Under The Influence
When it came time to come up with a concept for their fourth full-length album,
the members of Straight No Chaser decided to think big. And why not? The 10member a cappella group had already achieved things they’d never anticipated
since forming as students at Indiana University in 1996, including signing a
major-label deal with Atlantic Records, embarking on nationwide multi-city tours,
having their story optioned by DreamWorks for an upcoming feature film, and
becoming a global sensation that has helped usher the instrument-free musical
style into mainstream consciousness and reinvented the idea of a cappella on
the modern pop landscape.
With that in mind, Straight No Chaser reached out to some of their favorite
recording artists to be featured soloists on Under The Influence. The result is an
inspired and unprecedented a cappella reimagining of classic songs by SNC and
the icons who made them famous, including Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed,
Delivered (I’m Yours),” Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up,”
Elton John’s “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” Phil Collins’ “Against All
Odds,” Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas’ “This Is How A Heart Breaks,”
and Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose.” In addition, Sara Bareilles delivers a soulful solo
on the album’s first single, a cover of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.”
“We wanted to take things up a notch from our previous album With A Twist,”
says one of the group’s members, Charlie Mechling. “We tossed around some
ideas, including putting feelers out to our favorite artists, not thinking it would
actually happen. We thought if we got two or three guest artists, it’d make the
album really special. Then every couple weeks we’d get an email saying, ‘Jason
Mraz is in. Seal is in. Phil Collins is in. Sara Bareilles is in.’ It blew our minds. I
think this is our most unique album to date without losing the traditional a
cappella feel.”
“It’s been really great because these legendary artists seemed drawn to the
project as another way to have their music heard,” says Randy Stine, one of
SNC’s co-founders. “We found out that Seal, for example, had originally wanted
to record 'Kiss From A Rose' as an a cappella song when it was originally
recorded, but it was ultimately released it with full orchestration. When he heard
our arrangement, he commented that this was his way of finally having an a
cappella version, which is beyond flattering to us.”
Recording “I Want You Back” in the studio with Sara Bareilles was a particularly
memorable part of the album-making process. “When we talked about recording
with other artists, she was one of the first names that came up,” Stine says. “We
are huge fans.” Adds Mechling: "Sara rolled into the studio on her own,
no entourage, got right in the booth and knocked the lead vocal out of the park."
The group was equally amazed when the Queen of Country Dolly Parton agreed
to lend new vocals to her 1973 hit “Jolene.” “She did it in three takes and she
sounds incredible,” marvels Mechling. “It’s hard to believe she first recorded that
song 40 years ago.”
In addition to songs featuring special guests, Straight No Chaser put their fullbodied, original spin on such contemporary pop fare as Adele’s “Rolling In The
Deep,” Goyte’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Gavin DeGraw’s “Soldier,” Ed
Sheeran’s “Lego House,” and a medley of fun.’s “Some Nights” and “We Are
Young.” They also offer up medleys of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” and “Ain’t No
Sunshine” and Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” and “Hit The Road Jack” (backed by
Brazilian standard “Mas Que Nada”), and deliver a moving version of the
Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah,” which Mechling cites as one of his favorite
tracks SNC has ever recorded. “I think the recording sends it home to people that
it’s just 10 voices,” he says. “It has that soulful and powerful feel, similar to how
we end our live show, by singing off-mic. I would bet that’s why people feel the
song sounds like signature Straight No Chaser.”
“That song is a perfect illustration of the album’s title — Straight No Chaser under
the influence of our inspirations. In the case of ‘Hallelujah,’ it was Take 6,” says
Stine about the legendary a cappella group founded by Mark Kibble, who
arranged the song and serves as one of the album’s producers. "I really feel
Mark's arrangement of 'Hallelujah' allows us to sound like ourselves but also
shows the deep admiration we have for Take 6 and just how much they have
influenced our sound."
Straight No Chaser’s attention to detail and strict quality control has led to an
enviable career as the group sets itself apart from other a cappella acts with its
contemporary repertoire and dynamic approach. “We just wanted to do music
that we liked,” Mechling says. “We didn’t want to do the standards that eight
other groups were doing with the same arrangement that was being passed
around. We wanted to do stuff that we heard on the radio, our own way, and then
throw in choreography to make it a really good show. We wanted to have broader
appeal.”
Their broad appeal was apparent to Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig
Kallman, who emailed Stine after checking out a video he had posted of the
group’s humorous version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” on YouTube. Uploaded
in celebration of SNC’s 10th anniversary reunion show at IU, the clip has been
viewed more than 16 million times, while SNC’s cumulative YouTube views clock
in at nearly 50 million. The group, which currently includes Walter Chase, Jerome
Collins, Seggie Isho, Michael Luginbill, Steve Morgan, Don Nottingham, David
Roberts, and Tyler Trepp, in addition to Mechling and Stine, signed to Atlantic
Records in 2008 and have released two Top 10 holiday albums (2008’s Holiday
Spirits and 2009’s Christmas Cheers), two EP’s (2009’s Six Pack and 2011’s Six
Pack Volume 2), and 2010’s full-length With A Twist. They have built a reputation
as an unforgettable live act, earning the support of die-hard fans, who call
themselves “Chasers” and turn up at every SNC show. From their successful
residencies at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, to traveling non-stop around the
globe, to sold-out shows as one of Pollstar’s Top 50 touring acts, to television
specials and performances, Straight No Chaser truly shines on stage.
“I think we give people something they aren’t expecting,” Stine says. “Perhaps
they had a preconceived notion, like, ‘I don’t want to see a glee club or a
barbershop quartet.’ But the guys who come up to us after the shows and admit
that their girlfriend dragged them there are the same guys who have a stack of
CDs in their hands and are asking what city we’re going to be in next. That’s
what’s most fulfilling — changing people’s minds. We really want people to see a
cappella in a different way than what they might have had preprogrammed in
their head.” Adds Mechling: “It’s 10 guys, 10 voices up on stage. Part of the show
is the singing and the music, and part of the show is us getting to share an
evening and make people laugh, too. So it’s the whole package. I think once
people see us live, they truly get it.”
Stine and Mechling say the best thing about hitting the road this year will be
having new music from Under The Influence to share with audiences. “I’m just
excited for everyone to hear these songs,” Mechling says. “It’s going to a little
nerve-wracking. I imagine it’s like sending your child off to its first day of
preschool. You let it go out there and hope everyone is nice to it!”
Atlantic Recording Corporation
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