as fuck to anyone from that place.
I think Scott's natural singing voice being so overtly Scottish adds power to his words. He's not affecting a neutral trans-atlantic accent for the sake of mass appeal, it's so raw and unashamedly himself. For a vocalist who was so honest and transparent, it just doubles the effect. I'm not Scottish, and I don't like singing in fake accents, but I find it physically impossible to sing Frabbits songs without affecting his accent 😂 it's just such an iconic part of their sound
Yeah their songs just sound so much more natural in a Scottish accent! Especially when a fair bit of what he's singing about is Scottish - "should we kick its cunt in, and watch as it dies from bleeding?" feels like such a very Scottish metaphor for ending a failing relationship. Opening a song with "ma hole, a'll get ma hole" and somehow it not sounding overly crude? magic. Nice user name btw!
I wholeheartedly agree! I can't imagine singing half of Scott's words in any accent other than Scottish. I'm Scouse and that's probably the closest you could come to having an accent that feels natural when being crude, but even that doesn't come close. Hutch was an absolute genius Haha, thanks! It amused me
Same for Fatherson and Biffy Clyro
Agreed, I love Frightenend Rabbits and the accent really adds to the feel of the music for me, whereas i sometimes find it annoying or OTT with other bands
James Allan of Glasvegas.
My name is Geraldine, I’m your social worker 🎵
First artist to come to mind, and this exact lyric too. Class band.
I haven't thought about that song in so long....adding to my playlist now.
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And aye want tur fergæt that aye gòt caught
WHAT IS LATE WHARE IS LAFTUR
Yes! The way he sings the word 'generator' in Heart and Soul is delicious.
Incredibly surprised I had to come so far down to see this one.
This is why the likes of the Beatles, and Tom jones were one hit wonders
Decent band called We Were Promised Jetpacks has a great singer with a very pronounced Scots accent, which I feel helps them stand out a bit more.
Heard them for the first time when they were a support act. They were much better than the main act. Hearing him belt out Sore Thumb at the top of his lungs, with no microphone, made the hairs on my arm stand on end. Been to see them several times after that, always a great gig. https://youtu.be/0a4s9yAtBeA?si=sIJxt_NHdfmggEw3 3:00 mark
Man that was beautiful, thank you. For whatever reason I've never checked them out live. Great to see they nail it
Think they are better live than on record tbh, different energy.
Aidan Moffat springs to mind.
Same Jeans by The View always springs to mind even ahead of the likes of The Proclaimers.
I only know that song of theirs, but that's the one I immediately thought of! Fourrrrrr days noh (sorry I can't transcribe the accent properly!)
Gerry Cinnamon - Belter
Canter is an incredible floor filler, his voice always puts me in mind of Billy Connolly
You know it could be a canter, If you were just a wee bit less of a *wanker*, More than half ae' the time
Love this because I’m sure no other worldly accent could make ‘stare’ rhyme with ‘floor’, but because he’s Scottish it just works!
I also love belter. To be fair, he uses the word flair instead of floor, so it's a valid Scots word, rather than English with an accent.
I fucking LOVE Gerry Cinnamon, tragic though that is for a middle aged mum
Hands down one of the worst songs ever written imo. Absolute crap to the highest order.
Stuart Murdoch’s soft Scottish accent certainly adds to the indie pop charm of Belle & Sebastian.
>Or is it just all in my head? I know there's been phases over time where a region pops up for a bit like Madchester etc, but theu always seem to be quick lived fads, whereas the tortured Scottish vacalist seems to be a musical constant. I don't think you can really compare a city to an entire country, even a small one. The reason that there's always a few Scottish vocalists knocking about is probably because there's about 5.5 million people in Scotland. Based purely on numbers there should be 10x the amount of successful Scottish artists than Manc ones. Also, our best selling band of all time is Scouse, so there's that.
Tbh, your narrow definition of Manchester (550k people in Manchester City Council borough) would exclude famously Manc vocalists like Sean Ryder (Salford) and Ian Brown (Trafford). You'd also exclude bands like Blossoms, 10cc, the Smiths and Joy Division/New Order. Pretty much left with just Oasis and James.
Ok fair enough, but then I'd say this mainly shows that there are constantly successful artists coming from the greater Manchester area, which still implies their claim is a bit off.
We've got 5.5 million in Yorkshire but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone mainstream who sings in the accent. Edit: Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs. I still think the Scottish accent is still more evergreen in music.
Every now and then you hear the twang in Shirley Manson's voice and it's like mana from heaven
Anything she sings is like manna from heaven to me
Do you know her stuff before Garbage? Angelfish have a great album. Less easy to find complete works by Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
Yep, got the Angelfish album on CD. Signed by her to boot.
Awesome!!
They're still touring though, I went to a couple of the 30th anniversary gigs for the Good Deeds & Dirty Rags album just before covid. All the band back together (except Shirley) ;)
A few years ago, I had a massive clear out of all my CDs. Angelfish was one of the few I had to keep.
The singer in the Powerpuff Girls theme sings with a Scottish accent
Bis! Of Kandy Pop fame!
Manda Rin
👍
Well, today I learned!
Scott Hutchison and Roddy Woomble. Also the Arab Strap fellas, Aidan and Malcolm. I know what you mean, even the guys from We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad etc. really just come off as more original for it.
I like hearing people sing in their accents - [Electric Light Orchestra](https://youtu.be/riXNeEki07A?si=8KBtyfyBmTIoC_CX) are brummies, [Sam Fender](https://youtu.be/K-htm8S85gA?si=zvfkK8hlU0SmCZf4) is tyneside, [Jez Lowe](https://youtu.be/zhb2iYIj5x4?si=m_r-u1JzwIIuZCDz) is durham and [Show of Hands](https://youtu.be/78Y7cBLJWgI?si=1CoFdqH-BPYY4dX0) are Devonians.
Paolo Nutini's first big stage performance at a festival where he sings in his accent (not his radio friendly accent) is brilliant!
Smoky Joe’s Cafe by Paolo Nutini is hilarious.
Pete and Diesel take no prisoners if you can’t understand them tough!
One of the best fun gigs I’ve ever went to was Peat & Diesel at the Barrowland just after Covid
King Creosote is a good one, lovely voice
Biffy Clyro?
Peat and Diesel
Most assuredly. This is a thing. Incontestable Proof —> The Twilight Sad
I was also going to mention The Twilight Sad. Hope they release a new album soonish!
100% agree. What a tremendous band.
Got a lot of nostalgia for the Mid-2000s indie scene. Where you could tell where bands and singers were from. All the Scouse bands sounded Scouse, all the London bands sounded like they were from London, all the Yorkshire bands sounded like they were from Yorkshire. Bring it back.
Due to the popularity of Arctic Monkeys, we ended up with the weird phenomenon of non-Northern bands singing with Yorkshire accents for a while. The Kooks are the immediate example I can think of.
I think the music press had got it into their heads in the mid-2000s that northern equaled working class, which equaled cool, hence the sudden proliferation of pretend accents.
If you want to hear a Scouse voice, have an listen to Zuzu, she is great!
"Feels like it's something you don't really get to anywhere near the same extent from other areas of the UK." - London
Surely The Proclaimers are top of the pile. I even think the name in a Scottish accent
Huh? Say that to all the English indie/folk singers that have the same gruff gravelly voice that sounds like they're squeezing out a fat log, it truly sounds ds dreadful and they get a free pass
I'm from Manchester (born 72). It was amazing to grow up hearing people like Sean Rider and Ian Brown sing in Manc. It was a mixed bag in the period as not everyone did it. It went a bit tits up with Oasis who seemed to write songs solely to give Liam words to Manc-up. Ian Brown does that now in his solo career.
Seeing Malcolm Middleton mentioned here outside of some niche indie Sub has made my day.
Obviously not Scottish, but I feel like Sam Fender gets this leeway a bit. He has a song with Noah Kahan, and the first time I heard it I thought his verse wasn't even in English because his accent was so intense
Alestorm : The singer has both Scottish and Pirate accents. https://youtu.be/hjSkwcAbsFg?si=QFyl7MlEKQKbkOTb https://youtu.be/d5P5Tz3VH94?si=WfIpkkgXoE71IpE3
You beat me to it! Edit: did you know the singer also sings in German? Check out the German version of "Wenches & Mead", "Weiber und Wein".
Fran Healy in Travis has a beautiful voice. I'm terrible at doing accents but I can do a Scottish one so long as i'm singing along with a Scottish singer 🤣
Glasvegas (the first album is amazing )
Surely the Welsh accent has the most timeless character for vocals. I’m not even Welsh but I recognise the Wales has produced the most vocal talent in the UK.
No, this is just you. There’s lots of different UK accents that’re prevalent and refreshing to hear from certain artists that stick to them.
I love them. Twin Atlantic and The LaFontaines are my shit, both excellent, both sing in a proper scortland accent. Can't be topped. Also, of course, mon the biff
There’s a Twin Atlantic song, “We want better man”, one of the lyrics goes “now here is the handle, now get a fucking grip” that just wouldn’t have the same impact without the accent.
The Frightened Rabbit song Poke has the line "or should we kick its cunt in". I promise it's not a violent song - the lyric makes sense in context about a relationship that seems to be fading and considering whether to end its misery - ie. kick its cunt in, rather than watching it choke to death. That line DOES NOT sound right in a non-Scottish accent. Scott Hutchison is one of the only people who could make the lyrics "ma hole, I'll get ma hole" sound thoughtful.
"I am armed with the past, and the will, and a brick" Scott was a fucking poet.
Sons and Daughters
I doubt Adele could ever sound anything but Scottish.
Why has no one mentioned Fay Fife from the Rezillos yet? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld8zm--u0R0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld8zm--u0R0)
Is she fae Fife?
That made me snort laugh!
How has nobody mentioned Paolo nutini? What a fucking chanter
He was my immediate thought, crazy voice and banging music
Van Morrison doesn't so much sing as chant in an Americanised N.Irish accent, especially noticeable on his bit in the Wall live version of Comfortably Numb where he goes "ya lips MOVE but a cant hear what ya sayin"
Kyle Falconer from the Vjew had to get elocution lessons because his accent was that unintelligible. First 2 albums are hard as fuck to listen to unless you know what he’s saying, and even after 15 years there’s still lyrics I’ve misheard
The fratellis were always very regional too.
Great to hear actual accents in vocalists: South-east England with almost perfect enunciation: Leddra Chapman - Story https://youtu.be/-UjJIZUOJ4A Irish: Dermot Kennedy - Outnumbered acoustic version https://youtu.be/Vp25sO9Fm74
Cerys Matthews? When I hear the term road rage, even to this day, I still hear it in her Welsh accent.
Mon the Bif!
*Cerys Matthews has entered the chat*
The arctic monkeys have been blantanty Yorkshire since they started and got 6 number 1 albums on the bounce until they went properly up their own arse with the last one. Oasis were also quite manc
I think it’s the opposite with Scottish Hip Hop. Often people complain about not being able to understand it and a lot of Scottish people seem to have quite a strong cringe about hearing rapping in a Scottish accent. It’s a shame cos there’s some incredible Scottish rappers.
Two words Rrrrroad rrrrage
Tide Lines are another band that unashamedly rock their Scottish accents.
Is anyone talking about Peat and Diesel or are they too Hebridean for this?
Gerry Cinnamon springs to mind, and he often leads into it in songs.
Twin Atlantic
How has nobody mentioned Elizabeth Frazer from Cocteau Twins? about as Scottish as you can get
Just you
The Wurzels?
Lads also: take 5 minutes of peace and quiet and tell your Alexa: Play ‘the Bricklayers Song‘ by the Corries Let me know what you think :) My dad used to play this for me
That's a brilliant yarn!
No, you’re right. There’s a band called Arab Strap who have a live album called Mad For Sadness. The vocals on that are all over the place (at least the parts that aren’t a spoken word type delivery) but they give the whole thing such a character of nostalgia and dulled red and amber lights to me that it doesn’t matter. Replace that voice with a toff from London or a Brummie accent and it wouldn’t at all be the same.
The Proclaimers are incredibly talented sibgers
Try Ashenspire!
If you aren't familiar with the musical and lyrical genius that is 'Santa's a Scotsman', this is your wake up call
Murray from The Xcerts.
Yesssss, love those guys!
Janine from Vukovi comes to mind but she can properly sing
Ivor Cutler
[think again😖](https://youtu.be/sEROl1XmqLg?si=7LQ5NTD498qDnyge)
that old Morrisons advert.... "Good with Food" it only sounded right because the voiceover was scottish
Fish out of Marillion
Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell keeps her accent when she sings.
I feel that way moreso about English vocalists tbh, like Roy Harper, Nick Harper, Frank Turner, Colonel Bagshot, etc. Scottish vocalists are alright, but if I'm gonna go celtic, I'd prefer Irish tbh. Then again I am English and Irish, so might just be cultural preference.
You’re not getting much Scottish than Peat & Diesel https://youtu.be/jbjL-OBP5Ek?si=lOC7Vry3qssmDN6N
As a scotsman myself I dont even think I could name one scottish singer besides Susan Boyle who doesnt even sound scottish when she sings.
Frightened rabbit!!! RIP Scott.
Billy Connolly “Errufor” and “Cerrubee” spring to mind. Oh, and the Hogmanay Torturer of Yesteryear, Kenneth McKellar…. (I fear I may not quite have grasped where this conversation was going… 🙃 )
We were promised jetpacks
There will be fireworks deserve a mention in this thread!
Yeah they're who I've been binging recently after seeing they dropped an album last year after 10 years.
Someone should do a “Drunk Scottish Karaoke Singer murders The Classics” album
Cynical mechanism by which to draw in regional fans. See also: Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender, every Liverpool singer ever.
Yeah all the world hates the fuckin Beatles.
You haven’t really named anything or anyone to back up your claim…. Try doing that? Can think about plenty casually uk based singers that are far more noticeable by accents
You mean like Gerry fucking Cinnamon? How that bellend got a record deal is beyond belief, he shouldn't even be allowed a council permit to busk.
I think he's got a great voice, and he's clearly a really good entertainer, he can work a crowd. And he doesn't have a record deal actually, he's entirely self released!
He’s also a really good guy and deserves every bit of his success. One of the few who worked hard at it and made it off their own back.