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Album Details

• Artist: Jesse Malin
• Album: Glitter In The Gutter
• Label: One Little Indian
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dadair on 2007-03-14

"If you can... walk with Kings, Nor lose the common touch.

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!"

I doubt that Kipling would have objected to this being used for someone who has opened for Kiss (in his previous outfit, D-Generation), collaborated with Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams and has hung out with Green Day's Billy Joe Davis for an MTV documentary type show. Add to this the fact that Jesse Malin's third album stoically clings to his life bearing, slightly worn and intoxicated vocals with winding guitars, to tackle seedy life subjects and the general theme of being down and out. Jesse is not only a man, but it could be argued that he is the man. 'In The Modern World', the instrumental ties are bound together by trundling bass lines, facilitating the impact of the customary lyrical bite, making Pete Doherty seem like a Jackanory story-teller;

"It's so avante garde, with your platinum card,

but you won't return to sender, a little gender bender.

Come on fuck forever, in the modern world."

For 'Broken Radio', a piano led rambling pop blues offering, it is obvious that you have to drag Bruce Springsteen off Thunder Road to provide the complimenting, gritty singing streak. He and Jesse tie a vocal knot and hover over the slow, winding instrumentals to deliver a sorrowful tale of everyday love, loss and desperation. The album mixes wild rock guitar streaks with rusty, slightly country vocals which possess an extra snap and trundling percussion that builds in tempo and thrust, as the songs progress. This is Jesse's blueprint that he uses to bear out harrowing themes such as dejection, loneliness, bemusement and general life reflection. It is a formula that he has used so well and there is no demand for him to change, especially upon hearing the garage rocking 'Prisoners Of Paradise'.

The laidback strolling ode of 'Lucinda', shows up the tenderness in Malin that bustles through the weariness in the vocals, giving a sprightly kick and builds upon the impact created by the swish, Americana backing element. An eerie piano intro forces the vocals to take on a slow pleading touch for 'Bastards Of Young'. This Paul Westerberg cover, neatly draws out the pensive nature of this colourful New Yorker. A forceful, acoustic drilled finale 'Aftermath' (featuring Ryan Adams on backing vocals), poignantly features some true, Philip Larkin styled everyday summarising. Malin has a range and a style that does age or tire.

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