The Vines – ‘Vision Valley’ (EMI) Released 03/04/06

The Vines were once legends to many. Nicholls and his cohorts created a buzz that echoed through the whispers of music journalists and music lovers alike with their debut single ‘Highly Evolved’ and achieved in 90 seconds everything that many bands took years to realise. Although critically acclaimed debut LP ‘Highly Evolved’ had its faults it’s still a classic. Fast forward a bit and you’ll find them on the front cover of the Rolling Stone, trashing gigs and getting bigger by the second. The recording of ‘Winning Days’ was underway before Nicholls had a chance to settle the dispute and growing hostility towards his bass player Patrick Matthews. ‘Ride’ was released in all its glory to a worldwide audience who had waited patiently for two years for the next Vines gem and it was received with open arms. The band fights got a little worse. David Letterman’s dressing room was trashed before the band were due to appear live on the show. Then that set was trashed live on air after a fight with Matthews ensued. The achingly beautiful pop classic ‘Winning Days’ was released and would be the Australian Band’s last single for what looked like indefinitely.

In a last ditch attempt to secure the hearts of their fans, The Vines’ management scheduled a live radio performance at the Annandale hotel Sydney. The band imploded on stage. Nicholls kicked out at a photographer and his increasingly erratic behaviour came full circle. He was left a wailing, yelping wreck on stage. Matthews walked out and The Vines were finished. The pressure took its toll. They were thrown into the deep end and they didn’t know how to swim yet. They had the songs, but they just couldn’t hack it.

Enter ‘Vision Valley’ – Nicholls’ make up sex to the world. Passionate, yet gentle, stripped down for all the world to see. It sees a hesitant return to the world of music for Nicholls, as a life adjustment on his part due to him being diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, takes Nicholls down a less urgent road. ‘Vision Valley’ is in essence a chilled out album, there are no ‘Get Free’s and there are no ‘Outtathaway’s. It is more subdued than ‘Winning Days’ as the more rocky songs are even quite calm. There are heavier songs, but even these seem to lack that crazed manner that graced The Vines’ repertoire once. Although comparing this album to anything else that they have done would not be entirely fair as The Vines as a whole are different as Nicholls has changed and the collaboration with Matthews is no longer - The Vines have lost their original aesthetic yet are still recognisable to those who look deep. Just don’t be expecting an instant classic. To experience ‘Vision Valley’ fully, it is best to approach the album as if they are a completely new band.