M: Metro

By Victoria Dong

Photo courtesy of Metro

When Deke Sharon posted the link to the first episode of The Sing-Off China, I was ecstatic, hoping that it would help to ease my “Sing-Off withdrawal.” The show was very entertaining overall, but one performance stood out above the rest. I was already mesmerized by Metro’s soulful voices and beautiful harmonies; however, my jaw hit the floor when these four Caucasian men started singing fluently in Chinese (Cantonese, to be exact). I was expecting an English song, but in retrospect, it only made sense that they performed a Chinese song. It was The Sing-Off China, after all.

I immediately searched online for more information about them! Metro is a four‑man a cappella group that originated in the Midwest and has been performing in Hong Kong for the past seven years. The group – Eric Monson, Sean Oliver, Michael Lance and Kevin Thornton – celebrated its 14th anniversary this past July. Metro has a wide musical repertoire, including covers of “Stand By Me,” “The William Tell Overture,” George Michael’s “Faith” and Rob Thomas’ “Lonely No More.”

Eric founded the group in 1998. He was producing choir festivals at Disney World at the time when one of the artists approached him and asked if he would like to put together a group to sing on the Celebrity Cruise Lines. Eric took the opportunity and Metro was born. For many years the group performed aboard cruise ships, travelling to over fifty countries and five continents. In 2002, Metro went on to perform at Tokyo Disney Resorts and later at Hong Kong Disneyland. The group has also performed internationally for over 80 high profile corporations such as Audi, UPS and Swatch. Metro is currently touring as well as performing on cruise ships and at private functions throughout Asia.

To date, Metro has recorded two albums.  Music for a Metropolis (2009) has mainly English songs with one Cantonese song, while No Borders (2012) has both classic and contemporary Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) songs. Both albums are available on their official website (www.metrovocalgroup.com) and on CDBaby.  No Borders is also available on iTunes. 
 
The first song I listened to on their YouTube channel was “My Pride." The arrangement of the song beautifully complements the words of hope, courage and love in the lyrics. Eric has a couple of incredible solos in the song. There is something special about his beautiful baritone voice that always warms my heart. You can truly feel his passion for music in his voice, along with such sincerity and contentment.

“Lights” and “A Quiet Place” are my two favourites off of Music for a Metropolis. Their voices convey such incredible emotions, yet are so soothing and peaceful that they would take anyone’s troubles away. I also love their take on “Faith.” The song is completely stripped down to the fundamentals, making it simple and organic – music in its purest form. Similarly, their cover of “Lonely No More” is also beautifully raw and organic, with a hint of dance-mix in the harmonies.

Another fun song to check out is “The William Tell Overture.” The arrangement and lyrics were written by Jay Giallombardo in the 1970s for his Barbershop quartet, The Grandma's Boys. It was made popular again in the 1980s by the Gas House Gang, and later revived by Metro when they performed it at Tokyo Disney Sea. The lyrics are hilarious and the arrangement is beautifully crafted, fun and upbeat. It’s a song that will surely put a smile on your face even on a cloudy day.

One of my favourite songs from their second album is “Meteor Shower,” the theme song from a popular Taiwanese TV drama from the 1990s. Each member has a couple of solos in this song – yes, even the bass gets to sing words! Sean, who sings lead during the chorus, has a smooth, silky voice that blends perfectly with the harmony from the rest of the group.

Make sure to check out Mike’s killer bass line, ridiculous vocal percussion and awesome rap solo in “Love is Suspected.” Don’t get me wrong, I love tenors and baritones, but I have a weakness for basses and I absolutely adore Mike’s rich, deep voice. As Metro’s main vocal percussionist, he focuses on creating the sounds of an actual drum set and doesn’t mix it with beatboxing. It’s incredible to watch him do vocal percussion while laying down the bass line at the same time, simply incredible!

“Change Myself” is a very fun song to listen to, with a lot of special vocal effects. I loved the original song, but I must admit that I love Metro’s cover even more. It’s a very positive and uplifting song and you can’t help but dance along. This time Kevin takes on the vocal percussion as Mike lays down an elaborate bass line. Kevin is a vocal percussion beast with funky beats and sounds, while at the same time singing backup for Sean. I have watched the video of them performing this song many times and it always makes me smile. They seemed like they were having so much fun performing! See for yourself! 

Currently, all four members are on the faculty at the American Vocal Studio in Hong Kong. Eric founded the studio to provide workshops and seminars in different styles of singing, training artists in pop, jazz, rock and musical theatre, as well as a cappella. It’s wonderful to see the group giving back to the community and passing on their musical expertise to the next generation of artists!

Special thanks to Eric Monson, Audrey Tang and Yuki Lai for your correspondence and valuable information!

Group Members:
Eric Monson (baritone)
Sean Oliver (tenor 1)
Michael Lance (bass, vocal percussion)
Kevin Thornton (tenor 2, vocal percussion)

L to R: Michael, Sean, Kevin and Eric
Photo courtesy of Metro

Links:
Official site: www.metrovocalgroup.com  
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MetroVocalGroup  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Metrovocalgroup
Twitter: @metrovocalgroup  
MySpace: www.myspace.com/metrovocalgroup/
 

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Note from Sara: Great article, Tori! :o) I just couldn't resist throwing in SNC's fantastic Movie Medley under M! Today is also the 101st anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. #shipissinking
Video credit: VickyVictoriaG

THE SING-OFF IS BACK!!!

Inside A Cappella just broke the news:  http://youtu.be/s2W1nXrv0h0

Now get your group to the auditions! http://www.singoffcasting.com/

Shaina Sounds Off: Premiere, Part 1

The first eight groups of the season come together to perform P!nk's "F**kin' Perfect." Image courtesy of NBC.

The title for my review series probably sounds like one of those lame puns that Nick Lachey's writer comes up with. (Poor Nick...) Anyway, I apologize for taking so long to post this review, but I was working hard on yet another review for The Sing-Off for the Neon Tommy, USC Annenberg's award-winning digital news site, which you can read here. I hope to continue covering the season there, but we'll see if they'll let me. (Haha, I'm a newbie.) However, that article is more geared towards those who have yet to see the show and is mostly a summary of the episode. SNCQN gets my (probably unwarranted) opinion on the night's events. So let's get started, shall we?

The group performance of Pink's "F-in' Perfect" was energetic and great as they usually are, and I loved the rap part of the song. It was great to see each of the groups featured in the song in short snippets, and from this performance, I was able to make preliminary judgments on each of the groups and how I thought they would fare tonight in the competition.

It was great seeing how well Sara fit in with the Sing-Off family, and I know that she's going to be a fantastic replacement for Nicole. At least we can count on Sara saying something of musical worth, being critical of the performance, and not making weird sexual jokes... Oh, wait. Scratch that last one. (But for some reason, I'm more willing to forgive Sara.) And her potty mouth hasn't begun to show itself... Yet... (Or maybe the editing crew did a REALLY good job.)

First up, the Yellowjackets. I know the song that they performed very well; UCLA's Scattertones came to 'SC to compete at Absolut A Cappella and the ICCAs last year, and that song was a part of their set (and very lively). I thought that their arrangement really brought out the "African" feel, especially in the bass and background vocals. It was a lively performance, and the fact that they waved around scarves with Kenya's national colors was really awesome. However, they didn't really seem that much different from the all-male collegiate a cappella groups from past seasons, namely the Beelzebubs from season one and On the Rocks from season two. Though I think that they're good enough to make it rather far in the competition, they don't really have anything that sets them apart, and musicality can only go so far.

I thought the Fannin Family actually did a really great job. Maria NAILED the lead vocals, and their blend was so smooth, as I'd expected. Though, because they're a family group, I have a feeling that they aren't seasoned performers. Their movements on stage felt a little static to me, and the lack of choreography probably didn't help much. I also noticed that they didn't have a vocal percussionist, so that, along with not having a "real" bass, made the song (in terms of its arrangement) not as lively as it should have been.

I absolutely loved Afro-Blue's jazzy version of "Put Your Records On." There's something about jazz groups, and the jazz sound in general, that makes me happy. Keep your eye (and ear) on Christie, the soloist. Not only is she a great soloist and fantastic alto, but she can SCAT. That's all I'll say. The arrangement was great because it showcased the group's jazzy sound without being overly complicated, and it really showed off their group personality. Also, Ben's opening comment after the group performed was so awkward and weird. I love Ben.

Delilah was the surprise of the night. I generally am not a fan of all-female groups; almost always, they lack a firm foundation, in terms of vocal percussion and bass, and the highs always sound shrill. Their arrangements tend to be top-heavy, and it gets annoying to listen to. (Trust me on this; I speak from experience in both SINGING in all-female ensembles and LISTENING to all-female aca groups.) However, Delilah solved ALL of these issues. Not only do they have an AMAZING bass and vocal percussionist, but their ARRANGEMENTS are the key. Rather than having the girls in the ensemble singing syllables to imitate instruments, they act more like a bunch of back-up singers to Amy, singing the lyrics of the song and harmonizing with the lead. They left the bass and beatbox to suffice for the background, driving the tempo, and when the rest of the group did come in on random syllables, it wasn't overly annoying because we only got a small amount of it. (Side note: did anyone else notice Deke Sharon running around in the background of their interview in his bright green plaid shirt? Haha!)

I wasn't surprised that the bottom two were the YellowJackets and Fannin Family. The competition is stiff and the other two groups gave very memorable performances. Ultimately, I agree with the judges; Fannin Family just happened to be the weakest group of the bunch, and so they were sent home.

On to the next set of four!

Urban Method was interesting for me. I thought that it was interesting that they're a hip-hop a cappella group, and I immediately started to wonder how they will handle the judges' challenges, which force the groups outside of their comfort zones. However, this first performance was good. The emotion was there, and they really performed the song well. However, I didn't think that the actual arrangement was all that great. It was what you expect, which isn't exactly a winning formula for me.

Cat's Pajamas are really a fun act to watch. I'm sure that I'd love to watch them perform live (one day, I'll head to Branson!), and in light of what I'd heard before them, I thought that the judges' comments were a little unfair. As seasoned performers, I can't help but think that "Some Kind of Wonderful" might be one of those songs ingrained in their minds and that their constant performance of the song might have something to do with their not connecting to the audience to the extent that the judges wanted.

Kinfolk 9... Okay, let me say something. I just found out that their bass isin USC's Trojan Men, and I'd seen him direct the group, so when I saw him, I thought he looked vaguely familiar (but of course, the bright clothes were a radical change in wardrobe from the suit and tie I usually saw him in). AND, tonight, I found out that Moi, the lead singer, sings at the church of one of Overflow's newest members. Weird. But anyway, I thought that their performance was very emotional, though I agree with the judges; some spots had blending issues.

And now for... VOCAL POINT. These guys are my favorite of this bracket, hands down. They are so sweet and awesome and CUTE. When Sarah and I found out that they were competing this season, we had a mini freak-out and squealed like five-year-olds in a candy paradise. Seriously. These guys are great, and I was bummed that I missed them at the ICCA Semifinals last year at USC (they ultimately came in second place to Pitch Slapped). They always put on a show and are great musicians. These guys apparently got a very long standing ovation (that they had to cut, of course), and as the last performance of the night, this is INCREDIBLY commendable. As a frequent Sing-Off audience member (and I'm sure Sarah can attest), as the taping progresses, it gets more and more exhausting for not only the performers and judges, but also for the audience members. I mean, we applaud and yell a LOT. So the fact that the audience was willing to give them such a long ovation at the end of a very long night after having been there for about six hours (I'd be willing to bet this was taped around 11pm, maybe later) is EXTREMELY impressive. Yes, I love these guys. Yes, I want them to win. Yes, I briefly considered transferring there or pursuing a master's degree at BYU. (Too bad they don't have a master's program in Public Relations...)

And now yet another elimination. As much as I hate to admit it, I can see why the judges chose to eliminate Cat's Pajamas. Since they're able to make a living in singing a cappella and because they're already professional musicians, they probably thought that they'd feel less guilty about sending them home than if they had sent Kinfolk 9 home (since they basically epitomize the "struggling musician" stereotype). Furthermore, because Cat's Pajamas are so professional, they probably thought it would be harder for them to fix the flaws in their performance, since it had more to do with abstract ideas (as opposed to Kinfok 9's pitch problems, which can be solved over time). I sighed as I watch Cat's Pajamas sing "Bye Bye Love" as they left the competition.


In my opinion, all of the groups this year would have been good enough to make it to the top four in previous seasons. The competition is stiff, the groups are better than ever before, and the stakes are even higher (even though Nick didn't mention whether or not the winners get the Sing-Off trophy, haha). If this is a good indicator of what is to come, the third season of The Sing-Off has a promising future, and I can't wait to see what the next eight groups have up their sleeves (even if I've already seen it)!

What did you think about the first part of the premiere? Did you agree with the judges' choices to send home? Do you have a favorite in the competition yet? Weigh in below!

Sing-Off Predictions and Favorites

(Image Copyright NBC)

It may not be fair that I'm writing a predictions blog for The Sing-Off, since I've been to several tapings and am legally not allowed to talk about much that I saw (and if I do, I'll be sued for $5 million). So, I'll just pretend I didn't see what I saw, okay?

First of all, I'm super excited that The Sing-Off was promoted to a weekly series. That means more groups, more shows, more songs, and more all-around aca awesomeness. And what a cappella fan wouldn't be excited about that, right?!

Second of all, they got SARA BAREILLES as the new judge?! It's gonna be EPIC. 'Nuff said.

Okay, now time to tell you how I feel about these groups. When the groups were announced, I'd heard of quite a few of them, but I also hadn't heard of a few, but they're obviously amazing, since they made it to the show. I have a few favorites and a few that I think will win, so let's get to it!

Afro-Blue: A jazzy student group from Howard University, located in Washington, DC. I hadn't heard of them before, and if I had to describe them, I'd say they're like an amalgamation of Groove for Thought and Committed. They have jazzy, complex arrangements injected with a lot of soul. But is this unique combination enough to win over the judges? Honestly, I don't know. I'm a little worried, since they seem to primarily be a jazz group, and if you remember from last season, GFT didn't fare very well. But who knows? Maybe they'll see what GFT did and didn't do and use that to their advantage.

The Cat's Pajamas: I'd heard about these guys from Tina Crouch, Chaser extraordinaire, and I can't wait to see what these guys bring to the show! With a mere five members, I can't help but wonder if they'll have a big enough sound to really "WOW" the judges, but I do know that they'll bring a fantastically infectious personality to the Sing-Off stage.

The Collective: Put together by Jeremy Lister from Street Corner Symphony, last season's runner-up, The Collective is comprised of a bunch of solo artists taking a venture into uncharted territory, i.e. a cappella. They don't have experience singing a cappella, but they have the musical promise to do fairly well, since several (if not all) of them are successful musicians in their own right. It'll be interesting to see if they do as well as SCS did last year.

Dartmouth Aires: First of all, I just thought I'd say, it's pronounced "airs." Why it's spelled like that, I don't know. You may say that it's a quirky spelling, which would rightfully describe these Ivy League college boys. They always put on a good show, and are great entertainers, like the all-male collegiate groups that came around in seasons past (the Tufts Beelzebubs from season one and UO's On the Rocks from season two). Will it be enough? In fact, there are three (yes, count 'em, THREE) male collegiate groups, and they're ALL amazing in their own right. How will the Aires set themselves apart from the other two?

Delilah: Made up of Sing-Off alumnae from seasons past, Delilah is the first all-female group to make it to the show since Maxx Factor and Noteworthy from the first season, and they're the only all-female group this season. Female groups are always tricky, since they lack the low end (i.e. bass) that all-male and co-ed groups have. I'm interested to see how the group handles this weakness, or if it ultimately can become their strength and unique quality.

The Deltones: What struck me about these guys are their love for each other. This group from the University of Delaware are all such a tight-knit family, and you can tell that they truly look out and care for each other. I can't wait to see how this translates into their music and if they're as musically and emotionally connected to each other. Plus, I really love their name.

Fannin Family: I had not heard of them before, and I can't wait to see how their voices blend. I'll bet that they get this a lot, but their story reminds me of the Von Trapp family, from The Sound of Music... Anyways, I'm excited to hear them, since (supposedly) family members' voices blend very well together, and since they've been singing with each other for their whole lives, they must have a great connection with each other.

Kinfolk 9: Dude. They have a female beatboxer. In a co-ed group. And she's AWESOME. Oh, and they're from LA. Unfair bias? I think not. Anyway, they, like The Collective, don't have much experience singing in a cappella groups because they all started out as solo artists (once again, like The Collective). How will they set themselves apart from The Collective and prove that they're better than all the rest?

Messiah's Men: These guys have an inspiring story that moves you when you listen to them sing. They and their musical sound have their roots in Africa, and their brotherly love for each other is apparent. They have a very full sound, but I wonder if they'll be flexible enough, musically speaking, to conform to what the judges ask of them, in terms of the challenges the groups face each week.

North Shore: I love doo wop music. North Shore has opened for many well-known groups in the past, but now it's their time to shine! I know that they'll be amazing in "their element," since they've been doing it for a long time, but the same issue that I brought up with Messiah's Men applies to North Shore: will they be able to sing other genres of music besides doo wop well enough to impress the judges?

Pentatonix: I must preface this by saying that the group's frontman, Scott Hoying, is a current member of USC's SoCal VoCals, he is the same year as I am, and I remember him auditioning for the group (because we auditioned the same day). Oh, and we have mutual friends. He's an amazing vocalist. But anyway, I digress. This may surprise many of you, but this group is my pick to be the winner of this season. Co-ed groups traditionally don't do exceptionally well in this competition, and the highest a co-ed group has gotten is third place (The Voices of Lee from season one and The Backbeats from season two). So, maybe my prediction is a bold one, even though there's "only" one girl in the group. But what sets this group apart from other co-ed groups is in its arrangements, and that's nfortunately all I can say. Pentatonix sings techno and dance hits a cappella, and they do a darn good job of it. You'll just have to wait and see why I think they'll win, but their sound is AMAZING for such a small group of five.

Sonos: If you're a big acafan, you should know who Sonos is. I've seen them perform live at USC several times, and they're very well-known for their use of effects pedals, which allow them to loop several tracks, add effects, etc. Since they're only a group of five, this is helpful in creating a fuller sound, but for this competition, they are pedal- and effects-less. I'm not sure how I feel about this, and I have a bad feeling about it. Their arrangements, which many perceive to be hauntingly beautiful, may be seen in the wrong way, especially without the haunting effects. I'm interested to see how far they get, and I'm worried that they'll be under-appreciated, just like Groove For Thought was last season. But this group is one of my three favorites (along with Pentatonix and Vocal Point).

Soul'd Out: The only high school group in the competition, they follow in the footsteps of Eleventh Hour (from last season), but they're a large group, larger than Eleventh Hour. I wonder if they have a great enough of a frontman (or frontwoman) as Eleventh Hour had in Kendall Young, and I can't wait to see their song choices (hopefully NOT "Baby"). But, are their voices mature enough to compete against the plethora of groups made up of seasoned singers?

Urban Method: Now this is a group to keep an eye on. I'll bet not many of you have heard rap-appella before, but it's off the chain. This is definitely something that will set the group apart from all the rest, but as with North Shore and Messiah's Men, how will they change their arrangements and musical style to fit what the judges are looking for in various challenges?

Vocal Point: Aaaah, the cute Mormon boys from BYU. Where to start, where to start? I love this group. That's saying a lot, since they beat out USC's Reverse Osmosis last year at ICCA Semifinals (and came in second overall, HOLLA). But these guys just have some sort of wholesome charm that, for me at least, puts them over the other two male collegiate groups. With nine members, they're not going overboard and it won't be a flurry of frantic activity on stage (which is what things can turn into with larger groups). And I really like their song choices and arrangements. I've been obsessed with their arrangements of "Nearer, My God, to Thee" and "Super Mario Bros." (Don't worry; I didn't spoil anything for you. These are just songs I've heard of theirs before they were even selected for the show. I highly recommend listening to them.) I want them to go all the way, and they're just fabulous, but in pitting them against some of the other groups, I'm not so sure...

The Yellow Jackets: Yellow is a very bright color. And these guys from the University of Rochester just light up the stage, not only with their music, but with their stage presence and personalities. I'd say that in a way, it's like you take the charm from Vocal Point and the silliness from the Aires and mix it together to get the Yellow Jackets. They're right in the middle, and their music is, of course, spot on. Though, I wonder how they'll set themselves apart from the other two groups; since they seem to be right in the middle, how will they assert themselves as different?


Do you agree with me? Who are your favorites? Who do you want to see win? Leave me a comment below and let me know!