Album Cover
Vampire Weekend
“Contra”
January 2010; XL Records
By Emily J Ramey
A year ago, Vampire Weekend was a vague entity, one of those outskirts kind of bands… to me, anyway. Then, without any perceptible motivation, they sprung into my consciousness as if they had always been there. All of a sudden, Vampire Weekend was everywhere – talked about and referenced and listened to, quite rampantly I might add. More recently, my curiosity was certainly piqued by word of another Rolling Stone feature, but in truth, my breaking point was a sold-out show at the Ryman Auditorium here in Nashville. If ever-aloof Music City is captivated, I better get on the bandwagon. So I bought the new album, Contra.
And hallelujah, it rocks. Showcasing a variation of uncommon beats, synth, and strings, Contra gathers speed, glinting and flashing, like sunlight streaking through the trees and into the windows of a fast-moving New England train, while somehow remaining relaxed and confident. Vampire Weekend uses subtle vocal harmonies, smart, peppery lyrics, and a bright combination of Afro-pop and electro-rock to create an ever-expanding and casual blaze of sound.
Now, if you’re fairly new to Vampire Weekend (something to which I’ve already confessed), their background is a subject of note. To be blunt, Vampire Weekend is rock’s brainiest band. All Columbia grads, the band started out by playing gigs at the university’s literary societies and at parties, recording in dorm rooms and family barns, but these Ivy League rockstars have come a long way in a short time. Vampire Weekend’s first label effort was met with striking critical acclaim and widespread fan support, debuting at #17 on the Billboard 200. Contra debuted in the top spot.
Vampire Weekend has assembled a strong collection of tracks for their sophomore effort. “Horchata” is a delightful start to the album, an island-y tune, blithe and buoyant. “White Sky” twinkles and sways gently, playing host to resonant lines like, “Why are the horses/Racing taxis in the winter?/Look up at the buildings/Imagine who might live there.” “California English” is one of my personal favorites, demonstrating a catchy dichotomy between the pounding rhythms and fluttering strings, sneaking the most poignant lyric into the middle: “And if it’s all a curse/And we’re just getting worse/Baby, please don’t lose your faith in the good earth.” The first single “Cousins” is a rollicking, dynamic anthem, implying subtle rebellion, repeating, “You can turn your back on the bitter world!” “Your sword’s grown old and rusty/Burnt beneath the rising sun/It’s locked up like a trophy/Forgetting all the things it’s done” are the chorus lines of “Giving Up the Gun,” which lumbers throughout, but swells robustly in the end. And “Diplomat’s Son” is charming musically, switching breezy time signatures about 6 times, and snarky lyrically, sarcasm oozing from every bourgeois-saturated word.
Vampire Weekend, like MGMT and Phoenix and a few other new names, has vaulted into young, flourishing success, which is exciting stuff for those of us watching them grow and expand. Contra seems just a stepping stone into greater and wilder accomplishments for these guys. Go forth and rock, Ivy League! I’m with you all the way (along with the other half million fans, of course).
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