Listen to the Banot Nechama!

The Banot Nechama (Daughters of Mercy) are an incredibly talented trio of singers who made it big in Israeli with their 2007 debut CD. So they're exactly the kind of band that you can feel Israeli for knowing about. :) I've heard that one of the members (Yael Deckelbaum) is about to come out with a solo CD, so I'm not sure what's next for the Banot, but they're definitely a band to follow.

I have to admit that they're the kind of singers that aren't as impressive on CD as they are live. On CD, I could imagine that their exquisite harmonies were the result of over-production during lots of recording sessions. But live in a small club in Tel Aviv this August, their synch was stunning and their sound just as polished-- they would flick eyelashes at each other and then launch into three-part acappella harmony. They improvised riffs, harmonized spoken words, made up lyrics to fit the audience. And they were funny-- I wish I had a youtube of their musical jokes, the way they played with tempo and tune. If you can, catch them live!

This song and video shows off their playful side. Warning, though: this song is EVIL. It sticks in your mind. You'll have flowers coming out of your hair for days to come:



The Banot Nechma sing about half their songs in in English, partly because of their background: one singer was born in Kansas, another in Canada, the third in Kiryat Ono.To me, they don't really sound like any other group. What do you think?? I think they might, collectively, be the next Yael Naim. :)