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.

Game Day Reflections

If I am ever asked, "Did you ever do anything stupid at USC?" I should hope that I would be able to confidently reply, "Nope!" Though, what I just did was pretty stupid...

For the first time in three years, a USC football game was sold out. USC vs. Stanford. Beat the Farm. Yada yada.

I had decided to go out with my dad and some family members for lunch, and he brought me back to campus around 2:30pm.

Kickoff is at 5pm.

We decide to go to Smart and Final so I could pick up some groceries. I didn't think it would be a good idea, since he had to go back to Chinatown to help my uncle clean out my grandma's apartment. But he insisted, so we went.

After getting the groceries, it was about 3:30pm. It took us half an hour to get from Smart and Final to the main gate, which just happened to be closed. The sole open gate was, allegedly, Gate 6. Which would mean that we'd have to go all the way around the block. So, I had to walk all the way across campus with bags of heavy groceries.

You would think that after all of that, I'd wise up and decide to stay inside my apartment.

As soon as I got to my room, I put away my groceries, changed my clothes, and headed out at about 4:30pm to pick up a book at Doheny Library.

I was pretty much fighting my way uphill, if hills smell a lot like beer and cigarette smoke. There were people milling about, and I had to weave my way halfway across campus, fighting against the river of people making their way to the Coliseum.

I made it to Doheny, only to find that the front entrance was completely blocked. Just great.

I walked around the side to the first set of doors I saw, but they were locked. Then I spotted a ramp, so I headed down and found that it led to the Cinema Library, so I made my way up to the Circulation Desk, where I waited a while before getting the book I needed. Then I tried to go out the way I came, but I couldn't get out the door! So, I walked all the way around and out.

As I made my way towards my dorm, I passed by more beer-and-smoke odors around the center of campus. A guy stood in the middle of the road, his handmade paper sign saying "I need tickets!" Others passed him, patting him on the back and saying, "Me too, man... Me too." Freakishly tall guys dressed like Tommy Trojan (complete with bare chests, capes, and funny helmets) were hanging around flirtatious girls (some were probably members of the USC basketball team).

And as I turned right into the Roski Fine Arts school, all the ruckus died down, and I contemplated what I'd seen. That is, until I was 50 yards from my apartment, when some drunken bro saw me wearing my 'SC jersey, yelled "Fight On!" and gave me a high five.

And that, ladies and gents, is the closest I've gotten to having a "real" USC Game Day experience.

...I'm pathetic.