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Tarfumes.com - Vampire Weekend
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List Price: $11.98
Our Price: $9.99
Your Save: $ 1.99 ( 17% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Xl Recordings
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0634904031824
Label: Xl Recordings
Manufacturer: Xl Recordings
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Xl Recordings
Release Date: 2008-01-29
Studio: Xl Recordings
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Editorial Reviews:
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It would take a lot for Vampire Weekend's debut to rise above the stench of privileged hype that surrounds it. A bunch of kids who formed the band in their Columbia dorm room borrow wholesale from Afrobeat and angular '80s stuff, and they quickly become an online buzz band before releasing a single album? Thankfully the record, and the band, are great fun: playful, pop-wise, and smart enough to pull their shtick off with aplomb. Organ and drums are often the focal point of the music, bringing to mind a goofier, happier Clinic (if that group's record-collecting habits were more scattershot). On the excellently named (and better sounding) "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa," Vampire Weekend asks, "Does it feel so unnatural / To Peter Gabriel too?," immediately disarming--with self-aware brazenness--any criticism of their pomo/postcolonialist borrowing of "ethnic" music. It's clear that these dudes have not only inherited the nerd-rock omnivore's mantle from the Talking Heads, they've actually and already improved upon it. --Mike McGonigal
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Graceland 2: Electric Boogaloo
Comment: As I look at a lot of the reviews here, I begin to wonder, "Why all of the hate?" Is it because of the hype? Of course it's the hype. But what else? Is it the backlash against the pretensions of "elitist" culture that many seem to think Vampire Weekend promotes? Or have all of the Paul Simon fans come out of the woodwork to defend what they believe to be a young band of preps muddying their idol's seminal work?
With all my assumptions (which may or may not be well founded) aside, I can honestly say that Vampire Weekend's eponymous debut is, and will be, the best album of 2008.
Come on, the album is blistering with energy and catchy writing, discounting the mediocre "One (Blake's Got A New Face)." The lyrics are witty enough to sustain the smart songwriting. "Mansard Roof" is a great opener, as its atmospheric mood evolves into a torrent of thundering Afro-pop. "Campus" and "A-Punk" show that the band has already mastered the indie-rock format, with its own twist. Even the grammatically titled "Oxford Comma" proves to be fun in its own right. The album starts off with a bang, and minus the aforementioned misstep, never forgets to be ultimately fun, memorable, and poppy (yes, I used poppy as a positive adjective).
Yet, the best portion of the album is saved for last, with the duo of "Walcott" and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance." The former song utilizes fast-slow dynamic perfectly, with is intense xylophones contrasting its beautiful violins. As the buoyant "Walcott" ends, the final song, "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance," begins with its echoing drums and ominous bass. The song builds and builds, with its great melody becoming more powerful on each chorus. You should be humming this one for weeks. What a great way to end the album.
Many have called this album "Afro-pop lite." So what of it? Is that an insult? Was Graceland pure Afro-pop? I don't think so. Sure, these prepsters owe a lot to Paul Simon, but they have taken the blueprint he created with Graceland and they ran with it. Many great bands have worn their influence on their sleeves, whether it was The Beatles with Chuck Berry and Little Richard, or even Nirvana with The Pixies.
Did I just compare Vampire Weekend to those two greats? Only in one similarity, as I am not claiming Vampire Weekend to be the as important. Nor do I think they are the greatest thing since the internet itself. However, this band has promise, and this album will be considered a classic once the hype settles in awhile. There is a lot to love on this album.
To end off with a cheesy, yet appropriate, line, these kids do stand a chance.
Customer Rating:
Summary: No Graceland, But Still Fun
Comment: No, Vampire Weekend is no Graceland, but then what is? It's just not fair to compare the first album from an indie band with a big-budget production from a master of pop songwriting in his prime collaborating with some of the top musicians in Africa! Taken on its own terms, Vampire Weekend is a good effort that sometimes rises above the ordinary "indie" sound of the band's peers. When you average the brilliance of tracks like "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" with the same-old-stuff of tracks like "Walcott", you're left with a solid album that's still well worth a listen.
Lyrically, Vampire Weekend might better be compared to Andrew Bird's recent work, with words chosen more for their sound than their meaning. Overall, I'm left more with the impression of a fun party album in the tradition of the B-52's than the enduring poetry of a Paul Simon masterwork. A bit disappointing, but still OK.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not Great, But Promising
Comment: Vampire Weekend is made up of 4 Columbia University graduates that have self-produced this world music influenced debut album. Their sound is made up of clean, sparkly guitars, syncopated rhythms, canned harpsichord electronic keyboard sounds and strident vocals. The lyrics are somewhat naive and the sound is quite humorous, and instantly infectious. This band has seen a lot of success due to this album which is great since they have a lot of potential. However, I think that the band doesn't nearly live up to their potential. The songs are short, simple and predictable, all of them being structured very similarly. Many of the albums 11 cuts clock in under 3 minutes and the whole playing time of the album is just over half an hour (34 minutes to be exact). The songs that are longer than 4 minutes are really 3 minute songs with unnecessary repeats. While the band has a great sound, there is a lot of work that needs to be done with this group if they want to be really great. Step 1: Hone song-writing skills. The band will benefit from writing longer, better structured songs and expanding their musical vocabulary. Step 2: Get some experience. A few more years of life will get the band writing much better lyrics. Frankly, sometimes these guys seem like their still in college. Step 3: Write a lot more material. The next record need more volume. I get angry to have to pay 10 bucks for barely half an hour's worth of music. And Step 4: Work with a really good producer. This group needs someone who can really refine the infectious sound they've created. While this album surely won't make my top ten list for this year, but this band is headed in the right direction and if they develop like I think they will, maybe their next record will make my top ten list in a few years.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Surprised!!
Comment: I am really surprised about this band. I didn't know it (in Spain they are not known), but I bought the Cd because was one of my Amazon Recommendations. The sound is great and from the beginning with "Perfect Roof" until the end of the album with "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance" the tunes are great, "refreshing"
Customer Rating:
Summary: Count Chocula, Toucan Sam & Jean LaFoote
Comment: Amazon.com's reviewer suggests, in besotted tones, that fruity-sounding-Ivy-League-world-beat pirates Vampire Weekend actually "improve" upon the "nerd-rock omnivore's mantle from the Talking Heads." I'm sad to report that they don't really improve upon anything, except maybe fruity-sounding-Ivy-League-world-beat piracy, if that's your thing.
Talking Heads comparisons were lavished upon Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who were also hugely hyped and also gobbled big logs and no one listens to them anymore.
The Talking Heads were great - a rare and ephemeral collision of art and pop. Stop comparing crappy new bands to them!
Anyhow, I succumbed to the hype and bought "Vampire Weekend." When I got it home and listened to it, I immediately had to turn the volume down, so my neighbor wouldn't think I'm deeply into fruity-sounding-Ivy-League-world-beat piracy. After I'd choked down the whole thing, I quietly packed it up and dropped it off at the local thrift shop.
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