Vampire Weekend stopped by Juan’s Basement to perform Contras first single, “Cousins” for Pitchfork! The performance is tight to death, the boys sound great!! The strings only add to the already great performance! Check it:
Archive for January, 2010
I have been putting off my review for Vampire Weekend’s Contra for a bit. I was lucky enough to grab an early listen, and seeing as the album is now on myspace, I figured it was as good a time as any to spill my thoughts out with you guys.
The first question I asked myself was if Contra is better than their debut album. This is probably going to be the most frequent theme in all the big critics reviews. You know what, the album probably is not better than their first, and it doesn’t try to be. It doesn’t need to be. It would be really difficult for Vampire Weekend to top their first album. That was a record full of songs that they worked on for years. It was filled with singles that would make plenty of greatest hits collections jealous! Many fans were worried that this 2nd album would just re a re-hash of what they already did. No one thought they were capable of sounding different. The haters saw them as a static band married to one sound. Well haters, you can continue to hate. Vampire Weekend have proven you wrong.
“Horchata” should be well up there in play counts by now, we all know it and love it. It is the perfect choice for Contras album opener. It serves as the perfect transitional bridge from their first album. It sounds like it could have been on their first record, but it also has hints of a changing band. A more mature band looking to prove that they are the real deal. After Horchata, we get treated to the familiar delight that is “White Sky”. The song sounds a lot more full than the one that leaked a few weeks ago. It is just as vibrant and fun as it was when they played it for the first time for me at Bowery Ballroom. It sounds like the band is having fun, but it also shows growth. The band gives us the first hint of a more technical album with the use of a backing track. This is something that you must get used to while listening to Contra. The band doesn’t just keep it to their instruments anymore. They dive deep into the realm of electronic effects on Contra.
Just as you get intrigued by this new found sound, Vampire Weekend pulls you right back in with “Holiday”. The song is sunny, energetic, based around a really clean melody. Ezra’s voice sounds clean and friendly, helped by Contras great production. Next up is “California English”, and this could be a polarizing song. Ezra sings through auto-tuner, and guess what? I love it. It fits the song perfectly! Vampire Weekend are smart boys, they wouldn’t use auto-tuner unless they see it fit. The band also brings back the much adored strings that delighted all of us on their debut album. The song’s final 30 seconds may be my favorite part of the entire album, it just makes you want to get up and dance. If you are turned off by the auto-tuner at first, please don’t give up. Give it time to grow on you, and reveal the treasure within!
The album slows down with “Taxi Cab”, a valiant candidate for the most beautiful song on Contra. It’s best described as a ballad with its’ delicate keyboard lines, and the sincere vocals from Ezra. It is a different look at Vampire Weekend, a pleasant change from the mostly energetic songs that we are dealt. The band wastes no time getting back to business with “Run”, a song that definitely benefits from studio production. It sounds lush, and full of life. It should be noted that Vampire Weekend sound really together instrumentally here. Ezra, Rostam, and the two Chris’s are playing their instruments to the fullest of their ability, and it sounds tight! “Cousins” is the perfect followup sounding absolutely perfect in the context of the album. It really was a great choice for the first single! Anyone who disliked it as a “bare” single should be pleased at how well it sounds with the whole album!
The L’Homme Run version of “Giving Up The Gun” showed great promise, but Vampire Weekend knocked it out of the park. It is very bass heavy, playing suite to the catchy chorus. Like I said before, you begin to notice a lot more electronic effects behind the instrumentation and it may take a few listens to get used to, but it clearly benefits the bands new sound. Throw in some female vocals and you got a winner! “Diplomats Son” is up next, and it may just be my current favorite. It is vastly different from anything that the band has done, and it could have failed so miserably. But this is Vampire Weekend we are talking about here! If they want to sample M.I.A. and throw in calypso influences, they will find a way to make it work. It is not that much of a stretch to say that this song sounds “hip hop” with its head bobbing bass, and heavy Afro-Caribbean rhythm. This is the staple of Contra, the best way to analyze the record as a whole. The same band is there for us, but they have become more mature, and more inclined to try new things. “Diplomats Son” shifts about halfway through its 6 minute run time, and becomes an irresistible treat for the ears. I hope that they play this song live at the United Palace Theater show that I am attending, because this song is going to be a MONSTER live. Vampire Weekend took a tremendous risk with this song, but they nailed it!
Lastly, we have “I Think Ur A Contra”. This was the most difficult song for me to write about. This was the only song that I didn’t immediately like. It was the first time that a Vampire Weekend song had to “grow” on me. It took a while, but eventually it did. It is a fitting ending to an album like Contra. They crafted it in such a way that you actually feel like you are sailing away from an island deep into a beautiful forgiving sunset. It is a song that Vampire Weekend should be pretty proud of. It is quite pretty.
I put a lot into this “review” and I hope I gave you a good idea about how I feel about each individual song. I want to leave you with some lasting thoughts. This album is fantastic. It is not a step down from their debut in anyway. Fuck all of the comparing. Contra should be appreciated as it is, and looked at from a fair vantage point. It is a lot different from their album in many ways. It takes more time to grow on you. The production from Rostam is jaw droppingly good, doing wonders for the band. Ezras voice has never sounded better. He has grown into a real singer here, showcasing his talent on a lot more balladly tracks. Chris Tomson’s drumming is fierce and full, he has become one of the best drummers out there. Chris Baio’s basslines are one of the most underappreciated aspects of the band, but no one can deny his talent after hearing the monster bassline in “Cousins”.
This review, is long, and probably way too in depth. But fuck it. This album was worth it. I am really happy with the end result of Contra and I think the rest of you will be too. It is a well balanced song with its fair share of both energetic songs, and ballads. The band takes on a more electronic sound, and it goes with there sound quite smoothly. At the end of the day, this is still Vampire Weekend. They have proven all of their critics wrong. Contra is one hell of an album, I couldn’t be any happier. They have kicked off 2010 with one of the best albums of the year.
To read about the Albums Of The Decade Series, click here.
My birthday is September 30th, 1990. I am 19 years old. If you do the figuring, I was only 10 years old when this decade started. So it would be ignorant of me to say that I have been following this decade’s musical history with fierce knowledge and admiration. I honestly didn’t become an “indie” rock fan until I was about 14-15 years old. Before I started listening to Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, and Clap Your Hands Yeah, I was more into alternative rock. My early youth consisted of Green Day, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, etc…I still listen and love these bands, but clearly don’t base my habits on the genre anymore. There albums are mostly shifted deep in my ipod, getting played every so often, but not nearly as frequently as they once were when I was in middle school.
I didn’t always love music the way I do now. No one in my family loves music the way that I do. I live with my mom and stepfather. They are both casual music listeners, still listening to Fleetwood Mac and whatever came out of the 70s-80s. They never really pressed me on music, so I was not one of those kids that just copied their parents taste. I couldn’t stand the assholes in my high school that put classic rock on the highest pedestal. They lacked identity. The whole fun about falling in love with bands is the identification you have with the bands. I love the Beatles like the next person, but I didn’t live with them. I didn’t watch them debut on Ed Sullivan, and I didn’t get to live through their incredible development as a band. They are one of my favorite bands, but I can’t connect with them in the same way that I do with bands like The Shins and Arcade Fire. That’s why I can’t understand kids my age who divulge in nothing but classic rock.
When I turned 14 in 2004, I started to find a keen interest in music. I started investing a lot of my time into records and one of the new records to catch my attention was Green Day’s new record, American Idiot. Green Day was always a favorite of mine. How could you not like an album like Dookie? It was everything I was looking for in an album at that age. I remember hearing “American Idiot” (the single) for the first time and being blown away. Not because it was the best song, because it wasn’t. But it was an entirely different Green Day than I knew growing up, and I was in a state of shock! I waited impatiently for the albums release date, and went to best buy to purchase the album the minute I got out of school. I played it the minute I got home, and could not believe how different Green Day sounded. They turned into an entirely different band.
They dressed in black and red, wore eyeliner, and became political. Instead of their usual knack for goofy pop-punk songs, they made a full-blown rock opera. The song had 5 different songs within it, and for me it was an entirely different listening experience. It was dramatic, epic, and most importantly it rocked. The rest of the album was the same way. “Holiday” was right in your face, while “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” was a beautiful piece that sadly got overplayed by public radio.
The songs were there, and I ate them up. Each song told their own story, and created characters. It was like nothing else that I had heard. At the time, it was practically the only thing I listened to. I became obsessed with the damn album. I think most people can admit that the songs were a step forward for the band. However, most people disliked the bands new look, and let that cloud their view on the album. It became cool to hate Green Day. I didn’t care. This album was a big part of my life at the time, and I wasn’t going to let what anyone said change my opinion.
I saw them live in concert in support of this album, and had a great time. I sang along to this album with my parents, my friends, and my brother and sister. I spent hours discussing the album with my friends online, and defending it on forums. You can say that this album was the album that really got me into music. It was the first time that I became engrossed in an album, and it should be blamed for my music obsession.
I could go on and on about this album. At the forefront, it is a solid collection of songs that I can put on at any moment, and sing along to proudly. Green Day really hit a homerun with American Idiot. But more importantly, behind the music are lots and lots of memories. Isn’t that the beauty of music? Music allows you to make connections to memories in your life. Memories of my youth, when life was…simpler.
I do not love Green Day the same way I did when I was fourteen. I wasn’t really a fan of 21st Century Breakdown. That is because it came at the wrong time. American Idiot came at the right time in my life, and I needed that album. I thank Green Day for making me interested in the album, and music in general.
[mp3] : Green Day – Jesus Of Suburbia
[mp3] : Green Day – Whatsername
I just got sent this delicious track from a mysterious artist from Atlanta, Georgia named Sweat Band. They only thing in the email was a link to download their only song “I Got On My Shades”. And what a great electronic dance song it is! It’s chill, dreamy, and full of life!
I did some digging and found Sweat Band’s myspace and twitter. I emailed him and found out that Sweat Band is a member of the electro pop band La Chansons. He wanted to focus more on the DJ/Remix scene and decided to try out the water solo.
Check out his first song below:
[mp3] : Sweat Band – I Got On My Shades
I forgot to post this sooner, but I am reflecting on my favorite albums of the decade, and The National came to mind right away. The band posted the following message on their website:
Hello everyone!
We wanted to wish you happy holidays and a happy new year. We’re busy mixing our new album now and waiting on a blizzard that’s about to hit New York City. In the meantime, we have a few “stocking stuffer” ideas for you …
You can read the rest of their post here. The album is done, and needs to be mixed. That means it is not too far away. I am smiling from ear to ear thinking of it! I am stocked to hear some new music from The National, who are one of my favorite bands. I expect them to start this new decade with a bang!!!
Cecilia from Sound Heard lead be to the discovery of The Golden Filter‘s dreamy cover of The White Stripes classic song “The Hardest Button To Button”. It is very true to the cover, but it is able to take on an entirely different vibe as seen through the ears of The Golden Filter. It was released in November as a b-side to their Solid Gold 7″ found on DUMMY Records.
I think Jack and Meg would be perfectly pleased with this cover:
[mp3] : The Golden Filter – The Hardest Button To Button (The White Stripes Cover)
To be honest with you guys, this sadly was the first time that I listened to The Golden Filter. I have been meaning to for a while, but like a lot of things, I just never got around to it! However, I checked out their myspace and completely fell in love with their song “Hide Away”. They have a few singles out, but no ep or album as far as I can tell. I think theses guys are really chill, and am going to find out as much as I can about them asap!
[mp3] : The Golden Filter – Hide Me
Lists are fun to make! Like every other blogger out there, I was debating on making a list for my favorite albums of the decade. I have plenty of favorites in mind, but I don’t think it is possible for me to make a list. After all, I only became a music geek 5 years ago. I didn’t think that I should be making a best of decade list when I was only really invested in music for half of it. Before then, my taste in music was a lot different. I mean nine years ago I was only ten years old!! Ten years ago I was listening to the fucking Backstreet Boys!! My point being, that I never had the chance to fully digest this decade’s musical offerings! I don’t think I have earned the right to make a list, since there is plenty that I missed out on. I didn’t want to just ignore the closing of this decade though! I still have plenty of thoughts and experiences to share with you!
So instead of making a list, I decided to tackle a different beast. I am going to post about the albums that have been game changers in my life. You know, the albums that I retreated to after school. The albums that I kept bugging my friends to listen to. The records that caused my mom to yell at me because I was blasting them so loud! These are albums of my teenage years. My musical youth! I have made so many fond memories with these albums. They may just be #70 on your list, or even an album that you hate. But to me, they hold a special place and my heart, and no one can take that away from me!
So get ready for my Albums Of The Decade series. I hope you enjoy it! The first one is coming today!
Anybody who knows me knows that I hate the top 40 radio, and all the Disney pop stars that are infesting the radio waves. One of the major culprits of this is the talent little princess, Miley Cyrus. I can’t stand her TV show, or the “hit” songs that she doesn’t even write.
In a recent interview the annoying pop star Miley Cryus admitted that she doesn’t listen to pop music, even though it’s the fucking music that she makes. She then goes on to admit that she has never listened to Jay-Z. Yet she had no problem pretending that she did in her hit song “Party In The U.S.A.”. This is her direct quote:
“I’ve never heard a Jay-Z song. I don’t listen to pop music. ['Party in the U.S.A.'] is not even my style of music.”
My dislike for her has risen to an entirely different level. I am at elite status on the hate club. It’s not like she even writes her songs, so at the least she should try to at least get aqcuainted with the stuff that they write for her. She is the tool of the day.
Fucking pop stars! Read about this interview here or here
Soundgarden, the influential grunge band led by Chris Cornell has announced its return! The band posted the following message on their new webpage during new years:
The 12 Year Break is Over and School is Back in Session
I am not all that familiar with the band other than their history, and “Black Hole Sun”, of course. Anyone want to point me in the right direction??
Here’s the video for Black Hole Sun:
How did you start 2010? Well, if you are The Antlers you started 2010 hard at work recording a brand new album! (or albums!) The news came directly from the band on twitter! They may not be satisfied with releasing one album! Their twitter status hints at possible “records”. No matter what they end up doing, I am excited to hear that they are already hard at work in the studio, and hopefully we will see one of the albums this year! Hospice was no doubt one of 2009′s finest releases!
Until then, get your Antlers fix by watching their La Blogotheque performances of “Shiva” + “Two/Epilogue”!:
Shiva
Two/Epilogue
