Author Topic: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)  (Read 811100 times)

Offline Emkay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 14295
  • Total likes: 376
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Where I ought to be
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1100 on: March 09, 2017, 06:20:32 AM »
Not after he came out of the closet...
But before that, I did listen to him.
As far as Jewish is concerned, if the singer is frum, then it's Jewish for me.
Let's head further down the rabbit hole. What defines someone as frum?

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1101 on: March 09, 2017, 06:23:13 AM »
if hes keeps the Torah and believes in it (that includes not being "alternative lifestyle" etc) and he identifies as frum, hes frum.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline johnshek

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 129
  • Total likes: 9
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1102 on: March 09, 2017, 06:28:19 AM »
Let's head further down the rabbit hole. What defines someone as frum?
Well what about ivanka?
I know, i know...

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1103 on: March 09, 2017, 06:30:06 AM »
Well what about ivanka?
I know, i know...
Does she believe in it and generally keep it? If she does, then she's frum. (She might be over aveiros, but it doesn't change the fact she's frum)
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline johnshek

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 129
  • Total likes: 9
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1104 on: March 09, 2017, 06:31:57 AM »
Does she believe in it and generally keep it? If she does, then she's frum. (She might be over aveiros, but it doesn't change the fact she's frum)

Well what about ivanka?
I know, i know...
But I'm not sure you know...

Offline Yehuda25

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 6069
  • Total likes: 78
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 9
    • View Profile
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1105 on: March 09, 2017, 07:37:49 AM »
Let's head further down the rabbit hole. What defines someone as frum?
obviously there will be different definitions, in my circles being frum means keeping shabbos
“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”


― Aristotle

Online aygart

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 17399
  • Total likes: 14339
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
    • Lower Watt Energy Brokers
  • Programs: www.lowerwatt.com
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1106 on: March 09, 2017, 08:48:28 AM »
What determines what a "jewish song" is? is it enough that the person singing is jewish or has a beard? And or it the content and even if a non jew sings it its still a jewish song?
so, my Rav recently got asked that in a q&a session. A summary of his answer was - there is so much out there, trying to pick out the good from the bad (I think here he was referring to claiming certain non Jewish songs are muttar) is like picking out a needle from a haystack. Therefore you need to make a geder for yourself. A good place to start is by only listening to singers that are erlich and frum and look somewhat like yourself:)

Otherwise he said it's a slippery slope
It is a judgment of intent. It is similar to what I have said in the past about the gemara which says that Shir Hashirim puts on sack cloth. Everyone has the right to interpret it together with their spritual advisors, but it definitely means SOMETHING. SOmeone in that business has to have SOME definition of it and some geder where they will not go because of it. The issue is when it is totally ignored.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline YitzyS

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2015
  • Posts: 5552
  • Total likes: 13697
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood, NJ
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1107 on: March 09, 2017, 09:55:52 AM »
Not entirely the same subject, but upthread I quoted R' Matisyahu Solomon about listening to Goyish music. Very interesting Shita, might be worth checking it. (Sorry but can't pull the post up on this device.)

Offline TimT

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 20K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 22077
  • Total likes: 7130
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 12
    • View Profile
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1108 on: March 09, 2017, 10:05:46 AM »
Not entirely the same subject, but upthread I quoted R' Matisyahu Solomon about listening to Goyish music. Very interesting Shita, might be worth checking it. (Sorry but can't pull the post up on this device.)
Yehuda57: The standard thinking of most people is "if you're going to use a Goyish song, it's better to be open and don't hide it". But it's not so simple. R' Mottisyahu Solomon Shlita says (it's printed in the book "With Hearts Full of Love") that there's nothing wrong with listening to a Goyish song if it's a real song ["the things we hear by Chasunos today is not music- it's a bunch of random noises that sound like they're from the Africans in the Jungles"] AND if you don't know the source of the song! But, if when you hear the song you think about the Goyishe guy who composed it, or foul lyrics that were originally set to the song, then it's forbidden to listen to it! Ad Kan Leshono. So according to this, it would be much better to stay in the dark and believe that it's a Jewish song.

Offline chaimmayer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2011
  • Posts: 1200
  • Total likes: 24
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: florida
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1109 on: March 09, 2017, 12:44:46 PM »
Well what about ivanka?
I know, i know...
She sings?

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1110 on: March 09, 2017, 02:24:34 PM »
Would your Rav approve of Y-Loves music?
...no one says its black and white,
lol

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1111 on: March 09, 2017, 04:27:00 PM »
Here is my full updated LTV review from Yidwise (Yidwise.blogspot.com):


Showing posts with label album review. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Lev Tahor, "LTV" (review by TheAsh)
Album: LTV

Released: Feb 22, 2017

Style: Pop/Soul/Folk

Lev Tahor, a boy band/pop group generally recognized as one of the more innovative groups in Jewish music, recently released their fifth album, LTV, their first in 12 years. Lev Tahor, consisting of Gadi Fuchs, Ari Cukier, and lead singer Eli Schwebel, has previously released two a capella albums and two regular ones, and counts in its repertoire the hit songs "Im Lavan Garti" and "Moshe", both off their fourth album, which attained bestseller status in the Orthodox Jewish community. Additionally, Schwebel, who is often credited with giving them their distinctive sound, released in late 2014 a solo album entitled Hearts Mind, which included the wildly popular single "Yagga". On LTV, the group's voices have matured quite a bit, and on many tracks they seem to leave their old musical style behind in favor of more contemporary pop-style songs than the hartzig harmonies on earlier albums. In fact, one gets the impression that this is really two albums in one: Lev Tahor 5 (the 'older style' tracks like "Avdecha" and "Birchas Hachodesh") and Eli Schwebel 2 (the 'pop style' tracks like "Gam Zu" and "Simchas Beis Hashoeva").

LTV includes seven new songs and five songs which are either covers ("Hallelu", "Mr. Tanner"), rereleases ("Dror Yikra"), or remixes  ("Yaggapella", "Don't Stop Giving Love"). The two real stand-outs among the originals are "Meheira" and "Gam Zu". "Meheira", my personal favorite on the album, first seems like your stereotypical Jewish slow song (with a piano low part, string-section high part, and even the words of "Meheira" - how much more stereotypical can you get?), but Lev Tahor's beautiful harmonies and excellent rendition renders the song an instant classic (yes, cliche, but when a version of "Meheira" is that amazing, it deserves the cliche). The song features Lev Tahor's voices at their very finest - Schwebel in particular is masterful here - and it would not surprise me if this song was recorded at the time of their fourth album. "Gam Zu", the other big hit of the album, is completely the opposite of "Meheira". While "Meheira" is your stereotypical Jewish song, strings and all, "Gam Zu" is rebellious and edgy and has original English lyrics. With a tune that wouldn't sound out of place on the Billboard Top 40, "Gam Zu" expresses the Jewish sentiment that no matter what - you guessed it - gam zu letova. Although you would not have heard a song like this on older LT albums, after the phenomenal success of Eli Schwebel's debut album (which featured all-English pop/electric rock songs) the group branched out their musical style and gave Eli some creative breathing room, and "Gam Zu" reflects that.

But while the original songs are great, Lev Tahor really catches fire when doing their own rendition of other people's songs, as demonstrated in the past with "Time To Say Good Shabbos" (an Abie Rotenberg/Journeys cover from LT4) and "Deaf Man In The Shteeble" (a David Geddes-by-way-of-Country Yossi cover from LT3). LT5's covers start with "Hallelu", a reworking of "Holiday Road" from the classic comedy National Lampoon's Vacation. While it's admittedly less annoying than the original, it's definitely not one of my favorite songs, and probably not the best cover choice. However, Lev Tahor hits one out of the park with their masterful version of Harry Chapin's classic "Mr. Tanner", which far outdoes the original. In fact, I feel this song is Lev Tahor's best-performed English song of all their albums, and that's saying something. But "Don't Stop Giving Love" shows that Lev Tahor can cover their own songs (or at least their lead singer's) just as well as they can cover others'. Originally on Hearts Mind as a slow rock ballad, the LTV version, created by DJ Dilemmachine, delivers a pop remix that far outshines the original. The other Hearts Mind song here is "Yagga", redone in an a capella version as "Yaggapella". Although mixed by a capella genius Ed Boyer (Pentatonix, Pitch Perfect), I feel Lev Tahor should have gone with themselves on this one. They have already two classic a capella albums under their belt showing that their voices and unique harmonies alone  far surpass the all-too-common 'fake-drum' a capella technique. Other groups may need fake drums as a crutch, but Lev Tahor has shown they can stand on their own, and here it simply detracts from their great harmonization and turns a great song into a merely good one.

Two songs on LTV feature other artists, "Dror Yikra" and "Simchas Beis Hashoeva.
"Dror Yikra" is a great Sefardi-style song that features Yehuda Gilden and Rivie Schwebel (Eli's father and a former Journeys member). You may have heard before - it was originally released on Harei Yehuda, an album of compositions by Gilden, in 2007. Kudos to Lev Tahor to including it, though, as most have never heard it. (If only they'd included "Av Harachamim" from The Shmorg as well.) However, "Simchas Beis Hashoeva", which features Lipa Schmeltzer, is by far the weakest song on the album. The song, although featuring the most interesting Hebrew words on the album, has a reggae-style beat that just doesn't sound good and a highly questionable intro alluding to a DJ concert in the Beis Hamikdash. I know Lipa has a penchant for pushing boundaries, but I didn't expect it from Lev Tahor. This song, or at least the intro to it, just doesn't belong on this otherwise great album.

In conclusion, although LTV is different than their other albums musically, it's still a great buy. If you enjoy Eli Schwebel's debut album or generally like more electric pop songs, you'll get maximum enjoyment of this album, but even if you don't, it includes enough of their older-style material to keep you satisfied.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1112 on: March 09, 2017, 04:36:48 PM »
It is a judgment of intent. It is similar to what I have said in the past about the gemara which says that Shir Hashirim puts on sack cloth. Everyone has the right to interpret it together with their spritual advisors, but it definitely means SOMETHING. SOmeone in that business has to have SOME definition of it and some geder where they will not go because of it. The issue is when it is totally ignored.
Actually, according to this, frum rappers and their ilk would be the best possible type of Jewish artists, as most of them write their own words instead of using pesukim. My rov actually was a  fan of Matisyahu when he was still frum for this very reason, because although my rov hated his style music he still felt theirs a big maaleh by him that he didn't (generally) destroy pesukim. He felt Matisyahu's "Chop 'Em Down" was far better than The Chevra's "Yehei Shlama Rabba" Judaism-wise.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Online aygart

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 17399
  • Total likes: 14339
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
    • Lower Watt Energy Brokers
  • Programs: www.lowerwatt.com
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1113 on: March 09, 2017, 04:40:40 PM »
Actually, according to this, frum rappers and their ilk would be the best possible type of Jewish artists, as most of them write their own words instead of using pesukim. My rov actually was a  fan of Matisyahu when he was still frum for this very reason, because although my rov hated his style music he still felt theirs a big maaleh by him that he didn't (generally) destroy pesukim. He felt Matisyahu's "Chop 'Em Down" was far better than The Chevra's "Yehei Shlama Rabba" Judaism-wise.
very true although the two are not mutually exclusive. I do find hashem melech very distasteful though
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1114 on: March 09, 2017, 04:48:43 PM »
I do find hashem melech very distasteful though
I actually felt the words in that case matched the tune perfectly (and then I find out it's a goyishe song :()
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1115 on: March 09, 2017, 04:51:41 PM »
I actually felt the words in that case matched the tune perfectly (and then I find out it's a goyishe song :()
Interestingly, Nissim Black (who rapped the reimix) told me he felt the same way, and only after he was finished recording it did he find out it was goyish. He asked daas torah what to do, and was told it was ok to proceed. all his other songs are 100% jewish, and he once turned down a request by a famed acapella group to do a song together bec it was goyish.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline YitzyS

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2015
  • Posts: 5552
  • Total likes: 13697
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood, NJ
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1116 on: March 10, 2017, 03:44:06 PM »
Thanks TimT for pulling up my R' Matisyahu Solomon quote. And TheAsh, your "revised review" is so revised, I would consider it a whole new review (albeit with the same opinions, but that's natural). It is written with the professionallism that I have never yet seen in Jewish music reviews, and I specificaly enjoyed the format, categorizing the songs instead of running through them one by one. If there's one thing that I would add if I were writing the review, it would be that the mixing/mastering is on a level that is rarely heard in Jewish Music. Every layer is clearly audible, and it sounds far crisper than the muddled sound that gets pushed into our ears when listening to the vast majority of other Jewish albums nowadays.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1117 on: March 11, 2017, 03:49:21 PM »
And TheAsh, your "revised review" is so revised, I would consider it a whole new review (albeit with the same opinions, but that's natural). It is written with the professionallism that I have never yet seen in Jewish music reviews, and I specificaly enjoyed the format, categorizing the songs instead of running through them one by one. If there's one thing that I would add if I were writing the review, it would be that the mixing/mastering is on a level that is rarely heard in Jewish Music. Every layer is clearly audible, and it sounds far crisper than the muddled sound that gets pushed into our ears when listening to the vast majority of other Jewish albums nowadays.
Thanks!
Can you please post this comment on Yidwise where the review first appeared (https://yidwise.blogspot.co.il/2017/03/lev-tahor-ltv-review-by-theash.html)? or click here: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2643391432143516200&postID=7360612968547293235&isPopup=true

(Thanks Sam Miller for encouraging me to revise and rewrite the review!)
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 210
  • Total likes: 199
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1118 on: March 11, 2017, 03:50:50 PM »
Nissim's new album can now be heard on Jmusic here https://jmusic.me/%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%94/
Tell me what you guys think! (can also be bought on Itunes)
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline YitzyS

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2015
  • Posts: 5552
  • Total likes: 13697
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 34
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood, NJ
Re: Jewish Music (New CDs, hock, and opinions)
« Reply #1119 on: March 12, 2017, 08:49:52 AM »
TheAsh: I will Iy"H do it when I get to a normal computer, which may not be for another few days...