It seems his singing proffessionals have instructed him into not singing with the same passion (as it hurts consistancy in performance). This was what I've been missing and it seems the uniqueness of his sound has almost faded. I still love you james; I'll follow you to the end, my biggest inspiration.
Yes, he was told by vocal coaches to not sing as powerfully cause it would damage his voice. Fair enough when he’s touring but he should still do it more with TV performances and festivals.
