WHILE some bands choose to operate on a plane of mystique and reservedness where even the most distinguished cryptanalyst might struggle to make sense of just what the hell is trying to be conveyed in the album sleeve notes, The Vaccines have never been the type to cloak their intentions. 2011’s insouciantly titled What Did You Expect From the Vaccines? came at a time when they were being lauded as a sort of cod-British Strokes come neo-skiffle buzz band, whereas the following years Come of Age signalled their attempt at making the jump from indie act to “proper” rock band following apprenticeship support slots alongside the likes of The Rolling Stones, Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys. If English Graffiti might sound slightly more oblique (something about the band being amazed by the worldwide omniscience of graffiti written in English), at least the sentiment behind it hasn’t changed much – “I want to be competing with the biggest and best artists in the world, like Kanye West and Beyonce” stated frontman and songwriter Justin Young in a recent interview.
For all the bluster Young has never been shy about wearing his insecurities on his sleeve and on lead single and opening track ‘HANDSOME’ it doesn’t take long for them to rear their head. 808 handclaps, a rumbling bass and guitarist Freddie Cowan’s intermittent crunches of fuzz anchor a frantic Young (“I just thank the Lord above that I am pretty, so pretty”) in an ironic nod to band aesthetics and God complex. Whereas ‘Handsome’ is from the Ramones school of punchy vim and vigor power pop, the heavyweight chords and glam synths of ‘DREAM LOVER’ sprawls and struts as if it was crafted amid the excesses of the 80’s arena rock circuit.
‘WANT YOU SO BAD’ and ‘(ALL AFTERNOON) IN LOVE’ mark a huge sonic shift as Young gets serious and indulges in some lovelorn macro-ballads. Although the sashaying chords and Coxonian flourishes of the former are pleasant enough, when compared with his contemporary crossover rivals Young lyrically lacks the charm of an Alex Turner or the vulnerability of an Oliver Sim which leaves the tracks feeling mushy (the telegraphed refrain of “I’ve fallen in love” on the latter’s outro particularly grates) and flat. Sandwiched in between is the much more purposeful ‘DENIAL’ with its 60’s psych-pop indebted backing vocals and ricocheting electro bleeps curdling to relay the impression of a new age reboot of The Zombies.
Managing to snare Dave Friddman to oversee the project (they were enamoured by his work on Sleater Kinney’s supposed final album The Woods) was seen as a coup when it was revealed earlier this year, but less discussed was the appointment of Arial Pink’s Haunted Graffiti alumnus Cole MGN on co-production. On ‘MINIMAL AFFECTION’, MGN pits Young’s lyrics of disassociation against an indie disco groove as Cowan chirps in with his best Valensi-style 12:51 synth guitar impression, while ‘RADIO BIKINI’ – a Dead Kennedy’s homage written about the US hydrogen bomb tests at Bikini Atoll – is given a chaos factor by way of oddball electronics, skittering solos and Friddman’s trademark overdriven drums.
It’s an odd juncture The Vaccines find themselves at. After a debut that went platinum and a number one sophomore, English Graffiti gives off the impression of a band who are still straining themselves to reach that big arena status rather than one that’s enjoying the fruits of actually being there already. When taken on face value, English Graffiti is what The Vaccines have always been – solid rock ‘n’ roll with intermittent moments of excitement, but whether that’s enough to fulfil Young’s ambitions of world domination remains to be seen.