No Place To Be

Performer: Matisyahu
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Matisyahu (vocals); Aaron Dugan (guitar); Josh Werner (keyboards, bass guitar); Robbie (bass guitar); Sly, Jonah David (drum). Everyone's favorite Hasidic dancehall toaster, Matisyahu, based in Brooklyn's Crown Heights, released the seven-track CD/DVD mini-album of remixes and unreleased tracks, NO PLACE TO BE, in 2006. The disc contains some true oddities that work to both broaden Matisyahu's appeal for pop audiences and solidify his reputation within the reggae community. Among the odds and sods are two remixes of the song "Jerusalem" from the 2005 full-length debut YOUTH--the first, a single remix by reggae legends Sly & Robbie; the second, a hear-it-to-believe-it chopped-&-screwed remix by Houston's Swisha House crew. Matisyahu also gives a niced-up reading of the Police's reggae-tinged classic, "Message in a Bottle." While NO PLACE TO BE might not fully satisfy fans looking for new material, it certainly has enough interesting experiments to keep Matisyahu's reputation as one of pop music's true oddities fully intact. (Note: The "Live in Israel" DVD portion of the release contains a full-length concert filmed in Tel Aviv in 2005--with street footage and interviews--as well as the video for "Jerusalem.") On his fourth album in relatively quick succession, No Place to Be, Matisyahu pumps out nothing too adventurous. Indeed, most of the songs here have been present in some form or another on his previous albums. What No Place to Be does provide, though, is an excellent primer on the range that Matisyahu can cover. Top-flight dancehall in "Jerusalem" and "Chop 'Em Down," excellent covers in the form of "Message in a Bottle," thick dub remixing, and thumping beats when called for, in a remix of "Youth" (the title track from his previous album). The songwriting abilities and presentation are still entirely prevalent, as are high production values courtesy of Bill Laswell and Sly & Robbie. As an added bonus, the album is packaged with the Live in Israel DVD, which shows off one of the main factors that catapulted Matisyahu from relative obscurity to the limelight so quickly: his incredible stage presence (as well as some nice interviews and rather artsy scenic interludes). Shake Off the Dust and Youth may be somewhat larger albums with more original material, but No Place to Be provides a nice entry point for new listeners, as well as a fine live DVD. ~ Adam Greenberg DVD Features: Track List 1. Babylon Chant 2. Lord Raise Me Up 3. Dispatch The Troops 4. Close My Eyes 5. Warrior 6. Exaltation 7. Chop 'Em Down 8. Late Night In Zion 9. Ancient Lullaby 10. King Without A Crown 11. Heights 12. What I'm Fighting For

Former Phishhead turned devout Hasidic Jew, Matisyahu (a.k.a. Matthew Miller) rose to unexpected and unbelievable heights of popularity in 2006 on the strength of his first major label album of dancehall-tinged reggae, YOUTH. That's right, Matisyahu is a Hasidic Jew who sings dancehall reggae, and competently at that. Despite a sizable fanbase, some see the singer as a pure gimmick, while others view his success as a slap in the face to in-the-trenches Jamaican dancehall artists. Whatever one's view, there's no arguing Matisyahu's passion and his passionate following.

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