In terms of music videos, "Exit 49" follows a relatively straightforward storyline that's part of the canon. The band portrays a bunch of office workers chafing under an oppressive boss. They revolt and break free, with the boss giving chase. They run to their instruments and play, with the music driving the guy back as he confronts them. There's slo-mo, quick cuts and lots of closeups of the band. Been there, done that.
Then again, there are some unique touches. The boss is a surrealistic puppet with a snake coming out of his forehead. The band runs to the beach, where the puppet chases them in the sand, eventually levitating above them. And the lead singer is an orthodox Jew with a yarmulke, sideburns and a prayer shawl. So yeah, there is that.
None of this would be more than a weird curiosity if the music weren't so good. It's a polished and listenable blend of rap, folk, rock and indie, underlying a perceptive and well written lyric. The more you listen to it the more it starts to grow on you. In an intentional bit of irony, the band is called Simple Man, though it's anything but.
The least simple of the men in the band is singer, songwriter and lead vocalist, Yaakov Kafka. He says he was into rap as long as he could remember, predating his embrace of an observant lifestyle and orthodox practice. As a teenager and young adult, he wrote and recorded several songs where he grew up in New Jersey. Moving to Israel to explore his religious roots and spirituality, he kept writing and recording. While there he started collaborating with acoustic guitarist Tamir Tusia, who grew up in Israel and also became observant as a young adult. Returning to these shores, they crossed paths with Eli Weiss, another orthodox Jew and electric guitar player who counts BB King as an influence.
But while their faith informs their music it doesn't define it. And so needing some bottom for their sound they got connected with bassist Clayton McIntyre. Known as "Church" for where he played a lot, the Jamaican came from a different set of religious and cultural traditions. Add in drummer Pat Mooney, an Irish Catholic with a taste for soul, and you have a true musical melting pot. In fact, when the band sends out its samplers for gigs and airplay, they describe their music as "Genre-Confused."
And that it is, though extremely listenable. There's a dash of Kendrick Lamar, a touch of the Lumineers, mixed with the soul of Nick Hakim and a splash of Al Green. If you inhale really deeply you can detect whiffs of trance and jazz and more. Or as my son said when I played it for him, "Not ANOTHER mixed-race orthodox acoustic alterna-rap group!?" But somehow it just works.
As for the songs, they reflect the fact that the bandmates are older, more spiritual than they were as kids. They're not trying to preach, but they do have something to say. As Yaakov says, "In an increasingly divisive world, we feel like there is something meaningful, in both the composition of the band and message we have." Musically and lyrically they're steeped in the styles on which they grew up, though filtered through a more adult sensibility. Or as Clayton put it, "the music has to be something I'm proud of, something I can play for my son." Yaakov puts it this way: "Who am I doing this for, is it just for the moment, or is it something more?"
What do they hope to get out of this? Well, they're not giving up their day jobs just yet. But if they can push it beyond a few hundred "likes," beyond family and friends, that would be great. Yaakov again: "A lot of our lyrics are connected to internal struggles and conflict, about being pulled in different directions, about trying to make sense of the world and find our own true voice. If people can relate to that, and our music inspires them to fully inhabit their own lives and selves, that would give us the greatest satisfaction. We want the music to be the escape, but the message isn't escapism." Or as the chorus goes in "Exit 49," "We're leaving now to see the sounds. Peace, we out."
-END-
Marc Wollin of Bedford loves finding new music. His column appears regularly in The Record-Review, The Scarsdale Inquirer and online at http://www.glancingaskance.blogspot.com/, as well as via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Then again, there are some unique touches. The boss is a surrealistic puppet with a snake coming out of his forehead. The band runs to the beach, where the puppet chases them in the sand, eventually levitating above them. And the lead singer is an orthodox Jew with a yarmulke, sideburns and a prayer shawl. So yeah, there is that.
None of this would be more than a weird curiosity if the music weren't so good. It's a polished and listenable blend of rap, folk, rock and indie, underlying a perceptive and well written lyric. The more you listen to it the more it starts to grow on you. In an intentional bit of irony, the band is called Simple Man, though it's anything but.
The least simple of the men in the band is singer, songwriter and lead vocalist, Yaakov Kafka. He says he was into rap as long as he could remember, predating his embrace of an observant lifestyle and orthodox practice. As a teenager and young adult, he wrote and recorded several songs where he grew up in New Jersey. Moving to Israel to explore his religious roots and spirituality, he kept writing and recording. While there he started collaborating with acoustic guitarist Tamir Tusia, who grew up in Israel and also became observant as a young adult. Returning to these shores, they crossed paths with Eli Weiss, another orthodox Jew and electric guitar player who counts BB King as an influence.
But while their faith informs their music it doesn't define it. And so needing some bottom for their sound they got connected with bassist Clayton McIntyre. Known as "Church" for where he played a lot, the Jamaican came from a different set of religious and cultural traditions. Add in drummer Pat Mooney, an Irish Catholic with a taste for soul, and you have a true musical melting pot. In fact, when the band sends out its samplers for gigs and airplay, they describe their music as "Genre-Confused."
And that it is, though extremely listenable. There's a dash of Kendrick Lamar, a touch of the Lumineers, mixed with the soul of Nick Hakim and a splash of Al Green. If you inhale really deeply you can detect whiffs of trance and jazz and more. Or as my son said when I played it for him, "Not ANOTHER mixed-race orthodox acoustic alterna-rap group!?" But somehow it just works.
As for the songs, they reflect the fact that the bandmates are older, more spiritual than they were as kids. They're not trying to preach, but they do have something to say. As Yaakov says, "In an increasingly divisive world, we feel like there is something meaningful, in both the composition of the band and message we have." Musically and lyrically they're steeped in the styles on which they grew up, though filtered through a more adult sensibility. Or as Clayton put it, "the music has to be something I'm proud of, something I can play for my son." Yaakov puts it this way: "Who am I doing this for, is it just for the moment, or is it something more?"
What do they hope to get out of this? Well, they're not giving up their day jobs just yet. But if they can push it beyond a few hundred "likes," beyond family and friends, that would be great. Yaakov again: "A lot of our lyrics are connected to internal struggles and conflict, about being pulled in different directions, about trying to make sense of the world and find our own true voice. If people can relate to that, and our music inspires them to fully inhabit their own lives and selves, that would give us the greatest satisfaction. We want the music to be the escape, but the message isn't escapism." Or as the chorus goes in "Exit 49," "We're leaving now to see the sounds. Peace, we out."
-END-
Marc Wollin of Bedford loves finding new music. His column appears regularly in The Record-Review, The Scarsdale Inquirer and online at http://www.glancingaskance.blogspot.com/, as well as via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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