Search - The Vines :: Melodia

Welcome back, guys!

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 06/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Vines will always hold a soft spot in my heart. The Australian band's 2002 debut album "Highly Evolved" was an instant smash in their home country and also in the US, and I even saw them live in support of that album (more on that later). Now finally comes the US release of their 4th studio album (released in Australia last year).



"Melodia" (14 tracks; 33 min.) continues the formula of the band, mostly short songs. In fact, all but 1 track on this album are all in the 2 min. range. The opener "Get Out" immediately invites comparisons to "Get Free" or "Ride", the band's best known songs/hits, and if it weren't for the sorry state of commercial radio in the US, it should've gotten plenty of airplay, but alas. The songs come firing back at you in an ever fast pace. "Orange Amber" is a Beatles-like beauty if the Beatles were recording today. "Jamola" is a furious 46 sec. instrumental that then leads into "True As the Night", a 6+ min. epic. and the traditional one long song on any Vines album. The albums clips along quickly at 33 min., and before you know it you wanna play this again. This album is not a great departure from their earlier output, so if you liked them before, you will like this, I can assure you. ("A.S. III" is of course the continuing story of "Autumn Shade", explored on their first 2 albums.)



I saw the Vines at Bogart's here in Cincinnati in support of their debut album, and they were outstanding, period. Regretfully, since then, singer-songwriter Craig Nicholls has dealt with all kinds of issues, and long story short, the band has not toured much (none outside Australia) since then. What a shame. "Melodia" is a nice return of the Vines, even if it doesn't break any new grounds."

Disappointing in every way

Redgecko | USA | 12/22/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"From the group that gave us Ride, Animal Machine, Outtatheway, Sunshinin', Dope Train and quite a few other great songs, this is a let down. Of the 14 songs, 5 are ballads and The Vines should never do ballads. All of the other songs start off okay, but degenerate into a cheap mimicry of their former greatness. Yawnnnnn.



Braindead is the only song that was iPod worthy and that barely made the cut. And, as far as values goes, 32 minutes of music doesn't cut it either. A lazy, pathetic effort from a washed up band.



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