Reaction to and Analysis of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" cover by Pentatonix

[@ptxlvr7150]

What surprised me was watching the behind the scenes of different video's is that they have an arrangement penciled down, but as they start to practice, Kevin will re-arrange things, and when he works his magic, he takes a song that is a 7 out of ten and it becomes an 11. He is so much more talented than anyone knows.

[@davidkreacts]

That is an astonishing talent - I'm very impressed. I've heard a couple of folks who can do that to music in my time, and it always amazes me.

[@livelurklaugh]

48 minutes video of a reactor geeking out over PTX arrangement who knows music theory and also knows all of their names? KZbin recommendation finally understands me 😁 I love it and I'm excited for more PTX

[@livelurklaugh]

if I may add a recommendation (actually my personal request lol), check out their cover of "I Just Called to Say I Love You". one of their best arrangement to date, in my opinion

[@stephaniem2007]

I cannot love this more than once, but I want to! ❤❤❤

[@davidkreacts]

Aw, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video - a couple more PTX vids on my channel, and more to come before too long. :-)

[@davidkreacts]

Noted - added to the list.

[@thechomiji]

Here. here, subscribed for more PTX.

[@leslienoel6909]

The surprise Mitch slap is always fun in this song.

[@davidkreacts]

Definitely! (Also cackling at Mitch Slap!)

[@joebarnhart4460]

One of the superpowers of PTX is that Kirstin and Mitch can match each other's timbre exactly, and so can Scott and Matt. Like you mentioned, it makes It so seamless you sometimes can't tell when they've switched singers. BUT -- they can each sing with their own individual timbre as well, meaning it's a CHOICE to sound the same depending on the arrangement.

[@davidkreacts]

Absolutely correct - I'm flabbergasted at how well the voice pairings gel. Yes, you're absolutely right about the choice too - I tried listening without watching recently, and a short while after the shift, I could identify Mitch's voice clearly, but the "handover" so to speak is perfect.

[@elizabethsingleton636]

They absolutely were representing those characters with the wardrobe. Good eye.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you. :-)

[@susanpeterson9947]

Ben Bram has been their arranger since the beginning (with lots of input from PTX. Check out their video The Recording of Evergreen to see them all working together). Ben was the one who introduced Avi Kaplan to them when they were looking for a bass singer. And yes, they are meant to be characters from the movie, but I can’t remember who was which.

[@leslienoel6909]

I love that video. So fascinating to see their creative process.

[@davidkreacts]

Good to know - thank you! I will have a look at that video for sure.

[@bethvargas8841]

Matt and Scott - Timon and Pumba. Kirstin and Kevin - Nala and Simba Mitch - Zazu

[@Pamela_T]

I love to watch your reactions and analysis of Pentatonix. Your knowledge is amazing. I just about died when you stopped 3 times, just before Mitch's little descant there. I was laughing as to what you are about to hear....I knew he would blow you away! ❤

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you so much! I'm glad that you enjoy my coverage of them so much! More to come soon.

[@vidsorama2]

You should watch the Behind The Scenes video for this one. Part of it shows them starting the arrangement of the song backstage while on tour. The 5 of them were just sitting there figuring out who sings what where and how to increase the modulations, etc. It's interesting if you really are interested in seeing some of their arranging process. Thank you for this great reaction and analysis.

[@davidkreacts]

Noted - I would love to see that. You're welcome - glad you enjoyed.

[@kayecastleman6353]

Hello, David. I just found your channel. Honestly, I live for finding reactors with the depth of knowledge and powers of observation to do justice to the dissection of Pentatonix arrangements. You have made my day! What a heavenly, informative and wholly enjoyable session. I hope you have the time and interest to work with more PTX vids. I'm here for them all. Checking your channel for any I may have missed... 🙂

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you for joining me on my journey! I'm very glad that you enjoyed the video - two more PTX vids on the channel, and more to come, for sure!

[@buckeyegirl16]

Based on your commentary on this video, I'd LOVE to see u react to My Favorite Things. Its a completely different vibe than the original and I think you'd love their arrangement and all the little nuances in the background.

[@davidkreacts]

Ooh - interesting. On the list for sure.

[@kristinhowk6465]

1) She goes by Kirstie casually, but uses her full name, Kirstin, professionally. 2) Their arrangements are group efforts. They have a full-time arranger/producer/invisible 6th member, Ben Bram, but each member will contribute during the rehearse & record phase. The two Grammies they have in the arrangement category have all 6 names.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you for the info! Love how collaborative that is.

[@Trek1549]

My favourite version of this song. Great analysis. Kirsty rhymes with thirsty.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very much, both for the compliment and the info! :-)

[@angiepeterson1282]

I believe Kirsten is Nala, Kevin outfit is Simba, Mitch is Zazu, Scott is Timon and Matt is Pumba. They all look fantastic and their sound is amazing.

[@davidkreacts]

I would concur, both on identifications and on the production values. :-)

[@susanstein6604]

See Pentatonix’s version of Shallow, if you want a video featuring Kirstie.

[@davidkreacts]

It's on the list! It's a long list, but I'll get to it!

[@IroAppe]

I always find it funny that they sing "in perfect harmony" with the "harmony" really being the tightest harmonic chord in the ending. I always think "yep, that's perfect harmony right there!"

[@thechomiji]

YOU ARE BRILLIANT! No other reactor that I can recall has picked up on the character costumes! Kirstin leads on Rather Be and Shallow. The latter , where she splits the lead with Scott, is one of the most beautiful sounds they've ever produced. She has significant solos etc. on Mary Did You Know, Daft Punk, Hallelujah, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Say Something, Imagine, Sound of Silence, Attention, Amazing Grace, and others. The PTX arranger is Ben Bram. Reactor Jacob Resituto has a good interview with him here on KZbin.

[@davidkreacts]

Haha - you're too kind. Thank you for all the recommendations - either on or added to my list. :-)

[@justinperry13]

Yeah, this was a really good reaction man. Genuinely enjoyed this.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you so much!

[@heathensportsballmom6888]

You should check out their version of Waving Through a Window. It’s awesome and really shows off their broadway show tunes like this one.

[@davidkreacts]

I'm thinking of doing a musical theatre month at some point, so I would put it in there, I think. :-)

[@marablemorgan8292]

PTX always gives 100% every time!

[@shilohauraable]

Such a beautiful work of art! 💖

[@davidkreacts]

100%!

[@susanpeterson9947]

In one of their early songs she actually sings “My name is Kirstin, you can call me Kirstie. “ I’m sorry I can’t remember which song it was.

[@leslienoel6909]

I'm pretty sure that line is from their Starships cover.

[@melissacoviello2886]

It’s definitely Starships.

[@davidkreacts]

I appreciate the info - thank you.

[@Jsman525]

Love your analysis. PTX is my favorite of the big 3 American a capella bands. Look forward to you continuing to react to them.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you! More to come for sure.

[@hollyevoy2118]

Great review as always. I’ve always liked Disney songs & Pentatonix do such a great job with it. Thanks!

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very much. Yes, Disney and PTX is a solid pairing!

[@caroline6544]

thank you! love your detailed analysis!

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you so much!

[@chuckmccaslandsr.8859]

If you want to hear Kirsty, she wrote their song BE MY EYES, and she performed the major vocal in it, and she was also showcased in the song SAY SOMETHING. PTX keeps getting better and beter! They have done over 200 songs. ENJOY! 😊

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you for the recommendations - I'll check them out in due course.

[@LoppyJen]

THE LION KING!!!!! My favourite Disney film EVER!!!! It was also the first movie I saw in theatres; I was 6, and my grandmother took me to a cinema that no longer exists. I don't remember much of it, other than one single shot: Mufasa running by the screen and all you see is his shoulder/arm as he goes by. That's IT! First of all, I love that shirt!!! Second, don't apologize for post-sickness voice! People understand. (Plus, you were subjected to my post-Covid voice a couple of months ago, so maybe we're even now? I really only just got my singing voice back about a month-ish ago.) Now, onto song things! Even with the visual, it took me a few seconds to clock that Mitch had taken over from Kirsten. ... And those NOTES Mitch hits!!!! Like, WOW! I can't even! And I love the final "the world, for once, in perfect harmony" with them singing IN perfect harmony. Also! GAH! The lights at the end! The star-gazing scene!!! Pumbaa: "Timon, ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?" Timon: "Pumbaa, I don't wonder; I know." Pumbaa: "Oh. What are they?" Timon: "They're fireflies. Fireflies that got stuck up on that big blueish-black thing." THE LIGHTS ARE FIREFLIES!!!! And now that that's out of my system, thank you for another awesome reaction video!!! Can't wait for the next one!

[@davidkreacts]

That's awesome! I'm trying to think what the first movie I saw would have been, and I truly have no idea. Isn't it odd the details we remember? I remembered a really cool character being in a film I saw when I was very young, and then when I saw it again, they were in it for about twenty seconds. Yay - I'm glad folks are enjoying the shirt. Totally different topic, of course, but I thought the red might be a nice match for this. Sure - call it even (though I think I sound worse than you did!). Right?! That switch is so seamless, and Mitch's voice is extraordinary. Great catch on the fireflies moment - I saw that, but lost the thought amongst other things I was commenting on - thank you for highlighting it. You're welcome - coming soon!

[@hawkeyescoffee6399]

I agree fully that as a Brit, I was also fully washed out on the original song. But PTX just have this ability to breathe fresh life into songs, they've done it with so many. Heck they made me love 12 Days Of Christmas, My Favourite Things, and O' Come All Ye Faithful...and that's one hell of an accomplishment. Descant is the perfect description for how Mitch's highline feels. And he always does it so effortlessly. He hits those A5s like they're nothing, and something in the quality of his voice manages to make them sound even higher too. For more Disney fun, you should see Superfruit's Frozen Medley, it's a lot more relaxed, but so good and a lot of fun. He otakes are always well worth hanging on for too, lol. Some great songs for seeing what Matt can do with a lead are Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence and Mad World. The first two especially are also good songs for everyone getting a spotlight moment. Mad World has some stunning Matt/Mitch harmonies. For some great bass line & vocal perc work between Matt & Kevin then I highly recommend their mash up: New Rules x Are You That Somebody.

[@davidkreacts]

I'm definitely finding that a capella is a route back into pieces of music that I was done with previously. Agreed re Mitch also - his clarity up there is fabulous. Other songs are on the list, and I'm looking forward to them. More PTX to come soon.

[@anna9072]

If you haven’t checked out their cover of Kiiara’s “Gold”, I strongly recommend it. There’s a section where they pass the lines back and forth to each other, and it’s stunning. Other songs where they pass lyrics to each other are the Daft Punk Medley, and Valentine, which in my opinion is seriously undervalued.

[@davidkreacts]

Thanks for the recommendations - Valentine is a new one on me, and the other two are on the list. More PTX to come before long.

[@MariaGolay]

Great reaction. Love their cover of this great song!

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you! Yes, it really is wonderful. :-)

[@annmc3878]

You might like Scott, Mitch and Kirstie doing a Frozen medley on their Superfruit channel. It is very funny.

[@davidkreacts]

That sounds like it would be great - I'll check it out some time. :-)

[@karylmonaco8174]

Also on Superfruit, check out Gravity (Mitch & Scott) and Rise (M&S, plus three guest singers in honor of tha Pulse Nightclub shooting). And so many others...

[@lleldridge1]

What a stellar reaction/analysis, very much appreciate this... looking forward to more PTX. Speaking of Disney, Kirstie & Voiceplay did a Disney Love Medley... pretty great.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you so much! More PTX to come, for sure, and the Love Medley is on my list as well (Voctave, I think?) - looking forward to all of it!

[@lleldridge1]

@@davidkreacts yes, of course, it's Voctave.

[@carolynl.higgins6206]

Great reaction and you put a lot into it. You mentioned Kirstie's prominence here. She was also passionate in Prayers for this World you recently reacted it. Nice acknowledgement of all and many subtleties. Yes, must've been fun for them. This song seemed like their massive playground.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very much! Yes, she was great in Prayers - I was still learning the group for that video, so didn't lean into them all as hard as I would now. I love the description of the song as a playground. :-)

[@tynatyna9119]

I watched The Lion King with my son in the 90s. I had to buy him that CD because he loved all about lions. I don't remember ever laughing and crying at the same time as I did while watching that movie. The characters are wonderful, the music is wonderful, everything is perfect. I love this song and I love how Pentatonix covered it. They have wonderful vocal abilities and always good arrangements. Of course, I prefer the original, but kudos to Pentatonix. I like it when someone covers a song in their own way, rather than completely copying it. I like how they build harmonies and where they change key.They are amazing. David, thanks for the wonderful analysis. I'm waiting for some more reaction to the Disney song. I'm sure it will be the right choice again.

[@davidkreacts]

I can see someone who loves lions getting into this! ;-) It is a fantastic movie - there are others I like more, but this is definitely a staple. Yes, the PTX version is amazing, and is now honestly solidified as my favourite, having listened to it more. Definitely agree re making covers unique - a carbon copy, especially if they try to copy the vocal timbre and tone, doesn't usually interest me. Their arrangements are fantastic, for sure. You are very welcome - more to come on Tuesday, and more PTX after Disney Month.

[@pjb3583]

I am so happy to have found you! New subscriber, totally in love with the way you analyze the performance and teach me about the nuances that make me love this band so much. Great Mitch slap reaction, too. They do these big, full, lush arrangements so well, but they also shine at the intimate end of the spectrum. Try Hallelujah or The Prayer for another big performance, or listen to Imagine or Say Something for a little more introspection. Come Along is my go-to for a pure fun song. You have given me my new favorite description of PTX - potent. Peace from Ohio …

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you so much! I totally agree on the full arrangements, and I look forward to examining more of their work at all points on the fullness spectrum - thank you for the suggestions. :-)

[@patriciawilson591]

I really enjoy your reactions! Although my favorite so far was your first, Voice Play. I look forward to many more great reactions from you. Well done!

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very much. More VP coming on Tuesday. ;-)

[@julierogers7358]

Wonderful reaction. Subbed hoping for more PTX. Enjoy!

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you! Two more vids on the channel already, and more to come in due course.

[@alexwalker8440]

Pentatonix is great, they deserve the millions and millions of views their videos have. I believe Ben Bram does most (if not all?) of their arrangements, and he's amazing! I stopped following them around the time when Avi left. Some of my PTX favs are Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Daft Punk, Sounds of Silence and Bohemian Rhapsody. Also, Mitch and Scott have some fun stuff on Superfruit videos (the Wicked one is great!). I really love Mitch! Still, what can I say, it's just personal preference, and I go for the underdog always; we know who that is, right? Great vid, thanks!

[@davidkreacts]

They are excellent, for sure! Thanks for the info re Ben. I appreciate the recommendations too - I also want to check out PTX with Avi, since I saw a video that must have had him years ago, but have no recollection of it. You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed. :-)

[@df5199]

It’s Kirstin or Kirstie. She’s just happy to have her name pronounced correctly. Recommend their cover of My Favorite Things.

[@davidkreacts]

Duly noted - thank you. MFT is on the list - one of the few songs I enjoy from that musical, so I think it will feature in my planned musical theatre month later in the year.

[@michaelbritt3466]

I really enjoyed your analysis/reaction to this music video. Ben Bram is the genius that arranges and produces much of their music. If you were to watch "The Making of Evergreen", and "The Recording of Evergreen" (their 2021 Christmas Album) you get to see him working with them. Once he arranges a piece, he goes over with them the basics and certain specifics of that piece that need emphasis. He then hands it off to the group to play with and tweak. Scott is the primary leader in this part of their collaborative efforts, but certain songs may have greater influences by other members. This can be especially true of original pieces, where the member songwriter has a greater say in how it comes together. That said, Kevin Olusola has been emerging in his talent for arrangement and nuance in certain songs. He has KZbin and TikTok short videos where he will digitally tweak original songs, making them sound quite different. If I'm not mistaken, he had a heavy influence in the arrangement of their cover of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "O Come All Ye Faithful." If you haven't seen that video, I highly recommend it. Kevin's father is a naturalized US citizen from Nigeria, so I believe this may be where he extracted the unique sound for "O Come All Ye Faithful." My favorite KZbin reaction to this video is by Sarah Dengler, a native Nigerian living in Germany. Watching her shock and joy at listening to something so wonderful, that reminds her of her homeland, is an experience in itself.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very much! Good to know re Ben - I'll check out the making of/recording of videos once I've seen more of that work, but I will be very interested to do so. Love that he is willing to let go of it to the group - that's a great thing for an arranger to do, and not something that all are capable of. Kevin's channel sounds really interesting - I'll check that out also. O Come is on the slate for Xmas when it comes around - thank you for the info on it - and I'll be sure to watch Sarah's video after I've reacted.

[@ruth2141]

Another Pentatonix Disney suggestion -- "When You Wish Upon a Star". And since "Anastasia" has now been sucked into the Disneyverse, "Once Upon a December", which features Kirstie at her Disney princess best with Voctave joining the rest of Pentatonix to back her up. Neither has an official video, so you can choose a PTX Yule Log video or a fan-created lyric video.

[@ruth2141]

Two more suggestions -- Pentatonix "Let It Go" and Voctave's "Disney Love Medley", featuring Kirstie and her then boyfriend Jeremy Lewis (now her ex -- awkward);

[@davidkreacts]

Noted, thank you! I'll check those out.

[@davidkreacts]

Also noted. I saw the Love Medley in my recommendations after I did their Princess medley, so it's on the list.

[@susansisson366]

Just for the heckuvit, you might want to check out their editing and arranging process, in the "making of Evergreen, their 2021 Christmas albu,m. You'll see their behind the scenes partners, Ben Bram, their arranger, and their technical engineer (whose name, I've dropped, but who deserves crediting), with selected snippets of their internal recording and final arranging process. You'll see why Evergreen was nominated for a Grammy, and you'll get to see the collaborative process which creates their masterpieces. I recommend it, and would very much like to review this video with you making such educational and enjoyable observations! Thank you!

[@davidkreacts]

I have that video on my list of things to watch at some point - I haven't done any BTS stuff yet, but it would be interesting to look into.

[@Eric1SanDiego1]

David, I love your reactions. What made me subscribe to your channel and laugh my head off was your reaction to VoicePlay's "In the Hall of the Mountain King". That was epic. I'm probably going to watch it again after this :) I only have one suggestion. I wear headphones when listening to A Cappella groups, as one should. Unfortunately, the volume on the video was quite low. If it's too loud, we can always turn it down, but if it's too quiet, there isn't anything we can do about it. Superbowl cheering from across the street shouldn't be able to get through my headphones if the volume is high enough but sadly it wasn't. Other than that, your reactions are brilliant and you do a great deal of research and analysis and I absolutely love your sesquipedalian* vocabulary. *My favorite word. It's a two-dollar word that means two-dollar word-ish.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you very kindly, Eric. Noted re the audio - it's a tricky balance to find, and I think PTX has been the hardest one for me to get right. Their copyright company is much less forgiving than the other groups I'm reacting to so far, and I thought if I dropped them a little below my usual level, that might help, but alas not so far. It's a work in progress. I appreciate the feedback, and also the compliments. (Also, I agree with sesquipedalian being a wonderful world, and particularly adore the irony that Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a fear of long words. Someone was feeling Puckish the day they came up with that!)

[@yoclark2723]

I was hoping you would include this PTX song in your Disney month. They are more rock/pop genre but get into some interesting tangents. I had to laugh at your "Mitch slap" in the first run through. It gets to most reactors the first time they hear his high notes. It probably was Kevin at the end. He is a good tenor along with his other talents.

[@davidkreacts]

I agree with you on the tangenting - I'm so impressed with the ability of the big a capella groups just to shift into a completely different style, but make it their own. Yes, I've seen reactors trip over the middle of a sentence before, but I think this was the first time I truly experienced it! Good to know re Kevin - love how all-round he seems to be, based on the comments folks have left (re adjusting arrangements as well, etc.).

[@df5199]

@@davidkreacts Kevin is a musical genius. He has his own KZbin channel and has song covers such as Down and Sign Of The Times. Here is his “Kevin’s Fifth “ performance he does on Pentatonix tours. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/epOmkqasmLOrbZo

[@NiaMeg]

The Evergreen video includes a section where Kevin kind of “mentions” several ideas to try in a song, and when each of those are tried, everyone concludes that they were perfect additions! IMO Kevin is a musical genius. And a genius in other areas as well.

[@kristipierce4735]

Recommend their original Be My Eyes to hear Kirstin shine or My Favorite Things or Rather Be. Everything they do becomes a masterpiece. Have you watched 90’s Dance Medley or Evolution of Michael Jackson? There are just so many that are mind-blowing.

[@davidkreacts]

Noted - thank you for the recommendations. Everything I've seen is on my channel so far - I'm not watching outside of my reactions at present, though I'm sure I will soon - their portfolio is just too huge!

[@michaelf8702]

If you want Kirstie focused songs, you can listen to My Favorite Things (from the sound of music, which is now Disney), Wizard of Ahhhs, and Say Something. And they were several others as well.

[@davidkreacts]

Noted - thank you!

[@par500dragon7]

For Disney month, you should totally do VoicePlay's Little Mermaid Medley and Moana! Both are excellent (although Mermaid is my favorite). Oh, and Friends on the Other Side!

[@davidkreacts]

Funny thing you say that - one of them miiiiiiiight be coming on Tuesday. ;-)

[@marablemorgan8292]

Amazing!

[@Badger77722]

On Kirstie's name: I think everyone in the group calls her Kirstie, but she answers to either Kirstin or Kirstie. I saw one of their earlier "couch videos", and I believe she introduced herself as "Kirstin, but you can call me Kirstie rhymes with thirsty". I think as long as you DON'T call her "Kristin" or "Kristie", she'd be fine with either one. In a BTS video they made for Kid On Christmas, she and Kevin were doing a pseudo-interview, and when she introduced herself as "KRISTIN Maldonado", Kevin lost it and broke up laughing.

[@davidkreacts]

Duly noted - thank you for the info. :-)

[@diannecardenas9866]

It is Gorgeous. I wonder if Elton John has ever mentioned this version.

[@davidkreacts]

An interesting thought. I'm sure he's heard it - I hope so, at any rate.

[@joebarnhart4460]

You should definitely watch the behind the scenes video for this. It should vignettes of them coming up with the original arrangement. They show Kirstin coming up with the sudden out-of-the-blue belt note and the insane number of key changes. (They "Beyonce'd" the arrangement in their own words.). kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqHMnGB6it-Kotk

[@davidkreacts]

Ooh - that I am definitely going to have to watch. Thank you for the link.

[@alfredh3071]

I like the reaction, this is one song I like from the movie, even though the montage is a little cringe. PTX makes this song as beautiful as it can possibly be!

[@davidkreacts]

Yeah, I could have done without a montage, but the song is great. They certainly do - now to figure out how to splice it into a copy of the movie... :-P

[@Amandasera]

Pleaaaaaaase do Voiceplay's Moana Medley, Friends on the other side (from princess and the frog) and Little Mermaid Medley!

[@davidkreacts]

All of the above are on the list, and one miiiiiight be coming on Tuesday. The others will feature in due course.

[@Amandasera]

@@davidkreacts you are amazing!

[@lexymich3647]

Ben Bram is the one that usually does their arrangements. This one they sort of did together, bc I remember Scott wanted to do 5 key changes. Lol You can see the whole process if you watch "The recording of evergreen". The big deal is that if you talk over any part of it, you will miss something. You can pause to talk, but if you talk over it you will miss a joke or a note. Also, you need to do the prayer reaction before or it will spoil it for you.

[@davidkreacts]

Good to know, thank you. 5 key changes would have been a lot! Awesome, but perhaps might have been a bit much for some folks - it can be jarring to keep shifting your foundation. I think three was a good compromise. Definitely going to be checking out the BTS - just haven't had a chance to yet.

[@thechomiji]

Was't it Kirstin who came up with the key changes first?

[@melissiasmith9826]

Fun fact about their costuming since you mentioned they are all dress to represent one of the characters. Mitch is Zazu, Kirsty is Nala, Kevin is Simba, Matt is Timon and Scott is Pumba.

[@davidkreacts]

Thanks! I caught it right at the end of the analysis part, I think - though I got a little more Scar with the colours from Kevin, but they did a great job with that.

[@marablemorgan8292]

That's the big problem... most listeners miss out on most all the background because they don't listen with headphones!

[@margretrosenberg420]

As a general rule Ben Bram is their arranger, but all five of them participate as well.

[@davidkreacts]

I love that they stay so involved with it all. :-)

[@margretrosenberg420]

@@davidkreacts Ben is AN expert on Pentatonix - he's been part of this in some form since the beginning - but each of them is THE expert on his or her own voice. When they were on _The Sing-Off,_ there was one comment and question that the judges made repeatedly: "You always surprise us. The question is, how long can you keep it up?" By my count, it has now been nearly 12 years and they're still surprising us, with no end in sight. But how do they do that? When the judges on _The Sing-Off_ asked that question they also repeatedly warned against one possible way it could be done - by changing a song too much, so that it's no longer itself. Pentatonix never does that. Instead they seem to have a unique talent for seeing hidden possibilities within songs, and bringing those possibilities into the light of day. This ability is more awesome than things like, say, Mitch's slightly greater than six octave range (which really is pretty awesome). If all Pentatonix had was their wonderful voices they would just be one more a cappella group. Instead, they're THE a cappella group - the band that made a cappella a selling proposition. The only a cappella band to have ever won a Grammy, and the only a cappella band to have a star on the Walk of Fame. And in my opinion it's this ability to bring out the hidden possibilities of songs that made them what they are today. Ever since the trio were children, they've loved music, and apparently this applies to Matt and Kevin as well. That love of music is the overarching theme in their lives; it's a part of all they do. I mean, Scott gets engaged and what's the first thing he does after announcing it to the world? He writes and produces a song about how wonderful his fiancee is. The trio decide to have a pleasant evening being old friends having a few drinks together and what do they do? They head to the studio to make a video of themselves drunkenly singing the most iconic songs from _Frozen._ *Everything* they do involves music. I don't believe they're capable of being uninvolved with the songs they decide to perform and the decisions about how to perform them. I'm sorry; this is getting too long. It's because I'm analyzing as I write. I don't have anything even mildly approaching the talent of Pentatonix, but I also love music and I can't help but try to figure out how on earth they do the incredible things they do. I can't believe that they approach each new song saying "Okay, what are we going to do this time to make it an upgrade instead of a cover?" - that wouldn't work. The only way they can possibly keep upgrading every cover they perform is by looking deep into the songs themselves, and letting each song tell them what it wants to be. That takes some heavy-duty listening, and I think it requires all six of them (including Ben Bram) listening. And I think that by this time it has to be so deeply ingrained that they do it automatically, without even noticing that that's what they're doing. And every bit of that is based on nothing more than me trying to imagine how they do it, so take it for what it's worth, which may very well be nothing.

[@sallymaria]

Pentatonix are so talented, but I must admit my favourite version of this song is the Hound and the Fox, the film duet version, including Timon and Pumba, played by Rob Lundquist and Buegs of the Avid Indoorsmen...

[@davidkreacts]

Ooh - that I must check out too. I've heard the podcast, but haven't seen anything with Buegs yet.

[@derrickcox7761]

For more Kirsten try Seasons of Love.

[@davidkreacts]

Noted - thank you.

[@marablemorgan8292]

Wait for it....

[@marablemorgan8292]

It's also a complimentary color...

[@coleensakamoto6844]

Would love to see you react to "Frozen Medley ft Kirsten Maldonado" by Super Fruit. "Super Fruit" is a duo made up of Scott & Mitch. I think you'll be quite entertained & impressed.

[@davidkreacts]

I have it on my list, and will get to it in due course. :-)

[@marablemorgan8292]

Always the upgrade...

[@MelancholieT]

Wow, that shirt!

[@davidkreacts]

Haha! This made me smile, thank you.

[@MelancholieT]

@@davidkreacts The shirt made me smile! Feels very different to what I've got used to seeing you wear. 🙂

[@karylmonaco8174]

As many times as I've listened to this (so many), I still miss the handoff between Kirsty and Mitch unless I'm paying attention and also watching the video!

[@margretrosenberg420]

I can't tell for certain who is singing what note in those final chords. I can give you some idea of their ranges, but when I say "some idea" I don't mean exact limits. We all know that Scott sings well into both the tenor and the bass ranges; I suspect that you already have a feel for his voice. Matt's range is really difficult to pin down. When I heard them live in November of 2022 I would swear that the lowest note he sang was as low as anything I ever heard from Avi while his highest note was about midway through the tenor range, which would give him a range greater than Avi's. But that was late 2022 and this was released in August of 2019, just over three years before that, and I've been told that bass voices improve with age, so I think his range at the time this was recorded was a good deal smaller. How much smaller I can't say. To get a better feel for his voice you may want to listen to "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." I've heard Kevin sing in what I believe was the high end of the baritone range, in their original song named "Sing." But I don't have a trained ear; listen to it yourself and see what you think. However, Kevin seems to be more comfortable in his upper registers. To get a good idea of what his tenor voice sounds like I recommend his KOver of "Down," by Marian Hill.

[@davidkreacts]

Thank you for the info and the recommendations - added to my list.

[@par500dragon7]

I can't deny the talent and skill. For some reason, with a few exceptions, they don't touch my heart or engage my emotions lately. It's like they don't feel any joy and thus, can't inspire it in me.

[@davidkreacts]

Several people have said the same thing on my recent videos. I enjoy their work, but not for the same reasons I love VP and HF - it's a different feel, and not for everybody.

[@margretrosenberg420]

Regarding Kirstin's name, I'm not certain what her preference is. Scott and Mitch tend to call her Kirstie, but they've known her since childhood and I'm pretty sure that was what they called her back then, so it's deeply ingrained. I tend to call her Kirstie when we're talking about Babytonix and Kirstin when we're talking about the more mature group, but that's my personal preference. I do know that Kirstin herself has suggested that the way to remember the correct pronunciation of her name is that Kirstie rhymes with thirsty, which would seem to indicate that she's okay with both versions of her name.

[@davidkreacts]

That all makes a lot of sense. Several folks pointed me to her introduction moment in Starships, so I think I'll go with Kirstie, since that's what a lot of people expect.

[@marablemorgan8292]

Ready for the "Mitch slap"?

[@marablemorgan8292]

Such genius filler!

[@marablemorgan8292]

There never seems to be any gratuitous sound ...!

[@carinarodebak9419]

You are sounding enthusiastic and I can hear that they have good voices and yet, and yet..... PTX is still not getting to me, sorry. It's like they're too polished. I acknowledge their skill, can't fault them, so it must be that I'm somehow predjudiced by coming upon them last of the 3 groups. Maybe also because I love to hear Avi singing his music and it's rather obvious this isn't his thing. Suggestions for returning Disney month, if it'll will be a returning features. Tommy has done a great rendition of Circle Of Life as well as taking the same melody for one of his Disneytons, where he sings Sabaton lyrics to Disney music. Using his voice quite differently in those two versions. The most fun is Seven Pillars of Wisdom to Prince Ali from Aladdin. Or to listen first to VP with EJ Cardona in Go The Distance and then see how Tommy takes the same melody and sing Swedish Pagans about vikings. Quite fun to do back-to-back. To be a fly on the wall if ever Geoff and Tommy met and discussed arranging music!

[@lisahuff818]

My exact feelings.

[@CapriUni]

Indeed. I have to acknowledge their skill, and the beauty of their voices. And certain aspects of their arrangements are innovative. But, taken as a whole, there's something on the level of *genre* that just doesn't click with me. But I can't quite put my finger on what that genre is... "Polished Radio Pop," maybe?

[@davidkreacts]

You know what? That's perfectly fair - nothing to apologise for. I do enjoy them, but it's for a very different reason to HF or VP. I should get back to a reaction to PTX with Avi - that would have been how I heard them all those years ago, though I don't know if I could remember which song(s) it was. I definitely feel like Disney Month will return, if not for a while. I did see the Disneytons and almost went for one of those, but a couple of unexpected finds jumped in. I missed that he'd done Circle of Life though. They'll definitely feature at some point. I'm looking forward to Go the Distance, and that would be a fascinating comparison, for sure.

[@carinarodebak9419]

@@davidkreacts There is one PTX I willingly return to, several times. Hallelujah with Avi🧡 actually introduced to me by my son. We do not share music taste otherwise. When I started listening to music videos my kids gave me a portable speaker to use during chores. After a while my son donated headphones, to avoid my music🤣 My bass singers disturbed his gaming.He now wants me to delve into Weird Al Yankovitch.Might do it🤔 Just wanted to give you a laugh, no need to respond. PS I hadn't remembered. Tommy uses this melody Can't You Feel The Love for Disneyton Soldier Of Heaven

[@thechomiji]

Well, their self-assigned category is Pop. They don't particularly get into the old-school a capella at all except in some of their Christmas music. I'm not enthusiastic about the other groups, so isn't it good we each have something we can get behind?