Jet - Shine On

Is sophomore slumping to be considered a problem when a student is still getting high marks across his or her report card? Some would argue that it’s not, especially if the student is having fun and learning to grow outside the classroom. But others would just say it’s a sign of complacency that any ambitious student should try desperately to avoid. Such is the conundrum facing the Australian rock quartet Jet on Shine On, the much anticipated follow-up to 2003’s smash hit Get Born. After a rookie effort that provided the soundtrack for the first generation of iPod commercials and thousands of SportsCenter highlight montages, Jet fails to disappoint here. But they also fail to move forward. The introductory tracks suggest a certain level of laziness was put into this record. But the band appears to be okay with that. Nic Cester belts out early that it “makes no difference what they say, we’re going on holiday.” And to a certain extent, he’s right. The band is good enough to get away with it. The first single released off Shine On is proof that Jet has the tools to back up its cockiness. “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is” channels AC/DC, the Rolling Stones and other heavyweights into a tightly-packed three minutes that’s sure to set FM radios on fire. “Hey Kids” and “Rip It Up” also bring back the power chord electricity that rocketed Get Born to the top of the charts two years ago. It’s a bit ironic that Jet again falls flat on this album by overpaying tribute to the band that clearly has inspired it most – the Beatles. The end of the record is particularly over the top, but not dysfunctional. Even still, it’s apparent that they’re at their best when they’re borrowing from collective influences, and not from a single source of inspiration. Jet doesn’t score any points on Shine On for breaking any new ground. But it’s better to be stuck in third gear than to still be in neutral. [www.jettheband.com]