Glitter In The Gutter

We Say...

Review by Johnny Black

From hardcore punk frontman via semi-acoustic balladeer to gritty but sensitive mainstream rocker, Jesse Malin’s evolution has been a riveting journey to watch.

It’s a transition which, to the uninitiated, might sound dramatic and unlikely, but is actually little more than a shift of emphasis — Malin astutely continues to address his faithful by reflecting the changes they’ve undergone as they find, confront and accept the inevitability of getting older.

There’s no denying that what Malin is doing now is considerably more sophisticated than his early work but, thankfully, that’s not at the expense of passion or sincerity. It’s just that now every word is clear and every spiky guitar lick is perfectly audible.

Anyone familiar with Malin’s earlier work, either with '80s New York hardcore upstarts Heart Attack or fronting his subsequent glam-punk combo D Generation, will recognise that same reckless energy fuelling Glitter in the Gutter cuts like "In the Modern World" or "Prisoners of Paradise." Similarly, those who first tuned in during his solo career will find themselves in very familiar territory, except that he’s upped the energy levels a tad.

Much has been made of the guest-star studded nature of this album, but the presence of Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams, Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), Chris Shifflet (Foo Fighters) and Jakob Dylan enhances rather than overshadows what Malin does. There’s no mistaking Springsteen’s gruff tones on the big piano ballad "Broken Radio," contributing a well-fitting contrast with Malin’s reedier vocal, but you have to listen closely to pick out the other guests.

It’s Malin’s strengths as a songwriter that carry the album — his easy way with a rough-hewn tune, his poignantly perceptive insights into the dramas of everyday life and his ability to evoke rock’s rich heritage without blatantly ripping it off.

Like his mate Brucie, Malin wears his influences on his sleeve, throwing in lyrical signposts to Dylan’s "I’ll Keep It With Mine," Ike And Tina’s "River Deep, Mountain High" and umpteen others, but he’s also blessed with a talent for combining hard-nosed cynicism with just enough of a trace of optimism to sugar even his bitterest pills, frequently turning little home truths into uplifting couplets like, "When you find the truth, you won’t care about tomorrow."

With a bit of luck and a following wind, this could be the album that brings Jesse Malin the success his talent has always deserved.