So the ‘Bubs (Tufts Beelzebubs) have this new album, “Shedding”, and here I sit having to write a review for one of the most established and prominent groups in collegiate a cappella history. With that in mind, I’m not really sure what to think about the amazing music on this disc.
 
The ‘Bubs have all the resources that most collegiate groups dream of: performing talent, arranging talent, a hugely active alumni association and a great reputation for live shows and recordings. This reputation is well deserved for pushing the ceiling of what a cappella is capable of higher and higher with each new submission. “Code Red” made lots of waves with what can be done with studio effects, and now the aptly named “Shedding” proves that the same level of wow can be achieved without the gods of plug-ins and Pro Tools. The ‘Bubs chose a repertoire full of stuff that usually serves as a litmus test for a group's quality and credibility and proceeded to serve it up on a silver platter with side dish of, “There! That's how you do that song!”

I doubt that any collegiate group out there could exactly duplicate the sound of this album live (only because of the studio mixing and the sheer amount of overdubbing involved), but I bet that if any group took a skeletal version of any of these tracks it would still sound amazing. Ladies and gentlemen, this means that high school, collegiate and pro groups can use “Shedding” as a kind of sonic library for vocables, syllables, textures, layers and all the gooey stuff in between. 

Great. So what?

I don’t think anybody has expected any less than this quality from the ‘Bubs for a while now, so when does this kind of quality of emulation start to stagnate? Everything I’ve said above is nothing new from any other review of this album, but it serves to set up the real point of this critique:

Now what?

While putting forth covers of this level is definitely laudable, I can’t help but ask myself the same question that floats around the RARB boards every time a groups records a song with such fantastic precision and dedication to the original work: “Why not just listen to the original?”

Quick history lesson: The Impressionist movement in painting occurred as a reaction to the invention of the camera. Before then the highest goal of a painter was to duplicate the bowl of fruit exactly in another medium and since the camera could accomplish that goal with the push of a button painters started to depict how the fruit made them feel instead.  See where I’m going with this? “Shedding” is a musical Polaroid. ‘Bubs: You’ve unquestionably set up a tent in the camp of arranging royalty, but I still have a problem. Your tent looks pretty similar to many others and the only thing that lets me know that it’s you singing is the cover art. I fail to see how much further you can refine your arranging skills with or without effects so I dare to throw down a new gauntlet for you. I urge you to dip your toes in the waters of reinterpretation. 

If I were to set up a “Pepsi Challenge” using you and another group of the same talent, orchestration and resources, would a listener be able to tell it’s you singing? This is your next step. Create a musical fingerprint as unique as Rockapella, Take 6, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the House Jacks and Vox One, for example.  Strive to create such a defined style and approach to your music that one could hear a brand new track by you in the next room and ask themselves, “Is that a new ‘Bubs CD?  Sweet!” Right now, Johnny Likesacappella is saying, “That’s a sweet piece of ‘cappella!* Who’s it by?” 

I’m sure that you are capable of accomplishing this and I look forward to the results.

*Just for the record, I hope that “sweet piece of ‘cappella” doesn’t catch on or Johnny’s gonna get a beating.

order at http://www.bubs.com

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved