I have been remiss in not extolling the (many) virtues of Jesse Mailn's latest, Love It To Life. Malin keeps making excellent records without moving the commercial needle. He sings tough but tender songs of living the rock and roll life, scarred but smarter. In all his various iterations - hardcore (Heart Attack), glam punk (D Generation), FORA, cover boy and currently singer-songwriter - Malin never fails to be anything less than 100% convincing that this is what he has to do.
"St. Mark's Sunset" is at once nostalgic and immediate, recounting how the misfits "from the outskirts in the suburbs seeking shelter in each other's eyes" made fun of everyone else as they just hung around doing nothing much at all. Malin believes in the redemptive power of rock and roll, even when all his friend are "dead or in business". Lovers of classic Tom Petty or Jersey greasers Gaslight Anthem - Jesse Malin is there for your discovery. Buy or die.
Jesse Malin - "St. Mark's Sunset" (From Love It to Life)
Jesse Malin - "Black Haired Girl" (from Glitter in The Gutter)