Indie rock with a soul
A. Pogany | Brooklyn | 04/07/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"wow. wasn't quite sure what to expect here. Cantorial solos, Afro-pop horn lines, and lead singer Jeremiah's obsession with the blues meld into a sound that's genuinely unlike any other on the scene today--Jewish or otherwise. Jeremiah performs like a man possessed. i want the LP!"
Very... ah... interesting
avid reader | 06/02/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The music is absolutely fantastic -- high energy, creative. A definite original groove. What I didn't care for was the vocals, and this is purely personal preference. Several of the songs are traditional jewish songs, sung in (I assume) hebrew (or would it be yiddish?). It's not a sound that I am used to.
The other thing I didn't care for was a few 'short stories' intermixed. They are original stories. They are read in a low, kindof whispery voice that I found rather... disturbing. The stories and some of the songs are in english.
I simply didn't "get" this music. I'm sure I would love an instrumental recording from this group, but the vocals just didn't work for me."
Much more than "Innovative Jewish music"
Mark Colan | Medford, MA USA | 05/28/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"It's interesting that the Product Description for this album does not mention an important fact about this music - that it is based on traditional Jewish songs, and a good amount of the songs are in Hebrew (the rest in English).
That does NOT pigeon-hole this album into a "type" that you can dismiss - although that is probably why it is not described in those terms. The music is a modern mix of alt-rock or art-rock playing with a healthy dose of World Beat sound, and (on many tracks) supported by various horns and a violin. And it rocks! Except for a couple of tracks that are spoken word.
The origin of the music gives it some important characteristics - lots of minor chords; unusual chord progressions and rhythm structures; some interesting breaks; at times dissonant. In some ways it reminds me of middle-period King Crimson albums, and like KC, I think this album would be good played loud on a good stereo. But it is complex, which for casual listeners may make it less than accessible. I suggest you give it a few listenings before you decide what you think of it.
If you think you won't enjoy music whose lyrics you don't understand (not a problem for me), then read the lyrics and translations on the band's Web site, swaymachinery dot com.
For me, 3 stars is a solid, good album, and that's how I rate this one."