This Week's Music Picks
7th Sep 2005, 20:00 GMT
He's an Orthodox Jewish Reggae singer that got his start performing in the parking lot at Phish shows, but don't call him a gimmick. Matisyahu's recent accomplishments include a co-headlining spot at the recent Reggae Carifest on Randall's Island and a sold-out show at Irving Plaza. Thursday night he'll pack Webster Hall. Phish fans who can't get a ticket should consider Benevento Russo Duo at Bowery Ballroom instead. "Alligator, the second album from The National, is an unabashedly dynamic record (stream it). The beats are propulsive, the guitars vary from clean and incisive to ragged and dripping, piano haunts the corners, strings cling to the melodies like moss, boy/girl harmonies arrive unexpectedly, the lyrics are clever, obtuse, metaphoric character studies of lives misjudged and decisions reflected on with regret." [Stylus] Clap Your Hands Say Yeah open the shows at Warsaw on Wednesday and Bowery Ballroom on Friday. Make sure you stay for the National. "Seu Jorge (b. June 8, 1970) is a Brazilian musician and actor. He appeared in the critically acclaimed movie City of God, and then played Pele Dos Santos in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, for which he provided much of the soundtrack in the form of Portuguese covers of David Bowie classics." [Wikipedia] Jorge starts a two night run at Bowery Ballroom Sunday night. And now the day by day...