Somehow reconciled, the Vaselines have returned with a second full-length album, Sex With and X— more than 20 years since their first and final album. Even after all those years have passed, they have still managed to maintain a punky garage rock ethos and the witty lyricism that made their sound unique. The only difference from the recordings they made in the late 80s, is a new found polished sound in their production. Don’t take my word for it, hear it all here, where their label, Sub Pop, is streaming the entire thing. After one listen, this a sure-buy for me on vinyl! What an amazing return to form!
The Scottish group was founded by Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee in Edinburgh, back in 1987 and broke up just a couple of years later. The duo had parted ways just as their debut full-length Dum-Dum, was released in 1989.
They would later enjoy a second wave of posthumous fame after Kurt Cobain touted them as a major influence, famously covering “Jesus Doesn’t Want me for a Sunbeam” during Nirvana’s appearance on MTV’s Unplugged show in 1993. Nirvana’s original label, Sub Pop Records, would compile the duo’s recordings on two compilations. 
The Way of the Vaselines combined all of the band’s singles with the Dum-Dum album. It came out in 1992, during the era of Cobain’s fawning about them (and indeed you can hear the origins of grunge in the Vaselines’ sound). Then, in 2009, Sub Pop released Enter the Vaselines, which essentially expanded the same compilation with demos and live tracks. It came at around the time the band had reformed and began touring, like so many nostalgia acts.
But now they have taken the reunion act to a higher level by recording this brilliant new album, released just this past Sept. 14. It goes to show that the chemistry between the two main figureheads is still firmly intact despite the many years apart.
