I do not think the concept of support is focused on enough when it comes to recorded a cappella. In any other type of music, if you strip away the instruments, you just have a solo artist delivering an a cappella track. In contemporary a cappella, if you remove the backing vocals — the foundation — dare I say you remove the essence of the art form. This is why the backing support is so vital — and more importantly, why I am so enthralled by what The Notochords manage to deliver on their latest EP, M3.

On each of the three featured tracks on M3, there exists a high degree of vocal cohesion between all parts. It is an element that can be easily overlooked, but with this project it is undeniable.

Erase Me opens up the EP with bold conviction, as singing shyly is not in The Notochords' wheelhouse. The transition from the song's opening verse into the chorus needs to be studied by all vocal groups on how to successfully execute a vocal slide and do so smoothly. Erase Me highlights The Notochords' knack for building momentum throughout a song, be it through precise vocal attacks when they land on key phrases or chords, or as the rhythm section creates the pulse of the song leading into the second verse. They also have a dynamo in their soloist Dagny Oakley, whose vocals feel sublime and naturally fitting for the alt-pop track.

Pray You Catch Me offers a bit more of a dramatic approach, but highlights similar strengths of the group akin to the opener. The Notochords demonstrate more of their choral capabilities on the R&B track, as the feel demands depth and power. The vocals flow like a rising and falling tide, pairing beautifully with Ronson Carr Jr.'s solo. Carr's riffs are stunning and feed into the heart of the song, making me believe that the arrangement was made for him.

The Notochords close out M3 with the ominous and eerie selection Forgive Me. The concept of sounding as one instrument feels most on display with this track, which is surprising given the amount of uptempo elements featured. The pop/R&B song is full of fun qualities, be they quick vocalizations, gorgeous moments where harmonies or unisons are incorporated, and an impressive and stylish percussion performance. Not to mention that the balance displayed in Olivia Oakley and Madeline Gray's duet just feels natural and engaging.

While M3 exerts plenty of energy in building momentum, the EP hits a few walls in rounding out home. Each of the three tracks is solid in its offering but lacks climactic or big moments that resolve and pay off for listeners. Dynamics could peak sooner, and second acts could be grander. If the group improved upon this, this project would truly have it all.

That said, M3 puts The Notochords in a great light, and their sound is worth checking out!

M3, the third release from The Notochords, sounds very polished albeit a bit listless. The track list is taken from the group's 2023 ICCA competition set, telling the story of a breakup through selections by Lizzy McAlpine and Jacob Collier, Beyoncé, and Chloe x Halle. The mixes are pristine while highlighting the organic quality of the The Notochords' arrangements, and they have been tastefully enhanced by James Gammon to give the listener everything that the studio has to offer. Overall, though, the group sound and arrangements both suffer from a lack of energy and excitement. A creative setlist and world-class production are not enough to set M3 apart from the many hundreds of other similar group releases that have dropped in recent years.

The arrangements never seem to reach out and grab the listener — if you are familiar with the original versions of the songs, chances are highly likely that you'll be able to guess what's going to happen next. There are some creative highlights though, such as Pray You Catch Me. This arrangement by Olivia Oakley is textured and sincere, allowing the soloist the chance to truly shine. Enter group president, Ronson Carr Jr., who deserves special recognition on this EP, but especially for Pray You Catch Me. This track features a solo performance by Carr that gives Beyoncé a run for her money, and the results are spectacular — that falsetto ending! With the solo being altered from female to male, the lyrics of the Beyoncé original are captured in new and exciting ways. The lush arrangement, Gammon's tasteful production, and the disciplined voices of The Notochords combine with Carr's solo performance to make Pray You Catch Me the most emotional track on the EP.

The Notochords are without a doubt excellent singers, but overall M3 doesn't contain any big, standout moments that would warrant repeated listening. To stand out amongst the hundreds of groups doing the exact same thing and doing it better, The Notochords will need to find something unique and energized to say with their arrangements and overall sound for their next release.

This is what I call an entrance.

M3 is a reproduction of The Notochords' 2023 ICCA set that is a wonderful mix of both technicality and emotion from each track. Right off the hop, Lizzy McAlpine's Erase Me instantly impresses with the great dynamic work in the background vocals. The song is incredibly difficult with the passing of voicing between parts incredibly quickly, but this doesn't seem to trip up the group at any point. Taking their lead from the brilliant Dagny Oakley, who navigates her full and head voice beautifully throughout, the backgrounds are intently following her levels to match her intensity and emotion, which is well done. The group also shot a beautiful music video for this track, which is definitely worth a look.

The second track takes us from Lizzy to Queen Bey, where Ronson Carr Jr. puts on an absolute clinic in Pray You Catch Me. It's no wonder that he took home Outstanding Soloist from the quarterfinal performance; he effortlessly glides through the verses, building to each chorus with great emotion and a smooth and subtle vibrato, only to blow the roof off at the end with just an insane falsetto in the final moments. I love the use of the lyrics in the background vocals to add an additional layer of color to the arrangement instead of just a series of "ooh" or "ahh" vowels, so shoutout to Olivia Oakley for arranging that in this way.

The only weak spot on the album is the final track, Forgive Me. Olivia Oakley and Madeline Gray are great on the duet lead together, but I don't think the backgrounds match them dynamically on the same level as the previous two tracks. They just seem to not pack as much of a pop here, and it's this ending that puts the EP at a "4" for me. That said, it's a really strong "4": tremendous solos and some beautiful arrangements, not to mention strong consistent vp from Farhan Nahin throughout the set. I can't wait to hear more from The Notochords in years to come — maybe a full length album soon?