Kristeen Young (3,064 views)

[glo]

Kristeen Young
Past Colleagues (not as permanent fixtures): David Bowie, Tony Visconti, Brian Molko, Patrick Stump, Morrissey, Dave Grohl
Years Active: 1992-present

Total Melodic Vocal Range: D3—A♭6

SPOILER: Click to show

{Artist Summary}
Often described in a way akin to Kate Bush and Tori Amos having a post-punk-addled love child, piano-rock-auteur Kristeen Young has been at it since the Nineties but has somehow escaped proper recognition beyond her peers and most devoted fans. With a distinctive style that implements the keys in a jangly style that evokes the electric guitar, a range spanning nearly four full octaves, and a network that includes icons from David Bowie to Patrick Stump, many fans are surprised by her obscurity. Born to Native American and German parents and adopted by a Catholic family thereafter in St. Louis, her life has notably taken on some hardships that came to reflect in her passionate, melodic-discordant style. Her lyrics touch on fame's many double-edged swords, patriarchal oppression, childhood regret, and defiance of human categories, the last often connected to her Apache-German descent and her genre-defying music, as well as love, betrayal, playful passion, general malaise, and ambition. Her voice is one that tends to linger in the soprano range, resting often in the fourth octave and frequently utilizing notes up to soprano high C in lead melodies of her songs ("Jealous of Loved Children" a prime example).  It would likely be classified as a spinto soprano voice in terms of classical voice type. Her head voice is often operatic and rich in tone ("Cherry", "The Devil Made Me", "Incubator", "Everyday SubTraction") just as often it is aspirated, even distorted ("Pearl of a Girl", "These Are The Things I'm Not the Most", “I Love You Sooo Much”). Her belting can be metallic and shrill.  Her low range while more subdued also carries a good amount of depth, with weight through the third octave (“Breasticles”, “We Are the World (Why KY)”, “Protestant”).   She also utilizes a whistle register which often conveys angst and longing ("Marley's Ghost", "Saviour", "You Might Be Ted, But I'm Sylvia"). Overall her voice is somewhat metallic in tone though on a light instrument, somewhat shrill yet sweet: indeed a sort of metal-borne version of Kate Bush or an angstier version of Tori Amos, the latter namely on her more ballad-like works ("8", "The Sweetest Freedom", "Everybody Wants Me to Cry"). It is an ironic jolt it seems to Kristeen's time on this earth that her name is not on more lists, more interviews, more taggings, than it currently is. Perhaps she comes across as overzealous and overly ambitious but for her cult fanbase, her expression is a brilliant bittersweetness.

Significant High Notes:

A♭6: "Incubator"
G6: "Marley's Ghost", "P.E.9.14"
F6: "Incubator", "Marley's Ghost", "Saviour"
E6: "Different", "Nice", "P.E.9.14", "Saviour", "V the Volcanic", "We Are the World (Why KY)", "Year of the Woman", “You Might Be Ted, But I’m Sylvia”
E♭6: "Rough-Up the Groove", "Sacrifice", "This Is War"
D6: "Before", "Everyday SubTraction", "The Depression Contest", "That's What It Takes, Dear"
D♭6/C♯6: "Boomerang", "I'll Show You", "Incubator", "Keyboard Like a Gun"
C6: “Comfort Is Never a Goal”, "The Depression Contest", "Devil Girl", "The Devil Made Me", "Different", "8", "Everyday SubTraction", "Fantastic Failure", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tech?", "Jealous of Loved Children", "Kill the Father", “Mouth to Mouth”, "Nice", "P.E.9.14", "Programme X", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day", "Valuable", "Wake the Dead", "We Are the World (Why KY)"
B5: "The Depression Contest", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?", "I'll Show You", "Imitation of Life", "9", "Son of Man", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day"
B♭5/A♯5: "The Answer to All Your Problems Is in This Bottle", "Automatic Love", "Before", "8", "Catland", "The Devil Made Me", "Everybody Wants Me to Cry", "If You Marry Him", "I Love You Soooo Much", "In 3rd Grade We Learn Division", "Less Than", "Lucia", "Marley's Ghost", "Mouth to Mouth", "9", "Pictures of Sasha Grey", "Protestant", "Sacrifice", "Take Me", "That's How People Grow Up", “These Are the Things I'm Not the Most", "This Is War", "Wake the Dead", "You Always Win", "You Ruined Everything"
A5: "Before", "Cherry", "Halfway Across the Atlantic Ocean", "I'll Show You", "I Love You Soooo Much", "Jealous of Loved Children", "London Cry", "Nice", "9", "Nothing", "P.E.9.14", "Pearl of a Girl", "Pictures of Sasha Grey", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day", "We Are the World (Why KY)", “Why Am I a Feelmale?”, "You Always Win"
A♭5/G♯5: "Automatic Love", "Catland", "Cherry", "Everything Is Mine Because I Am Poor", "Fishnet", "Incubator", "In 3rd Grade We Learn Division", "Jealous of Loved Children", "Skeletons"
G5: "The Answer to All Your Problems Is in This Bottle", "Automatic Love", "Before", “The Bold One”, “Buddy Boy", "Cold Steal", "Comfort Is Never a Goal", "The Depression Contest", "Devil Girl", "The Devil Made Me", "8", "Everybody Wants Me to Cry", "Fishnet", "The Good Night", "Halfway Across the Atlantic Ocean", "If You Marry Him", "Imitation of Life", "In 3rd Grade We Learn Division", "I Own the Best of All Things", "Jealous of Loved Children", "Keyboard Like a Gun", "Less Than", "Life's Not Short, It's Sooo Long", "London Cry", "Monkey on My Breast", "My TV", "Night Blindness", "9", "Nothing", ”Pearl of a Girl”, "Pictures of Sasha Grey", "Programme X", "Put Down", "Son of Man", "St. Even", "Stop Thinking", "Take Me", "That's How People Grow Up", "Then, I Screamed", "These Are the Things I'm Not the Most", "Touch Tongues", "Under a Landlocked Moon", "V the Volcanic", “You Might Be Ted, But I’m Sylvia”, "You Ruined Everything"
G♭5/F♯5: "Different", ”Laurel", "Incubator", "Nice", "Night Blindness", "Rough-Up the Groove", "The Sweetest Freedom"
F5: "Automatic Love", "Before", "Catland", "Cherry", "Commit Adultery", "Different", "Everyday SubTraction", "Everything Is Mine Because I Am Poor", "Fantastic Failure", "Fishnet", "Halfway Across the Atlantic Ocean", “I’ll Get You Back”, "Imitation of Life", "Less Than", "London Cry", "Mixed Kids", "Mouth to Mouth", "Nothing", "Pearl of a Girl", "St. Even", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day", "This Is War"
E5: “The Bold One”, "Cold Steal", "The Depression Contest", "Devil Girl", "Lie", "Life's Not Short, It's Sooo Long", "Imitation of Life", "If You Marry Him", "Kill It", "Night Blindness", "No Other God", "Pictures of Sasha Grey", "Put Down", "Red", "Son of Man", "St. Even", "Then, I Screamed", "Under a Landlocked Moon", "Year of the Woman"
E♭5/D♯5: "The Answer to All Your Problems Is in This Bottle", "Automatic Love", "Before", "Catland", "The Devil Made Me", "Everyday SubTraction", "Flash", "Fishnet", "Mixed Kids", "Monkey on My Breast", "Mouth to Mouth", "My TV", "Now I'm Invisible", "Programme X", "Red", "Sacrifice", "Stop Thinking", "Valuable", "Why Can't It Be Me?"
D5: "Before", Comfort Is Never a Goal", "The Depression Contest", "Fantastic Failure", "Fishnet", "The Good Night", "Halfway Across the Atlantic Ocean", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?", "I'll Get You Back", "Kill the Father", "Laurel", "London Cry", "Marine Dadd", "Mixed Kids", "9", "Nothing", "Red", "The Sweetest Freedom", "Then, I Screamed", "These Are the Things I'm Not the Most", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day", "This Is War", "Under a Landlocked Moon", "V the Volcanic"
D♭5/C♯5: "Bite Down", "(But It's All Just) Imagined", "Catland", "Everything Is Mine Because I Am Poor", "Flash", "My TV", "Programme X", "Stop Thinking", "Take Me", "Yesterday's Future Man", “You Might Be Ted, But I’m Sylvia”
C5: "The Answer to All Your Problems Is in This Bottle", "Automatic Love", "Before", "Bite Down", "(But It's All Just) Imagined", "Cold Steal", "Commit Adultery", "Dead Wrong", "Devil Girl", "Different", "Fantastic Failure", "Goddamn You, You Scenesters!", "Halfway Across the Atlantic Ocean", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?", "If You Marry Him", "Imitation of Life", "Incubator", "Lie", "London Cry", "Marley's Ghost", "Mixed Kids", "Mouth to Mouth", "My TV", "No Other God", "P.E.9.14", "Put Down", "Son of Man", "St. Even", "Then, I Screamed", "These Are the Things I'm Not the Most", "This Is the Dawn of My D-Day", "Under a Landlocked Moon", "V the Volcanic", "We Are the World (Why KY)"

Significant Low Notes:

B3: "Before", "Flash", "I Own the Best of All Things", "Kill It", "London Cry", "Rough-Up the Groove", "The Sweetest Freedom", "Yesterday's Future Man", "Yummy"
B♭3/A♯3: "Automatic Love", "Before", “The Bold One”, "(But It's All Just) Imagined", "Cold Steal", "Commit Adultery", "Dead Wrong", "Everybody Wants Me to Cry", "Everyday SubTraction", "Everything Is Mine Because I Am Poor", "Fantastic Failure", "Goddamn You, You Scenesters!", "The Good Night", "In 3rd Grade We Learn Division", "I Own the Best of All Things", "Kill the Father", "Lucia", "Marine Dadd", "My TV", "Nothing", "Now I'm Invisible", "Red", "Sacrifice", "Stop Thinking", "Take Me", "Yummy"
A3: "Cold Steal", "Lie", "Life's Not Short, It's Sooo Long", “Pearl of a Girl”, "Put Down", "Rough-Up the Groove", "Saviour", "St. Even", "The Sweetest Freedom", “Why Am I a Feelmale?”, "Yesterday's Future Man"
A♭3/G♯3: "Automatic Love", "Everyday SubTraction", "Everything Is Mine Because I Am Poor", "Flash", "Goddamn You, You Scenesters!", "Incubator", "You Ruined Everything"
G3: "Before", "Fantastic Failure", "Goddamn You, You Scenesters!", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tech?", "I Own the Best of All Things", "Kill the Father", "Kill It", "Lie", "Lucia", "Marine Dadd", "Mixed Kids", "Monkey on My Breast", “Nice”, "Night Blindness", "Programme X", “Saviour”, "These Are the Things I'm Not the Most", "We Are the World (Why KY)", "Yummy"
G♭3/F♯3: "Boomerang", "Flash", "Mixed Kids", "Take Me"
F3: "Before", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?", "Incubator", "Kill the Father", "Kill It", "Marine Dadd", "Mixed Kids", "Protestant"
E3: "Boomerang", "The Depression Contest", "Skeletons", "Son of Man"
E♭3/D♯3: "Breasticles", "Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?"
D3: "Incubator", "Skeletons"
.......................................................
Blue marks whistle notes.
Underlines mark notes that are obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person's vocal capabilities.
Green marks heavily distorted notes.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Discography and Range by Album}
Meet Miss Young and Her All Boy Band (1997): G3 — G6/B6 (*)
Enemy (1999): D3 — E♭6/B♭6 (*)
Breasticles (2003): C3/E♭3 — A♭6/B6 (*)
X (2004): F3 — C6
The Orphans (2006): F3 — D6
Music for Strippers, Hookers, and the Odd On-Looker (2009): E3 — D6
V the Volcanic (2011): C3/G3 — E6 (*)
The Knife Shift (2014): A♭3 — E♭6
Live at the Witch's Tit (2017): G3 — E6
The SubSet (2019): F3 — D6(*) See Questionable Notes

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}

B6: "Incubator", "Marley's Ghost", "Saviour"
B♭6 / A♯6: "Year of the Woman"
A6: “Have You Ever Worked With Anything Hi-Tek?"
C3: "V the Volcanic", "We Are the World (Why KY)"

[kokope]

Why are those horrible screams (B6, A6 etc...) counted towards her range? As far as I can tell her highest countable note is the G6 you have bolded. Also where exactly is that C3 because I can't hear it?

[glo]

Hmm. There is from what I can tell an octave unison in the chorus of "V the Volcanic" that goes down to C3 on the end of each sentence, and there is a lower harmony that drops to C3 in the second half of "We Are the World"'s chorus ("it's too late"). The squeals were part of her genre as far as early on goes. Are you referring to the "Incubator" squeals too? They are abrasive in texture but pretty much any of these squeals would be hard to just do; they are intentional.  I used the B6 from "Marley's Ghost" as an example because it is controlled enough, loud, and not processed like the B6 from "Saviour".

[mikale]

I personally have to agree with Kokope on this one. Those screams are......they're there.

[glo]

Hmm. Maybe I’ll change them. I mean, he does have a point. There really isn’t a clear, unadulterated representation of those uppermost notes from her though. They’re either screams, squeals or a cut-up sampling: youtu.be/B_wcXrzz5U0?t=315

[Alex61]

That is one long summary.

[glo]

Will have to shorten it, my bad.

(Update: apparently I pasted it twice.  Either way, I shortened some run-ons.  I also placed the "Saviour" B6 and the C3s under Questionable Notes.  Where can I get the key for the Questionable Notes section?)

[IhateMana]

Dec 13, 2019 2:44:32 GMT glo said:

Hmm. Maybe I’ll change them. I mean, he does have a point. There really isn’t a clear, unadulterated representation of those uppermost notes from her though. They’re either screams, squeals or a cut-up sampling: youtu.be/B_wcXrzz5U0?t=315

yeah, a great way of saying "not countable"

that bolded A6 for example, would not count that, let alone bold it. Neither that or the linked B6 demonstrate any ability to control her voice around that pitch.

[glo]

I listened again and I can hear the C3 without trying as well as when listening closely; I honestly think it’s there. I have mixed feelings about removing the A6 and all because it was part of her style then, and it’s not just a random Sia squeak.

[Alex61]

You could argue Sia's random squeaks are part of her style, doesn't make them any more countable. The note (along with quite a few others in this thread) is hardly controlled at all, evident by the fact that she hits it numerous times at completely different pitches,

[glo]

So I did update this... I'm still a bit iffy on modifying it, but I figured I'd yield. How's the thread for you thus far?