Tuesday Morning Boredom Relief

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

This is Israel's T.A.C.T. All Stars. T.A.C.T stands for 'Tel Aviv City Team', and is the name of the record label set up by Israel's biggest selling rapper Subliminal, and his mate Ha'Tzel (which is Hebrew for 'The Shadow'). The T.A.C.T All Stars are an ever-changing "posse" of artists for whom Subliminal and The Shadow produce, as well as collaborating and performing together. Subliminal has also collaborated with Wyclef Jean, Joe Budden and Wu-Tang affiliates Killah Priest and Remedy.

This video is from 2004, and features Subliminal and the Shadow, along with All Stars Itzik Shamly and Sivan (Hamalka, the lovely lady who is HUGE in Israel right now). They're performing a cover of 'Prahim ba'Kaneh' (literally 'Flowers In The Gun Barrel') which was originally a big chart hit in Israel in 1970 for Ruthi Navon.

Why am I posting it? Well... with Eurovision around the corner, this strikes me as being pretty much the perfect Eurovision song - the more mainstream pop bits interspersed with the harder rapping, and all accompanied by a rhythm that gets even the "older generation" in this TV audience clapping their hands in time and singing along.

But mostly, I'm posting it because I just reckon it's a good tune. Thoughts?

If anyone is interested, I have a good deal of Subliminal's back catalogue. It's a bit hit and miss, and mostly he tries too hard to sound like Dre/Snoop. But I like it. I think the Hebrew language lends itself to rap music pretty well... it's quite a lyrical sounding tongue.

AYIP Supplement: Club 41-75

[anatol-merklich.livejournal.com]

It is now officially March, oh yes it is!, and therefore time for the second roundup of the year's Almost But Not Quite There hits. The rule against re-entries (esp those who have been in the Top 40 before) spares you "How You Remind Me"; this leaves EIGHT Feb entries so far peaking in the range 41-75, all tabulated below with links to Mr YouTube And His Sometimes Shonky Syncage.

[Poll #1144833]

In January's poll, community faves Girls Aloud are in the lead, with then future Number One act Duffy sharing second place with Bodyrox/Luciana, just in front of Mutya. Disqualified for subsequently entering the Top 40: none. Kat has very helpfully introduced the tag ayips for this series, voting will stay open.