“This is definitely pushing the boundaries of what I’ve done before,” Matisyahu said about Spark Seeker, his new album. “It’s a new kind of record for me.” He still mixes spiritual hip-hop and reggae, but with a much more laid-back and unapologetic pop attitude that isn’t afraid of the body. Externally, the former bearded Hasidic Jew now looks clean cut, a change that reflects the fact that he’s going through a spiritual turning point. He still sings about love, beauty, God, and positive vibes, but the album (which debuted at number one on the reggae charts and is his strongest and most universal studio effort, though still not as amazing as Live at Stubb’s) simply presents him as Matisyahu, a guy who raps over killer beats and who always gives a great live set. $26-$31; doors at 6:30pm Wed, Nov 21; Backstage Live, 1305 E Houston, (210) 698-2856, frontgatetickets.com. Check out our full online calendar of upcoming events here: calendar.sacurrent.com.
