Pentatonix: Season 3 Champs

[Kromm]

I think PTX has grown into an interesting position. I don't really think their own original songs will ever take off (unless there's some absolutely incredible one coming), but in terms of their covers, I think they are now in an interesting "Weird Al" power position, where unlike the millions of little fish who do covers (and on Al's side of things parodies) on YouTube, that PTX, like Al, doing someone's song is getting to be considered an honor by most performers. Like Al, they typically change things up, rather than just ape the originals (this Sam Smith mashup is actually closer than they usually stick to the original(s)), so there's a fairly good perception that they aren't simply crawling on the backs of the originals.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Kromm

[Sharpie66]

I'm really looking forward to hearing what they do with "Papaoutai," which I looked up on YT after they announced the track listing for PTX Vol 3. It's an excellent song in the original, so PTX's spin should be interesting.

 

Looks like they're doing the last of their state/county fairs this month in between the Baltimore concert, and then doing several colleges--Purdue, Ohio State, U of Missouri, all while promoting the album's release, I'm sure. I remember reading earlier this year that the Allen, TX concert festival this summer garnered them $50K, so I'm guessing that they'll be getting similar prices for the other venues if they don't get a cut of the gate.

 

I spent part of yesterday going through the Mouth-Off podcast (which has since gone dormant, unfortunately) and looking for mentions of PTX. One of the guys commenting actually worked as an arranger on Season 3 of TSO, so he had a lot of really cool information on their 8/28/11 podcast, and then the reviews of the first two eps was really interesting to listen to. Since he had worked on the show, you can tell he was being really diplomatic about the quality of all of the groups, but there were certain groups that were being plotzed over, and PTX was the main one. Now, since he had heard the entire season (outside the results and Xmas shows), and since his co-host had attended one of the tapings and was therefore familar with mid-season PTX, they were not reviewing the first two shows as if they were fresh to the groups. I think that definitely tinged their review, but they finished off their take on the Dartmouth Aires's "Higher Ground," and then said, "And now the next group, or shall we say, THE FUTURE OF ACAPELLA, Pentatonix!!"

 

Yeah, they were officially going nuts.

 

Also, as they point out in their New Years podcast from 1/1/2012, they had actually mentioned the trio's video of "Telephone" earlier in the year before they were even auditioning for the show, so they were all "We called it before they were even on the show!!" Apparently, on the original mention (which I couldn't find after looking for over an hour through their archived podcasts), they said that these three kids were extremely talented and could go far in acapella.

[SrPab]

My other post got eaten. ::le sigh::

 

I hadn't heard either original, all the way through, until this morning. I listened to "La La Latch" first then listened to the originals. My Pentaholism is so all-encompassing now that it was a given I would prefer PTX's treatment.

 

I'll agree that their arrangement isn't ground-breaking but I'm not so sure that was their objective. They consider this to be a Sam Smith mashup so this seems more like an homage to Smith's vocal prowess. If/When they perform this live they'll have the opportunity to change it up from the studio arrangement.

Edited September 2, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[debbydeb]

Here is a youtube channel of some PTX media rounds in Japan.

http://m.youtube.com/user/kotsu10

Some interesting questions, but most intriguingly it's like a small culture-comparison capsule.

- the Japanese interviewers are more likely to ask to be allowed to try being part of PTX, learn some of the tricks/techniques. In the past, Western-tv, I've only seen the Blue Peter group do it.

-So Many Text everywhere! They seem to like filling up the frame with lots of words and I think it's cute.

-Avi and Kevin talks more than usual.

[Kromm]

Here is a youtube channel of some PTX media rounds in Japan.

http://m.youtube.com/user/kotsu10

Some interesting questions, but most intriguingly it's like a small culture-comparison capsule.

- the Japanese interviewers are more likely to ask to be allowed to try being part of PTX, learn some of the tricks/techniques. In the past, Western-tv, I've only seen the Blue Peter group do it.

-So Many Text everywhere! They seem to like filling up the frame with lots of words and I think it's cute.

-Avi and Kevin talks more than usual.

Yeah, there's always amusement in viewing Japanese TV, no matter how little you understand.

For example, if you forward through various parts of this video, there's just this hilarious inset in one corner of these people who appear to be panelists of some kind REACTING to whatever PTX is doing. They don't speak or have voice overs, the entire point appears just to be able to show them giggling or looking impressed, or whatever (one of the big differences is almost anywhere else in the world that reaction might including dancing in your seat, or even just bobbing your head with the music... but in Japan I think that's considered impolite and you have to just sit there smiling instead).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfsyz8L0c60&list=UUQ6Dqua4J5FlJXbbEK-T61w

Edited September 3, 2014 by Kromm

[Sharpie66]

Popdust has a good interview with Kevin, going into some of the tracks on the upcoming Vol III:

http://popdust.com/2014/09/05/pentatonix-kevin-olusola-fashion-new-ep-exclusive-interview/

[debbydeb]

Popdust has a good interview with Kevin, going into some of the tracks on the upcoming Vol III:

http://popdust.com/2014/09/05/pentatonix-kevin-olusola-fashion-new-ep-exclusive-interview/

 

Thanks. Nice tidbit about Papaoutai. My brother introduced me to Stromae some time ago, and it's been one of my favorite tracks. I hope to find out what PTX will do to it. I read elsewhere (was it on Youtube?) that it will be a collaboration piece with Lindsey Stirling (a la Radioactive). I hope I'm proven wrong, because this is really something I really want to see PTX by themselves. Plus, I am not particularly fond of Lindsey Stirling for some irrational reason. 

[SrPab]

Of the other unreleased tracks on PTX, Vol. III, I think "Rather Be" is a good bet for their collab with Lindsey--assuming their collab isn't a non-album one-off. Clean Bandit's original has violin/fiddle sections.

[debbydeb]

Of the other unreleased tracks on PTX, Vol. III, I think "Rather Be" is a good bet for their collab with Lindsey--assuming their collab isn't a non-album one-off. Clean Bandit's original has violin/fiddle sections.

Oh! That makes more sense actually. I completely forgot about Rather Be.

About than two weeks to go until the launch of the music... Wonder if they're going to release anything.

[Sharpie66]

They'll probably hold off until the day of release, like they did putting out "Daft Punk" the morning that PTX Vol. II was released.

 

I'm going to be in Ireland when it comes out--I just hope I'll be able to download my music onto my iPod over there!!

[debbydeb]

Apparently, "Papaoutai" *is* a collaboration with Lindsay Sterling.

http://queensgrassi-hoying.tumblr.com/post/97167574509/lindsey-stirling-is-the-collab-artist-for

So Bummed.

ETA: http://burninginthewildfire.tumblr.com/post/97270507727/thank-you-to-our-kingdom-is-gone-for-sending-me-a

a screenshot of a report by Digital Journal, confirming the collaboration and the songz

Edited September 12, 2014 by debbydeb

[Sharpie66]

Don't forget that Pentatonix is going to be on the Star-Spangled Spectacular concert from Baltimore that's going to be broadcast live on PBS's Great Performances this Saturday night!

[debbydeb]

Don't forget that Pentatonix is going to be on the Star-Spangled Spectacular concert from Baltimore that's going to be broadcast live on PBS's Great Performances this Saturday night!

This is cool. Btw, do we know whether PTX has sung the Star Spangled Banner in a sporting event? Don't winners of a singing show usually do this? (I remember an AGT contestant doing do in a football event).

[SrPab]

This is cool. Btw, do we know whether PTX has sung the Star Spangled Banner in a sporting event? Don't winners of a singing show usually do this? (I remember an AGT contestant doing do in a football event).

Not the best video (or audio) quality...also, the only YT upload I could find of them singing the U.S. national anthem at a sporting event. This is about a month after they were declared Season 3 champs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCNUWX-FNxk

 

I don't think they've performed the anthem, as a group, at any other public event since that time. Scott has performed the anthem solo at a Dallas Mavericks game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zN9R8kG1J0

Edited September 12, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[Sharpie66]

I was having problems seeing the original story, but I found the cached version of another fun interview with Kevin here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:pi7JUOYmDPgJ:https://arena.com/article/pentatonix-have-made-harmony-a-hot-commodity+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

Details from the article: while in Japan, they had their first mobbed-by-fans moment when 4000 fans rushed them and they needed security to protect them. "People usually don’t associate a cappella with pop/rock stardom, so it’s really weird to see all that happen with us. We’re just five kids who just love to sing. It was a really cool moment in our career where we were just like, “Whoa, that’s crazy.”"

 

• Arena: As an a cappella group, being in Pitch Perfect 2 is a match made in Heaven. That said, if you could be a part of any other movie franchise, which one would it be, and what role would you want?
• Kevin Olusola: Oh man, I feel like it would be really cool to be superheroes, like an Avengers type [of thing], because we’re five different people with five different abilities, so I think it would be really cool to be in a superhero movie doing some sort of thing where Avi does his bass cannon, and he blows up a lot of things, and me, I do all these beatbox things, and can do laser sounds. I just think that would be really cool

 

Hee!

 

He also talks about writing "Natural Disaster" while he was on a plane, and he went up and down the aisles asking people about anything they know about natural disasters, something rather alarming to hear while you're on a plane!

 

ETA: Also, they're working on "some new evolution" pieces now--yay!

 

ETA2: I just saw this tidbit on the sales of "La La Latch" over at Billboard: "Disclosure: "Latch," featuring Sam Smith (now at No. 21 after reaching No. 7), shifted 36,000 in the week ending Sept. 7, narrowly outselling an inventive cover: vocal quintet Pentatonix's "La La Latch," which mashes-up "Latch" and Naughty Boy's "La La" (also featuring Smith). The mash-up sold 33,000 in its first week."

 

After reading that, I realized that I didn't know if pre-orders counted towards the first week sales that the album is released, so I looked it up online and found out that they do. So, they've already sold 33,000 of PTX Vol. 3, which is excellent! Keeping my fingers crossed that they might double that for the actual first-week total if they can get some promotional appearances in between the campus appearances. IIRC, PTX Vol. 2 sold 30,000 in its first week, so they're already ahead of that. Great!

Edited September 12, 2014 by Sharpie66

[Sharpie66]

For anyone who missed it, PTX sang La La Latch and My Country Tis of Thee at last night's Baltimore concert on PBS. They had a lot of vocal fans in the crowd to give them a very big welcome.

If anyone has a Billboard subscription, there's an article called "The Business of A Capella" behind their paywall. If you can get the full text, can you post it here? I would love to read it. Thanks!

[Bella]

If anyone has a Billboard subscription, there's an article called "The Business of A Capella" behind their paywall. If you can get the full text, can you post it here? I would love to read it. Thanks!

 

I'm so sorry, we can't do that here. I'd love to read it myself, but we have to stay legal here, and that gets into copyright issues.

 

If anyone sees another site that has copied the full text, however, you might mention the site, as it may be legal there somehow (I'm not going to go on a search-and-destroy mission to verify the legality of material on other sites, in other words).

 

Thanks!

[debbydeb]

Here's a scan of the Billboard article on tumblr. A bit blurry but readable somehow.

http://asmallqueen.tumblr.com/post/97499038308/this-is-so-professional-and-this-made-me-cry-ptx

And here's a tv-videoed PTX performance on PBS. Comparing their studio version and live version of La La Latch , they still have that problem of "rushing" a song when they get excited, which Ben Folds mentioned early in their Sing Off days.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nUsLn9nU2_U

[Sharpie66]

Sorry about that, Bella/Admins! I didn't mean to step out of bounds--won't do it again.

Thanks, debbydeb!!! I think I might just plotz from reading about RCA's "tv blitz" for the Christmas EP. Does "long-form special" meant an honest-to-God tv special? That would be frickin'amazing!! Can't wait to see what they're up to.

According to this article http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2014/09/ptxs-scott-hoying-discusses-volume-3-etc.html, they'll be on Good Morning America on September 25.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Sharpie66

[debbydeb]

Sorry about that, Bella/Admins! I didn't mean to step out of bounds--won't do it again.

Thanks, debbydeb!!! I think I might just plotz from reading about RCA's "tv blitz" for the Christmas EP. Does "long-form special" meant an honest-to-God tv special? That would be frickin'amazing!! Can't wait to see what they're up to.

According to this article http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2014/09/ptxs-scott-hoying-discusses-volume-3-etc.html, they'll be on Good Morning America on September 25.

 

You're welcome Sharpie! It's a good read. Added to the GMA appearance, I think getting signed onto a bigger company helps. 

I had reservations at first about them moving to RCA, because some people say that moving to a bigger company may lead them to getting lost in the roster of artists, but I think this time, it's a good match (RCA/Sony has a good stronghold in Japan for instance). 

 

PS:

A clearer (maybe live recording) of PTX singing My Country Tis of Thee.

After hearing this, and also the National Anthem  (thx SrPab!)

IMHO they've done it well enough, for both patriotic songs. Is it because they're a group? Sometimes, when it's just a solo singer (Ariana Grande, or Mariah Carey, etc) it can really become obnoxious with all the vocal acrobatics. It seems that when it comes to group singing, or choiring, patriotic songs can be nice and even stirring. (Okay, so Kevin's patriotic snare drums help too--those mental images).

 

They should go sing on the fields more.

[Kromm]

You're welcome Sharpie! It's a good read. Added to the GMA appearance, I think getting signed onto a bigger company helps. 

I had reservations at first about them moving to RCA, because some people say that moving to a bigger company may lead them to getting lost in the roster of artists, but I think this time, it's a good match (RCA/Sony has a good stronghold in Japan for instance). 

RCA was always kind of a lateral move for them anyway.  The label the Sing-Off landed them on, Madison Gate, was another Sony label, albeit a much smaller one (one basically just used for them, and the occasional movie soundtrack).  The only benefit to being at Madison Gate was that their A&R rep likely had very little else to do.  It was weird anyway, since Nota and Home Free got contracts with the main Sony label (I guess that's SME now) and Committed got one with Epic Records.

 

Really the management and organization of these labels changes SO often, it's impossible to quantify sometimes where's best.  Clive Davis used to really muck around with RCA artists, but then he got sidelined as "chief creative officer" at the parent label, SME.  

 

If its any sign, today, a week before PTX volume IIIs release, the main RCA site has it first on the little animated artist/album slideshow thing.  Then again Jennifer Hudson and Foo Fighters have albums coming out soon after, so that slideshow order will probably change pretty fast after the release.

[SrPab]

Here's a much-better-quality upload: 2014 Baltimore Star-Spangled Spectacular of "My Country, 'Tis Of Thee" and "La La Latch". I don't have the best ear but their collaboration with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra sounds fine, overall, considering the two groups may have had no more than 1 hour to rehearse together (if that). But, Kevin, and particularly Avi, got drowned out by any number of orchestral swells and cymbal clashes at certain points during "La La Latch".

 

If you're interested, eventually PBS' Great Performances website should have the full episode up for playback soon-ish--just check it every so often. I have no idea who performed before or after Pentatonix so I can't say if they took the stage during the first hour or the second. I forgot that I can access several PBS stations and thought my main PBS station just didn't elect to air this event, so I missed it all.

Edited September 18, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[Sharpie66]

Pentatonix sang at around one hour and five minutes into the two hour broadcast. They were introduced by Jordan Sparks who had just finished narrating a recap of the weekend's events at the Fort.

As for PTX's initial record contract, iirc, they chose to go with Masison Gate, rejecting the major label. I think that they might have had some misgivings after hearing what Sony did with the Sing Off Christmas album, where they were made almost unrecognizable with all the post production manipulation that went into their song. They liked the more one on one treatment they got from Madison Gate, but obviously want to take it to the next level now with RCA.

[SrPab]

Sharpie66, is this what you're looking for (from The Hollywood Reporter.com; no paywall)?: Inside Pentatonix, 'Pitch Perfect' and the Pop Culture Phenomenon of A Cappella Music. It looks to be, in essence, the same article that debbydeb found on Tumblr.

Edited September 16, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[Sharpie66]

Yep, that's it!! Thanks so much, both of you!

[Sharpie66]

People has an exclusive audio preview of their cover of "Rather Be": http://www.people.com/article/pentatonix-music-video-rather-be-youtube

 

Excellent lead by Kirstie; I think this might be her first solo lead on a song in all three of the PTX Vol. EPs.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Sharpie66

[SrPab]

People has an exclusive audio preview of their cover of "Rather Be": http://www.people.com/article/pentatonix-music-video-rather-be-youtube

 

Excellent lead by Kirstie; I think this might be her first solo lead on a song in all three of the PTX Vol. EPs.

Just listened to it...I love it! However, was that Kirstie all the way through on lead? For example, from 0:54-1:08 -- is that still her singing?

[Sharpie66]

That's definitely her, just at the low end of her range. Which, btw, she is hitting much better than she used to. Listen to her part at the beginning of the Flo Rida song in the Christmas ep of The Sing-off from 2011--she's really straining to hit those notes. She's the member of the group whose voice lessons since winning TSO have really worked to improve her range and tone, IMO.

 

As to the song itself, I really love the arrangement! The guys are giving her excellent back-up.

 

They're also doing a new album introduction video every day this week, starting today, with each video covering a different song. Today's is about "Problem."

Edited September 17, 2014 by Sharpie66

[debbydeb]

Thank you for the link! Nice arrangement and Kirstie's voice is really smooth now. It used to be so spikey (soloist spikey, if you know what I mean).

Nice but a bit too safe for them? They seem to be moving away from flashy gimmicks like the so-called Pentatonix pause/drop, heavy dubstep, to a more harmony driven nuance (eg Let it Go and now Rather Be and La La Latch).

An aside: I read a review of the Star Spangled event. They didn't get much column space (I think they were only given a total of 10 words), but they're one of the only groups not put down hard by the reviewer. Which made me think... PTX should do an EP or short play of patriotic songs. Change it up a bit. They did a good job with Let Freedom Ring and The National Anthem.

Still waiting for that Whitacre collaboration. I hope it happens.

Edited September 17, 2014 by debbydeb

[Sharpie66]

Nice but a bit too safe for them? They seem to be moving away from flashy gimmicks like the so-called Pentatonix pause/drop, heavy dubstep, to a more harmony driven nuance (eg Let it Go and now Rather Be and La La Latch).

 

 

I was thinking that this is definitely more what I think of as a traditional a cappella sound, at least closer to what many of the best college groups are doing. Or, maybe it's that the other groups are branching out into more of an experimental sound, following PTX's lead, and they're meeting in the middle? I don't know, but either way, I like the arrangement, even if it's a bit safer than their best work.

[debbydeb]

People has an exclusive audio preview of their cover of "Rather Be": http://www.people.com/article/pentatonix-music-video-rather-be-youtube

Excellent lead by Kirstie; I think this might be her first solo lead on a song in all three of the PTX Vol. EPs.

Just got round to read the whole short article (yes I shamelessly scrolled past all of them straight to the play button).

They say they're going to premiere the video, does that mean the audio is just a placeholder?

I remember when they were doing their Asian Tour, they took some footage in Japan and someone hinted they're filming a video. I first thought they were filming another PtXperience footage, but now listening to the music, I wonder if it's going to be part of Rather Be's music video.

A music video comprised of a footage of their tour. Kyoto in Japan. the Bay can also mean the Marina Bay Singapore where they did their concert....

[Sharpie66]

It might be the video they put up next Tuesday to go with the official release date of the album. I know that they were filming a video for "Papaoutai" with Lindsey Stirling a week or so ago (LS tweeted a pic of her in makeup on the set). If they did a video for "Rather Be," that would make it all four covers from the album having videos. I just hope that their originals are also getting videos. Even if the originals don't get the hit totals that the covers do, they'll still get some exposure. "Love Again" has around 10 million views, probably due to the similarity in style to the "Daft Punk" video, but I would like to see the originals get some love from the casual viewer.

 

ETA: They tweeted that they spent a day filming a video in Japan, so I wouldn't be surprised if that is their next video. The PTX Vol III intro video for today goes into how absolutely hectic this year has been for them, what with touring and trying to write songs and then arrange both the originals and the covers for both EPs.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Sharpie66

[SrPab]

 

Nice but a bit too safe for them? They seem to be moving away from flashy gimmicks like the so-called Pentatonix pause/drop, heavy dubstep, to a more harmony driven nuance (eg Let it Go and now Rather Be and La La Latch).

Just an observation (I'm not picking on you debbydeb)...but I wonder if this is them responding to (general) criticism from some quarters that they are all style but little substance. Also, I appreciate their restraint (if intent plays a part in it) of not dipping into their bag of tricks for every arrangement.

Edited September 17, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[debbydeb]

ETA: They tweeted that they spent a day filming a video in Japan, so I wouldn't be surprised if that is their next video. The PTX Vol III intro video for today goes into how absolutely hectic this year has been for them, what with touring and trying to write songs and then arrange both the originals and the covers for both EPs.

The snippet at the begining reminds me of Lion King from the get go.

You can tell Kevin is rather excited, he's leaning forward a lot I was worried he might just fall off the sofa or jump up and fist pump.

but I wonder if this is them responding to (general) criticism from some quarters that they are all style but little substance. Also, I appreciate their restraint (if intent plays a part in it) of not dipping into their bag of tricks for every arrangement.

I hadn't thought of it like that. But it made sense. For me, these kinds of arrangements is appreciated because they are now spreading greater singing parts across all five. (eg Avi singing harmonies rather than just being the human equivalent of a bass guitar; Kevin singing/rapping longer; multiple leads in one song; Kirstie leading) I suppose that's also "changing it up" in some sense.

I was only thinking "safe" mostly because I've been trawling the youtube for their Japanese media coverage, and watched one where they showed "Daft Punk" and then a small sampling of "Let It Go". They were in absolute awe of the electronic stylings of DP and sort of sat back and said "this is more... our ordinary style" for Let It Go. A comment beneath it considered Pentatonix's LIG as Too Glee Less PTX or something of that vein.

[Kromm]

Just listened to it...I love it! However, was that Kirstie all the way through on lead? For example, from 0:54-1:08 -- is that still her singing?

The only other person it could be is Mitch.  It does sound slightly more like her though.

[debbydeb]

PTX Vol III has dropped in Germany, a whole week early. So fortunate of them.

And it's in a jewel case!

https://twitter.com/ann_kathrind/status/512563292607635457

[SrPab]

PTX Vol III has dropped in Germany, a whole week early. So fortunate of them.

And it's in a jewel case!

https://twitter.com/ann_kathrind/status/512563292607635457

I wonder if Germany getting it first (?) has anything to do with the ongoing dispute between GEMA and Google/YouTube?

 

It may also explain a few YT uploads that I thought were mistakes/click bait...namely, some postings with titles referring to PTX, Vol. III "leaks".

[debbydeb]

I wonder if Germany getting it first (?) has anything to do with the ongoing dispute between GEMA and Google/YouTube?

It may also explain a few YT uploads that I thought were mistakes/click bait...namely, some postings with titles referring to PTX, Vol. III "leaks".

I didn't know about thre GEMA thing but now I've swotted up little... wow. that's a mess.

The tracklist of PTX German edition:

https://twitter.com/wycelinefan/status/512342553514213376

surprising no Love Again. I would have thought they put all of their original music from vol 2 in.

[debbydeb]

Remember my reservation about the string section in PTX's Papaoutai?

I'm glad to be proven wrong. Still Good!

(Still love the original song better, but their cover is good! great arrangement, great use of both Linds and Kevin)

http://www.grammy.com/news/first-listen-pentatonix

Puzzling media outlet to release it from.

[SrPab]

 

...these kinds of arrangements is appreciated because they are now spreading greater singing parts across all five. (eg Avi singing harmonies rather than just being the human equivalent of a bass guitar; Kevin singing/rapping longer; multiple leads in one song; Kirstie leading) I suppose that's also "changing it up" in some sense.

Here's an example of them changing it up: "I Need Your Love" with switched parts. They did this just for fun and knew they were going to sound a hot mess. But, this ties in to the sentiment above and also one of my pipe-dreams for them; namely, purposefully arrange a song and switch parts. So, say, Scott does bass tones and vowels, Mitch does beatboxing, Avi sings lyrics in tenor voice, etc.

 

I know they can do it and it would really highlight their overall versatility. However, if the end product were professionally produced and released there would still be moans and wails of "Bah, they're auto-tuned!" when they most likely are not. The recording has been professionally mastered, not auto-tuned (and cast as an aspersion).

 

ETA: Thanks, debbydeb, for the link to the audio premiere of PTX and Lindsey Stirling's "Papaoutai". I'd never heard the original until a few weeks ago...and it didn't make much of an impression on me--I don't love it, I don't hate it. But that's probably because all the French I knew went out the door after high school graduation. Also, the official video that goes with the original song reminds me of the look-and-feel of Aqua's "Barbie Girl"--stylized and surreal. But with "Papaoutai", I'm having a bit of cognitive dissonance because the song's tempo and video's imagery don't seem to align with the song's overall meaning and themes. That's probably intentional on the artist's or director's part; but to me it just comes across as discordant. In other words, because I only know a smattering of French-language words and phrases, listening to the song while watching its video makes me feel like I should be upbeat and find the funny while going about my day.

 

A more relatable example for me is Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life". It's uptempo, but paying closer attention to the lyrics will have you realizing parts of the song are about a drug user's burgeoning crystal meth addiction.

Edited September 18, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[Sharpie66]

Remember my reservation about the string section in PTX's Papaoutai?

I'm glad to be proven wrong. Still Good!

(Still love the original song better, but their cover is good! great arrangement, great use of both Linds and Kevin)

http://www.grammy.com/news/first-listen-pentatonix

Puzzling media outlet to release it from.

 

I don't know who would go to grammy.com for the latest release, so that is a bit weird!  Billboard did that early tease of PTX Vol. II last year, so I guess that they're just letting the songs trickle out through multiple sources this time around to see which one hits the biggest.

 

I really liked their cover of Papaoutai, but I'll admit to liking Rather Be better as of right now. I am really looking forward to hearing their originals, though, especially On My Way Home," the one that they've been mentioning a lot. One of the teaser videos on PTXVlogs mentions that it was the last-minute fill-in for the album when they found out they didn't have the rights to the cover they were originally going to be using as their seventh track, and it sounds like the recording that they pulled together in NYC right before they flew to Asia came out really well.

Oh, and I meant to mention re: the jewel case hardcopy release of the album in Germany that I just read an article yesterday that talked about the fact that Japan, the number 2 market for music in the world (after the US), actually has a bigger market for CDs than for downloads. They even have over 80 Tower Records stores, the same amount that were in the US before they went bankrupt over here. The article speculated that it was due to the Japanese tendency to collect things, which was something that was given as a reason that downloads would never take off in America, so Japan might just be a bit behind on the curve.

[SrPab]

 

...I appreciate their restraint (if intent plays a part in it) of not dipping into their bag of tricks for every arrangement.

Quoting myself...and now listen to Mitch and Avi from 0:46-1:09: PTX Vol III - An Introduction: La La Latch.

 

ETA: I just found out that previews for the seven tracks on PTX Vol. III are up on iTunes--you'll just have to switch to the New Zealand store.

Edited September 18, 2014 by SrPab-PTV

[debbydeb]

Quoting myself...and now listen to Mitch and Avi from 0:46-1:09:

.

Good call there! and they are releasing these introductions everyday? And a new song (audio) each day?

ETA: I just found out that previews for the seven tracks on PTX Vol. III are up on iTunes--you'll just have to switch to the New Zealand store.

Ooooh! I may need to borrow someone's iTunes account for this!

Especially since there's this little tidbit in a review:

"It can happen as organically as our new song ‘Standing By.’ Kevin came into our dressing room before a show saying he can’t get this melody out of his mind and singing it for the rest of us. We all heard the basic tune a bit differently. But we could hear Avi’s voice on it and it lent itself to a Mumford & Songs vibe. Then Avi and Kevin wrote lyrics to it and we all arranged it with a worldly tribal vibe. Our songs have different origins but vocal arrangements are the one thing we love to together.” "

http://www.singeruniverse.com/pentatonix-interview-2014.htm

Does this mean Avi and Kevin will be the lead vocals? That will be amazing!

ETA: someone on Tumblr posted a preview:

http://lexielou2.tumblr.com/post/97849393858/standing-by-pentatonix

It really is Avi leading. The beginning sounds like the dum-dum-dum of Peaceful War.

I hope Kevin will share the lead too. Can't wait to hear the full song.

Edited September 19, 2014 by debbydeb

[Kromm]

I wonder if Germany getting it first (?) has anything to do with the ongoing dispute between GEMA and Google/YouTube?

 

It may also explain a few YT uploads that I thought were mistakes/click bait...namely, some postings with titles referring to PTX, Vol. III "leaks".

Pentatonix's label is RCA Records in the US. In Germany I imagine it's still got to be some division of Sony. Other than them having a channel on YouTube, I don't see how a lawsuit between Google and a German music association would matter. Unless there's some separate legal problems between GEMA and Sony/RCA, I mean.

[debbydeb]

Here's an example of them changing it up: "I Need Your Love" with switched parts. They did this just for fun and knew they were going to sound a hot mess. But, this ties in to the sentiment above and also one of my pipe-dreams for them; namely, purposefully arrange a song and switch parts. So, say, Scott does bass tones and vowels, Mitch does beatboxing, Avi sings lyrics in tenor voice, etc.

 

 

LOL! That's a funny surprise. I like them when they're goofing around. Great fun all around. 

 

A more relatable example for me is Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life". It's uptempo, but paying closer attention to the lyrics will have you realizing parts of the song are about a drug user's burgeoning crystal meth addiction.

 

 

On a more 'benign' but still amusing level... I remember a year when a lot of the weddings I go to play Mika's "Happy Ending".

[bjork]

So PTX, Vol. III is finally available in the US and it's already at #2 on iTunes. Also, they've started pre-orders for That's Christmas to Me, featuring the band on the front cover for the first time. The track listing:
 

1 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

2 White Winter Hymnal

3 Sleigh Ride

4 Winter Wonderland / Don't Worry Be Happy

5 That's Christmas to Me

6 Mary, Did You Know?

7 Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

8 It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

9 Santa Claus is Coming to Town

10 Silent Night

11 Let It Go (Digital Bonus Track)

The US gets an official Let It Go release, yay! I'm curious about how the mash-up will go and if there will be words to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

[SrPab]

PTX, Vol. III debuts at #5 on Billboard 200

[bjork]

PTX, Vol. III sold 45, 988 units in its first week. If you're curious, here's the Billboard album charts article mentioning PTX, Vol. III.

[SrPab]

At least the interviewer was thoughtful enough to not ask them what questions they're asked most often...Pentatonix: 5 members, 1 hour, 37 questions.

[Sharpie66]

Thank you sooo much for that! That is the best interview I've ever read with them. Love all the details, and EW really captured their interplay better than any other writer.

 

I knew that they had had problems with "Dog Days Are Over" before they performed it for the judges, but I didn't know that Scott had lost his voice as well. And their casting of "Pentatonix: The Movie" is hilarious, especially Mitch saying that Sarah Silverman should play him.

 

I knew about Bonnie Hunt being a fan of theirs--I've seen some of her tweets linked from Scott's twitter page--but I didn't know about Channing Tatum or Imogen Heap. That's very cool. (One of my favorite things in their videos of their 2014 tours was when Maisie Williams came to their Oxford concert and was sooo geeked out over meeting them backstage.) I didn't know that Kevin and Lupita Nyong'o were college buddies.

 

It sounds like, even though Scott was only in the SoCal Vocals for less than a year and he was just a freshman, he was doing a lot of arrangements for them. I definitely want to hear more about their pre-PTX experiences in a capella--I really should look up YT vids of Avi in Fermata Nowhere (that was the name of his community college group that won ICCA, right?), and I read somewhere that Kevin actually was in an a capella group at Yale (or maybe it was Phillips Andover?).

 

When I was with my family last month, I was showing them PTX videos. My brother was saying how they really have to start putting out original songs more than the covers, so I'm hoping that PTX Vol. 4 will be mostly originals, like they're saying it will be, if they can just get the songs written.