Vampire Weekend - Contra Review
Posted by Chad Webb on 02.05.2010
Is the anticipated sophomore effort a worthwhile follow-up or a total mess?
Vampires Weekend is:
Ezra Koenig: lead vocals, guitars, keyboard, piano
Rostam Batmanglij: piano, backing vocals, keyboard, harpsichord
Christopher Thompson: drums, percussion
Chris Baio: bass, backing vocals
Release Date - January 8, 2010
Length - 36:40
Label: XL Recordings
The Band
Vampire Weekend was introduced me in a weird way. My fiancée is a huge Saturday Night Live fan, and I just happened to catch the episode where they performed. I instantly heard the uniqueness in their sound, and wanted to seek out more. Eventually, I could not stop listening to their stellar debut, and it ended making my top 10 of 2008.
The name Vampire Weekend stems from the lead singer Ezra Koenig's amateur film of the same name. They have described their music as "Upper West Side Soweto" as it is influenced by African popular music and Western classical music. The members met while attending college, and were eventually signed to XL Records, a label they admired anyway.
They have enjoyed a rising success after the release of their debut in 2008 because of appearances on SNL along with the inclusion of songs in films like Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and I Love You, Man. They received acclaim from many magazines, and made many "best of" lists in 2008.
Track Listing:
1. Horchata (3:26)
2. White Sky (2:58)
3. Holiday (2:18)
4. California English (2:30)
5. Taxi Cab (3:55)
6. Run (3:52)
7. Cousins (2:25)
8. Giving Up the Gun (4:46)
9. Diplomat’s Son (6:01)
10. I Think Ur a Contra (4:29)
The Review
Vampire Weekend's sophomore album shows that the band has matured, but not lost its sense of fun and variety. "Horchata" is an infectious little tune that could easily be the most memorable and hummable song on the CD. Horchata, for those who might not know, is the name of a beverage that is made of different types of nuts and seeds. The drink is unique to whatever region it is made in. Anyway, I liked the song enough to look that up. It is effective as an opener because the optimism sucks the listener in immediately.
The rest of Contra is faithful to the exciting sound of the debut album, but still maintains a fresh and experimental flavor all of its own. Vampire Weekend receives some negative backlash because of their wealthy backgrounds and education at Columbia University. The fact of the matter is that those experiences come across in their music, but it is important to note the difference between arrogance and confidence because Contra exudes an intelligent and assured quality that makes it a wonderful blast to play over and over again.
Contra was recorded in Brooklyn and Mexico City, but the attitude is incredibly worldly with dabs of reggae, hip-hop, and standard rock-pop. Ezra Koenig's vocals are brave and loose on "White Sky" and "Holiday", both swift and peppy numbers to be sure, that are complimented by Rostam Batmanglij's energetic and rich arrangements. "California English" is an appearance conscious song that gets the body moving, while "Taxi Cab" slows things down considerably. It is a melancholy tune about the regrets of a how one guy treated a girl. It also has a shout out to Director William Friedkin with the line "Living like the French Connection, but we'll die in LA."
The synth-beats are most prevalent on "Run", and hearing Ezra's falsetto voice go as high as it does exhibits his range in a splendid way. It also includes some nifty horns in the background. "Cousins" was the first single, and it’s as close to a traditional punk rock track that you'll hear from the group on this CD. It has traces of something Jack White might throw together. Christopher Thompson's drum work stands out best on "Giving up the Gun", which concerns a guitar more than a gun it seems. "Diplomat's Son", the longest track, takes a sample from M.I.A's "Hussel." It is obscure and reserved, which goes along with how the album ends. "I Think Ur a Contra" acts as a closing ballad, almost an antidote to "Horchata", but it establishes an eccentric sort of cohesiveness to the album flow.
Some have made issue about the political tone to the lyrics on this album, and they might be sprinkled throughout, but what I heard was not an overabundance of politics. Instead, they integrate an undeniable sentimental atmosphere. Contra is more about social status, becoming an adult, and the complexities of relationships and love. The messages are varied, but not cluttered or messy. Ezra Koenig is a strange, but poetic and moving, songwriter who aims to develop musically, which is apparent on Contra.
On a side note, the identity of the girl on the cover is unknown, but evidently "she's now living in Malibu" according to Koenig. He also said the picture was taken in 1983, and she was referred to as "Kirsten" on Twitter for what that's worth. A blonde girl in a polo shirt is meant to match with the band's style, the album's implications, and also the cover on the debut CD. Sure.
The follow-up to their debut was highly anticipated, and until Contra hit stores and proved to be exceptional, the originality of Vampire Weekend was both a blessing and a curse. Luckily they meet the challenge of being true to what brought them their fame, while still supplying inventive new compositions. Contra is extremely short, but definitely a fulfilling album because each track is lingering and distinctive. This is an elegant, brave, and pleasingly bizarre second outing that is worth repeated listens because one can take away new meanings each time.
The 411: Thankfully this follow-up arrived in a relatively speedy amount of time in relation to when their debut was released. Some groups/artists wait too long and then the anticipation reaches an unhealthy level. I was looking forward to Contra, but was also cautious because of how Vampire Weekend’s unique sound could potentially hurt them in future albums. Luckily this was a solid effort in almost every way. If you buy it on iTunes and some other places, you can get bonus tracks. I haven’t heard those, but the 10 songs on the regular album are terrific and fun. This CD got January off to a good start, and I recommend checking it out.
