Jet: Shaka Rock Review

Jet. The band that fell off the earth. Remember the days when Jet was played on the radio? And people actually knew the words? Then came "Shine On". One of the most underrated albums of all time. Everyone I know who liked Jet wasn't even aware that they had a new album. At first, I must confess, I was disappointed with the new album, even with great songs such as "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Rip It Up", and "Shine On". It just lacked that X-factor that made "Get Born" so damn appealing to everyone. But after listening to it a few times through, I realized that I was mistaken, and that "Shine On" was actually a band's maturing. It was not everyone's favorite, but the album actually instilled hope in me: hope that Jet would realize that even though a lot of people dismissed the album, they had matured, and that upon realizing this, they would find a way to mix this new maturity with the great sound they had achieved with their debut. Unfortunately, I am not too sure that "Shaka Rock" is what I had been hoping for. This time, Jet has chosen to have fun with their songs, which is a great thing; nobody wants to listen to a band with great songs that they hate performing. But I just can't get over the numerous oddities that envelop this latest effort. There are a lot of hit or miss songs here, and maybe I am being too harsh because my high expectations were not met, but I am disappointed. Hopefully this album will grow on me.
1. K.I.A. (Killed In Action)- The first song the public heard from Jet's new album was leaked through myspace. Upon hearing it, I was glad to see that Jet was not as serious as in "Shine On", but also figured this song would be a randomly numbered middle track, not the lead-off song. However, I was glad to find that this song grew on me incredibly fast and is one of the best songs on the album. Although the chorus may get repetitive and the children voices in the background chanting "K! I! A!" along with lead singer Nic Cester's great singing/screaming (that Jet fans are used to) may not be everyone's favorite, this track still has a fun feel to it while still pleasing fans with a great song. This song has a great flair to it that anyone can enjoy. 9.5/10
2. Beat On Repeat- An odd song that cannot help but remind listeners of the Beatles. This song is not a bad one, it just doesn't do anything special, the lyrics are not very strong and are extremely repetitive, and there are a couple of questionable segments where everything slows down. A guitar solo near the end of the song is solid, but there's not much here. 7/10
3. She's A Genius- I usually don't like to say that an artist's best song is their single, but this is the case here. A great guitar schema seen throughout the song and consistently great vocals from Nic Cester really give the song a classic Jet feel that fans have been longing for since "Get Born". This is a fun and well executed song, giving it the award of the best song on the album. 10/10
4. Black Hearts (On Fire)- Another song that lives up to fans' standards of what great Jet music should sound like. A light-hearted song that starts off a little slower and then eventually transitions into a more exciting song with a typical energetic section that cannot be denied. This is another fun song that is well executed and displays not only the vocal talent here but also guitar, bass, and drums as well. 9/10
5. Seventeen- This song starts off with a pleasant piano intro which is eventually joined by the drums of Chris Cester and the guitar power of Cam Muncey. Mellow verses that once again lead into a more interesting chorus. The word used to describe this song would be pleasant. Pleasant like finding a 5 dollar bill on the ground or getting the last pack of your roommate's Gushers: A nice plus in the short term, but not necessarily memorable in the long run. 9/10
6. La Di Da- What starts off as a promising verse quickly turns into a simple and uninteresting chorus. The chorus then reverts back to some solid instrument work, including some piano, but overall, this song is nothing special. Some will find it to be a personal favorite, but for the most part, bland lyrics will keep this song from being remembered. 7/10
7. Goodbye Hollywood: Closer to the sound of "Shine On" than anything else. Once again, a promising verse crescendo thwarted by a slowdown right before the chorus. The chorus isn't too bad, but this song transitions from slow to fast and light to heavy too much to be able to enjoy fully. Not a bad song, just a little bit odd in the transitioning. 8/10
8. Walk- A solid rock anthem. The use of bongos in the background adds a nice touch to the song, giving it a cozy and pleasant feel. The use of "yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"'s in the song also contributes to this notion. Once again, not necessarily living up to my standards, but still not bad. 8/10
9. Times Like This- An old-fashioned song that once again calls the Beatles to mind with the whole idea of children/women chanting or contributing to the vocals in the background (that whole hippy kind of thing). This song missed with me, but maybe it will hit you. In a good way. The cooing in the background reminds me of "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones as well. And yes, I did just say that a song calls to mind both the Beatles and the Stones. 8/10
10. Let Me Out- This song fits in more with contemporary rock, with the guitar in the beginning reminding me of Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle" in their "Bleed American" days and the song in general reminding me of Counting Crows. Leading into the chorus is a nice crescendo, and the chorus itself is very good. This is a very light, uplifting, and agreeable rocker with stronger lyrics. 8/10
11. Start The Show- Despite a strange few opening seconds, the song rapidly picks up pace with some great guitar riffs. This is a very impressive track that embodies the characteristics of Jet that classify them as rock 'n' roll. I have always thought Jet was a contemporary band that sounds like all the older elements of rock, and this song will certainly bring people back to the 90's or maybe even the 70's-80's for some. This is the kind of song you want to see live, the kind of song you play air guitar to late at night in your pjs. Or maybe thats just me. But either way, solid song. 9/10
12. She Holds A Grudge- Fans of slow songs, rejoice! The first slow song from Jet's new album is also the final track. It has some amazing background guitar and bass work from Mark Wilson used to characterize the song as uplifting, especially when the drums kick in later on. This is kind of like "Radio Song" mixed with "Timothy" from "Get Born", only perfected. Nice lyrics and an overall impressive return to ballads. 9.5/10
Overall: 102/120
This is not Jet's best album. This is one of those albums that you have to listen to a few times through and pay attention in order to find out whether or not you approve because it just flies by the first one or two times. Trust me, I had to listen to this album repetitively for a good 5 hours to figure it out. For fans of rock, this might not be your cup of tea, but then again, maybe it will. For fans of Jet, it is definitely worth the investment, but don't expect it to compete with Get Born's immortal status as Jet's best. Thanks for tuning in. Next up is Saosin. Rock on.