Dartmouth's a capella groups typically perform in front of a standing-room only crowd during their concerts.
Two acts, the Dartmouth Decibelles and the Dartmouth Aires, released albums earlier this term so groupies can listen to the musical talent of these groups in the comfort of their own rooms.
Although both albums are well produced, the magic of a live performances -- a key ingredient to both groups' concerts -- can never be reproduced on tape, but all fans should definitely add these albums to their collections.
Twenty-three songs appear on "Aires to the Throne," the latest album by the popular Dartmouth Aires. Along with versions of "Dartmouth Undying" and the Alma Mater, most songs the group performs often appear on the album.
A wide variety of songs, including "The 23rd Psalm," "Is That the Way You Look" and "29 Ways," appear on the album side by side with Aires standards, such as "Jesse's Girl," "Freeze Frame" and "When Doves Cry."
Their version of the theme music to "2001-A Space Odyssey" is an example of how the Aires' sense of humor is displayed on the album, as are snippets of conversations that precede a few songs.
The Dartmouth Decibelles recorded their album last spring and "Conversing" is the excellent result.
An apparent rebirth of the group at the beginning of 1993 led to many new songs, nearly all of which appear on the album. The Decibelles arranged a few songs, such as Prince's "Seven" and Annie Lenox's "Walking on Broken Glass," soon after their release and both songs appear on "Conversing."
The group's version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is complete with funny animal impersonations. "Shadows of the Night," "California Dreamin'" and "Natural Woman" are some of the album's other highlights. There are moments when the pitch is off on "Conversing," but these are few and far between.
For any fan of Dartmouth a capella groups, "Conversing" and "Aires to the Throne" are definitely worth the purchase price.
