T on the Fringe: Matisyahu @ The Liquid Room
Could hold an audience captive with only his funky dance moves at his<br/>disposal.
| 13 Sep 2006
From Bob Dylan to John Zorn, Jewish musicians have defined themselves an
artistic identity that is overly self-analytic, neurotic and often at
odds with the Judaic traditions of storytelling and entertaining. In many
ways, Matisyahu's endlessly energetic good vibe reggae-rap is the opposite
of this: postive and spiritual without being preachy or insular.
As Matisyahu takes to the stage dressed head to toe in Hasidic garb,
cynicism could be forgiven, but this is not just another reggae band riding
high on a gimmick, as the album 'Youth' might suggest. A captivatingly impressive performer, Matisyahu flips effortlessly from golden-voiced Old Testament gospel to double time intricate raps and could probably hold an audience captive with only his funky dance moves at his disposal. Clearly an outstanding MC regardless of image, he also proves himself to be a beatboxer with few rivals, spitting out wordless hymns and head spinning drum patterns at, as Rahzel would say, the same time. Likewise, his backing band glide between heavy dub, hardcore, rock, and the occasional sweeping biblical soundscape as if all were one and the same genre. For the most part, the group keep to the upbeat, jumpy tempos that keep the crowd moving, which might leave those craving any variety disappointed, but with this much energy on display, who's going to care. [Ali Maloney]
artistic identity that is overly self-analytic, neurotic and often at
odds with the Judaic traditions of storytelling and entertaining. In many
ways, Matisyahu's endlessly energetic good vibe reggae-rap is the opposite
of this: postive and spiritual without being preachy or insular.
As Matisyahu takes to the stage dressed head to toe in Hasidic garb,
cynicism could be forgiven, but this is not just another reggae band riding
high on a gimmick, as the album 'Youth' might suggest. A captivatingly impressive performer, Matisyahu flips effortlessly from golden-voiced Old Testament gospel to double time intricate raps and could probably hold an audience captive with only his funky dance moves at his disposal. Clearly an outstanding MC regardless of image, he also proves himself to be a beatboxer with few rivals, spitting out wordless hymns and head spinning drum patterns at, as Rahzel would say, the same time. Likewise, his backing band glide between heavy dub, hardcore, rock, and the occasional sweeping biblical soundscape as if all were one and the same genre. For the most part, the group keep to the upbeat, jumpy tempos that keep the crowd moving, which might leave those craving any variety disappointed, but with this much energy on display, who's going to care. [Ali Maloney]