Caught in the Carousel

Geoff Berner

Victory Party
Feature Review by Guest Editor: Singer/Songwriter Kelly Haigh

Geoff Berner

I got an advance copy of klezmer accordionist Geoff Berner’s new album, (being as well connected as I obviously am—ha!).

I slid the disc into my car stereo as I drove home from wherever it was I had been. (I can’t recall where I’d been, to be honest, because quite frankly, listening to this music, I had been transported to a whole other world). I had been sucked into a movie that was deep, dark, ridiculous and beautiful. The album is a soundtrack to a secret movie that will play in your mind’s eye. My chest felt funny, and my heart began to pound. I wasn’t sure if I was listening to something of great importance and significance, or if I simply had the bass setting jacked up far too high...

I pulled into my driveway, ejected the disc and placed it back into its sleeve. I needed to investigate this matter further.

When I got into the house, I set Geoff’s album down on the counter. I was distracted by a little box that had arrived from the U.K. The antique bird skin study I had ordered had arrived! It was wrapped in old newspaper, (which I will keep it in), but it also had a little red piece of paper wrapped around it. I removed the red strip and tossed it aside. It landed onto the Victory Party CD cover...

I suddenly noticed the red paper had some writing on it... It read: “BE ALERT TO THE RETURN OF THE JEWISH MESSIAH.”

This gave me the chills.

What does it all mean? I don’t know, but I knew I’d be at Geoff’s CD release party soon enough to find out for myself..

I could not be more proud of getting to create the previous album cover art (Klezmer Mongrels) for the very talented and dapper Mr. Geoff Berner. I’m a big fan of his work. (When I say “big fan” I don’t necessarily mean in size, as I’ve been working out. I’m just saying “big” to illustrate the amount I love what he does).

This album gets FIVE out of FIVE stars (of David).

—Kelly Haigh