On the record
By Jeremy Fogt on Mar. 06, 2008
By Bradford Brady and John Maron
Q: What is the name of the song featured in the new MacBook Air commercial?
A: The song is “New Soul” by 30-year-old Yael Naim. Born in France but raised in Israel, Naim first began playing music when she was nine. After serving in the Israeli army, she formed a band and signed a recording contract with EMI. By her own accounts, her debut album, “In a Man’s Womb,” was a disappointment. Undaunted, she continued singing and met percussionist David Donatien. Over the course of several years, the two musicians wrote and recorded the songs that make up her second album, “Yael Naim.” Recorded on a computer in her Paris apartment, the album was released in Europe in October 2007, and became a hit in France and Switzerland. With the newfound interest in her music thanks to the commercial, Naim is preparing for her first U.S. tour, which will follow the U.S. release of her album on March 18.
Q: I heard a new song recently that reminds me a little of the Cure’s “In Between Days.” The one line I remember is, “Tonight I have to leave it.” Can you tell me the name of the song and who sings it?
A: The song is, in fact, “Tonight I Have to Leave It” by the Shout Out Louds and appears on their sophomore effort, “Our Ill Wills.” The band hails from Stockholm, Sweden, and features singer/guitarist Adam Olenius, keyboardist Bebban Stenborg, guitarist/percussionist Carl von Arbin, drummer Eric Edman, and bassist Ted Malmros. They formed in 2001 and released their first album, “Howl Howl Gaff Gaff” in 2003, although it was not released in the U.S. until 2005. Both releases, though different in their themes and moods, have garnered high acclaim from critics and are favorites of the indie rock scene. Whereas “Howl Howl Gaff Gaff” is described as “sunny” and “energetic,” “Our Ill Wills,” released last year, speaks of lost love, accidents and depression. Combined with vocals inspired by Robert Smith, it is easy to draw comparisons to the Cure.
Q: I saw a trailer for the new movie version of “Get Smart,” starring Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart. It made me remember the original television series from the ’60s, which starred Don Adams as Smart. Who composed the distinctive theme music to the series?
A: The instantly recognizable theme to that classic television series was composed by composer/arranger Irving Szathmary. Unfortunately, other than short references to his having arranged music for such transcription companies as Muzak, the only other biographical information we were able to find on Szathmary are references to his more famous brother, writer/comedian William Szathmary, also known as Bill Dana. Dana is most famous for the Spanish-accented character Jose Jiminez he first developed for the “Steve Allen Show.”
What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send questions to onthe
or visit www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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