ALBUM REVIEW: THE VAMPS - 'MEET THE VAMPS: CHRISTMAS EDITION'

What's the story? On a cold night many years ago in BethlehemBirmingham, four boys arrived looking for somewhere to stay. Unfortunately there was no room at the Holiday Inn, so they were forced to bed down for the night in an old shed usually used as a stable for donkeys.Many unspeakable things happened that night including one particular awkward 45 minute stretch where Connor got his bottom stuck in a manger, but a mere nine months later the four boys were gifted with something so joyous and precious, that it has since been credited as one of the saviours of the human race.


Yes, we are talking about The Vamps' debut album, which after much intense discussion, they titled Meet The Vamps.Fast-forward a year and as a celebration of that night, Brad, Tristan, James and Connor have decided to celebrate that night with a special Christmas edition of the album.

How does the album pan out then?Do you know what's better than elf-sized clothes and glowing reindeer noses and eating so many Advent Calendar chocolates you have to have a mid-afternoon nap? Meet The Vamps: Christmas Edition, that's what.Not only does it feature all the hits you fell in love with over and over again the first time around, but there's a load of covers of old Christmas faves AND two brand new and original holiday tunes that are going to become classic festive faves in no time.Basically, if you've always fancied the idea of putting on a festive knit and cuddling up on the sofa with any one of The Vamps boys, this is probably about as close as Santa can get you without physically kidnapping them and forcing them to lie underneath your Christmas tree until December 25th.


Tracks most likely to top the charts?Ignoring all the chart toppers they've already had from the first release, we're going to focus directly on what we want to be Christmas Number 1 and after at least seven minutes of heated discussion in the office, we're going to say that it's got to be Hoping For Snow.Or Sleighing in the Snow or Jingle Bell Rock orWell I Wish It Could Be Christmas.Look, we just can't choose because not only have they put a trademark Vamps spin on all the classics, but the two original tracks are genuinely very good songs. There are sleigh-themed love stories, there's heartbreak, there's kick ass melodies and there's loads of atmospheric festive joy - and really what more could you want from a Christmas album?Frankly Brad singing about 'snowing and blowing' is almost too much to handle. Also yes please, we really would like to go sleighing in the snow. Or you know, just sit on said sleigh in your garage and snog your face off because it isn't even snowing, we're easy.Also a shoutout to Connor's Scottish side coming out in the best possible way in We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Well I Wish It Could Be Christmas. It's 'smashing'.

We'd listen to it...Every single day until Christmas and probably the majority of Jan and Feb too.After listening to it we felt like...Wrapping our entire body in tinsel and changing our name to Buddy The Elf. It's glorious and you are going to love it.

Final verdict:Even if you have Meet The Vamps already, it's soworth getting the crimbo edition. Not only is it going to put a fresh spin on your classic Christmas playlist, but it can't fail to fill you with a shitload of holiday spirit. 5 stars *****