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DeLeon
Latest release: “Casata” (JDub)
Who: A New York-based collective led by singer-guitarist Daniel Saks, DeLeon put a hip, modern spin on the traditional sounds and melodies of Sephardic Judaism—or, as they like to call it, “15th century Spanish indie rock.”
What they’re saying: “It's an arcane but refreshing alchemy—sometimes brooding and lovelorn, sometimes joyous and danceable.” – National Post
What we’re saying: Most of the songs on “Casata” are ancient Sephardic folk tunes, but in the capable hands of Saks and his bandmates, they’re as fresh and whimsical as any gypsy-folk anthem turned out by the likes of Beirut or DeVotchKa. The obvious highlight is the banjo-and-trumpet-laced “More Than Wine,” an improbably exuberant anti-drinking song (“Nothing makes the world cry more than wine”) delivered in a breathless mix of English and Ladino, an ancient Hebrew/Spanish dialect. But nearly every track here is a stunner, as DeLeon confidently blend modern rock hooks, “Hava Nagila” rhythms and Spanish guitars into an olla podrida of awesome. – Andy Hermann
Official website: http://www.myspace.com/ilovedeleon
