Music Review: Avodas Tzedaka for A TIME

Now that the 3 weeks are over we take you to our regular programming schedule of music and music reviews. Shloime Kaufman has produced an album, Avodas Tzedakah composed exclusively for A TIME. A TIME is the premier, internationally acclaimed organization that offers advocacy, education, guidance, research and support through our many programs to Jewish men, women, and couples struggling with reproductive health and infertility. The album features vocals by Shloime Kaufman and features many guest appearances by Abie rotenberg, Dovid Gabbay, Baruch Levine, Michoel Pruzansky, A.K.A. Pella. Songs.

1) Avodos Tzedaka composed by Yitzy Waldner

The title song is the first song on this release featuring vocals by Shloime Kaufman. The idea seems to be to grab your attention as soon as you hit play. This is a very heavy hitting song with a lot of brass ( arranged by Danny Flam of NYBrass.com) is very pleasant and they back it off a bit in the middle with some nice harmonies with Shloime singing harmonies with himself. It's not ground breaking but a very solid song.

7.5 out of 10

2) Yigdal composed and arranged and performed Boruch Levine

A ballad that would make a nice chupah song escpecially as an instrumental. Not quite on the level of V'zakeini but enjoyable.

8 out of 10

3) Kol Yisroel composed by Yitzy Waldner performed by Pruzanskay

This song was a bit surprising to hear to me. It's a sampled type of arrangement that might remind you of the ace of base with a newer hip hop/r&b vibe. It's certainly not a typical song the beat can grab you and the vocals are cute with Shloime and Pruz bending notes with electric tinges added to their vocals for effect. It just seems to be missing a third part perhaps but a cool concept.

7 out of 10

4) Min Hamaitzar composed by Yitzy Waldner performed Dovid Gabay

A Ballad sung by Dovid Gabay I think the song is pretty good but I think the arrangement is a bit bland. Gabay's vocals sound clean and he belts it out on the high part which is great.

7 out of 10

5) Ivdu composed by Shloime Kaufman guest performance by Shalom Jacobs

A retro song in a straight up frielach style very simple arrangement. If you like songs that are easy to sing like carlebach this is your tune.

6.5 out of 10

6) Aishes Chayil Composed by Yitzy Waldner

Shloime sings this ballad by Waldner very well. It has some nice arrangments but probably won't make your top 10 since it's missing a great hook but that's just me.

6 out of 10

7) V'yizku composed Baruch Levine

A (Yeshivish) rock tune starts of with a nice choir and moves into vocals by Shloime belting out
the title of the song. I enjoyed the electric guitar soloing here and in the intro the second time around.

8 out of 10

8) Habita composed by Yossi Muller featuring AKA Pella

Hudi Greenber and Avi Stewart both solo and Shloime I believe joins in too on this ballad.
This is a great kumzitz tune and I think that perhaps that's what they were aiming for here.
Nice harmonies and an arragement that's not overdone here.

8.5 out of 10

9) Sunshine In The Rain composed by Yitzy Waldener Lyrics by Bella Levitan
Perfomed by Abie Rotenberg and cast

This contemporary ballad was written for the organization A TIME and talks about the pain people with issues of infertality go through, not a typical topic for an english song. The arrangement and vocals are truly excepetional and could rival the contemporary song you hear anywhere. If you understand what this song is about, you can't help but be moved by it.

11 out of 10 (no not a typo)

10) Sameach composed by Yitzy Waldner
I enjoyed this hip hop/funk/hora style song. It certainly has a nice groove and the harmonies are fun. They were going for a very contemporary hip hop/ r&b style and I think they nailed it.

9 out of 10

11) Yevarachicha composed by Yitzy Waldner
Another ballad featuring Shloime Kaufman. A pleasant tune but again not earth shattering.

6 out of 10

12) Sunshine In The Rain Bonus Track featuring AKA Pella and Shloime Kaufman
A great song and a great job by Shloime and AKA Pella fantastic!

11 out of 10

All in all this was a very enjoyable album (listen to the free sampler here) that should give you plenty of new enjoyable material to listen to, so go out and buy it!