Since The Vamps scored their first number one album with 2017’s Night & Day, they’ve been on something of a self-imposed hiatus. Their new album, Cherry Blossom, marks their first release in three years, during which time Britain’s biggest pop-rock boy band have, naturally, grown up a little. The four-piece, comprised of Bradley Simpson, James McVey, Connor Ball and Tristan Evans, are not the teenagers they were when the band first came to fame.

Over their first three albums, The Vamps had experimented with Busted-esque guitar pop and more traditional boy band ballad material, but have always impressed most when they switched to electro-tinged pop floor fillers and anthems, the like of which acts like 5 Seconds of Summer have specialised in in recent years. Cherry Blossom seems to represent the band finally accepting that fact, and just deciding to commit to that sound, despite their occasional objections to the boy band tag.

And it pays instant dividends. Opening affair Glory Days is a soulful, soaring electro-pop number, while new single Better is an up-tempo and assertive number that addresses a relationship that has lost its spark. Married In Vegas, the album’s lead single, arguably packs the most swagger of all, featuring some neat tempo changes, a frighteningly catchy hook and some deeply impressive vocals.

Chemicals is a juddery, industrial pop song reminiscent of NSYNC, while Bitter is a summery pop classic complete with singalong outro. Protocol provides the album’s main foray into ballad territory, and the fantastic Treading Water closes things out with style, building from a gentle intro into a brooding number with more stunning vocals and some introspective lyrics as Simpson sings: “But something is missing / I should be happy, whatever that means / I need anything to make me feel”.

The album is slickly produced (Simpson helped with the production throughout) and there’s some collaborations with big time songwriters and producers on there, including Jack & Coke (Carly Rae Jepsen) and JHart (Little Mix). It’s an album then that confirms The Vamps status as big time members of the pop world. It’s also the album where they finally seem to come to terms with that fact.

Cherry Blossom tracklist:

1. Glory Days - Intro

2. Glory Days

3. Better

4. Married in Vegas

5. Chemicals

6. Would You

7. Bitter

Author: Joe Sharratt

Joe Sharratt is a writer and journalist based in the UK covering music, literature, sport, and travel.