Track Listing

1. Mona Lisa
2. Swinging Man
3. Silver Manhattan
4. Arrested
5. Since Your In Love
6. Goin’ Out West
7. Scars Of Love
8. New World Order
9. About You
10. Block Island
11. Basement Home
12. Hotel Columbia
13. Indian Summer
14. God’s Lonely People

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72267 in Music
• Released on: 2004-06-14
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Heat, Jesse Malin's second album, is the sound of a young artist determined to attach himself to the heritage of his influences; the New York-based singer-songwriter badly wants to cast himself as a successor to such self-consciously wracked troubadours as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Malin's one-time producer Ryan Adams and, especially, The Replacements' Paul Westerberg. While there's nothing on The Heat that quite places Malin among such exalted company, there are plenty of indications that he's getting there--and, as someone who wrote and recorded much of this album on the road, Malin should know that the journey is the important part.

Malin's music, while often elevated by spectacular choruses, such as that of "Indian Summer", is entirely orthodox--a slightly countrified rock filtered from Tom Petty via Counting Crows (Petty is also echoed in Malin's vocals). Malin's lyrics, however, are frequently intriguing: "Arrested" and "Silver Manhattan" are well-observed slices of Manhattan lowlife, and "Hotel Columbia" is an affectionate homage to London's premier rock & roll flophouse. This is a fine album from an artist approaching greatness with impressive momentum. --Andrew Mueller

Customer Reviews

just as good as first album
i think jesse malin has outdone himself here. since i first saw him supporting the counting crows he has been one of my fav artists to date. the first album had a very ryan adams feel to it as he produced it but ithink malin has managed to keep a certain element of that first album on this album. with song like wendy and riding on the subaway on the first he has recaptured that in mona lisa and scars of love while songs like swinging man add a new depth to it.

hot stuff
Jesse Malin's career got a shot in the arm two years ago when his debut CD was produced by alt-country wonder-kid Ryan Adams. That album, "The Fine Art of Self-Destruction" was a powerful slab of gritty urban rock stuffed with killer tunes and redolent with imagery. Producing the follow-up was never going to be easy, but wisely the former New York punk hasn't tinkered with the formula too much. Lyrically his scope is a little broader, addressing a range of political issues in songs like "New World Order" and "Silver Manhattan". Whatever his subject though, Malin's gift is in getting under the skin of his songs and personalizing them. Like that elder Statesman of rock, Bruce Springsteen, Malin has a novelist's eye for detail which brings his songs of loss and longing buzzing to life. There is humour too - "We never had a baby but she got more tattoos; and I got more material for the blues" he sings on "Swinging Man". The album swings from loud old fashioned rock 'n' roll through sweetly tuneful power-pop, to contemplative piano ballads. It's all played with class and conviction and sung in as authentic a dishevelled drawl as you're likely to hear. Whether you want to sing along, cry along or punch the air while you drive along "The Heat" has a song for you.

More rewarding than 'The Fine Art of Self Destruction'.
Malin's first album was very good, but almost too easy to get into! This may seem a strange comment, but this album has more depth and requires more work. Songs like 'Mona Lisa', 'Scars of Love' and 'Hotel Columbia' are catchy numbers, which are easy to cling on to. After a few listens it become apparent just how good the album is as a whole. This is a fabulous album and songs like 'Block Island' and 'Basement Home' are very rewarding. If you like this album you've almost certainly listened to Ryan Adams and enjoyed his work and the similarities are endless. In my opinion both have great voices and Malin's voice is perfect for his excellently blended country-rock. Buy this album, Awesome!