Vampire Weekend

This young promise it's a good mix between african music, rock, punk and other vibes. A cool CD if you are tired of the conventional bands. Banga Manga Baby.

I think people in general are over thinking this album. I listen to this CD before going to work, because it puts me in such a good mood. Isn't that what it's all about? Why do people need to ruin it by worrying what groups Vampire weekend sound or don't sound like? It's a great album, although some songs ("Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa") are better than others ("Bryn").

This is an awesome album and you know Amazon will get them to you quickly! Add to your collection!

The impressive thing about new band Vampire Weekend's debut album is not its consistency or eclectic flavor, but instead its immediacy. Instead of any attitude that this weekend will be a weekend that we will remember for the rest of our lives, or that we will get smashed and do things that can't be erased, this weekend resonates of a straightforward, fun, in the moment attitude. It has been a long time since I have heard an album this shamelessly happy, and a long time since that kind of happiness has not been distracting or aggravating. Part of this might be due to the simple, warm instrumentation. The drums are propelling yet anything but tough. The guitars almost sound hushed. And everything else seems to be produced to be comfortable. That isn't to say that the album is boring, however. Although the aim might be comfort and happiness, the sheer consistency of the album keeps it unique and compelling. To say that the band are smart would be an understatement. This kind of utilization of stringed instruments suggests classical training, and anyone who even knows what an Oxford Comma is can't be a chump. Vampire Weekend seem to have discovered the alchemy to make pop gold. Arpeggiations dot songs beautifully throughout, most notably on the string laden M79, which makes use of hooks from a guitar, string section, and harpsichord (or at least the harpsichord setting of someone's keyboard). This song is not lonely in its appeal. In fact, even a new listener could go through the album and never have any even remote desire to switch songs. The fact that they hold attention while flipping through an ocean of variety is that much more pleasing and impressive. From loud Little Richard esque piano pop (Walcott), to African rhythms over simple chord progressions and pleasing switchups (Cape Cod Kwassa), to glowing Mark Mothersbaugh esque chamber pop (Campus), and to giddy electro fun (Blake's Got a New Face), there is not a corner of this album that feels unnecessary or able to be improved upon. This album gets the highest regards for the simple fact that every song is great, and it will appeal to people who listened to The Beatles in high school as well as people who remember the Rugrats theme song fondly.

I picked this CD because my local independent CD store owner suggested it to me. This is how I choose most of my music and I am rarely dissapointed, however I also rarely fall so completely in love with a band as I have with Vampire Weekend.

Having never heard one of their songs I put the record into my stereo expecting some sort of Emo-garage band sound to come out, heavy on the guitars and depressing lyrics (with a name like Vampire Weekend do you blame me?) and light on the melody. Imagine my joy when a melodic sound is emitted from my poor kia's admittably questionably speakers.

It isn't hard to tell that someone in that band studied composition seriously. And the pure variety in the instruments used, for someone like me who grew up with an opera singing mother and a rock obsessed father, it's pure heaven to see a band actually take not only lyrics seriously but the entire feel and sound of a song.

And as I've spent every summer of my life in Cape Cod I can't help but laugh at some of the lyrics (Walcott is a great song but Hyannis is the farthest thing from a ghetto in the world).

All in all this CD has been on loop in my player for close to a week now, and I've yet to get bored of it. A miracle considering my short attention span.