Something Like Sound

“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”, “Upper West Side Soweto”, and “Oxford Comma Riddim” are just some of the adjectives that Vampire Weekend uses to describe their sound. If these “genres” sounds pompous, then the band has achieved its goal. Vampire Weekend is composed of four Columbia graduates from New York City, and they’re not afraid to make their preppy backgrounds known (ironically in some cases). Despite this, their self-titled debut album delivers a nice blend of African and Caribbean rhythms and harmonies with laid back indie-pop melodies and lyrics.

The band was relatively unknown until they started sending record companies and music blogs a blue CD-R, aptly titled Vampire Weekend: Blue CD-R. This contained un-mastered copies of songs which would eventually appear on their new album. Although major record companies ignored them at first, some well-known blogs were very impressed with the innovative style of the band, and gave them outstanding reviews.

Vampire Weekend begins with “Mansard Roof” – the album’s single – which makes obscure references to McDonalds (which have mansard roofs) as well as discussing the Falklands War. Although the lyrics are vague and needlessly obtuse, simple piano chords and arpeggios permeate the song, giving it a relaxed feel, while lead singer Ezra Koenig’s tenor voice conversationally sings about McDonalds the way only a Columbia graduate would.

In the track, “Oxford Comma,” smooth and light guitar riffs and African dance beats from the drums provide an ideal context for the song, in which the singer chastises someone for the same preppy attitude that pervades many of the other tracks. One of these tracks is “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” which talks about the very rich vacationing for the summer in Cape Cod. However, relaxed guitar riffs and informal singing still is the base of the sound, and the song ends up being extremely catchy.

Vampire Weekend combines the same laid back attitude toward songwriting displayed by the Strokes with rhythms common in South African pop music. Despite the odd combination, it makes for an addictive sound which, after the initial confusion caused by the style, will cause repetitive listening.