"I see a mansard roof through the trees..."
After a preliminary investigation today, I realized that this is probably the only music-centric blog on the entire interwebs yet to mention Vampire Weekend. So, in keeping with the Indie Blog Buzz Band Accord of 2005, here is my mandatory post about this young band about to blow up big time. I'm kidding, but I actually am here to further spread the gospel about this band that really is on the cusp of blowing up in a big kind of way. Like maybe Feist big. Or even Arcade Fire big. So big, that maybe, just maaaaaybe, people who don't obsessively read every music blog on the net might even hear about them!
See, like some of you out there who may be completely sick of this band without hearing a single recorded note, you may be more than a little wary of yet another New York band that all the blogs are whipping themselves into a froth over. I mean, look how well that worked for Clap Your Hands Say Sucky Second Album (but I do still love the debut). I avoided these guys for that very same reason, I didn't want another marginally talented band forced down my throat by every Tom, Dick, and Stereogum. Plus, the whole thing about them being smarty-pants East Coast, preppie, yacht cruising, polo shirt wearing types kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, of all the styles for the indie kids to co-opt, that one? One that revives the Blane from Pretty in Pink look? Isn't Duckie more of an indie kid? I wanted to hate these kids from the start.
Anyway, I eventually caved and listened to a couple songs. Holy trust fundie on a polo horse are these kids good. I mean really, really, really good. Ignoring the image, ignoring the buzz - these guys have themselves a handful of brilliant tunes. Instantly engaging melodies, witty lyrics, and a flair for rhythm picked up from African pop music via Peter Gabriel. In fact, Peter Gabriel is a pretty good touchstone for Vampire Weekend - but, you know, young and energetic and exuberant and not afraid to drop the 'F-bomb' and stuff. The self-titled album comes out at the end of the month on XL, buy it. Really. In the meantime, listen to these two tunes off their demo album from last year. They're really, really good.
"Mansard Roof" - Vampire Weekend
"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" - Vampire Weekend
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