REDLINE | blog

"INBOUND" Receives Honorable Mention from the RARB

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:59:35 -0500

- Redline’s Debut Album Included Among a Select Group Considered to be the Top A Cappella Picks of 2012 -

The Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) has awarded Inbound an Honorable Mention as part of its 2012 Picks of the Year! Reviewer Nick Anderson-Frey remarked:

“Inbound … flows in a coherent, cohesive way that few other a cappella albums achieved this year. The men of Redline sing their hearts out, and solid arranging and top-notch production … [make] Inbound my second-favorite a cappella album reviewed this year.”

We are thrilled to receive this honor, and we thank the RARB staff for their thoughtful review of Inbound. Check out the review HERE.

Oh, and if you haven’t yet gotten your copy of Inbound, you can purchase it on iTunes or through our website, or you can stream it on Spotify!

Just in time for the holiday, Redline has a special message for...

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:54:00 -0500

Just in time for the holiday, Redline has a special message for you and yours. Merry Christmas!

Hanukkapella: How “The Menorah Hora” Came to...

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 19:42:08 -0500

Hanukkapella: How “The Menorah Hora” Came to Be
by Josh Brodsky

It’s holiday season!

Growing up as a Jewish boy in a suburb outside of Boston, I always loved this time of year. I have fond memories of school vacation, my brothers and me playing in the snow or racing each other on sleds down the hill behind my family’s house, and of course, lighting the Hanukkah menorah with my parents and brothers. And how can I not mention the eight days of presents!?! What’s not to love?

Well, the holidays are upon us once again. And once again, songs of the season fill the air. Well… perhaps that’s putting it lightly. They dominate the air. They engulf it. It seems that literally everywhere you go, whether it be a shopping mall, supermarket, restaurant, coffee shop, hotel lobby, convenience store, or airport terminal, your aural senses are immediately assaulted by the holiday Muzak wafting from the speakers. And let’s face it: all you hear is Christmas music. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who does not feel that holiday tunes are dominated by songs of mistletoe, sleigh bells jingling, yuletide cheer, and that reindeer with a red nose. Now let me be clear: I do not mean any disrespect to Christmas music and I certainly do not intend to offend anyone who celebrates the holiday. In fact, my mockery is borne out of a paradoxical appreciation of the genre. As a singer and, generally speaking, a fan of vocal music, I have come to develop a sincere fondness to much of this tried and true Christmas music repertoire. However, I have always been frustrated by the substantial lack of Hanukkah music that has made its way into the mainstream. For much of my life this has been a giant cultural dilemma I have had to face.

I grew up in a musical family. My mother was an elementary school music teacher and my father dabbled in composition. One of the pieces that my father composed was a children’s Hanukkah song that ended up being taught to toddlers at the synagogue that my family belongs to. The song was written over 25 years ago, and continues to be sung by young Hebrew school children to this day. For this holiday season, I decided to do an a cappella arrangement of it. At Redline’s holiday concert last weekend, we delivered the first ever live a cappella performance of The Menorah Hora. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed arranging it.

On behalf of Redline, I’d like to wish you all Happy Holidays!

-Josh
Redline
www.redlineboston.com

Redline to be included on SING 9: SUPERNOVEM!

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:06:54 -0400

“You Make Me Wanna,” featuring Redline and a talented cohort of other groups, will grace the track list of the ninth annual installment of the acclaimed a cappella compilation series, Sing.

Recorded in April 2012 at the BOSton Sings (BOSS) A Cappella Festival, the track is a jazzy remake of the R&B hit made popular by Usher and showcases a stellar arrangement by Tom Anderson of Random Notes and Clare Wheeler of the Swingle Singers. We had the privilege of contributing our voices to the recording, along with Cadence, Ball in the House, Voices in Your Head, and the 2012 BOSS VIPs.

We are thrilled to be included on the Sing compilation for the second year in a row! Last year, our recording of Break Anotha, from our award-winning debut album Inbound, was selected for Sing 8: Too Cubed.

Created in 2003, “the Sing series has quickly developed into a yearly collection of some of the world’s finest and most diverse vocal music,” and consistently features “some of the biggest names in the a cappella universe” (from www.casa.org). Digital sales of Sing 9 will begin on Tuesday, November 6 in most digital marketplaces, and will be available as a free download to all CASA members.

A lot of amazing people contributed to the production of “You Make Me Wanna” and we want to give credit where credit is due. The recording was co-produced by Charlie Friday and Tom Anderson, tracked and edited by Charlie Friday and Amanda Aldag of Clear Harmonies Productions, mixed by Danny Ozment of Emerald City Productions, and mastered by Dave Sperandio of Vocal Mastering.

Check out the track HERE!

Redline is now on Spotify. Canwegedda giggity?

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:31:34 -0400

Redline is now on Spotify. Canwegedda giggity?

The Latest from Redline (Issue #2)

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:26:24 -0400

The Latest from Redline (Issue #2):

Hey Redline Fans!

It’s been a while, so we thought we would give you a bunch of juicy updates all in one delicious bite. In this edition of the Redline newsletter, we update you on our CARA Award wins, recap our amazing experience attending and performing at the first ever Boston Sings [BOSS] A Cappella Festival, get you pumped for some brand new tunes in our set, and let you know about our Summer Street Sing Series - beginning TONIGHT!

Happy reading, and we hope to see you this summer!

PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!canigedda what WHAT!!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:58:47 -0400

PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!

canigedda what WHAT!!

Liquid List: RARB on Redline's Inbound album: "It's all here."

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:51:52 -0400

Liquid List: RARB on Redline's Inbound album: "It's all here.":

liquid5th:

The Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) just released their review of Redline’s latest album Inbound to the lovely sound of high praise. The reviewers had no trouble finding positive things to say, and here are just a few of their comments:

“Inbound could be the model of a…

Changing of the Guard

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:31:00 -0400

At the end of last year, Redline was very sad to say goodbye to two of its long-time members. Brett Ferguson (Bass, ‘07-‘11) moved to the Big Apple, where he is (among other things) pursuing a solo singer/songwriter act. (He is releasing an album. You should get it.) Matt Edwards (Tenor, ‘09-‘11) moved to Colorado with his wife and new daughter, where he is kicking a$$ and taking names per usual. Our sincere thanks to the both of them for sharing their voices and their dedication to making Redline awesome.

[We miss you. RL4L, bruthas!]

With some spots open in the group, we held auditions last month to recruit some new talent - and boy did we hit the motherload. We heard some pretty exceptional singers, and in the end we think we’ve managed to snag a couple of real stand-out musicians (and all-around great guys!)

Without further ado, Redline is thoroughly jazzed to announce the two newest additions to the roster:

Kevin Guest - Bass

An Ithacappella alum and aspiring a cappella sound engineer, Kevin brings a very rich musical experience to Redline.

Kevin’s got that (boom-ba-doom boom, boom-ba-doom boom) bass sound that makes the floors shake and your knees buckle, so hold on to your seats when you see him at our next show!

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Brad Range - Tenor

Brad - a mechanical engineer by day - is our new resident Southern boy, hailing from Texas via Georgia.

(Consequently, he like bow ties —>)

With no fear of ledger lines, Brad lives up to his surname. A solid addition to our treble staff, we’re stoked to have Brad on board!

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You can see the new guys in action at one of our upcoming gigs (like this one, or this one). Show our new recruits some love!

Welcome to the family, Kevin and Brad!

Just the Way You [Like It]

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:15:00 -0500

“Just the Way You Are” - a track from Inbound arranged by our very own Josh Brodsky, has been getting some pleasantly positive attention as of late, and this gives us a warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside.

Just a couple of months ago, we were giddy to learn that the track had been included on the first edition of Voices Only Forte, a select compilation of tracks released by professional and other non-scholastic groups. (Have you checked out this album yet? Cuzyashould.)

Today, Dave Bernstein over at Acatribe (@acatribe on the Twitters) has published a blog post titled “Overdone, or Cooked to Perfection?” in which he discusses a couple of a cappella arrangements that he thinks breathe new life into otherwise beaten-to-death covers.

We were stoked that Dave chose to profile JTWYA as one of the two tracks that, in his words, “not only kept my attention, but have me hitting repeat frequently.” He discusses in detail the arranging choices that make the cover work for him, and we encourage you to head over to the blog to check it out yourself! Here’s a highlight or two from what he had to say:

Look, this is what arranging should be: thoughtful, engaging, and also appropriate for your group.

And this made us smile:

I guess I should say thanks to Redline for taking a song I never wanted to hear again and giving me something I can dig into repeatedly.

Well then we guess we’ll say “you’re most genuinely welcome!”, and offer our thanks to Dave for his thoughtful remarks and kind words. We’re thrilled you like it!

We never get tired of hearing feedback from the a cappella community and from our fans far and wide - so thank you, and keep it coming!

Oh, and…check out Just the Way You Are on iTunes!

Enjoying some pre-concert pizza before Acappalooza 3!

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:34:25 -0500

Enjoying some pre-concert pizza before Acappalooza 3!

Come see us (and Pitch-Slapped) at our next show! Tickets here....

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:50:29 -0500

Come see us (and Pitch-Slapped) at our next show! Tickets here. #thisisgonnabegood

Celebrating our CARA noms with a little chambibbly.

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:33:21 -0500

Celebrating our CARA noms with a little chambibbly.

Inbound Nominated for 4 CARAs!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:08:38 -0500

When you pour your heart and soul into recording an album, you expect to be proud of the finished product, and you expect to feel a sense of satisfaction having spent a lot of time and energy doing something you really love.

You also hope that people like it.

Today, the nominations for the 2012 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) were announced on the CASA website. Among them were four bearing Redline’s name:

Best Pop/Rock Album (Inbound)
Best Pop/Rock Song (“Break Anotha”)

Best Contemporary A Cappella League Album (Inbound)
Best Contemporary A Cappella League Song (“Break Anotha”)

From all of the guys in Redline to all of our friends, family, fans, and fervent supporters: Thank You! We’re so glad you like it =)

Beatboxing like you've never seen before

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:09:33 -0500

Beatboxing like you've never seen before:

Callling all super-nerds! In this TEDMED talk, Nate Ball, a seasoned beatboxer, collaborates with a neurologist and an otolaryngologist to give you a rare view of exactly what’s going on in the brain and pharynx when you create sound with your “organic instrument.” Absolutely worth the watch!

Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go pump up our arytenoids.

Cover of Voices Only Forte, complete with all included group...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:35:00 -0500

Cover of Voices Only Forte, complete with all included group names - that’s some amazing company! Still so stoked to be included among this crowd of aca-allstars.

Check out the full track list. This…yeah, you’re gonna want to pick this one up.

**UPDATE 1/26** - Now available on iTunes! Get into it.

Inbound Reviewed by CASA!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:20:46 -0500

Hold the train! Another review for Inbound has just been published on the CASA website, and from the sounds of it, they liked what they heard!

Carolyn K., who authored the review, provides a detailed, song-by-song review of the whole track list sandwiched by some more general comments about our inaugural album. Here are some highlights:

Every time I listen, I find more and more things to enjoy.

Inbound creates a great listener experience through a combination of excellent musicianship, great arrangements, and high energy.

Overall, Inbound is an amazing debut album that I would recommend to a cappella aficionados and newbies alike.

Music to our ears! Huge thanks to Carolyn and the folks at CASA for taking the time to write and publish this review. We are thrilled by the response Inbound has received thus far, and we’re just so glad that people are enjoying the music we worked so hard to make.

And just in case you don’t have your copy of Inbound yet, we recommend that you heed Carolyn’s closing words:

Buy the album, you won’t regret it.

LISTEN TO THE WOMAN! =)

Rock Stars Wanted: Apply Within

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:39 -0500

Redline is auditioning!

Spread the word! Full audition posting below. We hope to see you (and your rock star friends) there!

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“Proof positive: the Redline guys are red hot.” - CASA.org

A bunch of guys who enjoy jamming out with nothing but voices and microphones, we are Redline - Boston’s red-hot men’s a cappella group. We are a musically-accomplished group of (relatively) recent college graduates who are looking for some other experienced, talented singers who recognize the kind of rock-star rush a group like this can provide. Modern pop/rock is our primary genre, with places for covers and originals alike. We perform all over the Boston Metro area, in venues from schools to bars to weddings to harbor cruises - and everything in between. Most importantly, for better or for worse, we love a cappella.

We are holding auditions currently, and we’re looking for glass-breaking tenors and floor-shaking basses. Drop a sick mouth beat? We like that, too. More specifically, we are looking for singers with:

several years of ensemble singing experience (a cappella preferred)
a great musical ear
some sight-reading ability
a natural stage presence
vocal percussion skillz (if you got ‘em - not required!)
schedule flexibility
a strong commitment to learning, improving, and constantly pushing the group forward

Have we piqued your interest? If so, drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!

To learn more about us (and listen to our recently-released album), check out our website and blog at WWW.REDLINEBOSTON.COM and read our newsletter at http://bit.ly/yM3OQt

AUDITIONS: February 3rd, 6-9 PM; February 4th, 1-4 PM; February 12th, 1-4 PM
CALLBACKS: February 16th, 8-11 PM
Locations TBA.

E-mail us at info@redlineboston.com with questions and/or expressions of interest, or SIGN UP at www.mysignup.com/redlineauditions2012.

Redline is a founding member of the Contemporary A Cappella League (http://www.casa.org/league)

Redline to be Featured on Voices Only Forte!

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:22:33 -0500

Guys! Great news! “Just the Way You Are” (a track from our debut album, Inbound) has been selected for the very first edition of new a cappella compilation, Voices Only Forte!

From the Voices Only website:

“Voices Only Forte is a brand new one-of-a-kind a cappella compilation album comprised of selected excellent tracks released by various groups from around the globe…[this collection] will do for non-scholastic a cappella what Voices Only has done for collegiate a cappella during the last six years: provide some of the best a cappella in the world to the masses on one collective compilation album.”

We are unbelievably excited and honored to be listed among such impressive and formidable a cappella talent, and we are grateful to Corey Slutsky at Voices Only for including Redline on this amazing collection. And a hearty congratulations to all of the other groups who made the list as well!

Check out the full track list on the Voices Only Facebook Page, and check back here for details on where you can pick up your own copy! (Expected to be available for download on or around 1/20/12)

New Gig: Opening the Professional Showcase at BOSS!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:30:37 -0500

Saturday, April 14th

7:30PM

Regent Theatre; Arlington, MA

BOSS [BOSton Sings: An A Cappella Revolution]
Professional Showcase

Sharing the stage with the inimitable Cadence and Traces in what might be Redline’s biggest show to date. To say we’re excited about this one would be like saying that bacon-wrapped tater tots are “kind of a good idea.” You don’t want to miss this!

Details here. “Jaw-reattachment services available in the lobby.”
Tickets available here.