New Jewish Album Review: Pi-Shnayim

As I promised here is a full review of the recent debut of Pi-Shnayim.

The album features the vocals of Aryeh Pearlman and Sholom Jacobs.

Arrangements by Moshe Laufer

The album features 11 songs composed by Yossi Green, Moshe & Eli Laufer and Avram Zamist

Songs:

1) Ani Mamin: Moshe Laufer

A simple catchy type disco tune. It seems to lack a certain drive and these words have been used a million times.The bass in the mix seems a bit low but maybe that's just me.

Rating: 6.5

2) Kirachem Av al banim: Yossi Green

This is a very haunting and beautiful ballad. Piano intro is a perfect fit and the arrangements are simple and very effective. The arrangements and melody really fit the words which is not so usual in mainstream Jewish Music. Nice background vocals but I would have liked to have heard more complex harmonies between the Aryeh and Sholom. The tempo picks up at the end of the song into a slow oompah ( frielach) style and speeds up until the end. IÂ’m not certain why they felt the need to speed it up but that'’s the song. Interesting to note this so does not have the typical dynamic of ballads with a low and a high part.

Rating: 9

3) Ata Sakum: Yossi Green

A moderate ballad. Features a nice saxophone intro by Scott Krietzer ( one of my favorite recording saxophone players). It may feel a little strange hearing these words sung so slow after hearing them for a long time at simchas at a much faster tempo. The low part is simple and nice. You can tell Yossi Green was trying to come up with a less typical high part. This may be one of the better harmony songs for the duet.

Rating: 7.5

4) Gal Anai: Yossi Green

This is a moderate frielach/disco tune. Yossi Green pulls some new words from his song hat.
The tune is bit boring but has some excellent arrangements that pick up the slack. I really like
wah wah (guitar) on this song as well as the saxophone and sythn that play a bridge on this song.

The song ends with a fast swing/klezmer

Rating: 7

5) Ribon Olamim: Yossi Green

Once again some new words: always nice to see that. The words and arrangements: once again a great fit. We hear some nice but simple harmonies from Aryeh and Shlomo. High part is really nice and Hartzig .

Rating : 8

6) Simcha L'’atrzecha: Eli Laufer

Intro features some interesting synth and horns on this disco song. The harmonies and feel of the song remind of Avraham Fried ( not sure why except Laufer arrangements). The song has a decent groove the melody lacks some good hooks however.

Rating: 7

7) Ka Ribon:Yossi Green

This ballad features some real crystal and crisp vocals by Aryeh.

Rating: 7

8) Boruch Ata: Yossi Green

You can tell Yossi Green was going for a real catchy tune. It feels a bit retro but the repeating of words may be disliked by some.

Rating: 6.5

9) Im Atem: Yossi Green

The only time I heard these words sung, were by MBD. This song starts as a slow ballad and requires some patients to listen to as the beginning starts with stretched vocals (almost cantorial style but not quite). It then goes into a tempo change ( another tempo change?) becoming a moderate frielach.

Rating: 6

10) Ribono Shel Olom: Yossi Green

This song starts off with vocals by Sholom Jacobs and features some nice harmonies.

Rating: 8

11) Harachaman: Avram Zamist

This song features an intro with flute and rhythm acoustic guitar which is very tasteful and simple.The melody has more retro feel and has a nice bridge with some sax and electric guitar. The melody has a anti-climatic moment where itthe melody becomes just vocals and acoustic guitar. It then blows back out for a full press jam session.Sholom Jacobs pushes for a harder sound toward the end. I would have liked to have heard some harder drum hitting and more jamming but alas.

Rating: 8




Synopsis: All in all not a bad album and certainly worth a serious look.

Filed under:Jewish,Jewish Music,music,religious music,Judaism.