Preview of Revival, a new album from The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers

Over the course of their 13 year history, The University of Rochester Midnight Ramblers have appeared on the Best of Collegiate A Cappella, Voices Only, and Sing compilations; sung the National Anthem for an NBA game; placed in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Finals; toured internationally; and even established a scholarship at their school.

Tomorrow night, at their fall show,The Ramblers will release their brand new, 8th studio album, Revival. The folks at Liquid 5th Productions were kind enough to pass along a preview sampler of the gapless new album, which you can check out here:

Revival album sampler by Noah Berg 1

Those who were fortunate enough to hear The Ramblers in the ICCAs last year will recognize some songs from their set, including the title track and “Anyway You Want It.” One of the best indicators of how cool this CD will be is the fluid transition between these tracks on the sampler, going from one of the cleanest, purest a cappella cuts you’re likely to hear to the rocking, far more produced sound of the latter piece. The rapid fire transitions continue with lightning quick moves from Destiny’s Child to Slipknot to Christina Perri. The Perri track, “Jar of Hearts,” may be one of the most interesting selections of all for the inversion of gender which reveals a more sensitive side of the guys, undermining preconceptions about a bacchanalian all-male collegiate group. Perhaps the most sublime moment of all arrives at the end of the sampler with the guys’ take on Marianas Trench’s “Beside You”—a piece that’s combination of emotion, sincerity, vulnerability, and all-male strength may remind long-time Rambler fans of their 2007 take on Josh Groban’s “You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up).”

Based on the sampler, what we have here is a top-notch all-male group, paired with a production team that knows exactly what it’s doing in enhancing the sound of the human voice. The Ramblers are accepting pre-orders for Revival at gm at midnightramblers dot org.