Tired of the same old Acapella?

November 6, 2002 4:45 AM

Tired of the same old Acapella? Wish that it dealt with the issues that you face as a wimpy high school student without a girlfriend? It's Emocapella!
posted by hughbot (37 comments total)

Thats nothing, someone at my school is trying to put together an acapella noise band, a la lightning bolt.
posted by atom128 at 4:51 AM on November 6, 2002

That is the geekiest thing ever. I think I'm in love!
posted by JoanArkham at 4:56 AM on November 6, 2002

I hold Alan Alda responsible for all of this, him and that whole "sensitive modern feminist male" shit... just look where that has lead us! Why, these boys should be out puking up cheap beer on Metro passengers and causing loud, raucous scenes in all night eateries, not crooning songs of heartache and ennui...

(Does it work, though? I mean, are they getting laid because of this? Do Georgetown women really fall for guys who go out in public and sing "F*** Her Gently" to them?)
posted by JollyWanker at 5:57 AM on November 6, 2002

These guys rule at acappella. Hilarious. Anyone heard their version of the Six Million Dollar Man theme song? I haven't gone for a sitcom in a long time, but I find myself strangely addicted to the zaniness of Scrubs.
posted by Shane at 6:05 AM on November 6, 2002

Awesome link. Nothing better of the parody that Emo is than an even better parody. Emocapella is true punk rock.

And I bet these guys have to use cattle prods to fend off the groupies.
posted by CoolHandPuke at 6:06 AM on November 6, 2002

Emocapella is true punk rock.

I know those words, but that sentence makes no sense...
posted by stifford at 6:20 AM on November 6, 2002

Finally, Rockapella has someone's ass to kick.
posted by stifford at 6:21 AM on November 6, 2002

It is the essence of their dorkdom that makes them so adorable. I bet girls swoon over them. What could be more funny/sexy than being sarenaded to by these guys? I'd be into it too.
posted by foxyfoxinsox at 6:22 AM on November 6, 2002

We are now fairly certain that we are the most famous "a cappella group that sings punk rock songs" on the face of the earth, if not the most famous a cappella group ever.

*cough*

You've got a ways to go, boys. Don't give up the day-emoting.
posted by yhbc at 6:34 AM on November 6, 2002

it's alright... they seem to have butchered again i go unnoticed though (mp3 link). but i guess it's all in good fun.

more emo fun...
posted by lotsofno at 6:35 AM on November 6, 2002

That's all well and good, but what the world really needs is more pirate a capella. Arrr!
posted by staggernation at 6:49 AM on November 6, 2002

Maybe I'm old but would someone explain to me what the hell "Emo" is?

Anyway, once you hear these guys you don't need any other acapella.
posted by bondcliff at 7:36 AM on November 6, 2002

bondcliff - Bah! You nailed that link and I wanted to! Davinci's Notebook is GREAT!
posted by Plunge at 7:41 AM on November 6, 2002

Emo is short for "Emotional Hardcore", a kind of punk rock with angsty, personal lyrics. More info here. Not really my scene, but there's something about boys with Buddy Holly glasses and emotional pain...mmm.
posted by JoanArkham at 7:51 AM on November 6, 2002

Good lord, it's worse than I thought.

I really wish Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry would kick the crap out of these posers.
posted by bondcliff at 8:00 AM on November 6, 2002

I suppose its better than normal lets-smile-big-while-singing-the-lion-sleeps-tonight a capella, but that's a little like saying getting your eyes gouged out with a spoon is better than getting your head cut off with a butter knife.

Get some instruments and stop smiling before I pummel you.
posted by malphigian at 8:04 AM on November 6, 2002

What a great link for today--today is the first day of the Sweet Adelines International Competition. Today the quartet competition begins, and the chorus competition starts tomorrow. You can listen to a webcast here. (Well, not for another hour or so--the competition begins at 10:45 am CST.)

Of course, Sweet Adelines is a more traditional form of a capella music (specifically it's women's barbershop), so it may not be everyone's idea of fun.

I'm going to be listening to at least parts of the competition--I'm in the process of learning the audition song for Diamond State Chorus, which is my local chapter. The costumes, makeup, and choreography are, well, not exactly my cup of tea, but I do love to sing, so I hope I can just grin and bear it. It's a heck of a lot more challenging than singing in the car or shower at any rate. 4 part harmony with no instruments, whee!
posted by eilatan at 8:18 AM on November 6, 2002

Thanks for the link, eilatan--listening now.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:03 AM on November 6, 2002

That's nothing, someone at my school is trying to put together an acapella noise band, a la lightning bolt.

I suspect that this may be the Greatest Idea Ever. Ever.

In the honour of such a grand idea, I will steal it. Soon your friend's puny band will face the wrath of my Locust-style acapella band. We will consume all in our path!
posted by hughbot at 9:06 AM on November 6, 2002

These guys are awesome!

I'm listening to all the mp3s and videos now and some of the tracks they sing are hilarious.

Thanks for the link Hughbot :)
posted by flow at 9:11 AM on November 6, 2002

Acapella speed metal from, er, Jud Jud
posted by dydecker at 9:14 AM on November 6, 2002

Soundtrackapella is a brilliant new group that does acapella versions of soundtracks. There's an interview (.rm, interview starts at about 14:00) with them from WFMU October 22, in which they perform the themes to Ghostbusters and Footloose. Amazing stuff.
posted by swift at 9:51 AM on November 6, 2002

Emo is short for "Emotional Hardcore", a kind of punk rock with angsty, personal lyrics.

Oh geez. I knew what emo was, but I had no idea it was short for a name containing "hardcore." The emo I've heard has sounded more like pop than punk. And not bad pop, for all that, but definitely not "hardcore."

And why aren't there any happy emo songs? I mean, is happy not an emotion anymore?
posted by kindall at 10:16 AM on November 6, 2002

Hughbot:

The Locust is god... but, I think Wolf Eyes would be better suited to have an acapella rendition done of them. Tell me what you think :)
posted by statusquo at 10:45 AM on November 6, 2002

Besides the Mr. T song, their playlist STINKS! Most of it isn't even emo. Nice hoodies though.
posted by trigfunctions at 10:47 AM on November 6, 2002

Kindall: Have you ever heard Cap'n Jazz? [Links to Jade Tree, the label their posthumous "best of" was released on, the only site I could find that had any sort of information on them.] They're pretty happy, they're sort of "emo" and, now that I think about it, they sort of have some acapella-like stuff from time to time.
posted by hughbot at 10:57 AM on November 6, 2002

Kindall, actually I should have typed it as "HarDCore", which is a more melodic, Washington DC flavor of punk.
posted by JoanArkham at 11:00 AM on November 6, 2002

what is it with colleges and acapella groups?

shouldn't these kids be studying?

or joining frats?

jeez, live a little and pass out in a closet or something.
posted by fishfucker at 11:38 AM on November 6, 2002

But where is MeFi's very own EmoChild?
posted by Shane at 11:56 AM on November 6, 2002

lotsofno, I've been listening at touchmyemo all day. Thanks for a great link.
posted by putzface_dickman at 12:00 PM on November 6, 2002

I really wish Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry would kick the crap out of these posers.

You can do a lot of damage with a zimmer...
posted by inpHilltr8r at 12:44 PM on November 6, 2002

np, putzface.

i never considered it as "emo hardcore".. in fact, i don't know anyone who says the "hardcore" part unless in jest... like that time my friend started that hardcore cowboy thrash band.

i can't really vouch for cap'n jazz being happy, but they do have some good songs. oh messy life has always been my favorite.

dashboard confessional actually has a pretty happy ep called "so impossible," that's pretty nostalgic of the whole high school crush deal. if you can find the time to grab yourself a copy of the "hands down" mp3, do so.

i can go on with reccomendations, but i'll stop now...
posted by lotsofno at 12:52 PM on November 6, 2002

oh, and how could've i forgotten the promise ring?! these are some happy guys... my favorite song, "happiness is all the rage," about the lazy joys that come with sex, is definitely worth finding and listening to...
posted by lotsofno at 1:01 PM on November 6, 2002

yhbc: you are correct. The Bobs rule the world of modern, oddball a cappella. Everyone else seems like pikers by comparison.

what is it with colleges and acapella groups?

Our favorite young a.c. group, a little older than those Emo dudes, is the Sons of Pitches, who just made it through Ithaca College. I heard about them because my niece married one of the five (in case he reads this: the cute, funny, smart one), and they came up this summer and hung out with us for awhile. SOP mixes things up very nicely doing songs by Guster, Phish, Weird Al Yankovich, The Beatles, Louis Armstrong, and (although they don't improve on Louis), they do a much better job on his own hit song than Marc Anthony.
posted by LeLiLo at 2:06 PM on November 6, 2002

Does it work, though? I mean, are they getting laid because of this?

Oh, yes. I went to a friend's first ac show last night; there was more sexual tension in that room than you could shake a muscial instrument at. These Emocapella guys have a way to go before they could take on our Spirits, though. Not to mention the Cardinal Sinners, who unfortunately have only one audio clip online. (semi-self-link--I know several of these folks.)

Thanks for the introductions to Da Vinci's Notebook and the Bobs.
posted by hippugeek at 5:23 PM on November 6, 2002

When I was at university I would've wanted to date these guys, and all my girl pals would've wanted to date these guys. (Unless some good looking athletes had showed interest in us, of course.)

But now that I'm an older working stiff it hasn't got the same appeal - I guess it's cause I'm sober most of the time.
posted by Salmonberry at 9:14 PM on November 6, 2002

Kindall: Have you ever heard Cap'n Jazz?

No, but I will soon... thanks for the lead.
posted by kindall at 11:09 PM on November 6, 2002