Side One Dummy – Release Date: 4/27/10

Jesse Malin is a skilled and talented singer/songwriter from New York City. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, he fronted bands such as Heart Attack and D Generation before going solo in 2002. Love It to Life is Malin’s fourth solitary disc and his first for Side One Dummy. It was produced by Ted Hutt and by all accounts does an impressive job of blending the various styles of his previous three albums. Also of note is that Love It to Life witnesses Malin’s first collaboration with a troupe of musicians known as The St. Marks Social, in addition to guest appearances by Ryan Adams, Brian Fallon and more. The record starts with “Burning the Bowery”, a confident, melodic piece of music that celebrates Malin’s love of NYC. It’s undeniably one of the greatest songs of his career and in the best possible way sounds as though it should be the featured song on a movie soundtrack. “All the Way from Moscow” is up next and it’s a guitar-driven tune with Weezer-like pop sensibilities and a dynamic, forceful tempo that seems like it was specifically written to be performed in a live setting. “St. Marks Sunset” is a disheartened love song that slows things down a bit, while “Burn the Bridge” speaks to the spirit of teenage angst and reckless abandon that’s found in every diehard fan of rock ‘n roll. The album draws to a close with “Black Boombox”, Love It to Life’s edgiest, most urgent track, followed by “Lonely at Heart”, a somber ballad that champions heartache with accents of piano and acoustic guitar. What’s problematic is Love It to Life’s relatively short duration, (only 10 songs total) and the fact that it’s simply not as consistent as Malin’s previous record, Glitter in the Gutter. Perhaps after further touring with his new backing band, Malin will be able to deliver a more cohesive album. Until then, newcomers should sample Glitter in the Gutter before trying Love It to Life.