The Yale Whiffenpoofs - The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever

The Yale Whiffenpoofs - The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever

2010, The Whiffenpoofs Of Yale University, Inc.

When you think of college acapella groups, The Yale Whiffenpoofs should be the first group that jumps to mind.  Intellectual arguments turn to fisticuffs in the Ivy League when debating who get there first, but there's no argument that the Whiffenpoofs have been the most enduring of the bunch.  Still clad in the tux and tales outfits that have been their trademark since the dawn of the 20th century, The Whiffenpoofs are as much a part of Yale culture as beanies and secret societies.  The group raised their national stature a few notches higher this past December with their appearances on NBC's The Sing Off!, but The Whiffenpoofs were known around the world long before Ben Folds ever dreamt up his TV show.  In 2010, The Whiffenpoofs released their latest album, The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever, a 17-song collection that mixes tradition and imagination in equal measure.

The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever opens with "Nature Boy", in a great arrangement that's a bit more upbeat than you might be used to hearing.  The reading offered here gives the classic tune a dramatic, spy-thriller flare that's amusing.  "Haven't Met You Yet" features a nice, easy-going vocal line that fits nicely into the harmonic basked of the arrangement.  "Rainbow Connection" is sweet and lyric, with a rolling, wave-like feel in the harmonies.  "Midnight Train To Georgia" has the 'IT' factor in the lead vocal line, contrasted with exceedingly smooth backing vocals.

"Down By The Salley Gardens" dips deep into the Whiffenpoofs repertoire a William Butler Yeats derivative of the song "The Rambling Boys Of Pleasure".  The lead vocal is solid, but the vocal arrangement is painted in ethereal pastels in a quasi-baroque setting.  "Too Darn Hot" is done as a snappy jazz number that's highly entertaining, and probably more so when seen live.  The Whiffenpoofs take on Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell on "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You".  The lead vocal here is a refreshingly clear tenor and resonates in the clean, open arrangement.  "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" is well constructed, building up vocal ladders into a pyramid of angelic harmonies.  The mellow lead vocal line here is a nice touch that simply adds to the magic.  Next up, Kurt Weill gets the Whiffenpoof treatment in "September Song", a reverential reading that's striking in its beauty.

The absolute highlight of the album, however, is a tune written by former Whiffenpoof Jonathan Coulton (Yale '93).  "Re: Your Brains" is brilliantly constructed and full of wicked humor as it deconstructs a classic movie zombie tale in eight part harmony.  You need to hear this tune even if you've never heard Coulton's original.  Don't be surprised if some savvy Broadway producer doesn't latch onto this tune and build a musical around it.  "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" shows real moxie.  Opening with a bass solo is unusual and appealing, but the vocalist, who really isn't bad, just doesn't have the presence to carry this.  The arrangement is solid and the overall performance excellent.  The scat breakdown after the first verse is entertaining.  The Whiffenpoofs even pull some Gospel sounds out of the process, evolving into a Take-6 like coda.  The whole enterprise eventually resolves into an MGM-end theme style at the close.

The Whiffenpoofs step back in time with their proverbial theme "The Whiffenpoof Song".  The arrangement is beautiful, but there is the power and force of a charismatic history behind the song that is palpable.  It's a compelling listen.  The album closes with a spirited rendition of the classic gospel tune "Operator".  The Take-6 sound comes back here in small measure, but there's also a showy aspect of the rendition that reminds one of old-time radio.  The song is tight, well-arrangement and perfectly executed.

The Whiffenpoofs as a historical organization have probably forgotten more about acapella singing than many of the newer groups today even know.  The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever is probably a subject open for debate amongst alumni of the group, but there's no doubt that the current crop of The Yale Whiffenpoofs live up to the name measure for measure.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about the Yale Whiffenpoofs at www.whiffenpoofs.com.  The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever is available on CD from the Whiffenpoofs Store.  Digital versions of the album are available from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Reflect - For Those Who Wait...

Reflect - For Those Who Wait...

2010, Reflect

Toronto hip-hop/rapper Reflect is on the rise.  His 2008 debut album, Hope Wuz Here found Reflect gaining airplay on both sides of the Atlantic as well as in Australia, and sparked featured performances in Toronto and New York City.  Reflect is a different style of rapper than what you hear on the radio, foregoing the glam and glitz for a much more measured approach.  The chutzpah and self-serving lyrical approach are still here; just dialed down to more subtle levels.  This is apparent on Reflect’s latest album, For Those Who Wait….  Reflect’s influences include 2PAC, Talib Kweli, Common and Rakim, and elements of each can be heard on the album.

For Those Who Wait… opens with “Intro – For Those Who Wait”, sounding like an admonition of absentee fathers.  Reflect establishes a solid rhythm here, but the meaning may border on opaque for some.   “Another Shot” asks for another opportunity, vacillating between a relationship and chasing his dreams and finding it difficult to fully pursue one without giving short shrift to the other.  Here her works out the dynamics of doing both in rhyme.  “Fly Away (Gotta Get Out)” is a down tempo, nearly melancholy rhyme detailing a hard life caught between poverty and drugs, expressing the eternal ideal of escape.  The song gives voice to the voiceless with a deft lyrical touch without sounding sentimental.  “Gonna Get ‘Em” is a song about reaching out for your dreams the right way; rising up through the ranks with hard work and determination.  Reflect refers to having “A couple of dollars and a dream”, and talks about working harder at making music than he’s worked at anything in his life.  The song may be seen by some as self-serving, but it reflects a work ethic that’s a necessary component of success.

“Million Bucks” delves into the ups and downs of having big money, starting from a desire to have it to the perspective of one who had it and lost it all.  Reflect has a tendency at times to tell a story from multiple perspectives in the same song, like in “Million Bucks”; this tendency arises again in “Lost And Found”.  “Lost And Found” parallels the giddy love of finding the right woman with the utter despair of losing her.  “What Do I Do” is perhaps the most difficult listen on “For Those Who Wait…” Reflect discusses the evil that some men (pimps, abusers) commit against women in a well thought out diatribe.  Unfortunately his vocals on the chorus are almost painfully atonal.  Reflect heads for cliché on “Superman”, singing to his own Lois Lane in a self-serving love song that finds Reflect putting himself on a pedestal rather than the one he’s singing to.

“Worked Over By A Lady” finds Reflect lamenting a friend whose heart was broken, laying it entirely at the feet of the woman who walked away.  The song is well-written yet overly one-sided in perspective and might be taken for being mildly misogynistic.  “Lovin’ Me Lately” is a slow jam for the twenty-first century with a solid groove.  Reflect doesn’t leave much to the imagination, eschewing the suggestive innuendo Isaac Hayes for fully descriptive lyrics that might classify as erotica.  For Those Who Wait…  closes with “Moonwalker”, a tribute to Michael Jackson from the perspective of a kid who used to try to copy the moonwalk who is now an artist himself because of the influence.  The lyrics border on trite, and Reflect puts Jackson amidst an interesting pantheon of artists that includes Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Biggie, 2Pac, Aaliyah, Isaac Hayes, James Brown and John Lennon.  Nevertheless it’s a touching tribute fitting of the self-styled King of Pop.

Reflect’s delivery is a bit bland at times, but his lyrical style shows the influence of artists such as Common and Rakim.  Reflect is a cognitive rapper, spinning generally well thought-out lyrics that give voice to emotions, moments and people who might not find their own voice, and does so without relying on destructive or offensive language.  For Those Who Wait… probably doesn’t slot well with popular urban radio, but will appeal to those who remember a time when rappers got by on their wits more so than on reputations or street cred.  For Those Who Wait… is the real deal, and what Reflect may lack in flash he more than makes up for in his rhymes.

 Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Reflect at http://www.reflect-music.com/.  For Those Who Wait is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  Digital copies are also available from iTunes.