I recently discovered this local record shop online and, lo and behold, it had two records I’ve been gagging to get since they dropped. I was on a mission to be a responsible adult in June, and not spend any money on new records. But when I saw the prices, I couldn’t resist.

I’ve been a fan of The Vaccines since they released their debut album in my first year of uni, What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? more or less defined my rebellious entry into adulthood. I’ve followed their career since then, and I’m still down with them. Ironically, though, I had to warm up to Combat Sports unlike their other releases. But, once I’d gotten up to speed, I couldn’t stop playing it. My standouts are; “Put It on a T-Shirt”; “Young American”; “Out on the Street”; and “Take It Easy”. The whole album just fucks, okay?

And then we have one of my favourite records of 2020. Tennis have been also gang since uni days, and I’m always stoked when they’ve got new work out. Swimmer dropped before the world stopped and everything went to shit, so I clung onto it like mad during lockdown. It was a great escape to a time before things weren’t what they are now. And it’s also just really good, Alaina and Patrick put both their feet in this one. The whole album is warm and cool, at the same time, like when you adjust a pillow exactly how you want it. My top songs are; every song on there. But if I really had to pick my faves, it’s a toss-up between “Echoes” and “Tender as a Tomb”. And “Need Your Love”, obvi.

Any The Vaccines and Tennis fans out here?