If like me you’ve been there from the off – a glorious 35 years later we have what I as a huge fan of the artistic endeavors of Mr. Davy Vain and his band consider to be one of the very best Vain albums and therefore by default one of my favourite records ever. Let me enlighten you on that huge call…
Vain’s ‘No Respect’ was a very important album for me as a teenager. It was an album that just shone out like a beacon from the crowd. Back in 1989 you see there were plenty of Glam bands, plenty of Poison clones and over time the quality of the music just got worse and worse as the image took priority. I could name the bands but as we’ve always been a website that has been championing the positive for 15 years why bother?
When I first saw Vain (and I saw them before I heard them) I thought these guys looked too good to be any good musically, so I waited until a friend sent me over a copy of their first release – a cassette, of all things, entitled ‘Holdin’ On For Love’. I can’t honestly remember if the Kerrang cover came first or that cassette. When I played it, it was gold. Sheer fucking gold! I must have been the first person I reckon to get that played in the U.K. at my home away from home Nottingham Rock City. I know I ended up getting a couple of the faster songs played but when we put on ‘Who’s Watching You’ for the first time I anxiously waited to see the reaction and it was off the charts, I swear twenty of the coolest people came up to the DJ booth right after.
I got the album ‘No Respect’ a few days before official release from my local record store and even though I knew some of the songs from the tape it was the ones I hadn’t heard that really blew me away! That excitement lives with me to this day. The first play of ‘Disintegrate Together’ gave me the goosebumps! Subsequent plays gave me that permanent Cheshire cat grin!
So let’s get stuck in…
As a Vain fan the opening of first single ‘Cold Like Snow’ has everything that you want. There’s the great riff, the instantly distinct vocal and the dream-like cloak of sounds and interjections from Davy: this can only be one band. It’s a song that instantly reminded me of that classic debut and has similar dynamics to the opener there. The sultry pounding refrain that segues into a lilting guitar solo is sheer silk and suede. I love the feel that the song is almost about to let you go before the second solo kicks in. It’s brilliant.
The slightly off centre ‘Don’t You Think’ that follows, struts and swaggers around a rolling bassline that explodes into a sheer satin chorus. It’s a chorus that is hypnotic, an almost call and response, shot through with stabs of guitar to produce something only Vain can. Like ‘No Respect’ this is turning into an album that loves the sensual sounds of the guitar!
‘You Better Keep an Eye on That Girl’ adds more spice still, injecting an infectious pop infused shining purple light of Glam into a Sleazy singalong. It’s a masterpiece with otherworldly guitar from Scott! ‘The Flowers’ that follows has a subtler, shuffling sound that really reminds me of Gene Loves Jezebel in their ‘House of Dolls’ period in the verses with an unmistakably ‘Vain’ chorus. It’s another sure fire winner and a reminder that this is seriously good music irrespective of the amount of love and nostalgia you feel flooding in as a fan when you push ‘play’ this is music surely any music fan should fall in love with?
Its incredible how much of an impact this record is having on me after just four songs, then comes another completely addictive burst of vintage Vain: ‘Holding on For Love’ captures the band’s very essence and was that very first song on that very first cassette. It’s so unexpected but so perfect to hear fully realized here. The effect is to tie it all together nicely. I’d always loved the song and always wanted to hear a finished version. I’m not disappointed.
There’s a very different feel and dynamic to ‘Can’t You See Me Floating’ which manages to both be distinctly ‘Vain’ and yet lighter and breezier with lyrics referencing the early days on The Strip. ‘Back in ’89’ twists that card and comes at you starry eyed and dreamy and sports some sumptuous guitar by Dylana Nova Scott.
The album of course sounds wonderful, and Davy as we know weaves these sonic tapestries beautifully. Here he captures that mystery and magic of vintage Vain perfectly and at times it’s like we’re in a time capsule. Hardest and simplest here might just be the tantalizing ‘KC Swinger’ which comes straight to the point and yet hits nice and hard.
‘Pictures of You in Red’ has a nice initial urgency before pulling back in the verse then exploding into a glorious chorus. One of the things you notice on this record is the dynamics – when you think of songs with lot’s of changes you immediately think of weightier fare or Proggier Rock, but Vain manages to weave such memorable four minute tapestries they pack so much in, and here so much of that is the guitar. ‘Pictures of You in Red’ is the second longest track here and the more you hear it the more you unravel it – the more you’re convinced of Davy’s genius. It’s not even my favourite song here but it’s one that will be on repeat till this player blows!
The final word and the longest song comes with the title track. A slow and brooding epic full of twists and turns and lyrics that glide and slide and swirl around you. This is heady stuff and a truly remarkable way to end a truly remarkable album.
It may not be 1989 again and nothing may elicit the same feelings that you felt when you heard ‘No Respect’ or ‘Beat The Bullet’ for the first time, but after a very sold release in ‘Rolling With The Punches’ 6 years ago, Vain is back with an album that really does touch the sky. Call it Hard Rock, call it Glam, call it Sleaze, no label captures the guitar driven wave that interweaves all of those sounds with touches of, as it says in the presser “70’s big groove, to 60’s psychedelia.” Add a touch of 70’s Glam and early 80’s alternative and have it played by a band of musicians who just elevate it to another level (Take a bow Tommy Rikard, Louie Senor, Ashley Mitchell Dylana Nova Scott) and you have what just might be Vain’s second greatest album.
It’s all here if you’re already a fan: Huge melodies, searing and sensitive guitar, pounding and precise drums, driving and grooving bass, cutting and dream-like vocals, perfect dynamics and sky high songs. If you’re new to Vain this is the proof that lightning does strike twice and you can experience yourself why this band is so revered by those that were there back in 1989. The shadow of the legendary first record ‘No Respect’ may loom large but this is the closest you will get to being there 35 years ago when Vain took us to another dimension.
Timeless. Classic. Beautiful.
9.5 / 10
CD & LP is only available here:
North & South America: https://davyvainstore.company.site/
Europe & rest of the world: https://vain-store.company.site/
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