Tufts Beelzebubs - Play The Game

[aekoutzoukis]

[I know this is coming a little late, but it's been a bit crazy around here with midterms and whatnot. And NBC discussions...]

On behalf of all the Bubs, I'd like to say thanks for the reviews! We put so much of ourselves (and our time) into every album and we really appreciate everybody who takes their time to listen to it. Clearly we like the positive reviews (who doesn't?) but in reality we love any and all feedback we can get. So if anyone else has questions, comments, or otherwise, leave a message here. Or if you haven't heard the album yet, listen to clips and buy a physical copy at our website or search for "Tufts Beelzebubs" on iTunes.

While I'm here, I'd like to put it on the record (again) that, contrary to seemingly popular belief and anything you may have read, we still don't ask for or receive financial support from our alumni. We remain close with as many past Bubs as possible, invite them to our shows, ask them for feedback, hold alumni events multiple times a year, welcome arrangements and/or song suggestions from anyone who still has the free time, and consider their opinions on pretty much everything we do. But when it comes down to it, we, the current group, maintain a pretty rigorous rehearsal and performance schedule all on our own in order to fund our travels and our albums; it's all part of the experience.

[Ed Boyer]

Definitely a flattering review, tho' I'd be remiss to not mention two things...

1. Most of the credit for "Don't Think Twice" goes to Nick Lamm, who arranged all but one verse, and to the Bubs who, after having sung a totally different arrangement all year, learned this one two days before recording it.

2. Big thanks to Bill Hare (who I don't think is mentioned in any of the three reviews) who not only nailed his mixes and mastered the album on short notice after the original masterer couldn't deliver, but also provided a killer guitar solo on this version of "Don't Think Twice" (see link) that didn't make the album because "the guitar solo is cheating" and "the vocal percussion is bad" and "the chirping noises are distracting."

http://www.box.net/shared/phjvqmk5ca

[billhare]

HAHAHA... I had forgotten about that... I was like "what's he talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Yeah, some mad 1 take guitar skilz... probably should remain unreleased.

-B

[micah russell]

"the guitar solo is cheating" and "the vocal percussion is bad" and "the chirping noises are distracting."

Oh man, that's awesome!

...and by awesome I mean terrifying.

Really though, great album guys. I wouldn't expect anything less! I've definitely listened to it a few more times than I'd like to admit. Congrats!

[Mnemosyne]

Big thanks to Bill Hare (who I don't think is mentioned in any of the three reviews) who [...] also provided a killer guitar solo on this version of "Don't Think Twice" (see link) that didn't make the album because "the guitar solo is cheating" and "the vocal percussion is bad" and "the chirping noises are distracting."

http://www.box.net/shared/phjvqmk5ca

YES! Koutz has been trying to show me this for weeks. I'm sort of dying.

[rebecca]

i laughed so hard I almost started weeping at my desk. For once not because of the financial crisis.

[billhare]

Hahaha - I don't remember exactly why we did that, but if I had to guess we probably "leaked" that track out to current Bubs while we were mixing, just to yank their chains a bit. One thing the Bubs have done for many years is to only have a couple members involved in the mixing process, and the rest of the group won't actually hear the album until they pull the shrink wrap off the same day the rest of the world does. I know it sounds pretty extreme and undemocratic, but you can't say their albums suffer because of it!

-B

[aekoutzoukis]

I think we were a little punchy in the studio and wanted to mess with the other guys back in Massachusetts. We built it up pretty big for them too - after we finished the "mix" we sent the track just to the president. We told him we had been working all day and made some important decisions but it was critical that we get everybody's first impressions, gut reactions, so he couldn't listen to it on his own before rehearsal that night.

Needless to say, some guys were enraged, some were confused, and some were dying. And everybody was a little pissed at us when it was over. So worth it.

[loz]

You guys' version of that NIN tune absolutely knocks me out. The breakdown is the only bit that doesn't somehow feel more NIN than the original does. It's one of my 12 or 13 favourite tracks on the record. :)

[ted.trembinski]

I've been meaning to send my general praise for this album for a long time, but after listening to that mean guitar solo, now I get how much I really appreciate this album haha.

But really - this is one of my favorite albums out there, and it's constantly in my CD player in the car. There is just so much emotion gushing from every sound, and it just totally fits how I listen to music; with headphone, on loud. There are so many treats just scattered throughout this album, and I just want to say that it is an inspiration.

Keep up the good work boys :)

[johnhe]

This CD was phenomenal. I looked at the track list and wasn't all that interested, but I listened to it, and...wow.

And as for the guitar solo and the VP, I think you guys should've kept it in. It makes the track like a bajillion times better. The cricket sounds are sick too.

[RnBMrE]

"Don't Think Twice" is my favorite song on the album. Excellent work guys.

2. Big thanks to Bill Hare (who I don't think is mentioned in any of the three reviews) who not only nailed his mixes and mastered the album on short notice after the original masterer couldn't deliver, but also provided a killer guitar solo on this version of "Don't Think Twice" (see link) that didn't make the album because "the guitar solo is cheating" and "the vocal percussion is bad" and "the chirping noises are distracting."

http://www.box.net/shared/phjvqmk5ca

Freakin' hilarious.

And as for the guitar solo and the VP, I think you guys should've kept it in. It makes the track like a bajillion times better. The cricket sounds are sick too.

I hope that this is facetious.

[mikex]

One of my favorite albums behind BOCA '09 and '07.