Customer Reviews

The Opposite Side of the Sea

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found out about Oren Lavie through a friend, who showed me the video from the song "Her Morning Elegance". I was gratefully surprised when I bought this CD. The quality of the sound, the melodies and especially the lyrics have no comparison.

I first heard of Oren Lavie via the animated video for 'Her Morning Elegance' on YouTube. If you're a fan of Nick Drake, you'll like this. Nice mix of jazz & classical styles. Be sure to have a bottle of wine handy.

"Her Morning Elegance", "The Man Who Isn't There" and "A Dream Within a Dream" are the best songs, but other are very good too. Some of the songs are a bit equal, but the entire album is a "collector's piece"!

"The Opposite Side of the Sea" by Oren Lavie is a marvelous CD of very talented uses of musical instruments in a mischievous variety of rhythms with a couple of hints of some oldie tunes, but only hints. It is very relaxing yet inspiring to listen to and a must buy and hear CD, if you can get your hands on one! I have made him a Fan and also a friend on FaceBook, he is also a very funny guy!
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Soothing music that will seep into your soul slowly. Circular in essence, but in unexpected rhythms and rhymes. The combination of musical instruments is simple without growing old. The more you listen, in fact, the more you hear. The Opposite Side of the Sea is ideal background music for creative work, or soothing end-of-day moments with a cup of tea by the fire. And the music video for Her Morning Elegance is pure beauty. This award winning album is fresh and magical.

I bought this CD because I loved the Music Video (and song) "Her Morning Elegance." The rest of the CD was okay, but that is by far their best song.

One of my favorite albums of this year so far. Beautifully produced and put together...the acoustic guitar, the piano, the layering, you can really hear it come alive on a good stereo. His voice is sexy, and has a lot of texture. The songs stand on their own, each one is unique. He's not French, but this music reminds me a little of Charlotte Gainsbourg's 5:55 (my favorite album of last year.)

Maybe I'm not a lyrics person, but I haven't noticed what the other person was complaining about with the lyrics.

I had no idea who Oren Lavie was until my wife saw his video for Her Morning Eglance and told me to check it out. The video was really good so everytime it came on Nocturnal State I watched. After some debate, I decided to buy the album. What a great surprise.

First if the Her Morning Eglance was the only good song I would not have felt cheated. The great thing every song matches up to Her Morning Eglance or surpasses it. The Opposite Side of the Sea has such strong backing music and Oren has such a powerful delivery that you easily think it good be a broadway piece. Ruby Rises would also seem right at home on a soundtrack. All the songs tell a story and come across as very personal as though the story is just for us.

I dont know who I would I compare Oren Lavie, but I would rank it as my third favorite new artist of the last 12 months behind Airborne Toxic Event and Joshua Radin. Really if you are debating getting the album buy it and I promise you will burn a copy for a friend to listen to, the cd is that good.

I can't say that I hate Oren Lavie, because I think most fans keep Oren to themselves. But I can say that I don't appreciate the whimsical types like him entering the arena amongst folks like Kings of Convenience and Jose Gonzalez because it's a gesture like that of a barnacle. It comes along for the ride, and ultimately only hurts the epoche/genre.

I gave Oren's music a chance when I worked at Whole Foods Market and while stocking CD's came across Opposite Side of the Sea. Only $5!? Independent musician?! There had to be at least 1 captivating song, right? Wrong. I really wish it did. I don't have allegiance to many musicians. All musicians write some portion of garbage en route to the gems that take hold NATURALLY in our collective conscious, or the gems that rattle the cage of the bored and forward thinking musical snobs like me who can't do it themselves due to personal defect, discouragement, or lack of resources. So I wasn't looking for perfection throughout. I was just seeking a flicker of genius that contributes to the core of what we all wish music to really stand for. I got nothing. I got forced effort and breathy pleading for approval. Some singers fake their wispery singing voice, other singers really represent their natural voice...which just simply happens to sound unappealing breathy or outright awkward. Oren's one of these types, I won't speculate the motive much beyond this: regardless of lyrical content, you'd swear he was musing over a girl in a summer dress dancing against the light of pleasant summer dusk or in that studio-style rain of a redundant Guns n Roses video or Lifetime channel show.

The musical progressions are a little too intentionally contrived when striving for originality, and too conventional when they are more standard approaches. If you buy this CD, please consider recycling it when disposing of it. E-waste companies will take it. Look for one in your area.

I bought this CD on the strength of Levie's video of the song "Her Morning Elegance". Very interesting video and excellent song. Unfortunately, that was the only song on the CD worth listening to. The rest was rather drab and monotone. If you like "Her Morning Elegance", purchase the MP3, Don't waste your money on the CD.