The band took to their Instagram to announce the single’s release to fans, the post also features a clip from the single’s accompanying music video.

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The new single has been partnered with an exciting new music video directed by Santiago Arriaga, a Mexican director and producer known for his narrative works, the director has been nominated for various awards and has also been featured within the Venice Film Festival. Matching the manic energy and hopeful messages heard within the new single musically and lyrically, the accompanying music video also presents themes of initial confusion and finding hope within the context of loss.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Justin Young has described the music video and has illustrated the subject matter which they wished to convey throughout the medium. Young also comments on the set location for the video and the connection in which it holds for the group. “We wanted the ‘Alone Star’ video to be one of hope, capturing the moment when you realise all is not lost. Anyone that has driven through the desert to Las Vegas will know about the roadside casinos that start popping up and lighting the freeways as you arrive into Nevada. This motel is exactly the same sort of institution, existing in the shadows of Love City where feelings of all kinds can be found if you look hard enough. Mexico is one of our favourite places in the world and an intensely characterful place, literally metres away from where we recorded this song, so it felt like the perfect location for our protagonists to find what they were looking for…”

The single was first introduced to fans via radio play, ‘Alone Star’ had its first play on Jack Saunders show on BBC Radio 1 on Thursday evening. The new track is the third single to be released from the band’s upcoming album entitled ‘Back In Love City’, the album’s first single ‘Headphones Baby’ was released 14th May 2021 and the album’s title track ‘Back In Love City’ was release 25th June 2021. The group recruited celebrated producer Daniel Ledinsky to join their team for the new album, Ledinsky is known for his work with Rihanna as well as Brooklyn alt-rockers TV on the Radio. As stated by Young, the group’s forthcoming album was recorded close to the video’s set location. The band’s fifth studio album set to be released on 10th September 2021 was recorded at Sonic Ranch located in El Paso Texas, the popular recording studio famed as the largest residential recording studio in the world.

In support of the band’s album release this autumn, The Vaccines will hit the road in September for their UK tour. The group have partnered with the Music Venue Trust on selected dates of their newly announced UK tour, the trust has been instrumental in their efforts to save live music venues throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The first leg of the tour will begin at Aylesbury Waterside located within Buckinghamshire and will end in Bournemouth with a performance at Bournemouth Old Fire Station.

Along with the group’s official tour, the ‘Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)‘ performers will also support their new album’s release with a small tour of record store performances partnered with live venues, the full list of dates can be found below.

Tickets go on sale 13th August 2021 at 9am, click here to purchase tickets.

Click here to pre-order the album.

The Vaccines UK tour dates

08/09/2021 – Rough Trade X SWX – Bristol
09/09 – Banquet X Pryzm – Kingston
10/09 – Crash x Wardrobe – Leeds
11/09 – HMV X The Vault – Birmingham (Acoustic)
12/09 – Beartree X The Leadmill – Sheffield (Daytime show)
13/09 – Roughtrade X The Level – Nottingham
14/09 – HMV X Empire – Coventry
15/09 – Truck X O2 Academy – Oxford (Acoustic)
16/09 – Rough Trade X Brixton Electric – London
18/09 – Waterside Theatre – Aylesbury
20/09 – Exeter Phoenix – Exeter
21/09 – Cheese And Grain – Frome
23/09 – Sugarmill – Stoke- On- Trent
24/09 – Roadmender – Northampton
26/09 – De La War Pavilion – Bexhill
28/09 – Esquires – Bedford
29/09 – Cambridge Junction – Cambridge
01/10 – The Waterfront – Norwich
03/10 – Concorde 2 – Brighton
04/10 – Glouster Guildhall – Glouster
05/10 – The Old Fire Station – Bournemouth

this feels gooooood – new single ‘headphones baby’ coming friday! https://t.co/VKJB2lmVeL pic.twitter.com/KelfaqPQxh

— The Vaccines (@thevaccines) May 11, 2021

At the end of last year the band finished working on their fifth studio album. That time they have shared a picture on social media confirming that record will have 13 songs and run for 47 minutes. Frontman Justin Young revealed last year that the album was ready in 2019 saying: “We finished recording an album at the end of last year. Pre-Covid, the plan was never to release it this year. We were going to do some additional production and sit on it and continue to write”. 

mixed pic.twitter.com/G94dh4DgPe

— The Vaccines (@thevaccines) December 10, 2020

Young added in an interview with NME that the new album will be heavier than the previous ones: “The new Vaccines album is heavier than anything we’ve ever done and it’s quite brutal in places. I’m sure that’s a consequence of having made a pretty record”. He continued: “There’s lots of riffs. Yeah actually, there’s two punky songs on there. It’s weird, it’s the poppiest and most colourful record, but – actually, I’m gonna stop myself there. It just feels really heavy, it’s quite face-melting in places. Lots more screaming. It’s good, I think”.

The Vaccines debuted 10 years ago with an album ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines’ that peaked at No4 in UK Charts. Year later they released the No1 album ‘Come Of Age’. Recently asked about the anniversary tour Young commented: “It’s funny because we should do something. Whether it’s a tour, I don’t know. For me at least, it’s been a hell of a 10 years”.

The Vaccines new single is out this Friday and can be pre-ordered here.