First Look: Herman Dune - 123/Apple Tree EP

Even before I knew the duo behind Herman Dune were Jewish, I had my suspicions. There's a Eastern European folk sensibility and a self-deprecating humor at work on the 123/Apple Tree EP that's unmistakable. Well, that and dudes have a song about naming their dog after Golda Meir. Isaac Bashevis Singer would've been all over this.

The title track calls attention to their religious heritage with a love song, with David-Ivar Herman Dune singing, "If you worship Jesus when I am a Jew, you will know how bad I like to be with you." Assimilation being that thing that's not going so well for aspiring Jewish grandmothers these days and all, the line is played for laughs, following a bit about the subject of the song putting on weight. 123/Apple Tree is a funny, breezy record, two French Jews' take on Jens Lekman or a much, much less self-involved Cat Stevens. And best of all, I can buy my mom a copy.

Herman Dune - "Your Name, My Game": mp3

(123/Apple Tree is out now on Everloving; yes, that's a Kimya Dawson reference in the above MP3)

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