An Early Surprise

I had a post planned for January 12, where I publish a statement I (now confidently) stand behind: Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album Contra is one of the best albums one can buy all year.

I’m doing it a week early because, since late Sunday night, the album in its entirety has been streaming on the band’s Myspace. And since I’ve already heard half the album from hearing it live, I decided to preempt my January 12th listening experience and do it now. What? I love instant gratification.

From a musical standpoint, you can hear how the band has grown as musicians and producers from their last album. I was never a person who made a bold “Vampire Weekend = 21st century Paul Simon Graceland rip-off” because I thought that was an easy comparison, and one that’s not fully true. Knowing this criticism, the band shows the haters that they’re not a one trick pony, and they explore new sounds and styles. Do I hear auto tune and dancehall on this album? Yes, I think I do.

With so many groups (MGMT, I’m looking at you), I fear a sophomore slump, but that pejorative thought never crossed my mind with this album. I didn’t fear it because I didn’t think it was possible, and really, because I didn’t want to imagine it. But the growth, the maturity, the new really wonderful danceable songs really leads me to believe in this frigid depth of hell winter that I am going to have a ridiculously fun summer. It’s nice having something to warm up a 20 degree day, even if it’s streaming a new Vampire Weekend album while sitting under a down comforter and drinking a hot drink.

January 5, 2010. Uncategorized.