Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy

Everyone loves to make fun of the Eurovision but at the end of the day it's very exciting to see Israel in the finals for the first time in 5 years. There's been some critique that the catchy song is entirely in English but I find it to be very Israeli-especially the lines "Mama, someone broke my heart again/ Now I'm gonna ease my pain/ Dancing on the floor". Another very Israeli element is that either on stage or on the red carpet Nadav is never really alone, he's always surrounded by his team, capturing that very Israeli feeling of "hevreh", hanging out with the gang. They're hard workers taking their roles as representatives of the country quite seriously but they also come off as a fun group of friends making sure to have the time of their life in Vienna. Good luck!!

Yaron Ben-Ami - Getting Worse

Sometimes a style of music only works in a certain type of weather and sometimes it only works at a certain period of time. The Blues have always been here in the background but it feels like now is really the genre's time to shine. Something in the political atmosphere, the yearning for something authentic and intimate, yet also refreshing and thought provoking just make it work. There are so many blues concerts popping up, mainly thanks to Nobody's Fault Productions, who are also behind this album by the talented singer/songwriter and History of Israel teacher Yaron Ben-Ami. Listen up!

Hey, people, listen to me!
(getting worse, getting worse, getting worse)
I don't have anything left here
Getting worse, getting worse
Where the green becomes gray,
Getting worse until darkness overcomes the light,
Getting worse until the night lasts a whole day-
Somebody in the end will pay!
Getting worse and there's no escape.
(getting worse, getting worse, getting worse)
Getting worse, just fill up the cup.
Getting worse, getting worse
Where they don't give any more instructions,
Getting worse until there's no more to see,
Getting worse, avoiding the word "must"-
If God doesn't want me,
So the demon will take!

It's clear to me what needs to be done:
(getting worse, getting worse, getting worse)
I have to finish this path.
Getting worse, getting worse,
Where there is freedom and liberty for all,
Getting worse until there is nowhere to fall.
Getting worse, avoiding the siege-
I don't even want to stop!

Seven maidens are singing for me:
(getting worse, getting worse, getting worse)
Six more hourse, and then I'm free.
(getting worse, getting worse)
It's already five, where are the kids?
Four directions, so where do we go?
Three steps and I'm already inside'
We're both finally face to face.
One.
Let's go.

Wasserman - Not Over

Just the right dash of optimism. Discover more Wasserman here.

Time to let go
The sun will rise tomorrow I'm sure
Follow your heart work with your mind yes it's time to let go

Before I fall asleep I've got
Myself a promise to keep
When I open my eyes it will be no surprise
Chase the thing that keeps me alive

But it ain't over
No it ain't over
It's not over, not over
Not over 'till I say so

Better days to come
As I see them coming throgh the gate
No need to hide
No need to be blind
Time to make things right

But it ain't over
No it ain't over
It's not over, not over
Not over 'till I say so

This time I swear I won't fall
And you will see I'll show them all
With no one else but myself
With blood and tears without any fear

But it ain't over
No it ain't over
It's not over, not over
Not over 'till I say so

Noa Shemer - Noa

There is no relation between Noa Shemer and the late singer and songwriter Naomi Shemer but I can understand how you can feel a special connection with someone who shares your last name, especially if that person wrote a sing with your first name. I wasn't familiar with Noami Shemer's "Noa" and I'm very glad that I discovered it. The semi-autobiographical song was first performed in 1957 by Nehama Hendel and the band Batzal Yarok, though the version most people are familiar with is the one by Arik Lavie. I personally really like Hagevatron's version of it though none are as gentle and personal as this one, taken from Noa Shemer's stunning album "Osey HaSicumim", (The Makers of Summaries).

Noa was born in a field between grass and stones
Noa was like a drop of dew
A daisy she picked in the field and from the flower
She plucked petal by petal

Yes or no, yes or no,
A thousand songs and the song of Noa
Yes or no my petals
Yes or no or maybe

Noa led him between the grass and stones
Noa kissed him with the descent of dew
And he in her eyes peered softly
And without a word asked:

Yes or no...

Noa wandered far from the grass and stones
From her curls the dew vanished
And a hundred daisies of the field are watching her
And every petal will ask:

Yes or no...

Noa is there in the field between grass and stone
A last song the dew sings for her
And all the daisies of the field with pretty crowns
Are weeping petals over her

Yes or no, yes or no
A thousand songs and the song of Noa
Yes or no alas
Noa has returned to me

Sagol 59 & Ami Yares - Friend of the Devil

There's always been something quite magical about The Grateful Dead and this tribute album shows just how universal their magic is. The album features songs by Dead carefully translated by Chen Rotem, a.k.a Sagol 59, one of Israel's leading hip-hop artists. Sagol collaborated on the album with folk singer Ami Yares for a truly heartwarming result. I love how Rotem decided to localize the lyrics, thus turning Reno into Eilat, Chino into Ramle, Anne Marie into Hannaleh and much more. More info about the translation process can be found here. The two year project was authorized by the band's publishing company and completed just in time to celebrate The Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. A perfect soundtrack to car trips, preferably on dreamy weekends across the country.

Original lyrics:

I lit up from Reno
I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night
Till the morning came around

I set out running but I'll take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

I ran into the Devil, babe
He loaned me twenty bills
I spent that night in Utah
In a cave up in the hills

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

I ran down to the levee
But the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And he vanished in the air

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
The one in Cherokee
The first one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Noa Babayof - Blue Bound

What a beautiful song. Perfect for these precious days of Spring when the weather isn't too hot and anything is possible. I remember coming across a review of Babayof's debut album quite a few years ago and being so enchanted by the cover art and later by the music itself. I can safely say that the album is still very enjoyable today though I'm more in the mood for her newer material, which has a richer sound to it. So happy that she reached her goal on Headstart and soon we'll be hearing a lot more from her. Take a peek into her lovely inner world with this mixtape which she made for Columbus.

https://www.facebook.com/noababayof

A-WA - Habib Galbi

It's the second holiday of Passover and I feel a bit disoriented. Today was a Friday though because of the holiday it felt like a Saturday-and tomorrow it's another Saturday though I'm guessing that with all of the Mimouna festivities it'll feel like a Friday. What better way to celebrate the Mimouna (other than looking at amusing pics of awkward politicians the next day) than with A WA? I know that the first is Moroccan and the second is Yemen but they both celebrate ethnic traditions which aren't always given a stage, and they're both perfect for the festive spring atmosphere.
I love how A WA isn't just a new take on traditional Yemenite music-they're a new take on traditional Yemenite music sung by women and they do so in an empowering yet subtle way. I really don't remember the last time I saw a group of women so harmonized on stage-what really adds charm is that there seems to be no ego struggle between the sisters and you can really tell that they're taking their mission of reviving women's Yemenite music quite seriously. The music may be light but the songs they are singing were sung by Yemenite women who didn't know how to read or write and singing was their only way to express their everyday distress. The songs were passed from generation to generation with each woman adding her own individual mark. This song is one of those and it was first recorded by Shlomo Moga'a in the early 60s, when the Yemenite Jews came to Israel. Zion Golan later made it famous with his version in the mid 80s and it's quite fascinating to compare both earlier versions with A WA's refreshing take on it, produced by Tomer Yosef of Balkan Beat Box. If you can't get enough of the sisters check out excellent footage from their single launch last week-it's not an exaggeration to say that they're one of the best acts in town and they're just getting better. Chag Sameach!

Love of my heart, my eyes
It is a wonder who has set you against me
He dared to eat but not be satisfied

And as the dawn rose
My love got upset and left running
My love got upset, o' people!, and I am left unknowing

Love my of heart, my eyes...

My love has made my eyes cry
He rose and left me
And there is no other love like him

Love of my heart, my eyes...

Love of my heart, my eyes
A year and a half has passed and he has not returned to me
O' people, he has left and driven me mad

Love of my heart, my eyes...

To whom can I bemoan that will understand me?
To whom can I cry that wil pity me?
Which of you will help me?

Love of my heart, my eyes...