Highly Evolved

by

The Vines

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Ok, forget all of the Nirvana comparisons for one second. Yeah sure they dip their feet into the Seattle waters from time to time, but there is so much else on the Vines debut, it simply adds to the over-all appeal. I immediately gravitate towards singer Craig Nichols' screaming vocals. Somehow he puts his own unique twist on a vocal style long since original. After that, are the lyrics which at their best, take no prisoners and weep with angst and sorrow. At their worst, they become sing-a-long punk-pop projects. (nothing wrong with that at all)

There is an immediate feeling to the record. And it's important feeling too. The feeling of something new and fresh, yet so familiar. Right away we realize these guys have some great CD collections, but further more, we realize they use what they know. One could say "Highly Evolved" is a sum of it's influenced parts.

Highlights for me include the blitzing single "Get Free", the emotionally charged, "Country Yard" and quick hit wonder of "Highly Evolved".

These four aussie rockers have pushed their way here with an album that sounds like it would never get a chance, but somehow did. It is the sound of kids that are fed up with the rap metal thing and yawn at the uninspired state of "safe" alternative radio. It's an album that will please immediately but will pleasure for a lot longer.

'Highly Evolved' is quite good. There. I've said it. "Quite" good. You'd be forgiven, having read the hyperbole surrounding Australia's Vines, for thinking they'd resurrected Princess Di, discovered a cure for cancer and performed all manner of other miracles in one fell swoop. They haven't. They've made a fairly good, punky, melodic, rock n roll album. That the music press in Britain has gone so overboard, hailing Craig Nicholls and Co as the best band for a decade (erm, what about Oasis, Radiohead, The Strokes etc...), is a reflection on the rather pathetic desperation of the media to find the next big thing, and then convince an unsuspecting public that it is considerably better and more thrilling than it actually is. Well, it made me go out and buy the album anyway.....

Onto the actual music. Nicholls is a decent front man, by turns angry, joyous and reflective. Musically the album mixes punk, grunge, acoustic strumming and full-on rock wig-outs, the influence of Nirvana and Supergrass readily apparent. The stand out tracks (admittedly after only 3 listens) are Country Yard, Highly Evolved and Mary Jane. However, groundbreaking 'Highly Evolved' aint. This isn't the only drawback (The Strokes' album is rather derivative, but still brilliant) - the album just doesn't excite like it should. It could have been made by any one of a dozen marginal indie bands, and to compare it to debuts such as Oasis' 'Definitely Maybe' or the first Stone Roses album is, to my mind, ludicrous. Still, you should draw your own conclusions - I'm sure a thousand people will think I'm an idiot on reading this.....