release date: Mar. 14, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Dan Grech-Marguerat
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Wreckin' Bar" - 2. "If You Wanna" - 6. "Nørgaard" (4 / 5) (live in London) - 7. "Post Break-Up Sex" (4 / 5) (live session) - 9. "All in White" - 10. "Wolf Pack"
Studio debut album by London-based 'indie' rock quartet The Vaccines consisting of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Justin (Hayward-)Young, lead guitarist Freddie Cowan, bassist Arni Arnason and drummer Pete Robertson. The band was formed around 2009 by Young and Cowan.
Not surprising, everyone seems provoked to answer the question in the title, as to "What did [I] expect from the Vaccines?" My initial thoughts were damp and my interest was almost absent but rapidly I came to appreciate it as more than Okay. When looking at how many new bands and artists that pop up all the time and are hyped as the new prophets, I just have to say that I didn't expect much from this singles-hit band, however, they have surely surprised me in a positive sense. It's simply not just "Post Break-Up Sex" and "Wreckin' Bar", and they're a refreshing blow of air when everyone tries to be the new Arcade Fire, Strokes, Frans Ferdinand, Interpol, and-who-knows-who.
The band and the album was launched as the new biggest thing - to say it mildly - they were extremely hyped by the British music media, and the album peaked at number #4 on the national albums chart, but with such media exposure, they were basically doomed to fail to some degree, and by looking at some of the reviews it's quite evident that the hype was too immense. As Alexis Petridis of The Guardian put it: "It's not class that's a problem for the Vaccines, it's being hyped more than their catchy retro indie deserves." Well, I guess what he actually means is that they deserve more then they he hands them then...
Anyway, The Vaccines don't make it harder than necessary and that's a very nice starting point - too many could learn from that. It's nice & fine & I like it!
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5, NME, Mojo, Spin, Q, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]
(Live perfomance on Jools' Annual Hootenanny, 2011)
