Track of the Day: 'Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)'

This past August, a shadowy demo appeared on Soundcloud for a song called "If You Wanna." It was from a mystery band in London called The Vaccines. For a week or two, it was the talk of the London scene. You see, the band had no Web site. There was only one photo of the four guys, and no names were attached. The song itself was catchy, with a chorus that still rings in my ears to this day. I'd describe it as a poppier Jesus And Mary Chain, minus the nihilism.

Fast forward a few weeks and (surprise!) the band launched a website. We now know that the singer is Justin Young, who plied his trade as a folkie (nom-de-rock Jay Jay Pistolet) on the London scene before "retiring" earlier this year. The reverb-drenched guitar work is done by Freddie Cowan, whose older brother Tom is the keyboard player in The Horrors.

Their tunes fall squarely in classic indie-four-piece territory, and so far, none of the band's songs top three minutes. (This particular track clocks in at 1:23) After all of the swooning chillwave and witch house records that blossomed this summer, it's exactly the jolt of raucous rock I needed.

The band's first proper single is out November 22nd in the UK, but both tracks from it are streaming on Soundcloud now. Wreckin' Bar is the one with a drumbeat straight out of "Rock 'n' Roll High School." Start there. And turn it up!

Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) by The Vaccines