‘Contra’ hard to ignore
Related Content
Maddi Pofahl
February 23, 2010
Filed under Entertainment
Time and time again, in an attempt to be nonconformist and indie, I have seen bands or movies become the very thing they claim to hate. It can be a struggle for a musician to stand out in a genre that often contradicts itself and in an age where technology makes it all too easy for the listener to forget them.
At first glance Vampire Weekend may appear to be one of these frustratingly hypocritical bands—but they should not be overlooked. Their music is deceivingly smart and detailed.
Carefully blending a variety of genres—calypso, synth-pop, indie rock, hip-hop, and Afro-pop—Vampire Weekend returns with a vengeance in their sophomore album “Contra.” Rather than changing who they are to please the critics, VW embraces the contagiously upbeat and quirky music that fans fell in love with in their debut album self-titled “Vampire Weekend.” The group’s second album refines the vibe that generated so much buzz on music blogs in 2006.
As in “Vampire Weekend,” front man Ezra Koenig’s lyrics still focus on privilege and cross-cultural topics, they have also evolved into something more meaningful. Many listeners are initially drawn in by the elaborate melodies and Koenig’s dynamic voice, but they stay for the thought put behind the music.
In “California English,” Koenig pokes fun at the social vegan: “Sweet carob rice cakes, you don’t care how the sweets taste/ Fake Philly cheese steak but you use real toothpaste/ Cause if that Tom’s don’t work, if it just makes you worse/ Would you still lose all of your faith in the good earth?” Ezra asks us how we would define ourselves without products and materialism.
In “Giving Up the Gun,” said gun is actually a guitar. “Your sword’s grown old and rusty/ Burnt beneath the rising sun. It’s locked up like a trophy/ forgetting all the things it’s done.”
Koenig got the idea from a history book given to him by his dad, describing a period in Japan’s history where guns were banned in favor of swords.
“It seems unimaginable now that humanity could willingly go back to an older technology,” says Koenig. “It got me thinking about whether you could give up the things that you have and go back to a simpler way of life.”
Vampire Weekend may have just as many haters as it does lovers, and it is inevitable that many will find short-comings within “Contra.” But I find their polyrhythmic style both refreshing and irresistible. Try “Run” for a safe and catchy indie song, or for the more adventurous crowd, “California English.” “Diplomat’s Son” also has a fun M.I.A. sampling.
Loading ...