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JET
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL, GET WHAT YOU NEED, RADIO SONG
SKIP THESE: NONE
Get Born, the debut album from Aussie retro rockers Jet is a fresh breath of rock 'n roll air - a hard rockin' CD that will liven up any party. Considering the fact that the band hails from The Land Down Under, it should come as no surprise that AC/DC is a huge influence, especially on riff-rock tracks like 'Cold Hard Bitch,' but there are other influences at play as well. One can easily discern traces of KISS on the glam-stomper 'Get What You Need,' Guns 'n Roses is evident on the frenetic 'Take It Or Leave It,' and it is is clear that Oasis is a big influence in terms of their music and overall attitude. And while all of this adds up Jet not being a very original band, the fact that so few mainstream bands actually play this kind of pub rock these days means that their recent popularity is a very welcome development indeed.
If the debut album is any indication, Jet is a good rock band - pretty diverse too. Singer Nic Cester has a great rock 'n roll voice - gritty and powerful on the hard numbers, and quiet and restrained on the ballads. The playing is groovy and slightly loose (in a good sort of way), with good old fashioned kit-falling-down-the stairs drumming and chunky blues-based guitar riffing a la Malcom Young. The group's songwriting is also quite effective, as most of the tracks have hooks and big sing-along choruses that easily get implanted in one's head. The best of example of this is the ubiquitous hit 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl,' a song that steals the distinctive beat from Iggy Pop's 'Lust For Life' and marries it with 70's glam rock to create something a bit louder - but even better. It's a great rock song, and Cester's vocals are fantastic too.
But the group doesn't only excel at writing loud rockers: the ballads are also top-notch. The Lennonesque piano ballad 'Look What You've Done' is a great tune (cool off-kilter drumming in the chorus too), and the big epic 'Radio Song' is very good as well. The country-tinged 'Move On' is also very catchy, although it sounds a bit too close to Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' at times (especially the intro).
All in all, this is a one rockin' album. If you've wondered what happened to good old fashioned rock 'n roll, look no further than Jet. I'm not sure how long they can get away with putting out this brand of retro pub rock, but one thing's for certain - this album rocks.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, BRING IT ON BACK, KING'S HORSES
SKIP THESE: RIP IT UP
The "difficult" second album? Hell, no! Jet's latest offering Shine On is brimming with rock 'n roll confidence, and even though there is undoubtedly more filler on this album than on the first one, it is still a very good CD. It's certainly more varied than Get Born as well. 'That's All Lies' has an incessant beat that suggests Kasabian amongst its influences, and the late 1960's style-pop mid-tempo ballad 'Kings Horses' sounds like a close relative of the Hollies (mixed with a bit of the Kinks). 'Bring It On Back' has a slightly psychedelic feel to it, the title track is a power ballad that is a real grower. The "big single," of course, is the groovy, falsetto-driven track 'Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is,' which thankfully is an original Jet song rather than a cover the crappiest song on Oasis' worst album (Standing On The Shoulders of Giants). And speaking of Nic Cester's vocals, this guy is great. He's definitely one of the best rock vocalists of his generation, for sure. The best thing about him is his diversity. He can convincingly sing everything from throat shredding heavy metal, to shouty pub rock, and even throw in the occasional ballad to demonstrate that he can sing too. The only major misstep is the appalling 'Kick' (INXS) rip-off 'Rip It Up,' but other than that it's a perfectly good second album. Sure, it's a little more poppy and more polished than the debut album, the band still has grit, so it still qualifies as rock music. I like the soft tunes, I like the rockers...it's all very good rock music.
Related Reviews:
Oasis and
Kasabian