The Vamps play it too safe on a new album lacking the old magic [Review]
Fans who have had The Vamps' debut album Meet the Vamps on repeat finally have something new to listen to. The four-piece British pop band's last album produced four UK top-five singles, so expectations were high for their follow-up , Wake Up.
During 18 fizzy songs about young love, the boys timidly experiment with different genres, including folk, EDM, hip hop and reggae. While this works with songs like I Found a Girl, Burn and Runaway, playing it safe means most songs don't stand out.
It's pretty clear that the album lacks the magic of previous hits like Somebody to You, their collaboration with Demi Lovato.
The dance beats and rap verse by Silento (the Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) rapper) can't save songs like Volcano, which suffer from confusing lyrics like, "Give me a breath, and I'll give you a storm."
Nevertheless, Cheater might be a good song to play to a friend with a untrustworthy boyfriend or girlfriend, and the sweet lyrics of the stripped-back Million Words and Stolen Moments are sure to capture fans' hearts.