With the Internet able to build up or tear down artists almost as soon as they start practicing, the advance word and intense scrutiny doesn't always do a band any favors. By the time they've got a full-length album ready to go, the trend-spotters are already several Hot New Bands past them. Vampire Weekend started generating buzz in 2006 -- not long after they formed -- but their self-titled debut album didn't arrive until early 2008. Vampire Weekend also has just a handful of songs that haven't been floating around the 'Net, which may disappoint the kind of people who like to post "First!" on message boards. This doesn't make those songs any less charming, however -- in fact, the band has spent the last year and a half making them even more charming, perfecting the culture collision of indie-, chamber-, and Afro-pop they call "Upper West Side Soweto" by making that unique hybrid of sounds feel completely effortless. So, Vampire Weekend ends up being a more or less official validation of the long-building buzz around the band, served up in packaging that uses the Futura typeface almost as stylishly as Wes Anderson. At times, the album sounds like someone trying to turn a Wes Anderson movie back into music (it's no surprise that the band's keyboardist also writes film scores); there's a similarly precious yet adventurous feel here, as well as a kindred eye and ear for detail. Everything is concise, concentrated, distilled, vivid; Vampire Weekend's world is extremely specific and meticulously crafted, and Vampire Weekend often feels like a concept album about preppy guys who grew up with classical music and recently got really into world music. Amazingly, instead of being alienating, the band's quirks are utterly winning. Scholarly grammar ("Oxford Comma") and architecture ("Mansard Roof") are springboards for songs with impulsive melodies, tricky rhythms, and syncopated basslines. Strings and harpsichords brush up against African-inspired chants on "M79," and lilting Afro-pop guitars and a skanking beat give way to Mellotrons on "A-Punk." It's a given that a band that's this high concept has hyper-literate lyrics: the singer's name is the very writerly Ezra Koenig, and you almost expect to see footnotes in the album's liner notes. Once again, though, Vampire Weekend's words are evocative instead of gimmicky. The irresistible "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" rhymes "Louis Vuitton" with "reggaeton" and "Benneton" and name-drops Peter Gabriel (though it's clear the band spent more time with Paul Simon's Graceland) without feeling contrived. "Campus" is another standout, with lines like "I see you walking across the campus...how am I supposed to pretend I never want to see you again?" throwing listeners into college life no matter what their age. Koenig has a boyish, hopeful quality to his voice that completes Vampire Weekend, especially on bittersweet but irrepressible songs like "I Stand Corrected" and album closer "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance." Fully realized debut albums like Vampire Weekend come along once in a great while, and these songs show that this band is smart, but not too smart for their own good.
Sometimes you need a record that's rough around all the right edges. Sometimes you need an album with harpsichord solos. Thankfully, both can be found in Vampire Weekend's eponymous debut.Leaping out of the blogosphere and into your local Target, Vampire Weekend formed at Columbia University in early 2006, released a much-discussed EP in 2007, and now this proper full-length in January. Chris T...
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Believe it or not, 2008 has not been a bad year for music-unless you happen to be a superstar. Particularly a superstar diva. Janet Jackson , Madonna and Mariah Carey have all released fairly underwhelming albums over the first half of the year-with Janet's the best of a very weak bunch. Hip-hop has also taken a bit of a leave of absence-unless you're one of those folks who thinks "The Carte...
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These days I spend my time searching online for the next artist to overheat my ipod. I look for the kind of music that acts as a jolt of electricity to my own creative process. Something to force my brain into a lyric/riff writing mode. I consistantly find myself running out of the so-called "creative juice" within about 20 minutes and continue to be forever cursed with writters block (a curse ...
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There is something intriguing and almost unnatural about the fact that I am continuously drawn towards Vampire Weekend. The light-hearted melodies with simple accompaniment of organ, harpsichord, strings, and flute, turn the clock back to the times of invincibility and carefree college days. Vampire Weekend is a four member New York City indie band, that slightly nods towards the afro-pop genre...
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I usually run away from hype like a scared little girl from a pervy old man. But, I, thankfully didn't hear all the hype on Vampire Weekend until I got the album in my hands. All I have to say is believe the hype. These guys are so good it makes my ears bleed.Thing is they're not deep, or prog, or challenging, or any of that. It's just straight ahead pop music made by a bunch of kooky NY boys. ...
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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend6/10One often has to bow to the power of music websites. They can kill or cure a listener’s indecision by the stroke of their wordy penmanship. Brooklyn quartet Vampire Weekend have benefited from a constant maelstrom of positive comments from drooling musical typists, all extolling the virtues of a band of bold and brash ideas, bringing original sounds to the c.
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Track themes:Vampire Weekend – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Don’t let that sing-a-long chorus or those playful afrobeats fool you. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa is a song of seduction. A mating call as sincere and heartfelt as that of a Serengeti wildebeest who has returned from work of a Friday evening to find not one single message on his answer machine. Yes, Vampire Weekend are a bunch of stick-thin r
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Photo by Dese'Rae L. Stage Chromeo work their remixing skills on Vampire Weekend's "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" to turn it into a dance floor ready track. I remember A-Trak dropping this back in August in Toronto at the Time Festival and everyone goin' nuts. I love the sequenced bassline and the chorus [...]
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I always thought that Vampore Weekend were name checking the British counterpart to their ivy league alma mater with this tune. Then I thought...you know, they have some preppy style, so maybe this ditty is about their favorite type of lace-ups. But then when I hit the ol' Google function for the dictionary definition of "Oxford Comma" it all finally came to me full circle. The 'Oxford com...
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It's been a bad two weeks for Vampire Weekend. The preppy indie rock band's UK tour has been cursed. Just last week the hyped band had to cancel two UK concerts because keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij had been sidelined with a gastric infection. Batmanglij also missed last night's Shockwaves NME Awards in London. The Awards show, however, spelled disaster for another Vampire Weekend member, drum...
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I’ve a special place in my black heart for popular artists working in much-derided genres who nonetheless do great work. Work on par, or (shock! horror!) better, than that from mediums or genres that most people automatically assume to be high art – like theatre, ballet, or dubstep. The world of pop is a much-derided genre. It’s seen as frivolous, fey and, indeed, gay. Of course, if anybod
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...so here's my Sunday Under the Covers submission.It may have been done already but I'm only finding a post by a Non-Mogger (ie:MMN).Peter Gabriel & Hot Chip - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Vampire Weekend cover)
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Track themes:Vampire Weekend – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Don’t let that sing-a-long chorus or those playful afrobeats fool you. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa is a song of seduction. A mating call as sincere and heartfelt as that of a Serengeti wildebeest who has returned from work of a Friday evening to find not one single message on his answer machine. Yes, Vampire Weekend are a bunch of stick-thin r
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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend6/10One often has to bow to the power of music websites. They can kill or cure a listener’s indecision by the stroke of their wordy penmanship. Brooklyn quartet Vampire Weekend have benefited from a constant maelstrom of positive comments from drooling musical typists, all extolling the virtues of a band of bold and brash ideas, bringing original sounds to the c.
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Here's a track off Vampire Weekend's red hot debut album, Vampire Weekend.
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(Photo thanks to Stereogum ) Vampire Weekend is everywhere. They went from rocking house parties on Columbia University's campus to playing shows all around the globe, even taking the time to cover Plastic Bertrand in France . They have blown up since I saw and met them at their release show back at Bowery Ballroom in January. I knew big things would happen to them, and they truly have become...
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Day 1 of Coachella has been covered already, nicely by "Dale":http://mog.com/Dale/blog_post/159767, among others; I’m a tad late getting my pieces together and organized but here’s my spin on the first day of the festivities:Our crazy crew left Hollywood a bit sleep deprived, girls picking up boys around 10am and headed South toward Indio. Kate very nicely feigned feeling icky in the back sea
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For those of you seeking musical solace in back to school tunes, here are some suggestions from today's Daily Candy:Rock and Roll High SchoolThe Extra Credit Playlist Meet us by the lockers after class. "School Days," by Chuck Berry(Trapper Keeper? Check.) "The World Should Revolve Around Me," by Little Jackie(Future student body president.) "Oxford Comma," by Vampire Weekend(Pop quiz!) "Danc...
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Last week I was infuriated that eMusic would suddenly revamp their "indie" focused niche market and add Sony/BMG titles while raising the price of users' subscription rates (http://mog.com/Eric5776/blog/1332227), mine being over doubled, without consulting the customers. Part of my frustration was that this rate increase was to occur in one month. Not much time for customers to soak in the c...
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(via stereogum) This just made my day.http://stereogum.com/archives/ten-pop-star-halloween-costume-ideas_030101.html?utm_source=bb&utm_medium=mcI think my favorite was this one:3. Vampire Weekend ralphlauren.com
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I missed Vampire Weekend in Pontiac this December but i just found out that they will be in the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor on February 12th and I immediately got three tickets!!! I have not been to a concert since August! I am so excited! (are you going Peggah????)
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Sometimes you need a record that's rough around all the right edges. Sometimes you need an album with harpsichord solos. Thankfully, both can be found in Vampire Weekend's eponymous debut.Leaping out of the blogosphere and into your local Target, Vampire Weekend formed at Columbia University in early 2006, released a much-discussed EP in 2007, and now this proper full-length in January. Chris T...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Mansard Roof |
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| 2 Oxford Comma |
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| 3 A-Punk |
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| 4 Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa |
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| 5 M79 |
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| 6 Campus |
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| 7 Bryn |
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| 8 One (Blake's Got a New Face) |
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| 9 I Stand Corrected |
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| 10 Walcott |
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| 11 The Kids Don't Stand a Chance |
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 "Vampire Weekend")
