Album Review: The Vaccines - Pick Up Full of Pink Carnations
The Vaccines deliver a slice of guitar pop heaven as they return to their roots on ‘Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations’.
British guitar music tourchbearers Ãrni Ãrnason, Freddie Cowan, and Yoann Intonti have developed an esteemed reputation over the last thirteen years. Boasting five chart-topping albums, renowned performances at Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, and Coachella, as well as touring with The Rolling Stones, it's safe to say that The Vaccines have had their fair share of career-defining moments. Now following lead guitarist Cowan’s departure, touring member Timothy Lanham has stepped up to the plate, as the band seek to continue their reign with sixth record ‘Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations’.
It’s a title that originates from a misremembered lyric in Don McLean’s American Pie (“I was a lonely teenage broncin’ buck / With a pink carnation in a pick-up truck.”). For Young, this sparked a train of thought. “I was living in LA while writing this record, and American Pie is a song about disillusionment with America and the American dream, and his feeling that something had died. I guess I was coming to terms with similar things… various relationships were ending, and Freddie was leaving the band. That was the seed of it. It’s about the loss of dreams.”, he explains.
Deconstructing everything from idyllic relationships to self-perception, it provides a damming critique of modern life. And yet, this melting pot of ambivalence, betrayal, and shame is wrapped into a glistening pop package, brimming with bubbly melodies and killer hooks. Lead-off track ‘Sometimes, I Swear’ wastes no time in establishing the record’s manifesto. Backed by buzzy guitars and insistent drums, Young places his heart on the line: “I’m caught in the good fight / I start to feel small / When the gravity hits me / I’ve got nowhere to fall.”.
With a carefully curated formula for melancholy yet dance-ready cuts, there’s little wonder how The Vaccines have managed to maintain their youthful audience. ‘Heartbreak Kid’ feels as much a testament to their young fans as it is a nostalgic reflection on the band’s teenage years. Packing feelings of loss and heartbreak into an indie rock soundscape reminiscent of The Killers, it’s a striking reminder to face feelings head on.
Throughout the record, change and evolution serve as a guiding thread. Whether it be personal change, the world changing around us, or a combination of the two, the band manages to create a point of universal relatability. “We took a trip under the lunar eclipse / The road fell and twisted into cracks in our lips.” sings Young in December release ‘Lunar Eclipse’. As enigmatic as it is matter of fact, the band’s visceral yet cinematic songwriting shines through here. ‘Discount De Kooning’ and ‘Primitive Man’ draw on similar themes, with earworm choruses providing pure catharsis in the form of soaring guitars and punching percussion.
The Vaccines have always excelled in finding innovative ways to mix up their formula for creating vibrant indie hits. While such innovation is almost always welcomed, it’s nice to see them return to their roots on ‘Love To Walk Away’. Pairing Young’s staccato vocal delivery with love-drunk lyrics, it’s a Vaccines classic with brash instrumentation to match.
Penultimate track ‘Dreamer’ features the line responsible for the album’s title (“I was managing your expectations / On a pick-up full of pink carnations.”), which is perhaps why it feels as though it could have been a satisfying round off to the record. However, what becomes clear as a more fitting ending arrives in the form of ‘Anonymous in Los Feliz’. On the surface, it’s an open letter to a former lover – but on a deeper level, there’s an almost desperate need to be remembered that lies at its centre. Propelled forward by a driving bassline and razor-sharp riffs, it’s a defiant statement proving that The Vaccines still have much more to give.
Words by Emily Savage
