No music, no problem

A cappella gives me a break from the flood of "pseudo angry girl skater chick" music that has dominated the radio in recent months. I admittedly enjoy the soulful, guitar/piano-infused music from artists like Michelle Branch, Vanessa Carlton and Avril Lavigne, but they have dominated my summer music-listening. BOCA 2002 is my oasis in the desert.\nBOCA (Best of College A Cappella) is brought to us by Varsity Vocals and CASA, two a cappella organizations that have brought together a compilation of some of the best collegiate a cappella groups around the nation (including IU's own Straight No Chaser and Ladies First).\nThe UCLA group Awaken brings us the Bangles' classic, "Walk Like an Egyptian." The soloists, for the most part, deliver a crisp and clear sound. Weak vocals and an absence of personal flare hold this track back, with some of the singers unsuccessfully trying to mimic Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles. Straight No Chaser dazzles us with Lenny Kravitz's "I Belong to You." The deep bass in the background is standout, providing a sort of pedestal for the melody. While soloist Michael Luginbill doesn't sound much like Kravitz, his talent is immense.\nThe University of Pennsylvania's Off the Beat delivers Dido's "Here With Me." Soloist and arranger Maria Bashian works the vocals, adding personality to an otherwise uninspired song. The backing vocals are the best part of this track, recreating almost perfectly the eerie-techno-trance-like music from Dido's song.\nFrom Claremont College, the Shades sing their rendition of Sophie B. Hawkins' "Damn I Wish I was Your Lover." Soloist Jenna Dawsey's vocals stand out amidst the voices that surround her melody. Also listen for Ladies First singing the Destiny's Child hit, "Independent Women Part I." These Ladies once again prove that they can make good music with Ashley Griffin wailing on the solo.\nUnfortunately, BOCA isn't made up of all stellar tracks. Take, for instance, the University of Southern California SoCal VoCals' rendition of Britney Spears' "Drive Me Crazy." While soloist Julie Moffitt takes the writing credit, the dismal track contains very little original material, and Spears isn't attributed at all.\nOverall, though, BOCA delivers, allowing me to rediscover my love for a cappella music.