Light (Matisyahu album)

Light
Studio album by Matisyahu
Released	August 25, 2009
Recorded	2007-2009
Genre	Reggae fusion, reggae, hip hop, alternative rock
Length	46:20
Label	Epic, JDub Records, Or Music
Producer	David Kahne, Eric Krasno & Adam Deitch, Prince Ben, Stephen McGregor (Son of Freddie), Fish and Norwood from Fishbone, and Sly & Robbie.
Matisyahu chronology
Shattered EP (2008) Light (2009) Live at Twist & Shout (2009)
Singles from Light
"One Day" Released: June 23, 2009

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Slant Magazine	[2]
The A.V. Club	(C-)[3]
Spin	[4]
Sputnikmusic	[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]

Light is the third album by reggae singer Matisyahu, which was released on August 25, 2009.^[7] It was anticipated since his major label debut Youth released three years before. The album has been highly successful in the reggae world, holding the top spot on the billboard reggae albums chart for 34 weeks.

Album delay

Matisyahu had been working on his third album for nearly two years, making it the longest time he has ever spent making a record. The follow-up to Youth had been delayed several times before its release. First scheduled for early 2008,^[8] Light was pushed back numerous times because Matisyahu continued to tour off and on since the release of Youth. The new album's release date was set for April 21, 2009, but on March 3, the release date was pushed back to May 13, 2009. Then, once again, he pushed the release back, this time to Summer 2009, ostensibly because Matisyahu decided to record more new songs.^[9] That date had already passed, and in a message from Matisyahu on Twitter the album is due to release on August 25. On May 27, Matisyahu's Facebook page stated that the album was going to come out on August 25. On June 23 Light was made available for preorder on iTunes, with the single "One Day," a last minute addition to the album,^[10] available for download at the same time. Eventually, the official release date of August 25 was settled on.^[11] His third album finds him still creating the jam-band sound that made him popular, while shedding some light on his versatility. The theme of 'light' certainly ties the lyrical material together. On January 2, 2010 a remix to "One Day" surfaced which featured Akon.

Track listing

1. "Smash Lies"
2. "We Will Walk"
3. "One Day"
4. "Escape"
5. "So Hi So Lo"
6. "I Will Be Light"
7. "For You"
8. "On Nature"
9. "Motivate"
10. "Struggla"
11. "Darkness into Light"
12. "Thunder"
13. "Silence"

Bonus track on Israeli release

14. "Two Child One Drop"

Bonus track on Argentinean release

14. "One Day [feat. Fidel Nadal]"

The songs "Smash Lies," "So Hi So Lo," "Two Child One Drop," and "I Will Be Light" also appeared on Shattered EP. The song "One Day" was featured on the video game NBA 2K10

iTunes bonus tracks

• "One Day (Remix)" (featuring Akon)
• "Temple"
• "Drown in the Now" (song by The Crystal Method, appears on their 2009 album Divided by Night)
• "7 Beggars"
• "Master of the Field"
• "Escape" (The Louisville Light Session)
• "Smash Lies" (The Louisville Light Session)
• "So High So Low" (The Louisville Light Session)
• "Struggla" (The Louisville Light Session)
• "Thunder" (The Louisville Light Session)

Some versions of the album were also packaged with the EP Live at Twist & Shout.

Album Chart Awards

Chart (2009)	Peak position
U.S. Top Reggae Albums	1

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Slant Magazine review
3. The A.V. Club review
4. Spin review
5. Sputnikmusic review
6. Rolling Stone review
7. "Matisyahu’s "LIGHT" to be Released summer 2009 on EPIC Records". Matisyahu World. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
8. Matisyahu Begins Writing New Album. 18 July 2007, Ultimate-Guitar.com.
9. Matisyahu (2009-03-03). "'Matis' Light Release" (blog). oniracom. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
10. One Day Songfacts
11. Exclaim magazine, September 2009 issue.