I've gained a lot of respect for Eli, not just as a singer but as an actor. He really gets "into character" in these videos. I wouldn't have been surprised to see him USE that bat at some point. (Hey, it can't always be about Geoff lol)
Agreed. That last line of "a seven-nation army couldn't hold me back" may have been sung real soft. But it was still intimidating. Not a man you want to cross. But one you sure do want on your side.
That's part of the appeal with this group. Most, if not all, have experience in either voice acting &/or have worked doing musical shows for Disney World. They can really get into their characters. In Hellfire you can see Layne really emotionally connected to the song along with the others.
Somehow Caesar always just has more... attitude! Eli does the rock god thing so well. Layne has just so many sounds and variety it is ridiculous. Geoff's bass is amazing and his flavor on things is just chef's kiss. And on this Anthony just shines!
I do like the new camera setup. Voiceplay’s In the Air Tonight was last month’s release. They have a positively exquisite video coming out within the week. This was fun.
I like that they are comfortable adding in the audio engineering. We all know they can sing these songs clean, the extra stuff makes it that much more entertaining.
I think my favorite part of this song (that I've not [yet] seen reactors comment on) is the real bluesy color/tone to Cesar's singing in the first verse. I've seen this song categorized as "Blues Punk," and Cesar definitely delivered the blues. He's really been maturing as a singer since he joined, and there are a lot more vocal colors in his rainbow... Or maybe it's just as the group gets to know each other better, Geoff and Layne are giving him more colors to sing. In any case, I like!
Your face when you here Layne's first crazy beat boxing is priceless!! Ha! I thoroughly enjoyed this cover and your analysis. Been waiting for this one and really happy to see this!!
The camera set up is much better, because it feels like you are more engaged into a conversation with your viewers. VoicePlay really just keeps raising the bar with every song that they release. It's awesome!
Anthony has an incredible voice. Hear it again in their cover of Golden Hour. It has a bridge section written by Geoff. He's becoming more adventurous in that direction. This however is just terrific, from all of them. Loved your reactions :)
Anthony first appeared in Voice Play's Just Sing video. The caption on that one said "Haven't collaborated with him yet, but we want to!" These Anthony videos have literally been coming for years.
Love your new angle.... looking "at us" as you explain and breakdown each video is indeed so much more personal.......loving your smile as you are appreciating their talent too! You are a wealth of knowledge for us all!! Thank you!
I prefer this new camera angle. My hearing isn’t great so being able to watch your face while you’re talking makes it a little easier to keep up without having to blow the speakers out of my cheap TV. I want to thank you for the videos you post. I’ve always loved music but I’ve learned so much about how singers actually produce and control sound from you. Please keep educating and entertaining all of us.
All things. Any things. I love Geoff. I love Anthony's riffs. I love this new angle for your camera. I think it's super dope that you got to sit back to back with Jane Lynch this morning. Anything. 😉Thanks for taking the time on these long VP analysis videos, Peter! Always a good time.
Geoff - what can we say? Keeping that base line moving throughout, adding and subtracting to it to give it some variety - and the occasional really low note just to remind us that he can, if he wants to. Layne - just goes to prove my rule for VoicePlay videos - if it doesn't sound like it's made by a human, it's almost certainly Layne! Anthony's riffs and runs were kind of a breakout for me, considering how little of those he did in Golden Hour, the only other song I've really heard him perform. I knew from GH that he had a really good voice, but this was pretty amazing! Eli, in both of the Viking videos, and now in this one, has really shown his "you REALLY don't want to cross me" acting side. Yes, anybody waving around a metal baseball bat is going to bear watching, but Eli really looked like he was kind of wanting to use that bat (hopefully on something, rather than someone). Cesar was by far the most restrained member in this video - just solid backing vocals throughout the entire song. But it was nice to hear him not using the breathy style we've heard so often from him - I really like his "solid" (I would guess, from Peter's lessons, more solid vocal fold closure?) voice even more.
Thanks for the review Peter, was really hoping you would do this one. This is one of my all time favs from Voiceplay. Another level again! Everyone shines, background, Layne is pure ALIEN. Cesar brings his own, Eli is the usual gold and Anthony, my man, my man. Would love to hear him on more covers from Voiceplay. These guys are simply on another level with their production. Amazing cover all over!
@22:05 is when the reaction I was WAITING for happened. Every single reactor I have watched react to this one has just lost their ever loving mind starting there.
Love your VP analyses. Missed them. You should do a compilation of several of their shorts sometime. They've been amazing. The only downside to shorts, can't back up. But they do loop.
Sounded like a pretty good jazz trio in the background at the start of the video, I had thought Mason was experimenting before sense and your comment broke through the musing. Watching you spend so much time in the middle section when I knew the entire second half was just around the corner was pretty funny
I really do like the new camera angle. it almost feels like a conversation. I mean, obviously you can't hear me, but I do talk and interact a lot while watching your videos. 😂
Worth the wait just to see your reaction to the dubstep section 😂 Anthony has a phenomenal voice! He’s done Golden Hour previously with them and this month’s new video which may be coming out tomorrow 🤞🏻He’s also a part of the acapella group Earcandy.
Thank you for your exceptional job of breaking down this group's amazingly talented productions! You help me appreciate them and their vocal talents even MORE!
So love a good break down of a Voice Play video! Like the new set up. Also, appreciate the more intimate effect. Best wishes on your new endeavors I CA.
Second latest. They've also done In The Air Tonight since this one came out. Looking forward to you seeing that one ;) But yeah, I think it works very nicely for you to be talking directly to the camera. I think you should keep doing it.
When you reacted1 with WTF at Geoff's home lyric then the drop that follows was hilarious. My favourite part of your reactions is when you go, wait what??? And don't really know what to say. It's s genuine and makes you more entertaining to watch
This was so fun! I'm also a fan of the new camera angle. Since you don't often make silly faces, it always gives me a giggle when there's something impressive/surprising/funny enough to break you out of analysis mode, and the new setup makes it easier to see. 😀 Not that I'm complaining about analysis mode! I'm a literature/poetry nerd, and while I enjoy music and singing and there is some overlap there, I'm not super knowledgeable on the music front. Your explanations are always easy to follow and just really pleasant to watch because your enjoyment of what you're doing comes through so clearly. (Speaking of poetry nerding, i wanted to comment on your I See Fire analysis to explain why Ed Sheeran's original didn't hit you as hard the original of Misty Mountains, but it would have been quite long and i didn't have the mental bandwith that day to make it shorter. In a nutshell, though, Misty Mountains hits harder because it was written to be read, whereas I See Fire was written to be sung. Since Misty Mountains is far more efficient in terms of word usage, you don't have to do much musically to give it emotional impact. There's a bit more to it, but that's the tl;dr version.)
Yes. Enjoying the front, more intimate, camera angle. Always add more value to my Voiceplay experience. You point out things by ears/brain does not pick up on and makes me focus more on the little details. Which make their talent even more amazing. Thanks for your analyzations.
So glad to hear your take on this! Great reaction! 😊 would love to hear your thoughts on the videos with continuity, such as Warriors-Dream On- Seven Nation Army, and others.
I definitely prefer the closer camera, it is more intimate and it is easier to see your expressions which I personally love. Like your reaction to Laynes first beatboxing thing at the beginning was priceless😂 This isn't their most recent, In The Air Tonight was the last and there is another coming very soon I would think! I would love to see you react to In the Air Tonight because it is amazing and I would like to here you analysis on it. Thank you so much for the great reaction and analysis as always Peter, you are the best!!❤
I like the forward angle, but maybe not as zoomed in? I dunno what your set-up looks like and if that's hard to manage without making things difficult to see or interact with. I can't even pick out a favorite from this group. Layne's arsenal of sounds is incredible and creative. Geoff and Eli have massive ranges they can cover and sustain. Caesar also has some amazing range and I feel like he's the best at really tapping into his character and bringing the music to life.
You ALWAYS add value to whatever you analyse. 🙂 This is why I keep watching your analysis. 🙂 I'll catch up with the podcast as well, as soon as I'm back home and with a connection that deserves to be called so 🙄😅. Thank you A LOT for that "added value". I'm also looking forward to you guys of the Bass Gang meeting this summer (next month, am I right?), and to watch whatever will come out of that meeting. ❤ See you next time! 🙂
Thank you Peter for another wonderful reaction/analysis...Once again, you pointed out a few things I have not heard before. I really like this version....and yes there is a TON going on.
I love watching YOU. Your commentary just enhances the Voiceplay magic, and 'tis magic, laddie. Love you up close and personal looking straight ahead into the camera. Happiness comes to one after your reaction❤
Actually I like the new angle on your camera. Feels more personal. Loved this version of the song, VoicePlay and company really know how to bring it home. And that pertains to all of the videos they've done in the last year. They have just stepped it up to a higher plane and every time I hear them do a new video, I think how can they possibly beat the last one, but they do. Every one seems to be blooming - Eli #1 has been incredible and Cesar is really coming into his own as well. Geoff and Layne are at the peak of their game and it is absolutely breathtaking.
I've come to the conclusion that there are two prerequisites to sing with Voiceplay, especially to be a regular member. You must have at least a four octave range and you must be good at doing riffs/runs. One of the Things I like about Tennessee Whiskey is that each person includes at least one run in their part. I love hearing Anthony and he definitely fits the criteria. If I recall correctly they met him when they did "Just Sing".
This is just a guess but when you are trying to figure out what Layne is doing, it sounds to me like the entire little section is all ingressive phonation, or in his case ingressive beatboxing, lol. I could be wrong but that is what it sounds like to me. Great reaction an analysis as always. 😍🥰
I think this setup works better.sometimes change is good! I live in Albuquerque, so celebrities are a common occurrence here. My first full day here I went to the hotel dining room for breakfast and sat next to Robert Redford (in state filming Milagro Beanfield War). Just after Top Gun came out, I was literally run into at a favorite Mexican restaurant by Val Kilmer (who was very gracious in grabbing me to prevent a fall - he’s big!). And for awhile I couldn’t go to Costco without shopping near a Breaking Bad actor. You just get used to it.
I like the setup: straight on, talking right to us, nice and intimate. Your face at the breakdown was pretty much my reaction too. A quiet "WTF?" and my eyes were massive. I read that the gun effect actually was Layne. Dunno if that's confirmed, but if so... that man has swallowed more than just a drum kit: he swallowed a whole foley artist! I lived in the LA area for many years. I remember my first random encounter with a star: I suddenly realized Neil Patrick Harris was standing in front of me in line for a restaurant. I was really excited, but my older sister whispered to me, "Let's just let him eat in peace." Not even a minute later, he was mobbed by teen girls squealing in excitement and wanting an autograph. He was nice and signed stuff, then after they left he turned around to look at me and my sister. "Do you want one too?" I felt bad, because he sounded so weary, like he got this all the time. I didn't know what to say: I kind of DID want an autograph, but I didn't want to be like those girls. So we both just smiled politely. "You're a great actor, we love watching your shows, but we're just here to eat in peace, same as you." He sighed in relief and thanked us. We chatted briefly, and he seemed pretty cool. So I learned, simply meeting someone you admire and talking like normal people, even briefly, is a more cherished memory than rushing at them for an autograph. My craziest encounter was also my drunkest. Let's just say, I danced with Viggo Mortensen at a club back around 2004-ish. The lady I was with spotted him first. She's a mega huge Viggo fan, so she began to text her other Viggo fan friends, who went onto forums to confirm that Viggo really was in Hollywood. (Again, this was 2004, cellphone's didn't have much in the way of internet connection.) I was drunk, inhibitions utterly gone, so I just went right up to him and started dancing. He looked surprised by the boldness (I would be too) but next thing I know, we're dancing to the music together... rather close... maybe TOO close, haha! To the side, the lady was utterly freaked out. I tried to bring her over, but she was too overwhelmed, to the point of almost fainting, so she didn't even go up and say hi. I was very, VERY drunk so I don't have many clear memories of that night, which is a shame. Then again, had I been sober, there is NO WAY IN HELL I would have gone up to him like that. I've seen Jeri Ryan around. Spotting Forest Whitaker riding a moped was not what I ever expected to see. Bumping into Henry Winkler at a book fair was utterly unexpected, especially because I had grabbed the last copy of a book he wanted to buy. I didn't realize he had set it aside because he was looking at another table of books. Of course, I let him have it, although he kept insisting it was okay. Like, if I buy the book NOW it will forever be "the book I stole from Henry Winkler." I got to work with Richard Kind on a set where I was playing a musician (they needed real instrumentalists to make it look authentic, but none of us were union so we couldn't actually play, we mimed the music... which is NOT as easy as you'd think.) All I can say is, his last name fits his personality. He was very humble and pretty chill. At one point, he saw a table of food for the extras and went, "Ooooh, cookies! Hey, is it cool if I have one of these cookies?" The staff replied, "Sir, you are the TALENT! You can eat whatever you want." He pouted and said, "I don't want to eat someone else's cookies." Gosh, he was so adorably humble about it. I swear, living around Hollywood is just another world. I really hope you enjoy it, and may you meet only sweet actors who like cookies.
I realized I wrote so much. Yikes! They're fun memories to me, although perhaps they're "you had to have been there." Still, one more story, because this one shows how bizarre living in LA can be. The wildest random encounter with a star goes to my best friend. She had just gotten off work and climbed into her crappy little car when suddenly someone leaped into the backseat. She thought she was about to be carjacked (or WORSE) until she realized it was none other than Reese Witherspoon, who begged her to take her to where her limo was waiting. Paparazzi had gotten word of her being out, and now her driver couldn't get close enough. So while Reese laid flat in the backseat, my BFF drove. She saw the mob of cameramen up ahead, but no one paid attention to her junky car. They made it to an alley, where the limo was in hiding. Reese thanked my friend and then said, "Wait, let me repay you." She had her Academy Awards gift basket in the backseat of the limo, with basically half a million dollars worth of products, chocolates, expensive watches and jewelry, vouchers for vacations in tropical beaches and ski resorts... my friend obviously couldn't use all of that, so we sat around eating the chocolates and bougie candies, trying out makeup products, her boyfriend got a really nice watch, the two of them took a trip of a lifetime, and she handed out vouchers as Christmas gifts that year. And that was the day my best friend learned a lesson: DON'T throw all your old McDonald's bags and water bottles into the backseat. You never know who may jump in.
So I'm a 41 year old woman, I know I know, and I've got the top and low ranges of this song, but while I can belt at the top the bottom is so quiet in my chest it's a struggle. Obviously this makes me a phenomenal vocalist right? Well no, unfortunately unfortunately there are all of those notes right around my break that are far too common in songs! Anyway, really enjoy getting to match pitches along the way.
Hey, maybe do some Reactions & Analysis of Beatbox videos, I think it be interesting to see your take and analysis of different Beatboxers here in the world
Fantastic breakdown and analysis, as ever. Like the camera angle position, but you may wish to fix the focus... Your door was more in focus than your face at times 😂
I definitely like the camera! I also very much enjoy Jane Lynch so I'm stoked that she was nice! Great reaction and analysis. You had me cracking up a couple of times throughout this one. ❤
Nah, the others are his protective detail 😛 Also, now I'm imagining backstory, thank you very much. Not that I need encouragement to do so, mind, but I wasn't expecting it today. Argh.
