Less a difficult second album than an extended cover version, this well-deserved sequel is content to hit the same notes as its predecessor, occasionally going off-key. The formula is essentially the same: bawdy comedy, sisterhood bonding, and a college life entirely focused on performing pop standards in a barbershop-plus-beatboxing style (personally it makes me squirm, though clearly there are plenty of takers out there). And of course there’s another all-important a cappella competition for Kendrick and her misfit posse to work towards, following Fat Amy’s on-stage wardrobe malfunction, which gives president Obama an unintentional “gift from Down Under”.
Wry lines like that are counterbalanced by some misfiring comedy, especially when it comes to the Bellas’ new rivals, a German troupe, who, in the manner of 70s sitcoms, are perfection-oriented and given to heavily accented renditions such as Zis Is How Ve Do It. All right, it’s funny for a while, but add in the one-note characterisations (the Latina member talks only about disease and crime) and a pretty flabby plot and, well, it just about works, but it’s a long way from perfect.
