The Vaccines burst onto the scene in 2011 with their debut al- bum, What Did You Expect from the Vaccines? The band was hailed as saviors of rock ‘n’ roll, much like their predecessors, The Strokes. The Vaccines employed the same punchy guitar attack and upbeat songs. Their new album, Come of Age, marks a change of direction for the band, that features a darker sound and improved lyric writing. The album begins with a bang, “No Hope,” which manages to be upbeat yet somehow sad. The fast, bright attack of the guitars con- trast greatly with the lyrics, “Cause when you’re young and bored and 24/And don’t know who you are no more/There’s no hope/And it’s time to come of age.” Justin Young expresses the frus– trations of any young person who is lost in life and unsure where to go. “Teenage Icon” is a fantastic song, featuring an extremely catchy chorus and guitar riff. The band seems to be grappling with their newfound fame, “I’m no teenage icon/I’m no Frankie Avalon/I’m
nobody’s hero.” They still think they’re a couple of average guys from England, and this song ap– propriately expresses it. The darker sound becomes es– pecially evident on “Ghost Town,” which features a much deeper, dis– torted guitar tone. From this song to the end of the album, The Vaccines trade in their bright sounding guitars for dark- ness and even some impressive soloing. The band proves that they were not like their idols, The Strokes, and managed to make a second album that expanded upon the foundations laid down in their first album. Come of Age is a fine album, and a natural step forward for the band. The Vaccines are slowly growing up and have the poten– tial to become the leading band in guitar-based rock-n-roll for years to come.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025