Tal Fogel - Character Assassination

I had a good time at the Yaarot Menashe festival, probably because I wasn't expecting too much. The atmosphere was very laid-back, and there was an interesting mix of young urbanites looking for a chance to escape the city, families looking for a weekend activity, and teens looking for a bit of freedom. The festival had something for everyone, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. The concerts were enjoyable, but it was hard to find artists that were both new and exciting, artists like Tal Fogel. I didn't see Fogel's performance, so I can't say how it was, but I feel that she represents what festivals like Yaarot Menashe should be about-artists just on the tip of success who need and deserve the exposure. I think I saw her performing at Ashan Hazman's annual anti-valentine event a few years ago. I don't remember much (expected, on anti-valentines), only that I really liked her voice and her modest attitude. She joked about playing a song that was so unknown it wasn't even on youtube-which was a shame. Now she has a debut album and it's great to see her gradually gaining recognition outside of the Beer Sheva scene because with her edgy yet sensitive style it's hard to remain indifferent to her.

Where time begins to rebel
I rebel in return
Where the leg shortens
It's time to shout out loud
Out loud

A lifetime on a point in the mountain
It's the same colors, it's not seeing
Getting lost in the stream
Is drowning in still water
Just not still water

To load the shiny tools
All the way to the battle
To forget an old voice on the way
And dig the face you once loved
The face you once loved

Character assassination here it comes
This truth will hurt
My truth will hurt me
Character assassination to rise up and to destroy
This truth will break out
This truth will conquer

JoovE - Another Candle On The Cake

I guess I should be writing something about this weekend's Yaarot Menashe festival but I'll have enough to say about it next week, and I couldn't let this pearl by the very talented JoovE slip away... I love the honest lyrics hiding under the layers, not to mention the somewhat vulnerable home footage. Very nostalgic.

Casualty always strikes me down
With its unexpected games
Who will say the name first?

Simple things change their being
With every move you make
Another candle on the cake

The biggest fear remains
To pass the line and livie in chains

Maybe it's not stronger than you
But everyone participates
So where could they be?
The ones who fight for themselves
Without fighting
Anybody

Naftali Alter feat. Roni Alter - In This Place

I walked and walked
And wherever I arrived
I didn't get there
I didn't get there

And I remain in this place
With the pad and the piano and the coffee
Everyone passes here by chance
Like a short story or a monolouge in a play

And quiet in this noise
And everyone is on the edge
Waiting for something to happen
In the diminishing time
In the beauty between the pad and the coffee

And however it will be
And however it will be
No...
It won't be

I walked and walked
And wherever I arrived
I didn't get there
I didn't get there

I can't believe that it's actually raining in May. So surreal. And yet it fits perfectly with my mood and with this song. It's been exactly a week since Assi Dayan's death and it's still hard to think of him in the past tense. It really feels like with his death a part of our culture died as well. Not always a pretty part, but a vital part nonetheless. On Saturday I watched the fascinating documentary "Life as a Rumor" in which Dayan narrates events in his life starting with his childhood in a kibbutz, his experiences growing up as Moshe Dayan's son meaning that he was practically royalty, a title he struggled with all his life-up to his career as a successful actor and later as an important director, directing some of the country's most memorable films among them the cult-comedy from 1976 "Hilfon Hill Doesn't Answer" and the acclaimed drama from 1992 "Life According to Agfa". This song, written by Dayan is taken from Agfa which also includes the touching song "Daniela". To my delight I discovered the whole film on youtube and it really is an essential film for anyone interested in the conflicts of our society along with a healthy dose of existentialism. One of the most memorable scenes is when Dalia, the owner of the bar "Barby" where the film takes place (and short for the mental institution Abarbanel) is asked by her friend why she continues to see night after night Eli, a married family man. She answers "You don't understand. These three hours are the only hours in my life. All the rest are next to life, it's not life itself. Errands, procedures, go, bring, close, open. Shit shit shit". (Thank you Assaf Levnon for sparking my interest in the film and this scene). I think that this is a very important way of thinking: how much of our life is "Life" and how much is merely next to it? The two can be easily blurred in the midst of daily life. Watching this film fell for me into the category of "Life" because it affected me quite deeply due to Assi's special way of not only seeing things as they really are but also how they could be in the future and I suddenly realized that as a society we give heavy attention to the past, and also to the present, but it's difficult to look towards the future, at least in a sober way. "Let's just focus on next week" seems to be the mentality.
Maybe I'm thinking this way because I just finished reading Dahn Ben Amotz's 1973 groundbreaking novel "Doesn't Give a Damn", which tells the story of a soldier injured and becomes paralyzed from the waist down. I don't think I was mentally prepared for the dark criticism of where things are heading and this was especially heartbreaking to read as 40 years have passed and it seems that almost nothing has changed. Here is an example:
"Yigal: We need to write something...I don't know, some kind of summary-something. I went with his father to an office that deals with publishing booklets like those. They showed him all kinds of examples. He wanted good paper. The most expensive. He wanted a big photograph on the cover, but they offered him a sketch of a chopped tree. They said that it's...symbolic. They almost said "It's what people are buying now". I wanted to throw up but the old man looked at the sketch, like that, from afar and said "Yes, it's nice". It was terrible.
Rafi: Damn it! What will be the end with all this shit?
Yigal: The sun will shine, the birds will chirp...
Rafi: And the shelves will be filled with memorial booklets. I'm telling you those whores don't want peace. They're afraid to move their butt from the chair. Shaking from fear that one night the phone will ring and it will be the end. I don't know what to do. Petitions, demonstrations-nothing helps.
Yigal: There's nothing to do. There's no point wasting life on demonstrations. It's a waste of time. I want to study..."(pp. 191-192).
Understandably, reality today isn't exactly as it was in 1973 (written before the Yom Kippur War) but without a doubt this book and especially this scene fall under the category of "Life" for me.

In "Life as a Rumor" Dayan affectionally refers to Naftali Alter as his "partner in debts and creation". They worked together in many movies, Dayan writing the lyrics to songs and Alter composing them. In a touching interview shortly after Assi's death Naftali said that Assi was the "ultimate friend". At times he would spend more time with him than with his wife and kids and they were in the middle of so many projects before his death put an abrupt stop to everything. At first glance it seems like an odd pairing with their very different personalities but it makes a lot of sense and I can see how the two probably complemented each other in the best possible way. Alter has composed many of the country's most beautiful songs including "Yonatan, Go Home" and "The Same Old Tune". In 2011 he released his debut album and said upon its release: "I'm not a singer, period. But that doesn't mean that I can't sing. And along the years in which I compose songs for singers, there always hides deep inside, covered with many layers of insecurity, the desire to bring my performance to songs I composed. Regardless of the singers who performed them. I have my own intimate version and my way of playing the piano, and I'm not alone in this experience". Better late than never and there's something very simple and beautiful about the songs (five of them can be heard here and the album can be bought here) which are first and foremost a form of self-expression.
Naftali's daughter Roni is a successful singer well known for her participation in the musical group "Metropolin" but also as a solo singer. In 2010 she released her debut album "Air Pocket" and earlier this year she released an album in English titled "Go Wild", written in Paris. I somehow overlooked the winter release but now is a perfect chance to catch up, especially with the very fitting weather.

Amir Lev - Train

Amir Lev has been referred to as one of the country's finest storytellers, and for good reason. When I heard this song I felt I was travelling together with Amir easily understanding his mood. At first the images reminded me of the train ride from Tel Aviv to the South but I slowly realized the journey was much further away. It's so different from the usual encounter with the dark past that most of us face when we travel to Poland in high school. There's been an ongoing debate about these trips and how they shape our collective memory and ultimately our national identity. I personally had great difficulty, not just with the chilling sights of the barracks and personal items but also with the extremeness of it all. We had "heavy" and "light" days and on the long bus rides with all of the chatter and Bamba I kept forgetting that we weren't on a regular class trip. But most of all I had difficulty with the immense pressure to cry with my friends, something I have never been comfortable with. Looking back I realize how incredibly silly, and selfish, this was. Instead of concentrating on the tragedy I was concerned that I wasn't reacting with enough emotion. I think if I would have gone privately with just a close friend or two I would have seen things in a much different light, I would have had more time to comprehend and also to observe the fragile connection between the past and present. Amir Lev weaves strong emotions in a very gentle way. This isn't your typical Holocaust Remembrance Day song and it probably won't be heard at school ceremonies tomorrow but its music and lyrics leave a very powerful impression as well as the realization that the Holocaust is a deeper part of our lives than we think. By the way, another song which has left a surprisingly powerful impression on me is Michael Greilsammer's impromptu mash-up of Hatikva and the Game of Thrones theme, just in time for Independence Day.

On the train from the city we held hands
Factories, car lots
Later electrical power stations
And then began the fields

And we said wow when we passed the river
Wow to a tree by a boat
We got off with another couple who were surprised
That there was no shop at the station

Through the woman and scarf
Who took out mushrooms from the soil
I had to drink before the bridge
You loved me as if I built the castle

And the village is delicate and winding
A bakery out of a fairy tale
You told me to give up the meat
It is not appropriate here to eat dead animals

Glasses from the past at a second hand shop
We waited for the seller to wrap
Between the glass and the table
She sold there a yellow star

I cursed and we were silent on the way back
The train wasn't late
I noticed that it was an old train
And windowsills of at least sixty years

Shai Tsabari - Difficult at Night

Difficult at night without a person
Not good at day with people
Rising to sow in their season
Stars of nights faint lights

And the streets in the city are as an abyss
At night clumsy sadness
Difficult with people at day
At night they have no fault

Such a perfect soundtrack for a hazy Saturday like today. Shai Tsabari became a household name with the stunning "Silence Above Me", the title track of Ahuva Ozeri's latest album featuring various artists, but he had already gained himself a name of respect as a back-up singer for "Adumey Hasefatut", Berry Sakharof and Rea Mochiach's joint project as well as his work with the Idan Raichel Project. This is his first official single and while it highlights his beautiful voice it doesn't capture his endearing stage presence which can be seen here. A while ago he created a weekend playlist for Kol HaCampus and opened with this statement: "In recent years almost everyone who speaks to me about music and especially Israeli music hears the same sentence - the last decade is the best time of Israeli music I got to live in. Israeli artists young and old, from all backgrounds, are digging their roots, discovering them and renewing them, and are doing it at an amazing level of musicianship and professionalism. Different artists are taking the influences they absorb in the street or in the vast archives of the internet, from America, the Middle East, India and Africa and where not, and are making from them little diamonds. I collected a few bits like these which caught me in recent years and I added to them some of the artists which I always come back to. Pleasant listening". Tsabari's collection of diamonds is a must and can be streamed here.
This song is written by Avraham Chalfi who wrote Arik Einstein's beautiful "Adorned is your Forehead (with Black Gold)" which appears in Einstein's 1988 collaboration with Yoni Rechter "From the Songs of Avraham Chalfi". The album was recently issued for the holiday and now includes 5 unreleased Einsten tracks which can be sampled here. "Difficult at night" has been performed by different artists over the years, most notably by Israel Bright and Alon Eder, but I love how in this version despite the dark lyrics there is a whiff of optimism and comfort.

Sputnik Hi Fi - Alex Fishman

Passover is just around the corner, and with it the tiring family meal and reading of the Seder (so long, even with the shortcuts!), yet after hearing this song, I can't help but think of the Alex Fishmans keeping guard on holiday eve away from their families, guarding alone and at night, sort of in an alternative universe. It's so easy to overlook them... Sputnik Hi Fi define themselves as "Jerusalemites and Tel Avivians, veterans of the reggae scene and new believers, aged 40, 30, and 20+, natives of the country and another one. Flying high in the sky as is customary with Sputniks!" I love them. I couldn't find too much information about them, but I did come across this wonderful photo album from a concert of theirs in Jerusalem. I love how the photos really capture the listeners in the moment, and also that it's a very welcoming mix of people, something you don't always see in Tel Aviv, where every group has its own place. You can download this song as well as the dub version (starts here at 04:36) at their bandcamp page. Chag Sameach!

The guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Yeah the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders

With an old pistol, a sandwich with sausage
A volume of Borges in his bag
He goes to work at an hour when everyone
Withdraws from the night in their houses

Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Yeah the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Alex Fishman
Alex Fishman

Because the property of the shareholders
At night emits negative energy
And only Alex Fishman the brave and strong
Stands on his own for us against them

Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Yeah the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Alex Fishman
Alex Fishman

All night fighting the dark forces
For the safety of the citizens
Believing that the army and the police
Guard them from any trouble

No
Only the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders
Only the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the property of the shareholders

He keeps guard at night
Keeps guard at day
Keeps guard on Saturdays
Keeps guard on holidays

And when the night is over and the sausage is finished
The volume of Borges returns to his bag
On the quiet street Alex Fishman walks
Singing a Bob Marley song and smiling

Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the world from the shareholders
Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the world from the shareholders
Alex Fishman

Alex Fishman

And Alex Fishman doesn't receive any fame

He's used to facing the darkness

He'll just be very happy if you say thank you

For the courage and the perseverance

Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the world from the shareholders
Because the guard Alex Fishman keeps guard at night
Over the world from the shareholders

Alex Fishman
Alex Fishman
Thank you
Thank you Alex Fishman

Guarding us
Days and nights
Saturdays and holidays
Thank you very much
From all the heart

Omri Nobel - As of Today

As surprising as it may sound, I really love old school Mizrahi music style Zohar Argov and Haim Moshe. It almost always suits my mood and reminds me of when my neighbors in Be'er Sheva would throw parties on Saturday nights when I had to study. At first, I would be bothered, but it eventually became the perfect soundtrack to help me focus. On the other hand, Karaoke parties with more modern music are a completely different story... I love how Omri Nobel took Zohar's classic and gave it his own twist, emphasizing its timeless lyrics. I also love the video - even though it's sometimes more expensive than the supermarket, nothing beats buying fresh fruit and vegetables at the local grocer, especially when it's accompanied by friendly small talk. In fact, I've come to realize that finding the right grocer, baker, tailor, and hairdresser is what really makes a new city feel like home.

Every day I rip a page from the board
Sunday is sad
Monday I'm happy
And Tuesday is a new day

On which I'll lie on my back
I'll roll over on my stomach
And the mind runs
Oh...working my ass
In the mezuzah I'm a slave
And the mind runs

Every day I become from substance to dust
Sunday is black
Monday I shine
And Tuesday is a new star

On which I'll lie on my back...

Every day I wait for a good ending
Sunday almost
Monday you dissapear
And Tuesday I'm alone

And then I'll lie on my back...