Music Buy Mail/Sound Pollution
The band name VAIN brings a smile to my face. I remember their cocky debut as if it way yesterday. The single “Bite the Bullet” was a fine slab of sleazy hair metal with tons of attitude. Then they disappeared off my radar for years. VAIN has actually released six albums since then, but the efforts made in the grunge years must have been well of the post at the time. In 2005 original guitarists Jamie Scott and Davey West plus bass player Ashley Mitchell returned. Original drummer Tom Rickard also returned, only to depart again and be replaced with Louie Senor. So they are back in action and almost with the entire original line-up. I expect nothing but hits now!
Aw well, sometimes wishes don´t come true. I may say that time goes by and people cannot be expected to stay untouched by new influences, or older idols. The older stuff is mainly represented by the pretty nice title track and “Solid Gold”. Opener “Greener” is also decent and like I expected, and “Triple X” has the energy I wanted to find. But there are influences of older rock, U2, NUFF Z´NUFF and, even, THE BEATLES. The slight depressive edge that sometimes finds its way into the material is not suitable. The occasional vibrato on the vocals make them sound like a different band, as does the overly sleazy 60`s/70`s approach that is present at times. The catchy and expected 80´s happy-go-lucky music I associate them with is not quite present, not in a sufficient amount. They might be raw and electric in songs like “Worship You” and “Hot Stage Lights”, but the trip in the time machine sometimes hits the wrong buttons.
Track List
Greener
Triple X
Hot Stage Lights
Stray Kitten Burns
Cindy
Treasure Girl
Enough Rope
Solid Gold
Distance of Love
Vain
Worship You
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