The Vines

There is a story that Nirvana, having recorded “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, wanted to discard the number as being too obviously a Pixies’ rip off. It is unlikely that The Vines have had similar qualms: as this compilation clearly demonstrates, they have made a career through imitating Nirvana.

Aside from a few tortured ballads- the sort that every rock revolution from Elvis to grunge has hoped to make irrelevant- The Vines have stuck to Cobain’s formula over three albums and numerous line-up changes. On tracks like ‘Get Free’ or ‘FTW’ they are a single step away from being a clever pastiche of grunge, practically sampling the vocal inflections or distortions from In Utero or Nevermind and slapping them together in a new sequence. Of course, this isn’t a bad sound, but the closeness of the impersonation drains the music of spontaneity- which is most of the original point.

There are a few slapdash attempts at sixties pop- ‘Autumn Shade’- and an ill-advised stab at reggae on ‘Factory’: yet despite the years of success, there is no sense of movement or growth. Having a track called ‘Highly Evolved’ is tempting fate. The complete lack of evolution on show here is only one disappointment in almost an hour of stolid grunge postures.