Jet Album: “Shine On (Bonus Track)”

In 2004, you either loved Jet, or passionately hated them. I was actually in the middle. I enjoyed "Get Born", it was a fun album to rock out to, but hey, I already owned "Exile on Main Street" and "The White Album", so why did I need this? Then last week I heard "Shine On." My status then changed, I am now a fully fledged JET FAN.

"Shine On" is far and away more sophisticated than their first record. The songwriting is more complex, the sound more diverse, and lyrically, they have so much more to say. And on this record, they have finally developed their own unique sound. Yes, you still hear the influences... The Small Faces, The Stones and The Beatles lurk throughout, but Jet has now managed to take these influences and turn them into something of their own. On "Shiny Magazine" for instance, Jet sounds like no one but Jet. It's a spectacularly infectious song where the band really shines. The sexy, mid-tempo "Skin and Bones" is also a very defining moment for the album, and a good track to make out to. "Eleanor" is a beautiful and surprising number that goes places we've never heard Jet before.

This album absolutely has the all immediacy and punch of "Get Born." Tracks like "Rip It Up", "That's All Lies", and "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" are as ball-stomping, heart-thumping, and dance-ready as any of the party classics from the last album. And the ballads here definately beat out the slow tracks of "Get Born." Sure, "Look What You've Done" was pretty, but "King's Horses" and "Shine On" are so much more resonant.

So whether you were a Jet lover or Jet hater 2 years ago, you should get this record if you love rock n roll music. With 14 diverse tracks, not a single one being filler, there is something to offer everyone.

If you're reading this, if you're considering buying this album, you probably already know that Jet produces some pretty hard rock, and you like that sound they have...you know, where they completely push it to the wall and are dying to blow your hair straight out behind you and maybe make your ears ring a little. I do like that sound sometimes, and I like how Jet does it. The amazing thing is that they can still pull off a soulful ballad and make you want to flick your lighter on. How can they do both of those things so well? I don't know, but I like it.

I have their last album, Get Born, and really enjoyed it. So when Shine On came out, I was pretty anxious to get it and give it a go. It's not quite as good as Get Born, I think; it's just a little *too* harsh in places. Over-the-top is good in moderation, but this goes Superman over-the-top in a couple of songs, leaping over that giant building in a single riff.

But there's no denying that their signature sound is here, and it's great to hear them rocking out; to hear those vocals we've come to appreciate, and the resonating instrumentation that shakes the car windows when you listen to it on your way somewhere. I don't so much like "Eleanor," kind of like I didn't like "Timothy" on Get Born. (Maybe we shouldn't name songs for people?) But "Hey Kids" was great, speaking to the kids of the '60s who thought they were going to make the world a better place through their activism and idealism, but are now the aged sell-outs they used to rail against. "Hey kids, you never changed the world at all." Terrific lyrical irony.

While this album isn't flawless (and really, what album is? every great album has a couple of clunkers), it's still great fun and I've listened to it several times since I opened it up, which is probably 10 times within a week and a half. If you like Jet's sound, you won't be sorry you bought this CD.

This is a great sophomore effort by the australian band Jet, it doesn't just recreate Get Born, in fact I think there sound has changed quite a bit. Their sound has shifted to more of a beatles sound then their previous album which was mainly the Ac/dc and rolling Stones influences being played. This album also seems to rip off less songs, on the last album nearly every song I could find another song that they had ripped it off from, that is not the case here. You also get a good variety of music here from the hard rocking tunes such as holiday, put your money where your mouth is, and Stand UP, to beautiful ballads such as shine on. My favorite tracks on the album would have to put your money where your mouth is and the very beatlezque shiny magizine. If you like retro rock or Just rock for the matter you owe it ro yourself to pick this up.

Another band you should check out is Rose Hill Drive a hard rocking band that brings to mind Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stone age, while all the while sounding original. Their guitarist is insanely good and their debut is incredible, make sure to check them out.

first let me tell you, the main reason i decided to buy this cd was it's price. it was cheap, and i enjoyed the first album, so i talked myself into trying this one as well. and these guys have really progressed as song-craftsmen. you get everything here from the gritty vocal performance somewhere between a liam gallagher and bon scott. a lot of the tracks here again have an ac/dc feel, which is weird for me to say that because i've never really enjoyed ac/dc music. but their hard, straight rockin tunes, with distinguishable melodies.. and they've really added another dimension to their catalog with songs like the acoustic, psychadelic beatles like eleanor. what a tune!

album highlites would have to be the first radio release "put yer money where yer mouth is", "shine on", "stand up" and "eleanor." but the rest of the tunes all are solid, and this cd flows nicely. no weak tracks, and i'm quite glad i caved in and bought this. a definite keeper.

The hard core riffs and altogether wild, unchained sense of rock that this album delivers simply left me in awe the first time I listened to it. Jet's debut, "Get Born", was the first album that I ever purchased, and to this day I would still consider it a strong five-star CD, but after listening to "Shine On" with the powerful chords of "Rip It Up" and "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" still ringing in my ears, it was certain that the raw intensity of the album was a more vivid order for a five-star rating than I typically encounter. Although Jet has turned mostly away from producing ballad tracks like past Get Born songs "Look What You've Done" and "Timothy", with all the solid jams going on one can hardly even have any desire for a softer track to come along since all of the songs on "Shine On" are such pure examples of the very heart and soul of hard rock music. Sounding somewhat like Oasis turned metal, Jet now has adopted a style that is a bit more of their own, leaning slightly away from Beatles influences it seems to concentrate on mostly energetic hard rock with a few exceptions ("Kings Horses" and "Shine On", which are still as catchy as the loud tracks). This album also does something I have never witnessed before: turning a B-side into an A-side. Extreme Jet fans such as I may recognize "Hey Kids" from the single for "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" that came out a while ago, a track which certainly was of good enough quality to find itself on an album. Overall this album was worth the three-year wait since "Get Born", for it is a spectacular CD and certainly among 2006's best rock albums. Highly recommended!