A few readers emailed me about Kol Chai's 2008 awards, most of them voicing disappointment over the restricted nature of this award.You will probably not believe in me, but I was planning to introduce something I dubbed "YK's Awards" before the Rosh Hashana but I felt it was the right thing at the wrong time - music awards in Elul didn't sound good.
My plan was to hold a vote of the Best Album, Best Song, Best Debut Singer, Best Composer, Best Producer and Best Arranger. Now that Kol Chai preceded me in this idea, I feel like just starting it anyways before is too late - vote in the boxes located at the top-right of this blog. Additionally, this can be the blog version of Kol Chai's vote - more interactive and more flexible. I now realize that the vote for composer/producer/arranger might be too much, so I didn't include it this time.
The vote is open until 12/31/08 11:00 PM. That gives you two months to vote, and I think that's the optimal time for a poll like this. If a new meaningful album comes out, I will add to the list.
Alongside with the reader's choice I will choose my own favorites and explain my choices, after the voting process ends. Right from the start I can say that I will disagree with many of you, but that's the beauty of polls, specially when the polls are about such a subjective topic - music.
I'm open to suggestions and I can add other songs or singers. Please only vote once. Spread the word!
UPDATE: Blogger wont let me add more options once the vote has started. Since I my list is short, I propose the following solution: email me or post a comment if your choice is not in the list and I will do the math when the poll closes. This way no one is left out.
UPDATE2: I'm putting together a poll for the "Best Arrangement of 2008", that is, not necessarily the best song of the year but the most amazing arrangement. So many songs have special arrangements but are not fit to be the best song of a year. Please send to me or post your picks and I will start the award next week.
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40 comments:
Well I didn't email you but I strongly disagreed alot with Kol Chai's ratings (8th note "Ve'oz Yiyhu" a top song? Pleeeez)
I voted in your polls. Lets ee what the "Oilem" says
great idea! i think that veashiva from benny amar should be on the choices of best song...i luv the song!
also, benny has some of the most orriginal arrangents of any tape...when will you post the best arranger award?
Agree with Anony that we should have BEST ARRANGED CD as a poll - I'd vote for Lipa or Yeedle
Joe and anon
I will add the arranger poll but I need help with the names. I used to have photographic memory for all those booklet details but these days my memory is busy with other stuff..
anon
I will add vehoshiva, it's actually one of my most fav songs this year
spread the word
YK
anon
i just found out blogger will not let me add songs once the vote has started... i didn't know this..
sorry, but we can work together for the arranger/producer poll
YK
me again...i think the arranger on benny amar was shmuli rosenberg...(was he the one featured in mishpacha?)i will have to check again...he may have produced the album too
Best song of 2008 should go to Sefor, from 8th Note.
All the nominees are good picks, but Sefor is unique, and sounds like no other JM song to date. It isn't the standard "we have to have a Sefardi song on every album" song, and it isn't "we have to have one disco song on every album as long as we don't care about sales in Meah Shearim" song.
My opinion.
Camera Man>
Agree on Sefor
Anony>
Shmuli Rosenberg DID arrange Amar.
YK>
Arranger/ Producer:
Yossi Green and Tyberg on 8th note
Yeedle and Tyberg on Yeedle
Moshe Roth on Lipa (did a few + choirs)
Avi Newmark on Gabay
Avi newmark, Spinner, on Spinner
Shua Fried on Sruly Werdyger
And finally, Yochi Briskman on Daskal (Okay thats a joke)
cameraman
I'm putting together the best arranged songs of 2008 and sefor is there. If you wish to vote it best song of 2008, I will compute your vote like that. Pls confirm.
But I'm pretty certain Sefor will get the upcoming award, the Best Arrangement of 2008. As I wrote in the update this award will be open very very soon. If you have any other ideas for this award let me know, i need help.
YK
anon,
I have Amar's cover and I will check.
If you have any other picks let me know, I want to come up with a comprehensive list, and that's more difficult for the Best arrangement of 2008 because this choice is less obvious than Best Song or Best Debut.
YK
Joeflix
Tks so much, great list.
I'm thinking that it's best to choose one specific song as the Best Arrangement of 2008. Something like this:
1- Spinner (Peeho - You and I)
2 - Shmuli Rosenberg (Tzur - Am Echad)
... and so on
It seems you have in mind something different - either a vote for the "Best Arranged Album" or a vote for the "Best Arranger", and the results of each can be different, at least in theory.
I prefer my concept since it's very specific and easier to pin point. "Best arranged album" is perhaps too broad, since a good cd many times has the infamous "fillers" (including Lipa's album) and to award a whole cd as the best arranged, notwithstanding the fillers might be misleading. The same applies to a "Best Arranger" poll - is a broad question and I would have to put the names of every single arranger out there.
If we however go more specific, lets say, Best Arrangement, we will get straight answers and specific winners.
Yeah, I took Market Research in college.... sorry if I'm getting too academic here
I'm open for discussion - the more input the better.
YK
joe:
daskal not good enough? You have a very positive review! And you yourself asked why he is not up there according to many!
Dear Yk,
I think it is very unfortunate that Shuli Rands album did not really make it out of Israel. I think his album is way above average. Thank you for the great reviews, keep up the good work.
YK>
10 Best-Arranged-song candidates:
1. Sefor (Green / Tyberg) Ethnic
2. Kanai (Green/ Tyberg) Classical / Cantorial
3. Poshiter Yid, the song (Lipa and Mendy Hershkowitz) Minimalism
4. Lev Echad (Yeedle and Aaron Razel) Energy and beat
5. Return Again (Yeedle and Aaron Razel) Presentation and intro chords
6. Elokai Neshomo (Spinner) Brass
7. Don Don (Gabay and Newmark ) Energy, Violin.
8. Kol Haberu'im (Levine and Yochi Briskman) Beat and choirs
9. Lazer's Niggun (Dovid Stein and Eli gerstner) Shtick
10. Legabay (Ruvi Banet, A wedding Invitation -mix) Beat, Drums
11. Lecho Dodi (Sruly Werdyger/ Shua Fird) Very neat choirs
I dont think much of Anovim. It became a hit, yes - but be honest with yourself, is this anything special?
JoeFlix,
If you want to nominate a song for shtick and improvisation, please consider Lipa and Yitzchok Fuchs Halelu Which has 2 parts and an intro and so many jingles and shtick and such a strange 3-beat that your head spins. Wow!
But I kinda agree with most of your nominees - esp Yeedle Lev echad and Return
ykfan
Rand's album is probably the most underrated album in JM's history. I can't say enough times how revolutionary and original it is. But it might be that specifically because of its qualities, this album doesn't sells in the US. Perhaps it's too revolutionary and too original...
Joe
Thanks a million, you have an encyclopedic JM brain!
duddy,
I love anovim, I gave a 6 star (out of 5..) in my review. You might think it's too typical, or boring, but this song is wildly popular for four years already. And it only came out this year. There's surely a lot to like there.
All,
Should I start a poll of the Worst Song of 2008? Seriously. I wouldn't do a poll of the worst album, because every album has good things, but I think it's important to single out the junk so singers think twice before doing fillers songs.
What you think?
Best Arrangement Poll has started. Tks for the input.
YK
YK >
Thanks for the compliment.
I agree with that guy on Anovim. its NOWHERE NEAR A GREAT SONG and its not even a good kvetchy one that you can cry to. (Presentation is excellent, though)
Weakest songs of 2008, My Nominees: (Its all relative to the rest of the CD, of course)
8th note - Ve'oz Yihu
8th not - Hesech Hadaas
Yeedle - Va'ani Oshir
Yeedle - Horiu
Yossi Mayer - Vezakeni
Lipa - Torah Shebiksav [Otherwise 12 hits!]
Dovid Stein - Neero
Sruly Werdyger - Acheinu
Dovid Gabay - Vekoreiv
Dovid Gabay - Higola Nananana [or Nagilah]
Spinner - You and i
Daskal - Ani Oheiv
Levine - Sholom
Levine - Kishoit
how come Dovid Stein and Yisroel Werdyger aren't on the new artist list??
Rubin - once somone votes the poll cant be changed :(
Anovim was the same old song we've heard a million times from Fried, MBD, etc, but it was an excellent example of that same old song- you can put it against any slow song from the 80s and 90s and it will compare favorably.
I would like to say that if I had the opportunity to vote for Sefor as the song of the year, I would.
Good job with the polls.
I strongly disagree; i think "Yeedle's Va'ani Oshir" is one of the best songs released in a while. i could listen to it over and over again and it always gets me right into it!
Wolf,
Being that I suggested Va'ani Oshi as a "bad song" let me just restate that its relative to the album (in my opinion), in other words, other artists with weaker albums would've been very lucky to have that song.
Wolf,
tks! I actually didn't hear this song, I put it there as a result of the "primaries" we had in this thread. And just because a song is featured in the Worst list it doesn't mean it's a disaster - many people claim to like "you and I" from spinner and it's really possible it will get the nomination...
Spread the word!
YK
cameraman
I will compute your vote.
I hear what you say about Anovim, but people love it. It's the new Rachem I guess. Without the screachiness!
YK
Dear YK,
I couldn't agree with you more!
Best Debut Singer of 2008
**VOTE - Shuli Rand!! **
i have to say, i wasnt impressed with the 8th note...i just didnt like the songs, the the tunes. arrangements were ok, were good. i only listened to it once though, so i know my opinion can change, but after that first time i was like, wow, i didnt like that at all...
please dont stone me...
btw, how did you know that i blogrolled you?
you're welcome. hey, i only listen to jewish music, and because ive been in the army for the past yr and half (well, i got out in july, but you know...) ive kinda been out of it.
ykfan
i will compute your vote. tks!
karban netanel
listen to it some more times. it's possible you will not like but any way you slice it, it's above the current JM standard in the production side.
I saw the blogroll in technorati.com - if you have a blog you should create an account there.
you do a great service to your country. tks!!
YK
Your poll for worst song doesn't really accomplish much. Most of the songs came from above average albums.
Hesech Hadas, You and I, Nagilah, and Sholom are all good songs. While they aren't Birchos Avicha they dont belong on a worst song list.
You will not have an album that comes out with ten hits. Its natural that some songs will be better received than others. This doesn't mean they are substandard or the artist didnt put much time effort and cash into producing it.
joel
firstly, it's good to hear from you again.
secondly, I accept your constructive criticism and you have a point there. I also think Naguila, for instance, is not such a terrible song. But You and I is down there and many people said to me they simply can't hear Torah Shebichtav.
Although your point is good, I will continue with the poll since it has been going on since sunday already.
YK
why dont you use polldaddy.com
Yeedle must be a winner, with no doubt! Most perspective young band, so crazy sounds
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