Asaf Avidan & The Mojos - The Reckoning

Straight out of Jerusalem, via a record collection that dot-to-dots Seattle grunge, seventies metal and Delta blues, Asaf Avidan & The Mojos present a penchant for classic rock song writing that never takes its target off the heartstrings.

Bombastic but sincere, there’s plenty of pop nous on display throughout The Reckoning’s fifteen tracks, but the real appeal is Avidan’s spookily androgynous voice. Sounding like a sixty year old black woman from Mississippi, rather than a thirty year old Israeli guy, Avidan summons the spirit of Led Zeppelin on Empty Handed Saturday Blues to riotous effect. On Reckoning Song, Avidan delivers lyrics that would normally seem cliché – like “One day, baby, we’ll be old” – if only his vocal chords weren’t threatening to tear apart at the seams.

While occasionally verging on cheesy, this particular linking of modern rock with classic blues is a refreshing change from skinny jean guitar music that’s dead below the waist. [Joe Barton]