REVIEW: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

For better or worse, albums are always tied to a certain time, weather, season, or person with me. Vampire Weekend's debut (out tomorrow on XL Records) which has been garnering praise all over the net is meant for early Saturday mornings when you don't know why you got up as early as you did but you've decided to make pancakes. Which, I guess, critically, means that it's a cheerful collection of tunes that make you want to dance while stirring eggs. What? You want something more substantial in your criticism? Well, I'm not sure I can give you much more. Of course I can talk about the afro-beat influences, which would inevitably lead to a discussion of Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon's work (Vampire Weekend, for their part, openly acknowledge their gratitude to Mr. Gabriel in their tune"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" with the lyric "feels so unnatural / Peter Gabriel too").

Or, I could talk about Sasha Frere-Jones' article "A Paler Shade of White" from the New Yorker where Jones laments the influence of traditionally black musical styles in contemporary indie rock (re: The Arcade Fire). Of course, Rock 'n roll has a long and dubious tie to African music from Elvis's alleged stealing from black musicians to Paul Simon's use and criticism of his usage of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

But to go further into this seems to devalue what Vampire Weekend is after with this delicious, elegant album. It's just plain good music. And it's funny, because I'm not sure that I can go further than that. There's nothing that really catches me in this album, not lyrically, not musically. Which isn't a criticism so much, as to say that everything seems to fit in a really nice way. A way that's unforced and natural. There's a bunch of influences that you can catch in this album. The beginning of "M79" sounds like it was commissioned by Wes Anderson. And there are hints of ska peppered throughout. But honestly, because nothing really gets under my skin or turns me on means that Vampire Weekend is really suceeding with their sound. It's a solid pop album from an impressive, multi-faceted band.


ZACH THAT:
Ohhhhhh....mannnnnn. I can't get behind this over hyped album, I'm sorry. I would like you, if you did enjoy this album, to do the following. First, listen to tracks one and two. The first features a piano that is hit in rhythm....over and over...but a distinct pop hit. "Oxford Comma" does exactly the same thing! It's the same fucking song back to back...and it pisses me off. Ok, now...listen to tracks three and four. IT'S THE SAME SONG! The same high pitched guitar, wandering lyrics, and overall sweater-prep feel. So, we have four songs, two of which are rehashing of the others. Great. Listen, this is bad ska. This is unimaginative work that is exactly what the art world praises but only to be cutting edge. Vampire Weekend is that painting that only has three lines in opposite directions....that painting that is a piece of shit, but someone wearing a black vest stumbles upon it and out of fear calls it the work of the decade. No, I will not be that person. I do like (it is not like Wes Anderson's scores in the least HANK!) the track "M79". It's clever and takes the chances the other tracks don't. But with that said, I still think the track overstays it's welcome in my ears after a few minutes. I would like to leave you with this....lyrics from the track "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa":

As a young girl
Louis Vuitton
With your mother
On a sandy lawn

As a sophomore
With reggaeton
And the linens
You're sitting on

Is your bed made?
Is your sweater on?
Do you want to
Like you know I do

But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel too

Can you stay up
To see the dawn
In the colors
Of Bennetton?

Is your bed made
Is your sweater on
Do you want to
Like you know I do

But this feels so unnatural
Peter Gabriel too

Is your bed made
Is your sweater on
Do you want to
Like you know I do

THIS MEANS NOTHING! NOTHING! What makes it worse is he sings these lines in the smuggest way possible, passing them off as deep lines we should invest in. No, no my friends, I will not buy the hype that surrounds this less than mediocre band.