Issue date: 11/23/09 Section: M2 (Arts & Entertainment)

JET Shaka Rock 2009 EMI Verdict: A

JET has made a surprising comeback here in the U.S. They reached popularity with their debut album Get Born. “Are You Gonna be My Girl” got them their initial popularity. Since then they released Shine On which didn’t receive as much success.

Well get ready to be floored by what JET has recently released.

Their new album Shaka Rock is an explosive, complicated, melodic, and peaceful masterpiece. This album has everything from catchy pop songs to dissonant punk tracks to power ballads to classic rock tracks. The power ballads are a lot better than you could imagine. I hate ballads typically but JET has made song emotional songs that I’m quite frankly addicted to.

“K.I.A.,” the opening track, starts off with power drums and explodes into the vocals accompanied by a great bass line and spaced out guitar chords that vibrate with delay. The second verse kicks back in with a classic guitar riff that will stick in your head. The song carries on going into many parts that vary with each repetition.

The song is incredible catchy on all levels of the music. In the chorus you can hear a choir of voices backing lead vocalist, Nic Cester. You hear them shout, “K.I.A.,” and it sounds so intense and powerful when you pay particular attention to it.

Shaka Rock will rock your socks off. It has the typical rock drive that JET usually delivers but with a more artistic bite. There are hypnotic chorus in this album, like the one in “Black Hearts.”



The greatest song on the album, and possibly the greatest of JET’s career would have to be “Beat on Repeat.” This song is so quick and catchy. It has one of the best bass lines I’ve ever heard. The guitar ranges from a bouncy clean riff to overly treble-filled chords. The solo in it is very memorable as well.

“Times Like This” rivals “Beat on Repeat” offering a quick-paced and hook-filled song with a chorus that screams “Times like this!” which can be likened to the opening track “K.I.A.”

The continuity of the album is superb. The songs transition seamlessly and have many similarities while remaining distinct from each other. This is a brilliant album made by a band that I had once underestimated. If you only know Jet by, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” give them another chance. This album will not let you down.

The drums are continuously interesting throughout the whole album but especially in “Times Like This.” You could just focus on the bass throughout the whole album and be stimulated. The guitars layered throughout give multiple effects and offer different styles of writing like in track six, “La Di Da.”

“Walk” offers a unique structure to a song. It starts with a somewhat typical repetitive structure but with multiple parts repeating instead of pivoting off two parts (the verse and the chorus). Then the song breaks off into a jam section with a faster tempo. This only lasts but a minute and then you and swung back to the old tempo and to a familiar part from earlier in the song. It ends here.

Robert can be reached at rmazzola@umflint.edu.

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