The Bus

So last night I was looking over my email and was reading non-work stuff from earlier in the day. There was a concert last night for a band called Vampire Weekend and I listened to one of their songs, "Mansardroof" [click]. It only took me about 20 seconds to know I needed to see these guys live.

Sadly, it was too late to buy tickets online and I could only get them at the door. Once I got to the venue, it was sold out. Rats.

Well, here I am, telling you about them.

<embed src="http://odeo.com/flash/audio_player_gray.swf" quality="high" width="322" height="54" name="odeo_player_gray" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="type=audio&id=14797593" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed>
powered by ODEO

http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend
http://vampireweekend.com/

I seem to bit slightly behind the times as these guys have been building buzz for months... Anyone else heard of them and/or like them?

wendersfan

They're playing Cleveland and Cincinnati but not Columbus, so they can fuck off and die for all I care.

The Bus

I've listened to these songs at least 20 times each this weekend.

auto

Bump for release. This album will not stop playing in my head right now.


$7.99 at amazon

1. Mansard Roof
2. Oxford Comma
3. A-Punk
4. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
5. M79
6. Campus
7. Bryn
8. One (Blake's Got A New Face)
9. I Stand Corrected
10. Walcott
11. The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

Hollowgen

funny... i just realized the same thing tonight. i'm just now listening to the album.

like what i hear so far.

Hiro11

I actually have this playing right now. Awesome album. I've always had a liking for Afropop. Combining it with flawless indie pop is a match made in my personal music heaven. The orchestral elements are also beautifully done and really work with the material. My favorite tracks are "M79" and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance".

JPRaup

Fucking awesome album. I can't get that "Eh Eh Eh" part outta my head in Oxford Comma.

atlantamoi

Luuuuuv this one. All the songs are great, but A-Punk's bass riff hasn't left my head for days. It's nice to hear a band like this take a different direction than their peers (the Afro vibe on a couple of tunes).

BDB

I attempted to see them last night at Popscene, but it was a madhouse, Usually it's pretty easy to get in there not last night, biggest line I've seen in a while.

I like the album, will check them out in March when they tour again.

fnordboy

I saw them play last year with Tokyo Police Club and Ra Ra Riot. I didn't care for them all that much at the time mainly because they did not fit into that bill at all. They played flawlessly though. For months afterwards though I had a couple of the songs still bouncing around in my head, even after amazing performances by the other two bands. Still not sure if I will pick up the album.

Groucho

They played a clip of these guys on NPR this morning. There first song was a direct rip-off of Paul Simon's Graceland. Meh. The second clip was better, but I don't understand why everybody is creaming their jeans over these guys.

Hollowgen

word

atlantamoi

Certainly, there is a Graceland feel to a couple of tracks, but that's not the whole album. Anyway, it's not like Paul Simon was the inventor of African guitar playing (that would be from the album "Duck Rock" by Malcom McLaren ). I don't think the Vampire Weekend album is the end-all of rock music, but they take a fresh turn away from what so many other bands are apeing.

DJLinus

I first heard them on an "All Songs Considered" over the summer, liked the song they played, but then forgot about it. With the album finally being released and reviews being posted, I had a big "oh yeah, those guys!" moment.

Listened to the album yesterday and really enjoyed it. Some nice, breezy stuff for the end of winter. "Oxford Comma" and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" are my favorites, thus far.

The user comments posted on the Onion AV Club's review criticize the album for sounding like a Wes Anderson movie and the band for wearing their upper-class status on their sleeves. As a fan of his movies and the music used in them, I see nothing wrong with the former. As for the latter, would they prefer the one of those rich kid bands putting forth a false, slumming image? At least VW seem to be having a bit of fun with theirs.

Hiro11

so, beacause there's afro-pop influences, it's a "direct rip-off" of Graceland? That's like saying The White Stripes are a "direct rip-off" of Led Zeppelin because they both have heavy blues riffs they stole from Sonny Boy Williamson.

Also, the album's not all Afro-pop-based music. The album has a lot of reggae elements, some British ska (a la English Beat) and a heavy indie-pop (a la The Shins) influence. Why not take a listen before judging?

woofman

Actually they are playing at the Wexner Center on Valentine's day ($10). I'd been meaning to listen to them, pretty good stuff! Might check em' out.

Tarantino

Just got this CD and wanted to drop in and say that I love it. I can't tell you a favorite track right now, because I've been listening to it in the car and they all kind of blend together for me...but that's a good thing, because I don't skip any tracks.

The first great one for 2008.

= J

atlantamoi

They're on the cover of the new Spin. The mag said it was the first time they ever had a cover photo shoot before a band had even released an album. With their preppy look and bouncy vibe I'm reminded of Haircut 100. No, they don't sound the same, but it's just nice, upbeat music that's enjoyable.

The Bus

I think I had the album on repeat, playing constantly, for a good two or three weeks. It is insanely catchy and insanely good, but there's not a whole lot to the music if you want to get cerebreal about it.

If anyone wants to see them live, buy tickets within a few days of them being on sale. These guys and MGMT are impossible to see live.

The Bus

I got outbid trying to get a hold of their early EP. I bid up to $70 or so, final price I think was above $80. I may not see this one online again.

I did get a hold of a promotional copy of their Mansard Roof single, which has the song "Ladies of Cambridge"... This is the first non-album track I've heard from them and it's great.

Strangely, I heard it playing at the mall this weekend. I'm still listening to this album near daily.