The reviews for Pharaoh's Daughter's latest release, Haran, are in, and they are glowing! Haran is a stunning achievement, from which the Jewish Week declares, "Schechter emerges as one of the most talented Jewish music makers of her generation."

Get your copy of Haran online from iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and pharaohsdaughter.com, or from major retailers (Virgin, Barnes & Nobles stores, etc.).

REVIEWS:


VILLAGE VOICE, Bosler:
PD is the magical child of once-Orthodox multi-instrumentalist Basya Schecter. Tonight's the record release for Haran, which sounds even more layered and complex in its Middle Eastern instrumentation and world-beat fusion than her previous (and equally excellent) releases.

NEW YORK COOL, Katherine Heller:
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Pink Floyd and PJ Harvey crossed paths in a cafe in Israel and subsequently took a road trip to South Africa? What if they met up with Radiohead in Morocco along the way? The result would be close to what you'll find in Haran, the latest achievement of the Jewish folk group, Pharaoh's Daughter.
Infusing an eclectic instrumental blend of traditional Judaic tunes with Arabic rhythm and African beats, Haran is an infectiously beautiful album full of haunting joy.

MONTREAL GAZETTE, Charlie Fidelman:
… The resulting cutting-edge contemporary Jewish music, is totally original, raw and sophisticated.

FINANCIAL TIMES (one 3 top picks along with Michael Brecker), David Honigman:
"Haran is intricately detailed, inventive and endlessly surprising."

MIDWEST RECORD: The spiritual kid sister of Ofra Haza checks in with something that's Jewish but sure ain't Klezmer. World beat with roots in Aramaic and Kabbalah bases, this is a spirited set that gleefully mixmasters lessons learned as Basya Schechter moved across the world and picked and chose elements she wanted to assemble her identify from. Certainly a spirited set that reflects the youthful, progressive side of world beat, this can be as at home in clubs as anywhere else. Wild stuff that plays with abandon and is sure to grab your ears.

SMOTHER, J-Sin:
Turkish hash bars meet Hasidic Brooklyn juke joints with '70's era psych rock well in tow. That is the perfect description of what's in store for a listener of the magical journey subtly titled "Haran". Raised among a religious upbringing, the bandleader and vocalist Basya Schechter evokes images of rebellion with her love of Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones. But it's those rock heroes who've graciously lent their wisdom to her willing ears and lead her to help fashion one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring worldbeat albums of the year.

BOSTON PHOENIX, Jeff Tamarkin:
On their fifth album, the ancient, worldly Judaica that's inspired the
NYC-based Pharaoh's Daughter blends better than ever with the secular modernism of the indie world. Crisp, pinpoint rhythms, rumbling, insistent bass, and Fillmore-era organ lines flirt with Eastern oud, santur, and kamanche as the reverent gets along famously with the edgy. Front and center is Basya Schechter, the group's beguiling, much-traveled vocalist, whose malleable, often multi-tracked vocals take flight amid the airtight, shape-shifting ensemble playing.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS, David Luhrssen:
Nurtured in New York's Hasidic community, singer Basya Schechter manages a difficult tightrope walk. Her music remains grounded in her Jewish identity while opening to the wider world. Singing in Aramaic and other languages from the Near East, Schechter and her multicultural band, Pharaoh's Daughter, weave many dark-hued strands into a gorgeous sonic tapestry, its design imbued with mystery and symbolism. The melodies sound ancient yet arrangements are contemporary, suggesting a search for the primal roots of all world music. Pharaoh's Daughter should appeal to fans of the similarly pan-global, minor-key Dead Can Dance.

KLEZMER SHACK, Ari Davidow:
This LP is on a new label, Oy!hoo, the latest project by Michael Dorf, founder of the Knitting Factory (now, alas, sold these past few years and a far less interesting place). If the new label succeeds in creating new music as well as this recording, we are in for interesting, and good, times ahead. In the meantime, this is the sort of recording I mean when I say that I am listening for new Jewish music. Get your own copy.

JEWISH WEEK, George Robinson:
[A] subtle evolution… has been going on from one recording to the next, as Schechter emerges as one of the most talented Jewish music makers of her generation. The latest album, "Haran" continues the group's exploration of Middle Eastern modes and liturgical texts with a series of sinuous, winding tunes that are frequently hypnotic and invariably compelling. …The end result is another progression along the same road that Schechter and Co. have been exploring so fruitfully for the past several years. To put it another way, what is wrong with repeating yourself if you say it right every time?

Rating: 5 stars.

BARNES&NOBLE.COM:
This music is exquisite but edgy, authentic but contemporary, and absolutely infectious. This is World music at its best--intricate and nuanced, but utterly accessible, blending swirling, syncopated seas of polyrhythm with beautiful, singable melodies.