Avi Newmark really hit this album out of the park. Dovid Gabay's latest release, Omar Dovid is fantastic and truly eclipses his first. Songs are arranged by Danny Flam, Yaakov Leib Rigler, Yontan Razel, Yisroel Lamm, Avrumi G. and even Gabay himself. Songs are written by Yossi Green, Yitzi Waldner, Danny Flam, Elimelech Blumenstien and Gabay.
Hagomel by Yossi Green:
The song intro is a techno of sorts and goes into a disco/hora feel.In an attempt to make it sound a bit more edgy they added a strong synth.This is certainly a catchy song and can get you up dancing fast. I really enjoyed the back up vocals which are simple but very well placed. You can really hear the rythm guitar ( by Avi Singolda) and it's mixed very well.
Rating 9/10
V'koreiv By Baruch Levine
This follow up song is a straight up disco.I was not blown away with Yisroel Lamm here, the tune lacks a bit of punch and creativity. Lamm attempts to spruce things up by throwing in some breaks.
Rating 7/10
Birchos Avicha By Elimelech Blumenstien
My hats off to Elimelech! This is a true gem of a ballad and should be the next big hit at weddings. I love the guitars on this song: so tasteful and creative. The violins and the child solist (Yosef Schick) along with Danny Flam's brass arrangements help frame this song into a true masterpiece.Yontan Razel also did a heck of job arranging this.
Rating 10/10
Yimloch By Elimelech Blumenstien
This Middle Eastern Hora is catchy but not quite groundbreaking. It has a nice break in the middle which really makes the song.
Rating 7/10
Omar Dovid By Elimelech Blumenstien
This song was branded as a modern day Tanya. These songs are not easy to write and this song falls a bit short of Tanya but still has many redeeming qualities. Gabay's voice sounds a bit thin for this chazzan style niggun but he sings it nicely especially on the high notes. The song transitions into a hora/disco and back into the cantorial style piece. Gabay sounds more at home with the faster part of this song.
Rating 8/10
Don Don By Elimelech Blumenstien
I really enjoy this intro which starts with a great rock beat with electric guitars and gives way to sax and horns with some violin for good measure.This song is very well produced. This song has a really solid rythm section and they truly play "in the pocket" here. There is a nice violin solo which is a bit different and adds a nice dimension.I'm not sure if this is the next "chazak" but it's a really great tune.
Rating 9/10
Rachem By Avi Kula
Another ballad which is not the most memorable but pleasant enough and probably too long.
Rating 6/10
Zaroh By Yitzy Waldner
I enjoyed this intro very much:it starts off with horns but moves to guitars and organ.The song starts with the shira chadasha boys choir which works well with the meaning of the song and they sound great. This disco/hora has has some really good organ licks and Lieb Yaakov Rigler did a fantastic job on this arrangement.
Rating 9/10
The Letter By Yitzy Waldner (lyrics by Ida Appel)
The tune is certainly nice but the lyrics are certainly typical of Jewish music (a bit corny?). Certainly the girls will be singing this at camps and such and perhaps that's the demographic they were looking for.Rigler does another good job on the arrangements.
Rating 7/10
Tana By Elimelech Blumenstien
I really enjoyed this hip techno tune and it caught on real fast for me. Ian Frietor did a nice job sequencing this song and it's not over the top which I really appreciate. Gabay sings more freely and explores things vocally which I enjoyed.
Rating 9/10
Nagilah By Danny Flam, Yitzy Waldner, Dovid Gabay.
If you are looking for a very authentic sephardic hora to dance to, you found it right here folks. Danny Flam was very instrumental in giving this song it's real sephardic taste and it couldn't have been done any better. When was the last time you heard an authentic darbuka recorded? Another big hit for the wedding scene!
Rating 10/10
Bottom Line: This is one of the better albums to hit the Jewish Music scene in a long time and it doesn't dissapoint. It is mixed and produced very well and has a bunch of great songs that potentially can be big hits. Certainly this album will push Gabay into the front and center of the Jewish Music scene and perhaps he will take the number one spot very shortly. Gabay is showing how he has grown vocally and certainly took more chances than previously recorded. The album is already in a second printing phase and looks to be one of the best selling album in quite a while.
Hagomel by Yossi Green:
The song intro is a techno of sorts and goes into a disco/hora feel.In an attempt to make it sound a bit more edgy they added a strong synth.This is certainly a catchy song and can get you up dancing fast. I really enjoyed the back up vocals which are simple but very well placed. You can really hear the rythm guitar ( by Avi Singolda) and it's mixed very well.
Rating 9/10
V'koreiv By Baruch Levine
This follow up song is a straight up disco.I was not blown away with Yisroel Lamm here, the tune lacks a bit of punch and creativity. Lamm attempts to spruce things up by throwing in some breaks.
Rating 7/10
Birchos Avicha By Elimelech Blumenstien
My hats off to Elimelech! This is a true gem of a ballad and should be the next big hit at weddings. I love the guitars on this song: so tasteful and creative. The violins and the child solist (Yosef Schick) along with Danny Flam's brass arrangements help frame this song into a true masterpiece.Yontan Razel also did a heck of job arranging this.
Rating 10/10
Yimloch By Elimelech Blumenstien
This Middle Eastern Hora is catchy but not quite groundbreaking. It has a nice break in the middle which really makes the song.
Rating 7/10
Omar Dovid By Elimelech Blumenstien
This song was branded as a modern day Tanya. These songs are not easy to write and this song falls a bit short of Tanya but still has many redeeming qualities. Gabay's voice sounds a bit thin for this chazzan style niggun but he sings it nicely especially on the high notes. The song transitions into a hora/disco and back into the cantorial style piece. Gabay sounds more at home with the faster part of this song.
Rating 8/10
Don Don By Elimelech Blumenstien
I really enjoy this intro which starts with a great rock beat with electric guitars and gives way to sax and horns with some violin for good measure.This song is very well produced. This song has a really solid rythm section and they truly play "in the pocket" here. There is a nice violin solo which is a bit different and adds a nice dimension.I'm not sure if this is the next "chazak" but it's a really great tune.
Rating 9/10
Rachem By Avi Kula
Another ballad which is not the most memorable but pleasant enough and probably too long.
Rating 6/10
Zaroh By Yitzy Waldner
I enjoyed this intro very much:it starts off with horns but moves to guitars and organ.The song starts with the shira chadasha boys choir which works well with the meaning of the song and they sound great. This disco/hora has has some really good organ licks and Lieb Yaakov Rigler did a fantastic job on this arrangement.
Rating 9/10
The Letter By Yitzy Waldner (lyrics by Ida Appel)
The tune is certainly nice but the lyrics are certainly typical of Jewish music (a bit corny?). Certainly the girls will be singing this at camps and such and perhaps that's the demographic they were looking for.Rigler does another good job on the arrangements.
Rating 7/10
Tana By Elimelech Blumenstien
I really enjoyed this hip techno tune and it caught on real fast for me. Ian Frietor did a nice job sequencing this song and it's not over the top which I really appreciate. Gabay sings more freely and explores things vocally which I enjoyed.
Rating 9/10
Nagilah By Danny Flam, Yitzy Waldner, Dovid Gabay.
If you are looking for a very authentic sephardic hora to dance to, you found it right here folks. Danny Flam was very instrumental in giving this song it's real sephardic taste and it couldn't have been done any better. When was the last time you heard an authentic darbuka recorded? Another big hit for the wedding scene!
Rating 10/10
Bottom Line: This is one of the better albums to hit the Jewish Music scene in a long time and it doesn't dissapoint. It is mixed and produced very well and has a bunch of great songs that potentially can be big hits. Certainly this album will push Gabay into the front and center of the Jewish Music scene and perhaps he will take the number one spot very shortly. Gabay is showing how he has grown vocally and certainly took more chances than previously recorded. The album is already in a second printing phase and looks to be one of the best selling album in quite a while.
11 comments:
Great job with the review!
Thanks
good review. we both liked and disliked a lot of the same things. But overall I think this is one of the best CD's (of this genre) to come out in a very long time.
Great Review!
Thanks for the great review. I am sorry to rain on all the praise, but I found the CD (aside from 2 songs, the first and omar) to be boring and very unimaginative.
I guess you are a music maven, so perhaps you 'hear' things like production and mixing. For me, a regular jewish music listener, it is nothing special.
Loved it!
Anon sorry that you didn't enjoy it
but fortunately for Dovid Gabay your in the minority. No one can please everyone I guess:)
Aryeh,
Yours wasn't too shabby either :)
Lol, thanks - but i have to say, that im generally not the biggest fan of "mainstream" jewish music. But Newmark must be doing something right because im loving this and Spinners albums.
Aryeh, my review of your CD just went up and I'm 90 percent done with my Gabay review. Both very different but both great CD's.
Anon,
When every one likes it that tells you something. It also tells you something when you are signed in as "anon" - its sad you can't appriciate a good album when you hear it. Unless it's personal for you ...
Songs are written by Yossi Green, Yitzi Waldner, Danny Flam, Elimelech Blumenstien and Gabay.
You left out Avi Kula
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