music

Like most of the other reviews I've been updating on here in the past month, I wrote this review awhile ago for a webzine. It needs some editing and I sound like a fanboy. Maybe that's because I am.

Matisyahu - Youth

If you have not yet heard of Matisyahu, here's the buzz: the guy is a reggae artist and an Orthodox Jew. He has garnered a lot of attention over the past year since his live album release Live at Stubb's (2005). Among other things, that album featured soulful psalms set to reggae beats, mini-sermons, and some impressive beat-boxing. If you think his Hasidic garb is just a gimmick, pay closer attention to his music. One of Matisyahu's greatest allies is that his voice sounds like it is trying to reach YHWH directly. His performance exudes passion. It was an act of brilliance to market the live album so heavily, and then follow-up with a studio release in such a short amount of time.

The question is, does Youth deliver? My answer is a clear "Yes". First, a quick history lesson. Reggae as an art form in America has remained for the most part in street culture. It makes for a good choice in dance and night clubs due to the simple beats, heavy bass, and chord structures that keep the door wide open for improvisation. In the 1970's, Bob Marley was able to achieve massive appeal in America. Bob Marley proved that reggae music could cross cultural divides and gain popularity amongst diverse crowds. Even though he died in 1981, to this day his music continues to gain fans and inspire musicians. Many other artists have borrowed reggae as an art form, combining it with their own styles. Bands such as The Clash, The Police, Sublime, 311, and P.O.D. have mixed reggae influences into their own music. Hip-hop and rap artists have consistently sampled and collaborated with reggae artists to gain a solid back or break beat to their tracks. Additionally, many others have stuck to using reggae as their dominant art form, such as Eek-A-Mouse, the other Marleys, and others. Matisyahu is one of the latter types. While he adds flavors of other styles of music, he sticks to reggae as his main form. With Youth he proves that it is possible for him to do so while also keeping the energy going and variety steady enough to fill out a full studio album.

Youth begins with 'Fire of Heaven / Altar of Earth', an up-tempo song with a ton of energy, a driving rhythm section, and escalating sections. It represents Matisyahu at his best and most natural form. Title track 'Youth' keeps the energy high and adds some soul flavor while blending elements of spoken word and, believe it or not, a hard rock solo. 'Time Of Your Song' slows things down for a moment with a good bit of strong pop sensibility. R&B influences are drenched in the accompaniment and arrangement. It threatens to cross the borders into sappy territory, but Matisyahu is able to pull it off because his vocals come across as sincere enough to match the hook. 'Dispatch The Troops' keeps the mid-tempo vibe going at an agreeable pace. Vocal beat-boxing returns on 'Indestructible' albeit subdued by the studio production addition of a hip-hop bass track. Luckily, the hooks keep on coming to move it along and keep the listener happy. It's fun. Acoustic guitar is a surprise to hear at the intro of 'What I'm Fighting For' until the listener remembers Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'. The track is short enough to keep the lyrical ideals and musical reference from being pretentious. 'Jerusalem' has got to be one of the most mild-mannered and happy songs ever written about anything related to Israel. After that, the album loses the momentum for a few tracks. 'WP' is a weaker track, assisted by a guest rap vocal appearance by and a short dub sample near the end. 'Shalom / Salaam' brings back the beat box laced with a light acoustic riff. 'Unique Is My Dove' is the obligatory love song. The first few moments of 'Ancient Lullaby' are okay, but the album has been lacking energy for a the past few tracks so it drags. However, a real breath of fresh air comes with the chorus paired with an awesome arrangement of island sounding guitar work and a an excellent drum solo. 'King Without A Crown' contained a lot more energy and momentum as a live track on Live at Stubb's, but the studio version is worth the clarity. It works as a fitting coda.

Overall, Youth is a fine album. The recording and mix of all the sections is well done. Lyrical references range from The Police to Matthew Wilder. Matisyahu keeps the reggae in full force while adding more production sentimentality to a good collection of catchy songs.