| CD REVIEW The Vaccines |
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Band : The Vaccines Would you believe it's not even a year since this London based band's formation? Founded in June 2010 by lead singer/ guitarist Justin Young (previously active playing Indie Rock under the surname Jay Jay Pistolet), guitarist/ backing singer Freddie Cowan (younger brother of Tom from The Horrors) and a third member whom soon left. Completing the line-up with bassist Árni Hjövar and drummer Pete Robertson the band recorded their If You Wanna demo that same Summer, and immediately received high praise from national radio dj Zane Lowe, whom named it as his Hottest Record In The World on August 18. After playing their debut gig in Leicester, the band went on its first UK tour between September and November, and a rising hype made the band's first London in October sell out completely (in fact, over 200 people were turned away at the door), the audience including Alex Kapranos, Marcus Mumford, and members of White Lies and The Maccabees. The band saw its double A-side debut single Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)/ Blow It Up (culled from the Autumn recording session at London's RAK and Miloco Hoxton Square studios), released in the UK as a digital download on Nov. 29, rise to #157 in the UK Singles Chart (it actually fared a little better in Australia, Belgium, and Denmark where, without charting, it became an unexpected airplay hit on several radios). Q magazine heralded the song as “Track Of the Day”. In December the band recorded their first ever radio session at the BBC 6 Music show hosted by Marc Riley. That same month the guys also performed live on Later With Jools Hollandand became nominees in BBC1's Sound Of 2011 list (they would eventually come in on 3rd place). January 2011 was filled with more thrilling events: first the signing of their album to Columbia Records, then being nominated for “Best New Band Of 2011” on the MTV Awards, and eventually the release of follow-up single Post Break-Up Sex (again a download affair)on January 24, which debuted in the UK singles charts at # 32. Originally, the album was gonna be co-released with CD-single/ 7-inch If You Wanna...ànd the Strokes' 4th album...on March 21, but the album was pushed forward a week. A move which saw What Did You Expect...? shoot up to #5 in the album charts. So...what's all the woo-haa about, you may wonder? Well, the band plays a fairly addictive music which has (hold on for my remarks between the brackets, okay?!) been compared to Jesus & The Mary Chain (euhm...right?...check) and The Ramones (euhm...whàt?). The band itself describes its influences as '50s Rock 'n' Roll (well, définitely!), '60 Garage and Girl Groups (yah!), '70s Punk (huh...must mean the '80s “Post-” variant...that, or you're pulling my leg!), '80s American Hardcore (Hardcore? Are you bonkers?), C86 (well, I don't know how that sounds, even though I've found out it's supposed to be a British alternative musical movement named after the audio cassette compilation given away with renowned magazine NME in 1986 – Oh wait: the music is supposed to be characterized by “jangly” guitars and fey melodies...so okay, check!) and good Pop music (well...now you're back to the business at hand). If this way of description is too complex for you to fathom, perhaps you're better off just surfing over to (www.) myspace.com/thevaccines, but actually there's only 2 songs posted there, and at (www.) thevaccines.co.uk you can view the videos the band made for all 4 of its singles' tracks, plus a “making of” flick. If you're into testing bands in live conditions, you may find yourself slightly out of luck for the time being, as after a couple of Scandinavian shows in early May the band steps on an airplane to tour North America. They won't be back before June 10, and there's no news on shows after that yet. 85/100 Tony. |