Track Listing

1. Paris
2. Too Long
3. New Soul
4. Levater
5. Shelcha
6. Lonely
7. Far Far
8. Yashanti
9. 7 Baboker
10. Lachlom
11. Toxic
12. Pachad
13. Endless Song of Happiness

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18912 in Music
• Released on: 2008-03-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

CD Description
On her remarkably assured self-titled Atlantic debut, French-Israeli vocalist Yael Naim joins the ranks of inventive-yet-accessible performers such as Fiona Apple, Feist, and Keren Ann, offering up an album that's eclectic but never overreaching. Selected for a prominent Apple laptop ad, the buoyant piano-led single "New Soul" is the record's high point, and showcases Naim's warm, inviting voice. Other standout tracks include "Toxic", which recasts the Britney Spears hit as a strange lullaby, and the folk-tinged "Yashanti", one of a handful of songs sung in Hebrew or French. While many peoplewill seek out YAEL NAIM for "New Soul", they'll find that whole album is worthy of adoration and acclaim.

Customer Reviews

How's your Hebrew?
Like many people, I got this album because of the MacBook Air laptop ad featuring the track "New Soul", which is already released as a single. Yael Naim is a French artiste now living in Israel, and the tracks are in Hebrew, French and English.

She has a distinctive singing voice, and specializes in sultry jazzy numbers, sometimes with a folksy lilt. The song of the album is of course "New Soul", and there's an unusual, unexpected and very strange interpretation of "Toxic", originally sung by Britney Spears.

Other tracks to note are:

"Paris" - sung in Hebrew and French, which translated is an ode to her favorite city.

"Too Long" - a plaintive song in English where she sings "I waited for so long / Outside myself / You see I was pretending / To be someone else"

"Shelcha" - a slow Enya-type song in Hebrew and English

"Lonely" - a minimalistic, simple, melancholy song in English, definitely NOT a karaoke song

"Far Far" - another single, in English, that goes "How can you stay outside? / There's a beautiful mess inside"

"Lachlom" - a dreamy song in Hebrew

"Pachad" - jazzy piano intro leading into French lyrics

A great easy-listening album for when you're in the mood for something new and a little different.



Amanda Richards

Yes I did buy it because of the Apple advert!
When I put the disc into my Mac to load it onto iTunes I was surprised to see it listed as 'alternative'. I guess I was expecting 'folk'. But having now heard it it's quite clear why. It's very difficult to categorize. Yael brings together so many different influences and styles that remind you constantly of so many other things you've heard over the years - but they are greater than the sum of their parts. A really pleasant surprise that is revealing more depth on each listening - especially interesting as so much of it as not in English.

Yael Naim and David Donatien
If you like relaxing music that has creative use of instruments and appreciate pure singing talent then this album is for you. Yael Naim has a wonderful voice which is complemented by David Donatien on some of the tracks. The subtle mix of Hebrew and English adds an interesting dimension to the listening experience.