vampire weekend - only god was above us, out april 5, 2024

This album feels like a reversion to… everything I ever DISliked about VW.

OK, that's an overstatement, I like several songs here. But things like "Connect" and "Mary Boone" to me drown in their unnecessary busy-ness and ornamentation. "The Surfer" and "Pravda" probably my faves, "Gen-X Cops" is good, "Hope" is good but goes on a bit.

I think what I still really want is an Ezra solo album with Danielle Haim on hand and, I don't know, Questlove producing or something.

"The Surfer," see, is the one that sounds busy. "Hope" is better realized, but as I played it while showering an hour ago I wondered if it earned its extended coda.

The Surfer has a lot of sonic layers but it doesn't feel cluttered to me, because the dubby spaciousness gives a lot of room. But also I just like the tune.

i'm going to be obnoxious re:the long vampout on "hope" + say damn wonder if those dudes were listening to any fishmans recently.

I like "Hope" but it sounds really familiar and I keep trying to figure out what existing songs it sounds like. I'm pretty sure the verses are "99 Luftballons," but what is the chorus?

it's "kids don't stand a chance" through the looking glass. the call really was coming from inside!

(sorry just getting tired of seeing the "he's ripping off himself!"* critique. of course he is, he's him.)

*not here. elsewhere online.

chorus of “hope” isn’t reminding me of anything particular, but it feels like a very fundamental melody, like an old folk song or nursery rhyme

funny to see luft balloons mentioned in the context of Hope. I read someone else suggest that Ice Cream Piano sounds a bit like it when it revs up, which I can kinda hear.

Yeah « Hope » has something very simple/trad/anthemic. I really like the beat and how the song builds up.

« Pravda » has a nice afropop riff like on their first album and I like it but it feels like it doesn’t really go anywhere and is not fully finished. But again it may be a grower

on the contrary: it's one of the two or three best developed songs, including lyrically

Pravda is a sleeper hit for me. Masterfully restrained until the final third goes into the psychedelic deep end. The chord progression in the verse is brilliant, incredibly affecting ("Irina grew up in Wisconsin").

At best this album is a grower for me. We’ll see…

I liked this album on my once through, it has a great vibe to it.

Glad I stayed away from listening to the pre released singles, so I had no reference to what is what.

they have Voodoo Glow Skulls opening for them on some dates of the new tour, interesting

'90s Nostalgia, baby!

Bringing that Warped Tourcore!

Skankin' Pickle was not available

great album

they're performing a solar eclipse show in austin now: https://veeps.com/vampireweekend/f9f906cb-6671-41f5-925b-732deae766fc

"connect"...damn

Happy 40th, EK!

Very surprised by how much I like this one. I went in thinking eh, seems like a retread, let's keep expectations low, and came out the other end thinking "this is the best thing they've done since Contra." I don't think any one song on here is as good as "Diplomat's Son," but as an album I think it's great. Probably helps that I didn't really listen to the singles, so I'm hearing it as a whole.

Standouts for me at the moment are probably "Gen-X Cops," "Mary Boone," "The Surfer," "Capricorn." I have other thoughts but can't seem to articulate them yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kisi5ZIjxo

oh this one is really cool

Played this record on repeat over the weekend. It might be their best? Modern Vampires 2.0, which I'm not complaining about. Love its melodies and flow -- it is a brisk listen and the first album I've heard in some time that makes me want to hit play immediately after it ends. There are so so many incredible sonic studio details that I find thrilling that somehow do not distract...filters, strings, horns, choirs, tempo shifts... I will get around to listing them out at some point. I would love to hear the demos because I suspect the transformations would be remarkable.

Favorite tracks: "Classical," "Connect," "Pravda," "Hope"

Yeah I’ve played it so much it’s hard to believe it was only released 5 days ago ! I do think it may be their best produced album and totally agree about the fantastic sonic voyage it is.

man i really love that bonus track

I would love to hear the demos because I suspect the transformations would be remarkable.

Made me like the song more, actually

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs0GOt3BY6E

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/vampire-weekend-added-to-coachella-2024-weekend-1-set-times/

Included on them are a surprise last minute addition, Vampire Weekend, who play on Saturday (4/13).

^ yep. called that weeks ago when the tour schedule dropped!

On one hand, I respect them for sticking with tradition, but on the other kind of annoyed that Japan only bonus tracks are still a thing in 2024.

Only given a couple listens so far but the production is a lot more interesting than the melodies, many of which are similar to earlier VW songs. "Connect" is my favorite and feels almost entirely like a studio creation

kind of annoyed that Japan only bonus tracks are still a thing in 2024.

― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, April 9, 2024 4:35 PM

firm agree. i'm boycotting the song tbh.

they still buy cds in japan! if we still bought cds at target, there would still be target bonus tracks

lol, considering that you can now listen to the bonus tracks instantly, what's the difference?

The "Gen-X Cops" demo is exactly what I expected.

whoahoaoaa this album is awesome!!!!!!!

i think my favorite so far is "connect," which is just jazzy and weird enough to feel like it could've been on the glass beach album from this year

― the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Friday, April 5, 2024 7:24 PM (five days ago) bookmarkflaglink

agreed

Makes sense. "200" and "Slip Under the Door" are Glass Beach's VW songs.

loooool these dudes joined Goose, the new jamband scene darlings, for a 37-minute "Gen-X Cops > Cade Cod Kwassa Kwassa" last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLlVcnCW-vU

great album

― flopson, Monday, April 8, 2024 1:05 PM (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink

upgrading this to “fantastic album.” i just adore everything about it

My wife pointed out that the beat from Mary Boone was lifted from Primitive Radio Gods and now I can’t unhear it.

Which itself was borrowed from Soul II Soul's "Back to Life", which is why Soul II Soul is credited for "Mary Boone".

oh ha, I didn't see that credit.

ha, I only just saw it last night, tbf

daaaaamn -- it debuted at #27. Their last three albums debuted at #1.

stream numbers on spotify seem pretty low too

I want to listen but can't stand the compression