Most Americans will remember the Contras from the Iran-Contra affair, the 1986 political scandal during which is was found that high-ranking US officials were selling arms to Iran and using the proceeds to fund right-wing Nicaraguan revolutionaries, the Contras. In 1986, Vampire Weekend's lead singer Ezra Koenig was 2 years old, and given that the band met in college, I imagine they are all about the same age, and clearly too young to remember the Contras. That they invoke the political group for "I Think UR a Contra" and even name their second album after them is the kind of clever-for-the-sake-of-it move that turned me off to their first album (read my review of
Vampire Weekend).
Yet
Contra appeals to me for other reasons and in ways their first album did not. The sound is pretty similar--a Paul Simon-evoking blend of indie rock and world music beats. I guess this time I'm more willing to overlook their pretentiousness and enjoy their upbeat, original melodies. Maybe I'm okay with clever if its accompanied by creative rhythms and pleasing melodies.
Life has certainly been good to Vampire Weekend, and it shows in their music. Their 2008 debut catapulted them to indie stardom, and their follow-up, which debuted last week at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, appears to have pushed them over into the mainstream. Contra's songs are sunny, bubbly fun--no post-modern doom and gloom here.
"Horchata," named after a thick Latin American beverage, is a delightful start to the album, mixing an addictive percussion arrangement over an air melody of acoustic instruments and lyrics that, to me at least, suggest a pleasant remembrance of a Mexican vacation. "White Sky" is similarly light but with more synths. "Holiday" is a little more upbeat, but still retains an airy, party feel, despite its references to war. In "California English," Koenig delivers a rapid-fire vocal processed with auto-tune, the crutch of much rhythmic pop music today, but generally not used in this genre.
The middle of the album delivers many of its best songs. After the pretty upbeat opening, the gently sweet strings, piano and even harpsichord melody of "Taxi Cab" offers a respite of classical influence. "Run" is my favorite song on the album, which builds its verses fantastically with horns, synths and a great dance beat. Then comes "Cousins," which sounds like Vampire Weekend's take on the Arctic Monkeys, with its rough, rapid sound and less than 3 minutes running time. "Giving Up the Gun" is infectiously upbeat, pushing up the album's average BPM.
After these great songs, I find the final two songs disappointing. At 6 minutes, "Diplomat's Son" is the album's longest song, and about halfway through I'm ready for it to be over, as I find it rather bland. "I Think UR a Contra" is plodding and weird, as well as devoid of the energy that runs through the rest of the album. Despite this though, overall I found the album to be surprisingly enjoyable and better than their first outing.
Best: Run, Horchata, Giving Up the Gun, Cousins, Taxi Cab
Users of clip art and file photos take note: "'80s chick in yellow polo" isn't just a random girl, she has a name. In this case it's Kirsten Kennis, and she's pissed off.
