Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leslie]

Hi,

I read 2 different sentences on the website, but I had no idea of what 'careening voice' is. I looked up 'careen' in the dictionary but couldn't find its meaning related to voice. Could anyone here please help me find out what it means? Thank you very much.

1. His music is appropriately somber and selfserious, reminiscent of the gloomy introspective side of Dave Matthews crossed with the cinematic scope of mid'70s Billy Joel and the pompous narcissim of Sting, whose high careening voice was clearly an influence.

2. The singer/songwriter's careening voice conveys the sadness, anger, and angst associated with any romantic breakup, as it shifts from a detached whisper in the pensive beginning of "Oh God" to a frustrated Alex Chilton moan in "Employment" as he sings "I'm just starin' at the ground through the hole in my shoe."
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Less Is Blessed

[Jacob K.]

A "careening voice" is unsteady, meaning it changes from one extreme (side) to the other. To visualize (see) this, place your index (pointing) finger horizontally (flat) in front of you so you are looking at the side of it, and move it up and down. Now, imagine the finger has a voice and when it rises the voice becomes higher pitch and volume, and when it falls the voice becomes lower pitch and volume.

[leslie]

Thank you very much, Jacob K.
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Less Is Blessed