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Cape Harmony

I Want Crazy - Single (2014)

1.0

Review By Michael Marcus

March 3, 2015

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Michael Marcus

Cape Harmony is to all-female collegiate a cappella what Hyannis Sound is to all-male: an auditioned ensemble that makes real money gigging for a summer on Cape Cod. Both groups are also officially making waves in the recorded a cappella scene; I Want Crazy is the debut single from the ladies. But that's where the similarities end; next to Hyannis Sound's slickly produced tsunamis, I Want Crazy has about as much impact and urgency as the tide coming in.

This track loses me immediately with its grating "ged-a-doo-den" motif, a pale vocal imitation of Hunter Hayes' guitar arpeggios. The backs don't give us much in the way of energy, emotion, or dynamics. The mix sounds like a first draft, with sopranos popping out in all the wrong places and the soloist often getting overpowered. The best thing I can say about this track is that it's in tune, which isn't saying much these days. Indeed, if not for the song choice, this track could easily be mistaken for something recorded over a decade ago. It sounds like a throwback to the all-female groups of yesteryear, the ones that were lampooned so skillfully at the beginning of Pitch Perfect — except Cape Harmony isn't in on the joke.

The ladies of Cape Harmony must certainly be talented and dedicated singers, not to mention a hit with their beachgoing audiences, if they can spend a summer or two making a living with their art. I'd love to see that entrepreneurial spirit translate to a more modern recording next time.

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