Phoenix Article: Vampire Weekend

(NOTE: I may be posting some of my articles I write for the Loyola Phoenix on this blog as well, to keep those outside the Roger's Park circle in the loop on my journalistic endeavors.)

When I first listened to Contra, it was as though I had been listening to their first, self-titled, album Vampire Weekend on a rickety, fading transistor radio: each song takes the elements that make the band so timelessly enjoyable to listen to, and explodes them into Technicolor sound. From the quirky head bopping first single “Horchata” to the lilting, reminiscent finale “I Think Ur A Contra”, this notorious college band proves Contra is no sophomore slump.

On Contra, Vampire Weekend experiments with their staples. Synthesizers, bongo drums, pianos, strings, Caribbean beats and lead singer Ezra Koenig’s buoyant, lilting voice are puppeteered to create a sound that is reminiscent of Vampire Weekend, but unapologetically adventurous on its own. The outcome is a delightfully modge-podge mix of afro-pop and Upper West side attitude that plays with different beats and shifting melodies, while still featuring hooks that will take up permanent residence in your ear. However their strength doesn’t simply come from catchy lyrics and melodies, but also that each song is slightly unpredictable. Driving percussion and guitar riffs break into light hip-swaying bridges, and quiet bongo drums liven up the slower ballads. This contrast enhances and deepens the listening experience on every track.

While Contra stays true to Vampire Weekend’s sound and memorable hooks, the subject matter of their lyrics is definitely post grad. Vampire Weekend focused on crushes on girls in cable knit sweaters and the social intricacies of seeing an ex on campus, the songs on Contra speak of a deeper awareness of the hypocrisies of the world around them. “California English” asks “’Cause if Tom’s don’t work, if it just makes you worse/ would you lose your faith in The Good Earth?” questioning the ironies of wealth and charitable giving. The bouncy, SoCal tone of “Holiday” contrasts with the temptation to forget about the troubles of the world by escaping to the beach, saying “A t-shirt so lovely/ It turned the history books gray”. And the quiet, strings-heavy ballad “I Think Ur A Contra” remembers a former lover, lamenting “You wanted good schools/And friends with pools/…/ Complete control/ Well I don’t know”. However, they stay true to their playful roots with songs like “Diplomat’s Son”, a six minute long romp about getting high and waking up where you least expect it, and “Cousins” is the super up-beat, get-off-your-ass-and-dance track, with Ezra Koenig wailing “Me and my cousins/And you and your cousins/I can feel it coming” as the beat heavy hook. Listeners are once again guaranteed an Ivy League vocabulary lesson from these Columbia University graduates, with references to Contra Costa, horchata, balaclava, 96 point Futura, and Richard Serra. This intelligent wordplay continues to be the basis for Vampire Weekend’s lyrical success and sets them apart from the vague ramblings of many alternative bands today.

While other bands have overhyped their releases, only to disappoint on release day, Vampire Weekend made sure not to make the same mistake. The entire Contra album was made available to listen to six days before the release date, which allowed listeners to take in the entire album before deciding to buy. While slightly a risky move, (if the album wasn’t good this would prominently affect sales, plus allow hackers to rip the songs early to make available on file sharing sites) ultimately it showed their hard working commitment to creating a quality album their fans would enjoy. This paid off as Contra debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and continues to sell strongly.

Interestingly, I think Contra sounds more like Vampire Weekend than Vampire Weekend. While the band could have found marginal success in creating a concoction of head bopping tunes using the same formula, they instead chose to take the fundamental sound of Vampire Weekend and expand it into a new realm of melodic experiments and lyrical intricacies. Though the album title refers to an ambiguous struggle, unsure of what to fight against, Contra comes across as a clear example of how a band should grow while still fine tuning their sound. Clean, smart, and a little bit wild, Vampire Weekend has found its voice.