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Adam Davis
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Jet

Shaka Rock

Australian rock band Jet's new release Shaka Rock is a really good pure rock and roll album.

I say that with reservations since its "Are You Going To Be My Girl" single has been one of the most overplayed songs on radio in the last few years and, hopefully, none of the songs on this album reach that level of annoyance.

Its not that its a bad song; I actually liked it at first, just after the one-millionth listen or so it tends to get on your nerves.

With that, Shaka Rock has some really catchy songs that are clearly influenced by '70s guitar rock. Bursting with cool riffs and sing-along choruses, the album has some really great moments.

At the same time I found myself wishing some of the songs were longer and went somewhere with some of those riffs. I found some songs started to go somewhere and then quickly switched tempo, but as the saying goes, you have to leave them wanting more. All in all I guess I'd written off Jet before giving them much of a chance, and Shaka Rock proves that.

Highlights include She's A Genius, La Di Da and Let Me Out.

Island 50 Reggae

The Loudest Island In The World

If you're already starting to miss summer and need something to bring back images of the beach and heat, Island 50 Reggae is a great compilation.

Island records was for reggae what Chess records was for the blues in America.

They introduced a new genre of music and featured some of the biggest stars to come out of the Jamaican music scene.

Featuring a who's who of reggae musicians not named Marley or Tosh, this compilation is a must own for any reggae fan who can't afford to buy all of the original records.

If your only experience with reggae is Bob Marley and you want to check out some other genre artists like Jimmy Cliff, Toots & The Maytals or Burning Spear, pick up this great compilation album.

Highlights include The Heptones' Country Boy, Lee Perry's Dreadlocks In Moonlight and Dillinger's The General.

Funny People

The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

At times, movie soundtracks seem like a waste of resources to produce but, at others, they can be great compilations that either evoke memories of the movie or are just great mixes.

The soundtrack to Adam Sandler's Funny People is actually a really great compilation (since I haven't yet seen the movie, I can't comment on any memories being evoked).Featuring songs from Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Wilco, Ringo Starr and John Lennon, there are a lot of great gems on this album.

There are two songs from one of the movie's stars, Jason Schwartzman, under his Coconut Records solo project, as well.

There are a couple of songs to skip that are more than likely directly from the movie, but one surprise is Adam Sandler's version of the Beatles' Real Love; it's actually pretty good.

If you're looking for a good compilation album or just really liked the movie Funny People, pick up this soundtrack.

Highlights include Wilco's live version of Jesus Etc. featuring Andrew Bird, Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation's All The King's Horses and Coconut Records' Wires.

n Adam Davis is an avid music fan. His column appears weekly.