|
Smokin Tunes A place for musicians and music lovers (that also smoke cigars!) to discuss their passion. |
|
Thread Tools | Rate Thread | Display Modes |
05-08-2006, 12:16 PM | #1 |
Herf Meister
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 7,650
|
Matisyahu Live at Stubbs
This is probably the first CD I've actually bought in a year or so. I've been pretty despondant about modern music in the last few years, but I have to say I really like this stuff.
Those who don't know, Matisyahu Miller is a young Hasidic Jew (belongs to the Habad, also called Lubavitch, Hasidic denomination, the one that's centered around Crown Heights in Brooklyn) who performs a mixture of reggae and hiphop. Some dismiss him as just a novelty act, because a Jewish reggae artist with a big beard, wearing a yarmuckle and black suit, certainly isn't something you see everyday, but his music is astounding. I'm just about done with a minor in Religious Studies and I took a class that talked about Habad Hasidism, so I might have a bit more of an insight and appreciation of what he's singing about than the average guy. All of his songs are very spiritual and religious in nature and its full of Hasidic references to God, Mashiach ("Messiah" in Hebrew), returning from exile, love, redemption, etc. With its religious references and the fact its reggae, it does remind one a bit of Bob Marley's more Rastafarian-leaning songs. Definitely good stuff and its even better to see some popular music out there WITH AN ACTUAL MESSAGE that isn't just the usual sex and drugs or bitching about our government. |