Customer Reviews

Heat

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jesse Malin once led an incendiary band called D Generation - a loud, obnoxious cross between the Ramones and the NY Dolls that burned out before they could fade away. Believe it or not, this is better.

Jesse has always written sharp tales of the city. Tales that are grittier than those of Bruce or Neil, and more poignant than Lou's. "The Heat" is filled with more of those songs, yet comes off as a superior follow-up to "The Fine Art of Self Destruction." Perhaps this is because Jesse relies more on his abundant talent and rides less on the coattails of Ryan Adams. Having Mr. Adams produce and play guitar on your album is a wonderful thing, but the further Jesse moves from the dead-end of Americana, the better off he'll be.

"The Heat" moves him to a unique point between Dolls/Reed/Ramones New York punk and the sincere-but-too-subdued territory of "Fine Art..." Every song is a rough diamond that unwinds like a finely detailed short story. This is indeed fine art, and the best new music I've heard this year.

I love this album and I'm not sure how best to communicate my feelings about it. When I listen, now, I get that rare feeling when I'm listening to a truly amazing album: lots of very strong songs one after another. Jesse Malin has a very unique voice, and is one of those few artists who I can wholeheartedly recommend. If you haven't heard him before, his style might be reminiscent of Ryan Adams, with perhaps more consistent songwriting. If you've heard his first album, I liked it but I like this even better!

Great music for sitting in a diner with a cup of coffee and contemplating an imminent fork in the road.

i listen to tons of music and this is the best record i've heard this year. fantastic stuff that is LIGHT YEARS away from what jesse malin was doing in his former life as lead singer of way overhyped NYC glam band, D Generation. put this cd in, go to any track, and you will not be disappointed. really. all 14 songs hold up and that is astounding in today's day and age of records that are too long and mostly filler.

jesse's voice and the instrumentation on this record pull at your heart - even his lyrics often strike a poignant chord.

i can't recommend this record highly enough (and i've never been a fan of this guy).

Jesse Malin is very, very good. He puts everything he's got in his music. This is very evident in his songwriting, because they are stories of his life. His music is what music should be; filled with great guitar, gloomy bass and rocking drums that ignite his songs. This sophmore album is far more grown up than his first. Jesse will be around for many years to come, and if he keeps this up will go down as one of the greats, along with his pal Ryan Adams. The future of music lies in the two of these artists, along with Pete Yorn. Can you say Rock n Roll

If you are, you must buy this CD. Lyrics rich with imagery and a jarringly direct honesty. A voice that uniquely and completely wraps around those lyrics in the proud tradition of Sinatra or Springteeen. Guitars and pianos with edge and soul (think Clash, Ramones) that go right to your insides. Melodies and ballads that are instantly likable (a la Elvis Costello). The more you listen, the more you like. The only thing better is hearing him live. Malin is one of the most real artists you will find out there and this disc will reignite your passion for music that actually makes you feel something inside.

I didn't buy my copy of Fine Art Of Self Destruction until early this year. I was quickly attachted to it. When I heard he would have a new record out in June i was quite excited. This record is different from FASD. But that can be a good thing. One thing that I was happy about but wouldn't mind if he didn't....was he wrote in a few different keys instead of just one or two like I noticed on the fine art. There quite a few songs that could fare quite well on the radio like Mona Lisa, Hotel Columbia (I've read there is already a video for Columbia and soon wil be for Mona Lisa). Some highlights are : Mona Lisa, Silver Manhattan, Arrested, Since Your In Love, Basement Home, Hotel Columbia, God's Lonely People. Now if only he'd play some shows in wisconsin ;)

It's kind of a shame for Jesse Malin that his friend and producer of his first album (not this one), Ryan Adams, already exists because it kind of bestows `Also-Ran' status on everything that Malin does. Malin's style, voice, and material all seem to resemble those of Adams. Now this is not at all a bad thing. We think Ryan Adams is the most exciting Rock & Roll talent to have emerged in years. So it's natural that an artist with a similar musical bent would remain in his shadow. That said, it is still "the song, stupid" (to misquote a famous political adage) and Malin has here a bevy of terrific ones. Whether rockers or ballads, these songs are accessible and exciting, served straight with Malin's high-pitched vocals and searing guitars. It's the kind of album we will take any day. And you know what? Just to display our solidarity with our fellow `flip-floppers' of the world, we've decided to change our minds. Malin is not, as we suggested just a few sentences back, always destined for `Also-Ran' status to his bud Mr. Adams. In fact, we just decided that we prefer Malin's cd to Adam's new one. So there.

This is Jesse Malin's second solo album and, unlike common expectations of a decline after a highly reviewed first one -I'm talking about the Rock press, not reviewers in this site- this is, to my taste, a more accomplished album than its predecessor.
Whereas "The Fine Art of Self-Destruction" was angry and raw -as far as production values are concerned- this is more poignant in its message -trading rage for outrage- and more polished, without ever deserving to be considered slick.
Defying my general bias for self-produced albums, "The Heat" carries a more personal sound and showcases Malin's compositions more convincingly than his solo debut did, under the production of Ryan Adams. As astounding as Adams may be as a composer and performer -and believe me, I'm awed by his talent- his capacity to produce is still limited. A common sin, when it comes to production chores, is to have the artist sound too much as his producer, and Adams could be accused of that.
In contrast with that, Malin knows his songs and, without indulging in overworked versions, he's made his songs sound more authentic and believable in this album. This is, possibly, the sound of post 9/11 urban Rock, the result of a certain loss of innocence without giving up its edge nor profound hope.
I agree with those people who cautioned us already that he's no Springsteen, yet Bruce comes to mind when listening to "The Heat," and he does because, Malin like "the Boss," does not pretend to be someone he's not nor short-changes you in the "heart department."
There are several great examples of this guy's mature punk truths. Listen to "Mona Lisa" or "Silver Manhattan," for instance, or the thoughtful ire of "New World Order," or quiet plead for the forgotten ones on "God's Lonely People."
All in all, this is not yet a five-star outing, but more because he still has so much more to offers us than he due to any personal disappointments I may have with it.
Jesse Malin has touched me, and he's done it out of sheer sincerity, through his music and his words.

Malin's freshman effort "The Fine Art of Self Destruction" was so good that I had to come back for his sophomore solo effort. "The Heat" has some wonderful moments and is a touching and affecting set. It's more personal, often slower as on the beautiful melody "Basement Home" with Malin's aching vocals about a 12-year old who has seen enough of life's difficulties that she does not believe in God. It's sorry and sad, but works both as a song and as musical therapy. "Hotel Columbia" is an uptempo rocker filled with guitar thunder and dark images, "All your dope sick friends are hanging round like ghosts." The opener "Mona Lisa" is a strong track with the catchy hook chorus, "If you work your life away, they'll put your picture in a frame & you make your departure when you die." "Going Out West" is a pretty story song with a good melody and Malin's aching vocals. My favorite track and one of the happier numbers is "Since You're In Love." It's got a dreamy dense arrangement. But even though the melody sounds happy, the lyric has a double edge, "Since you're in love, I'm still sad over you." "The Heat" is tempered with loss and regret, a personal exploration into the darker side of the heart. It works well on a majority of the tracks and shows emotional depth. Enjoy!

Jesse Malin's latest album surpasses his Fine Art of Self-destruction. His growth as an artist and musician has been remarkable. Insightful lyrics, melodious rock and charismatic performances never disappoint the listener. This dynamite album
has not be out of the CD player since I bought it. Tonight he
appeared on Conan O'Brian's show singing one of the cuts from
this album. Jesse, don't make it so long between CDs.