The introductory song of Jesse Malin's On Your Sleeve set the scene of the album well: the scene of an episode of Baywatch. Thereafter, a procession of power ballads marched on with 'vim, vigour' and all the originality of a victoria sponge. The influences that he claims to have were difficult to detect - despite my strain to do so. Tom Waits! The Ramones! Where? Where? The entire album seems to merge into one mediocre commingling of many an eighties epic, deep-and-meaningful pop rock effort. It did give my colleague hot flushes upon hearing it - although I'm not sure whether or not that is necessarily a good thing. There are many songs on this album, fourteen in fact, and many of them are rather catchy, but none of them - not even Rodeo Town or his rendition of Walk On The Wild Side filled me with optimism for the singer's future in music. I understand that he is not trying to be edgy, and is singing truly from the heart, but I still can't imagine anyone wanting to listen to it who doesn't already have the greatest hits of Lou Reed. In fact it left me wondering, does he wear beads? Is it ironic? Is it a pastiche? It could be a quiche for all I care.