The Vines - Winning Days

Mad Craig Nicholls. He’s mad. Completely mad. Did anyone mention he’s mad?

The insanity of our antipodean cousin seems to detract somewhat from the fact he’s actually in a band, albeit one perpetually on the verge of collapse. While The Vines may not be the most original act on the planet (blending the Beatles and Nirvana together isn’t exactly innovative), their second album is eagerly anticipated.

It doesn’t disappoint either. ‘Winning Days’ isn’t a quantum leap away from ‘Highly Evolved’, but it is far superior. The old raucous rockers are still there (‘Ride’, ‘Fuck The World’), while the bands more mellow side is also developed (‘Amnesia’, ‘Sun Child’). What wasn’t expected is the Muse-tinged ‘Evil Town’, or the constantly changing ‘TV Pro’.

There’s a better flow to proceedings as well, with a more laid back mid-section complementing the balls out, nuclear war that bookends the album. More than anything, however, this is a Vines record - no different to what was expected, and in such is exactly what was needed.

Bands trying to be too clever is never an endearing quality. ‘Winning Days’ attempts to be nothing other than itself, and it’s a better album for it.