The Collegiate Sound

Records by collegiate groups are usually less than satisfying. But despite the inevitable rough edges, technical problems, and occasional intonation troubles, The Collegiate Sound and More Collegiate Sound, two records which recently reached the Square, present rather pleasant collections of nostalgia and parody.

Nine groups, all from very respectable eastern colleges, display their talents on the two discs, which were cut live at the "Collegiate Sound" concert in Hartford last February. Both were released simultaneously (the second "by demand"), and they are about equal in quality.

Leading off both discs are the Dunster Dunces. I wonder if Carleton Records gave the Dunces top billing in deference to their school or to their musical ability, but in any case they deserve it, for they are clearly the best of the nine groups. The Dunces sing nothing that will be new to their Harvard followers, but rarely have they sung so well.

Their "Ride in the Chariot" is well harmonized and lively, and "Hector the Garbage Collector" retains all his old charm. "Tobacco Is A Dirty Weed" comes off less cleanly, but I still like it.

While not nearly as polished or professional sounding, the Vassar G-stringers have a special charm. Unlike Dartmouth or Yale, they make no attempt to imitate the slick, night club sound. They are obviously a collection of sweet girls who like to sing folk songs, and are pretty good at it despite the fact that there are only one or two good voices in the group.

The Trinity Pipes have only two offerings, of which their take-off on "Little Darlin" is much the better. It is so good, in fact, that one wonders if they weren't doing it seriously after all. The Dunces also try some rock 'n' roll parody and have considerable success with "Cool Mover," which they claim was written in honor of Harvard's president.

Yale's Spizzwinks have some spizzle, I suppose, but a good deal of fizzle. Part of their trouble is in their material ("There Is A Ship," "The Nearness of You," "Officer Krupke," and "The Real Love of Her Life"), but a good deal of difficulty lies in their loud, less than musical Yalie voices.

"Hopelessly addicted to modern harmonies" is the only way to describe Dartmouth's Injunaires. They, like Yale, make a few miserable attempts at humor, but at least Dartmouth's is crude. They do a satisfactory version of "Mood Indigo," however.