Talking Points:: Matisyahu - Shattered

Recently I was sent a copy of Matisyahu's new EP, Shattered. Now despite hearing his name plenty amongst bloggers and merds, I had heard almost nada from Matisyahu (this name gives me a brain block, so if it ends up spelled 5 different ways in these few paragraphs, forgive me). So I thought it would make a perfect candidate for one of our most crowd pleasing segments here on the hill: the Talking Points. So let's do this.

- Here is actually my main talking point for this post: Hello major labels, please do not waste your time mailing out albums of less than six songs. I know you're paranoid about the "file-sharing" and the "iTunes" and the "Limewires" and all the other mp3-style boogeymen which are currently holding you upside down and shaking the fatcat change from your pockets, but honestly, get with the program. Saving the cost of pressing CD's with 4 songs on them and then mailing them to me here in Canada, and all the other blogging schmoes where they live, has to save you a few cents. Rant over.

- DUDE, DID YOU KNOW MATISYAHU IS A HASIDIC JEWISH GUY THAT DOES REGGAE-RAPS!!! HOLY CRAP, THAT IS SOOOO AWESOME!!! Ok, that's out of the way now, so let's continue.

- It struck me whilst listening to the first song on this EP, Smash Lies, that I didn't know what Matisyahu actually sounds like, so I didn't know if it was him doing the rappage and the singing on this song, or if there was someone else involved. From what the Google tells me, there are plenty of folks involved with this album: "ground-breaking Jamaican reggae rhythm section Sly & Robbie, son of legendary reggae artist Freddie McGregor and among Jamaica’s youngest and most innovative young producers Stephen McGregor, Fish and Norwood Fisher of the legendary L.A. alt-punk-ska band Fishbone, and experimental turntablist Ooah from the Glitch Mob", but no mention of anyone else on vocals, so I'll assume it's all Matisyahu.

- Smash Lies isn't bad, its combo of big hip-hopish drums, handclaps, piano and some plucked banjo in the background matched with some straight-ahead rapping and reggae chants had me nodding my head, but like I said, I have no idea who was doing what here. I think this mostly works though, so if it were a full album of this, I would be on board with Matisyahu.

- Unfortunately, it is not. So Hi So Lo is kind of a mid-tempo, generic rip-rock cut, which had me saying "Ahhhhh, wha?" and checking that I didn't have shuffle turned on. Not that it's a bad song per se, and if Matisyahu has aspirations to become the male, Hasidic Lauren Hill, far be it for me to stand in his way, but this feels like a bit of a reach for him.

- I believe Two Child One Drop is one of the songs that Sly & Robbie worked with Matisyahu on, and, like the other three songs on this EP, you can't front on the musicality and production on display here. The song is stuffed full of different elements, and in fact the main reason I really like this jam is because of the funky sitar-like breakdown that accompanies Matisyahu's chatting near the end. It's also been a while since I've heard some decent Hebrew chanting on a song, so this one satisfies for that reason also.