At the same time, by drawing on the arranging skills of members both past and present, the group is able both to sing what it knows and dabble in some innovative sound. Some arrangements are more standard fare than others. A few, however, simply shine with interesting sounds and elaborate part-voicings, drawing on the large size of the group to generate rich textures of sound. At times this complexity turns on the group, with some songs seemingly muddled or on the verge of chaos. The female soloists are generally good, soulful and in touch with what they're singing.
Male solos range from capably performed to mildly disappointing.
By the same token, the bass voices can sound a bit naked bouncing around down there, and vocal percussion, while shining on some tracks, has a tendency to sound chuffy and amateurish. In general, however, TheBus is an enjoyable album. There's something for everyone, always energetic and often innovative as well. An excellently presented album that loses me in a barrage of sound. This latest album from Stanford's Mixed Company has won a lot of praise, mostly merited.