Please note that the ICCA Drinking Game is intended for entertainment purposes only. We do not encourage or condone irresponsible drinking or any consumption of alcohol that violates local laws or college/host facility policies. If you’re going to play this game, we recommend you use soft drinks.

TAKE A DRINK WHENEVER YOU HEAR:
-a group sing the syllable “jigga.”
-you hear a vocal percussionist use the sound “boom-chicka,” “doom-chicka” or some variant thereof.
-a dude sings in a falsetto.
-a group counts off before starting a song.

TAKE A DRINK WHENEVER YOU SEE:
-an air guitar.
-a group member conduct on stage.
-a vocal percussionist move more than three feet from the nearest group member.
-a soloist leave her/his feet.
-a pelvic thrust.
-more than two members of a group beginning bobbing their knees in synch.

FINISH YOUR DRINK WHENEVER:
-a group tries to get the crowd clapping in unison.
-a group covers a song originally performed by Coldplay.
-a group covers a song originally performed by Imogen Heap.

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Think you know collegiate a cappella? Prove yourself in The ACB ICCA Bracket Contest! The winners will be recognized on our site and receive great prizes! Click on the button on the upper right of this page to enter.

Eric Talley is an alumnus of The Appalachian State University Lost in Sound, and is currently an a cappella recording producer. Talley writes The Recording Rant on a recurring basis for The A Cappella Blog.

Another year has passed, and another round of excellent albums have released. It cannot be stated enough that the quality of a cappella music continues to get better and better. We witnessed some truly stellar albums in 2009, and without mentioning names, here are a few things that we can learn from what we have heard:

1) Song originality is HUGE! How many versions of “Apologize” have we heard now? I lost count a while back, but it is far too many. In working with groups now, I stress finding songs that have not been released by five other groups in the last six months, as well songs that showcase their talents. Want to record a Coldplay song? Great idea! Do us all a favor….don’t sing Viva La Vida or The Scientist, because we have been there and done that. If you insist, make it your own and don’t cover the original exactly as we hear it.

2) Your soloist is still the biggest part of the song. Arrangements are blowing me away time and time again with creativity and simple WOW factor, but at the end of the day, your soloist better be able to keep up. I have heard far too many a cappella songs ruined by a mediocre, or just bad, soloist. Your guys group may not be able to sing a Stevie Wonder song. Play to your strengths, no matter how great your arsenal may be. The last thing any of us want to hear is one of our favorite songs murdered by somebody unfit to sing the solo. With that being said….

3) Push the envelope. Most of us read RARB on a regular basis. Great production and simply background chords aren’t cutting it anymore. You have to have the entire package to be considered a top-tier group. This is not to say that I want to see fifty Bubs albums released with different group titles this year, nor do I want every coed group in the nation copying OTB syllables. Just do something different, because do’s and aah’s aren’t selling too many albums these days. Use the top groups to inspire, but there is more than enough potential in the a cappella world to go around.

4) Finally, keep singing! Your album got panned in a review? Only sold half of your copies that you ordered? Had a bad experience with a producer? Persevere. The world wants to hear the best of what you have to offer, and declining to produce an album is the perfect way to NOT give it to them.

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Brent Chismark is a Michigan State University alumnus. This is his first review for The A Cappella Blog.

A remarkable change of venue is the first thing to note about the 2010 ICCA Midwest Quarterfinal in East Lansing, MI. Since my time as an undergraduate at MSU at the start of the Millennium, all the ICCA shows that took place at Michigan State University have been on-campus. This year, the venue was moved to the John Hannah Community Center, about a half-mile north of the University. I was initially apprehensive about the suitability of a community center for an ICCA show, though it had promise as far as available free parking was concerned.

However, once inside, the White Performing Arts Theater has a lot to offer an ICCA Quarterfinal–standard theatrical seating and better acoustics and light than the on-campus Fairchild Theatre for sure. The balcony section provided an excellent place for the event coordinators to corral the performing groups, while still giving them a great view of the show, and provided them a direct path to and from stage. Down below, as the show began, the available ground seats were mostly full, taking into account all the various roped-off seats for judges and timekeeper.

Our emcees for the night were MSU’s Spartan Dischords, known for their boisterous brand of on-stage antics. They opened the show with Jay Sean’s “Down”, which integrated “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas. Then, after the requisite rules summary, the first competitor took the stage.

Smooth Benediction is a mixed group from Mount Marty College, a private Catholic institution in South Dakota. Undoubtedly the farthest travelers of the day (at 800 miles), they only retained a slightly haggard appearance from their long trip. Their set followed the typical “Holy Trinity” (no pun intended) of upbeat, down-tempo, and rock-out, interspersed with some preacher-inspired intros. Their final song, an arrangement of George Michael’s “Faith” was pretty well received, especially when the lead was interrupted Kanye-style by another group member. While injecting a moment of laughter, it seemed a little out-of-place. However, when they got going again with a fumbled key change, the stunt just came off as an attempt at misdirection while they tried to nail that key change.

Next up was the GMen from the University of Michigan. Sporting their customized GMen jerseys, they took the stage with Guster’s “Careful”. It has been a few years since I last heard this now 15-year-old men’s group, but they have definitely stepped up their game in the last few years as they were the tightest I had heard them. Strong bass presence on the mic–probably the best of the night–great choreography and solid arranging were particular highlights. Their arrangement of Queen’s “(Crazy Little) Thing Called Love”, was arranged in a 60’s lounge style, with 50’s inspired choreography and an Elvis Presley lead standing down-right with the ensemble arranged in two rows center stage. The choreography here was especially well-done and reminiscent of perennial ICCA competitor U of I Xtension Chords.

Read the rest

Across the country, and, indeed, around the world, there are numerous a cappella groups who have stumbled upon the very same songs to perform. In some cases it may just be a popular song of the moment. In others, it might be a unique album track that a number of music aficionados agree it might be neat to make their group’s own. Still yet, there are times when a song is just easy to arrange and is, therefore, subject to constant covering.

Whatever the case may be, in The Run Off, The A Cappella Blog brings together three to five different renderings of the same song, and, in the name of sharing different visions, and for the sake of friendly competition, puts them side by side for readers to vote for their favorites. Please feel free to post your rationale in the comments section. Winners will be announced three weeks after the polling begins.

For this edition of The Run Off, we take a look at Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time.”

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The Yeshiva University Maccabeats (2009)

University of Rochester After Hours (2009)

University of Oregon On The Rocks (2007)

The Miami University Cheezies (2008)

Vassar College AirCappella (2007)

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Think you know collegiate a cappella? Prove yourself in The ACB ICCA Bracket Contest! The winners will be recognized on our site and receive great prizes! Click on the button on the upper right of this page to enter.