Vacations

Australian indie rock band Vacations developed a following first at home and then around the world for their smooth-surfaced music built around the interplay of guitar and electronic keyboards and seasoned with the influences of lo-fi, indie pop, and 1980s alternative sounds. Led by guitarist and principal songwriter Campbell Burns, Vacations’ early work, such as the 2015 Days EP, made an advantage of their low-budget production, with the music having a naturalistic, live feel. It wasn’t long before they became more comfortable with studio craft, and 2018′s Changes and 2020′s Forever in Bloom revealed a greater sophistication. Released in 2023, their Terms & Conditions EP added a more emotional, personal tone to Burns’ performances.
Hailing from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, Vacations were formed in 2015 by vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Campbell Burns. Initially taking a D.I.Y. approach, Burns self-released the band’s first EP, 2015′s Days, which featured bassist Jake Johnson and drummer Harrison Chapman. By the time Vacations brought out their second EP, 2016′s Vibes, the group had settled on a stable lineup, with Burns and Johnson joined by lead guitarist Nate Delizzotti and drummer Joseph Van Lier. Vibes included the song “Young,” which became their breakthrough track after it went viral on social media, pushing the song’s streaming numbers into nine figures. Extensive touring followed, and in 2017, the Days and Vibes EPs were given a two-fer reissue on compact disc. 2018 saw the release of Vacations’ first full-length album, 2018′s Changes. The album gave the group another massive hit with the song “Telephones,” and the band was filling large venues at home and in the United Kingdom as well as making their United States debut at the South by Southwest festival. After issuing a stand-alone single in 2019, “On Your Own,” the second LP from Vacations, Forever in Bloom, was issued in 2020, though the band’s efforts to promote it were compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made touring impossible. Burns retreated to his home and began writing new material while beginning work on building his own recording studio. Once the studio was complete, Vacations recorded a three-song EP, Terms & Conditions, which appeared in July 2023; along with the title track, it included two successful singles, “Midwest” and “Next Exit.” ~ Mark Deming