UrbanWire

By Adeline Loh • UrbanWire Reporter
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It’s a pity these guys weren’t included on the School of Rock soundtrack. Jet certainly speaks the same rock n’ roll language (read: fun, loud and wildly entertaining) and is highly timely for a genre saturated with bands that are too angry, depressive or high school. They’ve also hit pay dirt, following the success of fellow Australians, The Vines, who helped pave a wide path for their explosive entrance in 2004.

It’s been a while since we felt that raw, in-your-face energy and Jet’s Get Born give us the much-needed jab. Apparently, these 4 rascals (brothers Nic and Chris Cester, Cameron Muncey and Mark Wilson) from Melbourne have been listening to the right people. And by right people, we mean studying legendary rock material like the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Who and The Faces. Get Born is loaded with these influences (not that we mind) and a mini-throwback to the classic rock anthems of the 60s to 70s.

You’ve probably already heard their first single, the rambunctious, rollicking ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl?’ without even realising it was from Jet. The song, part of Apple’s high profile iPod commercials, is Jet’s definitive sound. It’s the group’s most successful single to date, and for good reason. With its frenzied, infectious, retro-sounding riffs, ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ puts the pulse back into rock and is bound to set you finger-snapping and feet-tapping.

‘Cold Hard B****’, their second single, is similarly racy. Though lacking the chutzpah of ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’, the song is delivered with equal enthusiasm. We’ll love to know where the members of Jet get their energy from, considering a recent admission in a Rolling Stones interview was that they used to drink till the “point of collapse every night”. It sure sounds like they were already living the high life of rock stars.

However, every rock band has its soft side, and Jet’s is shown in its songs ‘Look What You’ve Done’, ‘Move On’, and ‘Come Around Again’. While the quieter Jet gives the album a needful change of pace, the boys don’t quite emote in the right way, sounding almost restless or lethargic. In ‘Lazy Gun’, the chorus reads “change nothing, futures in, close the door, wear a name, be the same, take some more” and is paced in a monotonous, repetitive drawl that is sharply contrasted to the groovy rhythms on its faster tracks.

Still, we’ll like to thank Jet for bringing back the fun in rock n’ roll. For those who love a flamboyant, raucous, and honest effort, this is classic rock back in action.