Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The perfect MOR album, 15 Feb 2007
Having firmly readjusted himself from the outrageous punk role he concocted with his old band, Degeneration X, and honed his singer/songwriting talent with his two previous albums The Fine Art Of Self Destruction and 2004's The Heat, Jesse Malin all but perfects the art with this, his third album.
As ever, Malin writes locally but thinks universally and by recording an album - at least in part - outside of New York, Malin's experiences on Glitter In The Gutter create an even more global connection. Malin's desire to celebrate the underdogs, the social outcasts and the blue-collar workers has earned comparison with that other champion of the down-trodden, Bruce Springsteen. In fact, such is the nexus between the two songwriters that Springsteen sought Malin out after hearing him perform perform Hungry Heart on an Uncut cover-mount CD.
And it's inevitably the Springsteen duet, Broken Radio, that will engender the most interest in Glitter In The Gutter. The song is pure Malin poetry: a woman searches for salvation across the car radio dials. It's a song that is easily the equal of Malin's most poignant moment to date, The Fine Art Of Self Destruction's Brooklyn, but there's no denying that Springsteen's world-weary vocals add a degree of gravitas.
Springsteen's not the only notable musician to put in an appearance; Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age adds some typically dissident guitar to Tomorrow Tonight, while the Foo Fighters' Chris Shiflett fires out some robust riffs on Prisoners Of Paradise and Jakob Dylan adds sweet harmonies to Black Haired Girl. Long-time friend and collaborator, Ryan Adams also appears on a number of tracks, playing electric guitar on Broken Radio, Little Star and In The Modern World, and offering acoustic guitar and back-up vocals on album closer, Aftermath.
Elsewhere, new single, Don't Let Them Take You Down, is Malin's most impressive rock number yet and there is a piano-led, plaintive version of The Replacements' Bastards Of Young, while Since You're In Love from The Heat gets transformed into Happy Ever After.
Glitter In The Gutter is Malin's finest work to date and proof that, three albums in, Malin remains a captivating and fearless storyteller.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Malin returns in Glittering form., 19 April 2007
The first time I saw jesse play,he was support for Ryan adams at Bristol.He was one ot those rare support artists that actually had an effect on me before the main attraction.I bought his debut release which was a brillant album,then like many I assume?was deeply disapointed in the follow up 'The Heat',which I personally felt was far to influenced by Ryan Adams(who produced)going through his rock&roll phase.Well,don't be put off,this album is a triumphant return to the sound of 'fine art..'ONLY BETTER!Its a classic from start to finish, its a fine merge of funky+hazy acoustic jems,some simple stripped ballads,and some shameless Electric rockers,no wonder Springsteen&co where happy to lend there support. Its surely only a matter of time for the world to wake to this rising star,GO BUY.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Malin Genius, 9 Mar 2007
I discovered Jesse Malin a few years ago after reading a review of his first solo album, "The Fine Art of Self Destruction" in Uncut Magazine. After this I took my wife and a couple of friends to see him live and we were just blown away. It was the first time in years I was driven to buy a tour t-shirt.
While I enjoyed "The Heat", it wasn't quite as poignant and poetic as "the Fine Art...", it was with some hope that I bought the new album.
"Glitter.." is an excellent album deserving to put Jesse onto a bigger stage. Obviously, those in the know in the music business know this and are happy to guest on his album - viz Springsteen, Ryan Adams, Josh Homme etc. Hopefully the rest of the listening public will wake up and embrance Jesse Malin and his great music.
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