Jet
A review of their album 'Shine on'
Review
Snapshot:
This sophomore offering from platinum selling Aussie rockers Jet finds a band
whose engine is running on empty.
The Cluas Verdict: 3 out of 10.
Full Review:
The last time I listened to Jet was a few weeks ago as I drank
Hurricanes in the 'Red Eye Surfer' bar in Lagos during a tropical rainstorm. As
'Cold Hard Bitch' (I've dated a few let me tell you) roared white hot out of the
speakers I turned to the barman and had the following conversation?
Me: "F*ckin' sick band."
Him: "Yeah, they're Aussie too, another one mate?"
Me: "Yeah"
Its fair to say that I would be well disposed to Jet and their bastard mash up
of Oasis and AC/DC even though they are one of a wave
of retro sound alike bands like The Thrills,
The Killers, The Darkness and
The Strokes that have appeared over the last few years
and have stormed up the charts by finding a third way between the tribute group
and the covers band. I admit I was one of the four million odd punters who
bought their debut 'Get Born' and I also admit I played it at ear splitting high
volume in the car, at home and on the beach. It wasn't the best record I had
ever heard, it certainly wasn't the most original but it still rocked and what
more can you ask for? So when I say that 'Shine On' is a big disappointment,
take it for me, I didn't set out to dislike this album.
The problem is that, like The Darkness, having rifled through and whipped all
the best moves from their half dozen influences the band has nothing left for a
follow up. It's not that they have run out of inspiration it's that they have
run out of someone else's inspiration. The Killers have gotten over this hurdle
by switching to fresher pastures such as mid-eighties
Bruce Springsteen but for the boys down under, once you have perfected your own
Oasis lighters aloft ballad or Angus Young lite rocker, there is no where left
to go. The song titles alone bear out the paucity of invention on this record;
"Shine On", "Rip It Up", "Stand Up". I'd like to suggest one to the band myself.
How about "F*ck Off And Come Up With Something of Your Own "?
My review copy came with the usual two pages of record company sponsored over
ripe twaddle masquerading as deep insight into the artist's motives and, as I
usually do with useless bits of paper, I managed to lose it two seconds after I
glanced at it but I do remember the band claiming that their debut was written
for pubs but that 'Shine On' was written for stadiums. You wish boys, you wish.
To buy a
new or (very reasonably priced) 2nd hand copy of this album on Amazon just click
here.
