Here is my review of Lev Tahor's new album LTV.
Just a short warning: LTV is a particularly interesting album in some ways because it's actually 2 albums in one: Lev Tahor 5 and Eli Schwebel 2, which is fine, as I did enjoy Eli's first album. However I do wish that there were more Lev Tahor 4 style songs.
I will first review each track individually and then the album as a whole, first using a 1-5 star system (similar to Amazon) followed by my individual opinion.
(Note that the cd includes no PDF thus I am unaware who composed which songs.)
1) Hallelu - 3.5/5. LTV starts off on a fun note with Hallelu, a song which is quite enjoyable the first few times and then becomes extremely annoying. Also it sounds extremely similar to "Vacation Road" from National Lampoon Vacation. One things for sure - this song will be stuck in your heard. For like, forever. (or so it feels to me.)
2) Lecha Dodi - 4/5. C'mon, did we really need another tune to Lecha Dodi? But the song is very solid. This is also a definite Lev Tahor song and not Eli Schwebel 2.
3) Gam Zu - 4/5. A great song. But definitely not a Lev Tahor song. This is pure Schwebel.
4) Shoovi - 3/5. An underwhelming Eli Schwebel song that tries too hard to be catchy.
5) Avdecha 3.5/5. With Avdecha, we're back in Lev Tahor territory. It's a decent slow song with a boring low part. But with a high part that really delivers, it hearkens back to old Lev Tahor territory.
6) Simchas Beis Hashoeiva - 0/5. This song is atrocious. Seriously atrocious. A bad shatnez of Eli Schwebel and Lipa, the song sounds really terrible. But what earns this song a zero rating is the despicable intro alluding to a Simchas Beis Hashoeiva\concert featuring a DJ and Lipa - in the Beis Hamikdash!
7) Birchas Hachodesh - 4/5. A great Lev Tahor slow song. But the tune and the words are very generic. The harmonies, though, are uniquely Lev Tahor.
Yaggapella - 2/5. An acapella remake of Eli's hit single Yagga off his solo album. I was so looking forward to this song, expecting a return to the old Lev Tahor acapella harmonies. Instead we get a bad version of A.K.A. Pella-style computerized drums which is not going to be on anyone's playlist this sfira. The one redeeming factor is the gorgeous harmonies of Lev Tahor in the high part, which, without the awful beatboxing ruining everything, would be drop-dead stunning! I really hope Lev Tahor rereleases another version of this song before sefira without the computer drums.
9) Dror Yikra - 5/5. Our first 5/5 song. I hope you didn't give up on this cd just yet, because Lev Tahor is extremely talented and is just getting started! This song is beautiful, both in singing and arrangements, and has been on repeat in my house since I bought the album. It's also Lev Tahor in a different style than usual, more like their second album than their fourth. A great song.
UPDATE: Someone told me this song was released a while ago, on Harei Yehuda. Either way, an amazing song. (I wonder why they didn't include Av Harachamim from the shmorg then?)
10) Mr. Tanner - 5/5. I don't know where they found this song, but Lev Tahor just released the next big English classic in the Jewish world! This brings back memories of The Ninth Man and Throw Away Your Hammer and is absolutely gorgeous! Eli in particular really outdoes himself on this one. Vintage Lev Tahor!
11) Don't Stop Giving Love - 5/5. Another remake of a song on Eli's solo album, this one is amazing. This song particularly surprised me, because I did not enjoy that much the original version of this one and I don't generally enjoy computerized DJ remixes. However Lev Tahor really outdo themselves here, with a great remix that is far better than the original. However this is most definitely an Eli Schwebel 2 song, not a Lev Tahor.
12) Meheira - 6/5! Did we really need another Meheira? And the answer is YES!!!! This song deserves six out of five, and that's what it gets! This song is vintage Lev Tahor, and sounds like it came straight off their fourth album. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if this song was recorded right after Lev Tahor's fourth album, or was a reject of it. In either case it's a great song, and if you're an addict looking for your next Lev Tahor fix, this is your song.
Overall Album: 4/5.
Lev Tahor's new album comes off with a disappointing start, but the final four tracks more than make up for it. The album is definitely worth the $11. However, when compared to the sparkling-gem Grammy-level album that was Lev Tahor 4, LTV, with the exceptions of Mr. Tanner and Meheira, fails to deliver. Overall, though the album is well worth buying, and especially compared to the other new Jewish albums, LTV is far superior. (well I dont know about 8th Day's but the three songs I heard samples of were quite underwhelming).