Fans of Jesse Malin’s masterful 2003 album The Fine Art of Self Destruction or 2004’s critically acclaimed The Heat might well be disappointed with the former D-Generation frontman’s sixth solo effort. Produced by Ted Hutt, the man behind Gaslight Anthem’s breakthrough The 59 Sound, it’s very much a New York rock and roll concept record. Despite the help of Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, old friend Ryan Adams and his spouse Mandy Moore, though, it’s ultimately a rather underwhelming affair.
Obviously more than a little inspired by the likes of Adams, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, Love It To Life features foot-stomping American roots rock, lo-fi punk rhythms and slow-burning balladry, but while it constantly smoulders it somehow never quite fully ignites.
The album certainly isn’t without its charms. Opening track and first cut ‘Burning The Bowery’ is rocky and anthemic. He outdoes Neil Young on ‘Lowlife in a High Rise’, and both ‘The Archer’ and ‘Lonely At Heart’ showcase his more vulnerable and poetic side. Overall, though, while there’s nothing especially wrong with this record, it’s more the sound of Malin hanging around the departures lounge than any radical musical departure. It gets better with repeated listens, but is still far from being his best work.