Sweet Vine was a short-lived southern rock and college rock band from 90s. Though the band doesn’t have much information about them online, there are some forums and blogs that seem to hold them in high regard. Sweet Vine was signed to Columbia Records in 1995, under which they released an EP, Downside of Wonder (1996). It seems that some time after that they signed a deal with Sony Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1997. It seems the band split up soon after that, but I can’t find any other information at a quick glance on when and why the group parted ways. The band was recommended to me by someone on Twitter who has recommended some other artists that I really enjoyed recently, so I’m pretty excited to check out this album. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Mountainside” starts with some really groovy guitar work that right away pulls me in as it walks the line between southern rock and college rock. Oh wow, some organs come in and bring some really groovy flavors to the track. Holy smokes, this track is groovy. The playing nearly reminds me of a jam band along the lines of some strange cross between Tedeschi Trucks Band and Umphrey’s McGee. Wow, there’s some really groovy drum fills in this track as well. I really dig the acoustic guitar that comes in at the start of the chorus. Oh wow, the guitars, organs, drums, and bass all seem to be playing off of each other for a really groovy jam. Holy smokes, this track has me completely hooked in at the moment. Wow, the track continues to evolve up to the very last beat. Awesome track, and I’m excited to hear more.
“Candy for Fools” starts out with some really sweet piano that reminds me a bit of Allen Toussaint at the start of the track. Oh wow, the guitars have a really sweet distortion that seems to make the guitar harmonies sound even larger in size as the notes seem to rain into the soundscape. Oh wow, there’s an acoustic guitar in the track that adds a really pleasant flavor that really reminds me of the sound of Pure Prairie League’s Bustin’ Out (1972), which seemed like a college country rock album. Holy smokes, the band gets into a really sweet groove that feels like rock from the late 90s infused with some southern flavors. At the moment, I’m wondering what happened to the band, and how I hadn’t heard of them until recently. Wow, great track.
“Downside of Wonder” starts with some mellow church organ that sets a sort of sweet and slow tone for the album. Holy smokes, the vocals come back in with a really nice r&b/soul flavor, as you can hear the singer digging deep in and nearly getting guttural with some of the lines. Oh wow, some really sweet acoustic guitar comes in for a moment. Holy smokes, the song keeps gradually building on itself. Wow, this guitar solo somehow brings even more feeling to the soundscape. It seems that the album was only ever released on CD, and I’m very tempted to buy a copy. This track reminds me a lot of a mix of both Proxima Parada and Ripe, if there were some southern rock flavors infused into the combo. Wow, great track.
“Castles and Hovels” gets grooving almost right away without missing a beat. I really dig the combination of the acoustic guitar and electric guitar, especially with the addition of organs/keyboards to accentuate the grooves. Wow, this track is great. The tracks in this album feel so natural from one song to the next so far. Great track.
Oh wow, “All I Could Do” starts with some super sweet vocals that are soon joined by some light acoustic guitar. Oh wow, the electric instruments and drums join in and get the tune really grooving. Oh wow, the track softens up to just some gentle playing from the electric organs, some sweet vocals, and some light acoustic guitar. Holy smokes, this track keeps growing on itself and bringing the jams higher and higher. Wow, another great track.
“Up to You” starts with some plucky acoustic guitar and a sweet, syncopated beat. Oh wow, the vocals come in and set a really sweet tone for track. Holy smokes, the gentle swirling of the electric organs are super groovy, and the pedal steel guitar seems to introduce some southern flavor into the soundscape. The beat is super tight and keeps the song grooving along nicely in a somewhat marching style. Holy smokes, a piano comes into the soundscape like someone pouring an entire bag of sugar into a cup of sweet tea. Wow, great track.
Oh wow, “Three Times Denied” starts out with some distant, distorted, swirling organs that set a tone that feels almost psychedelic in nature, which is especially amplified as the cymbals come raining in with some strange effects from a guitar. Holy smokes, the song drops into place and the track is absolutely dripping with flavor. The riffing from the guitar(s) and the organs set to the strong backbeat keep the track grooving forward. Oh wow, I really dig the accentuations from the slide guitar during the verses, which almost sounds like it has a wah-pedal adding even more flavor as well. The organs really let loose during the chorus with tons of far out flavor. Wow, this track is awesome. The track seems to keep giving until the very last measure, not unlike Sweet Vine’s other songs on the album. Holy smokes, the guitar almost sounds like it’s being sent through a talk-box at the end of the track. Awesome song.
“Evergreen” starts out with some really gentle acoustic guitar and a light beat, and soon the bass, organs, and then the electric guitar all join in. Wow, the slide guitar really reminds me a lot of Derek Trucks. Wow, the grooves in this track almost pick up a sort of New Orleans feel that I’m really digging. Holy smokes, there’s a piano that comes with tons of flavor reminiscent of New Orleans for a super groovy solo. Oh wow, the ending of the track reminds me of the Allman Brothers’ a bit. Wow, great track.
“Another Day Gone” sets a really mellow tone with some snapping for the percussion, a really groovy, smooth bass line, some vocals that seem to narrate a personal, nearly bluesy story of some sort, and then the guitar adds some really groovy accentuations. Oh wow, the tempo picks up a bit and the band starts locking into a bluesy jam groove. Oh wow, the electric keyboards come in and somehow add even more flavor to the soundscape. Holy smokes, the track ramps up with some organs and electric guitar into a far out psychedelic jam with swirling organs and wah-pedal’d guitar. Oh wow, the tune mellows back down into that slow, bluesy intro. Wow, another great track.
“First Time” begins with the slamming of some organs accompanied by some super slick electric guitar and then some sweet acoustic guitar work, set to a groovy rhythm from the drums and bass. Oh wow, the playing feels a bit looser with a slower tempo, but the grooves are still incredibly tight. I really dig the swirling organs in the background with the sound of the acoustic guitar strumming along. The acoustic guitar nearly feels percussive at times with its strumming. Wow, another great track.
“Ever Made Love to Be” starts out with some super sweet acoustic guitar on both sides of the soundscape. Oh wow, there’s so much sweet feeling in the vocals as they join the acoustic guitars. Holy smokes, some keyboards and organs gently enter the soundscape and provide some building momentum in the track. Oh wow, the bass guitar then comes in, and is soon joined by some electric guitar as well. The track feels like a really sweet and groovy way to tie together the album so far. Holy smokes, the track breaks through to a really sweet jam. The playing from the band gradually gets looser as they sound like they’re wrapping together this listening experience. Holy smokes, the playing sounds increasingly psychedelic as this final jam continues. Wow, awesome track, and a great way to finish this album.
Holy smokes, this album is awesome. I’ve already sent my thanks to the person who recommended it to me, and sent it along to many of my friends. The playing feels like a unique combination of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Ripe, and Proxima Parada, with a style that mixes college rock, southern rock, psychedelic rock, and r&b for a really groovy listening experience. If that sounds interesting to you in the slightest bit, then I would recommend you check out this album. There’s a good chance that I’m going to purchase a copy on Discogs soon. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A