Jesse Malin
Glitter in the Gutter is the new album from NYC's Jesse Malin, an artist who has transcended tags like "singer/songwriter" for something different and largely indefinable. Penned "a fearless storyteller", after releasing two critically acclaimed albums The Fine Art of Self Destruction and The Heat, Jesse has established himself as a career musician who writes songs that connect on so many levels that above all, he's a healer. The songs on Glitter in the Gutter have kept the intimate slice of life and detail of his previous records but also work on a larger palate. Jesse writes locally but thinks globally and makes his songs identifiable so that they can connect with people in every part of the world.
On this new album, he writes about hope, struggles and smiles; about finding ways "to keep on keeping on." Through his characters, like the woman who searches for salvation across the car radio dials in his song "Broken Radio", or the kid hiding his face in the cereal box in "Modern World", Malin points out "the little things that keep us laughing." Malin is able to convey happiness and sadness in the same note. This happens throughout Glitter in the Gutter. He explains that Glitter in the Gutter is "just a record about people and the things we do to stay alive."
The available time and iconography surrounding Glitter in the Gutter allowed Jesse to make the album he's only hinted at with previous releases. "I've never made a record outside of New York my whole life—not even above 14th Street—so it was a different experience to be locked away in California," he explains about the experience of recording the album in Los Angeles. "Right before we came out to [to California] I lost my apartment in New York, so I threw everything in storage in Queens and packed my life in a suitcase. So, yeah, this album had a lot of transient fugitive properties."
Whether it was that type of personal impermanence or the uncertainty of our country's future, Glitter in the Gutter is a wide musical spectrum. This album is an up-tempo, raw modern pop record that feels like a celebration of life as well as a rally to arms from the minute it begins with the anthemic opener "Beautiful Day". Glitter contains some work from guests of fellow musicians that Jesse has met on the road over the last 3 years, such as Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, who plays his signature dissident guitar riffs on "Tomorrow Tonight" and Chris Shifflet of the Foo Fighters, whose iron fisted rhythms appear on "Prisoners of Paradise". Jakob Dylan adds sweet sad harmonies on "Black Haired Girl" and there is a piano fueled duet with Bruce Springsteen titled "Broken Radio" that includes the sonic jubilee of Ryan Adams on electric guitar. There are also some other very special moments with Ryan (producer of Malin's debut The Fine Art of Self Destruction, old pal and sometimes partner in crime) like his Latina guitar and back-ups vocals on the album closer "Aftermath", and his blistering rock on "Modern World" and "Little Star." Jesse remarks, "to me it's all about songs, whether written by Elton John or Wilco or The Bad Brains".
Jesse finds comfort in the transient life of living out of a suitcase and being under the hot stage lights sweating with the crowd. A Queens born NY native who now resides downtown Manhattan, he grew up touring in punk bands (DGeneration and Heart Attack). He will spend most of the year touring with his new rock band The Heat. Jesse feels that "being in a rock band is like being in a gang. Music should make you want to run through the streets with your pals, or make you want to fall in love or raise a glass."
Of the live experience, he believes "it is equally, if not more important to the connection, especially in these days of enhanced home entertainment computerized myspace.com addictions. How else can you get people out of their houses today?" he quips. When he performs, it's about interaction through participation. He gives his fans something to celebrate. When he sits down on the floor among the crowd in mid-song, everyone follows.
"We were born in flames, maiden names, suburban homes, make your bones
Bite your lip, take the fifth, know your rights, it's your life now
Don't let them take you down... it's a beautiful day."
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