Tufts' own all-male a capella group, the Beezlebubs, has released a new album entitled Infinity. Despite a few slow moments, the Bubs come off with a cohesion and vitality that remind us why their concerts are arguably the most well-attended on campus.
"That's the Way I Like It/Get Down Tonight," by K.C. and the Sunshine Band starts the album on an upbeat note. Soloist Jeremy Cramer's tenor voice is irrepressibly full of life, and the arrangement melding the two songs together is well done.
"It Ain't Over 'Til it's Over" by Lenny Kravitz is done in a mediocre fashion. Despite parts in which members of the group are forced into a squeaky falsetto, Oliver Wong does a nice job of mimicking Kravitz's voice, blending well with the background throughout the song. "All I Want is You," falls victim to the same problem at one or two points, where the falsettos of the group do not blend particularly well. Despite beautiful background vocals, the chord changes are simply too tedious and repetitive to retain interest.
Both background vocals and falsettos are particularly strong in "She's Always a Woman," a Billy Joel favorite. The dynamics of the song are conducted with a wonderful perceptiveness. Another slow but feeling song is "Washing of the Water," in which Wong and Alex Rappaport make a song that could become tedious actually worth listening to.
Always a favorite during concert performances, "Stay (Wasting Time)" by Dave Matthews is one of the stronger pieces on the album. Part of this is due to the fact that the chord changes in the original were beautiful even before their rearrangement on Infinity. Credit must be given to the Bubs, however, who are incredibly cohesive during this song, from beginning to end. The polyrhythm is wonderfully done and the bass- line is good and strong - a necessity for the song.
"All Night Long," is an unexpected piece for a cappella translation, but again, due to a strong bass-line and well-conducted dynamics it comes off well. The arrangement is unusual and the non-English instrumental is gorgeous. The arrangement of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered - I'm Yours," by Stevie Wonder is similarly out of the ordinary, and just as strong.
Also unlikely pieces for an a cappella album are "Loungin'" by LL Cool J, "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix, and "No Diggity," by Blackstreet. The first and the last are usually considered "rap" by the music industry. The background, mostly percussion and bass are nice, but rap comes off as somewhat strange when done in a cappella style. Still, because the arrangement is somewhat minimal to begin with, the songs translate fairly well, especially "No Diggity" on which Sam Hanson's solo is particularly strong. "Fire" uses microphone effects to mimic Hendrix's electric sound. Though an interesting experiment, it is not what the Bubs do best.
The group shows off their percussive skills with "You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)," by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Though the song does not quite replicate swing quality, the voices of the group blend especially well with near-perfectly executed background vocals and an instrumental that puts actual wind instruments to shame.
Arguably, though, the best song on Infinity is Sting's "Why Should I Cry for You." Not only are the chord changes excellent, but the group's voices blend seamlessly and the sound carries with it a haunting quality. Jack Maynard's solo is the highlight of the album, as he sings with a cleanness and clarity that shows not only a wonderful talent, but an ear for the bittersweetness in the song.
Overall, Infinity is one of the Bubs' better endeavors. "Brothers, Sing On!" the group's song, and the last one of the album is an unfortunate exercise in self-indulgence. But with a group that does so well most of the time, we allow them their faults. The album overcomes weaknesses with a vengeance, and displays the group's talents as best it can out of the live-performance venue, which is usually the Bubs' greatest strength.
