Matisyahu - Live at Stubb's

Hasidic reggae? Oh Jesus… Well not, Jesus per say. Not as in the son of God anyway. But a Hasidic reggae inflected rapper? I know Mike Skinner pulled off an accent, but this seems a little much. Rapping about the “destruction of the temple and the eventually building up of the third temple that we’re waiting on,” it was hard to think of this as anything more than a novelty. However, recorded live in front of a rowdy Texan audience (yet another “what the… ?”), Live at Stubb’s is more than just an originality. Matisyahu and his band are talented. Seamlessly delivered lyrics inspired straight from the Torah flow over chilled out blasts of reggae inflected beats. His ability to speak openly and religiously without sounding preachy allow Matisyahu to sound uplifting and inspiring for Jew and Gentile alike. This doesn’t seem like it would work as well as it does, but it simply does. So while this Matisyahu may not last the millenniums that Hasidism has, it’s clear that he is more than a flash in the pan. Flares and tickertape (in the form of Bob Marley and Y_hw_h) can attract listeners but ultimately it’s content that will keep them coming back for more and content is definitely not something Matisyahu is found wanting in. [www.hasidicreggae.com]