JOAN JETT'S LATEST PROVES REFLECTION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE QUIET OR ACOUSTIC

Unvarnished
2013

"Life and death. The change to rearrange you. Life and death."
Joan Jett on Unvarnished

The leather has turned blood red and the lyrical tone tuned decidedly more serious, but the growl and the guitars remain pure Blackheart on Joan Jett's Unvarnished.

It shows a more personal side of the 55-year-old trailblazing survivor of nearly four decades in the rock 'n' roll circus that began with her stint in The Runaways.

For Jett's first studio release since 2006's Sinner, she writes or co-writes nine of the 10 songs. Dave Grohl collaborates and plays "100 different instruments" on Any Weather (606 Version). Nearly all of the cuts are filled with messages and questions about mortality, loyalty, lost love and the future price of past indiscretions.

On Unvarnished's centerpiece, Hard To Grow Up, Jett laments:

"I wake up feeling crazy
Keep losing people, just lost my mom
So difficult to fathom that they're gone

I could go out and party
But nothing kills my pain
So helpless and there's no one I can blame"

Fortunately, not all life reflection has to be quiet or acoustic.

Like Social Distortion on its last two releases - Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes and Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll - Jett and the Blackhearts face their demons and death with axes in hand and the amps turned up to 11.

They also take chops at social media narcissism on TMI and the demeaning absurdity of the Reality Mentality. The collection closes on the weary but hopeful notes of Different and Everybody Needs A Hero.

Rock 'n' roll needs heroes like Jett just as much and Unvarnished shines as further proof that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame should find a landing strip for her soon.