Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Vampire Weekend - Self Titled

Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
(1.2008, Xl Recordings)
Verdict: A successful combinations of the last six decades

I read a review on this album yesterday that was titled "wimpy wimpy wimpy." It's so true, this is wuss music at it's finest. I love it. It seems 2008 is going to produce some of the happiest since a half centurty ago. It's about time. Vampire Weekends' first full legnth sounds like a sunbleached surf excursion to a charming old fashioned beach town, or carnival by the sea, possibly how I envisioned Coney Island in it's heyday. Complete with a ratty organ and what sounds like a toy drum set, Vampire Weekend sounds like cheery and joyous pop from the 50's and 60's, or wait, sometimes I can hear some Talking Heads and Paul Simon which would be the 80's, but then again, sometimes they are reminiscent of a slight ska or punk wave in the 90's, oh ya, but it all sounds really fresh, in a revival sense, like Panda Bear or No Age as well. They sound a bit like Brit Rock and sometimes I can hear Afro Pop. Their sound is a combination of good aspects of music spanning generations and all different geographies, which makes this one of the more infectious albums I have ever heard. You can feel the grittiness, as the album was recorded in various locations from their school (Columbia University) to a family barn. Each song is distinctly itself, but the album is very unified and functions well as a whole, although I do have a few favorite tracks. "Oxford Comma" has a genious break beat and charming organ chords, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" sounds like Rhythm of the Saint's Paul Simon with a yelled chorus which will have you sining along on sencond listen, and "Bryn" has some wonderful guitar work. Get ready for some finger muting madness and pick up a copy of one of the most playfully enjoyable modern albums in existence.

-Sassigrass

7 comments:

Lauralee said...

one of my favorites to be released this year.

Anonymous said...

I really like this album too. I'm interested to see how I feel about it come the end of the year, and if it will stand the test of time. I remember really liking Tapes 'n Tapes for a lot of the same reasons, and yet by the end of the year I had completely forgotten about them without even noticing or knowing why.

Anonymous said...

Campus is probably my fav track.

Pop music is soooo cool.

Anonymous said...

It's not just catchy pop music, I think this one will last. The vocals are like less crazy dirty projectors and definitely a cool paul simon groove. I don't want to sound like a bitch but I think the last word on the review may be misspelled.

Forest Gospel said...

Its highly likely, considering the fact that bloggers spell check hasn't been working lately, and although I took second place in my fifth grade spelling bee, my spell skills have dulled with age. Thanks for pointing it out so that only the people who read the comment section knows that I am an idiot :)

Anonymous said...

Forest Gospel could have typos in every article and it would still be worth reading. Man I can't believe Dinosaur Jr.'s new Album is good. Things like that just never happen, at least don't happen enough.

Dainon. said...

This album rules. "Oxford Comma" has been stuck on repeat in my brain for the past two days.