Matisyahu — Light

Light

Epic/Sony

Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

08/26/2009 3:32pm

Matisyahu began his career playing fairly straightforward reggae about God and Chasidic Judaism. His third album is an attempt to broaden his scope, and it comes at an interesting time for him.

Matisyahu's first two albums were released when he was a member of the Chabad Lubavitch strain of Orthodox Judaism. He hasn't fallen out with Chabad and he's still Orthodox, but while making Light he said he's become interested in different strains of Judaism.

Stylistically, Light is all over the place beginning with the Auto-Tuned dance hall-ish "Smash Lies." That's jarring, but then you're hit with "We Will Walk" and first single "One Day," which could appear on his previous albums. That's also the case with "I Will Be Light," which was recorded in Jamaica and features legendary rhythm section Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, with whom Matisyahu's worked in the past. All three of these tracks are some of his very best and are filled with killer hooks.

The programmed "For You" is another attempt to embrace different musical styles. "Struggla" is more rap-oriented, but it sounds confused next to the more modern rock "Darkness Into Light," which was co-written and co-produced by Good Charlotte's Joel and Benji Madden.

It's interesting to see how Matisyahu's music has changed along his spiritual journey, and Light shows some promising things to come. He just needs to put all these elements into better focus.

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