Time for a new year

You may have noticed I have been gone for a while. If you didn't, you probably don't read this blog. In that case, why am I even mentioning it if you're not reading this! It has been a crazy whirlwind from the summer until now, and the whirlwind isn't over, but the thick of the storm is.

Since the summer, I've had a baby boy, my first child. Helped run a day camp. Had some of the toughest college courses to date and now, moved to Chicago from New York. And now, the job hunt begins. Must...get...out...of...the...house. Plus, I have to make a whole new set of friends here in Chicago, because I don't know anyone. Finally, I'm stuck in the middle of golus-ville with my in-laws for the time being, where there are only a minyan of frum jews. Why? Because I have to find a parnassah before I find an apartment. Oy, lets hope Yom Kippur davening worked.

Back to music. Apparently Chicago is a little hefker this year for sukkos time. The only concert this sukkos is the chabad concert featuring Mendy and Sruly Werdyger. Really? That's the only concert in a huge city of frum yidden? Skokie is having there first ever simcha beis hashoeiva with hometown orchestra, Evan Shisea. I'm not sure what else is going on, because I'm not familiar with the area.

Shalsheles 5 is very very good. I'm going to try to find the time to write a review for it. Mizumen is definitely not for me, but I'm sure there are people out there who will appreciate the music and lyrics on that cd. Mendy Werdyger I'm not going to even touch, because I know that I don't appreciate that genre of music. I'm trying to stay away from the typical chassidishe music, because the horn instruments give me headaches.

I know that Michoel Pruzansky's third album should be out sometime this year. It's called MP3 (clever). Personally, I would like to here some more Aryeh Kunstler styled music out there. A little change of pace would be nice.

Stay with me here on this blog for unbiased reviews and less advertisement posts.

Shalsheles 5 first impressions

When I heard that the group stayed together, despite the fact that Simcha Sussman, whose in my mind, the top vocalist, moved to Eretz Yisrael, I was very pleased. Although, I would have like to have heard Shloime Kaufman as a new member of Shalsheles. That's fine, the album is still great!

Shalsheles still has the same music and they managed to twist it once more to sound new, yet familiar at the same time. The voices are very refreshing and the tunes are spiritually uplifting, unlike most music available today.

I like that they included Aryeh Kunstler into the mix of talented arrangers. I love the arrangements he did on his new album, Our Eyes Are On You. It was a great pick and a terrific way to branch out towards the alternative Jewish music genre, which I hope continues to grow.

My favorite part of this album is the lack of horn instruments. Unlike the majority of Jewish music, Shalsheles stays away from the overbearing noises of horn instruments. People, they are not meant to be abused. If I want to hear horns, I'll go to a wedding, keep my albums and my person listening clear. If you want to throw it on a few songs, fine. But horn instruments are not mean for the whole album. (Of course this is my opinion - the benefit of having a blog :D).

My favorite song as of now surprisingly enough is track 10, Mi She'asah. When I heard the preview, I thought it sounded kind of funky, but in this case, funky is good! I love the harmonies on this song and the different sound it brings to the album. I feel like I would normally hear this type of song on a Lev Tahor album, you know, with Schwebel singing "AHOY" in the background, but it's great to hear it on Shalsheles! The last minute and a half of this song is so cool with the added choir.

So far, I love the whole album, we'll see if some songs start to irk me over time, but right now I have Mi She'asah, Meheira and Ashrei Ish on playback.

Go listen to it for yourself! http://www.mostlymusic.com/shalsheles-volume-5-13327.html

This album is sure to be a classic!