Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
XL Recordings, 2008
5/5 stars
It is risky releasing an album early in the year because it is likely to be forgotten when the time comes to write "best of the year" lists. Vampire Weekend took a chance with its self-titled debut, but with remarkable lyrics and a refreshing indie-rock formula, the album will be sure to top lists at the end of the year.The band, consisting of Columbia University graduates, takes listeners on a world tour, both musically and lyrically. The first track, "Mansard Roof," begins with an organ melody resonating the sounds of a sonar system and calls attention to French style architecture.
Musically, the band relies on Africa's syncopated beats. The drumming is fun and hardly keeps a single pace. Guitar and bass lines move like a game of hopscotch while keyboards add quirk adornments.
Plus, any band that namedrops Lil' Jon and Peter Gabriel in the same album is worth a listen.
Posts
