South Creek Revival is back with a new sound. On the group's latest mini-release, Trios, SCR embraces a vocal-centric identity rather than an a cappella one. Of the three tracks, just one qualifies as a cappella. If that's not a deal-breaker for you, SCR packs a lot of talent in a tiny release.

Reviewing their last album, Midnight Reverie, we wrote that "Whether it's synth string patches … muted synth sounds … or the electronica/harmonizer effects … these … leave listeners with the impression of a vocal group, rather than an a cappella group." Notably, these sounds had their pre-manipulated origins in the human voice. On Trios, however, SCR's gifted arranger, Josh Carter, adds a new element: actual wood-and-string violin and cello to two tracks, gracefully performed by Isabel Ong and Alexander Cousins, respectively.

All three tracks lean in to folk — or more accurately, electronic-sounding folk — as their stylistic inspiration. And as referenced in the title, the vocal focus aims for a lead backed by two distinct voices (forming a trio) which are in turn backed by contemporary a cappella backs: synth-y voice pads, powerful vocal bass (Alex Frank), realistic vocal percussion, and the aforementioned actual strings.

The first track, Out of the Woods, forms its eclectic musical nest from the bits and pieces of the synth-sounding electronically processed backing voice-pads, the lovely string accompaniment, and the graceful, interwoven vocals. Lead Aline Wintermantel tugs at our heart strings with her pure, vulnerable delivery.

The second track, Beloved, kicks the energy up a notch and falls more squarely within the contemporary a cappella pop realm. Josh Ruszala's textured baritone takes up the Mumford & Sons original nicely. Here the trio concept is also most audibly prominent. This also reveals how diverse the tone colors can be and consequently the blend. But that is itself presented against a backdrop of wall-of-sound perfect blend, so it's definitely an artistic choice.

The last track, Wide Open Spaces by Susan Gibson, is a country mid-tempo featuring Julia Vaccaro. She sounds perfectly at home with country, delivering both a warm powerful belt and the vocal flips that define the genre. In the suspension-filled arrangement are callback snippets of both Beloved and Out of the Woods, helping to unify the project.

Throughout, the looseness and raw emotion of folk is juxtaposed against the crisp precision and bombast of contemporary a cappella production, and the intellectual creativity and boldness of arranger Josh Carter. This isn't always a smooth fit; it's quite a challenge to imagine the perfection and intricacy presented here on display at a folk festival. But it's still an undeniable joy to listen to, even as genre, arranger, and studio magic enter a staring contest for dominance.

For fans of the group, the concept, or the underlying material, Trios is a recommended listen.

Trios, a three-song (perhaps appropriately) EP from South Creek Revival, presents this RARB reviewer with a conundrum.

As kitschy and random as it sounds, I'm reminded of Mike Myers's Linda Richman character, who once noted as a topic for conversation: "Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island. Discuss."

Well, most of Trios is decidedly not a cappella, so there's a conversation to be had as to whether it belongs with RARB for critique in the first place. That decision rests with our editors, however, and I do recognize that RARB has broadened its horizons in recent years to include work by established a cappella vocal groups, even as they occasionally collaborate with instrumentalists (e.g., Pentatonix with Lindsey Sterling). But caveat emptor: if you're a purist and you seek only that which is truly a cappella, move along (and perhaps consider the group's 2023 release, Midnight Reverie).

If we're looking the other way on the instrumental component, then the question/analysis becomes threefold: i) an assessment of that portion of the music-making that remains strictly vocal; ii) the contribution of the instruments; and iii) the combined whole.

What's thoroughly disappointing about this release, then — and what seems like the most essential element from a RARB angle — is that the vocal performances are technically excellent but otherwise bland. The arrangements are unquestionably proficient in their voicings and have flickers of interpretive nuance, but whether it's the group's focus on the "trio" component — three singers "fronting" each song — or the "crutch" of having instruments on two of the three selections, nothing is nearly as rich or moving or energizing or emotional as it was in their previous work.

This reality is surely not helped by dynamic variation that is almost entirely non-existent. Indeed, the sparse opening of Wide Open Spaces was a most welcome relief because the scarcity of voices present made it impossible for the group to land immediately in their usual mezzo-forte/forte comfort zone. But otherwise, pretty much everything else feels decidedly "one note" volume-wise, and it's even more disappointing when one considers the subject matter of the songs. Beloved, in particular, is a tremendous letdown as the singular dynamic delivery and a palpably cool detachment from the meaning of the lyrics made me question if the group had any real sense of what they were singing about. Sure, there's a neat slide/buzz ornamentation in one of the choruses near the end, but it comes out of nowhere and takes the song nowhere — it's just there, as another cool thing these folks know how to do. In a related vein, the mix on Wide Open Spaces does the group and the song no favors in the second verse and chorus, where the lyrics are rendered almost unintelligible under the background voices and cello. I don't object to the cello per se, but if the instruments are competing with, or overwhelming the voices at times, then as vocal music, it's less than ideal.

One additional note about the instruments: an a cappella group having a guest instrumentalist join them once in a while is a novelty. Or if a certain genre of material is being covered — say, The Kings Singers' Get Happy! with George Shearing — there is a natural synergy that makes some sense, and the two can co-exist quite nicely. A fiddle turning up on Wide Open Spaces would probably fall into that category, but otherwise, by and large, the way instruments are deployed here neither adds nor innovates in any revelatory way for me. If anything, it allows for simplification of the vocal arrangements that I don't personally find satisfying.

I feel compelled to close by mentioning that it's no fun giving a somewhat negative review to groups and singers you know to be very talented. I say that based on Midnight Reverie but also based on the solo singing done here, which is pure and crisp and clean and would be the envy of many other groups. But whether it's the concept or the execution or some combination of both, Trios doesn't do it for me, either as a cappella-ish or as quasi-instrumental covers of the songs in question. I'd certainly love to see the group to get back to some more of their old "reverie" in the near future.

You never truly know how the boundaries of art are going to be stretched until it occurs. Well, South Creek Revival is giving us a glimpse of where a cappella is headed with its latest EP, Trios. The three-track project is a bit folk, a bit country, and a lot of electronic influence. While the voices are rich and refined, I cannot help but wonder if polished and progressive tracks such as these sometimes stand in the way of storytelling and emotion in music.

The EP opens with an enchanting vocal experience in Out of the Woods. The track is riveting with rhythmic and airy vocals that dance around Aline Wintermantel's elegant lead vocals. Parts seamlessly flow into one another without a single moment of clashing. (There is heavy processing in both the high and low ends, for those who prefer a purer sound.) The track also features a gorgeous string section, so it is worth noting that the performance is not 100% a cappella. The track will have listeners feeling as if they are in the Shire right out of Lord of the Rings.

Beloved brings a stronger pulse to Trios. The song is alternative, which warrants the prominent percussion and energetic lead singing. Josh Ruszala's lead confidently guides the entire track, lending a warm and rich tone to a somewhat light rock experience. The vocal effects are heavy in the EP's second track, but feel appropriate as they enhance the varying movements of the backing group. My only issue with such emphasized processing is that it sometimes feels as if the effects are ramping up the song's intensity, rather than the natural energy of the group accomplishing this.

Wide Open Spaces brings the entire project home in a pleasant way. The track's opening section of harmony between Julia Vaccaro and the backing singers is one of my favorite parts of all three tracks. It employs a high degree of skill, creates a beautiful folk ambiance, and is one of the EP's most emotionally charged sections. As the song progresses, energy builds in a beautifully calming way. The string section returns delivering a striking cello and violin performance. If I could alter a particular element of this track, it would be to balance the track's low end with the other parts, as it gets a bit overwhelming at times.

As much as the vocal effects add to the project, I find myself losing the human and emotional component at times. All three tracks sound great, but do not always move me. My focus is often pulled towards the enhanced vocals rather than how they make me feel. If South Creek Revival can find a better way to incorporate effects without losing too much of their natural sound, I think everything would be better received.

Trios is an inspiring project with a fresh concept that is unlike anything I have heard in a cappella. We should all be excited for what South Creek Revival has in store for us next!