As I mentioned there is a new comer to the Jewish Music scene and he brings some Yiddish with him. The vocalist is namely Shloime Gertner. Here is my review of his debut album:Nisim
Composed by: Yossi Green
The intro starts with a new age feel and moves into a disco with a lot of wah wah guitar.This is the title song and it usually means they think it’s the best song on the album.The tune is not bad but it doesn’t really bring anything new. The exception is the yiddish rap by Yossi Green which I don’t really care for. It’s missing an excitement element and perhaps live would sound better jazzed up.
Rating 7/10
Kodesh
Composed by: Yossi Green and Shloime Gertner
This pretty ballad is dedicated to Shloime Gertner’s daughter who was born with disability challenges. There are some nice chord changes and some nice piano playing Yaron Gutfried.
Rating 8/10
Im Ein Ani Li
Composed by: Yossi Green
This is techno style tune. The low part is really nice but the high part doesn’t really have a great hook or dynamic to continue the song. The low part seems to be the focus.
Rating 6/10
Shmeichel
Composed by: Menachum Krauss
A fast swing intro with some echo guitar introduces this very cute yiddish song. Might remind you a bit of the intro to inspector gadget.The yiddish song moves into some english lyrics as well.
Rating 8 ½ /10
Rachel
Composed by: Yossi Gurwitz
Another ballad not really all that memorable and nothing new here.
Rating 5/10
Rak Rak
Composed by: Sheya & Avrumi Berko
This is middle eastern meets new age techno. It’ an interesting concept with some digital vocals. It then goes into a straight ahead sephardic feel hora.
Rating 7/10
Hashem Tivneh
Composed by: Pinky Weber
Intro makes you think it’s a ballad but goes into a moderate oompah frielach. Shloime sounds really good here but the song lacks some excitement.
Rating 7/10
Mehairah
Composed by: Yossi Green
This moderately was arranged by the guitar player Avi Singolda and sounds more contemporary. To be honest it sounds like a couple of songs combined into one.
Rating 6 ½ /10
Yishoma
Composed by: Yossi Green
Another techno arrangement by Ilya Lishinsky. The song introduces some digitized vocals for Shloime that sound solid. The chord changes are a bit strange in my opinion.
Rating 6/10
Hoshivo
Composed by: Pinky Weber
A ballad faturing a mens choir arranged by Dudi Kalish. Nothing particular to note here.
Rating 5/10
Lefichach
Composed by: Eli Laufer
Eli brings some fresh sound to this song rock frielach he composed.The dynamic however is not the best and it doesn’t really have a great hook.
Rating 7 ½ / 10
Yehallelu
Composed by: Pinky Weber
This moderate frielach is introduced with Singolda signature sound guitar.The song is going the route of shiru lamelech. It’s a nice tune and perhaps would grow on you after a while.
Rating 7/10
Shma Bni
Composed by: Yossi Gurwitz
A very contemporary intro with guitar and sax. It starts with a child soloist Chaim Stern.This song has a nice feel and when he sings with the child soloist they have some really nice harmonies. This hands down one of my favorite songs on the album.
Rating 9/10
Synopsis: Shloime played his vocals a bit safe and he has 13 songs when some should have been cut and leave in the better songs . The album ends on a very solid note but he would have benefited from some more memorable tunes.
17 comments:
Boy do we disagree on this one. I'm holding off on my review because I'm still getting to know the last third of the album. I agree Shma Bni is one of the best on this CD, but I'm shocked you had such an unfavorable opnion of the rest of the CD. I was really impressed at how diverse the songs and the arrangements were.
sI think Shloime did play it safe with his voice, but I think that was smart and kept it honest. This is one of my favorite new CD's to come out in quite some time and I think it's way better then Shwekey or Ohad's CDs.
I'm with Chaim here. this cd was brilliant. A nice mix of styles, with extremely tasteful (funky) arrangements.
Though its true, the vocals are nothing spectacular, he has a very pleasant voice and at least he doesn't do any annoying, kvetchy shtick!
I agree, better than Ohad and Shwekey.
Chaim it's not unfavorable. It's just not the best thing since sliced bread. He has some good tunes but certainly has fillers. It will be interesting to see if any of those albums will have hits that actually are played for more than a year.
HEY JB why don't you put an RSS Feed on your blog? This way I can see when you've posted something new.
Thanks.
I think it's important to give credit where credit is due. you know I'm the first one to come down on jewish music too hard or criticize. But I think even though his actual vocals aren't anything out of this world. He still has a great voice and the music, the style, the arrangements, the diverse flavor, the NON cheesy modern songs. This was something breakthrough in the market.
It blows both Shwekey and Ohad (and Miami's newest) out of the water, because it's fresh and unique and you can feel that he really tried to make a powerful CD. He wasn't just putting something out there because he has to ala the previously mentioned groups.
He wasn't just putting something out there because he has to ala the previously mentioned groups.
No one was saying he was and yes it was not cheesy. I just wasn't taken away by the tunes themselves. He has some solid tunes and some funky things and for some that might be enough but I want great tunes.
Anon..your wish is my command look under the ad on the left.
Thanks
Hi Jewish (can I call you Jewish?)
First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry that you're mad at me. After all, there aren't a whole lot of Jewish Music blogs around, and to go around starting up with the few that there are is certainly not my intention. So even before that first of all is this first of all: thank you for your blog, I really do appreciate it.
Next.
I don't see any anonymous pot-shots here, so I couldn't take credit for them even if they were really good (which I was hoping for. After all, what's better than a good comment with no name on it to claim as your own?) But I also want you ti know that if I ever post a comment on somebody's blog, I do it with my full screenname, which has built into it a link to my very own blog. I don't do anonymous. I hate when people do do it. I think it confuses the conversation.
And lastly, even though we're being best friends forever now, I still don't like the way you review albums. I think a problem that we have is that the people who do reviews are mostly musicians, who listen to a CD and hear different things than the average listener. The average guy doesn't care if the chord progression is old or new, if the bass and the drums compete or coincide. He cares about how the CD makes him feel, how he reacts to it. Every person that I've spoken to about this CD says it's the nicest thing they've heard since who knows when. In my opinion, a review in our business should be a recomendation, or the other thing. It should be a clear, concise opinion about whether you think I should go out and spend $15 on this. Bichlal I believe that there should be a panel of music "Rabonim" who either give a Hechsher to the quality productions, or hold back their Hechsher from the garbage that is clogging the lines. But untill then, I believe that this is our job. If people look to you for your opinion on a CD, give it to them clear, not in codes that they need to discipher, or however you spell that word.
And, I agree with you that Shma Bni is a very great song, especially the last minute or so. Man that is great.
Ah Freiliche Shushan Shushan Purim!
Mad I'm not and if you say your not that anonymous dude ( who I deleted) that's cool.I don't really mind if you don't like the review process since I'm not looking to get everyones approval. I don't consider myself a hardcore musician since I only sing professionaly and I can't site read music or anything like that. It may come as a surprise to you but there are people in my office that feel as I do that the niggunim on the album are so so but there are a few strong ones. The few people that you "spoke to" don't reflect the entire Jewish music buying population. Ultimately how many albums the guy actually sells is a testimony to a job well done ( usually anyway). I think your idea of "rabonim" is a very bad idea and even if you had your way it would not deter people from buying "garbage" if they want it.
Ok, so we're not going to be BFF? Bummer. I sincerely thought that the few people that I "spoke to" reflected the entire Jewish music buying population. How do you like that? Live and learn.
And I still like my idea. I think the same should be done for Yeshivas. There should be a quality standard that you have to meet in order to receive this Hechsher. Of course if you don't get the Hechsher, people can still buy your CD, or go to your Yeshiva. I just think that if such a panel were set up, and it became a popular thing, there would be a lot more premium placed on putting out quality instead of puting it out because your aunt told you you sing nicely. You don't have to be on the panel if you don't want to be.
Uncle, ( can I call you uncle)
I'm not saying the idea is horrible, it just wouldn't have any impact the same way they tried to enact that you could only 5 musicians at a wedding it just didn't work.
I'm not trying to institute a real heavyweight, rabbis and all panel. I'm talking about an online page where a guy can go to see if the new Ari Goldwag CD was found worthy, by this panel of "mavinim", of the Royal Stamp of Approval. It wouldn't be a Halachik thing or even something sponsored by people in the Music business. Just a bunch of guys who get together and vote on every CD that comes out (and maybe even before it comes out) to see if it is in the "Good for Jewish Music Club" or if it's in the "Bad for Jewish Music Club." That's all.
i listened to gertners cd around 40 times and have quite a lot to say.
NISIM
although it doesn't bring so much of new stuff it's gonna be a huge hit played at weddings etc. the english part makes the whole song very exciting. excellent arrangement!!!
KODESH
beatiful, out of the heart, with great yossi green vocals
IM EIN ANI LI
fun to listen too, it's awesome how you can hear shloimes smile during the song
shmeichel
lipa style - but more exciting and different tunes/melodies.
i have heard shloime live several times - he's amazing to listen to and i think he's even better in real then on this awesome cd!
I also tought Gertner played too safe in his vocals. He has to be more dynamic, exciting - there is a lot of room to improve there. But you know what, Yehuda also started boring and he improved increadibly with the years. Maybe the same thing will happen to Gertner.
hey where can i listen to the songs or download the cds...??
Hi
Sorry if this is wrong place to leave this, but I could not find other.... please will you look at this and give feedback. These are two Rabbonim from Manchester UK performing what we thik is outstanding and different Jewish Music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH8l5ce0F3E
enjoy!
This was the best album I've heard in a long time. You tremendously underrate im ein ani-awesome song and shima bni might be one of the best songs EVER.
Post a Comment