Matisyahu is a golden god.

Ok, maybe I just wanted an excuse to tie in referencing his faith with an Almost Famous quote, but he is an amazing artist. If you think that his being a Hasidic reggae rapper is just a novelty that should have worn off by now, you’ve got another thing coming. And that other thing is Light, his new album that was just released August 25.

We’ve been playing “One Day” here at BRU for at least a few months, but that is far from the only stand-out song on the album. The album begins with “Smash Lies,” which seems to lean more heavily to the rap side of his style, with “his style” being the key words there. This song isn’t about violence and all the girls he’s getting (as anyone familiar with his music would expect). The song starts off with the inspirational words of “Dream awake. Make no mistake—strive to be alive most every day.”

The next song, “We Will Walk,” may be my favorite on the album. It lyrically reflects his faith and convictions, but it sonically seems to meld Jack Johnson melodies with Sublime-like reggae rap. I vaguely remember being blown away by “I Will Be Light” when I saw him live sometime back at Lupo’s, and while it doesn’t seem quite as cinematic in its recorded form it’s still quite beautiful. Most of the other songs seem to seesaw between the smooth reggae sounds and stuff that’s a little more rap, which makes “Darkness into Light” really stand out, if for nothing else, for its heavy electric guitar. The final song, “Silence,” sounds like listening to a beating heart in a quiet night.  That might sound corny, but trust me, the song does not.

I know that this review may seem more glowing than one you might expect. It may be because I’ve been in love with Matisyahu ever since I saw him live, but if you give this album a chance you’ll see why. You’ve gotta respect any guy that can make songs about faith, hope, and love sound this cool.