Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Yes they sound like Oasis, however unlike Oasis, they are not (to my knowledge) a bunch of pretentious jerks who think they're God's gift to music. Also I don't think they're the second coming of Nirvana. You can definitely hear Nirvana's influence on them, but they are not in the same league. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It honestly reminded me a bit of Cage the Elephant on their debut and Thank You Happy Birthday. They had nice variety on their stuff so it wasn't just 45 minutes of garage band rock. Really liked the fast hard hitting songs, they sounded great on them, but then they also sounded really good on the slower more melodic songs which was really cool to hear because normally bands on this list (at least recently) have been really good at one or the other but not both. Really liked this one a lot.
Highly Evolved by The Vines. I originally was going to decirbe this as Nivana but from Califonia and less suicidal. I have no just discovered they are Australian which is like Cali...but better. This is great, its fun, hits in the right places and is right up my ally
8/10
loved - rockin
hell yeah, I liked that one 🤘🏼
One of my favorite albums of all time. Every song on here is just an absolute banger, and there’s an exceptional amount of variety too. Such an underrated band.
9/10 crazy good rock album absolutely adored the diversity
I hadn't heard of The Vines before listening to this, and that's a shame
Excellent live album. Not only could Nirvana make great original songs, but they could make covers better than the originals, while live.
Gritty. Distorted. Energetic. Engaging. A great debut album from The Vines. I need to explore more of their catalogue.
Good clean aussie rock show
Really enjoyed this one. Loved the energy of Highly Evolved and the harmonies in Sunshinin. There's a nice mix of fun/energetic and some tamer songs. Added to my main playlist.
My favorite discovery so far!! They are like psychicadelic Beatles meet Nirvana and I am here for it!
Grungy garage rock fused with angry punk. Awesome album.
this album was weirdly pivotal to me in that it was one of the first albums i got really in to that was 'heavier' than my usual musical fare. That synopsis puts this album weirdly into the category of gateway music.
Man, that was a delight. I didn't really know what to expect from this one. I was aware of the band but wasn't familiar with their catalog. Turns out, this was my jam. I loved the "modern garage throwback" vibe so much. It was such a groove and I was digging it already but when "Get Free" hit, I was all-in. What a freaking great track. I got nothing negative to say here. Full marks. Immediate replay.
Great album, somehow I have about 3/4 of this in my library but enjoyed the whole thing. Get free in particular is timeless, amazing riff, sounds huge, always puts me in a good mood. Love this sort of garage rock and even though as the Vines' careers shows it does get a bit samey, one album's worth is spot on.
primeiros trinta segundos já vê que o bgl é kentucky
Interesting, liked the variation. 3.6.
Was not expecting this album to sound like this!! Not complaining though, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Highly evolved, the title track, was a great start! It was upbeat, powerful, and everything I’d hope the first track of an album to be. Following it up was Autumn Shade, a gorgeous, melodic, guitar driven track. I do love when tracks lead directly in to each other. Outtathaway was back to having some heaviness to it. I thought it was great, and the chorus was quite fun! Sunshinin had weird musical elements, but that’s what made it memorable. The start of Homesick was almost Beatles coded. I do love a good rock ballad. Get free brings back the beat in a perfect way. It’s what was needed after a track like Homesick. I liked the meandering pace of country yard. The way in the jungle played with pace was pretty good. Mary Jane was very vibey. 1969 was a very apt closer for this album, and honestly its length was so forgivable because it was great. 4/5 ⭐️ 186/1089
I think this is a fun album, and I give it 4! 13 year old me would have it no other way.
I can feel that it’s nothing special. This kinda sounds like a mixture of a bunch of big artists. But it’s still one of my favorite genres, and the exec. is pretty good solid
Somehow The Vines have slipped through my listening adventures over the years but I truly enjoyed this listen! I won't say my mind was blown but it was solid!
They get a bump over average for the wisdom of releasing a 90-second rock hit. I like the rest fine enough, probably fun live.
Great high energy rock n roll
This is a fun album, sounds great, tunes are catchy and well composed. Really quite listenable, if not all that memorable. Several of the tracks caught my ear in that "hey, this is pretty damn good" kinda way, and in the end that's why I'm here. You can do way worse in this genre and period. If there's hate for this one it's likely driven by the hype that accompanied this in its day, which really was more of a sign of a changing industry and a press trying to navigate that change than anything that should be held against the band.
Así si. Banco que todas las bandas que empiezan con “The”. Muy buen disco, me encantó Homesick y después el resto buenas, siguiendo un estilo, pero sin que sea monótono
It’s a high 4 for me - loved the sound and style. Can’t believe I’ve never heard them before!
1. Highly Evolved (★★★★★) -Fav -Se me hizo corta... 2. Autumn Shade (★★★☆☆) 3. Outtathaway (★★★★★) -Fav 4. Sunshinin (★★★★☆) 5. Homesick (★★★★☆) 6. Get Free (★★★★★) -Fav -Nirvana? 7. Country Yard (★★★⯨☆) 8. Factory (★★★⯨☆) 9. In The Jungle (★★★★★) -Fav 10. Mary Jane (★★★⯨☆) 11. Ain't No Room (★★★★☆) 12. 1969 (★★★★☆) TOTAL = ★★★★⯨ (4,1) -Es rock, por momentos suena como Nirvana, incluso a The Beatles aunque en menor medida... no baja de 3,5 estrellas, pero para mí es un sólido 4.
pretty good!
Rocks. It’s like a cross between Nirvana, Tame Impala, and Green Day. Some of these songs sound like they belong on Lonerism. Love love love the middle of 1969 where the beat accelerates over the course of 30 seconds.
twilight vibes
It's rock of the time. Nothing too wild, but also not a bad listen!
It's too bad they couldn't really put anything together after this. Great album
i like it. 3.8 sterne
Fun garage rock of the 2000s. I like The Hives more though
Solid! Nice to listen to something not from the 60s :)
It’s crazy to think this came out in the 2000s because sonically this could’ve easily passed for a 1994 or 1995 release. For a post grunge album, this thing gets about as close to the real article as you can get. The way the guitar fades out at the end of songs, the screaming vocals, the whole sound of it, parts of this felt like a sonic successor to Kurt Cobain. “Sunshinin” was really good, and that bass line was insane. A lot of this album sounds like some weird mix of Nirvana and the Beatles around Rubber Soul, which is not something I expected to say. “Mary Jane” and “1969” reminded me of Oasis too. Funny enough, I heard “Get Free” on Weird Al’s “Angry White Boy Polka” before I ever heard the actual song. I hadn’t listened to much of their stuff outside of that before now, but after this I’ll definitely be checking out more. Favorite song: "Sunshinin"
Un album como estilo Scott pilgrim. Me hizo sentir las canciones así como pa ir a 200 en la Wawa. Buenos temas pero un tanto repetitivos
Great imo
Super fun album! I’ll be checking out more of their music!
i actually liked it. pretty solid garage psych. they lowk biting nirvana but idgaf tbh
Genuinely get a rush of dopamine every time I see a familiar album I thought was underground. W band btw
Definitely digging this album. Punky, grungy vibe with a little Beatles sprinkled in. Love it!
Gives me Arctic Monkey Vibes. Overall a very good album. Highly Evolved and Get Free made my playlist.
Yeah, that wasn't bad. A whole lot better than what that genre was producing in the US at that time. Sunshinin was a nice catchy track.
This is very cool! I remember the name and I think I had them pegged as another garage-rock/post-punk revival bad just like all the other “the” bands of the early oughts. Listening to this I guess they’re more like 90s alternative revival, but after heavy notes of Nirvana it starts going other places incorporating psychedelic rock and other sounds. A great find four stars.
so 2000s core i love it
The vines es una debilidad personal, me enloquecen como banda y en este álbum hay muchas canciones que me gustan.
Holy crap this went surprisingly hard. Reading their Spotify description it says they were heavily inspired by Nirvana and you can definitely hear the similarities. Overall, I had fun with this!
australian rock,
En mi opinión, si querías hacer un disco de rock alternativo con múltiples influencias del garage rock, grunge, post-punk y de psicodelia, no lo podías haber hecho mejor. Un álbum variado, muy disfrutable, que gana con las escuchas y suena bien en su revival sin dejar de ser moderno. "Highly Evolved", "Ain't No Room" y "In The Jungle" son mis favoritas, por encima de otros singles. Una banda a reivindicar.
Really loved this when it came out, somewhere between The Strokes and Nirvana, musically. Unfortunately all Albums after this one were mediocre to bad. Fav: Get free
I was not excited for a basically forgotten album by one of the countless garage rock revival bands from the early 2000s whose name started with “The.” I felt like I was gonna know how this sounded immediately, and while it wasn’t going to be awful, I’d basically forget it after listening. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be something special! It’s not NOT a garage rock revival thing, but it’s a bit more than that too. The songs have a Lennon/McCartney thing going on - a little more complex in the melodies and harmonies, and then a tinge of grungy breakdowns, reminding me of classic Nirvana at times. And then mix in the fundamental Australia-ness of it all. It is loud, polished, catchy, and most importantly, fun! I really enjoyed this!
Good album. Didn't Wow me.
Excellent album! So much is said about the big hitters of the grunge scene; Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden. This rightfully belongs in those conversations - it's not a carbon copy of those massive genre-defining albums, but sits neatly atop them adding its own dramatic flare. Big fan.
Super solid 2000s rock
Damn, there are some great tunes here (Highly Evolved, Autumn Shade, Outtathaway, Sunshinin, Get Free, Country Yard, 1969) The others are forgettable (at best) if not just down-right stinkers and should not have been immortalized on vinyl (or whatever mode even MP3). But ending on 1969 ( a good year by the way) saves this album from middling/piddling. 4 saved at the bell stars.
00’s Alternative Rock ⭐️Outtathaway
This wasn't necessarily my scene back in the day, so I completely overlooked this album outside of any singles I would have heard. I'm pleasantly surprised actually. They're a much different band to what I realised, and it's a much better album than I would have thought. There's some good dirty riffs in here that I'm really digging and an upbeat energy. It's really approachable, but far from generic. 3.5 rounded up.
I was not a vines lover when they came out. Too much hype and sounded like all else. After years without listeing to this Album, I stand corrected this is a great band and a great album. From 2 in my youth to 4 as an adult. Glad to hear this again with a better more contextual view
Cool sound. nothing super fantastic but a definite 'listen again' record for me.
Good stuff! Full of intense raw energy
Great record, solid rock/grunge/punk or whatever it is. Aussies know their stuff, man!
Yeah, boy! I was one of those early fans of The Vines, having heard some early unofficial releases and covers. I had no idea they would explode like they would, I just thought they had a cool sound. I got Highly Evolved on Day 1, saw them live, all the things. But then I stopped caring. Their impact was immediate but didn't leave a lot of after taste. Put simply, there were better artists. All these years later, I haven't heard anything they made after this album. Admittedly this album is all over the place, with druggy ballads and Grunge explosions, and assorted nonsense. It definitely could have done with some shaving - some of the songs do nothing but add some curios to the bloat. But the handful of bangers are still bangers. It's a good album, fun, but doesn't need to be anywhere near this list.
Missed this the first time around. Not bad
I like it! I like the guitar tones and the vocals. I only ever heard Get Free but the rest of the album is just as strong
Some good songs, solid alt rock band!
Some really good songs on this one, specially the melodic ones like Autumn Shade, Homesick and Country Yard. My least favorite song was ironically the song I knew the best, Get Free, which I remembered being a big radio hit in 2002/3. Solid album though.
I fuck heavy with this. It's funny seeing the discourse around this album - they may not be "the future of rock" as NME described them, but these guys know their way around some tunes! Not everything that's "overrated" is necessarily bad or generic, guys.
Wasn't expecting much out of an alt rock record, but by the third track I was fully into these guys' sound. Lovely guitar tones and basslines abound! They strike a perfect balance between slow, melodic tracks and more aggressive and grungey ones, which makes for a very fun listen overall. Great pull! Standouts: Homesick • Country Yard • Factory • Ain't No Room • 1969
Liked it more than I thought I would. A fun album to listen to.
I only knew Get Free. This shit slaps. Like Australian Beatles turned up to 11.
70/100. A solid garage punk record with plenty of energy. The riffs hit hard, the instrumentation is tight, and everything feels nicely rough around the edges. A good snapshot of early 2000s garage rock.
7/10
this is good!!! wish i could give half stars i would've given three and a half but three isn't enough so this gets four
A lot better than I was expecting, some really fun grooves. One I will definitely come back to. Standout Songs: Autumn Shade Sunshinin Get Free Factory In The Jungle
It’s what Oasis would be if there were no Beatles: a very good rock band. I want to hear this album again.
This is way heavier than I thought. I was expecting The View or The Coral or such. I did recognize one track, never realised it was them who did it. Pretty good. I’ll go 3.5 rounded up.
Great find, so surprised that I hadn’t heard this before. Great album. Sounds like the Strokes
Fun alt rock yuh
Never heard this band before. I liked it. There are some very Nirvana-like sounds on here, but it clearly stands on its own. I'll be adding this to the rotation.
So much better than I thought it’d be! I wrote of The Vines way back when because I thought the lead singer was obnoxious and the hype was unwarranted based on the single they put out. But this was a great listen.
Good vocals. Like the guitar work. First song, the lead singer sounded a little like Kurt when he was screaming. Their Aussie heritage reminds me of Oasis, which are not Aussie but they aren't American so it's basically the same thing. I really enjoyed the album, can't lie. I'd listen again for sure. 4 stars.
It sounds to me as if there are two distinct characters vying for dominance on this album. One wants to trade in rich, warm harmonisation verging on Floyd-esque in places and even Beatles influenced cuteness; the other wants to be a grungy garage band. In case your wondering what the opening to In The Jungle reminds you of, it’s Don’t Fear the Reaper but then it lets loose into punkier territory, making the song a microcosm of the whole album. Who wins, Jekyll or Hyde? It’s probably a draw and, like the book, the two personalities never quite learn to play nicely.
Pleasantly surprised by this. I was expecting a Get Real one-trick pony but there is real range here.
I was conflicted on this album. I didn’t feel a whole lot of much. But I also didn’t need to. I just enjoyed it. I tapped and bopped. I know there was an indie sleaze wave in this era, and I know the vines cashed in on it a little, the interview I heard was that there was too much demand in the UK for the industry to supply all the bands, so they imported them, along with the vines, there was the hives, and the strokes obviously to name a few. I was about 8 when this his the radio waves, and I think the next 10 years had elements of this sound through most local bands in aus. You could say it was other bigger international bands that were the influence, but growing up in aus, there’s something distinct in the voices that we then heard from following acts like Eskimo Joe, kisschasy, gyroscope, and faker and I feel like these guys might have been the first. At very least, they found themselves on the cover of rolling stone magazine, surely that counts for something. Maybe its the nostalgia driving me to be more generous to them. 4/5
Maybe it’s just my mood for the day, but I really enjoyed this album. It was a quick and fun listen. I appreciated the chill rock vibe with angsty undertones when fitting. I think it easily could have gone without the screamo vocals and been equally impactful, but I appreciate the artistry.
4,5
Never heard of these guys but loved this
This was fun! I'd have to listen again to know if it's something I'd add to my rotation.
This is a fun rocker. I often found myself interested in the music and even impressed with the creativity of the band. Nothing really stuck with me though. Will listen again sometime, but I just want my new album today. Four stars.
I really enjoyed this - an extra star for being an Australian band (under represented on this list if you ask me!) I'd only really heard one other track by this group 'Ride' which is a banger and worth a listen. I'll come back to listen to this again
fun early 2000s rock. I didn’t listen to the Vines but have heard this record. I still like this.
I enjoyed this blend of 60s pop and 90s garage rock. I'd forgotten this band, but do now remember that magazine cover with the "The" bands, and, after a little delve, I remember "Ride" from album 2. I'm not going to moan that this album is derivative and pronounce it unworthy; I thought it was good, and I've concluded that moments of "newness" are, in any case, really rare post-2000, and quality should still count. Quality was found in every song, and the last track is actually pretty epic. Young lads having a properly decent go, they deserved their success.
more alternative rock music today. this debut album comes out with... yeah, definitely a bang, but also a wail and a screech. i wanna say it's like.... psychedelic grunge. ideally this is a good example of the kind of alternative, yet accessible and mainstream rock music that blasted through your older brother's stereo in his room while he chugged some soda and played some halo. it's very moody and almost... adolescent in sound. many listeners, me included can easily hear the musical inspirations that these guys have, and to me it hinders the album a little bit. the songs are great, but sometimes the way that they perform it makes me thing... is this their sound, or is this the kind of sound they crafted just to get popular? regardless of what's right, the album has a cool, swaggering rock sound.
I really enjoyed this record. Didn't rise to the level of Supergrass (in my book), but the songs and riffs were great, as were the vocals. Solid pop/rock. I read a review that kept making Nirvana inferences, which I totally did not get at all.
This feels like the early 2000s. Enjoyed it.
Going with 4 stars because I like the energy, that it reminds me of college, and they're Aussies.
Like that Guitar sounds
Best Track - "Outtathaway"
Loved this! Pure rock energy.
Was a big fan of this back in the day, still pretty good.
I’ve had a terrible run of albums. This album is good. Is it 4 stars good? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m so glad that it has broken up the bullshit run I’ve had.
An interesting blend of britpop and some garage punk music. I liked it.
I remember The Vines! I dug this.
Solid piece of rock. Pretty much right up my alley.
Fascinating
I was a big fan of Highly Evolved, Get Free and Factory. Are they a little generic garage band indie alt rock? Sure, but I enjoyed them and would go back and listen. Are they life altering or did they change music forever, no probably not. But they are good to listen to and I will listen to them again.
Yeah this is some goof stuff and kinda surprised never heard it.
weird mix of different rock genres from the 90s in one album, songs switch to different styles often
Was jamming to this hard, I just like how the instruments sound. Favourite Song: In the Jungle Honourable Mention: Highly Evolved, Sunshinin
Het internet en het boek vergelijken The Vines met Nirvana. Daarmee wordt deze band wel wat overschat. Het niveau van Nevermind wordt bij lange na niet gehaald. Tegelijk is het een onderschatting. The Vines laten horen dat zij van meerdere markten thuis zijn. Niet dat Nirvana maar één soort muziek maakt. Maar de nummers naast hun meest bekende hokje zijn een stuk minder goed. In Utero ontving van mij zelfs 1 ster. The Vines zijn duidelijk meer all-round. Ergens is dat wel prettig. Een grunge nummer kan ik best pruimen, maar een heel album is vaak wel veel van het goede. De afwisseling van The Vines help mij makkelijk door het album te komen. 3,5 ster
Very similar to Nirvana Very melodically focused
I think this is on the higher three, lower four side. It’s really solid effort from an interesting group, I don’t know if it really reaches the peaks, but I was hoping for. The first half of this album is really solid, seems to drag towards the end. But I’m interested in listening to more of the popular songs and give them more of a chance.
Kind of a high energy Brit-pop, and grungier. I've never heard it before but it was a good listen today. So far maybe 4 star?
Well, this was definitely a flashback to early 2000s mainstream alternative rock. If I had to break it down, they take the 60s garage rock sound, mix it with modern neo-psychedelia, and throw in the raw edge of 90s grunge. It definitely has some fun pop hooks, and if you were listening to music during the early 2000s, you’ll probably recognize a few tracks from the past. It’s nothing too extraordinary, and I personally wouldn’t add it to any top albums list, but if you take it at face value, it’s fun for what it is.
It's a little bit over-styled in places; sounds a bit self-consciously constructed for a balls-to-the-wall guitar band album. But all in all its a hell of a good time. Of this particular moment, the Libertines have been and remain my favorite. With this album the Vines jump the Strokes, with Jet continuing to bring up the rear.
uuuh de shit tönt guuuuet. mega chratzig und punchy. coole churze starter. autumn shade bitz limp bizkit ballade? ok nai viel besser. cute. outtathaway rechte banger er schreit ume aber die ander stimm isch chillig. und de refrain isch e reechti wand. spieled super mit de dynamik. cooli melodie vode giti. töned eh geil hässig. bin etz bi factory und han immerno spass au wenns sochli en komische mix us rock und ska isch. mary jane au herzig mit de leslie gitarre und denn de akustische arpeggios. cool. letste track siick passiert mega viel mit tempowechsel wunderbar verzerrte gitarre und so. love it. uuh und de bass am schluss vo 1969 wo no melodie spielt isch jo suuuuper. guets guets vieri. find ide mitti hets mi verlore aber verdammt guets album vonere rock band mit edge aber au me ohr für igängigi melodie.
I bought this record when it came out, just because I loved the cover, but I ended up falling in love with The Vines. I still love it, but I don't really get why it's on the list to be honest, hah.
I’m always a sucker for that early 2000s rock sound, it has to be the nostalgia factor that wins out when I’m listening to something from that era. There were a couple standout tracks, but I was grooving the whole time. I know a couple other songs from The Vines but I’m excited to explore their deeper cuts.
The album is easy to forget. Nice when played in the background
Liked it more than I thought I would. Good tracks.
This band got lost for me among The Hives, The Thrills, The Kills, and The Chills. All bands that hit at the same time and have vaguely similar sounds. But listening to this is isolation helped me hear its distinct qualities. Really enjoyed the listen.
Fun.
This album fucking rocks. I don't know how I've been sleeping on this.
little too much screamo. a couple good tracks
Man I thought this album was SO COOL in high school. I remember going back and getting really into them because they sounded like Nirvana but they were australian and one of their songs was in a weebl's stuff cartoon (get free I think). I still do love this album, it's a lot of fun and a clear take on trying to redo Nirvana/ sound like Oasis maybe? Highly evolved, Outtathaway and Get Free rule, everything else other than Mary Jane is great. Homesick has a week start and then turns into a great song.
There were some real highlights in this album even though they really sounded similar to many of the other bands during this time. I thought I was listening to Oasis at points. I will say this band had more versatility across the record than other bands during this time. They can go from screamy, shrieky heavy rock to more melodic softer acoustic/synthy songs really well. Homesick was a highlight of the album for me. The opening track was also a really strong starter. Least favorite song might've been Get Free. I'm giving this a light 4
Good stuff. There is a hint of Nirvana and maybe Stone Temple Pilots in their sound but they have created their own sound.
the music on this record is good but its probably mostly a symbol as to just how fickle the longevity of the extremely short lived garage rock revival was. my copy of the book doesnt have this one, which makes it pretty obvious that it was in maybe one or two editions closer to when it came out and was quickly swapped out once history started setting in. ig its a bit like that libertines record i got a while ago, tho i think i might like this one better just by virtue of the fact that its tighter and more diverse which makes it a bit less exhausting...u get to hear the trendy strokes worship swirled with some mccartney-aspiring pianos right next to some punky aggressive tracks with that acid-tinged grungy lead vocal. a littleee in one ear and out the other, Is This It is an album that seems rly easy to replicate until u actually try, but its a worthy effort i think!!! totally pleasant slab of wax
Cool indie album. I like that they can play soft in a kinda alt rock style, or they can ramp up the intensity and sound punk-esque. The slowed down songs have some nice melodies while the faster ones can really rock out. Favorites: Autumn Shades, Country Yard, Factory
Pretty solid early 2000’s alt-rock! Nothing totally remarkable, but very good listen!
Мръсен топ
My era of music. I was there when it was all about whether or not you were a fan of the vines or the hives. Both are good :) 4/5
4-
Solid Rock Album
Nicht schlecht aber nicht wirklich besonders. Sehr nirvana inspiriert. Würde mich nicht beschweren es nochmal zu hören, aber würde es nicht aktiv an machen 3/5
I thought they were gonna be a britpop ripoff but turns out they’re a grunge ripoff. Or at least heavily inspired but they sound good (low) 4/5
I may be the only person on the planet who has an opinion on this, but I actually prefer their follow-up, 2004's Winning Days. Still, a pretty damn solid album from a very important time in my life. 3.5/5
Cool. Sounds like a mix of Oasis and Jet. Very cool.
Pretty good angsty teen stuff. Maybe one song too long.
00's indie rock
I'd had never heard The Vines (I think) but what a great rock album.
You can tell just from the sound that this album is from the early 2000s. If you're looking for that kind of vibe, this is a good place.
Good, a bit of throwback sound vs. when it was released.
Similar to the Hives, nearly to punk but also near to indie.
This was pretty good, passively listened to it, reminded me of Oasis. 4 stars
Good album. Fun. Indie rock, basically. Evidently, some critics called them “the next Nirvana,” but I won’t hold that against the band.
Blind album and artist. This is pretty good! The heavy songs hit hard and I love it, and I want to give this album a 5 so bad, but the filler songs aren't that strong, the slower songs. I will keep this band in mind moving forward for sure and will check out their other albums
I really enjoyed this album. I liked the song Mary Jane.
Haven’t heard this album in years. Still holds up!
Sold riff rock - much needed palette cleanser 🤟
Get Free was actually an attempt to get free tickets to a Houmous & Chutney tour. We knew what they were doing. Didn’t work. Nothing comes free in Len’s world! 3.9
It's giving Stone Temple Pilots
Can't hate the Vines. Get Free is an incredible Australian track. Brilliant energy live.
Surprisingly good. I expected something a lot less polished based on my memory of this band from when they came out
Wow, have not heard of this group before. Ahh yes, 2002 is when it came out and I wasn't really listening to new music or even getting into music that much. I liked a set of bands and that was it. At least this project is helping me get my groove back and discover new music (to me at least). yeah, this album rocks! It's raw and power and some slower jams as well. Just good hard rock, maybe in the classic 70's Aerosmith realm. Less blues-influenced. More garage band type music. I dig it. 4.25/5, almost a 4.5, just was lacking a couple of songs to get it there. Great album though!
4.2 Severely regret never giving these the time of day when I was younger, presumed they were another The Hives/White Stripes/Strokes without even giving them a listen for some reason. Like if Nirvana decided to infuse a bit of 60s psychadelica with a teaspoon of britpop in there. What surprised me most it really seems to work. Looking forward to exploring more over the coming months
Nice album from The Vines from down under. They bring a good rock sound that sounds great pretty much all the way through the 40 minute album. A couple quick hits, a couple slower songs, some varied vocals, good solos, solid drumwork. Highly Evolved has a little bit of everything and nearly all of it works. This is one of the better finds off this list for a band I was unfamiliar with previously. I'll have to check out some of their other hits to see if they were able to keep it going. 3.72 stars
It's a bit Jet, it's a bit Oasis, it's even a bit Stones. I was worried it was going to be copy/paste of Get Free - and it mostly is - but then we hit Sunshinin and Country Yard which are welcome lower-energy jams. Later on there's Mary Jane, which is a sleepy Travis or a little-bit-happier Radiohead style wander. And -then- there's Factory, which might as well be the Ska/punk collab Elvis Costello and John Lennon never had. It's so much fun.
This was good, solid rock music. A bit grungy and a bit different in places, enjoyed it.
Pretty good
Interesting
Very nice!
This album is a chameleon and honestly....it's good? I enjoyed it? But I think it's trying to be all the things and listens more like a love letter to the 90s more than anything else. The soaring guitars in some of the songs sound so British and reminiscent of Wonderwall. Homesick sounds like it could be in Smashing Pumpkin's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Mary Jane sounds like it could be on any random 90s alt rock album. Factory is super bubbly and bouncy and feels like their ode to the ska movement that become popular during that time. And all the screaming parts sound like a Nirvana sound attempt. I don't hate this but it also does not feel original enough to be on the 1001 list.
I know this band's name but not their music. I thought this was pretty good. I hear a blend of Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana and the Beatles. I also hear Jet, also Aussies. I imagine the Hives had some influence on them.
Brought to you by the era of "The <noun>s" bands. First exposure to the vines outside "get free", actually really enjoyed the album overall, had to give it another listen. Just up my street, but nothing super noteworthy, 4* Comparing to Nirvana is bit much. Highlights: get free, outtathaway, country yard
Enjoyed this, a mix of indie, grunge, britpop and psychadelica. It comes together nicely with some good variety between the heavier tracks and ballads. Probably not a 5* album because The Vines wear their influences very heavily on their sleeves. Factory sounds like The Beatles, In The Jungle sounds like Don't Fear The Reaper, etc. Could easily go on but those were the last two tracks as I write this. Still an enjoyable album though
This album is very much a time and place for me as I listened to it often during my senior year of high school. It doesn’t hit as hard as I remember and given distance and more musical awareness, it’s a bit of an oasis ripoff in places, but still great.
Fun listen, classic garage rock.
Fun rock and roll. Could get a little over the top noisy and screamish, but never to the point where it was annoying. I'd throw this one on again in the future.
The Vines - Highly Evolved Album Review The Vines’ 2002 debut, Highly Evolved, is a raw, energetic blend of garage rock, grunge, and Britpop swagger. Bursting with aggressive guitars, pounding drums, and snarling vocals, tracks like “Get Free” and “Outtathaway!” deliver catchy anthems that embody early 2000s rock revival. The band’s frenetic energy and unpolished charm make these highlights impossible to ignore. What sets the album apart is its versatility. While fast-paced, hard-hitting tracks dominate, songs like “Autumn Shade” show The Vines’ ability to slow things down and embrace melody. However, this variety also exposes the album’s inconsistency, with standout moments frequently interrupted by less compelling filler, preventing it from achieving a cohesive flow. Despite its unevenness, Highly Evolved captures the rebellious spirit of its era and helped bring guitar-driven rock back into the mainstream. It’s a thrilling, if flawed, debut that showcases a band full of potential and leaves a lasting impression with its best tracks.
Ég er hrifinn, þetta er mjög hresst, bæði þyngri lögin og léttari. Er búinn að hlusta miklu oftar en ég ætlaði mér.
Aussie band - garage rock. Their songs can be very hard and screamy, but there are also some ballads. Nice range of different songs.
Enjoyable alternative album that feels familiar but I didn't recognize anything on it. Was I in love? No. But it was a good album.
The year is 2002, I just graduated high school. I'm in San Francisco at a small music club called Slim's. The Vines are the headliner but I'm not familiar with them, not yet at least. I'm there for the 2 opening acts that make this one of the more interesting lineups I've seen live and I'm still not sure what the connecting through line is over 20 years later. Opening the night is SoCal pop rock of Rooney, then it's the bouncy power pop of OK Go on tour for their debut album. And then, the wild, seemingly drunk and/or high punch in the face of The Vines on their first North American tour riding the high of Rolling Stone's claim that they're "the next Nirvana". Of course they didn't survive the hype, mostly due to self-destruction and it's impossible to live up to the expectations of being a new Nirvana. This was an interesting era in modern rock where every band was supposed to be "the next ____", and so many albums were released in the same year that that became so legendary that it was all too easy to be forgotten to the sands of time (You Forget It In People, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Songs For The Deaf, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to name a few). In the end, this is a great album with some great rock songs (don't know what they were thinking with "Factory"), and it takes me right back to probably one of my favorite years in music. 4/5
I had this on CD back in '02. That's 1802, because I was born in 1780 and I have discovered the secrets of both immortality and sending CDs back in time. I cannot review this album because it is part of my secret formula.
surprising mix of all that has gone before. will def give another listen
Somewhere between STP, Green Day and mid 90s Radiohead grew the Vines. I loved how the first song Highly Evolved drops you right smack in the center of the song so it feels like you missed an intro but didn’t. There’s so many great songs in this album. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard from them earlier. Craig Nichols guitar work is incendiary and his solos kind of remind me of David Gilmour while his vocals definitely have a tinge of Scott Whelan in there. Key songs for me were Sunshinin’, the poppy Factory, and the groove heavy 1969. This is this is a good listen again.
I keep getting the Vines mixed up with the Hives. Not sure why people think this is the second coming of Nirvana; there are some mild similarities, but only in a few songs. Anyway, I rather liked this.
Great album!
Liked this more than I thought I would
really good early 2000s rock. never heard of this band or album
The comparison with Nirvana are obvious, but The Vines are a tad more accessible and the tracks are much shorter. The track "Sunshinin" reminded me a bit of The Teardrop Explodes. An album of contrasts - the harmonious melodic "Homesick" is followed by the heavy metal grunge "Get Free".
Good music, I wish the blog description did more to explain why it's on the list. It's pretty modern, it's by an Australian artist, and I'm always happy to hear what I think are ska influences. Solid rock album.
pretty good. kinda grungy, kinda garage rock-y, VERY noisy. not something i'd listen to all the way through very often but it's got its high points. i know some of these from Rock Band and of course, Get Free from Weird Al's "Angry White Boy Polka"... classic. favorites: highly evolved, outtathaway, get free, factory
It's 2002 and unbeknownst to us at the time, print-music-media has just about peaked and will soon decline rapidly. So how is the NME spending its prime-to-twilight years? Well, these are the days before rage bait and 'engagement'. In this simpler, less cynical age, engagement = sales. You don't actually want or need your readers to feel the need to argue with you. You want them to feel excited enough to keep paying money to read your pages every week or month. So how do you excite your readers? You tell them on a regular basis that THIS IS YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAND! This is a SCENE and you want to be part of it! Every few weeks something else was ESSENTIAL listening according to the NME. It published a COOL list and a ROCK'N'ROLL list. And so we bought the magazines and CDs and gig tickets with our precious student loan money and loved them for a few months. Then we grew up, got mortgages, had kids and put our old CDs in boxes in the loft. And so with a little trepidation I'm here, rediscovering these LPs and realising I've not listened to them for 15-20 years and I'm really not sure how they've held up. Did The Hives do anything after Your New Favourite Band? (Insane fact: they actually did loads BEFORE it and it wasn't even really a proper album. Who knew?!) Did Bloc Party simply run out of ideas after their brilliant debut? (Yes.) And whatever became of The Vines? Like many of their garage rock revival peers, it seems from memory that they rode the hype train to decent sales of their debut, made a patchy follow-up then disappeared into oblivion. So I was actually pleasantly surprised to give this a spin after two clear decades of the CD gathering dust in the loft and discover that it was... really good. They didn't cling too stubbornly to the garage rock template, veering into some fairly successful experiments with slower songs, piano numbers and acoustic flavours while still peppering you with some great 3-minute rockers (Get Free, Outtathaway, Sunshinin'...) at regular intervals. There's a decent chance I'll wait another few years before busting Highly Evolved out of the loft box again, but I'm quite satisfied that in spite of the fact I will have bought it on the strength of one article, one glowing review and a couple of solid singles, I did have some sense of what made for a good debut album. And I might even dig into the six (SIX!) Vines albums that have come out in the meantime, as it turns out. Good for them.
Seattle grunge meets British rock. Great grunge song!
Surprised this one made the list, but I am not complaining as I love it. The singles are excellent but there is also depth to the album as a whole. I guess the sound is a bit generic and their is little identity to the band which is similar to a lot of post grunge bands.
A kind of forgotten about old favourite, but it still stacks up
Oh what fun. An album that never would have gained any sort of popularity if it hadn’t been released in the early 2000s. Good energy on here. Good writing, fair lyrics. I enjoyed this very much. 4/5
The Good: actual fun rock to listen to. The Bad: too much forced usage of feedback. The Ugly: at times too poppy. Really enjoyed the album, but could not shake the feeling that they are trying harder instead of actually being... You know what I mean? 3 1/2* which will translate to 4
Very good, loved this album,
Rocking
Fun. Definitely kinda the next step into the 200s for the rock genre.
Good variety of rock styles kept my interest. A nice surprise.
Solid album. I would listen again.
lounging around bangers
Highly Evolved is an impressive debut that masterfully blends grunge's raw edge with melodic sophistication. The album kicks off with a gritty intensity reminiscent of 90s grunge, driven by powerful guitars and driving drums. What sets it apart is the seamless integration of catchy melodies and lush harmonies that soften the rough edges, creating a unique sound. Tracks like Eclipse of Yesterday highlight this fusion perfectly, offering both angst and anthemic hooks. The songwriting is sharp, mixing introspective lyrics with memorable choruses that stick with you long after listening. The production maintains a gritty, lo-fi quality, paying homage to classic grunge while embracing modern sensibilities. Overall, Highly Evolved delivers a fresh take on familiar genres, offering a compelling listen for fans of both grunge and melodic music. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 7 STAND OUT TRACK - Ain't No Room
### **In-Depth Review of *Highly Evolved* by The Vines** Released in July 2002, *Highly Evolved* is the debut album by The Vines, an Australian alternative rock band that burst onto the global scene with an explosive mix of garage rock, grunge, and punk influences. The album was a commercial success, hailed by some as one of the most promising debuts of the early 2000s, while others were more critical of its derivative nature. In this review, we will delve into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, providing a comprehensive analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. ### **1. Music and Composition** Musically, *Highly Evolved* is a dynamic album that traverses several rock sub-genres, often within a single track. The opening title track, "Highly Evolved," sets the tone with its raw, distorted guitars, aggressive vocals, and a succinct runtime of just under two minutes. This brevity is a hallmark of several tracks on the album, creating an urgency that echoes the punk ethos of bands like The Stooges and The Ramones. Tracks like "Get Free" and "Outtathaway!" are standout examples of the band’s ability to craft infectious, anthemic rock songs. "Get Free," in particular, features a powerful riff, tight structure, and a chorus that captures the rebellious energy of youth. This song, along with "Outtathaway!," showcases Craig Nicholls' knack for writing straightforward, yet impactful, rock songs that are both catchy and full of attitude. On the other hand, songs like "Autumn Shade" and "Homesick" reveal a softer, more introspective side of the band. "Homesick," with its melancholic melody and slower tempo, contrasts sharply with the faster, more aggressive tracks, showcasing the band’s versatility. The acoustic guitar and subdued vocals on "Country Yard" further emphasize this range, adding a layer of folk-rock influence reminiscent of The Beatles and Nirvana’s unplugged sessions. However, this eclecticism can also be seen as a double-edged sword. While the variety of sounds makes for an engaging listen, it also contributes to a somewhat disjointed album experience. The rapid shifts in tone—from the ferocious energy of "Outtathaway!" to the languid melancholy of "Homesick"—can feel abrupt, preventing the album from achieving a cohesive flow. ### **2. Lyrics and Themes** Lyrically, *Highly Evolved* doesn’t venture far from the themes typical of rock music: alienation, rebellion, love, and introspection. Craig Nicholls' lyrics are often abstract, with a focus on mood and emotion rather than narrative. This approach creates a dreamlike quality in some tracks, while others feel more like primal outbursts of emotion. "Get Free" is a prime example of this lyrical style, with its repetitive declaration of independence: "I'm gonna get free, right into the sun." The lyrics are simple and direct, perfectly complementing the song's visceral energy. Similarly, "Outtathaway!" expresses a frustration with societal norms and a desire to break free, with Nicholls screaming, "Outtathaway! I’m running out of room!" In contrast, tracks like "Homesick" and "Autumn Shade" delve into more introspective territory. "Homesick" features lines like "I’m feelin' down about this love," expressing a sense of melancholy and longing. "Autumn Shade" is more abstract, with lyrics like "No life, no time, it’s all a dream" evoking a sense of existential ennui. Despite the emotional resonance of these lyrics, they sometimes lack depth and complexity. Nicholls' tendency to prioritize emotion over clarity can result in vague or ambiguous lyrics that leave the listener searching for meaning. While this works in favor of some tracks, creating a sense of mystery, it can also feel like a missed opportunity to explore deeper themes. ### **3. Production** The production on *Highly Evolved* was handled by Rob Schnapf, known for his work with Elliott Smith and Beck. The album’s production strikes a balance between polished and raw, capturing the band’s energetic live sound while also adding enough studio sheen to make the album radio-friendly. The guitars are front and center throughout the album, with a gritty, distorted tone that harks back to the grunge era. This is particularly evident on tracks like "Highly Evolved" and "Get Free," where the guitars drive the songs with a relentless intensity. The drums and bass are also well-mixed, providing a solid backbone that complements the chaotic energy of the guitars and vocals. However, the production is not without its flaws. Some critics have argued that the album's sound is overly derivative, borrowing too heavily from 90s grunge and 60s garage rock without adding much innovation. While the production does a great job of capturing the band’s raw energy, it occasionally feels too polished, especially considering the chaotic and rebellious nature of the music. This polish can sometimes smooth out the rough edges that give garage rock its character, making the album feel more controlled than it perhaps should. ### **4. Themes and Artistic Direction** Thematically, *Highly Evolved* is an exploration of youthful angst and rebellion, set against a backdrop of existential questioning. The album captures a moment in time when rock music was beginning to re-emerge as a force in mainstream culture, with bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes, and The Hives leading the charge. The Vines fit neatly into this revival, with *Highly Evolved* serving as a statement of intent. The album’s themes of rebellion ("Get Free," "Outtathaway!") and alienation ("Homesick," "In the Jungle") resonate with a generation looking for authenticity and raw emotion in their music. The band’s blend of grunge, punk, and garage rock influences speaks to a desire to reconnect with the raw, unfiltered energy of rock music, which had been largely absent from mainstream charts in the late 90s. However, the album’s thematic exploration is not particularly deep. While it touches on issues of alienation and existentialism, it does so in a way that feels more stylistic than substantive. The lyrics often prioritize attitude and mood over narrative or thematic development, which can leave some listeners wanting more depth and insight. This is particularly noticeable when compared to some of the band's contemporaries, who were able to explore similar themes with more nuance and complexity. ### **5. Influence and Legacy** *Highly Evolved* was released during a period when rock music was experiencing a resurgence, with a new wave of bands drawing inspiration from the raw energy of garage rock and the introspection of grunge. The Vines were often lumped in with this so-called "rock revival," alongside bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes, and The Hives. However, while The Vines shared some stylistic similarities with these bands, they also brought a distinctly Australian perspective to the genre. The album’s success helped to put Australian rock music back on the global map, and The Vines became one of the most prominent Australian bands of the early 2000s. Their success also paved the way for other Australian acts, contributing to a broader recognition of the country’s vibrant music scene. In terms of influence, *Highly Evolved* had a significant impact on the early 2000s rock landscape. Its blend of grunge, punk, and garage rock resonated with listeners who were looking for something rawer and more visceral than the polished pop and nu-metal that dominated the charts at the time. The album’s success also helped to legitimize the rock revival movement, proving that there was still a significant audience for guitar-driven rock music. However, the album’s influence was somewhat limited by the band’s subsequent struggles. Following the release of *Highly Evolved*, The Vines were plagued by internal conflicts, erratic behavior from frontman Craig Nicholls, and diminishing returns on their subsequent albums. As a result, their influence on the broader rock landscape was not as lasting as that of some of their contemporaries. ### **6. Pros and Cons** **Pros:** 1. **Energetic and Raw Sound:** The album captures the raw energy of garage rock, with driving guitars, pounding drums, and aggressive vocals that evoke the spirit of 60s and 90s rock. 2. **Variety of Styles:** The Vines showcase their versatility by blending elements of grunge, punk, and folk, creating a dynamic and varied listening experience. 3. **Memorable Tracks:** Songs like "Get Free," "Outtathaway!," and "Highly Evolved" are standout tracks that exemplify the band’s ability to craft catchy, anthemic rock songs. 4. **Nostalgic Appeal:** The album taps into a sense of nostalgia for the grunge era, appealing to listeners who grew up with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. 5. **Cultural Impact:** The album helped to reintroduce raw, guitar-driven rock into the mainstream at a time when it was largely absent from the charts. **Cons:** 1. **Lack of Cohesion:** The album’s eclectic mix of styles can sometimes feel disjointed, with abrupt shifts in tone and mood that disrupt the flow of the album. 2. **Derivative Sound:** While the album successfully blends various influences, it can sometimes feel overly derivative, lacking the innovation needed to distinguish itself from its predecessors. 3. **Shallow Lyrics:** The lyrics often prioritize mood and attitude over depth and narrative, which can leave some listeners wanting more substance and insight. 4. **Inconsistent Quality:** While the album features several standout tracks, some songs feel less developed, serving as filler rather than fully realized compositions. 5. **Production Over-Polish:** The production, while polished and radio-friendly, sometimes smooths out the rough edges that give the band’s music its character, potentially diluting the raw energy that defines garage rock. ### **Conclusion** *Highly Evolved* is a compelling debut album that captures the raw energy and rebellious spirit of early 2000s rock music. The Vines succeeded in creating a sound that blends the ferocity of punk, the angst of grunge, and the simplicity of garage rock, delivering an album that is both nostalgic and contemporary. While the album has its flaws—most notably a lack of cohesion and depth—it remains an important artifact of its time, representing both the potential and the limitations of the rock revival movement. The album’s influence, though not as enduring as some of its contemporaries, helped to reinvigorate the rock genre and bring attention to the Australian music scene. For fans of raw, guitar-driven rock, *Highly Evolved* offers a snapshot of a moment when rock music was poised for a comeback, capturing the excitement and energy of a band on the cusp of greatness, even if that greatness was never fully realized.
8/22/24. Very good 2000s rock album! It's a shame it's not more popular and included on more playlists, each song brings the heat. Will definitely be playing this one again and again.
A great, active and lively album to headbang to.
Great surprise, I always imagined that the album was all on the same 'get free' vibe and I found a good mix of songs.
I was told the Vines harnessed the same angst and energy as Nirvana. And I guess I can see that. But I truly get more of an Oasis feel from this record. Perhaps some Beatles. There is one song in particular that reminded me of a John Lennon vocal part from some Beatles song. This record was a fun listen. Great to bike to.
Enjoyed more than I thought I would. Some good songs on here. Will I listen to again: 80%
I’m surprised that I haven’t heard of The Vines before. It’s exactly the kind of music I gravitate towards, and was released in 2002 - when I was all over music magazines and actively looking for new music. It is dirty sounding garage rock, but still keeps plenty of catchy melodies and interesting sounds. The vocals were great, and any moments where the harmonies started sounded absolutely delightful. I like this album, and will have to remember to listen again.
Ok this is my jam. I really like this. Rockin’
This was surprisingly good and will get future listens. I assumed I knew all I needed to know based on the punkish and enjoyable "Get Free," but this album is much deeper and more, well, highly evolved than that.
This was really damn good. I expected to like it just not as much as I ended up liking it. Great listen.
Oooh, this is good, really good. They have a go at almost every kind of guitar tune from the 60s to the 90s and almost everything works. A wise move to avoid metal! Packed with great melodies and lots of energy. Sounds great in the car and I'll be listening more on our travels.
Das Album beginnt kraftvoll und setzt diesen Ton durchgehend fort. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die Tracks “Outtathaway” und “Get Free”, die als Highlights herausstechen. “Get Free” ist ein Paradebeispiel für den Garage-Rock-Sound der frühen 2000er Jahre und hat sich als einer der bekanntesten Songs der Band etabliert. Die Musik auf Highly Evolved ist hart, aber gut, und bietet eine intensive Hörerfahrung. Die Mischung aus aggressiven Gitarrenriffs und eingängigen Melodien macht das Album zu einem Muss für Fans des Genres. Die Band schafft es, eine rohe und ungeschliffene Energie zu vermitteln, die sowohl kraftvoll als auch authentisch wirkt. Insgesamt ist Highly Evolved ein starkes Debütalbum, das die Essenz des Garage-Rock einfängt und gleichzeitig die Vielseitigkeit und das Talent von The Vines zeigt. Es ist ein Album, das man mal wieder hören kann, ohne dass es an Intensität verliert
i wanted to hate this purely because Get Free was overplayed to death on the radio in 2002, but it ain't half bad.
The Nirvana comparison is a bit of a misnomer. Yes, some of the vocals are 'shouty' and some instrumental bits occasionally sound grungy, but generally the tracks are just not as dark as Nirvana and the lyrics are simplistic & nowhere near as literate or playful as Cobain's. Anyway, this is a decent grungy indie pop record, with strong production, plenty of fuzz guitars and likeable vocals.
Enjoyable shouty guitar stuff, never really listened before but will give them ago by gum!
That was some good alt rock stuff!
I really like the indie movie vibe of the album, definitely feels like it should be backing something featuring Michael Cera circa 2008
Quite good! Lots of gusto in the performance of these retro tunes, and the songwriting is varied enough to keep the listening fresh
Catchy and fun
My reaction ranged from meh to not bad+.
A nice variety of songs, some of which are quite good. If I’d owned it at a time when we didn’t have access to every album all the time, I think I’d listen to it a lot.
I'm feeling happy, so highly evolved My time's a riddle that will never be solved Dreamin' for somethin', reachin' for somethin' Just waitin' for the sun to carry me in If you feel low You can buy love From a payphone I don't feel low My brother Bill, he work for the market Life is an arrow now and he is the target Dreamin' for somethin', reachin' for somethin' Just waitin' for the sun to carry me in If you feel low You can buy blow From a payphone I don't feel low Not bad at all. 4/5
Een lekker album. Energiek, af en toe wat Nirvana-achtig, een beetje noisy en toch ook wel wat pop-achtig/toegankelijk. De eerste helft is ijzersterk, de tweede helft wel wat minder wat mij betreft. Het blijft keurig binnen de 45 minuten. Hier kun je je geen bult aan vallen. Ik ga voor een 4.
This was good! Dig it a lot. Kind of a Jane's Addiction vibe. Will def look up some of their other stuff.
They do a great job of making music that sounds like they really like two or three bands. Not a knock.
All I know about The Vines is that one scene in Freaky Friday when Jamie Lee Curtis (after having swapped bodies with Lindsay Lohan's character) is talking with the teenage love interest at a cafe and she's charmed by the fact he likes The Vines. I remember zero individual tracks from this, but I like the whole picture. Was hoping for more of an Australian accent.
Really strong and powerful album that pumps you up. It's a great album!
Super solid rock album. Though the lead singer's voice isn't very unique... he really sounds to me like "generic rock singer", each of the songs has enough of a pop hook that it really works, track after track. Enjoyable that there is some pacing variety, a few ballad style tracks as well as straight ahead rockers. Enjoyed.
Amazing. Alt-rock craziness turned up to 11.
Look, I'll be honest here... this album hit me at the precise time I was looking for it. Spaced out, stoned and just enough screaming and rock energy to want to jump around in an indie disco. I loved this album for a brief while and listening to it 20 years later - I still really like it. It's pretty much impossible for me to be unbiased for my rating and I make no apologies. It's a classic debut that the band never managed to better so it has that element of romanticism about it as well. Best Tracks: Outtathaway; Get Free; In The Jungle
Solid album. Get Free is easily better than the rest of the songs (it's really great), but the others are quite listenable even if they aren't stellar.
I was really surprised to see this album come up on here, in a good way as it’s the first one selected that I owned at the time it actually came out, but also warily as I didn’t remember it being that great. My opinion on the latter didn’t change that much from listening again. They’re really great at the full pelt post-grunge garage rock thing, songs like Outtathaway and Get Free (Ride, from the second album even better, and great video, check it out). But the slower psych type ones really were being done in much better and more original way by a stack of other bands at the time. So it was a nice nostalgia trip, but my overriding memory brought back was of one of those times when you spent £15 on an album off the back of two great singles, really trying to love the whole album by repeat listening but ultimately being frustratingly disappointed at the fact you should have bought a different album instead. So in honour to my disappointed mid-twenty year old self I’ll score this a 4 even though it’s a really a 3.
guter zeitloser Rock... schön dreckig. Nirvana lässt grüssen
1st listen. Some nice tunes on here need to listen again
Would have been better without the weird screamo guy
The Vines, The Hives, The Killers, The Bravery, The Libertines, The Kaiser Chiefs, The (fill in the blank) are all bands that I have heard and have varying degrees of enjoyment when listening to them. I had never heard The Vines and this album started off really strong and the back half seemed to taper off a bit more than I wanted. I am pleased that I heard this album, yet I don't know if it got in the book based on the hype around the band or it brings something new to the table. I will listen to their other albums and I could be a greatest hits fan of theirs. It's garage rock mixed with a little psychedelia, so it's interesting to hear even if I'm not sure it's as revolutionary as promised.
It's definitely nothing too special. But this is a very good garage rock record. One of the few that stands out during a time where it felt there were only garage rock bands on this planet. Sure there are better bands and albums but this is one of the good ones.
Nothing new, but quite nice. I felt, there was more inspiration drawn from Alice in Chains than from Nirvana. All in all a decent Garage Rock Album, screaming of the early 2000s
Good rock. That’s it that’s all you get
Haven’t listened to the vines in years. So much fun
This one was a lot of fun. Saved a decent bit to the library and the ones I didn’t weren’t bad by any means just didn’t stand out enough. Rating: 4.3
Enjoyed this album, their sound varied and reminded me of several different bands. Nice guitar licks and good vocals.
Good album.
Great variation in songs
4(-)
I really liked this, and could hear a strong Stone Temple Pilots influence on many tracks. Definitely a band to further investigate.
Radio music, and very good all things considered. At first I was like, ugh more punk, but it quickly grew on me. I liked the deep cuts more than the singles. Stand-out: Sunshinin
2002 Genre: Alternative rock, garage rock revival, post-grunge I can hear a bit of Nirvana influence, without at all being a Nirvana copy-cat band. Standouts: Get Free, Highly Evolved, Outtathaway, Homesick, Rating: 3.5
fun
Exactement mon genre musical, du gros rock ben rough sur les bords.
psychedelia the saving grace of a lot of low down rock that would be otherwise pretty damn unremarkable
It sounds good but it's not relevant to me if that makes any sense 👍
Australian early 2000s garage rock revival, similar to Jet & NZ’s Datsuns. It’s a good album with some good songs but wouldn’t really say it’s an influential or important album. Feel like there’s better Australian rock from that time
90 secs and 1 track into their debut, comparisons with Nirvana were not far off the mark, but The Hives added elements of acoustic psychedelia to the punk howl to take them beyond fellow Aus-Rock contemporaries such as the Datsuns and Wolfmother who emerged at the same time. Similarities to nirvana were further shared with the singer having mental health issues (being undiagnosed ADHD )which destroyed the band following a series of chaotic gigs and media interviews following the first album. A great album but not sure why you ‘must’ listen to it before you die when you could slip in utero on?
Short songs, pretty cool. This was 'Get Free' where they had that surge in the early 2000s.
Kinda sorta reminds me of nirvana, lead singer doesn’t sound like him, but the tempo and ‘feel’ of a lot of the songs remind me of them. 3.6
Surprised this album's singles have never come up before for me. I've heard them on the radio at some point. Enjoyed the two listens. Get a lot of an STP vibe circa 2001. 4/5!
Der er nogle virkelig fede bangers på den her plade. Jeg kan huske at høre Outtathaway & Get Free tilbage i gymnasiet - de holder sgu stadig! Resten af pladen er lidt mere grungy, der er lidt Kurt C. over vokalen i "In The Jungle"
A great garage rock, sort of grunge album. The Vines are musically more interesting than Nirvana to whom they often get compared. The album starts a bit low effort wise but gets better later.
Very different sound than what I thought it would be, other than the few tracks with 90% screaming. The rest surprised me and I quite enjoyed.
Good, almost 4, didn't listen to them before but good rock/punk album
This one grew on me with each listen and I liked the lyrics but the strong British accent they sing with really annoyed me when I found out they’re actually Australian. I decided to forgive them eventually. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Highly Evolved Rating: 4
I sure did love this time in music with bands like The Vines, The Strokes, The Hives playing smart catchy riff-rock.
J'ai tellement écouté Break Free sans vraiment connaître le groupe! J'aurais dû m'y mettre avant. J'aime leur rock assez classique, mais exécuté avec énergie.
Listened Before? No Album opens energetically with poppy production, but there is much more of an edge here than I anticipated. Vocals borrow from a grunge tradition and there is a spunkiness about this. Really enjoy Outtathaway... I knew I recognized the band name; Get Free is a jam that I had forgotten about. Country Yard is a psych trip of an instrumental with a distant guitar that feels like it is shimmering in the breeze. Factory reminds me of some Offspring songs that I wasn't particularly fond of. Has a sort of polka plong about it that occasionally grows teeth. In The Jungle is a standout. Minor progression that makes for an uncomfortable, but cool atmosphere. Reminds me of Alice in Chains for a number of reasons. Could have done without the lugubrious ode to Mary Jane. Like its a fine song and all, but felt unnecessary even if the "Echoes" reminiscent guitar towards the closing was nice. 1969 is a drawn out jam of a song. I like it as a closer. Strong 4 / 5 for me. Great production and depth and I enjoyed all the way through. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Get Free (Driving, Skate Mix, Sunny-vibes)
Good garage rock album. A few duds but mostly solid.
Solid rock album
HL: "GET FREE", "Sunshinin", "In the Jungle", "1969" 🎶I’m sure, I’ve heard it all before, but I don’t really give a shit
I liked it , needed some aughts rock yesterday. Alternates between garage rock and beatlesque soft rock, quite fun although I typically don’t go for Australian music
Definitely enjoyable. I’ll have to listen again. I’d probably give it a 7 on the 10 scale, so I’m rounding up to 4/5 here.
I feel like this is how you do garage rock effectively (take notes foo fighters). Theres some awesome tracks in here and a much more effective delivery of rage for me than other things that try to do the same thing
Dit vond ik echt heel vet!
I didn't think I ever heard of these guys before, so when Get Free came around, I first thought it was a cover version. While I don't see the justification in adding this one to the list, I did enjoy it as pretty high quality garage rock. Definitely very impressive for a debut. A bit of a weird disconnect between the first and second half of the album, which started to sound quite Beatlesque from Factory on. But both halves are very solid.
This is the night that you went out with your buddies to celebrate something but you can't remember what. You rallied the troops, hit some dive bar, did shots with random people, wound up at a strip club and woke up in an unfamiliar house feeling like shit the next morning. Fun and forgettable, you're not sure what happened, but you know you had a blast.
I forgot I like the Vines. They were a welcome return to a more grungy sound amidst the rock played on the radio in 2002 (3 doors down, Nickleback, etc.). Does anyone else think the intro to In the Jungle is screaming out for more cowbell?
I can never keep straight the vines or the hives or the strokes but it’s all my jam.
Just some good clean distortion and upbeat rock. Nothing genius but solid.
I liked Homesick, Outtatheway, 1969, and Mary Jane. Good hard rock band.
pretty good 3.5 star album, but since I am feeling generous, 4 stars.
Gets better as it goes on! Loved it
Somewhere between a 4-4.5. Really liked it. I wish it did a little bit less genre hopping between songs and tried to infuse elements from all the genres they were interested in across the whole album.
Quite enjoyed this
A really cool album. I wasn’t expecting to know one of their songs, but “get free” must have been a major hit of theirs. I’ll definitely be coming back to this album and band.
3.7 Album. Enjoyed a few songs but not something I’d seek out on my own.
This was an overall great listen. There was a solid amount of diversity in sound throughout the tracklist. Furthermore, I felt that the album started and finished pretty strong.
Toffe garage-rock die wat aan Nirvana doet denken
Muy buenos recuerdos y muy buenas canciones en este disco. Empezando por "Higly evolved", "Outtathaway", "Homesick", "Country yard", la famosa "Get free" y una de mis favoritas "Factory" con un tono muy Beatle y Ska.
A great mix of grunge and punk. Yes
They are probably a 3, but I'm giving them 4 because they are Australian, and Get Free is awesome
Rock
What a great debut. Highly Evolved really sets the tone and 1969 is a great closer. Get Free is very catchy. I think my favourite track though is In The Jungle.
Yeah, pretty solid stuff - I thought I'd heard this a bunch from a housemate in the early 2000s but it didn't seem that familiar - maybe it was a different one of their albums, or I've got them confused with someone else? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Almost tempted to remove a star for the awful ska stylings of "Factory", heh. Fave track - liked the psych leanings of "Country Yard" - "Ain't No Room" was also a banger.
Given what I’ve heard about them and when this album came out, I was expecting just another Strokes/Hives/White Stripes adjacent product, but I was pleased to find something more original and well executed. It’s a bit of garage rock meets Nirvana, and it works.
Ahhh 2002
pretty good actually Mary Jane and homesick are my fav songs but the others don't drag them down
Strong
Rock and Roll, baby! A solid, grungy romp. I was not familiar with The Vines but I enjoyed this album all the way through. Not sure what puts it on this list but I did like it.
Sweet
Was not expecting much from this band. I didn't pay attention to them when they came out and just kind of lumped them in with a huge group of bands and artists that seemed to be hitting it big and riding the wave of revival of garage rock kind of spurred by The Strokes. It's probably unfair to all of those bands to be so dismissive of them but that's how it is. This album was better than I expected, a great energy and a great sound. Production value is excellent and it's catchy and just kind of rocks. Really enjoyed listening to this.
Always love this period in Rock music. It was very much a coming of age time for me. I had never heard of this band, nor any of their songs WITH THE EXCEPTION of "Get Free", but weirdly I had only ever heard Weird Al's cover. Either way I was a big fan of this. A good day!