Disco de Jet: “Get Born”

Well, as it has been said in many reviews, there's nothing new here. So what. Jet draw upon and nick everything that's good about rock-n-roll. A bit of swagger there, a pinch of drunken chaos here. Couple that kind of stuff with a simple back to basics rock record and you get music that will definitely please the rocker within. Get Born is a great debut. A debut that is basically a hybrid of ACDC, a little Oasis, and a lot of "Taken Care Of Business" (Rollover DJ). Some might see this as unoriginal and predictable. Again, it IS all this, and that my friends, is a good thing in this day and age.

Lots of high-marks throughout the records' 13 tracks. Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Rollover DJ are really great, fast paced stompin' singles. I also really like Take It Or Leave It, and Cold Hard B...., another couple of raw energy rockers that please the 70's rock soul. My only complaint is that those, with another 2 tunes from Get Born, have been included from the Dirty Sweet EP. (I always like EP's to have something not found on the full lengths) Anyway this is a great rock record. Don't expect it change your life, but do expect it to get you moving.

"Last Chance" (3/5): A decent song, not a great opener though.

"Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" (5/5): The lead single, a great tune that you can't help but sing along to.

"Rollover D.J." (4/5): This song always makes me wanna move.

"Look What You've Done" (4/5): A great ballad.

"Get What You Need" (3/5): An average song, but nothing more.

"Move On" (3/5): A good ballad, kinda Pink Floyd-ish.

"Radio Song" (3/5): Not a bad tune, just not great.

"Get Me Outta Here" (4/5): This up-tempo track is a winner.

"Cold Hard B***h" (4/5): The second single that should prove that the band isn't a one hit wonder.

"Come Around Again" (4/5): Another killer ballad.

"Take It Or Leave It" (4/5): Yet again, Jet proves they're the kings of the fast paced tracks.

"Lazy Gun" (3/5): A decent song, but nothing memorable.

"Timothy" (3/5): A less than thrilling conclusion to a thrilling album.

"Get Born", the debut from Aussie rockers Jet is music to my ears. Though some of the ballads can become tiresome, every fast paced song on this record is a winner. Definately worth checking out, especially if you're into the garage rock scene.

Rating: Three and a half stars.

I came across this band becuase my wife is a new aged rock fanatic, but being practically brainwashed with REAL rock & roll music (you know, Zepplin, the Stones, Floyd, the Beatles, the Who, Jimi, the Doors, the Dead, etc.) my whole life, these Australians are one of the few bands for whom I actually have respect outside of the late 60's/early 70's realm of greats. The reason for the respect is that these guys are actually playing Rock and Roll (imagine that). They're playing to audiences who aren't crying about how bad their childhood was (Disturbed & many others), who doesn't care to hear about how daddy didn't like me (Everclear), who are a little more intelligent than to be entranced by "creativity" through sexual shock value (Puddle of Mudd & others), and who are tired of hearing bands with only ONE sound and format (Nickleback, Linkin Park, & too many others). These guys from Jet actually WRITE their OWN lyrics and PLAY their OWN instruments, which is a pretty awesome accomplishment in this age of R&B, hip-hop, the Blonde Headed Air Heads of Pop, and American Idol. Grant it, on this album I hear plenty of George Harrison and Keith Richards rip offs on the guitars, and plenty of rip offs from the drums (sounds like a couple of Beatles beats from Abbey Road and SPLHCB), but where would Rock and Roll be without Clapton, Richards, and Page stealing chords from Robert Johnson and other great bluesmen? And I've also read about how the lyrical compositions on the album were pretty weak, but I'll bet Lenny Kravitz would kill to have half of the lyrics they've written for this album (read the lyrics to "Fly Away" and "She's So Fine" sometime so you can see the "Lyrical Genius of Our Time" in full effect). I personally think their lyrics are a bit weak (but that's me comparing them to Dylan, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and others), but this IS their 1st album, and I don't remember Zepplin, the Beatles (remember "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"?), or Pink Floyd becoming lyrically competent until after a few more albums after their 1st albums.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that for a 1st time album, this one is a very good debut and a very refreshing sound from the slit-your-wrists "rock" being played to death today. If you're a fan of just pure Rock and Roll, this is the album, with everything from hard rocking songs with the influence of the Stones and Black Crowes to piano ballads with the influence of McCartney/Lennon. This album gives us a glimpse of their diverse talent that will only expand with time and could actually have them remembered 20 years from now.

Australia's Jet is a band that likes to wear its influences on BOTH its sleeves. Is it possible to forgive a rock band that rips off every other group from the Stones to AC/DC? Such naked theft can be pardoned only if the record is as good as "Get Born." While they have not one single original idea in their heads, the members (Nick and Chris Cester, Cam Muncey, and Mark Wilson) are clearly skilled musicans who know how to jam with a degree of conviction. The whole album seesaws back and forth from the 1960s to the 1970s with catchy rockers like "Last Chance" and "Are You Gonna Be My Girl," while "Cold Hard" recalls AC/DC of the Bon Scott era. But Jet loses altitude on most of the ballads, which bleed into each other without much distinction. They clearly are more effective when they kick up the tempo and rock. "Get Born" sounds like a valentine to the band's musical heroes, and there's nothing wrong with that. But while imitation is often the sincerest form of flattery, it wouldn't hurt Jet to get their creative juices flowing and strive for a bit of originality going forward.

Finally. An album I like. Even though I'm pretty young, I grew up listening to sixties stuff--the Stones, the Beatles (especially the Beatles), Cream, Hendrix, etc. Somehow modern rock just seems sad in comparison. Until now. These guys seem to have a way of ripping of bands that were good and not making the songs any worse. And so what if they ripped off bands? There are only so many ways a rock song can go, and if the purpose of the group is to return to the days when rock was just fun, then why not take stuff from other bands? Anyway, here's a song by song breakdown:

Last Chance: Good opening rocker, screaming vocals, pretty awesome

Are You Gonna be my Girl: This song is the reason why everybody bought this album, and it's easily the best on here. Great driving riff

Rollover DJ: Fun rock song, not quite as nice as the others, but still a lot of fun

Look What You've Done: Slow, weeping ballad that has a very Beatle-y quality. The piano chords are straight from Let It Be and it also has a little sound of Imagine

Get What You Need: No, no a remake of the Stones song, but a fast paced rocker with with a slightly harsher sound than some of the other songs on here

Move On: The one song on here that really isn't that great. A countryish ballad that really drags on. Skip it

Radio Song: The best ballad on here. Great falsetto vocals and nice harmony on the chorus

Get Me Outta Here: One of the weaker hard rock songs on here, but still good. It's all good

Cold Hard B****: Rough rocker with some, um, interesting lyrics

Come Around Again: Not that great. Another slow, dragging-on ballad. Not unlistenable, though

Take it or Leave It: Great song--great riff and a driving beat. Great screams by Nic. The tune and beat on the end of each verse is exactly the same as that on the Beatle's song I've Got a Feeling

Lazy Gun: Weird song. Trippy, druggy guitar and wierd groan on intro. Awesomely weird

Timothy: Really beautiful ballad apparently about one of the band member's older brother dying