Vampire Weekend | Vampire Weekend | Graceland 2: Electric Boogaloo

Vampire Weekend | Vampire Weekend | Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

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Vampire Weekend

	Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend Xl Recordings, 2008 average customer review:based on 143 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Graceland 2: Electric Boogaloo

As I look at a lot of the reviews here, I begin to wonder, "Why all of the hate?" Is it because of the hype? Of course it's the hype. But what else? Is it the backlash against the pretensions of "elitist" culture that many seem to think Vampire Weekend promotes? Or have all of the Paul Simon fans come out of the woodwork to defend what they believe to be a young band of preps muddying their idol's seminal work?

With all my assumptions (which may or may not be well founded) aside, I can honestly say that Vampire Weekend's eponymous debut is, and will be, the best album of 2008.

Come on, the album is blistering with energy and catchy writing, discounting the mediocre "One (Blake's Got A New Face)." The lyrics are witty enough to sustain the smart songwriting. "Mansard Roof" is a great opener, as its atmospheric mood evolves into a torrent of thundering Afro-pop. "Campus" and "A-Punk" show that the band has already mastered the indie-rock format, with its own twist. Even the grammatically titled "Oxford Comma" proves to be fun in its own right. The album starts off with a bang, and minus the aforementioned misstep, never forgets to be ultimately fun, memorable, and poppy (yes, I used poppy as a positive adjective).

Yet, the best portion of the album is saved for last, with the duo of "Walcott" and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance." The former song utilizes fast-slow dynamic perfectly, with is intense xylophones contrasting its beautiful violins. As the buoyant "Walcott" ends, the final song, "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance," begins with its echoing drums and ominous bass. The song builds and builds, with its great melody becoming more powerful on each chorus. You should be humming this one for weeks. What a great way to end the album.

Many have called this album "Afro-pop lite." So what of it? Is that an insult? Was Graceland pure Afro-pop? I don't think so. Sure, these prepsters owe a lot to Paul Simon, but they have taken the blueprint he created with Graceland and they ran with it. Many great bands have worn their influence on their sleeves, whether it was The Beatles with Chuck Berry and Little Richard, or even Nirvana with The Pixies.

Did I just compare Vampire Weekend to those two greats? Only in one similarity, as I am not claiming Vampire Weekend to be the as important. Nor do I think they are the greatest thing since the internet itself. However, this band has promise, and this album will be considered a classic once the hype settles in awhile. There is a lot to love on this album.

To end off with a cheesy, yet appropriate, line, these kids do stand a chance.

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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

They may be fresh out of the Ivy League world, but this band of New York boys from Columbia University is making waves on the indie scene. People can't seem to get enough of Vampire Weekend's self-titled album, with its witty lyrics and afro-pop/new wave/indie sound. The band generated a fan base last year by playing shows around downtown NYC and circulating a demo. From synthesizers to the cello, the band's eclectic sound manages to captivate without betraying its innocent simplicity. The songs on the album are primarily a revamped version of those found on the original demo - including two new tracks, "M79" and "I Stand Corrected."

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Ironic or not?

This album is a lot of fun. It's a quick and engaging listen, however I still haven't made up my mind if i think it's going to wear well in the long run. Probably this is the album that will remind me of the summer of '08, IF i hear it in a few years..

Solid Album Lacking that Something Special

Vampire Weekend's album is quite exceptional for a debut, but after listening to it four or five times I started thinking would this album of worked if it was Vampire Weekend's second or third album? Sadly the answer to that question was no which wasn't a big surprise because that happens with a lot of bands for example The Fratellis album Costello Music would of been an excellent sophomore album but you can't go back in time and stop them from making it. Vampire Weekend does have some amazing songs on here, but quite a few of them are mediocore and bland such as Bryn, I Stand Corrected, and The Kids Don't Stand a Chance. I will say that the good songs on the CD are amazing. My personal favorites are Oxford Comma, Campus, and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. I hope that on their next album they do amazing or they might not last that long.

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