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To begin this rock ‘n’ roll adventure I’ll be taking you
on, I decided to start with an album that made me hopeful for the future of rock ‘n’ roll
(hereby to be referred to occasionally as rawk). The album, the first by this
quartet from Melbourne, has an essential feel to it that is largely unchallenged in the
last decade by many an absent competitor. They hit the scene so hard and with so much
spirit, in fact, that it is now impossible for me to make my typical post-nineties era
remarks about how “nobody rocks anymore”—much to the chagrin of the belligerent side of
my personality.
Yes, it’s true: Rawk is back in a big way, and Jet is
currently leading the pack of wild, booze-induced leather-clad hooligans (I’ve always
wanted to put the word “hooligans” in print) with no sign of selling out or calming
down.
The album itself boasts an impressive mixture of White
Album-esque Beatles oddity songs, Back in Black style thundering anthems, and
a kind of neo-mod charm. The combination of these elements creates an ambient album that
can kiss your cheek as quickly as it can kick your ass. It’s impressive because it has
finally broken free of the melancholia, suffering artist whine that listeners have been
forced to endure for well over a decade now. Gone are the days of freaked-out adolescent
difficulties, and back once again is the fast-living devil-may-care lifestyle of those
about to rawk. The songs are about drinking, women, bank robberies, stowing away on
trains, shooting out TV screens…you get the picture. It helps that the band itself, Nic
Cester (guitar/vocals), Chris Cester (drums/vocals), Cameron Muncey (guitar/vocals), and
Mark Wilson (bass) appear to participate actively in any/all of these activities (they’re
easily the dirtiest-looking rock ‘n’ rollers running).
In the end, whether
you’re a fan of slow ballads or fast barrages, if you like good old fashion rock, Get
Born is sure to find a permanent home in your CD collection.
