BUTTERFLIES NET

Interference is a very known human instinct. It is always interesting to have a look at the places the eye can't reach. For example Rockfour didn't want me to hear their first album "Butterflies Net" ; In their website the album doesn't even appear on the discography; At shows they never play songs from the album, except "Ha Ka'as" (Track 5); The hardcore Rockfour fans hate this album, but I as a big fan and as a reviewer decided to check what it's all about.

I heard "Butterflies Net" few years ago, when I started to realize the wonder that Rockfour is. But the problem is that just in a week I've managed to get "The Man Who Saw It All", Which is one of the best Israeli albums ever made. It was so good that I couldn't stop listening to it and "Butterflies Net" stays on the side without even an attempt to even getting a serious opinion about the album.

The strong 60's & psychedelic affinity which is expressed so hard on "TMWSIA" & the last Rockour album (in English) you can feel it on "Butteflies Net". It can be seen at the colourful & psychedelic cover of the album, on the booklet of the album which is full of pictures of the band members who seems like they've just being kidnapped from Woodstock, but the wild 60's spirit is affected in every aspect but one: did anyone said music?

"Butteflies Net" is a standart rock/pop album from the genre that was very popular in the early 90's. Except one track, no track have lasted more than 4 minutes. In such a short time you can't have the chance to really express your true talent. The band line-up was pretty different from now: Issar Tennenbaum is the only member that is active nowdays at Rockfour as a drummer, Baruch Ben Itzhak have swiched positions from bass player to a lead guitarist, Amir Zuref have left the band after the recording of this album & Eli Lulai have left the band recently. The exellent drumming by Issar Tennebaum is really unexpressd on this album, and don't expect to hear brilliant solos. Even the lyrics are very standart so perhaps it was a wise decision to not add the lyrics to the booklet of the album. The biggest mistake of this album is in my opinion is the conclusion that Rockfour didn't do what they know best and tried too hard to be a radio band which they're not.

Although some of the tracks are a nice & catchy like "Shuv Lo Shaket" (T1) & "Ha Ka'as" (T5), and the opitimistic part in the end ("Sham Yesh" (T8) & "Shalechet" (T9)), which the last one is the longest track on this album (5:55), The two tracks are much more alternative from what the album has to offer, but it is still far away from the loved Rockfour. The fact that these two tracks are at the end show in what way Rockfour goes.

"Butteflies Net" is the opening point of Rockfour's career. You can feel that Rockfour aren't sure what they gonna do later but fortunately they had 3 years to think about it and to surprise us with one of the best hebrew albums ever.