65 isn’t a hugely significant number. Its a common speed limit on highways. And it’s the nominal age of retirement. Neither has terribly much to do with a cappella. But they are both indicative of limits, changes, and endings. No joke, it has literally been 6 months since I last put out a show, and it’s time for me to fess up to myself and to eve…

No bones, I’m a big fan of the music from the late 80’s and early 90’s. It’s when I started making my own music collection, and when I started listening to a cappella music extensively… so for show #64 it seemed the perfect time to do an 80’s focus. Specifically on 1988. Get it? 64=8*8? Of course you get it. All my listeners are smart. (And good lo…

Who doesn’t love The Beatles? Â One of the most loved, respected, and covered artists of all time, they helped define a new movement in music, and even today there are fans, critics, and imitators. Â I’ve pulled together ten of the best A Cappella covers of Beatles songs for this episode. Â If you like it, let me know. Â I started with over 120 tra…

Back again! This time with a focus on High School a cappella, and the ICHSA competition. Â Three of the four groups below just competed in the New England Semifinal, and the last group will be competing shortly in the Midatlantic Semifinal. See below for more information! Track TitleArtistAlbumOriginal ArtistThe Lion Sleeps TonightTown Criers Stimu…

Wow, 2010 already! Â Well, 2009 was a banner year for a cappella, with so many incredible albums, so much positive media attention, and it seemed like every time I turned around, somebody was stepping it up to the next level. Â I’m going to tell you right now that 2010 is promising more of that. Â I can’t say exactly what it will bring, but it prom…

It’s the most magical time of the year, when for many of us it is the season of snow, of friends and family, of food, gifts, and joy. Â This year I’ve compiled 23 tracks to share with you, over an hour of music. Â Know that I appreciate each and every listener, and I am pleased to give you the gift of Show #60, filled with what might be the best co…

It seems like almost all of the A Cappella hoi oligoi are off at SoJam, but that doesn’t mean that us plebs can’t enjoy some great tunes! Press the little ‘Play’ button at the bottom of the post to hear Show #59, or click here to download it! Track TitleArtistAlbumOriginal ArtistWaiting For YouClemson Tigeroar Get SetClips by VT Juxtaposition and …

Back in the saddle again! Here’s Show #58, with 6 piping hot tracks! Track TitleArtistAlbumOriginal ArtistRosesPenny LoafersMeg & Dia8th World WonderSeven DaysKimberley LockeLong is the DarkThe InterpretersI’ve Got Rhythm / Fascinating RhythmClockworkGeorge GershwinShould IBall In The HouseMemoryPenny LoafersSugarcult I’ve been listening to these …

Pardon me while I crawl out of my bunker for a few moments to tell you about AcappellaFest! Now in it’s third year, AcappellaFest is the MidWest’s -finest- A Cappella event. And this year, it’s too big for any one city to contain! It’ll be in Detroit on October 17th, and in Chicago the following weekend of the 24th. All the details are availabl…

On June 25th the world lost a person why might arguably be called the greatest solo performer of our time. Popular around the world, he was always the subject of public attention, be it for his music, his dancing, his championing of various causes, or even his eccentricities. Show #57 is comprised entirely of Michael Jackson covers, mostly from h…

44 minutes of Acapodcast goodness, served hot and fresh! Subscribe to the show or click here to listen to show #56! Read below the track list for more goodness! Track TitleArtistAlbumOriginal ArtistEasy Lover Firedrill!Phil CollinsSlice of Heaven SuadeDave DobbynOver The Rainbow CanvasJudy GarlandAin’t No Sunshine JabberwocksBill Withers / D’Ange…

Phew! Got some free time, so I cranked out Show #55 for you all! This one features all new releases! Some are by well known groups, others are putting out their first albums. I gotta say, there’s no wrong albums in this group. All of them are worth picking up and adding to your collection. Check out the artists and see what tickles your fancy…

A long time in the making, 54 is chock full of awards and competitions goodness! Let’s try something a little different. Here is what you’ll hear on show #54: Track TitleArtistAlbumOriginal ArtistWall of SoundNaturally 7Naturally 7Where’s the Love?Brandeis University VoicemaleHansonPapercutThe Chorallaries of MITLinkin ParkZombieWellesley College …

It’s here! It’s finally here! I know, we’re all excited like kids at a birthday party, right? It’s a birthday of sorts for the Acapodcast, as we now enter the 4th year officially. Incidentally, this also means it is now officially the longest running a cappella podcast on the internet, now matter how you count it. So to celebrate, let’s listen …

I recorded show #53, but had to throw it out. Turns out the fuzziness heard on #52 wasn’t just a result of a loose capsule in the Mic. I’ll be replacing the trusty microphone soon, and re-recording. I know I’m 2 weeks overdue already, and I really want to get this episode out while parts of it are still timely… I promise, tons of good stuff in ther…

After a few hours of shoveling snow, it looks like up here in New England it’ll be a White Christmas. Here’s almost an hour and a half of music to listen to with friends, family, and loved one while you sit by the fire or go about your holiday merriment. Do you hear what I hear? I hear: We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Metropolitones Happy Christ…

Miss me? I missed me too. Here’s a plateful of warm a cappella for your late autumn nights. For those of you in the US celebrating Thanksgiving this coming week, try not to gorge yourselves. Greenleafs – Talk To Me (Keri Noble) Van Canto – The Bard’s Song (Blind Guardian) 2E Acappella – Cupid’s Chokehold (Gym Class Heroes) Chromatics – Shoulders…

The big 5-0! I never imagined it would get this far, and yet, here we are! This is the listener favorites show, and I have taken ten of the songs you voted for and put them together into this one double-sized show. Thanks to all the pro, semi-pro, collegiate, amateur, and high school groups that have chosen to be a part of the show over the year…

The Dissipated Eight from Middlebury are one of the older groups around (over 50 years young), and are one of the many bright jewels of all-male a cappella in the New England region. They’re bookending this show with a pair of Dave Matthew Band covers. Both show off one of the D8’s greatest strengths: clean arrangements that aren’t overcomplicate…

My is it hot out! And with tracks like these, it’s only going to get hotter! Not to keep you waiting, here’s the cure for your a cappella fever, Episode #48 ! Heard on this episode: Stanford Testimony – Breathe Me (orig. Sia) OnCue – Mirage OnCue – Lull In My Life (Gordon & Revel, performed by dozens) UMass Dynamics – Runaway (Orig. Jamiroqui) UM…

I said last time that I would have to give up regular updates, and post new episodes as I could. Here I am posting a month after the last show, as if to prove my point. But this is a special show. This show has just as much music as usual, but it has way more interview. And because I was interviewing Deke Sharon and the members of The House Jac…

You’ve all been waiting, and here it is, Show #46! In this long awaited episode, you’ll hear: The Magnets – All The Wrong Reasons USC SoCal VoCals – Slumber (Gabriel Mann) UnderCover – Your Daddy Don’t Know (Toronto/New Pornographers) Hyannis Sound – Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel) Tufts Beelzebubs – Linger (The Cranberries) The Magnets – In Love Sin…

We’re in the middle of Harmony Sweeps season, a series of regional competitions, with the winners of each region going on to a knock-down drag-out winner-take-all vocal throwdown in San Rafael, California. Many regionals took place in March, and there are more regionals happening across the month of Apri. This year the final battle of the vocal b…

Here’s the second ECAS ‘radio’ Advert. Smooth, isn’t it? Go to the show! ECASAd2By Chad Bergeron

I’m talking about the East Coast A Cappella Summit of course. I can’t make it to ECAS this year, but I had a blast last year, and this year’s looks to be even better. If you do go, how about taking a few notes (ha, get it?) for me and letting me know how it goes. The summit starts tonight, and goes all weekend long. I’m including the ‘radio’ ads…

Shalom! It’s a Jewish A Cappella special episode. Six songs from some very talented menschen. Also names full of puns and references. Six13 (there are 613 commandments in the Torah), Shabbatones (from Shabbaton), Shircago (Shir means song), Kaskeset (‘Fish Scales’, a Kosher/Music joke), and Manginah (“Melody”). Six13 – Son UPenn Shabbatones – Ani S…

It’s that time of year again, when various groups and organizations help highlight the best of contemporary a cappella music. We’ve got competitions, in the form of the ICCAs and the Harmony Sweeps, which are already underway or starting in just a few months. We’ve got compilation albums like BOCA 2008, BOHSA 2008, Voices Only 2007, and more. An…

2008 is here, and The Acapodcast is back! Here’s some brief notes on the songs in Episode 42! Duwende – Come Back Penny Loafers – Fair Duke Out Of the Blue – Call Me When You’re Sober Jonathan Coulton – When You Go UMBC Mama’s Boys – Eli the Barrow Boy Duwende – Young Leaders of Tomorrow All this and more! Press the play button below to hear this e…

It’s Christmastime again, all around the world. My gift to you this year is an hour and a half of almost uninterrupted music, suitable to put playing while you open gifts, eat dinner, or drive to and from the houses of friends and families this holiday season. There’s a little talking at the beginning and at the end, but except for giving you the a…

After the last episode, I got so much feedback asking for more, more, more! So here it is, another eight tracks of well known, often done, classic, or common a cappella tunes! Put your ears on this: T Minus 5 – The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Linda/Weavers/Kingston Trio/Nylons) Low Key – Let Go (Frou Frou) Basix – Come Together (Beatles) Chorallaries – …

Halloween is a scary time! And these songs are like scary zombies, you just can’t kill them! They keep coming back out of the grave to eat your brain! Semi-Charmed Life – Invisible Men (Third Eye Blind) Hotel California – Penny Loafers (Eagles) She Blinded Me With Science – Toxic Audio (Thomas Dolby) Bring Me To Life – Mosaic Whispers (Evanescence)…

Good communication is the key to so many things, no? We all know this, but a reminder every now and again is a good thing. You can communicate with me by sending me e-mail, posting a comment on any episode, by filling out the contact form on the left, or any other crazy method you like, so long as it is received. Today’s show features song titles a…

Episode #35 will be out shortly, just not on Thursday night per usual. Sometimes affairs of state come before affairs of state, as Mel Brooks once said. Look for it this weekend, and stay tuned!By Chad Bergeron

I’m incredibly excited to be able to bring you a couple of tracks from former Persuasions lead man Jerry Lawson! He’s now working with a quartet called Talk of The Town, and they have a classic doo wop smoothness. Jerry Lawson & Talk of The Town – Islands In The Stream (Bee Gees/Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton) T Minus 5 – Low Rider (War) Down 4 The Coun…

Things are starting to heat up around here, and the pressure is on! Crunchtime is around the corner, so I may take a week or two off down the road, but for now, we’ve got great music! This time on the show you’ll hear: The Sirens – Pride (In The Name Of Love) [U2] Similar Jones – So It Seems Four Shadow – Summer Sunday House Jacks – Light Of Stars …

I hope my stateside listeners had a good Independence Day, and that the rest of the world will understand that this episode is in honor of the typically great nation (although, not always great) that I was born into. America The Beautiful – Academy Singers (Bates/Ward) American Girls – Chorallaries (Counting Crows) Walking in Memphis – Voicemale (M…

Whew! Time flies by when you have deadlines, doesn’t it? Two weeks can just slip by sometimes. Good thing for you I’m on top of things, and have a new episode ready to go. Here’s what you’ll find in this episode of the Acapodcast: Similar Jones – Future Love Paradise (Seal) No Strings Attached – Baby Love (Mother’s Finest) No Strings Attached – Thi…

Summer is here! Summer means barbecues and beaches and suntans, and vacations. I’m not on vacation yet; I’m here, hard at work bringing you the best a cappella around. Here’s what you’ll find tucked inside sunny episode 30: Hyannis Sound – The Boys of Summer Blue Jupiter – Lil’ Red Riding Hood Slapdash Graduate – Counting Blue Cars Brown Jabberwock…

It’s cultural awareness week here at the Acapodcast! We’ve got Armenian Folk, South African anthems, Ancient Celtic melodies, and a touch of American Spiritual (with a Chinese flavor). All of these tunes are modern originals or arrangements, inspired by the history and culture of a people. Zulal is a trio of women from the US, reinventing and reinv…

No interviews or themes this time around, just good, solid a cappella. measureXmeasure – You Don’t Treat Me No Good UMass Amherst Dynamics – Breakfast at Tiffany’s 2Praise – Child of the Great I Am WUSTL Mosaic Whispers – Take Me To The River RPI Rusty Pipes – Comfortably Numb measureXmeasure – Don’t Let Your Heart Click the play button below to tu…

I talk a bit more in this episode than usual, but that’s because there are some serious topics to be brought up. The music is as good as ever though. Virginia Tech – Hey Jealousy InPulse – Your Body Is A Wonderland Off The Beat – Superman Darkside Voices – Us And Them InPulse – Fat Bottom Girls I urge all my listeners to consider picking up a copy …

On this show I’m lucky enough to have an exclusive phone interview with Bruce Leddy, writer, producer, and director of the independent film Sing Now, Or Forever Hold Your Peace. Sing Now is the winner of seven film festival awards including Audience Favorite and Best Feature at the 2006 HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Sing Now is about a gr…

Last weekend I drove from Boston to D.C. to attend the East Coast Acappella Summit. Most of this show is about the journey to the summit and my time there, so there are only four songs this time around. Songs by: The Richter Scales – I Hate A Cappella The Blanks – Somewhere Over The Rainbow (a lá Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – IZ) Men In Black – Don’t Be…

In this episode, I talk about my introduction to contemporary acappella, St. Patrick’s Day, and the East Coast Acappella Summit, which you should ALL be going to, right?? I’ll be there, and you should be there to come say hi to me. I think I’ll hold a contest. If you come up to me at ECAS and mention this contest, I’ll put your name into a drawing …

Are you watching American Idol? Be sure to vote for Rudy Cardenas from the group M-Pact and Blake Lewis who comes from Kickshaw. An unfortunate goodbye to Thomas Lowe formerly of the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones. It turns out that good a cappella chops make for good competition chops on thi show. Anyone surprised? I didn’t think so. This time on The…

Another few weeks, another few ICCA Quarterfinals down. Go check out the Results Page to see who is moving up in the competition! Go find out when the next rounds of competition are taking place, and make a litle time in your schedule to go see an a cappella throwdown! I also talk a bit in this show about the CARA nominees, and the ACA Winners. If …

It’s the one year anniversary of The Acapodcast! Thanks to all of you who have made it possible. Rather than dwell on it and make a big deal of it, instead I plow ahead with more of what has made the show what it is: great music. I’d like to push on for another twenty episodes this year. And greetings to all the new listeners from Coverville, you’v…

This is just to let everyone know that due to some changes in my ‘recording studio’ my recording setup is all unplugged and scattered for a day or two, so this week’s show will be late. I actually record from my office in the after-hours, but due to renovation work, the gear is all unplugged and packed at the moment. Thanks for bearing with me on t…