Former Berklee College of Music student Éyal Hai has outdone himself with this fascinating debut music video. The video, which was also directed by Hai, is set to the song "Poor Lorraine", which features vocalist Akie Bermiss. The song itself is a remarkable composition in 5/8 time and combines quiet acoustic sections with a brash, tonally-rich chorus. Indeed, it seems like a grunge throwback with the added bonus of virtuosic alto saxophone playing and an intense hook. Your attention will be seized from the moment you hit play by the train-like static noise and piano clusters (also played by Hai). Bermiss then begins to croon, "The day is almost done / now she is rushing to the gate." "She" is Lorraine, and her story is told in an "Eleanor Rigby"-esque tone, though instead of "all the lonely people" it's just her that's the lonely one.

The production throughout is varied and utilizes a palette of instrument usually reserved for alternative rock. Ringing acoustic guitar arpeggiation, trembling keyboard sirens, and double-tracked vocals are all embraced and smartly mixed. At around the 3:05 mark a tender saxophone-led interlude slowly builds to a full-on freakout of savagely blaring electronics and experimental soloing by Éyal. It's the most I've heard a horn player truly "rock out". In fact, he smashes his sax to bits in the video throughout this finale section like Pete Townshend or Jimi Hendrix destroying their guitars in rock fueled fury. This track is off of Hai's new record "Practicing Catharsis" and if the entire album is anything like this small taste it's a huge accomplishment for this young songwriter right out of the gate.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uGF2c_183Q[/youtube]