Shine On? (Shine On - Jet)

Member Name: RussellsReviews

Product:	Shine On - Jet
Date:	15/04/09 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some good songs, new sounds.

Disadvantages: Some weak tracks and still slightly derivative in parts and what's the point of the intro track!?

The second effort from Aussie rockers Jet comes under reasonable pressure. With hugely successful single Are You Gunna Be My Girl there was some form of pressure riding on this and they couldn't risk ripping off classic rock songs a second time...

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Falsetto tinny lead vocals and cowbell charcterise this song for me. Its got the chunky guitars we know from Jet but cowbell!? Distorted falsetto vocals!? Things are a bit different and the song doesn't charge on at full speed all the way through. Its a different Jet, the song feels more glossily produced, dropping the rawness of their debut. I'm not such whether this is more or less endearing...

Kings Horses
Nursery rhyme style lyrics are set to light piano and drums, Nic drops his gravel and gives a soft vocal. The chorus feels a bit too poppy for me. 'You know you can always start over again', come on guys! It's nice but the chorus is a little cheesy for me.

Skin and Bones
Lovely song. This is driving down a dusty road in the summer with your mates song. Its got guitar riffs and the gritty Aussie vocals with the brothers sharing the lead vocal duties. Guitar solo is great. This is not a song you would have seen on the old album thats for sure. Some creativity is in play here.

Eleanor
Very, very, very Beatlesy tune with its multi layered vocal harmonies and soft acoustic guitar and tambourine. Its nice enough but the fact this kind of song has been done again and again hangs over it. Nice enough for a rip off.

The album is definitely glossier and poppier in its production thats for sure. The songs are not all classic rock style belters as the last album and the band have obviously thrown themselves into songwriting and whilst there is some credit to them alot of it still sounds derivative and some songs are weak. Its a good enough album but lacks real creativity and doesn't have the same raw appeal as their debut. Still waiting on a third album boys.

Summary: A good enough album but is that enough?