Guy was barely a singer...

Weird esl moment

Elvis rizz levels are unreal, for sure. But Frank was really skilled in a subtle way.

It was all too common back then to do this Night at the Metropolitan bullshit. I don't blame Christgau for hating this era of music in a way.

His 1940s recordings are better than his later stuff where he settled into his schtick and everything sounds the same and talk-y like you say

That will have been when the Reprise era started in the 60s. Yes he was getting older by then and also a bit lazier.

great singing.

But you do consider it singing.

Kay Starr, Eydie Gorme, and Teresa Brewer were the queens of 50s vocal overkill.

I mean, I wasn't being literal when I said he wasn't singing at all. It just seemed like he was more style over substance and his "singing" is pretty mediocre for such a high-profile artist.

He basically just spoke into a microphone in a talking sort of way disguised as singing

Ahuh.

It just seemed like he was more style over substance and

I don't think you know what style over substance is.

Protip, it's this.

well he did have a talkey style of singing and multiple people in the thread have confirmed, saying it was more of his later stuff.