The Vines: Winning Days (review)

[3-LockBox]

After having heard a few tunes from The Vines' debut, <i>Highly Evolved</i>, I saw this new release at Best Buy a week ago on sale for $8.99, so I picked it up. Judging by the cover, these guys were trying for an updated '60s-ish pastiche, but sometimes sound like a garage band channeling <b>Oasis</b>. This album simply tries too hard to cover the music spectrum. Lush tectures are toyed with on 'TV Pro', then abanded for garage thrashing, which to me is misplaced. The lyrics on most of these tunes range from banal to ameturish. I've read were others compared this band to <b>Nirvana</b>, and some songs like 'Animal Machine' do conjure up images of <i>Bleach</i>, but such a comparison is really reaching. I was hoping this release was going to explore the more pastoral textures of pshycadelia, rather than the emphasis on the "indie sound", but I suppose that that's what most may like. While songs like 'Winning Days', 'She's Got Something To Say' and 'Rainfall' do evoke a late '60s Beach Boys or Beatles pshycadelic feel, this album doesn't play with and/or stretch the genre like XTC's superb side project, <b>Dukes Of Stratosphere</b>. Since I only payed $8.99US for this CD, I'm not too disappointed. Any of these songs could raise hope and interest on a compilation, but as an album, this collection of songs seems to drag and fatigue (if these guys were real '60s afficianados, they'd pay more attention to track order). Buy it if you're already a fan. Pass if you're looking for an epiphany.

How does this this album compare to <i> Highly Evolved</i>?

[Mike]

I have Highly Evolved which I rate as pretty good, in fact I'm suprised it didn't get more attention when it appeared, particularly with all the retro sound around the last couple of years.

I didn't bother to buy the latest after hearing a couple of tracks but Highly Evolved is a different beast altogether I think. The psychedelic sounds are probably more obvious on Evolved and there's a good blend of uptempo and 'pastoral' tracks as you put it. I don't hear Nirvana at all but the press seemed to call it that way, to me they are more of a polished Strokes.

Lyrically I won't comment beacause lyrics are not my thing but if you get the chance to hear it I think you'll like it.

Cheers
Mike

[-Jar-]

I have Highly Evolved which I rate as pretty good, in fact I'm suprised it didn't get more attention when it appeared, particularly with all the retro sound around the last couple of years.

I didn't bother to buy the latest after hearing a couple of tracks but Highly Evolved is a different beast altogether I think. The psychedelic sounds are probably more obvious on Evolved and there's a good blend of uptempo and 'pastoral' tracks as you put it. I don't hear Nirvana at all but the press seemed to call it that way, to me they are more of a polished Strokes.

Lyrically I won't comment beacause lyrics are not my thing but if you get the chance to hear it I think you'll like it.

Cheers
Mike

Pitchfork gave it a good spanking today:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/v/vines/winning-days.shtml