This is the second album for The Shira Chadasha Boys Choir. I didn’t listen to the first album, and I didn’t really follow anything about them until recently. I started seeing them listed as backup choirs for albums. Here is a list of the albums they aleared on. Shwekey’s L’Sheim Shamayim. Moshe Mendlowitz (Kol Mevaser), Yochi Briskman’s Project Relax with Daskal, Simcha Levistein 1 (who is also in the choir) and the group from Ari Goldwag, Shevas Achim, which featured the Bell boys, also in the choir.

The place they most recently made an impact on me was Dovid Gabay’s 2nd album, Omar Dovid (see review here.) I loved that song, Zaroh, and the fact that it had a kids theme, with kids on it was pretty smart. I thought that the SCBC did a great job on that song. Fast forward to YouTube, they released a video for a song on the album, months before it came out. That is not a bad way to promote the album. I say that because this officially hooked me onto this choir. That song was really great and upon uploading it to my YouTube page it received over 22,000 views!

Then a few weeks ago Baruch Levine’s CD came out, and I was surprised (and happy) to see that the SCBC appeared on 5 songs on the album! It was a great way to get in the mood for their actual album release. I’ve been listening to this album for the last three weeks straight. (Thanks to an advance review copy.)

If I had to describe this group I’d say they are closer to old school Miami then anything else. There are hints of Tzlil V’zemer (Areivim Zeh L’zeh) and a few hints of London (Silent Scream), but ultimately they feel very 1980’s Min Hashamayim Miami Boys Choir. Which is great because todays Miami Boys Choir is kind of on the downs. (Anyone have any word on their newest album??)

I’m going to try to stay away from the YBC bashing, but to just address it lightly, I don’t think there is any toichen to YBC. The choir just doesn’t have any depth, and that is in large part due to the generic quality of Eli Gerstner’s songs. Yerachmiel Begun’s material and style had some real personality, the songs he composed from the 70’s-late 80’s are all winners. I really hope his new album is a return to that style. What Yeshiva Boys Choir has done is capitalize on Miami’s lack of hits in the later 90’s and early 00’s and of course the absence of any other real competition helped their popularity.  YBC is cute, and they have popcorn songs, but it’s not real.

Yes, there are a lot of fun songs, and they do cute shtick but just take a look at any of their live shows, they aren’t disciplined and it’s kind of chaotic. It’s more about the shtick then the songs. I’m not saying the need to be as strict or conservative as Yerachmiel Begun is with the Miami kids, but something something more in the middle of the road would be nice.

Enter The Shira Chadasha Boys Choir. My new favorite Jewish choir.

Let’s move onto the music part of this review. First of all, because a lot of people ask, most of the kids in this choir are American. These are kids from American families that now live in Israel. Something I think adds to the flavor of the album, because there is a certain passion that the kids exude, that I think comes from living in Eretz Yisroel.

Here are the members of the choir:

Simcha Levinstein, Mordichai Rayten, Coby Hirsch, Yisroel Assuli, Binyomin Kuly, Pinchus Belzberg, Menachem Zevi Levinstein, Nachum Bernstein, Yisroel Kornfeld, Eli Barzikai, Michoel Hool, Moshe Bell, Chaim Kenig, Shmully Bodenheim, Yaacov Leebhoff, David Steinberg, Avi Saffer, Fuki Saffer, Yona Schoemann, Daniel Ray.

This is another good thing about the choir, only 20 kids, which I think makes the choir sound tighter. Last I heard YBC had some where around 50 kids, which is probably why they always sound so all over the place. (Ok, no more YBC bashing … probably.)

As usual, too much exposition, not enough actual album review. Let’s get this rolling already.

There are 13 songs on this album, another plus. I really hope we’re done with the days of ten songs or less on an album, for 16 dollars a CD (and sometimes more) we should get our money’s worth.

The album opens up with a song appropriately titled Shira Chadasha, the song is composed by Elimelech Blumstein. (Read my interview with him here.) It’s  a really great song, which fits as the perfect opener and makes good with the lyrics introducing the group. The music is really fantastic. My first comments is that if no one else has said this yet, Singolda is the king of guitars on all Jewish albums. He is to the guitar what Yaron Gershovsky is to the piano. There is good, and then there is Singolda.

The next song is the title track, Areivim Zeh L’zeh. The song opens with an adult choir, and what sounds very strongly to me like Ari Goldwag, yet he isn’t listen in the credits or in the adult choir. Earlier I was saying the choir does have hints of Tzlil V’zemer, this song would be the number one reason why I’d say that. I like the song, it’s a fun song, with some old school throw backs. (See 3 minutes and 15 seconds, which sounds very much like Tzlil V’zemer Volume 7, Be the Best You Can Be.) The song is nice enough with the English and Hebrew, I don’t think it needed the Yiddish, especially because its a very Yeshivish yiddish which is not at all what I’m used to.

Ok, from Tzlil V’zemer to Miami. This song, the one that has the video, Yerushalayim. This is really beautiful song, and this feels very old school Miami. The arrangements are very typical of an older Miami CD. The harmonies are beautiful and the music really stands out. The song is very emotional and it really just carries itself well. There are some very well done arrangements in this song. The song is composed by Schnuer Steinberg. All the soloists sound great especially Bell and Levinstein.

Al Tistakeil is the 4th song and is composed by Shaya Cohn (info anyone?). The energy in this song is just great. It sounds like the kids are having a really good time. I like the “bah ein bah!” parts a lot. This is the type of song I’m talking about when I say old school Miami.

Song 5 is an English song, it’s titled “Silent Scream“, I’ve got mixed feeling about this song. The subject matter is very nice, it’s a strong song. The arrangements are done bye Leib Yaacov Rigler, which in it of itself makes the song standout.

The problem I have with this song are the lyrics. It’s about Chana getting drunk and asking for a Bracha to get pregnant. It makes me very uncomfortable when a kid is singing about that. Lyrics like: “And I’ll consecrate him to serve in G-d’s home ..” and “.. She asked Hashem why was I created? If not to be the mother of a child?” It’s an important story, which holds strong messages, but it’s just not meant to be on a kids choir CD.

(NOTE: As a few people have pointed out, Chana Haneviah was not intoxicated. She was merely whispering her prayer and was mistakenly accused. The Gemara explains that this is why Eli Hacohen Gave her a bracha, in order to rectify having suspected her falsely.

Although my statements wasn’t really about her being drunk or not, it was more about saying how its funny to hear a kids choir singing a song where a lyrics are “if you’ve drunk …” , I was saying the whole story is odd subject matter for young kids.)

Avraham Yagel and V’haer are two rocking fast songs. Avraham has some nice synthesizer stuff going on. V’haer is more rocky. The music is superb in both, I’m reviewing both of these together because I usually listen to them together, even when I skip around. They are both composed by Nachman Seltzer

Yismichu is an ok song, although it isn’t one of my favorites. I think the chorus is the best part of the song, but there are some clever things going on the arrangements. Plus the kids sound great, there are some outstanding soloists on this album.

Song #9 is Mehaira, it’s a little Caribbean style, fun song, but also not one of my favorites.

After a couple weaker songs, song #10, Ayei is huge. This is yet another old school Miami Boys Choir style song. The music is beautiful, and the soloists really nail the song and the melody. This is hands down my favorite song on the album, I’d take Yerushalayim, this song and Yizkerem (coming up) over half the slow songs on most Jewish CD’s today. The arrangements are so well done, so patient, so mature. The song will give you chills.

The last few fast songs were nice, but I didn’t really think they were stand outs. After the mega hit Ayei, comes song #11 Rashi Omer. This is a great song, the beat is well paced, the lyrics have a lot of kick to them and the kids sound great. This song is also composed by Nachman Seltzer.

Song #12 is called The D’veykous melody. I really like this concept, as I liked it on Baruch Levine’s album. I really feel like you are getting your money’s worth. New songs are great, they are the lifeblood of an album, but it’s a nice bonus to have a medley of such classic songs.

The closing song on this CD was not actually composed until after the CD was completed. It was composed after the attack on Yeshivas Mercas Harav. The song is called Yizkerem and for me at least this goes back to what I was saying at the start of this review. These kids being in Israel, experiencing all this first hand really adds an emotional layer to the song. It gives both the kids and the album depth and realism. It’s a beautiful song which will really sit with you. The English at the end is also a nice touch.

Final thoughts. This is a great CD,  and if you are going to take a risk on one album this year, get this one. Let’s face it, we all know what we’re getting with Lipa or Yeedle and Baruch Levine. Of course they will be great, and you’ll enjoy them, but this to me is a nice surprise. You can purchase the CD here at Mostlymusic.

From FrumSatire.net

Another week, another giveaway.

Life Of Rubin is excited to offer you, the readers another Free CD giveaway.

Simply enter your name and e-mail address below, or e-mail me at lifeofrubin@gmail.com, and you could be chosen to win a brand new signed copy of Lipa’s “A Poshiter Yid” CD.

One entry per person, IP’s will be checked.

You don’t have to do this to qualify for the raffle, but please enter your favorite Lipa song along with your entry below. This contest will end Friday (7/4/08), when a winner will be selected.

To purchase a copy of Lipa’s new CD go to Mostly Music.

To visit Lipa’s website go to LipaSchmeltzer.com

UPDATE: It seems a lot of my more Chareidi readers are concerned with leaving a comment with their name. Feel free to email me with that information.

UPDATE II: Contest has ended.

Tzipi Caton, the youn Author of “Miracle Ride”, a book we reviewed here - has a new article up at Aish.com, check it out here.

This is a public service request to all beard wearing Jewish synagogue attendees.

Whoever the guy is who is putting his beard hairs in the Shul’s Siddurim, Chumashim and other Seforim, please stop. I can’t tell you how disgusting it is. No, really, its gross, please stop. If you are trying to be a holy Jew carry a ziplock bag with you, put them in there, take them home, and put them in all the Seforim in YOUR home.

OK? Got it? Good. Oh, and to everyeone else, Gut Voch. I’m almost done with the Shira Chadasha Boys Choir 2 review, and the Lipa review will be toward mid week.

Avraham Fried and Benny Friedman, along with others singing some of the songs of the Friedman Family Zaydes Zmiros CD.

(I don’t know the names of the other members of the family there, so if anyone wants to email me their names I will add them.)

(HT JMR)

Chabad Father and Son working on third album. Click here to download a sample.

It’s official, Vega, the stubborn Crown Heights precinct chief, is gone. I wrote about this awhile back, but I think they pushed it off to make it seem as though it was on his terms. I’m sure he was a good cop, but he was wrong for Crown Heights. He never wanted to admit there was a problem and often tried to paint Lubavitchers as whiny kvetchers. I wish him luck on his enxt job and look forward to whoever is coming in!

If you remember a while back when it was really bad, kids threw rocks at a school bus. Well, they caught those kids finally.

You can read my thoughts on the post by clicking here, and below you can hear what in my opinion was the best part of the interview the final 15 minutes.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

If you want to listen to the entire interview go to NachumSegal.com.

Click here to download the audio above. If you use this audio on another site, please credit NachumSegal.com and my website as well.

Ok. So I’m still learning how to drive this new car. I added a category plugin yesterday that was hiding all sub categories. Since Lipa was in a sub category of Jewish Music it wasn’t showing it on the main page. I think we’re all fixed now.

Lipa was on Nachum Segal this morning and probably gave the interview of his life. I’ll be upfront with you, I’m a big supporter of Lipa Schmeltzer but following The Big Event story there were certain things that bothered me. I understand he did what he had to do, but giving in, is still giving in. Again, I can’t state clearly enough, I understand WHY he did it, and if it were me and you in the same siltation we might have done the same thing. It’s not easy to have to deal with these types of issues. The hatred and personal agenda’s involved in shutting Lipa down were very strong, but at the time, The Big Event being canceled still goes in the loss column.

Looking back on it, it may have been the best thing that could have happened for everyone. It finally woke people up to the over saturation of Bans. It exposed many people who did not have pure intentions and it just put things into perspective. A lot of what happened went into Lipa’s CD, which is something that I’ll discuss in the review but Jewish Music is better off for it.

Just based on the phone calls coming in during the interview it would seem Lipa is BIGger then he ever was or would have been if not for the Big Event story. It’s funny to me because I think the people who were looking to end his career made him a real star. The Yeshivish and Ultra Chareidi love him more now because he listened to the Kol Koreh and gave into the Rabanim. The modern love him because before this they probably didn’t even know who he was and now found some new interesting music. The regular Chareidi love him because his music is better then ever and he seems to have recovered from all that. He is (probably) going to do concerts again, he already did two (not) concerts over Pesach.

Lipa said some really brilliant things this morning int he interview. He said that there is no such thing as bad music, it’s music, and better music. It’s art, taste and style. This is all things that we have been saying for years, but the people who are against “music with guitars and wild beats” are just clueless. Tastes and styles change throughout the years. Music people loved 50 years ago may not be what the younger generation like now. Its got nothing to do with - this is kosher and this is not - it’s personal taste.

We all know that, but for a Jewish Music singer to go on Nachum Segal and say that is a victory for truth and honesty everywhere. It’s the opposite of what a Country Yossi article is. Instead of going on there and doing the same old regular interview we got some realism and frankness.

Lipa also spoke about how those people brought laptops to as many Rabanim as they could and showed him “how bad” Lipa got. Lipa said a very interesting thing, he said that let’s not forget that these same people brought those same videos to many many other Rabanim who refused to sign the Kol Koreh. IN what was a really fine line, Lipa said “what, you think there are only 33 Rabanim? There are thousands of Rabanim” and then he listed a bunch of Rabanim who he knows refused to sign.

Lipa said that next time they show a laptop with his videos on YouTube he’ll take that same Laptop to the Rabanim and show them the other 3,000 videos on YouTube and ask him which they’d like Jewish kids to watch. It was at that point that Nachum sounded much more animated, they discussed the need for Kosher entertainment and that if you take away ALL forms of entertainment, even Kosher ones then people will find other (not Kosher) outlets.

I especially enjoyed when Lipa discussed that his video preview got a comment saying “I thought you were going to change your style!” and to that he says “YOU ARE ON YOUTUBE”, lol, which is funny. This guy is concerned about Lipa not toning it down, why is he so concerned, he himself [the commenter] is on youtube, who is he?? (call back to Yener.)

They discussed the joy that many sick and depressed people experience from listening to Jewish music or watching Jewish videos. Nachum says “we need joy in the world, there are so many sick people who could use it” to which Lipa said a great thing. He said, “yes, there are many sick people in hospital who need Simcha, but what about all of us!” What about the regular people living in Boro Park, Flatbush, Monsey, Williamsburgh, etc …” We all need Simcha. This was something that really got me excited, because it’s true, there is too much sadness in the world, and too much focus on the negative and hard side of being Jewish.

It’s like I wrote the other day, the Ultra Chareidi are trying to take over and for them everything is supposed to be harder. That guy was upset his Rav allowed them to do that thing. He WANTED his Rav to assur it. How insane is that? What ever happened to serving Hashem with joy, whatever happened to the positive and joyful side of Yiddishkeit.

Lipa espouses these concepts, and it’s because of this that I support him 100 percent. It was a great interview, this post is not doing it justice. Lipa told it like it needed to be told. He said everything that needed to be said. If you ask me, what he said was real Daas Torah. So go to Nachum and listen to it. If I can get a copy somewhere to embed on the blog I will.

UPDATE: You can hear the interview here.

This comment was made in reference to my posting of BlogInDm’s Lipa review. 

I think part of the problem is that people are “afraid” to say things like that about our “gedolim”.

I think about the gedolim who I grew up with. Would such a story ever have happened with R’ Moshe ZT”L? With R’ Yaakov ZT”L? I don’t think so!

It shocks me that the same people who glorify the Chofetz Chaim for running after a thief shouting “I forgive you” are afraid to criticize a rov whose driver routinely inflicts damage on other vehicles. “God protects His friends”? Sounds less like God and more like the Godfather to me. Right is right, wrong is wrong, and nobody gets a free pass. Least of all a well-known rov who should be setting an example.

Yesterday I added the really great “Related Posts” feature and somehow that messed up the comments. They are fixed, so if you wanted to enter in the free cd/dvd giveaway you can do so now.

If the Jewish Nation is the body and the head is our leaders then we’ve got all got a serious cold. Things are getting way out of hand.

A student from a prominent Yeshiva in Boro-Park was rewarded for breaking a pen that was signed by Lipa Schmeltzer. The principal of this school preaches to innocent young pupils about the dangers of listening to Lipa Schmeltzer.

It’s funny that this came out today because it fits perfectly with Rabbi Horowitz’s newest article. Parents need to do more then just e-mail Chaptzem. Make your voices heard, call the school and tell them that this is unacceptable and a bad example to set for the children. What a terrible midda to teach kids. No wonder we are in the mess we’re in now.

Thanks to the folks at Sameach, they have sent me some goodies to give away in honor of my digs at lifeofrubin.com. The blog will be giving away one brand new 8th Day Live CD and the just released Voices For Israel Live Concert DVD.

Here is a little information on both items.

8th Day Live.

The first live album from 8th Day is here. This CD features many fan favorites such as Rain, C.D.S.G., Velvet, Manhattan & Tracht Gut. The band also covers a few classic songs like Moshe Yess’s Megama “Begger Woman”, as well as MBD’s Anachnu Mamimnim and a Shlomo Carlebach Medley.

You can preview tracks here.

Voices for Israel Live DVD

The Concert Live on Broadway A 2 DVD Set Featuring Jewish Music’s Greatest Hits and the All-Star Finale “Chazak Amenu: We Stand As One” Emunah of America and Voices For Israel present the show of a lifetime, VOICES FOR ISRAEL: THE CONCERT - Live on Broadway Celebrating Israel and honoring her victims of terrorism, dozens of top Jewish musicians each perform their signature hits and then unite for the rousing, emotional finale — all the stars singing together on the VOICES FOR ISRAEL anthem, “Chazak Amenu: We Stand As One.”

This 2-DVD set features Avraham Fried, Avi, David & Donny, Avraham Rosenblum & Diaspora, Ari Greene of Barock Orchestra, Beat’achon, Blue Fringe, C Lamzbom & Noah Solomon of Soul Farm, Dan Nichols, David Ross, Gershon Veroba, Joe Black, Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Kenny Karen, Kol Achai, Kol Zimra, Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock, Michael HarPaz, Neginah Orchestra, Neshoma Orchestra, Nochum Stark, Ophie Nat, Safam, Sam Glaser, Sandy Shmuely, Sean Altman, members of Six13, Shoresh, Yehuda! & Yitzy Spinner. Includes bonus features: first-ever Jewish music DVD commentary featuring radio personality and host, Nachum Segal (JM in the AM) and producer Jordan B. Gorfinkel (Voices For Israel) and more. This is the one must-have DVD for every Jewish collection! (Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes) Click here for more info. Video preview below.

One email per entry (IP’s will be checked) and winners will be selected on Monday (6/30). Please make sure to leave your name, e-mail and which one of the two prizes you’d like if you win. (You can e-mail me if you do not want to leave a comment, lifeofrubin@gmail.com)