Ready, Aim, Shaka Rock!

What do you get when you take some killer guitar chords, add a catchy beat, a dash of bass, and some sassy vocals? Jet's latest album, Shaka Rock. The Australian rock band has delivered their third album of energetic, punk rock tunes laced with just the right touch of classic rock swagger.

With singles like Cold, Hard Bitch, and Are You Gonna Be My Girl? already under their belt, Jet has quite the reputation to uphold, and a relatively large fan base to keep satisfied.

The album boasts 12 new songs that manage to remain true to the raw roots of their first album Get Born, but tend to skirt around those graceful melodies of their second outing, Shine On.

Lead vocalist Nic Cester gives the album a laid-back, genuine feel. If you compare previous albums, it's obvious they weren't trying to stray too far from what Jet fans have gotten to know.

The album opener, K.I.A. (Killed in Action), blasts through your speakers and grabs you by the throat with its sassy lyrics and head-bobbing melody.  It's got a really interesting beat, giving it that military go-time sound. It is a very cool start, and it makes the listener excited for more.

Most of the songs are loud and fiery, but the band has succeeded in not losing the honesty of their lyrics.  You don't have to listen long to realize the words run deeper than just what we hear on the surface, which, apparently, was one of the goals for Jet: "The one thing I love about this band is its honesty," says Cester. "For better or worse every album is a real and accurate window into how we are reacting to our lives in that point in time, which is why every album is uniquely different, and I think Shaka Rock is the most honest so far."

Shaka Rock plays out a little like a toy rocket: it blasts off, hitting us with its big guns at the beginning, and then slowly coming back to earth with its more emotional pieces at the end.

The exception to the rule is Start the Show, which sits innocently in the second-last spot on the album.  As you start slowing down with subtler melodies of songs like Goodbye Hollywood and Let Me Out, you are suddenly kicked back into high gear by the raw, heavy-hitting beat of Start the Show.  With a sound that resembles the gritty, cockeyed swagger of AC/DC, the song blasts off at full throttle and takes you for one final ride before the album comes to a close with the only deep, melodic tune, She Holds a Grudge. Given the previous success of songs like Look What You've Done and Shine On, its unfortunate the album didn't include a few more mellow songs.

Casual melodies comparable to the White Stripes mingling with a rowdy beat similar to AC/DC, Shaka Rock is a ragged and sassy release reawakening the cool of rock'n'roll.  Certainly worthy of any Saturday night house party!

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