"Echo Your Voice" is impressive but has a hard time saying anything original or deep

Musically, the new series of Here 11 is a work of thought invested with high production values.

The problem with it, at least for the first three episodes, is the script.

The plot progresses very slowly and in a very melancholy tone, and has a hard time sweeping or moving

Nadav Menuhin

23/11/2021

Tuesday, 23 November 2021, 08:38 Updated: 08:46

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Trailer for the series "Echo Your Voice" (here 11)

We have reached the third part of the Israeli music trilogy of 2021: about five months after "The Heiress", and less than two weeks after "Playing and Singing", she appeared last night in the "Echo of Your Voice" corporation, created by Tom Shoval ("The Youth").

It is almost impossible not to examine these series against each other, because they all deal, with much love, with the world of Israeli music - from the same starting point: a look at parent-child relationships, and an attempt to come to terms with the heavy shadow of previous generations. "Echo Your Voice" differs from its predecessors, first of all, in that it swims in a different pool: if the previous two celebrate oriental music and its symbols, then the series of Here 11 dives deep into the mythology of Israeli rock.

This is a fascinating black comedy, with dimensions of parody and real cult potential, whose plot revolves around three generations of singers, one of whom is dead. The first is Ari Shemer (Shaul Luria, leader of Cain and Abel 90210) - guess what names he is based on - a revered rock star who recorded with the band Menashe an exemplary record in the 70s, but died in his lifetime, and his experiences are occasionally reproduced in black and white, Quite invested.

His son who actually grew up without him, Kobi Shemer (the talented indie musician Itamar Rothschild), is actually the protagonist of the story - a frustrated and bitter rocker, who fails to break out on his own and his failure screams time and time again in front of his father's glory. But now his ego is taking another hit - it seems that his son, Lenny Shemer (Or Amrami Brockman), has received the same gift of God that his father had - and everything works out for him. Worst of all, the grandson of Beit Shemer is competing in a musical reality competition called "One Star" (a parody version of the same reality in which Amrami Brockman broke into reality), which makes his entire track even faster.

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Playground of references and gestures.

"Echo Your Voice" (Photo: Rotem Yaron)

Kobi kept despising his father who was not there for him and alienated from his legacy, and in the premiere episode he even pees on his grave, to the amazement of a fan who stumbles upon the place.

Despite this, he finds himself dragged after his father's former partner (Shmuel Vilozny), who begs him to step into his shoes and unite the "Two Menashe".

And so, in a plot laden with scenes of all kinds - endless scenes of course, but also musicals, or flashbacks from the grandfather's life that resonate with other scenes - each member of the family tries to understand his place in relation to the Shemer dynasty.

If you will, this is a kind of musical version of "Footnote".

For people who love Hebrew music, this system is a real playground, in which a variety of references and gestures have been poured into the fictional characters operating in it. It is built on a real conflict of second and third generation Israeli rock musicians, who have had a complex relationship with the music and culture created by their symbolic or even real parents. It is easy to think of Assaf Amdursky (who was also involved in recording the original songs for the series), who stepped into the shoes of his late father in a tribute project to Dudaim, but also children of others like Aviv Geffen, Ben Artzi, Rona Keinan, Yuval Banai - all renewed their parents' songs while dealing with Photographed. The name of the series is very reminiscent of a song that comes from another musical family - "Only Echo Your Voice" composed by Nahum Heiman, whose daughter C. can also be named with this group. It is of course worth mentioning that there are also some world examples of musicians who got into their parents' shoes - the most prominent of which is perhaps that of Jason Bonham, who drummed in place of his father in the union of Led Zeppelin. Although there is no exact equivalent,Neither Larry nor Kobe, the characterization of the characters and their history invites more and more readings. To these are also some current and former musicians who are cast here for members of the Shani Menashe band, including the legendary drummer Ahrela Kaminsky and Manny Beger.

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Despite the lyricism and sophistication, it lacks something deeper.

"Echo Your Voice" (Photo: Rotem Yaron)

Which leads to the real strength of "Echo Your Voice": the original music, some of which is meant to mimic rock classics that never were, is simply wonderful.

She is credited with two contemporary composers who are significantly influenced by the music of the time - Shlomi Shaban, who does not need to be introduced, and Yonatan Levin, under the stage name Shuzin, who is also known as the one behind the parody Uzi Navon and acquaintances, and actually tries to do more or less the same thing.

The name of "Luxembourg", the main song in the series, implies in some way the song "Prague", but the melody and arrangement are more reminiscent of "On Mass Day" by Matti Caspi, let's say.

Here, too, it is tempting to dive inside.

Kobi Shemer's fictional song, which corresponds as if without paying attention to "Luxembourg", is also wonderfully made.

It is, therefore, a work of thought invested with high production values ​​- which is reflected, among other things, in past scenes. Shoval has managed to bring out the best in the three heroes, who all come from the field of music, and none of them is an established actor. Itamar Rothschild is so deeply immersed in the character of Kobi Shemer that one can almost be convinced that he has walked in it all his life. Amrami Brockman is also particularly graceful in the role of Lenny's grandson, and it seems to be a winning cast.

The weaker side of the series is the script. Even at the end of the three episodes sent to reporters, the plot still seems stuck in the exposition stage, and it progresses very slowly and in a very melancholy tone, led by its bitter protagonist - and so far it is not so sweeping or exciting. Her character is rational and self-conscious, but it's not always enough: even though she has lyricism, black humor and a host of sophisticated parodies of Israeli culture, she has a hard time saying anything profoundly or original in the meantime beyond the obvious.

The big question is where this series will gather, and as in the case of the Shemer family, we will find out whether there will be mostly beautiful songs left, or a real legacy.

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• Echo your voice

• Shlomi Shaban

• Or Amrami Brockman

• Itamar Rothschild

• TV review

• Here