No Better Cause

Best Bet
L. Kent Wolgamott
Lincoln Journal Star

The boys of No Better Cause have made their best record yet with "Sanctuary."

It's a gospel recording that takes classic spirituals and more contemporary compositions and beautifully arranges them for the quintet's a cappella/human beatbox lineup. The result is gorgeous, uplifting music that celebrates the human voice while praising the Lord.

Among the highlights: "Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho," with lots of beatbox action giving the music a propulsion; the beautiful, harmony-drenched title cut; and the soulful one-two punch of "Oh Happy Day" and "Immeasurable." But there are no dud tracks anywhere on "Sanctuary," a disc that showcases the vocal gifts of a great collaborative group.

No Better Cause will release "Sanctuary" on Saturday night with a show at St. Mark's United Methodist Church that's also a benefit for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life.

The doors of the church at 84th Street and Pioneers Boulevard will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $10 for individuals, $25 for families and will be available at the door. A silent auction also will begin at 6:30 p.m.

All proceeds from the door and the silent auction will go to Relay For Life. And be sure and pick up a copy of "Sanctuary" if you go to the show. - Lincoln Journal Star

No Better Cause to release Christmas CD
by L. Kent Wolgamott -- Lincoln Journal Star

Fresh out of the pressing plant comes "Perfect Peace," a gorgeous Christmas CD from No Better Cause.

The five-man a cappella group put their vocal harmonies and human beat box percussion to eight classics, including "Little Drummer Boy," "Silent Night" and "The First Noel" and add a pair of originals to what is the first full-length holiday recording I can remember from a Nebraska act.

The originals are superb.

A "Perfect Peace," written by the Sadson Production team of Lucas Kellison and T.J. Saddler, turns their soul stylings back to gospel while Kellison's "World Stops," is a Christmas song about stopping hate, helping those less fortunate, praying for peace and, importantly, continuing to pursue those things throughout the rest of the year.

And you're not going to hear better takes on songs like "O, Holy Night" and "God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen" than the exquisitely arranged, coolly surprising, passionately performed versions delivered by the faith-rooted ensemble.

No Better Cause will be performing at Friday and Saturday at Hope Community Church, 4700 S. Folsom St., to release "Perfect Peace."

As anyone who has seen the group can attest, No Better Cause is spectacular live. So these are likely to be two of the top Christmas shows in Lincoln.

And you can pick up a disc that you'll play throughout the next month and for years to come.
- Lincoln Journal Star

No Better Cause describe themselves as a "five-man pop/rock/funk/Christian a cappella group out of the heartland of America, Lincoln, Nebraska." Although there are some very fine covers on their debut CD "Arrival," notably Sade's "Smooth Operator," Kansas' 'Dust in the Wind," DC Talk's "In The Light," a unky, rhythmic "Rock My Soul" and Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove;" some of our favorites among these 13 songs are originals, "Q-U-E-E-N," written and composed by group members Lucas Kellison and T.J. Saddler, the powerful "Times Like These" (which won "Best Original Song" at the the 2005 Rocky Mountain Harmony Sweeps Regional), "Valentine," "The Way It Should Be" and "If God Is My Witness," written and composed by group member Nate Kellison. Strong vocal percussion, fresh, innovative arrangements, first-class original material, rich, sweet harmonies—there's a lot to like here. Fast-rising nbc has delighted audiences all across the Midwest, and the aptly-named "Arrival" tells us they're ready to join the elite American Contemporary a cappella groups. - Primarily A Cappella

No Better Cause is an award winning pop/soul/funk vocal band hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska. Through a combination of jaw-dropping performances and innovative studio musicianship, their music has put them on a national platform since their humble beginnings in 2002. With a unique assortment of both original songs and uniquely arranged covers, No Better Cause is guaranteed to deliver a show that people of all ages can appreciate and enjoy, whether it be of a rock, pop, funk, soul, jazz or gospel influence... and it's all done using NOTHING but their voices! (These boys are GOOD! Take a listen to the sound files and see for yourself.) - A-Cappella.com

For the procrastinators out there, it’s almost last-minute Christmas shopping time. For me, it’s the final opportunity to plug some Christmas-related stuff, starting with the best local holiday record I can remember hearing.

No Better Cause released “Perfect Peace” on Dec. 6 and, rightfully, the five-man a cappella group’s superb Christmas CD has been flying off the shelves.
Now they’ve hit on a unique way to get the disc to even more people and to brighten holiday shopping for those who turn up in the right place at the right time.

No Better Cause has rented some floor space in Westfield Gateway Mall from today through Sunday.

Beginning at 6 tonight, the boys will perform a short set at the top of the hour through closing. They’ll be back at 9 a.m. Saturday, performing off and on until 2 p.m., and then returning for more little sets between 5 and 9 p.m. They’ll follow a similar schedule Sunday.

No Better Cause packed two shows at Hope Community Church a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t make it there, but environmental/science writer Al Laukaitis raved about the first of the two shows. No Better Cause is an excellent live group, impressing with its harmonies and human beat-box percussion. Christmas music is perfectly suited to their style.

The Gateway performances will be their last shows before Christmas. So if you’re headed out to do some of that last-minute shopping this weekend, you can catch a free show by one of Lincoln’s top groups and, if you’re impressed (as is likely), you’ll probably end up taking home “Perfect Peace” as well. It’ll be $15 well spent. - Lincoln Journal Star

No Better Cause is an award-winning pop/soul/funk vocal band from Lincoln, Nebraska. These 5 young men use nothing but their voices to create a full, rich sound on this collection of Gospel, Spirituals and Contemporary Christian tunes. NBC's strong vocal percussion and cutting-edge arrangements are clear on cuts like "Ride The Chariot," "Shut De Do," very funky takes on the spiritual "Wade in the Water" and "Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho," "Awesome God," the finger-popping "Oh Happy Day," "Immeasurable," "Shine Down," and "Goin' Up A Yonder." Their soulful side comes through equally strongly on "People Get Ready," the title tune, the inspirational hymn "It is Well With My Soul," "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" and a beautifully arranged "Doxology." We like No Better Cause's energy, sweet harmonies and their spirited mix of driving, rhythmic pieces with slower, soulful hymns. Fifteen well crafted songs, where the Contemporary Christian message matches the vocals and vocal percussion in power and clarity. "Sanctuary" is wonderful stuff from talented, fast rising No Better Cause! - Primarily A Cappella

by L. Kent Wolgamott – Lincoln Journal Star

“Arrival” has arrived, and it’s spectacular.

The latest CD from No Better Cause, “Arrival” is full of gorgeous pop/soul with some shadings of funk, jazz and gospel thrown in for good measure. And everything on the disc is done with the human voice or body.

One of the top a cappella groups in the country, the Lincoln quintet is fresh off playing a series of well-received shows at the Illinois and South Dakota state fairs and will be closing the SouthPointe Pavilions’ Summer Friday Nights Live Concert Series with a 6:30 performance tonight that is also the release show of “Arrival.”

With Michael Evans supplying the vocal percussion, AKA beatbox, the other four members beautifully intertwine their voices on original songs written by brothers Nate and Lucas Kellison and on a selection of covers that displays the talent and versatility of the group. The Kellison brothers, both of whom sing tenor, take the lead on most of the tunes with T.J. Saddler, who mixed the disc with the Kellisons adding his tenor, and Bill Catlett anchoring things with his bass tones.

No Better Cause is as amazing live as “Arrival” is in the CD player. Don’t miss this show – the price, as in free – is right and after you hear the group, you’ll want to take “Arrival” home.
- Lincoln Journal Star