English Graffiti
English Graffiti is the third studio album by English rock band The Vaccines. It was produced by Dave Fridmann, with co-production from Cole M. Greif-Neill at Fridmann's New York studio.[1] The album was released on 25 May 2015 through Columbia Records.[2] The album marks the band's first release in two years, following the Melody Calling EP, and their first full studio album release in three, following Come of Age in 2012. Young stated that Fridmann was chosen due to both his track record in making "consistently fantastic records", and because the band wished to replicate the sound of Sleater-Kinney's The Woods,[3] which was also produced by Fridmann. The album runs 35 minutes and 14 seconds, making it The Vaccines' shortest album to date.
Promotion
The Vaccines revealed the first single to be released from the album as "Handsome" on 19 January 2015. The track was Zane Lowe's Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1[4] that evening and a video followed online soon after. The single was officially released on 8 March 2015 as a digital download. On 30 March, the second single "Dream Lover" also aired as Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1, and a music video was released on 1 April. The single was released on 18 May,[5] a week before the album's release.
The album was released on 25 May on compact disc, vinyl LP and as a digital download. The album was released as two versions, a standard edition release as well as a deluxe edition, featuring three bonus tracks as well as four 're-imaginings' of the album's singles and other tracks. The band also produced a limited number of signed copies of their album, on both CD and LP, available through the band's official website. These editions feature a signed insert by the four members of the band.
The song 20/20 was used in an Amazon and Chase commercial in December 2015.
Critical reception
English Graffiti received generally positive reviews. On Metacritic (which assigns a weighted average out of 100 from mainstream critics), the album has received a score of 73 ("generally favorable reviews"), based on 15 reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album a 3.5/5 star rating, saying that "these are candied sonic fantasias, passionate re-creations of the past with no reverence for history, and that divine, stubborn nostalgia fuels English Graffiti, turning it into the Vaccines' best record."[7]
Track listing
All lyrics written by Justin Hayward-Young, all music composed by The Vaccines
| 1. |
"Handsome" |
2:20 |
| 2. |
"Dream Lover" |
3:45 |
| 3. |
"Minimal Affection" |
3:59 |
| 4. |
"20/20" |
3:08 |
| 5. |
"(All Afternoon) In Love" |
3:54 |
| 6. |
"Denial" |
3:01 |
| 7. |
"Want You So Bad" |
4:18 |
| 8. |
"Radio Bikini" |
2:06 |
| 9. |
"Maybe I Could Hold You" |
3:10 |
| 10. |
"Give Me a Sign" |
3:33 |
| 11. |
"Undercover" |
2:00 |
| 12. |
"English Graffiti" |
3:28 |
| 13. |
"Stranger" |
3:02 |
| 14. |
"Miracle" |
3:28 |
| 15. |
"Handsome" (Reimagined) (Dave Fridmann Edit) |
2:21 |
| 16. |
"Dream Lover" (Reimagined) (Malcolm Zillion Edit) |
3:57 |
| 17. |
"20/20" (Reimagined) (Dave Fridmann Edit) |
3:16 |
| 18. |
"Give Me a Sign" (Reimagined) (Co Co T Edit) |
4:21 |
Personnel
- Justin Young—vocals, rhythm guitar
- Freddie Cowan—lead guitar
- Arni Arnason—bass guitar
- Pete Robertson—drums
Charts
References
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| | | Studio albums
and singles | |
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| | EPs | |
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| | Other songs | |
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| | Related articles | |
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[7]