| The Vines – Future Primitive |  |
There are few bands that I’ve once liked and then just plain given up on. Jet, once one of my favorite groups have been on the fast track to “I don’t give a shit city” along with Kings of Leon who now look like a bunch of bored GAP models. Rooney is the only band that immediately comes to mind that I completely gave up on. I loved their debut but never finished their subpar sophomore release and I just can’t support a band that tours in support of Fergie and the Jonas Brothers.
The Vines are barely hanging in there but I don’t why I haven’t just cut ’em loose. I guess it’s because I loved Winning Days, so much so that I still pray they’ll someday reignite the spark they once had. It’s as if ever since founding bassist Patrick Matthews left everything has been going down hill, maybe he was smart to get out when he did. Where The Vines’ music should be maturing on their fifth album it’s somehow doing the exact opposite. This once exciting band has entered a downward spiral of devolution where the songs are getting shorter, simpler, and tragically less inspired. If they’d started out sounding like this I don’t think they ever would have received a recording contract, but for some unknown reason they just keeping pumping out the same old lazy shit.
What happened to the Craig Nicholls that would shout “Fuck the world!” at the top of his lungs while flailing all over the place and having a mental breakdown on Letterman. Not that I miss his annoying recklessness as a performer but I miss the manic edge he once carried with him into the studio. Nicholl’s energy on the first two albums felt raw and real but now when he tries to act crazy it just feels phony. Maybe it’s because he’s mellowed out, less drugs? I don’t know but his music has suffered and if this is the road the band is going to continue down maybe they should just hang it up.
What else is there to say? The songs are boring and sound like Nicholl’s crapped them all out in about ten minutes. The production is quite good but I crave for more substance, something to sink my teeth into. I remember being mildly disappointed with The Vines third album but compared to this that album was great. At this point I’d say chances are good I won’t be reviewing this band’s next album.
Favorite Tracks: None…