Jesse Camp

Jesse & The 8th Street Kidz (1999 Hollywood Records)

1. See You Around
2. Break It
3. Let's Get It On
4. Summertime Squatters
5. So Down
6. I Want You And I Need You
7. Crazy
8. Hey Hey Hey
9. Griftin'
10. Here By My Side
11. Sloppy Kisses
12. 6,000 Miles Away
13. Saviour
14. Wasted Youth

Mike's Review
I bought Jesse & The 8th Street Kidz during what I now refer to as my "desperation phase." I was constantly on the prowl for new artists to call my own, and somehow Jesse Camp made the cut. I heard the song "See You Around," and although I thought Jesse's voice was annoying, I liked the song enough to buy a used copy of this album. I gave it a good number of spins at the time, but it never really grew on me. Jesse Camp was fortunate enough to have his debut showered with talented musicians, most notably guitarist Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), singer Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac, solo), and drummer Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, others). As a result, most of the music on this album is pretty cool. It could be described as rock with a pop punk edge. There are enough riffs and solos to keep the rockers happy. Many of the songs are catchy and have memorable choruses. If you asked me for a comparison, I'd say this album sounds like a modern Hanoi Rocks. But the vocals really bring everything down. I can live with a punky sneer every once in a while, but Jesse's singing, lyrics, and attitude are just too ridiculous. His voice is whiny, and he sounds like he's doing sloppy, drunken karaoke versions of cool rock songs. Thanks to support from MTV, Jesse Camp enjoyed a brief popularity, but his novelty wore off quickly. Jesse & The 8th Street Kidz remains his only release, and serves as an interesting glimpse at a wannabe rock star who was the only bad part of his own music.

Mike's Picks: See You Around, So Down, Crazy For You

Mike's Rating