AcaNoob Playlist

I can't believe that 2012 has come and it's taken me a whole month to post here! Things have been crazy, what with applying for (and being accepted into) the Public Relations major, applying and interviewing for internships, and dealing with a family emergency. But now that I have a little time...

I introduced some of my Design Fundamentals classmates to a cappella (subliminally, as we were working on an assignment). That got me to thinking... If you were to create a playlist for an "acanoob," what would you put on that playlist?

Here are my picks:

1. "Rhythm of Love/Can't Help Falling in Love" (Straight No Chaser, Six Pack, Vol. 2)
2. "Billie Jean/Poison" (Straight No Chaser, Six Pack, Vol. 2)
3. "Like a Prayer" (Straight No Chaser, Six Pack, Vol. 2)
4. "Best Thing I Never Had" (Kinfolk 9)
5. "Firework" (The Backbeats, The Backbeats [From The Sing-Off])
6. "Sitcom Medley" (UNC Clef Hangers)
7. "Wonderwall" (Sonos)
8. "Turning Tables/Someone Like You" (Peter Hollens)
9. "Moves Like Jagger" (Overboard)
10. "We All Need Saving" (Hyannis Sound)
11. Nearer, My God, to Thee (BYU Vocal Point, Nonstop)
12. "Cooler Than Me" (Groove For Thought, The Sing-Off: The Best of Season 2)
13. "Landslide" (The Backbeats, The Sing-Off: The Best of Season 2)
14. "Fix You" (Straight No Chaser, With a Twist)
15. "Under the Bridge" (Straight No Chaser, With a Twist)
16. "Wonderwall" (Straight No Chaser, With a Twist)
17. "Toxic" (Overboard)
18. "Creep (Street Corner Symphony, The Sing-Off: The Best of Season 2)
19. "Enjoy the Silence" (Sonos, SONOSings)
20. "I Want You Back" (Sonos, SONOSings)
21. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" (Midnight Ramblers, BOCA 2008)
22. "Super Mario" (BYU Vocal Point, BOCA 2009)
23. "Home" (Duke Pitchforks, BOCA 2009)

Of course, depending on that person's already-existing musical tastes, I might tailor that playlist to feature more songs that are of their genre of choice. But this playlist is focused more towards people of my age group, since a lot of these songs are current hits, redone aca-fied.

What would you put on your playlist?

Straight No Chaser Brings Christmas Cheer to a Sold-Out Crowd

Earlier in the week, I wrote a review of the December 9, 2011 Straight No Chaser show at the Wiltern for the Neon Tommy. Article here or read below.

On Friday night, the ten-man a cappella sensation, Straight No Chaser, entertained a sold-out crowd at the Wiltern Theatre with their eclectic mix of songs, which includes hits from throughout the decades as well as Christmas carols, both old and new. Though this is the third time the group has performed at the Wiltern, and this year’s show featured more theatrics, props, and multimedia than ever before.

Following a short, entertaining video describing the group’s history and rise to fame (reminiscent of the Star Wars films' opening sequences), Straight No Chaser came out to cheers and loud applause, opening up the show with an upbeat arrangement of the Temptations’ “Get Ready.”

They then followed up with a 50's medley, which included doo-wop classics and tunes by the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Though only half of them initially stepped out on stage, the other five returned in the middle of the song to try and regain the spotlight; what ensued was a vocal battle between rock and roll and doo-wop on the group’s elaborate setup of risers, until soloist Jerome Collins broke in with a resounding chorus of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout,” and encouraging the audience to clap and sing along.

The group then went on to an audience favorite, their cover of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours,” which is mashed up with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and was followed by a steamy version of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

Their next song, Weezer’s “Buddy Holly,” was both charming and fun, and each member of the group sported thick black horn-rimmed glasses in homage to the rock and roll legend. Though it seemed a little rushed, soloist and music director Walter Chase said that the group likes to vary the tempo of the songs from time to time in order to keep things interesting for the group and the audience.

Following “Buddy Holly” was a slower, haunting version of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” The song seemed to get off to a pitchy start, but the harmonies locked as it progressed and the audience was drawn into the song.

Straight No Chaser then seamlessly segued into their holiday set, singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and the Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick,” complete with hilarious and unexpected antics.

They then closed out the first half of the show with an animated Straight No Chaser original song, written by Walter Chase, called “The Christmas Can-Can,” which pokes fun at the commercialization of Christmas, as it seems to come earlier and earlier every year. The song features the members of the group doing a kick line and, as they often joke, it also features their award-winning choreography (which has won no awards).

After a brief intermission, the group brought the audience back into the holiday mood with their stunning arrangement of “Carol of the Bells,” which was followed by a medley of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

In what was clearly one of the night’s highlights, basses Charlie Mechling and Randy Stine captivated the audience’s imagination as they, along with tenor Jerome Collins, took center stage during ”You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” hitting notes so low that the audience’s seats rumbled.

The group’s next song, “¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?,” was fun and energetic and both showcased more of their dance moves and gave the nicknames of each group member.

Straight No Chaser transitioned out of their holiday set with a medley of songs by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, which showcased the group’s high tenors. Soloist Tyler Trepp’s high notes soared, showing off his impressive vocal range, prompting fellow tenor Ryan Ahlwardt to comment, “Because nothing says ‘Walk Like a Man’ than singing higher than any man ever should” before introducing the next song, a moving and emotional cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You.”

Straight No Chaser then closed out the night by introducing themselves, then singing a medley of current hits, including Cee-Lo Green’s “Forget You,” Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and “Paparazzi.”

But the sold-out audience hadn’t had enough. The group came out for three encores; first, they sang another fan-favorite, their popular mashup “Billie Jean/Poison.”

For their second encore, Straight No Chaser performed the song that got them signed to a record deal, their version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” which was fun, fresh, and filled with new surprises even though they have performed this song for more than three years.

Their final encore of the night was an off-mic version of “O Holy Night,” led by Jerome Collins on the solo. Though it was undoubtedly easier to hear the group’s third encore in some places more than others, the audience was completely still as these ten powerful voices filled the theatre without the help of any electronic equipment, and it became clear that Straight No Chaser is not just a performing group, but they are also ten talented musicians with passion and raw talent.

As a whole, the show was more than just a concert; it was a production. With an elaborate setup of risers, incredible lighting design which added to the changing mood and atmosphere of each song, and witty banter between songs, Straight No Chaser showed that they are more than just a bunch of choir geeks; they are true performers who are making a cappella cool again.

Straight No Chaser has just released a new EP, “Six Pack, Vol. 2,” which features many of the songs from their fall tour show. They will also be performing in Fresno on New Year’s Eve and in Anaheim in March.

Reach reporter Shaina Eng here. Follow Shaina on Twitter.

I Celebrate the Day (Overflow Cover)

"I Celebrate the Day" (Relient K)

Cover by Overflow A Cappella

Arr. by Jongyup Park and Kara Ing

Soloist: Frank Hong

United University Church, USC

Overflow's The Christmas Story Concert

December 5, 2011

It's almost Christmas! Though I have to power through a week of finals, I hope you have a fantastic holiday season! I can't get this song out of my head... So sad that Frank is graduating; his voice is AH-MAZING.

Blessings

"Blessings" (Laura Story)

Cover by Overflow A Cappella

Arr. by Angie Paek and Susie Nam

Theta Xi house for Alpha Delta Chi's Java Jive, USC

November 11, 2011

AcaPolitics

I had first heard about this novel from Sarah Twilley, aca-aficionado. I probably heard about it but just hadn't had the time to really sit down and read it in its early stages when it was published on the blog, and so it stayed forever bookmarked on my browser. Of course, when I found out that an actual hard copy of the novel was going to be released, I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy. But, as fate would have it, I would have the opportunity to read the novel and review it, getting my hands on a copy days before the release date.

Of course, school decided to get in the way between me and my aca-indulgence, but I was able to read through the bulk of the novel on the release date. I just couldn't put the book down; it was THAT good.

Before you keep reading, yes, this review is my own personal review, and not something that will be published either on the Neon Tommy or on SNC Quarter Notes, though I will be sure to post those links as soon as they're up. And now back to the review.

Having been a spectator of the aca-world for about four years, I had always been entranced by the performance aspect of a cappella groups, as most are. I focused mainly on the art of a cappella music and performance, but never had I heard about anything that goes on behind the scenes. Even now, as I am a member of a co-ed Christian a cappella group at the University of Southern California (Overflow), the particular circumstances described in the novel have not actually resembled my experiences at all, so this opened up a whole new side of the a cappella world that I didn't even know existed.

The novel follows the a cappella scene at a fictional Midwestern university, Brighton University, the six a cappella groups of Brighton, and several of the singers in these different groups during the span of one year. In particular, we follow the two co-ed groups, the Harmoniums and the Chorderoys, the pursuits of their respective presidents, Dani and Taylor, and a few fresh-faced first years, auditioning for the various groups. And though there seemed to be a lot of characters and sub-plots to have to follow throughout the course of the novel, art imitates life--just as in real life, we get to know each and every character's backstory, and the reader soon finds out that living the aca-lifestyle is anything but simple.

It seems that the central plot surrounds the Harmoniums and the Chorderoys as they fight for survival; you see, at the beginning of the year, it's revealed Brighton's Student Government plans to cease funding for one of the school's six groups, which basically means dissolving a group. The president the Harmoniums, Dani, and the president of the Chorderoys, Taylor, figure that since the two groups are so similar, they're the two that are the most at risk. (Of course, there are other reasons, but you need to read to book to learn about those!) The book then shows the various tactics that the two groups employ to ensure that they will come out on top.

Within this plot, we follow Ben, brand-new to Brighton, and his pursuits in the acaverse. In fact, we meet a whole slew of fresh-faced aca-newbies: Akash, Caroline, Nicole, and Renee. We follow them through the initial stages of a cappella discovery, auditions, initiation, and integration. Right from the start, a romantic subplot emerges; Ben is attracted to Caroline, and they seem to have everything in common. Too bad Caroline has a boyfriend...

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. It gave me some interesting insights into the world and politics behind "real" collegiate a cappella (or maybe a different a cappella scene), and it's definitely something that aca-nerds and aca-virgins alike will enjoy. Though there seemed to be a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep track of, that's the nature of an a cappella group (since most a cappella groups, especially co-ed ones, are rather large in size). However, I did feel that some of the more minor characters were not developed adequately; they fall right between the category of being developed too much and not being developed enough. Take, for example, Akash. Not wanting to be pegged as a Brighton "legacy" student (all the buildings on Brighton's campus seem to be named after his rather wealthy grandfather and his uncle was a founding member of one of the all-male groups, the Gobfellas), Akash decides to hide this aspect of his heritage. But after Akash makes this decision, we hear nothing more about it. Did the other members of the group he joined (which I shall not divulge) find out? There were just some details that seemed to fall by the wayside, which contributed to some iffy character development.

But, of course, I thought that this was a great aca-novel and an all-around fun read. Character development aside, I enjoyed the plot and took delight in a few unexpected twists and developments, and I also found the renaming of certain a cappella organizations and events entertaining ("MASA" for CASA and "WCA" for ICCA). If you ever want to take a peek into the workings of a collegiate a cappella group, or even if you're looking for a fun read, I'd definitely check this book out.

AcaPolitics is available on Amazon and is written by Stephen Harrison.

Vocal Declaration: Redefining the term a cappella

Hey acafans, you can tell I'm being facetious here, right?


Vocal Declaration: Redefining the term a cappella

I. Preamble
What makes a song “a cappella”? Derived from Italian, the term means “in the style of the chapel,” but this literal translation tells us nothing about what people consider a cappella to be today. Many define the term a cappella as music without instruments, other than voices. It can be one person singing a melody unaccompanied or many people singing Gregorian chant. However, only until very recently has the term been redefined to mean “making music using only voices,” and in this new style of a cappella (deemed “contemporary a cappella” and brought into the spotlight because of shows like Glee and The Sing-Off and by groups like Rockapella and Straight No Chaser), several voices were layered over each other to emulate the sound of instruments; furthermore, the introduction of vocal percussion, in which a vocalist would emulate the sound of a drum set using his or her mouth (and is very similar to beatboxing) further distanced this notion of a cappella from its original meaning.
Therefore, in an effort to redefine the term a cappella and to return to its original, etymological meaning, the following articles discuss what it means for a song to truly be “a cappella.”

II. Articles:
1. Songs done in the style of “true a cappella” should not be accompanied by instruments of any sort.
2. Electronic effects—such as autotune and pitch correction, looping, and EQ—are strictly off-limits.
3. The use of vocal percussion or beatboxing during a song should not be permitted if the song is to be considered “true a cappella.”
4. In keeping with the notion that a cappella music is in the style of the church, the emulation of instruments by background vocalists makes a song not a cappella.
5. Songs in which vocalists are singing only words and meaningful lyrics are considered “true a cappella.”
6. The use of choreography or excessive movement when singing in “true a cappella” is prohibited.
7. Songs done in “true a cappella” will not be pop, rock, hip-hop, doo wop, or any other genre of music that would not be sung in a church.
8. The use of electronic equipment—such as microphones, amplifiers, speakers, etc.—are not allowed.
9. “True a cappella” should be done in the Gregorian chant style or choral style sung in a somber, prayerful mood in a church or chapel by several members of the male clergy.

III. Conclusion
Though some of these articles are indeed extreme, they are necessary in order to restore the original denotation of the term a cappella. Though it is not suggested that the genre currently called “a cappella” or “contemporary a cappella” disappear entirely, it is necessary to restore the term to its proper glory. However, it is possible for this new, different form of vocal music to become popular in its own right, and by coining a new term for this genre of music, it will separate itself from the connotations of the church and lack of instruments, which will enable it to develop independently from a cappella and form its own history and identity.

When I Am Afraid (Overflow)

The audio and video (and matching the two) aren't the best, but here's why I woke up at 7am on a Sunday morning. (I'm on the far left, woo!)

"When I Am Afraid" (Laura Hackett)

Cover by Overflow A Cappella

Arr. by Rachel Porter

Oriental Mission Church, Los Angeles, CA

October 30, 2011

Sonos

From my Tumblr:

I’m pissed off at this week’s Sing-Off elimination. Like, PISSED OFF. I knew that they were going home, obviously, because I’d been to tapings following the elimination. But what bugs me is that the groups they were going up against… Well, in my opinion, they were definitely not as good as Sonos.

THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is how “I Want You Back” is supposed to sound like. If your mind isn’t blown, well… Let’s just say that I edited an expletive out of what I’m saying now.

Though, I think AcaGeeks put it perfectly when it was first announced that Sonos would be performing without their effects pedals (and like them, I’m very upset with this elimination):

The Sing-Off is a show that is not for us, but still is at a level that is enough to engage us. Though the “unwashed masses” have been brought up to speed pretty rapidly as far as what contemporary a cappella is, what SONOS is known for within the aca-community is still too far beyond what the general public can embrace. For SONOS, who has followed the opposite development path from most groups, The Sing-Off is a spectacular opportunity to apply their considerable skill into a more traditional aesthetic which will only improve them as a group.

Though now that I think about it, the style of a cappella that Sonos pioneers is interesting because it's either you absolutely love it or you absolutely hate it. It's the same thing with any innovation, and paraphrasing what Tom Anderson said, it seems that Sonos was punished for their innovative and challenging arrangement. Those that love it can understand their innovation, can understand that this song isn't trying to copy the original, can understand that they're being artists and creating something, can understand that they're turning this seemingly upbeat song into something more sinister and creepy. They're making it their own. You hear that, and you think, "Yup, that's Sonos." Can you say that with any other group? Sure, but they're few and far between.

And those that hate it? Well, it seems to me that they're either purists and MJ lovers (not that there's anything wrong with that) or they're uncomfortable with being unable to recognize the song. And through that insecurity of failure of recognition, come personal insecurities. But I'm no psychologist, so I won't go into that. If there's anything I've learned in the past few months, it's that those who have something invested in the current state of things are against innovation. Plato was against the pencil. He argued that by writing things down, the degradation of thought and of the human mind was inevitable. But that didn't stop innovation. You can't stop the future of how things are, or how things should be. It's inevitable, and if you take into consideration Darwin's evolutionary theory, those who learn to adapt will ultimately be the ones to win out. Adapt, or die.

That's a very grim message to leave you with, and I'm definitely not advocating that you completely conform to "the system" and become mindless conformists. It's important to keep a sense of creative individualism alive, but in order to survive and thrive in the system, and to facilitate progress, you've gotta learn how to use and manipulate the new forms of media and innovations that come our way.

This has kinda gone off track, from an angry post about an amazing a cappella group getting eliminated to my personal philosophical theories. But you get my drift.