CASA - the contemporary a cappella society - CD Review: Colorado College The Back Row's "Unleash The Periscope"

CD Review: Colorado College The Back Row's "Unleash The Periscope"

Written by Sean Dargie

Thursday, 01 June 2006

It seems that Colorado College’s The Back Row is tired of sitting in the back row and ready to step on stage.

Word of “Unleash the Periscope” has seemed to spread like wildfire lately, especially for their cover of Gorillaz' “Feel Good Inc”. (of which my only complaint is that the trademark laughter in this song is a little more maniacal than hysterical, but they're both forms of psychoses so no harm, no foul). This alone is unusual since collegiate debut albums are normally like a baby's first steps; everyone is rooting for the baby but they all expect a certain amount of falls before shnookums makes it across the room, if at all. The Back Row is more like one of those Animal Planet babies where five minutes after birth it's already stalking its breakfast.

What I'm trying to say is these kids have done their homework.

“All Around the World” and “Feel Good Inc.” do a great job of using space in their phrasing to sustain interest throughout the entire track. Verses are often sparse but never thin, and this makes room for the extra kick in the ear when the rest of the group starts singing. Another song that kept me on my toes was “Your Smiling Face”. The Back Row skillfully shifted emphasis in the backgrounds back and forth as if to say, "You will focus on this line now. See how good that was? Here's another. You like that one too, huh? I knew you would."

Or something like that.

“Out Of My League”, and the House Jacks' “Gone” are surprisingly mature for a group so young, but again, homework pays off in the long run, kids.

Some of the solos were occasionally a bit wobbly in precision but the Back Row handled this in the best way they could have; They ended the album with David Bowie's “Pressure” and covered any slight lapses in technique with a thick coating of style. Prevailing thought says if the beginning and end of the performance are great, people won't remember any mistakes in the middle.

Which is another thing - there isn't that much middle to this album, either. I've been listening to too many albums lately that are closer to an Olympic twenty tracks, but “Unleash the Periscope” is a light jog with eleven tracks. Enough to feel like a full album but not so much that I’m too tired to take another spin around the park.

Although the mouth drumming is interesting and filled with little rhythmic goodies for flavor, I was a disappointed that there wasn't more of a continuous live person when the talent and ingenuity is obviously there. Maybe next time.

I don't know whether to chalk “Unleash the Periscope” up to beginner's luck or not, but the way that shnookums practically danced across the floor makes me think that we should expect good things from the Back Row in the future.

http://www.ccbackrow.com