Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tomer and Habsora-The way to a smile



What a precious song- perfect for introspective days. I have to admit that I rarely go to the beach on wintery days and it's a bit of a shame because there is a certain magic to it-it being so solitude and peaceful but at the same time not really. Tomer's voice is beautiful. He sings clearly and he floats with the melody and the harmonica is a perfect touch. I just discovered him by chance because he's performing on Thursday at my favourite local concert bar. I'm not sure if I'll make it to the concert (it is exam period) but I am really glad that I discovered Tomer and Habsora (translated meaning the gospel). Their wonderful CD is available on Bandcamp.

I have tickets and a head in the clouds/and it will hold me for another month at least/people are floating on colorful slides/It's so beautiful to really be there.
I have tickets and it's far in the clouds/I'll hold the entire house on my back/people are floating on colorful slides/it's so beautiful to really be there
A wave pool in an hour/it will be possible to sink and breathe/father is smiling a big smile/like a boat he'll bring me back to the shore
I have tickets and now the clouds/pass by quickly we'll arrive soon/I keep my strength like children do/they have to really be there
A wave pool in an hour/it was possible to sink and breathe/father is smiling a big smile/like a boat he'll bring me back/wave pool I am going in/now it is possible to sink and breathe/father give a big smile/like a boat bring me back to the shore
The way to a smile is covered with restraints I didn't think it would be so hard

http://habsora.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A8-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94/194284437335795?sk=wall

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Reines Girls-Keep our friends



The Reines Girls have been around for quite a while and they just released a few days ago their second album and this is their third single off of it- so far it's my favorite. The energy is great and I've always had a thing for deep-voiced singers. Plus the clip is very cute and creative. I just found out that they're named after a 70's Israeli slang referring to unattractive girls with whom guys would walk with on Reines street, a side street to the main Dizengof and that just shows how truly Tel Avivian these guys are.

Keep our friends
We'll keep our friends
Keep our friends
We'll keep our friends
Keep our friends

They'll be able to see how much we sweat
There might be cold days
They can declare that we've arrived
We can be the waiters
We can jump into the water
And decide that we give up
We can lower our eyes
Or learn how to lie
We can always be together

But come let's keep our friends
Keep our friends
We'll keep our friends

Maybe in the end when we'll be left without words
Maybe the changing seasons maybe the age gap
First of all anyways come let's keep our friends

If it turns out that by chance we'll notice only the missing things
If it turns out that we'll be tempted to taste the forbidden fruit
We can see how much we understood
There might be cold days
They can declare that we've arrived
We can be the waiters

Maybe in the end when we'll be left without words
Maybe the changing seasons maybe the age gap
First of all anyways come let's keep our friends
We'll keep our friends
Keep our friends
Keep our friends
We'll keep our friends
Keep our friends
We'll keep our friends

http://www.facebook.com/reinesgirls

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Naor Ormia-The Wind



I kind of dismissed Naor Ormia when he burst in the music scene a few years ago mainly because with his long bangs and baby face it was so obvious that he was supposed to be the Israeli Justin Bieber. I caught a few of his songs on the radio but they didn't leave a strong impression and I kind of forgot about him. But now he's matured into a young man (he's serving these days in the army) and he's definitely developed musically. He wrote the lyrics and music for this song and it seems just like what a 19-year-old should be singing about. The clip is also pretty impressive-I like the idea behind it and how it goes great with the song. Not to mention the sights of Nachlat Binyamin and the Carmel market, one of my favorite areas (even if it's a bit touristy) in Tel Aviv.

The wind on my face carries me to you
And it reminds me of moments from the past
Another moment and I'll return to your thoughts
And sometimes that's all that's left

To see you again a part of my life fulfilling dreams
How it makes me feel good
It seems that all that's left between us is just to love
To the end

It seems that we went through everything that was possible
Between us, the emotion that we have inside us didn't end it suddenly came back
It's a bit too much for us
It seems that we went through everything that was possible
Between us, the emotion that we have inside didn't end it suddenly came back
It's a bit too much for us

I'm waiting again for you to look me in the eyes
And they'll tell me in a second what you're feeling
This love has cut me into two
And it's stronger than me just waiting

To see you again a part of my life...

http://naorormia.co.il/

Oh, I came across this extremely creative and touching video by the very talented Vania Heymann and I just had to share:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aqTCq2hJOo

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Cohen's-Bonita



I love apartment parties-especially in the winter as long as it's not too packed and there's a roof to catch some cool air. In the summer, it's usually way too hot to have so many people in an apartment and then the roof becomes a necessity. Unless there are water guns and all problems are solved! I don't know much about this band except that they are two brothers who recorded their album in Seattle-which explains the out of country sound. I love the chilled back lazy feel and wish them the best of luck!

She told me what did she tell me
I didn't go deep anyhow
Oh dear when I looked
Into her light blue eyes
The craziness of Ecuador and Timbuktu I got carried away

She had plans to buy a glider and take off to the sky and space

She touched me in a brutal way
The middle of the room full of people
I ran from there
She revenged me oh got even with me
How I crumbled to pieces
Minutes and tiny ones that don't weigh anything

She had plans to buy a glider and take off to the sky and space
She had plans to ride on the back of a whale
Crazy, crazy

http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D7%9B%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%A1-Cohens/121890654561521?sk=wall#!/pages/%D7%9B%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%A1-Cohens/121890654561521?sk=wall

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Yaffa Yarkoni-In Praise of Kalia



On Sunday, with the start of the new year, the nation woke up to the sad news of Yaffa Yarkoni's passing away at the age of 86. I always associate Yarkoni with memorial days and war songs because that's how she became famous- by singing for the troops during the wars and raising their morale. Only with the news of her death I found out that she harshly criticized the army in 2002 after an operation in Gaza comparing soldiers to nazis. I understand the storm she created and the fact that many fallen soldier's families felt hurt and even betrayed, but I do admire her for bravely speaking her mind even if I don't agree with her views. She said that she wanted to be remembered as the singer of Israel not the singer of wars and I can understand. I came across a great article focusing on the other side of Yarkoni's music-the side that experimented with funk, soul and jazz. Among the tracks I'm especially fond of this one-Yaffa sounds wonderful and at first I thought it was some chill electro remix but it's actually the original from 1974 and has a truly timeless sound. Mr. Shimon Peres wrote the lyrics praising the kibbutz Kalia situated near the Dead Sea and I hope I did justice with the translation.

Behind the scenes of everything, Kalia puts on her makeup
Purple during sunset
Gray in her thoughts
Very blue in her wake
And her shores are blurry,
Dressed up in her valleys
Very far in her horizons.
A city of refuge, a region of imagination, control of the end,
A desperate hope.
Her mountains are males her suitors muscular, unannounced.
Behind the scenes of everything, Kalia is putting on her makeup.

Her smell is ancient
Her temptations relaxed
You can travel to her, but not get to her,
A jewel in the plain, a modern picture
Suddenly lit, but not ignited
Sometimes lit, but not unknown,
A landscape in reserve.
As beautiful as a woman and hiding in sadness
Behind the scenes of everything Kalia puts on her makeup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd9qP-taSes

http://www.mouse.co.il/CM.articles_item,607,209,65480,.aspx

http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=251767