The Acapella Project

Description

The Acapella Project is an album by the American vocal group Glad, released on Benson Records in 1988. The album was produced and arranged by group members Ed Nalle and Bob Kauflin, respectively. Featuring a cover of “Easter Song“, a song written by Annie Herring of 2nd Chapter of Acts.

The instruments are being tuned; unbridled arpeggios and scales resound. Suddenly, the baton raps, and the musicians break into a stirring, pre-baroque version of «A Mighty Fortress». But wait! Where are the strings, the brass, the reeds, the percussion? Nonexistent, although for the most part it’s hard to tell, for ‘The Acapella Project’, the latest from the men from Glad, features layer after layer of unadulterated vocalism (well, exept for reverb – sheets of sound, Phil Spector would say – more than making up for missing mutes, mallets, and mouthpieces).

Perhaps, ‘The Acapella Project’s greatest strength is its diversity. Producer and lead vocalist Ed Nalle (at his vibrator-less best) and original Glad keyboardist and album arranger Bob Kauflin combine elements of 15th century organum with 20th century do-wops, bridging 400 years with the dexterity they showed on «That Hymn Thing» a few albums back.

Old hymn favorites «Fortress», «Be Thou My Vision», and «O for a Thousand Tongues» (done in a catchy 4/4) are joined by old Glad favorites «Be Ye Glad», «The Reason», and (only CD) «God Is My Rock». Newcomers include «In the First Light», a Christmas carol, «Depending On Your Love», a synthesized percussion-aided jazz number in the Manhattan Transfer vein, «Amen», a 44 (give or take a couple)-fold choral response which will make the average church choir member’s head spin, and an interesting cover of the Annie Herring classic, «Easter Song».

Occasionally, in the midst of Glad’s stacked-a-mile-high harmonies, one longs for the simplicity of four-part singing. Fortunately, the final two cuts, «And This Is Love» and «And Can It Be» strip away the vocal veneer, producing a concert-like arrangement – a refreshing change of pace from most of the other cuts which border on overdub overdose.

Harmony hounds will eat up ‘The Acapella Project’, an impressive display of definitive vocal artistry captured in time. As with most a cappella albums, however, those with a flare for backbeats may miss no less than all of the members of the rhythm section. [Warren Anderson, CCM, April 1988]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/acapella-project-vol-1/304818731)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “A Mighty Fortress” – 3:46
A2. “In The First Light” – 3:04
A3. “O For A Thousand Tongues” – 3:22
A4. “Depending On Your Love” – 4:19
A5. “Be Thou My Vision” – 2:49

Side Two
B1. “Easter Song” – 3:02
B2. “Be Ye Glad” – 4:29
B3. “The Reason” – 1:57
B4. “Amen” – 2:07
B5. “And This Is Love” – 2:10
B6. “And Can It Be” – 4:02

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Benson Records, with the CD-version featuring an extra track, “God Is My Rock”.

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