The third single to be taken from sophomore album Come of Age, ‘I Always Knew’ is exactly what you would expect from The Vaccines (pun intended); Jangly guitar riffs, militant drums, and predictably throwaway lyrics (“‘Cause it’s you / woah woah it’s always you / woah woah I always knew”), all wrapped up in an insatiably catchy pop chorus.
Producer Ethan Johns steers clear of the expansive and polished reverb that dominated the sound of the band’s first full-length release What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, and the song is all the better for it; more raw, more engaging, more heartfelt.
It’s not a song likely to convert any naysayers, but is suitably infectious to leave fans excited for their run of UK dates this month.
7/10
