It's been a while, I know and I'm sorry

So I haven't posted in a long while faithful readers, I'm sorry. I didn't post last week due to a string of hangovers and job interviews (I'm telling you, the two don't mix so well) and I didn't post yesterday because of laziness and an urgent need to clean my apartment (those two don't go well at all either).

I was actually upset that I wasn't able to post last Thursday, I had been looking forward to doing a Yom Yerushalayim post, but Tzvi's wedding and the Yom Student at Gan Ha'atzmaout proved overpowering and my writing ability was deeply effected by the massive amount of scotch I consumed. So, I wanted to tell everyone to listen to Matisyahu's song "Jerusalem" off his new album Youth on Yom Yerushalayim, but I couldn't. So I'm telling you to listen to it now.

With a chorus that seems eerily familiar to the famous psalm, Matisyahu sings "Jerusalem, if I forget you, let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do." The entire song is about what a bracha it is for us to have our beloved city. It's an uplifting tune that provides a deep pride in the fact that no matter what has happened to us Jews in the past century, we never gave up the yearning for Jerusalem. And to actually live in Jerusalem and be able to celebrate a Jerusalem Day, I know it brings tears to my eyes when I think about it too much. Which is why I don't too much.

While we're on the subject of Matisyahu, I am really astounded by the commitment that this Lubab has in fulfilling the Rebbe's wishes of providing yiddishkeit to the world. To see him on The Jimmy Kimmel Show was one thing (where he was asked by a funny Kevin Nealon about the existence of a East Coast/West Coast rivalry in the world of Hassidish Rap), but to hear 'Want Moshiach Now' being sung on MTV is another. He's no Tamir Goodman, he's the real deal. We all should be shepping nachos from this guy, he's what we all should be shooting for, 100% acceptance of our culture and beliefs in the world.

So back to what I was listening to last week for our little city's holy day, also on my playlist was the only other two songs I had with the word Jerusalem in the title. Those were Phish's version of "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" and Alpha Blondy's "Jerusalem". Both great tunes that break Jewish holiness into the mainstream. I can't tell you the pride I felt when I heard random Phisheads walking around humming a song by Naomi Shemer. And what's a West African reggae singer who has toured with the Wailers doing singing Baruch Ha'ba Yerushalayim and Ani Ohev Otach in Hebrew? Don't question it, just sit back, enjoy and feel the pride.

So, along with this sappy post about pride and Jerusalem and all the crap that's associated with it, let’s continue down the path of sappy, chick stuff. Over the weekend I've had Tori Amos' latest album The Beekeeper on heavy rotation. I'm not really sure why I was listening to it; I've had the album for about year or so and never really listened to much of it. The random songs that have passed through my ipod I've liked, but I never really sat down and listened to the whole album. I did that this past weekend, and I now know why it was viewed by many critics as one of the best albums of 2005.

Tori (I wish we were on a first name basis) has made a career out of meshing classic piano playing with introspective (and often controversial) lyrics amid a rock backdrop. The Beekeeper was recorded with her greatest strength in hand, her ability to control a song's tempo with her piano and voice. She seamlessly takes a ballad, speeds it up until it rocks, and then slows it down again leaving the sweetest impression on listener’s ears.

The Beekeeper incorporates African drums and Irish choirs into the mix along with Tori's gifted piano playing, most notable on "Jamaica Inn". "Ireland" is another example of the perfection that Tori achieves on this album. The song is one of the most unique on the albums, combining a 50's style guitar work with a chilled out African drum beat and a soft choir in the background. Tori's own piano takes a backseat to the rest of the musical arraignment. Probably the best songs on the album are the stripped down "Ribbons Undone" and "Toast", where Tori unleashes her powerful voice over a simple piano.

Like her gift in managing song tempos, Tori knows how to manage the tempo on her album. She is one of the most gifted and talented musicians in the game. I highly recommend just buying the whole album and listening to it. It's no wonder that her fanbase is one of the most diverse in music, her fans often gravitate from bands like Tool, Ani Difranco, Slayer and Depeche Mode.
Recommended songs: "Jamaica Inn", "Ireland", "Ribbons Undone", and "Toast".