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Jeff Klein - The Hustler
The Hustler is the third offering from Jeff Klein, looking to continue the success of Everybody Loves A Winner. Although keen to build on the critical success of its predecessor The Hustler is a markedly different album, where previously the sound was stripped down and evocative, this long player is rich and varied.
To get the sound he wanted Klein recorded it in New Orleans; he describes the city as “influencing everything about this record�. Statements like this are often made by artists following the completion of a recording; sometimes you can fit the music to the surroundings and build up a visual picture of what it may have been like to record in a certain city or region. Personally I don’t get that with this album; it has a variety of styles within the album that doesn’t give it one particular sound that you would associate with say Manchester or Nashville. Maybe it’s the diversity of cultures within New Orleans but I’ve not found the one defining ‘New Orleans sound’ in The Hustler.
If you haven’t heard Jeff Klein before then the sleeve to this record will give you the perfect indication of what to expect, he’s sat lounging with a glass and cigarette in hand. No surprise really as his voice is pure nicotine and whisky, rough, raspy and richly textured. While I wasn’t party to the recording process obviously, you get the impression that he sat writing lyrics through the night, chain smoking continuously between each thought and washing it down with a twelve year old malt. With a heavy head and croaking voice he finally sits down to transpose the ideas to record.
That for me is his biggest selling point his voice, it has the ability to be many things within the songs, but when it’s at it’s cracked and croaky best it’s magical. Ironside is one such track, it’s a sweet and tender gravel ballad (there is a new genre definition for you NME I’ll let you have that one), Suzanne sounds like Tom Waits at his best, which is no mean feat. Cobalt Hue is a piano led track that sees Klein drawling almost drunkenly throughout it. I know that doesn’t sound like a good thing, but trust me it works, especially as the song grows and builds to an uplifting climax.
- Jeff Klein
- The Hustler (2005)
- Category: Album
- Label: One Little Indian
- Reviewed by: Kev
- Published on: 15 Jul 2005
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
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Add to favouritesThe one time his voice doesn’t work for me is on Pity, it’s a slow track that sounds like it requires a soft vocal to compliment it, unfortunately here his voice sounds strained and out of kilter with it’s backing. Put You To Sleep follows this track though and it’s my favourite track on the album by a country mile. “I used to be so entertaining I could sweep you off your feet, now it seems these days, all I could do is put you to sleep� he croons effortlessly in one of the rare moments of self doubt.
The Red Lantern is an upbeat effort that shows a whole different side to Klein, on this one his vocals are big and strong, stirring up the chorus into his most accessible and mainstream track to date. It’s in complete contrast to songs like the title track that edge close to Nick Cave territory, either way it’s a welcome edition to the album.
Overall it’s an ambitious change of direction from Klein and one that on the whole works really well, he’s made the vocal the most important instrument on the album as you would expect, but he’s also woven into the thread of the album some beautiful instrumentation to compliment it, fans won’t be disappointed and if the exposure is right for him then he may find himself gaining some new ones with The Hustler.
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