Phils So Good puts "aahh" in a cappella

By Julie Armstrong     4/17/08 7:00pm

Growth fosters change, and the world of collegiate a cappella is no exception to this rule. With over 1,200 student-run groups in the United States alone, the movement the Yale Whiffenpoofs began in 1909 has become a genre with its own trends. In the 1980s and '90s, student a cappella groups shifted focus from classical and jazz arrangements to more beat-driven pop tunes. In the 2000s, the growing popularity of amateur mixing and mastering tools established the voice-filtering standard for studio albums. Now the proliferation of a cappella rating web sites and professional companies specializing in vocal mixing have raised the standard for these albums. Not to be left behind, the Rice Philharmonics have taken exciting leaps with their latest recorded effort, Phils So Good, mixed at North Carolina's Liquid5th studio and scheduled for release on April 26.In essence, Phils So Good presents two art forms in one: the rearrangement of original songs using only human voices, which defines a cappella, and also the use of professional editing and mixing equipment to create the ambient listening experience unique to a studio album. Although the Phils fan who seeks the feel of a live recording may find the filtered style disconcerting, the alteration creates smooth, yet complex waterfalls of sound that showcase the arranging skills of the group's members and add greatly to the listening experience.

The professional effects highlight the multipartite nature of a cappella, often making use of double-tracking and utilizing the same singer for more than one part simultaneously, and they allow the group's voices to achieve sounds that only exist in a digital fantasy. "Toxic" sounds nothing like it would at the President's Study Break, but its heavy reverb and dropped bass notes enhance and transform the instrumental power of the singers' voices, making for a tune as entertaining as easy to dance to as the original.

In addition to its departure from the more garagey feel of the Philharmonics' previous recordings, a notable improvements on Phils So Good is the number of songs that feature strong soloists. Gillian Smith's performance of Imogen Heap's "Hide And Seek" and Carmen Perez' sweet and uplifting "Galileo" would sound smooth and consistent even without the help of professional mastering tools; the added effects in the former song serve mainly to reproduce the feel of the original, while the soprano layers in the background of the latter add to its emotional pull. Payton Odom also shines in the poppy "Accidentally in Love," honeying up the Counting Crows' already catchy original.

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Even the album's weaker offerings do not fall too far, mainly due to song choice, timing, and good articulation. "The Sign," while a bit fast-paced and a slight stretch for the soloist, is redeemed by the singer's spirit and a carefully thought-out arrangement. "Mrs. Robinson," while too milky and light to be a standout, benefits simply from the group's success at replicating such a beloved song.

Phils So Good should be enjoyed and respected as an entity separate from the Philharmonics' live a cappella shows. While the shows feature energy and choreography, the album is a tapestry of sound, stretching the power of the singers' voices beyond their limits while staying true to the principles of the genre. The Rice Philharmonics have risen to a new class of a cappella performance with this album, and the future should only produce more surprises.

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