Culture Blues

When the first words used to describe a band are usually "divisive" or "polarizing," I immediately begin to question their allure. I mean, was Led Zeppelin divisive? How about Pink Floyd? The answer in both cases in no (if you don't get THEM, then you don't get IT). Vampire Weekend is definitely one of those bands that gets described in such a fashion; their mix of indie-rock meets worldbeat is unique (which is worth something in the modern musical landscape), vibrant, and infuriatingly schismatic. There is a faction of music listeners who feel that V.W. are nothing but mere pretenders: "White boys who met at Columbia University, playing music from places they have only visited through the Travel Channel." Others view them as indie vanguards with a an ultra-current bend towards globalization that reflects the reality of our ever shrinking world. The answer (of course) is somewhere in the middle.

Contra (V.W.'s second studio release) kicks off with Horchata, a marimba arranged calypso that is anchored by a classic EDM pulse, which (like most of the album) sounds like it is being played by a band that is in love with what they do; as if they are trying to save their listeners from a music world that is growing more uninspired every year. This record is very colorful (shockingly so at times), breezy (most of the arrangements will have you longing for a mojito), and brief (36 minutes). It is a record constructed on contrasts; a dirt in your nails kind of organic ethos married to an embracing of technological shortcuts and accents. Tracks like Holiday and California English are fine examples of V.W.'s uptempo melting-pot catchiness; the melodies are as sweet as papayas, the arrangements are deliriously lively, and it is all fused together by the latest digidesign plugins (this is a band that is not afraid of a little reverb nor auto-tune). On the other end of the spectrum are the throbbing downtempo reggae/two-tone-ska tinged numbers like Diplomat's Son and Taxi Cab; these are much more heart-felt songs where lead singer Ezra Koening is forced to take center stage and not sing about vegetarianism and the North East. The slower numbers work out alright, they are just considerably more boring than the tracks with higher BPM's.

Whether or not this album is worth your time boils down to how I started this article. If you hated Vampire Weekend's last record than there is NO chance that you will be able to enjoy Contra (you might as well put it on your worst of the year list already), but if you were a fan than you will be pleasantly surprised by the band's growth and refinement. Finally, if you don't happen to fall in either camp, then you should give this record a shot... This could be your new favorite band (especially if you enjoy a lot of morning star farms), but remember so was Hot Hot Heat once. I personally like my philly cheese steaks to be real.