Matisyahu – Light

My friend, Carlos, brought to my attention Matisyahu a little while back. As of the 25th, he’s released a new album titled “Light” and I’ve just pulled it down off of the Zune Marketplace. It features the previously released single, “One Day,” which my son began singing after just a minute of exposure to the song. Matisyahu is a credible artist with the added interest in his back story that he’s a reggae musician and Hasidic Jew from New York. An unlikely combination to be sure, and one that has probably earned him his initial fame. However, his music tells the story of his devotion to Judaism, peace, love, and happiness. A Further contrast to much of his music in which the group puts together some hard-hitting beats and near hip hop aesthetics.

Light is a new album for me, but I’ve already picked some favorites on it. Aside from the easily liked, exceptional “One Day,” the first track is one of those unexpected hard-hitting pieces; “Smash Lies” is a killer piece of work. It’s also available for free from Matisyahu’s website in conjunction with the release of the new album. In addition to these two, you’ll want to hear “Motivate” and “Thunder.”