Vampire Weekend

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I read an article about a month ago that mentioned a band with the name Vampire Weekend. It called them “revolutionary,” but with a name that conjures up images of some whiny little singer with post-modern hair and too much eye shadow, I dismissed them immediately. Before I start getting hate mail, I will say I am aware that was very closed minded of me. However, considering all of the thousands of new bands vying for attention each week, I take the word “revolutionary” with a grain of salt.

It was Friday of last week when someone whose musical tastes I respect very much told me to listen to the band. Her only comment to prepare me for this musical endeavor pointed out the fact that they carry many musical influences on their sleeves, and that their music is fun. So with my preconceptions concerning their name and a vote of confidence from Evangeline, I dug into their self-titled debut album.

Their influences are noticeable and quite varied. I hear an interesting combination of The Police, The Strokes, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon (during the Graceland period), and a touch of modern classical “just because they can.” But it goes deeper than that. Singer/guitarist Ezra Koenig has a voice reminiscent of Ray Davies and a reserved guitar style that, along with the syncopated bass of Chris Baio, provides a pop framework for some very catchy songs. Keyboardist/guitarist/producer Rostam Batmanglij provides the frosting to their rich recorded sound by placing varied textures throughout the album. Drummer Chris Tompson moves effortlessly between his short drum kit and extensive percussion set giving the band a bouncy and unpretentious groove that is surprisingly disarming. I find that last bit very interesting considering the lyrics are unremarkably obtuse and read like some typical Indie-style inside joke. But it is hardly noticeable if you aren't looking for it and maybe I shouldn’t have been.

The songs are short bursts of creativity based around simple, but very expressive, percussive melodies with faux epic pacing which make them seem longer than they actually are. There are a few excellent tunes here; “Oxford Comma” would be a hit single for most bands but Vampire Weekend seems content to stay true to their Indie roots and let the song speak for itself. “Mansard Roof” is probably the most eloquent piece on the album and, at less than two minutes, it plays just long enough to satisfy. But my favorite is probably “I Stand Corrected” with its earnest lyrics and driving beats that at once sounds like 1985 as much as it sounds like tomorrow.

I wondered aloud to myself how they would recreate this sound live so I looked up YouTube videos only to find an abundance of awful recordings and a few actual music videos. A recent clip of them from February 1, 2008 on Letterman, was a surprise treat but hardly a telling sign of their live shows. With a scheduled appearance on Saturday Night Live on March 8, you can be sure I will be watching to further my research.


There are very few weak spots on this all too short album (a fuller thirty-four minutes of music I have hardly heard) and it is truly a satisfying experience. But the question is, will these four Columbia graduates continue on the path they are on, or will their intellect lead them down other roads? I, for one, was left feeling that they have just been toying with us; that they aren’t even a real band. Just four guys with music in common wasting time on a Sunday afternoon, and we were just privileged to listen in.

Is this a great album? Yes.

Is it revolutionary? We’ll have to wait and see.

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