The Newfangled Four • Piano Man (Parody) • 2024 International Quartet Finals

[@bluboi776]

They got a 92.7 for this song and only two quartets managed a better score than that: champions Three and a Half Man, and First Take

[@itamarbar9580]

So they got Bronze?

[@saraalhashimi2650]

@@itamarbar9580 5th place overall, but 3rd in their finals set alone. So yes, bronze, hehe.

[@davidanoble]

@@itamarbar9580 For reference, the scores accumulate over every round, not just the finals. So while they did 3rd best on Finals night, their overall performance that week was 5th place. However, 4th and 5th place still get bronze medals, not just 3rd place as is typical.

[@sharondrury5676]

They are number one in my book. I'm 80. They never cease to entertain me. Much love and thank you for years of joy.

[@helenl3193]

​@@davidanoble wait.. so what does 3rd get? Are 2 & 3 both Silver?

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

Genuinely the most important quartet in the history of barbershop. The amount of new young fans they’ve brought to the genre is staggering.

[@DaC10101]

😂

[@ryanwade7002]

I teach chorus in a middle school. Literally ALL my guys keep talking about 'the new NF4 song dropped!'

[@darrenknowles842]

🙋‍♂

[@jesusthroughmary]

they're why I'm here

[@rapid13]

Main Street would like a word...

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

Babershop Bob Ross is such a great addition to this quartet.

[@guggie9969]

They have to have written at least half a dozen verses that didn't make it to the stage, and even then, they STILL missed one in smoke ring. Absolutely wild. They deserved the medal this year.

[@Lozza1991]

I think they said there were two that had to be written the night before, after the semis. How good would it be to see a compilation of the ones that ended up on the cutting room floor

[@jokinghazard2312]

@@Lozza1991patreon!

[@melodysky1984]

@@Lozza1991 They said they had a general idea of who was gonna be in the finals after the semis iirc, there was 2 or 3 that didn't make the cut (Like who they thought at least the top 12 ish were) , Smoke Ring made it though

[@Lozza1991]

@@jokinghazard2312 On my to-do list!

[@BrunnyBeatbox]

Honestly even at a 92.7, I still think this song is underscored. The delivery of each gag is perfect, the singing is the best NF4 has ever produced, and the song overall is surprisingly technical in terms of its execution. Amazing work as usual 😁

[@christopherwarsh]

I think it’s just the judges being too old

[@AdamDGoff]

Their original rendition of “A Cottage For Sale” is so heartbreakingly beautiful, but I’d really love to hear how it sounds with their strengthened contemporary vocals.

[@KutieKatAN]

YES absolutely agreed. I’d also love to hear Love Letters again

[@stevenjungbluth640]

Honestly, I think the voice breaks in that add to the performance. It's obviously technically worse, but the emotions are all the more piercing.

[@AdamDGoff]

@@stevenjungbluth640 I think you’re right, but we’ll always have that performance to go back to. I’d still be interested in what it’d sound like now; what would be different.

[@alexanderbalikian9277]

The wait after seeing the 92.7 this song got on the score card was so worth it

[@spartanclucky884]

The fact that Tim Brooks placed 10th as well is just hilarious to me.

[@VolvagiasBlaze]

it's heartwarming to see NF4 finally get to medal after the turmoil they went through. Ryan's departure, the possible departure of Jackson, the growing pains of trying to find a new baritone, but they came back last year like a bat out of hell and they're sounding as great as ever

[@Gashahn24]

What was going with Jackson?

[@VolvagiasBlaze]

@@Gashahn24 at around the same time Ryan started to have desires to leave the quartet, Jackson was also feeling tired and burnt out and wanted to leave as well. I’m glad he didn’t but right before the pandemic NF4 was on the verge of collapsing

[@loosekanen]

The juxtaposition of Jake miming the audience using walkers and then subsequently making a 25-year-old FRED joke is *chef's kiss*

[@abydosianchulac2]

Hey, on both counts, he knows his audience :-P

[@justadam3186]

What is the fred joke, did they also misspell their name or something? Sorry, I hadn't been born yet :)

[@Corsaka]

​​@@justadam3186FRED was an old quartet who also stole the gold medals!!

[@Corsaka]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4e5aZ2qhtV-jtU is the exact video :P

[@loosekanen]

@@justadam3186 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpSYlWl8bs50n8k - it's the first song on that link. Also, the tall guy in FRED is Clay Hine, whose daughter Melody, coincidentally, arranged "Give Up", the song NFF did in the semis this year (and is probably in the sidebar to the right!)

[@feneb6497]

I love that I've been binging enough barbershop to the point where I understand even half these jokes

[@DarthLevicor]

HAHA SAME 😂

[@MovableNu]

Ditto! I go in and out, so I gotta do some research this weekend 😂

[@johnnybgood7649]

Patrick McAlexander Is a genius for this arrangement. So many risks and they all payed off.

[@Lozza1991]

When you realise how they must've worked together the night before, just shows how tight the relationship between performers and arranger needs to be to create something as iconic as this

[@TubaMaverick]

I am so proud of them for medaling. I ushered them backstage and it took EVERYTHING I HAD to stifle my laughter.

[@razzlejazzled]

I'd love to see a video of the backstage area showing each of the other finalists reacting to NF4's jokes about them.

[@saraalhashimi2650]

yes! 😂❤

[@MovableNu]

Agreed! 😂

[@justinborecky7702]

We can only imagine.

[@NikoPorter]

Nf4 can meme anybody out there. Have they just gotten more and more fearless as time has gone by?

[@itamarbar9580]

Yeah because they realized they're stuck in 6th place (or that's the highest they're going to get), so they started giving less of a fuck about what they can or can't do

[@SamuraiWorf]

@@itamarbar9580 actually they got 5th this year :)

[@Lozza1991]

I reckon it's got to the point where getting memed by NF4 is a mark of success

[@itamarbar9580]

@@SamuraiWorf I thought they got 3rd because some comment said they were only outdone by two quartets, so if they got 5th, does that mean that 3 quartets all got a 92?

[@Darin_Tomlinson]

​@@itamarbar9580 they had the third highest score on their final song not in the entire competition.

[@jackxbartel8070]

They really stopped going after the judges and went for everyone else

[@Lozza1991]

Sounds fair

[@CatholicQuartet]

Newfangled Four absolutely killed it this year

[@saraalhashimi2650]

This song is really the definition of pulling off the ultimate risk in the most successful way! Well done NF4 and Patrick McAlexander for putting together an amazing performance! ❤

[@Lozza1991]

Meeting audience expectations next year is going to take some work

[@abydosianchulac2]

This is up there with the Tony Award ceremony where LMM wrote a closing rap for Neil Patrick Harris _during_ the show _about_ the show. But really, how they found all those modulations after the audience laughter breaks is beyond me. OH, and why did they re-edit this video at 6:40? The full finals video with its cut to the hat already on Marcus' -hair- head was hilarious.

[@Lozza1991]

Thank you! I was wondering the same thing but didn't want to sound too picky. The editing so far has been legendary, but I think the editor did drop the ball for a moment there

[@Aliyahu]

If you listen closely you can hear them humming the starting note at each other shortly before each time they come back in

[@MeepsNcheese]

Im gonna need those people that comment what the context of each of the jokes is to get here and explain a few to me so I can laugh along LMAO Like please tell me your lore

[@Mr.Villainous2050]

We crave the barbershop deep lore.

[@ariamentio]

Jason Fieler’s (hopefully) gonna end up making a full transcription video explaining all the jokes it’s ok

[@stevekrein6824]

@@ariamentio That would be wonderful!

[@felisd]

Or at least links to relevant performances by the mentioned quartets that illustrates what they are making fun of.

[@4partharmony208]

​@@felisdBarbershop Harmony Society posted all of the contest sets. Shouldn't be too hard to find what you need, but don't stop there

[@bakasan8238]

This just further reinforces the fact I’ll be following the Newfangled Four every year. Every new upload is my new favorite performance

[@Dztbrawler]

Loving Marcus, he's really finding his groove in the quartet. Loved his and Jake's expressions during the smoke ring section haha!

[@TwoToneShoes]

NF4 were incredible this year. This and Give Up are their best work imo. Really features each member very well (which I know some people consider a negative but not me), humor was great but very musically integrated, and they sounded incredible. And I still don't think any quartet should ever be getting higher PER scores than them.

[@crying10]

I just now figured out why NF4 won’t ever win. It’s because the judges want to make sure they keep coming back every year chasing the gold because they’re a monster crowd-pleaser that brings about 64% of the crowd and make the week a party!

[@knupug]

Some of the chord structures in this piece are just outstanding. Congrats to the arranger!!

[@Lozza1991]

He is sensational

[@kneecapitator7288]

These guys just keep getting better, I'm exited to see where they place next year

[@Nintentohtori]

Doesn't medaling mean they can't participate next year? Kind of shame.

[@camberr]

​@@Nintentohtorithat's if you win. They got 5th place this year. Medaling is 1st-5th place

[@ChrisFORYST]

@@Nintentohtori Only Champions cannot participate more, so we will definitely have some more NF4 bangers next year as well!

[@avacadoufo6964]

@@ChrisFORYST I still hang onto the theory that the judges just don't give them gold so they can see them more lol

[@stereodreamer23]

Yet another spectacular performance from this unique and supremely talented group. And yet again, the judges panel stiff them. If gold medals were given out for bringing more people ( especially the younger generations!) to Barbershop, and keeping this tradition alive, vital, and relevant, these guys would have a STACK of them. They brought me to Barbershop nearly a decade ago, and I will continue to root for them every year!!!

[@saraalhashimi2650]

At least they made the medals this year! 3rd in their finals set alone and 5th overall!

[@seanmcgrady8688]

I have no idea what's going on, but they sound great.

[@marystroud9293]

They’re great! You’ll love them. I did the very first time I heard.

[@QuentinNeill]

Casual visitor here, need a cheat sheet for all the inside jokes… amazing performance!

[@TheMadwomen]

If we had to guess, we think part of the joke is that they're singing in the style of the artists they're referencing.

[@oliverdelica2289]

@@TheMadwomen that's true for First Take's bit. Jackson did their thing where the tenor would sing in full voice above the lead or the post usually the 3rd

[@seanmcgrady8688]

@@QuentinNeill I've seen each NF4 video, but some of these jokes are very niche. I hope someone makes an annotated video relating all the in-jokes I've missed.

[@emilciapaa9077]

7:29 just have to add this phrase. They improved so much!!!

[@4snekwolfire813]

5:03 is just so nice to my ears, the "sixth" hits so perfectly.

[@codenameu.arctos3747]

holy crowd reaction batman! 2nd Loudest I've heard the crowd on any of these recordings. 1st being their song before this.

[@ThespianGamr]

The previous year they were measuring the decibels of noise in the room at different parts and the loudest it got was during MCCs Swanset performance

[@hampus7474]

@@ThespianGamrLate reply, but what do you mean by MCC Swanset? I have no recollection of such a performance from last years’ convention.

[@adam._.4579]

i can't believe they brought back the 9!!! my jaw dropped

[@Lozza1991]

They did warn us in Barbershop Cliche

[@DianeCasanova]

Do you mean they finished in 9th place?

[@Lozza1991]

@@DianeCasanova No they brought back the brass "9" that they used in Nine People's Favorite Thing then re-used upside down when they got 6th

[@Lozza1991]

@@DianeCasanova They finished 5th this year

[@saraalhashimi2650]

I was waiting for the 6/9 medals to make an appearance the whole week (I really thought it was gonna be in Wishing Boot funnily enough) and I'm so happy we got it!

[@markrains8764]

These guys are the Caitlin Clark of barbershop... I watch a NF4 video, then go down a barbershop rabbit hole trying to figure out who the heck Three and a Half Men are -- and enjoying great music along the way.

[@oliverdelica2289]

Caitlin Clark of barbershop 😂 Love your analogy 🥳🥳

[@aaronjohnone]

I can't say if they will ever win but these guys need to be award something because they have brought so many fans to this.

[@Lozza1991]

Does BHS have a hall of fame?

[@aaronjohnone]

@@Lozza1991 I don't know. I can think of groups that should be in that hall but don't know if they do or not.

[@jaylordlobaton1030]

@@Lozza1991BHS Has a Hall of Fame. Each District within BHS also has their respective Halls. Tom Gentry and Aaron Dale were inducted this 2024!

[@Lozza1991]

@@jaylordlobaton1030 Thank you!

[@FDeeKay]

I think They’ll never win. If they win then they wont be able to compete as the same quartet in this competition, and they are the magnets for new fans to get into barbershop

[@crying10]

No group can win gold more than once but NF4 has won People’s Choice gold the last 7 years ... Go Four!

[@ChrisFORYST]

Everything is possible when you have Everyone's Tenth Favourite Lead. :D

[@PCFDD]

Erfd, is happy to be here, you know..

[@aloysiuskurnia7643]

7:30 holy heck. They're *locked. in.* If only it was not interrupted by Jackson it will get a lot of "wooh!" from the audience

[@hampus7474]

Sunday night social getting tenth place makes this absolutely golden!

[@Bowling_Dude]

yeah I lost it when they did the Erfd reveal. that was hilarious 😂.

[@Aliyahu]

Care to explain for the uneducated?

[@itamarbar9580]

​@@AliyahuI have a feeling this is supposed to be related to FRED, the original comedy quartet that did the "we stole the gold" joke, but I don't really know.

[@saraalhashimi2650]

@@Aliyahu FRED (the quartet they're referencing) did a parody of L-O-V-E where they were trying to spell their name with the letters under their hats and they keep failing at it. ERFD was one of the failed combinations that came up during the song.

[@abydosianchulac2]

It's also skating close to a euphemistic swear if you gloss over the R.

[@Aliyahu]

Thanks Itamar/Sara!

[@johndavid9376]

The final song I did not know that I needed in my entire BARBERSHOP LIFE from laughing out loud in that venue! Thank you Patrick so much for this arrangement!

[@CatholicQuartet]

The jokes were immaculate! NF4 NEVER gets old

[@jesperfahlberg8419]

THAT FIRST TAKE REFERENCE WAS SO GOOD!!!!

[@jsunshinejull]

I like the facial hair this year. It's really fun watching these guys age at exactly the same rate as me...

[@crying10]

These guys are the greatest ever, I don’t give an ERFD what anyone else thinks!

[@juanmendez102]

what dose it stand for?

[@Lozza1991]

@@juanmendez102 It's a messed up FRED. The routine with the hats was lifted from a 1997 performance by FRED singing L-O-V-E.

[@joshmore7175]

I have a feeling the NF4 will go down as the most overlooked band. They should have so many more medals than they do

[@smswiere]

Is it just me or has Jake's range extended down lower? He sounds fantastic!

[@collapse4789]

I actually got to meet Jeff Oxley at an Oklahoma Districts contest a little while ago. My stepmom is best friends with his wife, and so he recognised me as my dad’s kid. He thought it was pretty cool that I sang with the society, and I got to shake hands with the rest of Clutch. Very cool!

[@protostargaming3972]

Thank God they finally changed the thumbnail

[@oliverdelica2289]

I don't like the aspect ratio though. Why they made it 4x3?

[@wendybrown500]

It’s is so hilarious and sounds fantastic!!! Give Up is my favorite song from this contest. MadHatter from The Ladies is also spectacular!

[@Lozza1991]

This one is amazing but my vote goes to Give Up also, and Wishin' Boot

[@wendybrown500]

@@Lozza1991 That’s funny I didn’t love Wishing Boot, but that’s just me. I can see why others would love it.

[@Lozza1991]

@@wendybrown500 It took me a couple of times through, then it just got into my head. I really like the more casual performance they did at Heralds of Harmony & Westminster afterglow

[@KTSpeedruns]

Few years ago I saw a comment about how parody/comedy songs don't do well in the highest level of competition, so this struck me as extremely bold. But they took it steps above where I thought it was gonna go. So, [SPOILER], 3rd in the night accumulating to 5th overall is amazing for what they've been able to do.

[@camicomchom2769]

Sunday Night Social *did* get 10th place. Prophetic.

[@zackfountain7024]

I think this the first time I've heard Jackson full voice a high B!!

[@oliverdelica2289]

I swear i thought yooo i didn't know he had that in him 😂

[@saraalhashimi2650]

Best Alex Corson impersonation too! 😂❤

[@oliverdelica2289]

He sang a full high B in Stonehenge

[@thatmagicstore]

They reused the 9 prop! Love it

[@magdalenejackson5375]

This is the most hilarious barbershop song I've ever watched. The bit about Smoke Ring was so funny.

[@greenday61892]

"If they are allowed to do this so are we" is one of the underrated lines of the competition for them! I justifiably see a lot of "go on... pick it up" but this one is like RIGHT up there with it for me

[@jsloanhpi]

True comedy ‘shop superstars with legit vocal chops (and other performance skills) to back up the funny.

[@WilliamAiken]

6:54 I love how the hat is barely on the Afro 🤣

[@gke8]

I just found these guys and I can’t stop smiling

[@Joelabramson-y5c]

New Fangled Four are a super group. They recognize quite a few quartets. After listening to all the groups I find them very refreshing never know what to expect. Now a take on Piano Man

[@alexcannon-microdot]

Only on my tenth listen did I realise they weren't singing "contest was only for dads"

[@gregoryforsterjr8365]

Absolutely fantastic! Whoever came up with that arrangement in such a short time, much less NFF learning it to such high quality is genius. Bravo, fellas!

[@TheBigManCann]

2:33 HAHAHAHA, OH MY GOSH… IVE NEVER LAUGHED THIS HARD!!!

[@oliviermahieu3705]

Care to explain the joke please ? :)

[@oliverdelica2289]

They imitated First Take quartet doing a tag

[@abydosianchulac2]

Including Jackson getting on his knees to be the much-shorter tenor of the group.

[@itamarbar9580]

Can someone explain what Marcus says there? I can understand the joke, just not the line he says.

[@danevans4705]

@@itamarbar9580”they would be champions if the contest were only for tags”

[@Selichan42_SA]

IT'S BACK!! also love the new thumbnail

[@ldbarthel]

How much last-minute rearranging did they do for this? Phenomenal performance!

[@Lozza1991]

They say they had prepared 12 or 13 likely contenders, but they had to add two on the night following the semis that they hadn't anticipated

[@RubyAlternate]

I often come back to this video specifically to listen to the chords at 2:35 UGH they're so good

[@examper22]

Barbershop Competition crowds are the Darts Competition crowds of singing.

[@saigasounds3181]

8:56 Ah yes, yet another barbershop inside joke that i'm out of the loop on. Can someone tell me what an "ERFD" is?

[@Lozza1991]

Came from an old performance by FRED (the quartet that was referenced for stealing the gold medals) singing a parody of L-O-V-E during which they revealed the letters in their hats to spell FRED and then got them mixed up.

[@saigasounds3181]

@@Lozza1991 haha that’s fantastic, thanks for the explanation

[@aloysiuskurnia7643]

Now this one needs some explanation video 😅

[@saraalhashimi2650]

Jason Fieler, do your thing! 😁😂

[@Lozza1991]

Wait for it!

[@kathrynnield7447]

I don't care where you finish - you are the BEST in my books!!! Love this performance!!!

[@mahoganyflagpole6877]

One of the performances of the contests for me! They had the audience roaring! Such a hilarious idea for a parody executed so masterfully, as to be expected!

[@timriley3004]

Love the FRED vibes you guys have!

[@BigChrisKenney]

I've been following this contest for about three years now. I am always amazed at how performances are scored. I'm, again, usually amazed by the final scoring.

[@Nintentohtori]

They really did not take any prisoners this year.

[@spook9106]

Lets go the video is back up!

[@oliviermahieu3705]

Can anybody explain to me the joke about the Gimme Four at 2:04 ? "They look and sound half of their age" with the voice break

[@alistairwall5470]

They way Gimme Four sing is very forward and bright, and relatively high. Give them a watch, they're great.

[@oliverdelica2289]

Their voices are relatively too light for my taste but they have good arrangements

[@dylanlettin]

that afro tho im so jealous

[@justadam3186]

That overtone!!! 9:22

[@Nordryd]

I had no idea this was 10 minutes long

[@jamiesmith8220]

My new favourite NF4 song, congrats on the medals :D

[@gloriouslyimperfect]

11/10. Will be on repeat. I haven’t laughed this hard at a comedy group in quite awhile.

[@linkkling]

new newfangled four video dropped!

[@rpf2451]

6:17 is one for the books 🤩

[@Haru-wx4wp]

9:07!!!! That ring is fantastic!!

[@kyle-silver]

Absolutely unreal

[@elrondosocha8575]

That chord that started with Marcus🤌Fly high my bari brother

[@locidog]

I love that I only really come here to watch NF4, and really have no idea what the jokes are but still love the performance.

[@tcsmagicbox]

That was ingenius!

[@giseledollinger5046]

Chills on their last chord watching the recording - I can't imagine what it was like live! 💖💈🎶

[@michaelprescott9202]

Amazing

[@matthew2193]

I love the hope in Jackson's eyes at 7:42 xD

[@deadlydeathed]

erfd mentioned

[@BuisnessBacca007]

Ten minutes of NF4? Yes please!

[@musicaltheatrefan2k226]

2:36 FALSE TAG… SO-OMETIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimes… SIKE

[@faustorubio3225]

Can someone explain to me the First Take joke? I'm not a native English speaker so I don't always understand what they're saying. Thank you in advance!

[@seandouangaphaivong94]

First Take has big fans in the audience who hope they have gold in the bag. Well we're sure that they could be the champions if the contest were only four tags. Basically saying that First Take is only the best at singing tags

[@alistairwall5470]

A "tag" in this context is the end of the song, similar to a coda in classical music. The joke is that First Take are very good at singing very loud and very high tags.

[@nikkireigns]

5:54 why is this not the thumbnail

[@abydosianchulac2]

Too much of a spoiler

[@Lozza1991]

@@abydosianchulac2 Plus given the controversy that has blown up BHS probably didn't want to poke that bear here as well

[@abydosianchulac2]

@@Lozza1991 Was this pose from Air Conditioner?

[@Lozza1991]

@@abydosianchulac2 I don't think so specifically, I think they were just going for the vibe (?)

[@abydosianchulac2]

​@@Lozza1991Oh okay, phew. Otherwise yeah, imagine if this cismale quartet got away with something SR were censored for...

[@rainingblades13]

Anyone else spam F5 the last few days while the video was temporarily available because of KZbin's SESAC dispute?

[@ariamentio]

Yep, so glad I can watch it again

[@GC12345]

All FRED references are welcome.

[@TJHaynes-sh8cm]

I’m not used to not seeing the transcriptions underneath 😭

[@KuwaywayLogic]

theres a few ways this can go either they will continue to walk up the leaderboard or the judges will give em 5th for the next 3 years. However this set placed 3rd so hopefully they get at least 3rd next year, much love NF4

[@WilliamAiken]

Gotta give it to them for the commitment to give EACH quartet a full analysis and include it in this set. INCREDIBLE!!!

[@timchambers5242]

There's a lot of jokes missing context when watching this in isolation.

[@redstrat1234]

You can only get away with what Newfangled do if you're of the highest quality.