Vampire Weekend; Arctic Monkeys of 2008?

Yeah, they grow on you.

I love this band too; every time I travel someplace where I feel like I'm stepping above my station (like I am now), these albums ring very true.

i was just thinking the other day how contra struck me as really accomplished and well-done and how i haven't had any urge to listen to it (or heard any one else mention it) since it came out

For those who care (admittedly, I don't):

http://www.nme.com/news/vampire-weekend/68008

Vampire Weekend's third album is influenced by jazz, Bob Dylan and The Clash according to Rostam Batmanglij.

The multi-instrumentalist spoke to Uncut about the forthcoming album, the US band's first since 2010's 'Contra'. Discussing the influences and sounds the band are creating, Batmanglij said: "The goal was to use organic sounds and put them in a context that you might not have heard before. It's certainly darker and grittier than 'Contra'. A lot of these songs are about conflict. They're about the choices we can make, being able to do what we want with our lives."

He added: "With 'Contra' I was interested in a kind of arty, '80's New York sound, but this album goes deeper. It gets into the '50s and some of it sounds like jazz, but broken down into its most basic elements and played in a very simple way. It's more of a subtle kind of complexity and there's an intimacy to the performances, both vocal and instrumental, that are very special. I think the sound of the piano is central to the record."

Batmanglij went on to mention song titles such as 'Don't Lie', 'Hudson' and 'Unbeliever', which the band played during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's US chat show at Halloween last year. The guitarist compared the new songs to bob Dylan and The Clash, saying his friends told him the songs sound "scary".

last chance for them to not become completely irrelevant

I actually think both their albums hold up really well. First is better than the second, but both are good.

Yeah I still go back to these quite a bit. Don't know how much more "relevant" you can get.

I care! Was just listening to them last night. They're a good band, and I can't wait to hear the new stuff. I listen to plenty of retro-sounding stuff and wipe my ass with relevance daily, but to be fair, I don't think VW are completely stuck in the past.

Contra >>>>> first

Even though I still prefer the first, I like that Contra is not just a rehash. It does some things differently and I think better. For instance, they took more care with the sound and production on Contra, and it shows. But overall I think the first is more consistent. But I'm definitely looking forward to hearing the new one.

Contra is one of the best straight-up indie rock albums of the past few years.

When I saw them in Chicago in July it'd been more than a year since I'd heard a single Contra tune and I wasn't exactly looking forward to the performance, but "Giving Up the Gun" and "Cousins" sounded as beautiful as usual and they brought it all back.

I've thought about them the last eight days as I've lived with the remastered edition of the English Beat's Wha'ppen.

Contra is one of the best straight-up indie rock albums of the past few years.

OTM

i think contra > debut but both are great, catchy pop -- i'm excited + anticipating new album!

That's a pretty incredible streak of positivity. I'm sorry I missed that summer show in Chicago. The only disappointing thing is there is not release date and they said they're not even done writing the songs, so at best we'll get at summer release, at worse, 2015 or later...

yeah, both album are very good. looking forward to some new stuff by these guys.

New album out May 7th apparently.

http://pitchfork.com/news/49408-vampire-weekend-reveal-album-title-via-mysterious-new-york-times-classified-ad/

I can't wait for their Vampires Tour where they play vampirically while dressed as vampires, who vamp.

new thread?

10 Ya Hey

Ho

Lets go

you know, I really love this band. Those two records and the first especially are just astonishing pop collections. Their sound is so spare and carefully refined, and the melodies are outrageous. the whole affected prep thing is whatever. I really love this band and through the course of typing this have convinced myself I must have all three on vinyl ASAP. hope this one holds up

I'm hoping for a Contra 2 there. Really loved Contra.

Listening to Contra yesterday for the first time since god knows when was like having drinks with a great bro you haven't seen in months and you have all afternoon

The new album is FIRE

So many religious allusions in play

Ok done writing my review, this goes on my shortlist for 2013

yessssss

there is a dedicated thread for this album, which it deserves: Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

I saw them and they sucked. There was one good part but it was really bland. Real thin sound especially juxtaposed with animal collective

― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Saturday, January 26, 2008 11:01 PM (eleven years ago)

I saw them open for AC at that same webster hall show . I'll be seeing Vampire Weekend headline MSG later this year . I don't even know the last time i wanted to listen to AC. crazy!