Album (and Artist) Review: Hannah Spiro "New Jewish Love Songs On one of my visits to Kickstarter, I found a project called "New Jewish Love Songs" by Hannah Spiro.  I had not heard of Hannah, I had no Jewish music in my personal music library (except for a handful of Hannukah songs), and I didn't know what Jewish Love Songs were.  Honestly folks, I grew up in South Central Kansas, I didn't meet my first Jewish person until I was 18, and the second not until sometime in my 20s.  I know very, very little about the Jewish faith.  But, I love all kinds of music, and I especially love personal discoveries of new artists and new music.  So, I checked out Hannah's project.  For a modest contribution to her project I would receive not only "New Jewish Love Songs" but also her previous four CDs.  So, I signed on as a backer.A better musical decision I've never made. With Hanna Spiro's ("Spiro" rhymes with "hero", by the way) entire musical output at my behest, I set out to learn about Hannah the artist and exactly what "New Jewish Love Songs" were.  And after listening through her albums several times, I want to share with you, my faithful readers, my thoughts about Hannah Spiro and her music.Hannah's first album is "Last Lights On in Town" from 2006,  In the note Hannah enclosed with the CDs, she called her debut "a folk-poppy look into my fifteen year old mind".  With that in mind, there are a couple immediate observations.  First, all of the songs on the album were written, composed, and arranged by Hannah, and they are pretty darned good, especially in overall musicality.  It's even more impressive to know that they came from a teen.  Second, from the very first song, one is struck by the driving power of Hannah's alto vocals.  She sings with a purpose and a passion.  As I was listening through, I kept thinking "Natalie Merchant".  (After actually listening to Natalie Merchant yesterday, there's not as much similarity as I thought in timbre and phrasing, but Natalie's energy is there in Hannah's performance).  Teen Hannah had a definite sweet spot in her range, and didn't explore the upper and lower registers as much as in later albums, but her singing was fine all around. Highlights of the album were the title track "Last Lights On in Town", a very well-written song with a killer hook "Make me feel like tonight every day"; the closer "Playing Outside", a softer piece, very melodic and more acoustic; "The Peace Song", about sex and death and guns and politics and perspective and holy cow this is quite a powerful song about heavy stuff from a teenager; and "Snow", the 4th track, because, well, I love snow.  "Last Lights On in Town" is an impressive debut. Exhale Your Blues" was Hannah's next album, from 2009, that she wrote when she was finishing high school.  As with her debut, Hannah wrote, composed, and arranged all the songs.  There is definite growth as a musician throughout "Exhale Your Blues".  Hannah's songwriting skills have matured, the arrangements seem crisper yet more natural, and Hannah explores more in style and musical spectrum.  One of my favorite songs on this album, "Every Molecule" starts with a rap style, then settles into more of a pop structure.  And who can resist the lyric "You're the wasabi on my sushi, more than spicy enough"?  "Strange/Beautiful" is a lighter arrangement to a very personal relationship song, with the great line "Five long years, and you are still the only one who makes me realize/the grass is strange but it is beautiful right here, so screw the other side".  "Grinning at the Trees" and "Closer to the Sun" are two other of my favorites from "Exhale Your Blues". Hannah's next album, "Aliyah", marked a significant change in direction, as she recorded an album solely of Jewish music - Jewish stories and prayers interpreted with her ever-growing skill as a song writer.  The album begins with "Wherever You Go", a very strong opening song which highlights Hannah's songwriting.  According to the liner notes, "Wherever You Go" is written from the point of view of Ruth, from the Book of Ruth, and is about the bond that two people can share from caring and love.   Track 2, "Lecha Dodi", is the first of several songs on the album to include traditional Hebrew verse, all of which sound incredible.  "Golem", the fifth song on the album, is a favorite of mine, relating the traditional Jewish story of the Golem, "a monster that a rabbi created one day to protect his town from enemies" (from the liner notes).  "Aliyah" bursts with passion for Jewish tradition and faith.  Next in Hannah Spiro's discography is "It Is Upon Us", from 2012.  It is an album of original Jewish liturgy.  It builds upon the foundation that began with "Aliyah" - great musical performance, abounding passion for faith, and vocals perfectly suited for the songs.  Many of the songs on "It Is Upon Us" have Hebrew lyrics that completely embrace and enlighten the spirit of the album.  Hannah's personal connection with the songs is evident throughout the record, with "Mah Gadlu" (based on Psalm 92), "Mi Chamocha" (based on Exodus 15"), "I Am Not Afraid" (based on Psalm 46) being highlights. And that brings us finally to Hannah's new album "New Jewish Love Songs".  In her Kickstarter video, Hannah implied that the songs may not be 'love songs' as we typically think about them.  And this is true.  "New Jewish Love Songs" is an album of songs filled with love of God, faith, tradition, family, liturgy, and spirituality.   Hannah has blended traditional liturgy with English lyrics to give us an amazing record.  The album begins with "Return to Eden", an interpretation of Adam and Chava from Genesis 2, which Hannah calls "the ultimate Jewish love story".  The album continues with "Oseh Shalom", a traditional prayer of peace, and "Zot Ot Habrit (Covenant of Genesis)", and six other songs.  I was particularly moved by "Elohai N'tzor", about the temptations of gossip and the use of language to do harm, and the quest for strength to overcome.   And, "Gather You Together" has kind of a foot-stompin' beat accompanying the story of the Covenent of Second Isiah.  "New Jewish Love Songs" is an incredible record.I want to point out the liner notes in Hannah's last three records, her albums of Jewish music.  Her notes for each song explain the inspiration, the relationship to Jewish liturgy, and Hannah's own thoughts about the song and her interpretation of meaning.  They are quite honestly the best liner notes I have ever read, and serve as a means to complete the musical message.  Especially for me, one with little knowledge about Judaism, the notes are an essential addition to the music.So, to finally wrap up this very long post, I have to say that I have never been more pleased to have backed a Kickstarter project.  Hannah Spiro's music, especially her last three albums of Jewish music, was a completely new musical experience for me.  Her liner notes also gave me a wonderful glimpse into the Jewish faith.  Hannah's records are marvelous.You can find out more about Hannah Spiro at her website, www.hannahspiro.com, and her CDs are available through CD Baby.” - Aaron Henton

Merry and Bright

On a cold, wintry Mondayevening, people gathered into as small, warmly lit restaurant for Eritrean cuisine and to listen to live music. Singer/songwriter Hannah Spiro performed at Dahlak Eritrean restau-rant in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 22 as part of a singer/songwriter collaborative group. She introduced songs from her upcoming CD, which will be released next year. "Bricks" is about a coffeehouse crush. Spiro is no stranger to coffeehouses and can relate to finding that special someone in such a setting. Coffeehouses are not just places to meet someone but they also encourage upcoming artists to bring forth their talent." "Playing Outside" had an upbeat tempo that felt like you were outside playing. Although Spiro's performance was limited to 30 minutes, she firmly established herself as a singer and songwriter. She defines acoustic music with enthusiasm and energy, strumming her guitar and pouring out her innermost feelings. She studies her craft, keeping up with the tradition of folk music. The musical road for Spiro began when she started performing in musicals at the Montgomery Playhouse and the Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts. At 9 years old, she learned to play the guitar. At 12, she started writing music. Spiro recorded her first album "Last Lights On In Town" when she was 15 and the CD was released when she turned 16. Hannah Spiro is a student at University of Maryland at College Park, majoring in philosophy and Jewish studies. In addition to music, she is part of Raqs West, a D.C.-based tribal belly dancing group. Although she wants to continue her music, her future plans are to do public service in the Jewish community and be a cantor. For upcoming performances, bookings, and music, visit Hannah Spiro's website at www.hannahspiro.com.” - Calandriah Somuah

Montgomery County Sentinel

A youthful, simplistic and eclectic expression of song can be found coming from Hannah Spiro. Her clarity and spiritual love of music can be felt. You could only imagine her singing at the peak of the highest mountain. Singing to the world all of her soul's words, thoughts and passions. I enjoyed each song as I took a brief journey into her music. Very relaxing yet evenly upbeat arrangement. As a singer-songwriter, Hannah has created a sound that is well beyond her years. She has a vocal range that allows her to sing both alto and soprano, and to be compared with Nathalie Merchant and Suzanne Vega. She takes considerable care to write lyrics that express a range of feelings, and is not afraid of taking on issues of fundamental significance, such as the Iraq War. Hannah has been performing at public venues since she was a freshman in high school.” - Shinobi

Urban Mainstream Magazine

RM senior Hannah Spiro recently played a gig at the Pourhouse in Westminster, a quaint little coffee shop with just the right ambiance and size for Spiro's alt-folk songs to be felt, as well as heard. For those who don't know, alt-folk is pop music with folk undertones. The concert was engaging, especially when Spiro made an effort to talk to the crowd between songs. Though at times the comments and stories came out muddled, it was nice to see her involve the audience. The show was also enjoyable because Spiro was able to turn potential problems into endearing moments. When she dropped her guitar pick not once but twice during the song "This Year", she was able to get a new one both times without missing a beat and even worked in a line about dropping picks. Throughout the set her vocals were full of emotion, and while at some point she missed a note,it never detracted from the audience's enjoyment. The first chords to "Brick", her newest song, with its energetic vibe and syncopated rhythm easily made it one of the most engaging songs of the night. When she announced to the crowd that the next song, "No Woman No Cry", was originally done by Bob Marley, I must admit I was skeptical. Apparently I was not the only one; a few seconds after the announcement she pointed out that another member of the crowd had raised his eyebrows. However both of us were proven wrong. Spiro's rendition of was surprisingly original and truly reflected her unique style. After a short break she returned with just as much, if not more, energy, although toward the end her voice sounded slightly strained. The second half of the set included an excellent cover of "Semi Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind. The crowd approved: some could even be heard singing along. Toward the end she played "The Peace Song", a beautifully written piece addressing war and societal decay. As one fan said, the song is about the death of morals. The haunting chords and poetic vocals conveyed a strong sense of disillusionment. I recommend that anyone interested in the alt-folk scene see Spiro at one of her many shows in the area.” - Blake Van Etten

— The Tide