Aussie Rockers Meld Beatles, Nirvana Influences on Debut

The Vines
Highly Evolved

Before listening to the Vines' debut full-length album, Highly Evolved, there are a few things to note.

Despite any British press hype that might have trickled overseas in the last month (since the album's European release), the Vines are not the Nirvana of the new millennium.

Sydney is not Seattle, and this is not 1991.

There's no denying that this Australian foursome stirs up memories of Bleach and Nevermind with intense, metallic guitars that screech at just the right moments.

But the band's mingling of heavy guitars with post-punk and Brit pop influences shows not only that the Vines aren't Nirvana but that they aren't trying to be.

Rather, these Aussie rockers are slowly but surely playing their way into a sound of their own. The music is brimming with energy. Mixing this energy with the band's evident talent forecasts a strong future on Highly Evolved.

Promising as the Vines may be, though, they haven't evolved that far from their musical influences.

In some cases this lack of originality is a blow to their status, as in the snappy, Nirvana-like "Get Free." Here, lead singer and guitarist Craig Nicholls tries and misses the magnitude of Kurt Cobain's guitar playing. Cobain's signature blood-curdling screaming/singing is replaced with vocals of forced-sounding angst. The pain isn't as juicy and real as the former grunge-rocker god's.

The band switches gears but still shamelessly borrows from veteran rockers on the upbeat track "Factory," which is essentially "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da" with different lyrics -- possibly the most blatant Beatles ripoff since Oasis' debut album.

Yet the Vines' use of and not abuse of their influences saves the album and reinstalls hope and respect. This reinvigoration of spirit happens primarily when the band strips down the guitars and throws in pulsing punk beats, as in the strong, quick title track or the energetic "Ain't No Room."

The beats carry these songs beyond their roots, and it's much easier to hear who the Vines really are -- they might even start to grow on you.

And with beautiful, dreamlike tracks such as "Autumn Shade" and "Mary Jane," the Vines lighten up the pounding riffs with hazy distortion and place more emphasis on drums, taking British dream pop to a mesmerizing new level. Gorgeous, gentle guitar work and sincere melancholy go hand-in-hand to make these songs simply haunting.

While the Vines' knack for addictive punk-rock songs is bound to extend its fan base into the United States, these earnest, sad and hopeful ballads are the strongest exhibition of the group's song-writing talent and unique position in the post-grunge genre.

Highly Evolved is a notable first effort that might well lead to the development of a truly notable band.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.