In a cappella, groups are faced with the conundrum of doing too much or not enough when it comes to recorded music. This results in the line between good and great being very thin. The Harvard Callbacks' new album Until We Meet Again is one project faced with such challenges. Surprisingly, it is the group's less conventional material that ultimately wins me over, with no second-guessing as to what they bring to the album.

For a long period, contemporary a cappella suffered from a bad habit of taking the most popular songs of that time and turning them into a cappella covers. I am overly simplifying this notion, as many groups made sure to add nice vocal effects, and their signature element (humor, beatbox breakdown, a powerhouse soloist, etc.). While these elements are great, these tracks were often absent of zeal, pizzazz, or a true vocal statement.

We are now in an age where a cappella music has to be flipped on its head to wow listeners. There are a few tracks on Until We Meet Again that to the casual listener will do the trick and are more than adequate. While tracks such as Location, Barton Hollow, and Somebody to Love are good, they are lacking a certain spark that gets one incredibly excited about a new project.

Instead, the tracks that really move the needle for me are songs that I just discovered for the first time thanks to the Callbacks. Good Life was the first one that made a statement. The commanding conviction of the lead's sultry lower register is simply enthralling. Gennie Weiler's vocals hold your attention like no other as she wonderfully plays with varying rhythms with her stunning tone that is both heavy and light at times. Add this to the climatic and suspenseful movements sprinkled throughout the song, on top of a steadily building momentum, and you have a winning performance.

Lost in My Boots is a haunting, unrestricted, trance-inducing arrangement that adds a wildcard element to any album. The song simply has range, without feeling theatrical and forced. It is simply good singing that has soul.

And without a doubt, the award for my favorite track goes to LAX. Holy cow, where did this song come from? The track is pure bliss, with its carefree singing where every element is light and playful. Not to mention that Gabe Mehra commands the entire experience. I love how unexpected and unconventional this track is from the arrangement to the lyrics, to the youthful energy and delivery. More of this, please!

There are two pieces of advice I can offer the Callbacks. First, always focus on balance in editing mixes. There are a few tracks where leads or other important vocal parts are drowned out. And second, lean into the unique and unconventional! You may be surprised as to what listeners will fall in love with from your repertoire. These tracks resonate more than you know.

It's been a while since we at RARB have heard anything from the Callbacks, and it's so exciting to take a listen to them again. With Until We Meet Again, we get a tour de force of fun and engaging arrangements, solid background vocals, and stellar soloists from top to bottom.

It starts right away with Moderation, where Crystal Wang's solo cuts through with an attitude and power that draws me in from the very first note. Add on the vocal range she shows in the bridge ... just incredible. The amazing solos just keep coming after that, with Dora Paolini on Lost in My Boots, Gennie Weiler on Good Life, and Ruth Jaensubhakij on If I Go standing out as powerhouses that would draw me in if they were singing the phone book. As for the arrangements, most of them are not groundbreaking, but they are well-executed covers that do have little bits of creativity sprinkled throughout. I thoroughly enjoy the opening to God Is a Woman, giving the track a haunting open and adding just a little more color to the overall track.

Once we get past track eight and If I Go, the album does lose a little bit of steam. It actually loses a bit of attention to detail in that track, where I think the dynamics in the pre-chorus could be a bit more exaggerated to add some more color. But then, with the One Direction Medley, the arrangement just lands a little flat for me compared to the first eight tracks. Could the group have simply chosen one of the 1D numbers and really honed in on making it "different"? I think that would have put the arrangement more on par with what the rest of the album has been up to this point. Sam Smith's Lay Me Down doesn't display the dynamic control I was looking for either, with the background vocals starting to drown out soloist Channing Cimarusti, despite her best efforts to cut through. Finally, Somebody to Love just doesn't pack the same punch that I would expect a Queen cover to pack, which just leaves a disappointing taste in my mouth.

So, my overall assessment of Until We Meet Again is much like my assessment of a half marathon that I completed a few weeks ago. The album starts off great, and I could listen to the first eight tracks on repeat for quite a long time. But the back half of the album seems to limp to the finish line, and it needs a bit more attention to garner the full points from me. I have no doubt the Callbacks have the skill and ability to do that, and I look forward to the next release. Until we "meet" again...

This is the first time I've reviewed the Harvard Callbacks, which gives the group a great opportunity to introduce themselves. The Ivy League mixed group presents themselves as what I would consider a more "modern" collegiate a cappella group. The sound is somewhat R&B influenced and is very dependent on creating big moments within the music. Whether by design or accident, there are three distinct parts to this album that help highlight where this works and where there's room to grow.

The first is the hard-hitting opening tracks. Moderation starts the album off with a bang. Crystal Wang's voice is a force to be reckoned with and acts wonderfully as a focal point. Arrangers Lev Sandler and Ruth Jaensubhakij penned an arrangement that works perfectly to support the soloist while being interesting in its own right. Location introduces another facet of the group with smooth dark R&B chords. These tracks are exactly what I want to hear as a reviewer. Everything is so incredibly polished. There's so much personality on display along with such fantastic musicality, and I could listen to these tracks all day.

The middle third of the album is the part that just feels muted. LAX is fun and bouncy but has very little substance past that. There are a handful of interesting chords, but the track does little to keep the listener's attention. If I Go best encapsulates my issues with this chunk of tracks. I want to love this piece so much. The beginning of the piece gives so much buildup to an explosion in the chorus. However, when the chorus comes around, there's just a feeling of something missing. The impacts feel muted. The chords have become less colorful. The piece does have a climax, but it doesn't feel like a precipice any higher than the previous choruses. Given the level of execution that the Callbacks have proven they can do, these tracks just fall slightly flat. There's a lack of microdynamics and overall story arc that makes these tracks good, but again, they fall just slightly flat.

The last part could best be described as the "older" songs, which becomes a bit of a mixed bag. Nothing here sounds bad by any means, but now we're starting to get into what feels like a lack of creativity. The One Direction Medley and the introduction of another Queen hit (Don't Stop Me Now) in Somebody to Love don't play well with my overall distaste of medleys, given that they often lack an overall story arc and result in a very jumbled array of thoughts. Vienna feels like a faithful transcription, which seems out of place with all of the modern and R&B stylings the group has presented. It's a good track, but it doesn't fit in with the group's sound. Lay Me Down and Movement start to revisit the group's sound identity again, and do so well. With this album being as long as it is, perhaps removing a track or two would better help the pacing of the album.

When all is said and done, the Callbacks are so close to creating what I would consider an excellent album. There are some stellar moments here. However, the disjunction between when the group is fully invested in its sound and when it's not leaves me wanting just slightly more. By finding those moments that truly fire on all cylinders, there's a huge opportunity for the group to pinpoint its strengths and weaknesses and refine the Callbacks to get to the next level. I would keep this group on your radar, as I wouldn't be surprised if something big happens soon.