Sandstorms. Locusts. Shazam!

Photo pulled from The Times of Israel (http://www.timesofisrael.com/millions-of-locusts-chow-down-on-israeli-crops/)

Yesterday millions of locusts took to the skies from just south of Israel's border with Egypt, 

and flew north to wreak havoc on the crops of southern Israel's farmlands.

Things just got biblical over here.

The plague of locusts is making headlines due to its size (the largest in decades) but still,

I get the sense that this is old hat for Israelis.

It's funny the things that seem so foreign to me still- plagues of locusts, annual sandstorms...

these are the things that remind me I'm not in my American bubble anymore.

I live in the Middle East.

A view of the sandstorm in Tel Aviv over the weekend.

Oh, and I know I missed Shazam last week. Sorry! I didn't have anything new for you, but here is my favorite song of the moment:

Of Monsters and Men
Little Talks

Shazam!

Ho Hey. Shazam!

I call these 'friendship benches'. They're all over Tel Aviv. 
They are totally unrelated to this post.


Ok, technically I first heard this weeks featured song on SNL, not Shazam.

But, it is currently my favorite song.

Ellie and I have been dancing our hearts out to it this week.

Honestly, the first time I heard this song (and no one ever sounds their best on SNL) I just knew.

Something about it strikes a chord that resonates in my core.
This song makes me feel like dancing, so don't be afraid to just go with it if you feel the same.

No ones watching...go for it.

The Lumineers

Ho Hey

It's nice, right?
SHAZAM

Your weekly dose of SHAZAM

The weather has been strange here the last couple of days- sunny, cloudy, cold, warm, rainy. 

That was all yesterday.

It does make for some beautiful scenery, though.

Not a bad view for a bus ride home...huh?

What was a listening to this week as I gazed out at a choppy Mediterranean from the bus?

Wye Oak
Civilian

I tagged this song in one of the dozens of Walking Dead episodes I tore through last week.
Do you watch that show? Its messed up.
The first episode took me a couple of tries to finish, it's so scary.
But, the music is perfect for a cold(ish), wet, winter week.
Hope you enjoy it, too.

Shazam!

Shazam! I'm sick

This Tuesday afternoon I find myself battling yet another cold.

I'm really sick of being sick, and I'm in a place where the music I'm choosing reflects my mood.

Here is one of the songs I'm listening to this week:

Asaf Avidan

Reckoning Song (One Day)

He is an Israeli artist Itzik introduced me to recently.
He has an incredible voice, and I have a soft spot for folk music.
Perfect for a sick day reading the news and drinking tea.

Shazam!

Shazam!

Welcome to the inaugural Tuesday edition of Shazam!

where I give you a glimpse into the soundtrack of my Tel Aviv experience.

  

Have you ever been watching TV, sitting in a restaurant or cafe, or listening to the radio and heard a snippit of a song that grabs you? or maybe that you recognize but cant place? Well, in these moments I reach for my phone and Shazam the shit out of it (translation- I use an application called Shazam to identify the song in question). Then, when I'm on the bus (which happens a lot these days) I listen to the songs I've recently tagged. And now, you will reap the rewards every Tuesday afternoon as I share with you my favorite song of the week. Hopefully we can open some new musical doors!  Let me know what you think!

This week, as a first time bonus, I'm going to share three of the songs that I've been listening to as of late:

1. Karen Ann- My Name is Trouble

I heard this song on the radio awhile ago, and loved it immediately. There's something wild and dark about her voice that I really love.  She's an Israeli artist who apparently has been making mainstream music for quite sometime. Check out the link to her wiki article (click on her name above) to see some of the stuff shes done. Heard this already? Leave a comment and let me know!

2. The Piano Guys- One Direction Cover

Itzik and I found this group on YouTube, and they do some really incredible and creative things. They perform original music, and (like this video) re-tool pop and classical music in ways you never really expect. This video is by far my favorite to watch- 5 guys and 1 piano covering a cheezy pop song and making something phenomenal.



3. Motopony- King of Diamonds

I think I heard this in an episode of Hung last month (I watched a lot of TV when I was sick, a side effect of this exercise might be that you learn what my television tastes are...). HBO shows are usually a gold mine of interesting and lower-profile artists. I like listening to this while I'm doing domestic chores. I'm not sure why but it makes me feel less annoyed by dirty dishes and straggler socks.




Shazam!
Tuesdays will never be the same.