Discography

The Fine Art Of Self Destruction

By Jesse Malin

RockCity.co.uk

It seems the singer/songwriter is coming back into fashion. Whether this has anything to do with the number of inane cover versions that have rained on us this year like some incessant downpour from hell is a possibility, but the fact that even the BBC's own rival to 'Popstars', the cringe-fully dull 'Fame Academy' seems to be focusing more on those who can both write and perform suggests a drastic shift may be about to occur in the marketing aspirations of the music industry. Which can only be good news for the likes of Jesse Malin, who has produced one of this year?s most poignant debut albums.

Native New Yorker Malin has enlisted both the production and guitar playing skills of Ryan Adams, and while the man who didn't write 'Summer Of 69's influence is omnipresent throughout, 'The Fine Art Of Self Destruction' manages to highlight Malin as a supremely talented artist in his own right. Opening number 'Queen Of The Underworld' features Melissa Auf Der Maur on bass and backing vocals and is similar in style to 'Special One' by Ultra Vivid Scene (which featured a certain Kim Deal guesting on guitar and backing vox), three minutes of saccharine bliss characterised by Malin?s effortless drawl.

Much of the album seems to draw on loneliness yet for some unknown reason, Malin seems to make misery sound so much fun! The album?s title track, with it?s upbeat chorus pleading 'Lonely process, only process, I will make it up to you' could be the Flaming Lips without their falsely associated vaudeville, while 'Almost Grown', which is about his parents? marriage breaking up, floats along using a similar guitar hook to that of, dare I say it, The Mavericks? 'Dance The Night Away' (or the theme tune from 'Heartbeat' at any rate). 'Solitaire' is an acoustic bluesy number where Malin spits out 'I don?t need anyone' more convincingly than any of those so-called prophets of doom like Papa Roach who supposedly represent angst and despair, or at least that?s what their CV says.

Although there are one or two forgettable moments ('TKO' and 'Riding On The Subway'), on the whole 'The Fine Art Of Self Destruction' is a gratifying debut that suggests the likes of Beck and even Malin?s close buddy Adams had better start looking over their shoulder, for this young pretender could turn out to be the most genuine contender of them all.

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