Slick riffs and gentle fingerpicking, a strong groove and a heartfelt sense of poetic expression – Tel Aviv songwriter and artist Eyal Erlich recently launched a series of live videos with his band, and the results highlight soulful depth and talented musicianship across the board.
Beginning with All in All, the band set the mood with all of the above, a slowly rising energy of smooth soul-rock layers, with acoustic finger picking from frontman Eyal Erlich – almost two minutes of instrumental introduction, before short lines dive into metaphorical images and self-reflection to softly further the embrace of the music.
All in All is a great song, resounding for its passionate peak, maintaining a sultry kind of melancholic longing, with stunning electric guitar solos lighting up the spaces in between vocals.
As we move into Jenny, Eyal’s voice reaches fresh nuances and peaks – a quirky alt-rock single with a boldly distinct melody and performance style, and something a little more distorted and intense from the band. We’re almost leaning towards the tremolo and alternative stylings of Radiohead, but Eyal’s voice in both story and tone maintains his recognisable artistry.
Versatility is always a strength with a live set, and these two releases both contrast and compliment one-another well.
Next we get a little more of that bluesy soulful space and depth. Already In is deeply revealing, a personal outcry but one that’s soft and again spacious, letting the music and vocal intricacies work their magic in line with these fearlessly vulnerable lyrics.
Another divine falsetto hook raises the pulse, the energy and passion evolving throughout, and the final groove is quite euphoric as the music confidently fills the space.
Finally, darkness and longing capture the essence of all that came before, as the impressive musicianship, unity and expressive desire of I Wish I Knew breaks hearts and uplifts all at once. From quiet and contemplative to bold and beautiful, there’s a desperation to the performance and arrangement, which aptly reinforces the implications of this title and story.
It’s a relatable ache, the music soulfully commanding the stage, and both humility and heart again taking precedence, as Eyal Erlich and band captivate with faultless precision and feeling.
Hi Eyal – great to reconnect, how has 2025 been treating you?
It’s been a joy to have you review my music again, hopefully more of that in the future! 2025 Musically wise has been great, new band, lots of gigs, debut album coming up… So surely lots of exciting things still to come.
Congrats for the new live video releases, beautiful songs and performances. How long have you and the band been playing together?
Thanks so much! We’ve been playing together for about a year now. The chemistry is definitely there, and it’s really important when you enjoy not only playing but hanging out together as well, it shows on stage. Plus it doesn’t really hurt that they’re all super accomplished musicians. All three play regularly with the top acts in Israel, and are seasoned studio musicians.
Omer Hershman on electric guitar is also the producer of my upcoming debut album, so apart from all the guitar magic he brings to the table, we worked together on the arrangements for the live shows, and now the album versions as well. Adi Gigi is amazing on bass, blending in the right balance between your conventional bass riffs and being super innovative and creative. And Barak Kram is far from your average drummer, he brings so much unique energy that complements his superb professionalism and experience. Shout out to all three.
What inspired the song All in All?
What inspired that song was my lover at the time passing away, so me dealing with all that brings into you, whilst having many thoughts about my own journey, passing through the stream of life, and thinking about what was and what is to be. And then singing the chorus for her ultimately.
How do these four songs connect conceptually or in terms of your experiences and the style of music representing them?
Well they all have to do with relationships, love and life, and they all have I think an observational aspect to them and a sadness about them. I feel it’s a strong type of sadness, not the one that pulls you down. But the kind that after you’ve been down, you can look it straight in eye, and just feel and acknowledge what has gone down, and you’re putting it and yourself out there. It’s something that is easier to do through music, with that strong of an emotional output especially.
Are you and the band touring now, any upcoming shows that people can come and check out?
Yes we’re actually going on a pretty decent size local Israeli tour starting mid September till around December.. You could probably find us anywhere near you if you live in Israel And it’s a small country anyways, so we’re gonna get around and no excuses not coming to say hello!!:) .. All the details soon of course on Social media
What’s the live music scene like in Tel Aviv at present, and will you be performing further afield this year?
It was a bit quiet the year before because of the war and everything everybody here has had to deal with, but in the past year it has really been bouncing back and hopefully all this madness will end soon. We do have plans to tour abroad, I don’t know if it’ll be this upcoming summer or the next year, but we’re now beginning to work in that direction. So if you wanna see us live, let me know if there’s anywhere we should be heading! We’ll try to make it happen
Who are your biggest influences musically, and which of these songs is your personal favourite to play on stage?
Definitely 100% the Beatles. I remember my dad bought like this almost 10 disc Beatle’s bundle from Costco, and I began binge listening to them repeatedly and it all kinda stuck in my system since then.. They’ve been other bands and other influences since, but I believe they were all influenced by the Beatles as well. So that’s where most of it stems from I think.. And besides that they’ve been Classical music influences as well, I was in a non singing role in a Puccini opera when I was a kid so that really took a mark on me, and I was about a year a singer in a Renaissance A-Capella group as well. So those gave me some different angles for musical expression.
About songs to play on stage, they’re all my babies and I enjoy them all. If I won’t enjoy playing a song on stage, I think it’s signal to let it cool off a bit, and then maybe come back to it from another direction.
What was the inspiration for I Wish I Knew, and how does it feel to perform it and reflect on those experiences now?
It was written about an intense relationship I had, and it can be strange performing a song that was about an experience that has long ended and isn’t part of my life anymore. But the emotional connection to those experiences are still inside of me, and I hope when I do connect with those emotions on stage, that it meets the audience in their own special place, and brings up something that they are going through or once have felt.
Ultimately, I feel that’s my pull to music. First, connecting with myself usually through places that need that special type of attention, and then giving them the expression that wants to be manifested. And that expression is what sparks the meeting and connection with others in the places where they’ve gone through their own unique experiences. Doing all that through blaring microphones and blasting amplifiers is what it’s all about!
Is there anything else you’d like fans to know?
That I love them, and thank them for all their love and support. I hope we get a chance to play for you guys soon!
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Find Eyal Erlich on Facebook & Instagram.
