Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations
Studio album by
the Vaccines
Released12 January 2024 (2024-01-12)
Recorded2023
StudioAndrew Wells' house (Los Angeles)
GenreIndie Rock
Length31:31
Label
ProducerAndrew Wells
The Vaccines chronology
Back in Love City
(2021)		 Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations
(2024)
Singles from Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations
  1. "Heartbreak Kid"
    Released: 20 September 2023
  2. "Sometimes, I Swear"
    Released: 11 October 2023
  3. "Lunar Eclipse"
    Released: 17 November 2023
  4. "Love to Walk Away"
    Released: 8 December 2023

Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is the sixth studio album by English indie rock band the Vaccines. It was released on 12 January 2024 through Thirty Tigers and Super Easy. It marks the first studio album following the departure of guitarist Freddie Cowan.

Background

The album title Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations was inspired by the lyrics to "American Pie" (1971) by Don McLean. According to frontman Justin Young, he was living in Los Angeles when writing the record and could relate to several sentiments expressed by McLean on the song. His "understanding of what the real West Coast of America was" after largely growing up on American pop culture has died. After "various" of his relationships came to an end, Young determined that the title should be about "the loss of dreams".[1]

Ahead of the creative process, Young explained that the band knew they were "ready to make another record" but were unsure of how it should "sound and feel". The first day in the studio also saw the creation of the fourth single "Love to Walk Away" which would set the tone for subsequent sessions. He described the song as the sonic and thematic "direction" for the album.[2] The Vaccines teamed up with producer Andrew Wells and recorded the album in his home studio in the Hollywood Hills, a place Young thought was a "very inspiring, exciting place to be every day".[3] The project came out "more cohesive than most [of our] records in terms of songs, but sound as well", feeling like they achieved what they "set out to achieve".[4]

Promotion

Almost immediately after the album's release, the band will play 25 live dates across the UK and Europe, starting on 17 January 2024 in Amsterdam.[5]

They will also embark on a 16-date North American tour with The Kooks, starting on 29 February 2024 in Atlanta.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic70/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
DIY[8]
The Guardian[9]
NME[10]
The Skinny[11]
The Telegraph[12]
Uncut[13]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album received an average score of 70 based on seven reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[7] Tara Hepburn of The Skinny thought there was "an attractive simplicity to this record", calling it their "most straightforward" album to date. Hepburn opined that the project was "an album full of singles", highlighting the "catchy feelings-forward songs with football chant-worthy choruses".[11] In another positive review, the staff at Uncut found that Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations sees the Vaccines "at their terse, nervy best".[13]

Writing for The Telegraph, Neil McCormick was more critical of the album, arguing that "everything" about them "is second-hand yet somehow muddled" but that “singer-guitarist Young leads from the front with an innate sense of when to switch from understated verses of bittersweet romance to catchy all-guns-blazing choruses.”.[12] Tilly Foulkes of NME thought that outside of a few tracks, there is "little else to chew on" as nothing offers "anything new". However, Foulkes also called the band "good at what they do".[10]

Writing in the Daily Express Gary Bushell was more positive, awarding the album 5 stars and stating that "change has given The Vaccines a fresh injection of energy and Purpose". [14] Similarly, London's Evening Standard felt the band had "returned to form" after losing their way with other recent output.[15]

Track listing

Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Sometimes, I Swear"3:38
2."Heartbreak Kid"3:00
3."Lunar Eclipse"2:56
4."Discount De Kooning (Last One Standing)"3:49
5."Primitive Man"3:10
6."Sunkissed"3:01
7."Another Nightmare"3:05
8."Love to Walk Away"2:07
9."The Dreamer"3:39
10."Anonymous in Los Feliz"3:06
Total length:31:31

Personnel

The Vaccines

  • Justin Young – vocals, guitars
  • Yoann Intonti – drums
  • Árni Árnason – bass
  • Timothy Lanham – guitars, keyboards

Additional personnel

  • Andrew Wells – producer
  • Matt Boerum – engineering
  • Alan JS Han – mixing

References

  1. ↑ Carter, Daisy (20 September 2023). "The Vaccines announce new album, Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations". DIY. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Taylor, Sam (8 December 2023). "The Vaccines have shared a new single, "Love to Walk Away": "This is the song responsible for the album's direction"". Dork. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Daly, Rhian (20 September 2023). "The Vaccines tell us about "hopeful and euphoric" new album Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations". NME. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Klawans, Justin (4 December 2023). "10 upcoming albums to stream as the snow falls". The Week. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  5. ↑ https://twitter.com/thevaccines/status/1737817262575304858/photo/1
  6. ↑ Vito, Jo (11 October 2023). "The Kooks Announce US Tour with The Vaccines". Consequence. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations by the Vaccines Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Byrne, Alfie (12 January 2024). "The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations". DIY. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Simpson, Dave (12 January 2024). "The Vaccines: Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations review – high-octane sonic euphoria". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  10. 1 2 Foulkes, Tilly (12 January 2024). "The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations review: more of the same". NME. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  11. 1 2 Hepburn, Tara (12 January 2024). "The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations". The Skinny. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  12. 1 2 McCormick, Neil (12 January 2024). "Ten years after 'saving' guitar music, The Vaccines have reached their expiry date". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  13. 1 2 "The Vaccines: Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations". Uncut: 38. January 2024.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑
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