Juviley

Spotlight on: Juviley

Miss The Ground Running

by Sean Lyddon

Israeli singer-songwriter Or Zubalsky had seen considerable success working with such artists as Shy Nobleman, Geva Alon and Daphna & The Cookies when, at 22, he decided to break away and start his own project, Juviley.Having recently released his debut album, How To Miss The Ground, Juviley will be appearing at The Goldhawkin Hoboken on Nov.7.

Juviley treads a path between indie and pop, creating a sound that comes across dreamlike and delicate.The songs are simple, but not in such a way that they are boring, and with titles such as "Go Try Again" and "A Lovely Dream". the overall atmosphere is sunny.Comprised largely of guitar and vocals, Juviley's songs have a sleepy quality that appeals to the tender side of emotion, while his lyrics have a tendency toward the abstract, thereby accentuating the dreamy feel of the music.

As yet unsigned by any record label, Juviley remains an independent entity, powered solely by Zubalsky's ambition. Having written, produced, arranged and played the entirety of the album on his own, the young Zubalsky now resides in NYC, looking to perform in the surrounding area in order to promote his music. The Goldhawk is located at 936 Park Ave. Showtime is 8 p.m.For more info on Juviley, to purchase the album, or to keep track of show dates, check out myspace.com/juviley

Juviley

How to Miss the Ground

by Jonathan Berger

They grow up fast in Israel. Or Zubalsky has been playing in bands since 2002, touring European and Middle-Eastern locations throughout. This year, he's gone solo and moved to New York City. Not bad for a kid born in '85 (imagine what could have been without mandatory military service?). The arrangements on his solo debut are simple, almost naive. He's recorded and produced the whole thing, with self-generated tasteful accompaniments to the typical acoustic guitar and voice. That voice is thin, and easily breaks, adding drama to this small stories of heartache. "It comes to this," he barely sings in a song of the same name, "an end for a start." It begins muted, as he sings softly to the one he hopes will "Carry on, but cry for me." The song grows and grows, the singer's pain building until finally washing away with an off-rhythm electric guitar lead. It's rainy-day music, ballsier than Iron & Wine, but now quite at the Belle & Sebastian level of development. Just imagine what he'll be able to do when he can rent a car.

by John Siwicki

Israeli Singer/Songwriter Zubalsky or his pseudonym Juviley has crafted one beautiful debut album. He has written arranged produced and played nearly every instrument on the album. Having recently relocated to New York Juviley is ready. The album displays a very delicate beauty on the record. Some of Juviley's influences are clearly Yo La Tengo, Nick Drake and Belle & Sebastian. His sweet melodies are heartbreaking as you listen to this very simply but well crafted songs. On the first track "Fallen Leaves," you really feel like Juviley is sitting in the the room with you singing to you. It has that very simply and charismatic type charm all over it. "Two Small Wonder" is a perfect song for a seaside. "Annie" is a sweet and tender love song. While, "A Lovely Dream" auctually caused me to fall asleep while writing this. The horn section really brings a lot to the song and gives it a strong finish. Juviley's debut album was a very charming listen. He has that sweet type of voice like the Belle & Sebastian gentlemen that can just let you listen to him over and over again.

JUVILEY: The Musical Road Less Taken

by Mike Parker

Sometimes the driving down the music highway demands that you crank up the volume, slam it into overdrive and just rock the miles away. But sometimes you are compelled to go off-road; to explore the road less taken. At those times you just gotta slap it into "M" for "Mosey." A great soundtrack for those meandering excursions of whimsical introspection would be How To Miss The Ground, the debut solo project by indie Isreali artist, Juviley.

This twelve-song collection of musical musings covers such lofty subjects as love and loss, dreams and reality, heartbreak and redemption. "Fallen Leaves," the album's opener, gives an appropriate impression of what the rest of the project is going to sound like - simple melodies, fragile vocals, deftly strummed acoustic guitar occasionally embellished by cello, lap steel, and other exotic and mundane instruments.

As a musical poet, Juviley owns much in common with such classic 60's counter-culture icons as Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, and to a lesser extent with latter day folk heroes like Dan Fogelberg and Kenny Logins (in his mellower moments). "Two Sail Wonder" captures the feel of the Simon & Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song," while "Annie" manages a mellow metaphor for the inertial that maintains the status quo.

Juviley might not possess the greatest voice in the world, but it is an honest voice that meshes well with the street poet sensibilities of his music. How To Miss The Ground is a good bet for misty mornings and hot cocoa, particularly in the autumn of the year, when you are pondering your past and wondering how you can make next year better.

by Caroline Leonardo

Or Zubalsky, also known as Juviley, played with numerous indie pop acts from his native Israel, touring all of Europe as the drummer of acts such as Shy Nobelman and Daphna & the Cookies. As he set out on his own, he moved to New York and was able to create his debut album, How To Miss The Ground, an articulate collection of songs sure to warm your soul with pleasant melodies and story-like lyrics.

How To Miss The Ground mixes a lot of influences here, from Brian Wilson to Belle and Sebastian, managing to create an acoustic dream with the kind of tunes that'll lift your spirits during a rainy day. There's an innocence in his lyricism, whether he's talking of happiness with another ("Two Sail Wonder") or sliding down chimneys (the fantastic "Carry Away"). He gets a little Cat Stevens-like with the arrangement on the ballad "Mexican Rain" and his voice has a quiet impact just as Damien Rice showed on O. But Juviley carries somewhat of an upper hand with his playful and imaginary way of telling a story and conveying some of the simplest emotions on each song.

Influences aside, How To Miss The Ground is one of those rare debuts that carry a lot of clout. This well orchestrated album comes off gentle and well meaning without being pretentious or overbearing in the way that it's so simple and true. Indie pop has never sounded so good.