[rating=3.50]
It has been 20 years since the Vaselines have been in the studio to record a new album. Their new recording titled Sex with an X on Sub Pop Records, is worth the wait. The Vaselines may have gone by without many people knowing much about the Scottish duo in the late ‘80’s if Nirvana hadn’t covered their songs that include: “Son Of A Gun," Molly’s Lips” and “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam.” Kurt Cobain even named his Daughter after Frances Mckee, one of the founding members of the Vaselines. The Vaselines broke up in 1989 after the release of their first and only album.
Sex with an X does not vary too much from their original sound. The group has stayed true to the great harmonies and melodies from their earlier work. One song that is noticeably different from the other tracks on the album is, “Ruined,” which has a thick and dirty guitar sound moving with the vocals for the majority of the song. However, it is still evident that it is the Vaselines.
A few other tracks stand out: “Sex With an X,” “Turning it On,”” Overweight But Over You,” “ I Hate The 80’s” and “Whitechapel.” “Overweight but Over You” is filled with humor and a catchy chorus using lyrics like, “Hey fat mama I’m a fat man.” On the other hand, “I HateThe 80’s”, has a topic that stands out on the album from the rest of the songs. With the chorus going “I hate the 80’s cause the 80’s were shit.” “Whitechapel” is another song with a slower tempo that is reminiscent of something from the late 60’s psychedelic era. Sex with an X is a testament that the Vaselines may have aged since we last heard from them 20 years ago, but this new effort shows they have not lost any of their creativity or musical style.
