3 1/2 of 5 stars
At first glance, it would seem as though Matisyahu is a huge practical joke put out to see if people will really pay attention to a notion as bogus as a Jewish rapper. But surprisingly, orthodox Jewish rapper Matisyahu, real name Matthew Miller, seems to have found a shtick that, well, sticks.
Matisyahu’s heavily reggae-influenced beats serve as an unlikely but fitting backdrop to his raps about his faith. In fact, Live At Stubb’s could be a religious album, with the majority of the lyrics covering different aspects of his spiritual journey to Judaism.
But what starkly separates this “religious” album from others is, again, the unexpected reggae rhythms coupling rather well with Matisyahu’s impressive but largely monotone flow.
Being that Live at Stubb’s is indeed a live album, Matisyahu establishes his credibility as a rapper who can perform well live, a feat some artists never achieve. However impressive Matisyahu blends his tales of religious forgiveness and the building of a third Jewish temple with reggae jams, most of the songs sound the same, if not like reworked versions of themselves.
It is only when he strays from clich? ska rhythms and interjects some needed funk, as on the bouncing “Chop ‘Em Down,” that Matisyahu shows his genius in what he’s doing: getting non-believers to convert to his Jewish jams without even knowing it.
Where he shows his best talent is on the more-tamed songs such as “Warrior” and “Refuge,” both reminiscent of classic Bob Marley in their experimentation with how reggae music can speak to you by itself, as on the lyric-less jam track “Fire and Heights.”
On “Warrior,” Matisyahu speaks of the tribulations one encounters when falling from grace: “You got separated from the King/Now the water’s gushing and you keep trying to swim against the streams/It seems like you’re not moving the many streams … You’re a warrior/Fighting for your soul.” And on “Refuge,” Matisyahu preaches his sermon on respect to his King backed by subtle but affecting guitar that conveys the same message as Matisyahu’s lyrics: “You have been a refuge for me/A tower of strength in the face of the enemy.”
However engrossing Matisyahu’s songs on deep religious concepts can be, thankfully he has some more upbeat tracks that show his band’s skills at making you dance and sway, even if it’s to undecipherable rants that Matisyahu regularly shouts in mid-flow, his catchiest technique on the album.
The first single off Live At Stubb’s, “King Without A Crown,” begins with a slow guitar intro, but immediately blasts in the infectious Rasta beat and those yodeling rants that suck you into the absurdity of what you’re hearing but also make you fall in love with it instantly. The trickling guitars make this track the funkiest on Live at Stubb’s, and the most fun with Matisyahu gradually upping the volume until he’s shouting with religious fervor at the end.
Oddly enough, the recorded studio version of “Crown,” which will come out on his new studio album in March, sounds even better with added bass and the mainstream sound to propel the song to top 10 success.
“Heights” also has the groovy soul in its music to make you forget it’s the same beat as every other generic reggae track. And on “Chop ‘Em Down,” Matisyahu reworks the same beat with an extra upbeat skip and sung flow that adds a great hook to an otherwise ordinary ska track.
Matisyahu’s breakout song “Beat Box” breaks free from the musical constraints of the other 11 tracks on Live at Stubb’s and displays Matisyahu’s other talent: beat boxing. It is on this track that Matisyahu seems free from all the religious preaching of his other songs and just lets loose with a remarkable beat that sounds like it’s coming straight from a mixer board. Matisyahu beat boxes for the first three minutes of the song until the familiar reggae beats jam back in and guest MC Yoni lays his raps that, thankfully, have nothing to do with religion. The song would’ve been much more fun if Yoni had rapped alongside Matisyahu’s beat box the whole way through the track. In fact, it’s Matisyahu’s playfulness and uninhibitedness at the beginning of “Beat Box” that makes it so fun to listen to; the rest of Live at Stubb’s would’ve benefited greatly from more of it.
The fact that Matisyahu is not a joke and possesses actual talent should silence some skeptics. After all, reggae and hip-hop music was created as a means to express the struggle of African-Americans in finding their own voice. Why couldn’t it work for a Jewish guy struggling to find out how his religion and love of rhythmic music fit in together? Matisyahu seems to be on the right track, and if Live At Stubb’s is any indication of the future, Matisyahu will see his music fitting with legions of fans who can connect with his religious message backed to equally revered music.