Vampire Weekend: Contra
Like Vampire Weekend's eponymous debut, Contra cuts right to the chase, with Ezra Koenig delivering the Horchata’s first verse within the album’s first few seconds, much like on "Mansard Roof" almost two years ago. But that’s about where the similarities end; Contra is not Vampire Weekend II, so don’t expect another “Oxford Comma” or “A-Punk.” That said, it isn’t quite a complete departure; rather, like all the best second albums, the band have taken what they already know and added a few new flavours. Those familiar Graceland-guitars are still present on the gorgeous “White Sky”, though with some warm, bubbly synths added to the mix; “Cousins,” meanwhile, works as a cousin to “A-Punk,” albeit a far more bonkers one, quite literally with more bells and whistles.
Contra is a very New York album; much more overtly so than the band’s debut. This isn’t the scuzzy New York of The Strokes or The Velvet Underground however; Vampire Weekend’s is a New York of modern art collectors, private schools, real estate, and summer holidays on the beach. It’s so completely not what we like to imagine rock’n’roll is about, so preppy, so well-bred and well-dressed, that in any other world a band like this would be completely hateworthy. What saves Vampire Weekend is their unapologetic sincerity with regard to their music, their inventiveness, and the fact that a great pop song is just a great pop song, damn it. Songs like “Cousins,” “Holiday” and “Run” are fun without being funny, with “Holiday” in particular crackling with such energy and sheer idiot glee (“Holiday, oh a holiday! / The best one of the year!”), it could almost fit on Weezer’s first album.
Best of all, this album maintains a stricter sense of quality control than its predecessor; where Vampire Weekend wavered slightly in its second half, Contra maintains remarkable consistency throughout. Even in its more adventurous, expansive tracks, such as with “Giving Up The Gun”’s jittery groove, and the six-minute “Diplomat’s Son” – which begins with a sample from M.I.A., of all people – there’s barely a single misstep. Sure, its brief thirty-six minutes may not provide as much opportunity for musical mishap as, say, Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness, but here, brevity is a virtue.
For any band looking to improve on a massively successful debut, look no further than Vampire Weekend. I can’t wait to see what they do next.
Contra is a very New York album; much more overtly so than the band’s debut. This isn’t the scuzzy New York of The Strokes or The Velvet Underground however; Vampire Weekend’s is a New York of modern art collectors, private schools, real estate, and summer holidays on the beach. It’s so completely not what we like to imagine rock’n’roll is about, so preppy, so well-bred and well-dressed, that in any other world a band like this would be completely hateworthy. What saves Vampire Weekend is their unapologetic sincerity with regard to their music, their inventiveness, and the fact that a great pop song is just a great pop song, damn it. Songs like “Cousins,” “Holiday” and “Run” are fun without being funny, with “Holiday” in particular crackling with such energy and sheer idiot glee (“Holiday, oh a holiday! / The best one of the year!”), it could almost fit on Weezer’s first album.
Best of all, this album maintains a stricter sense of quality control than its predecessor; where Vampire Weekend wavered slightly in its second half, Contra maintains remarkable consistency throughout. Even in its more adventurous, expansive tracks, such as with “Giving Up The Gun”’s jittery groove, and the six-minute “Diplomat’s Son” – which begins with a sample from M.I.A., of all people – there’s barely a single misstep. Sure, its brief thirty-six minutes may not provide as much opportunity for musical mishap as, say, Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness, but here, brevity is a virtue.
For any band looking to improve on a massively successful debut, look no further than Vampire Weekend. I can’t wait to see what they do next.
8 / 10
posted by Bob @ 2:49 pm
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