Jay Reatard - 'Watch Me Fall' (Matador) Released 17/08/09

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Jay Lindsey of deep-south American town Memphis, TN is a proper punk rock hero. He writes from the heart, no pretence, straight from the heart. He doesn’t believe in himself, but he believes in punk rock. Not punk rock music as such – Watch Me Fall is more pop punk or even power pop than it is punk rock – but more punk rock: the mentality. Do loads, work with cool people, be in unsuccessful bands, get referenced by really famous people… make the NME Cool List. Yep.

For a man who has been involved in over 23 album releases and loads of singles and things on top of that. A man who released records for Sonic Youth and Deerhunter, and who averages 150 live shows a year to often bewildered crowds. For a man used to being ignored by the mainstream, releasing his first record on a ‘major’ must be a difficult step. Will people hate me for it? Have I sold out? Is this the beginning of the end? Watch Me Fall.

But Jay doesn’t fall. Watch Me Fall is his debut album proper, on Matador – a respectable berth for anyone – and has twelve good songs on it.  The album opens with 'It Ain’t Gonna Save Me' – a barefaced ode to what once was, and a fearful glance at what is to come: “All is lost, there is no hope, all is lost, you can’t go home, all is lost there is no hope for me.”

He continues in this fashion, chugging guitars and solid tinny drum noises hint at some underlying triumphalism. The second track Before I Was Caught is optimistic, but the title gives away its regretfullness – This is old optimism from before he was caught, now he’s not so sure. Reatard believes an album should work together; that iTunes is ruining the album, and so it’s no surprise that Watch Me Fall develops thematically and smoothly.

From 'Can’t Do It Anymore' and 'Faking It' his anger at himself spread out to the rest of us – the final three songs on the record: 'My Reality', 'Hang Them All' and 'There Is No Sun' have stopped blaming himself, and started to bemoan the world. This is not a depressing record, this is a depressed man fighting to be hold on and be heard.

There is much to be learned from this man.