Review: Malei Olam

Malei Olam is Shlomo Katz's latest release, following the successful debut of V'hakohanim as well as a joint project on K'shoshana with Aaron Razel and Chaim Dovid. The influence of Shlomo's self-stated spiritual mentor, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, can be seen through his style of music which also encorporates Israeli rhythms and accents, differentiating his style from his brother and another great singer, Eitan Katz. I'll tell you upfront that I was very impressed with this CD, so much so out of all the albums I own I decided to try and put out my first music review using this one. As I do not have the book jacket in front of me, 200 miles away from home, I may be missing information on guest appearances or composers (I know one song is a Carlebach song buy I'm not sure which). Either way, here we go:

V’af Al Pi: Shlomo starts off the album with a slow song; something that I’m seeing more and more with newer releases. This song is a brilliant composition and gives you the feel for what to expect from the rest of the songs. It’s soft, heartfelt and meaningful. The violin at the beginning adds a nice touch as does the rest of the instrumental accompaniment. This song was first released a couple months back (see here) and it definitely gave me something to anticipate from the rest of the album. The interlude at 3:01 is particularly moving. I don’t know why but every time I hear it, it reminds me of the African savannah. Strange, right?

Hazorim Bedimah: Another slow song. Not a big fan of the opening music but once the lyrics get started this song really starts to take off. Again, the essence of this song is the beautiful medley. It’s repetitive (yes, I know that Jewish music is repetitive but this one a bit more so than others) but it has beauty in it's simplicity. The higher and lower parts all flow into each other creating an enjoyable and singable zemer for an opportune time like the Shabbos table or long car rides.

Shma Koleinu: Wow, now we’re moving up the tempo! I love fast songs and while the first two songs we’re beautiful they’re nothing you can get up and dance to. Great electric guitar rock beginning! The chorus- v’kabel brachamim u’vratzon, has a pumped up beat while the shma koleinu part is a bit more soft rock Israeli. This song makes me think of something that Aryeh Kuntsler might perform. This is a fun song. Enjoy!

Ana Avda: Moving back to slow now. The lyrics begin with Ava Avda and then switch to the words from Asapra Lesudasah at 1:51. I love how the melody and the words flow together but I’m just not enjoying the choice of instruments. It's great when Shlomo is singing but the musical interludes are when it gets bothersome.

Yartzeit Niggun: It's hard to describe such a Niggun so I'll just use one word: stunning.

Od Yishama: I’ve spotted my new favorite song! I just can’t stop playing it. The music has this great folksy feel and the simcha just jumps right out. Everything from the beginning to the end is fun and leibedik. It has rhythm, a great choice of instruments and Shlomo’s vocals at 2:40 are the highlight of the song.. At first I wished that it would have been longer but then I realized that the length keeps you coming back for more instead of getting bored from it dragging on.

K'vodo: While this song is titled K'vodo, the title for the album, Malei Olam, can be found here as part of the lyrics. Gorgeous violin solo right off the bat. Then guest singer, Avshalom Katz, Shlomo's father and an accomplished singer and chazzan, begins to sing. I have never heard Avshalom before but his voice is so deep and rich. A great choice on Shlomo's part to include his father as it adds so much to the song. Shlomo appears at 2:04, letting his father have the spotlight until then. The two of them together afterward just make this song a hit. A++

Niggun Mitzpe: From what I remember reading on the book jacket this song was inspired from a place that Shlomo is very connected to in Israel, Mitzpe Nevo. His first niggun which became a huge hit, Niggun Nevo, was also from Shlomo's connection to this community, hence the names of the niggunim. I love Niggun Nevo but this has no similarities in any shape or form to it's predecessor. It just reminds me too much of cowboys and barnyard square dances. It's got a good beat but I'll pass on this niggun.

B’chayechon: Hmmm, how to classify this song . . . probably a medium tempo, like a slow song with beat. This is a good song and it’s got the same soft/sweetness that we’ve already come to expect but I’m not overly excited about it. Listen for the nice harmony at 00:51

Yom Shekulo: The final song and it's a great one to end off with. After a packed and uplifting CD this song sort of places you softly back down leaving you wanting to press play and start all over again. Thinking about it, all the songs just seem to blend right into each other, in a positive way, and that's what makes this CD all the more impressive. Yom Shekulo is slow and meaningful, powered with a sense of sweet simcha dripping from the words and voices. I think that's Aaron Razel I hear starting at 00:50. The whole song is just great.

So that's all folks. My final impressions are simply that this is an album worth giving a chance. As an avid JM follower I'm usually inclined to listen to fast and upbeat simcha music but the d'veikus of these compositions give the neshama a different type of boost and is a breath of fresh air when you just need something to calm down with. The simplicity of the compositions is really the essence of this album’s beauty. Some people need more to work with to create a better product but Shlomo takes simple verses and soft tunes and creates gems. A really nice job all around.