Cherry Blossom is the fifth studio album by The Vamps, and from the initial listen you can hear the difference from their first-ever album that was released six years ago…
Even though the band’s new sound is different, it is a sign of how they’ve grown older and matured, indicated by their first ever ‘Parental Advisory – Explicit Content’ label, a change from their usually squeaky clean boyband image. Not only have they gotten older, so have their fans, and this change in style may be a step in the right direction.
It did seem like The Vamps had fallen off the radar for a short while, after the success of their last album Night & Day, yet this new sound is bound to put the British band back on the map, especially with their huge fanbase behind them.
The album starts off strong with Glory Days, a smooth and easy-listening song, with cheerful, intimate lyrics that quickly remind us that this is a new era of The Vamps. Glory Days is a great song to begin an album with, with its feel-good tune and an exciting intro that manages to build anticipation, it reminds us of the beginning of a concert, looking forward in the future when the COVID days are far behind us, and we can enjoy concerts without a care in the world.
The following three songs are all promotional singles, with the lead single Married In Vegas being the strongest one. It is upbeat, has a radio playable feel to it, an instant uplifting tune that seemed perfect to begin this new era with. Better has a similar vibe, it fits perfectly as one of the first songs on Cherry Blossom, yet (in my opinion) does have some reminisce of previous songs from The Vamps earlier discography, which is not necessarily a bad thing. You cannot help but enjoy this song, it has a good vibe, and you will end up nodding your head to it involuntarily.
The final promotional single, Chemicals, and is one the tracks on this album that has a much more mature sound, and the lead singer, Brad Simpson, has the perfect voice for a single like this. Would You is similar in this way, and is one of the most unique songs from The Vamps that I’ve heard in a while, with a somewhat eerie and slow sound to it, it definitely acts as some of the stronger material on this album. These two songs, however, do contrast in lyrical content, with Chemicals being about that high feeling when you’re in love, whereas Would You has a focus on the insecurities we all know (and hate) while with somebody. Both have a stark difference when compared to The Vamps earliest work on their first studio album, which was full of acoustic guitar melodies, having the classic boyband McFly inspired tunes.
Bitter is a fun and upbeat song that is hard to not love. It is one of the songs on Cherry Blossom that you can have a proper dance to and is likely to be stuck in your head for a while!
The pace of the album is slowed down quickly as the first tearjerker begins. Protocol is beautifully written, it’s a sad breakup song, and you can feel the emotion through the personal lyrics, told through the view of the singer blaming themselves for messing up the “perfection” that they thought they had in this long term relationship.
Treading Water is the final song on the album and is the second tearjerker. Simpson’s voice displays the heart wrenching and raw lyrics about loneliness perfectly, and it is the right choice of song to end the album on. It is not about a relationship or about love, it is a song that captures the feeling of being lonely and having to put yourself first, as this is often the best thing to do. The short acoustic solo before the bridge is another moment on this album that reminds me of the nostalgic early work of The Vamps, and it works brilliantly for this last song.
Overall, it is refreshing to hear a new sound from a boyband that seemed to disappear off the charts and off the pop radar for a while, yet Cherry Blossom is quite a short album, with no song sticking out to be a favourite from The Vamps discography. But, with a UK tour planned for next year, it is exciting to think about these songs being brought to life in a concert setting; something many fans and gig-goers are desperate for right now.
Rating: 9/10
By Charlotte Tomlinson
Featured Image Credit: Universal Music