It’s always hard to judge a UK band by the hype. There seem to be so many yearly music awards circulating in Great Britain that just about everybody that sneezes on record has a chance at winning one. In truth, for every hyped British band that makes it onto these shores and sustains their success, there are many, many more destined for “Where Are They Now?” profiles down the road.

So knowing that The Vaccines had been honored already by NME and the BBC on the basis of just a pair of singles didn’t exactly remove my skepticism. Nor did the band name or album title, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, which both suggest some punk knockoff that might be energetic but brainless.

All of this is just my way of saying that you should never judge a band until you hear the goods. And The Vaccines deliver the goods, in often surprising ways. I’m not sure their debut album will make much of a dent in the US. I’m also not sure if they’ll be able to develop a sound that’s completely distinct from their influences, as varied as they are throughout this batch of 11 songs.

But I am sure that, from the opening bars of the bratty, fun opener “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)” to the more subdued tones of the closer “Family Friend," What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? kept me happily off-balance. Just when I thought I had the album sized up, it kept turning on me and constantly bringing something new to the table.

For example, “Wreckin’ Bar” and “If You Wanna”, which has elements of punk mixed in with Buddy Holly shuffle-rock, set the listener up for a breathless sprint. But then “A Lack of Understanding”, distinguished by Arni Hjorvar’s limber bass lines and singer Justin Young’s heartbroken crooning suggest some lost soul ballad.

The other band members distinguish themselves throughout as well. Guitarist Freddie Cowan turns serrated squalling into clean lines on the anthemic “Blow It Up," and proves adept at matching his playing to the attitude of the song, a quality that often escapes young ax-men. Drummer Pete Robertson also has a nimble touch, ranging from the pounding rumbles of the up-tempo songs to dramatic rhythms reminiscent of '60s girl groups on some of the slower tracks.

Young is an interesting frontman. There isn’t a bit of sneer to his approach; he actually takes a measured approach to most of his topics. With a song titled “Post Break Up Sex," you might expect it to be a celebration of the practice. Instead, it features Young bemoaning the fact that his ex is the one indulging.

As a matter of fact, this ability to identify with the sad sack in everyone and take a clear-eyed view of the proceedings, however salacious they might be, sets Young up as a songwriter to watch. Hidden in the dirty rock energy of “Norgaard” are lines detailing the ineffectuality of his generation (“All are friends are unaware/Most are just passed out downstairs”.)

And how many first-time bands write songs about getting older? The Vaccines do, with “Wetsuit." “If at some point we all succumb/For goodness sake let us be young”, Young sings. It’s a far more desperate way to say “Hope I die before I get old," and it’s that streak of melancholy that brings an unexpected depth to this batch of songs.

Am I saying that you should believe the hype? Well, not exactly. The hype might trick you into thinking that The Vaccines are the next big thing. This solid debut album proves that they just might be something better than that, something far rarer these days: A band with the potential for a long and interesting career.