Bereshit - Cracow Klezmer Band

Advantages: Funny, witty, clever; it's klezmer music
Disadvantages: Unnecessary Leonard Cohen cover

...Geoff Berner is a genius. It's quite simple. If you don't know who Geoff Berner is - and it's likely you don't - you really should check out his music. Geoff Berner is a Canadian singer-songwriter who plays the accordion and his songs are heavily influenced by "klezmer" a style of secular Jewish music. It's a style of music that is enjoying something of a boom with bands such as "Beirut" and "A Hawk and a Hacksaw" leading the way, mixing it with traditional eastern European tunes and instruments. WHAT IS "KLEZMER"? Klezmer music originates from the fifteenth century and the name derived from a word that referred to the instruments themselves. It was only in the twentieth century that the name became a label for the genre itself. The musicians that played this music were often scorned - especially by the rabbis - because... Read review

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Advantages: A superb album, very catchy, entertains throughout
Disadvantages: Still Tragicly underrated

...It seems strange that its been a couple of months since my last music review. So to get myself back into music reviews again I’ve decided to go for a recent addition to my music collection. The third album from, The Beta Band. They are one of the best kept secrets in the country, that in fact everyone will probably have heard at some point. I’m sure your probably wondering how that’s possible, well they appear on a number of soundtracks. Most notably one of the main tracks on Trigger happy TV was by The Beta Band and they also get a mention in High Fidelity. Coming out of Edinburgh they have risen slowly with 2 previous albums and a collection of their EP’s. It’s the appearance on Trigger Happy that really brought them to my attention and inspired me to seek out some music by the band. Although they receive a lot of coverage they seem... Read review

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Advantages: Some stonking 70's hit singles
Disadvantages: B sides are a little ropey soundwise

...The Glitter Band were best known for supporting Gary Glitter, AKA Paul Gadd AKA Paul Raven AKA convicted nonce, back in the glory days of Glam Rock, where brain-fried ex-pyschadelic musos donned shiny jumpsuits and high heeled boots to produce thumping neo-HM 45RPM singles usually revolved around the subject of getting off with someone at the Saturday nite "discoteque". Reverberating major chords and repetitive chanted choruses helped to make some of Britain's finest ever pop songs. When their erstwhile "leader" went solo in 1974, presumably to make lots of money and molest some more young children, the Band went out and did their own thing, bringing out a string of hits that together with their orignal B sides make up this album. Anyone who remembers the Band will instantly think of the star guitar wielded by Gerry... Read review

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