“We look at the band with the philosophy of Viv Savage from Spinal Tap: ‘Have a good time all the time’,” laughs bassist Steve Smith of renowned New Wave veterans THE VAPORS about continuing the legacy of the band as well as the release of the fourth album in over four decades, WASP IN A JAR (released February 28th, 2025 via Vapors Own Records). “Getting together and playing music is still really fun for us - bouncing ideas off each other and trying different things.”

The exuberant fun that the band had in the studio translates well to the finished album. The follow-up to 2020’s Together, the new album follows its three predecessors in conveying an individual feeling of its own, both lyrically and musically. “We just felt that the title Wasp In A Jar captured the feel of the album - that sort of bottled up angst,”“There are some slower, more heartfelt moments on the album, but on the whole, it’s a fairly punk record. It wasn’t something we sat down and planned, but the band came from punk in the late ‘70s, so we just kind of leaned into that in the studio.”

1. Hit The Ground Running
2. The Human Race
3. Forever and Ever
4. Miss You Girl
5. Decompression
6. Carry On
7. Nonstop Radio
8. Nothing Can Stop Us Now
9. The Words
10. Look Away Now
11. Idiot Creature 12. It Gets Better
13. Proud
14. Together Again

This propulsively energetic new recording opens on the melodic speed fest of Hit The Ground Running and the rhythmically-charged The Human Race and then we get the drum-led rockers Forever and Ever and Miss You Girl, the bluesy rocker Decompression, a flashback track (in spirit) to the guitar vibe they had in the early ‘80s within Carry On, with the crashing Nonstop Radio next up.

Then we get brought forth the mid-tempo strummed Nothing Can Stop Us Now and the melodic roller The Words and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the low slung hipsway of Look Away Now, the rocker Idiot Creature, the jangling guitar work of It Gets Better, the set rounding out on the pleasing AOR of Proud, closing on the foot tapper Together Again.

With 2025 kicking off the next chapter for The Vapors, the band are looking at a full plate of activity. “2025 is shaping up into a very busy year for us,” says Danny. “We have the album out on February 28th accompanied by a tour of UK grassroots venues in March. Then we have some UK shows with Big Country in April and May and then we are returning to the US for the Lost ‘80s tour with A Flock of Seagulls, Big Country, Josie Cotton, Icicle Works, Belouis Some and many others.”

“At this rate, we will be releasing our fifth album at some point next year,” laughs Steve. “My hopes for 2025 is that everyone loves the album and we can continue performing our music all over the world. Really excited to get this new album out and see what it can do. We originally got back together for just four gigs, so to have written, recorded and released two albums is a real bonus.”

The Vapors is: Dave Fenton (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Steve Smith (bass), Michael Bowes (drums), Danny Fenton (guitar). Wasp In A Jar will be released on February 28th, 2025 via Vapors Own Records and was recorded and produced by Michael Giblin (The Split Squad) at Mechanicsburg, PA and mastered by Greg Reierson at Rare Form Mastering.

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