2

What, exactly, is Rockapella? While the thought of an unaccompanied vocal quintet might bring to mind a finger-snapping doo-wop group or close-harmony jazz, they are that and more--a pop-rock band complete with bass (Barry Carl), percussion (Jeff Thacher), and mostly original material that just happens to use only their voices and appendages as instruments. Despite a rabid international following that's particularly strong in Japan, Rockapella didn't attract all that much attention in the U.S. until a now-famous Folgers TV commercial and the 1999 release of their first widely distributed album, Don't Tell Me You Do. Again, member Scott Leonard contributes most of the songs, but unlike the previous album, Rockapella 2 is an all-new collection. "This Isn't Love" and Squeeze's "Tempted" show off the group's R&B groove, while "People Change" and "Where Would We Be" are solid ballads. Note also that while the Folgers commercial was a hidden track on a limited number of copies of Don't Tell Me You Do, it's a permanent part of Rockapella 2, along with a holiday version. --David Horiuchi