Cover of The Vaccines Come Of Age
Loconweed

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For fans of the vaccines, indie rock lovers, post-punk enthusiasts, and readers interested in uk alternative music.
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THE REVIEW

The Vaccines are back with an album that is the natural follow-up to their debut record "What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?".

From the title (in Italian "coming of age"), you would expect a record less carefree and power-pop compared to the previous one, and in some ways it is. It starts with "No Hope" featuring a typically English and stereotypically cynical lyric, perhaps the best track of this work. It continues with "I Always Knew," with the guitar effectively supported by a typically post-punk rhythm section. The opening trio closes with "Teenage Icon," which stays in your head from the first listen thanks to a simple and incisive chorus ("I'm no teenage icon/I'm no frankie avalon/I'm nobody's hero"). After the first three tracks, you might expect less impactful pieces, and that's the case, filler tracks ("Bad Mood" above all) with the band working mechanically to pad out the album. Besides the fillers, the band appears excessively derivative in songs like "Weirdo," almost a Pixies cover, and "All in Vain," too similar to Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."

In conclusion, the second album by the Vaccines seems like a collection of bland songs and in some cases derivative. For the third album, it is logical to expect an evolution that brings new ideas to these four young Londoners.

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Summary by Bot

The Vaccines' second album, Come Of Age, follows their debut with a mix of catchy and less impactful songs. While tracks like 'No Hope' and 'Teenage Icon' stand out, several songs feel derivative or filler. The album lacks the freshness of their first effort, suggesting a need for evolution in future releases.

Tracklist

01   No Hope (04:10)

02   I Wish I Was A Girl (02:52)

03   Lonely World (05:02)

04   I Always Knew (03:34)

05   Teenage Icon (03:05)

06   All In Vain (03:52)

07   Ghost Town (02:21)

08   Aftershave Ocean (04:10)

09   Weirdo (04:47)

10   Bad Mood (03:06)

11   Change Of Heart Pt. 2 (02:16)

The Vaccines

The Vaccines are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2010. The classic lineup featured Justin Young, Freddie Cowan, Árni Árnason and Pete Robertson; later Yoann Intonti (drums) and Timothy Lanham (keyboards) joined. Known for brisk, hook-packed songs and albums from their 2011 debut through English Graffiti and Combat Sports.
07 Reviews

Other reviews

By definitelyalex

 "The second album is always the most difficult, even for the latest 'next big thing' of English indie rock."

 "This is undoubtedly a more mature and considered album, with the risk, however, of losing the freshness and immediacy that were the fortune of their debut album."


By scummyman

 This is not a bad album because it is composed of decent songs, where the Vaccines once again show they can find great melodies with a rare immediacy.

 The Vaccines, despite reaffirming themselves as a promising reality, are overreaching, exploring territories where they do not always demonstrate they can move well.


By GabriAvella

 It was such a productive period that it would have been foolish to let the opportunity slip by.

 Come of Age does not hold up in comparison to its dazzling predecessor, even though it possesses a handful of songs that would make 90% of today’s bands green with envy.