The Jetset began with an early 80s attempt to revive the manufactured pop approach and zany personae of The Monkees, choosing to do it with massed re-channelling of 60s musical influences. What was always a questionable approach failed to ignite interest two decades on from The Jetset’s predecessors, and this double-disc reissue only raises the questions again.
One disc of distinctly 60s pop – where the musical reference points from sunshine pop, Monkees, Beatles, and mod pop tumble over each other – is followed by the second, where they attempt to reflect the more meaningful end of McCartney’s late 60s output. In both cases, the ’Set manage to re-create the right feel but, ultimately, only on an endless loop of Stars In Their Eyes. The sleevenotes confirm how the group’s main writer, Paul Bevoir, kept his many influences to the forefront, begging the question whether he had anything to offer other than competent pastiches.
Fun as this is at several points, others did it so much better first time around. There’ll always be a place for reworking earlier tropes, but to do it really effectively you need to bring something new to the party, rather than just enter into the spirit.
