Seraphim and seaweed swim where stick-limbed Myla lies

I know it’s late, but finally I get around to making my first real review. Entertaining the request of contest winner Julia, I decided to follow suit with so many other bloggers and throw in my two cents on Vampire Weekend’s debut album.


I first heard about this band around last summer when my friend Emily mentioned them in passing. I made the snap judgement of a local band with a stereotypical myspace page. They had some decent songs but I wrote them off. Then the momentum behind them just started to build and they took off. Is there anything left to say about them (aside from their bassist being Scott Baio’s nephew)?

Sure. It’s my duty to try and find it. So let’s check all the Afro-pop and Paul Simon comparisons at the door.

Like so many before me, I had to listen to this album more than once for it to really turn me. Part of me wanted to love it, so I could fit in with the in crowd. Part of me wanted to hate it, so I could fit in with the even more in crowd.

The album opens with a minimalistic vocal arrangement punctuated with several key piano notes. The rest of the band slowly fills in and introduces one to the sounds that one can expect as the album, as a whole, will go on. I don’t think there is a better track that explains the overall appeal of the band. Yes, there’s a degree of intellectualism but there’s a sincere playfulness that is so inviting, it’s hard not to smile.

I mean, they have a song called Oxford Comma. “Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?” Because I take special pleasure in trying to make heads or tails of English grammar rules (via harassing English majors), there’s a certain extra attraction I find to their second track. But in the words of the coolest persona in the music scene, High Fidelity’s Rob Gordon, “You gotta kick off with a killer, to hold the attention. Then you have to take it up a notch, but not blow your wad…” and I think this is exactly what Vampire Weekend has accomplished.

For the record, I am a supporter of the Oxford comma. It clarifies more ambiguities than it creates. I find it aesthetically pleasing by keeping order and continuity. I find it more proper. But that's just me.

Another personal favorite note is Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. It’s enchanting and infectious. Enjoy it.

Where the album really loses me, unfortunately, is track 8, One (Blake’s Got a New Face). I find the chorus grating and it snaps me, quite harshly, out of the rest of the song. The vocals seem shrill and strained. It takes more concentration than one would expect to resist the urge for me to hit the skip button.

Despite this stumble, this is strong album from an upcoming band. What they do, in the grand tradition of pitchfork darlings before them, Arcade Fire, is kick the shoegazing crowd around a bit. The 90s are over and Lush isn’t gonna get back together. There’s no reason not to move around a bit. It’s wonderful party music.

But that brings me to an important point. While I find this album entirely energetic and playful, it is not dance party music. Let’s make a distinction: party music is fun, keeps people happy, is memorable but not overwhelming, you play it at a comfortable volume to encourage conversation. Some examples: The Arcade Fire, The Shins, Stars, or Guster. Dance party music is a little more energetic, typically played louder (think close talking and shouting or specifically moving to talk), and is instantly singable, especially in inebriation. Some of my favorite dance party beats: Daft Punk, Ted Leo, and anything pop-tastic (this implies everything from Kanye West, to Kelly Clarkson, to Third Eye Blind, to Rick Astley). At some point in the night, you keep drinking water not to avoid that hangover but because your throat hurts from screaming lyrics and your clothes are drenched in more sweat than your red plastic Solo can hold. If you’re not sweating this much, you’re doing something wrong.

Finally, one of the single most important aspects of any album for me is the closer. The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance successfully lulls me into a state of relaxation, like the friendly unwinding as your guests take their leave. There’s a mess to clean up now, but you’re just reveling in the afterglow of a successful night.

So, my thoughts? This is a good album. It’s not ground breaking but it’s fresh and new, so it kind of is. If you haven’t, pick up a copy; you won’t be wasting your money. It seamlessly fits in with most indie collections yet stands out on its own individuality. Though the buzz may die down, Vampire Weekend will be a band worth keeping an eye on. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing them in a few top 5 of 2008 lists at the end of the year.

Finally, written earlier this year:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/01/vampire_weekend_backlash.html
because who doesn’t love poking fun at hipsters?