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bassdude9 | San Ramon, CA United States | 08/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Remember when Rockapella had a sense of humor (a'la Rockapella Four) where they'd experiment with various sounds and didn't take themselves too seriously?We now return to that time.1. Shambala - been there, done that, but this time - Jeff gets to lay down some nice drum parts. I STILL can't figure out how he can do a kick and a snare on the same beat. Then again, he's Jeff.2. Flamingo Sing - an original Leonard song - it could have easily been included on Rockapella Four. The twists and turns (harmonically) are stunning to say the least.3. Here Comes The Sun - okay, I've heard MANY Beatles cover songs but this my friends is truely original. The arrangement is wonderful.4. Off My Mind - not a bad song at all. It didn't do too much for me, but it WAS well done.5. Summertime Blues - proving once again that Jeff Thacher IS God.6. Lazy River - nice barbershop intro. Tight harmonies (although they DID sound out of tune in the beginning).7. Smile On My Heart - another Leonard tune. Can this guy write a song or what? Beautiful.8. Dance With Me - much better than the live version. They rock out a bit on this one and the V.P. is fabulous.9. No Doubt At All - Okay, forget Jeff - ELLIOTT is God. Does ANYONE have a smoother voice than El? I don't think so.10. Millennial Lady - I'll reserve judgement until I hear it again (and again, and again. . )11. Jenny Come Away - Shades of Sean Altman here - great song, very interesting.12. Surfin' Safari - Remember when the Beach Boys could actually harmonize? Now, take it about twelve levels higher. Oh, and forget what you think the song will sound like - it sounds completely different, and MUCH better.Overall, a very strong album by Rockapella. The production is flawless and they FINALLY got away from the "vocal harmony procesor" sound their last few albums seemed to have. What I mean is that while the harmony is perfect, it's not un-human. You can hear Scott, El, Kevin, Barry (*sob*), George and Jeff each individually but man, oh man - they blend so very well.The disc is rather short, clocking in at less than 40 minutes, but I think it's well worth a listen (MANY TIMES) and certainly worthy of owning.I'd put it right up there with Rockapella Four (consider it a sequel, but with better technology). I've listened to this disc only once (time now for the headphones, boys and girls) but I did notice that the "new guy" George has a couple of lead lines here and there. Very nice. He's not Barry, but he's not supposed to be. I'm also happy to see that Rockapella is getting a little more media attention this time around (via TV Guide Channel - check out their profile on Music News) and it seems like they just might have a chance to be more than an undeserved blip on the pop-music scene.Finally, this is a wonderful Summertime album. Pop it into your CD player in your car, drop the top, and drive, baby, drive!"

A soundtrack to the summer

Kelly | Phila, PA, USA | 10/22/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the qualities I love about Rockapella is their sound is always evolving, but they sometimes stop along the way just to have fun. Criticizing this album for being less lush than 2, or over or underprocessed, or less "live" than In Concert overlooks the fact that "Smilin'" is simply about having a good time and taking time out from the seriousness in life. This album is different, but that's what makes it special. Like it or not, Smilin' is energetic and playful, yet relaxing and makes a wonderful lounging in the backyard/crusing on a summer roadtrip soundtrack. Try to imagine the events of a summer weekend "down the shore" and these songs evoke beautiful imagery. Think boat rides, jet-skis, beach volleyball, porch swings, and summer love. While some criticize the album for being cover-heavy, I say Rockapella puts a new spin on some familiar and not so familiar tunes. Dance with Me has more pizzaz than the original tune by Orleans. It's mid-song breakdown is playful and rhythmic. If its cheesy, then heck I love cheese! Lazy River, complete with an old-time radio-ish snippet of In the Good Old Summertime is just plain dreamy. Off my Mind is an original I'd like to see featured in concert; simple but captivating. This is our last chance to hear beloved bass Barry Carl with Rockapella, and our first to meet George Baldi. For this reason, and the aforementioned, this album is a must-have for Rockapella fans."

I loved them... but this cd was the beginning of the end

Meg Lightbown | Caribou, Maine | 11/24/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I suppose you can never go back in time, but I sure wish the Rockapellians could. Back to the days of Barry, Sean, and Elliot. The new version of Rockapella that shows up on this CD pales in comparison to the vocal prowess of the Scott, Jeff, Sean, Barry, and Elliot concoction.



This CD was full of cover versions of old "Summer" songs with a few thrown together new ones. The one bright light of this whole cd would be the aforementioned Shambala, which is incredible, with 7 Rockapella members. I bought the album the day it came out, and this was my only reason for keeping it.



If you really want Rockapella, pick up 2, or In Concert (Forget about Live in Japan - don't get me started on that!!)"