Matisyahu
Live at Stubb's
(Or/JDub)
First Appeared in The Music Box, May 2005, Volume 12, #5
Written by John Metzger
It’s hard to imagine a better gimmick than the one being floated by Matisyahu.
As a practicing Hasidic Jew, the singer/songwriter sports the long beard, hat,
and black coat that are customary for those of his faith, but instead of the
synagogue, one is more likely to find him frequenting the bars and nightclubs
around the country in which he performs his own, unique brand of
reggae-inflected rock. In terms of having a story to tell, there’s little doubt
that Matisyahu, née Matthew Miller,
certainly takes the cake, and over the course of the past few months, the
mainstream press has been bending over backwards to place it within the public’s
purview. Indeed, what started the year as a dull murmur is likely, in the coming
weeks, to reach a feverishly pitched roar, especially considering that he only
recently released his first effort for major-label Or Music. Titled Live at
Stubb’s, the collection offers an hour-long glimpse at this bizarre
phenomenon, which features Matisyahu sparsely backed by a trio of musicians.
While the collective’s performance rarely rises above the level of a good but
typical bar band, there also is something strangely compelling about him.
Transforming the spiritual underpinnings of reggae into Old Testament piety,
Matisyahu sprinkles his ruminations with a blend of beat box rhythms and hip-hop
rhymes in ways that conjure images of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis
channeling Bob Marley. Incorporating the jam band community’s dexterous sense of
a solid groove, the ensemble uses its full dynamic range to make its point.
Sure, Matisyahu’s vocals lack the soulful air necessary to make the slower
passages succeed, but when he starts delivering words and syllabic sounds in
rapid succession and guitarist Aaron Dugan answers him with a brash display of
his own, it’s impossible not to be transfixed.
Live at Stubb's is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005 The Music Box