The Vines (Capitol)
This Australian quartet—led by singer Craig Nicholls—brazenly borrows from its trusty rock and role models: the Beatles, the Kinks, Cheap Trick and Nirvana. The result is an exhilarating mix of raw rock—as noisy as it is infectious—tempered by a smattering of dreamy, psychedelic songs that might even have impressed John Lennon. Throw in some melodic ballads, ska-influenced bop and postmodern punk, and you're left with a debut disc that easily transcends other garage-band revivalists such as the Strokes, the Hives and the White Stripes, which have emerged as the latest rage in rock.
Yes, these young bands all strive to sound like the seminal giants that came before them, but it's the Vines who still manage to distinctly reinterpret those influences, proving that for a derivative rock group, they really are highly evolved.
Bottom Line: A natural selection
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