Music Review
Youth
Matisyahu
Matthew Miller, Matisyahu to the public, is an Hasidic Jew who grew up loving Bob Marley, hip-hop and rock. Youth is his major label studio, and it follows hot on the heels of Live at Stubbs, a compelling live recording which demonstrates how important it is to have a great band behind you.
To the surpirse of some, as the U.S. is not particularly reggae-friendly, his music is finding heavy rotation on alternative radio and MTV. Perhaps its the novelty of seeing an Orthodox Jew grooving away in 'Marley-esque' tone whilst clad in his traditional garb, hairlocks and all--but maybe, it is also because the music is pretty darn good.
It is not great, sometimes it feels a bit derivative, and about three songs into the album I though it was about to go all "Shaggy" on me, but it didn't and the album ends really strong.
Produced by recording giant Bill Laswell, the musical core is pretty sparse--bass drums, guitar--all extraneous affectations largely dismissed--no horns synths etc, just stripped down grooves and unexpected musical twists and turns. There is even a drum solo--one that lasts over a minute! Haven't heard one of those in a while--but it works surprisingly.
Miller is inhibited by a bit of a nasally voice, but his intentions and passions are obviously genuine. It is quite surprising, or not, to think about how compatible orthodox judaism and reggae are--his application of scriptural and roots reggae language and metaphor works really well and sounds right.
To the surpirse of some, as the U.S. is not particularly reggae-friendly, his music is finding heavy rotation on alternative radio and MTV. Perhaps its the novelty of seeing an Orthodox Jew grooving away in 'Marley-esque' tone whilst clad in his traditional garb, hairlocks and all--but maybe, it is also because the music is pretty darn good.
It is not great, sometimes it feels a bit derivative, and about three songs into the album I though it was about to go all "Shaggy" on me, but it didn't and the album ends really strong.
Produced by recording giant Bill Laswell, the musical core is pretty sparse--bass drums, guitar--all extraneous affectations largely dismissed--no horns synths etc, just stripped down grooves and unexpected musical twists and turns. There is even a drum solo--one that lasts over a minute! Haven't heard one of those in a while--but it works surprisingly.
Miller is inhibited by a bit of a nasally voice, but his intentions and passions are obviously genuine. It is quite surprising, or not, to think about how compatible orthodox judaism and reggae are--his application of scriptural and roots reggae language and metaphor works really well and sounds right.