Debut

Vampire Weekend’s second album Contra has been receiving a lot of praise since its release last week – everyone is loving how this second album is tighter, brighter and weirder compared to their 2008 debut album, Vampire Weekend, which sounds more monotone and restrained in comparison (in a good way). Beyond just showcasing their group’s cleverness and zeal through smart lyrics and sound, Vampire Weekend proves with Contra that they’ve got soul too.

Vampire Weekend’s group of Ivy League guys have kept their smart wit in writing lyrics as well as combined a multicultural mix of genres (Afro-pop, reggae, ska, and electro accents) with bigger drums and faster guitars. As always, the band’s songs are all about exploring contradictions, emotions and superficialities… and in particular casting a probing eye towards individual struggles with social status. Perhaps this theme is in part why Vampire Weekend can boast such widespread appeal, because in a sense, social status is something that everyone must struggle with at some point. It’s not surprising then that Vampire Weekend is such a cross-cultural and cross-generational new indie band.

The following songs are on the Contra album:

• Horchata
• White Sky
• Holiday
• California English
• Taxi Cab
• Run
• Cousins
• Giving Up The Gun
• Diplomat’s Son
• I Think Ur A Contra

Check out Vampire Weekend’s performance on the Letterman show on January 5, 2010. They played their song, “Cousins.”