CASA - The Contemporary A Capella Society

2013 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award Nominees

[ CARA Nominees: congratulations!  Want to celebrate your nomination with CASA? Come to BOSS! We'll be celebrating in style with a CARA Banquet, Red-Carpet Event, and live presentation of ALL the CARAs! Click here for the details on all of our CARA events, live in Boston on April 5th. ]

The following are the nominees for the 2013 Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all who participated and good luck to the nominees! The winners will be announced on April 5 at a live awards ceremony at BOSS, Boston Sings, and then right here on casa.org!

In addition to the below, the shortlists for male, female, and mixed collegiate albums will be posted on casa.org on March 1, 2013.

Genre Nominations

Best Pop/Rock Album

Covers Vol. 2 by Peter Hollens
German Verboten by Maybebop
Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
Just Listen by Ommm
Patchwork Life by Janice Whaley
PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
(There is no Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae

Best Pop/Rock Song

“Circus” on Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
“Evacuate the Dancefloor” on (There is no Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae
“Lego House” on Got it Covered by Eclipse
“Let Me Down” by Sled Dog Studios
“Lights” on Covers Vol. 2 by Peter Hollens featuring Eppic
“Party Rock Anthem/Sexy and I Know It” by Blueprint
“Starships” on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Song

“All of the Lights” collaborative track with Overboard, SONOS, and CASA VIPs, produced by Plaid Productions
“B.O.B.” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
“Carry Out” on Heatin’ Up by Eight Beat Measure (RIT)
“Gold Digger (feat. For the Love of the Money)” on Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)
“I'm Coming Up Remix” on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
“Thrift Shop” by The Exchange

Best Soul/R&B Song

“Confessions” on Heatin’ Up by Eight Beat Measure (RIT)
“Gone and Never Coming Back” on (There is no Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae
“Hate on Me” on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
“Payphone” by The Exchange
“The Baddest Girl” on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix

Best Electronic/Experimental Song

“Earthquake” on Groundbreaker by The Techtonics (Imperial College)
“Invaders” on Inner Demons by The Executive Board
“Junkfoe” on SLIXS by SLIXS
“Just Listen” on Just Listen by Ommm
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” on German Verboten by Maybebop
“Tunnel Vision” on Patchwork Life by Janice Whaley

Best Jazz Album

In the Beginning by Voces8
O-Kai by O-Kai Singers
SLIXS by SLIXS
West Side 5 by West Side 5

Best Jazz Song

“Air” on German Verboten by Maybebop
“Hallelujah, I Love Her So” on Inspired by Groove for Thought
“I Fall In Love Too Easily” on West Side 5 by West Side 5
“I Know You Know” on SLIXS by SLIXS
“Maria” on In the Beginning by Voces8
“My Funny Valentine” by m-pact

Best Country Song

“Anyway” on Turn the Beat Around by Eleventh Hour (Kettering Fairmont HS)
“Colder Weather” on Baby Back Rips by Rip_Chord (Elon)
“Cowboy Casanova” on Out Loud by Opportunes (Harvard)
“Legend of McBride” on Young at Eight by Juxtaposition (VA Tech)
“Top of the World” on (There is No Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae

Best Classical Album

A Choral Tapestry by Voces8
A Drop in the Ocean by The Portland State Chamber Choir (Portland State U)
Christmas by Voces8

Best Classical Song

“A Drop in the Ocean” on A Drop in the Ocean by The Portland State Chamber Choir (Portland State U)
“Gott Wohnt in Einem Lichte” on Eine Deutsche Messe / A German Mass by Ensemble Nobiles
“Lux Aurumque” on Higher by Tim Waurick
“This Marriage” on In the Beginning by Voces8

Best Barbershop Album

Birds Gotta Fly by Showcase
Colorado My Home by Sound of the Rockies
Nice & Easy by Masterpiece Quartet

Best Barbershop Song

“Ebb Tide” on Higher by Tim Waurick
“If I Had My Way” on Birds Gotta Fly by Showcase
“Save the Bones for Henry Jones” on Love Bein’ Here by Average Joes
“Stormy Weather” on Nice & Easy by Masterpiece Quartet

Best Religious Album

Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration by Vocal Point (BYU)
Out of the Box by The Maccabeats (Yeshiva)
Redeemed by Stand
The Journey by Shower Power

Best Religious Song

“All Rise” on Higher by Tim Waurick
“Good Shabbos” by Six13
“I Smile” on United We Sing by Yellowjackets (U Rochester)
“Move” on Where I Belong by Best Friends (Lubbock Christian U)
“Nearer My God to Thee” on Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration by Vocal Point (BYU)

Best Folk/World Song

“Across the Milky Way” on The First Journal by Voco Novo
“Le Mouvement” on SLIXS by SLIXS
“My Lagan Love / She Moved Through the Fair” on In the Beginning by Voces8
“Shenandoah” on Covers Vol. 2 by Peter Hollens
“Sinramat (Yearning Song)” on O-Kai by O-Kai Singers

Best Holiday Album

A “Just Play It” Christmas by John K. Brown
Peppermint Winter by VoicePlay
PTXmas by Pentatonix
Unwrapped by Sweet Signatures (Elon)

Best Holiday Song

“Carol of the Bells” on PTXmas by Pentatonix
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Acappella
“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” by Vocal Point (BYU) on Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration
“Santa and I Know It” on Peppermint Winter by VoicePlay
“See You Soon” by The Exchange

Best Humor Song

“Good Shabbos” by Six 13
“Life Ain’t Wiping Your Ass” on German Verboten by Maybebop
“Robots” on Just in Capes by DeCadence (UC Berkeley)
“Sound Guy” on Voice Activated by Vox Audio

Best Song By A Solo Performer

“Carried Away” on Could Love by Sam Rogers
“Joseph’s Lullaby” by Jeff Smith
“Shenandoah on Covers Vol. 2 by Peter Hollens
“Tunnel Vision” on Patchwork Life by Janice Whaley
“Who Am I Living For” by Peter Yang

Continental Nominations

Best European Album

Acapellissimo by Mansound (Ukraine)
German Verboten by Maybebop (Germany)
In the Beginning by Voces8 (UK)
Just Listen by Ommm (France)
Shiva Knows by Shiva Knows (Netherlands)

Best Asian Album

O-Kai by O-Kai Singers (Taiwan)
The First Journal by Voco Novo (Taiwan)

Best African Album

Abweranso by Joyful Souls (Malawi)
Hymnocentric Quartet by Kgomotso Moshugi (South Africa)
The Journey by Shower Power (Zimbabwe)
Redeemed by Stand (Zimbabwe)

Original Music Nominations

Best Professional Original Song

“Across the Milky Way” by Christine Liu on The First Journal by Voco Novo
“Avance” by Ommm on Just Listen by Ommm
“S.O.S.” by MO5AIC/Josh Huslig
“Stranger Things” by Robert Dietz on The Funx by The Funx
“The Baddest Girl” by Scott Hoying on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
“Tunnel Vision” by Janice Whaley on Patchwork Life by Janice Whaley

Best Scholastic Original Song

“Have You Ever” by Aural Pleasure on Better with the Lights Off by Aural Pleasure (Emory)
“Life of the Mind” (single) by Chris Rishel, Brianne Holland for Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)
“Mannequin” by Micaela McCall and Chris Jobe on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville High School)
“Something in the Water” Music: Brianne Holland, Lyrics: Markie Gray on Late Nights, Parades by Men in Drag (U Chicago)
“The One to Walk Away” by Alex Ratner (music), Nimal Eames-Scott (lyrics)on Busted. by Duke’s Men (Yale)
“Ticking of the Clock” by Robynn Yip on Definition by Treblemakers (Northwestern)
“Trees” by Thomas Daniels on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)

Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Nominations

Best Contemporary A Cappella League Album

First Cup by Capital Blend
Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
Stuck in a Memory by Euphonism
TCB* by Treble

Best Contemporary A Cappella League Song

“Because” on First Cup by Capital Blend
“Bottom of the River” by Cognitive Resonance
“In Your Eyes” (single) by Euphonism
“Lover to Lover” on TCB* by Treble
“Stereo Hearts” on Hold that Thought by Fermata Town

Scholastic Nominations

Best Mixed Collegiate Album

Better with the Lights Off by Aural Pleasure (Emory)
Honk if You Love It! By Bostonians (BC)
III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Shed by Purple Haze (Northwestern)
The Pink Album by X-Factors A Cappella (Northwestern)

Best Mixed Collegiate Song

“Bottom of the River” on Brand New Walk by Out of the Blue (Yale)
“Cosmic Love” on The Pink Album by X-Factors A Cappella (Northwestern)
“Give Me Love” on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
“OMG” on Honk if You Love It! By Bostonians (BC)
“Seven Nation Army” on Take My Heart by Tritones (UC San Diego)
“We Found Love” (Single) by Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)
“Wolf & I” on Shed by Purple Haze (Northwestern)

Best Mixed Collegiate Solo

Maya Gunaseharan for “Best Thing I Never Had” on Full Disclosure by Class Notes (Cornell)
Aviva Musicus for “Bottom of the River” on Brand New Walk by Out of the Blue (Yale)
Samantha Creighton for “Mama Knows Best” on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Alex Geitz for “Sweet Love” on Honk if You Love It! By Bostonians (BC)
Emily Mooney for “What Turns You On” on And the Rest is Twistory by Twisted Measure (Elon)
Leah Reis-Dennis for “Wonderful” on Out Loud by Opportunes (Harvard)

Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement

“All My Mistakes” by Will Kazda on The Pink Album by X-Factors A Cappella (Northwestern)
“Give Me Love” by Shams Ahmed on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
“Head Full of Doubt” by Matt Deitchman on Shed by Purple Haze (Northwestern)
“Sparkling Diamonds” by Mark Lee on Just in Capes by DeCadence (UC Berkeley)
“The Ballad of Mona Lisa” by Nurita Abramowitz on Start Listening by Tizmoret (Queens College)
“We Found Love” by Chris Rishel for Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)

Best Male Collegiate Album

Boyfriend Material by Exit 245 (JMU)
Groundbreaker by The Techtonics (Imperial College)
Refraction by The Pitchforks (Duke)
Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
Yao Lissen by Bathtub Dogs (U Nebraska)

Best Male Collegiate Song

“A Little Less Conversation” on Yao Lissen by Bathtub Dogs (U Nebraska)
“Bright Lights Bigger City” on Refraction by The Pitchforks (Duke)
“Earthquake” on Groundbreaker by The Techtonics (Imperial College)
“Great Debate” on Under the Arches by Buffoons (Colorado U)
“I (Who Have Nothing)” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
“Mykonos” on G-Manifest Destiny by G-Men (U Michigan)
“Party Rock Anthem” on Heatin’ Up by Eight Beat Measure (RIT)

Best Male Collegiate Solo

Andrew Fish for “Colder Weather” on Guys in Ties by The Virginia Gentlemen (UVA)
Mike Nelson for “Great Debate” on Under the Arches by Buffoons (CU)
Joe Wenninger for “I (Who Have Nothing)” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
CJ Moore for “It Girl” on Baby Back Rips by Rip_Chord (Elon)
Jack Christie for “PYT” on Yao Lissen by Bathtub Dogs (U Nebraska)
Ryan Sill for “Titanium” on Boyfriend Material by Exit 245 (JMU)
Jay Kennedy for “Titanium” on Refraction by The Pitchforks (Duke)

Best Male Collegiate Arrangement

“Carry Out” by Rohit Crasta on Heatin’ Up by Eight Beat Measure (RIT)
“Grenade” by Andy Degan on Until the Next One by Divisi (CCSU)
“Hallelujah” by Chris Waybill on Refraction by Pitchforks (Duke)
“I (Who Have Nothing)” by Danny Mulligan on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
“Singin’ in the Rain” by Micah Hendler on Busted. by Duke’s Men (Yale)
“Titanium” by Anicka Pathammavong on Boyfriend Material by Exit 245 (JMU)

Best Female Collegiate Album

A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
Chinese and Champagne by Hoos in Treble (UVA)
Late Nights, Parades by Men in Drag (U Chicago)
Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)

Best Female Collegiate Song

“Around Us” on Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
“Dirty Diana” on Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)
“Earth” on I’ll Never Say by Note-Oriety (JMU)
“Hate On Me” on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
“On the Wing” on Late Nights, Parades by Men in Drag (U Chicago)

Best Female Collegiate Solo

Happiness Chijioke for “Mama” on Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
Chantel Whittle for “Mary (Don’t You Weep)” on The F Word by The Browns Tones (Brown)
Marianne Cheng for “Misery” on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
Melina Rapazzini for “Settle Down” on Chinese and Champagne by Hoos in Treble (UVA)
Liz Dervan for “Skyscraper” on Leap Year by Whim’n Rhythm (Yale)
Addison Balser for “Turning Tables” on I’ll Never Say by Note-Oriety (JMU)

Best Female Collegiate Arrangement

“Gold Digger (feat. For the Love of the Money)” by Courtney Mickens on Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)
“How to Love by Esther Hyun on Leap Year by Whim’n Rhythm (Yale)
“Howl” by Liz Smith on Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
“Hurt by Brianne Holland on Late Nights, Parades by Men in Drag (U Chicago)
“Plane” by Marianne Cheng on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)

Best High School Album

Another Level by OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian HS)
Here by WitchPitch? (Salem HS)
Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
TAG This by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
The Beginning by Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Turn the Beat Around by Eleventh Hour (Kettering Fairmont HS)

Best High School Song

“Brighter than the Sun” on TAG This by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
“Celebrate Remix” on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
“Forever” on Another Level by OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian HS)
“MLK” on The Conway Cut by the TrebleMakers (St. Anne’s-Belfield School)
“Tightrope” on The Beginning by Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)

Best High School Solo

Anna Rose Flood for “Walking Out the Door” on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
Colton Jones for “What Hurts the Most” on Turn the Beat Around by Eleventh Hour (Kettering Fairmont HS)
Nathaniel Oscar and Lishbeth Ramos for “I Was Here” on Here by WitchPitch? (Salem HS)
Quinton Thomas for “A Change is Gonna Come” on TAG This by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Sarah Vela for “Let Us Be Loving” on The Beginning by Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)

Credits

The 2013 CARA Awards were directed by Julia Hoffman and Jon Pilat.

Head Nominators:

Joseph Bates
Charlie Forkish
Julia Hoffman
Thomas “Tekay” King
Jon Pilat
Steve Ryan

The directors also chose 60 fans and performers of varied backgrounds to consider each of the albums submitted to the CARAs and to complete nominations. Anyone holding a current or former affiliation with a group or album under consideration is not allowed to take part in the consideration of that award.

To the nominators: Thank you all for your many hours of work! You are much appreciated!