Birchas Hachodesh/Mi She'asa • Yehuda Green

May you receive each and all of these blessings, may you feel them in your heart, may they support you and drive you forward, onward, upward till Hu yig'al osanu bikarov!

The guitar/violin intro to Birchas Hachodesh is the tune of the Mi She'asa that follows, further proving that you should meditate upon the two tracks in succession and with Shiluv.

Mi She'asa is the tune of R' Shlomo's Ani Maamin.

Headlights • Levi Robin

The purpose of Chassidus is to bring the superiority of Creator to the attention of creation. Every creation. That is why I take pride in the observant Jewish performer who carries that message way out to creations with little awareness, using unique talents of metaphor, abstraction and mood.

The purpose of creation is to hold onto a nugget of truth and seek to crack it open, eat the meat and find the mine it rolled out of. That is why I do not condone the idea of Chassidim taking their Chassidus from abstract lyrics buried in the sets of wider-world performers.

This guy is a freakin good performer.

Hashiveinu • Miami Boys Choir

This post is not about Hashiveinu. It's not about Shabbos Yerushalayim, the recording it appears on. It is not even about Miami Boys Choir. This post is all about Yerachmiel Begun. Because everything is, in the end, about Yerachmiel Begun.



Miraculously, he is not on this track. Enjoy!

M'loch • Yossele Rosenblatt

:)

Nesias Kapaim • Lipa Schmeltzer

This is the Lipa I love. Warm, sweet and blessful. Not an especially polished song, and nothing standout in terms of vocals, music or arrangements, but a beautiful melody with a wonderful lyrical flow. From Shema, 2000.

Shabbos Hee • Berry Weber

On Mondays and Thrusdays, we make a "Mi Sheberiach" at the Torah, praying for the complete and imminent recovery of those mentioned. Several requests are mentioned in the Mi shebeirach text: "bless the following people...restore them and strengthen them, heal them and enliven them...".

But on shabbos, we say simply "...bless the following people...it is Shabbos so we may not cry; the healing will come speedily. Amen!" On Shabbos, the healing is inherent; we may not and must not cry, but feel the healing.

This Yiddish song journeys along this premise:

It begins with a call-and-response between a father and his pained child. The father assures his child that he will heal soon; the child responds "I can't take it anymore!"

The chorus "Shabbos hee miliz'ok" tells how the day of Shabbos itself heals--the Refua is on the way!

The second half repeats the first, but now, the father is the child of Hashem who—channeling his Father in heaven—is reassured that the day of eternal Shabbos, complete healing and joy is imminent.

Good Shabbos!
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Oz Tischazeik • The Nochi Krohn Band

Remember Nochi Krohn? Remember Nochi Krohn! Stay high, stay dry, friends. Sorry for the delayed post...

Change the World • Avraham Fried

Written and released for the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Lyrics by Fried, arrangements by Lamm.

First the less excellent: Uncomfortably cliche lyrics at points; a little indecisive with the beat; karaoke harmonies toward and through the end.

Next the excellent: Very singable, thoughtful and true; good candidate for a We Are the World singalongaling. Fun.

Enjoy!

Dear Nikolai • JEP • TTT

The terribility factor is all in the brain-puncturing chorus vocal. Shush-it, little one, Grandpa is sleeping.

B'sheim Hashem • Monday Match-up

Benny Friedman, Yesh Tikva



Shlomo Simcha, Aneini



I'm in the mood of the Monday Mellows. Both of these qualify. The rest is up to you.

Alison Balsom

She plays the trumpet very good. The timing throughout this feels reeaaaaally messed up and unnerving, but still!

Yibaneh • Avraham Fried

Holyland's Greatest Hits (later released as You're Never Alone), 1983.



Oy, ho-RACH-mowowowon ha-ni-ki-dosh, yi-yis-bo-reich, viyis-ahleh...

Lazer Lloyd • Ethereal Waltz in C

It seems I'm late to the party, but I saw this man's name yesterday for the first time. He plays a lot of very very good guitar. Seymour here.

Heyma • AKA Pella (aka, T.T.T.)

There is so little musically, vocally or philosophically redeeming about this persistent project to interjecterlaymonize Jewish songs that already contain strains of current pop with other current pop tunes seemingly selected by key association. This song in particular proves the point as the Pellas make such scarce use of the Mary Poppins song as to announce "This. Does. Not. Fit. But it does have similar composition and we wanted you to know."

Plus, what does this have to do with Sefiras Ha'omer?

Lefonov • Moshe Yess/Avraham Fried

It's Monday Match-up!

This Lefonov Naavod was composed by Rabbi Baruch Chait, made famous by Avraham Fried on Goodbye Golus (1985) and made awesome by Moshe Yess on "Moshe Yess sings Rabbi Baruch Chait." End.