| Vampire Weekend are, at once, a band of the time and a throwback to another. They have made the rapid ascent from Columbia University to blogosphere to record deal to hype machine. They teeter the line between anticipation and disdain amongst hyperbolic press and hipster aristocracy. In the end, all that matters is the music.
At first glean, Vampire Weekend are hard to embrace. Terrible correlations to Paul Simon, Jimmy Buffett and open-toed shoes are almost enough to deter further investigation. The first sign that there is more to be had here is the space their songs occupy in your head for long periods of time. This becomes more apparent through unremitting humming several hours after hearing them. Lyrically they embrace the same hyper-literate yet nonsensical constructs of classic Pavement; clearly embracing their Ivy League education. Musically, they are a peculiar blend of Afro-pop, new wave and elements of classical music. In the end, it comes across as a bit of the Talking Heads, English Beat and even Haircut 100. Even their videos display a sort of whimsical abandon not dissimilar to a prep school version of the Monkees. That may not sound promising, but it turns out its quite addictive and refreshing.
Many of the songs on their debut album have already been in circulation on the internet and EPs. "Mansard Roof", "Oxford Comma" and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" are laid back constructs of shimmering, clean guitars, tribal drums and understated keyboard melodies that evoke a Caribbean vibe. "A-Punk" and "Boston" are more up-tempo with bits of ska and string arrangements peppered throughout. Of the eleven songs comprising this album, eight are excellent. "One (Blakes Got a New Face)" and “The Kids Don't Stand A Chance" aren't quite as well executed in contrast the rest of album.
With their meditations on architecture and grammar, unorthodox influences and elitist image, Vampire Weekend are anything but typical. They stand out amongst their contemporaries and deliver a delightful collection of material that proves enduring and stimulating. Reviewed
by: Ghostly
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