Music Review: Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

 

I've only ever really liked the singles from Vampire Weekend, songs like "Mansard Roof", "Oxford Comma", and honestly, I can't remember anything specific that I cared for off of Contra. But somehow the band has stayed on my radar, particularly with the immense anticipation for their third recording, Modern Vampires of the City. As I've told many people before, I'm very interested in third albums, particularly because most bands try something new the second time around, then blend the original sound with the new sound to make something either super memorable or ultimately forgettable.

Modern Vampires... doesn't venture too far away from what the band is known for, which is a simplistic, jam style pop/indie rock feel. While their debut focused on more melodies, and Contra did as well ("White Sky" comes to mind), Modern Vampires… is a little more mature and structured, as some might expect, with where they've come before. "Unbelievers" is very classic Vampire Weekend, with its fast beat and guitar focus, aligning with an infectious chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. Throw in some synth power and lyrics about young love and you've got a hit. However, songs like "Step" are at a slower pace, making for a haunting style that encompasses a more lo-fi type than what we're used to from the four-piece.

Vampire Weekend are from New York, NY and started in 2006.

The lo-fi style continues through much of the record, which gives the album an old school aura ("Worship You" and "Everlasting Arms" for example). Instant hit "Diane Young" is not an example of this, however. Bordering on raw garage punk-style drum sounds and vocalist Ezra Koenig's distorted vocals make for a raw, fun track. "Don't Lie" takes us back to lo-fi world, with a driving bass line intro before a sing-a-long style chorus comes in, while "Hannah Hunt" is possibly one of the most touching points of the album, with its muffled guitar tone. I'm kind of surprised that "Ya Hey" is such a hit from this album, since it seems like it's the weakest track on the album.

Modern Vampires... is, what I would consider, the most complicated and sophisticated album from Vampire Weekend. It's a sprawling record that goes all over the place from track to track. While it's not a bad thing, it's taken a few listens for me to appreciate everything the band has accomplished this time around. It's definitely a mature step, and has some of their best work represented. It's definitely worth the listen, even if you've never been a fan (like me).