The Vines have been compared to The Strokes, The Hives and White Stripes, which is really not a fair comparison. The new record Highly Evolved owes more to Nirvana and The Beatles than The Velvet Underground. Highly Evolved really surprised me with it's diversity.

Upon hearing the single "Get Free," I was expecting a loud, grungy type of album, and while this record does have a fair share of perfectly executed noise, it also holds back with beautiful, lush ballads that smack of Lennon and McCartney. Lead vocalist Craig Nicholls has all the makings of a major talent. While his banshee style screaming will draw instant comparisons to Kurt Cobain, this energetic front man can really sing as displayed on slower tunes like "Autumn Shade" (a song that seems inspired by Brian Wilson), and the Brit pop sounding "Homesick." But if it's faster stuff your after, check out "Outtathaway!" and "Get Free."

You won't be disappointed. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the album is how it alternates between the harder edged songs and the catchy mellow tunes. This has been a tremendous year for music and The Vines is at the top of my list. While Highly Evolved does have shades of other memorable records, it's hopefully the first step towards greatness for a terrific new band. This is one of the most exciting debut albums I've heard in a long time.