Despite Ben Folds' protests to the contrary, University A Cappella! is a total novelty, its 16 songs containing nary an instrument and many a harmonized voice. Some may view the move as a gimmick, but there's something truly...well, novel about Folds' work with these young ensembles, all of whom re-create the songwriter's acerbic pop/rock with voices alone. While the world of collegiate a cappella isn't exactly a macrocosm of the music business, it does mirror the industry's recording trends, with more and more ensembles adopting the same digitally tuned, Pro Tools-weaned approach that achieves perfection at the expense of the human element. Folds serves as producer on the bulk of these songs, however, and he captures the group's renditions with virtually no studio wizardry, allowing some errors to remain in the final mix for realistic effect. Those familiar with the top dogs of college a cappella may recognize some names here, particularly the perennially solid Loreleis from UNC, but University A Cappella! gives ample room to ensembles that rarely occupy the spotlight. There's not a whiff of the Yale Whiffenpoofs nor a toot from Tufts' Beelzebubs; instead, listeners are treated to a solid version of "Fair" by Eau Claire's six-person Fifth Element, a winsome "Evaporated" by a high-school choir from Massachusetts, and a sadly middling "Brick" (whose intro sounds more like a church hymn than a '90s ballad) by the Ohio University Leading Tones. The performances are hit-or-miss -- and many of them are trumped by Folds' own pair of songs -- but the originality remains fairly consistent, yielding an album that should delight a cappella enthusiasts and, at the very least, interest the average Folds fan. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella
04/28/2008 | Epic
All Music Guide Review
Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella Track Listing
Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella Notes
Best of Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five as performed by university a cappella groups. Selected and produced by Ben with his own a cappella versions of "Effington" and "Boxing." See what the university a cappella craze is all about!
SELECTIONS:
1. NOT THE SAME
The Spartones from Greensboro, NC
2. JESUSLAND
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Loreleis
3. BRICK
The Ohio University Leading Tones
4. YOU DON'T KNOW ME
The University of Georgia’s With Someone Else’s Money
5. STILL FIGHTING IT
Washington University in St. Louis’s Mosaic Whispers
6. BOXING
Ben Folds
7. SELFLESS, COLD, AND COMPOSED
The Sacramento State Jazz Singers
8. MAGIC
The University of Chicago’s Voices In Your Head
9. LANDED
The University of Colorado Buffoons
10. TIME
The Princeton Nassoons
11. EFFINGTON
Ben Folds
12. EVAPORATED
The Newtones from Newton, MA
13. FRED JONES PART 2
The West Chester University of Pennsylvania Gracenotes
14.ARMY
The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers
15. FAIR
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire’s Fifth Element
16. THE LUCKIEST
The Washington University in St. Louis Amateurs
Credits of Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella
- Kerry Marsh
- Arranger, Engineer
- Joe Argus
- Arranger
- Marianne Cheng
- Arranger
- Joel Esher
- Arranger
- Fleur Folds
- Photography
- Stu Gaylord
- Photography
- Tim Grinidad
- Photography
- Brian Hultgren
- Project Coordinator
- Misha Levental
- Arranger
- Julia Rose Neff
- Vocals
- Courrtney Park
- Arranger
- Emily Riehl
- Arranger
- Chris Rishel
- Arranger, Engineer
- Jonathan Sparks
- Arranger
- Andrew Synowiez
- Photography
- Jason Miller
- Engineer
- Bradley Hartman
- Arranger
- Ben Folds
- Arranger, Vocals, Producer, Mixing
- John Ray
- Vocals
- Joe Costa
- Vocals, Producer, Mixing, Engineer
- John Heiden
- Artwork
- Leon Overtoom
- Mastering
- Ken Levitan
- Management
- Brian Powers
- Arranger
- Jason Harper
- Photography
- Dan Gross
- Arranger
- Jack Rovner
- Management
- Leslie Richter
- Engineer
- Farra Mathews
- A&R
- Greg McRae
- Engineer
- Jared Reynolds
- Vocals
- Richard Baker
- Photography
- Gracie Folds
- Vocals
- Emily Deaderick
- Project Coordinator, Management
- Chris Juengel
- Arranger
- Jonathan Schwartz
- Arranger
- Scott Carter
- Product Manager
- Webb Wilder
- Vocals
















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