Vampire Weekend hit us over the head in 2008 with a surprising debut album that became one of the biggest crossover hits of the year. However, they became the target of some serious indie backlash as their music spread, which had little to do with the music itself, being due more to their Ivy League background, preppy get-ups, and sudden popularity. If someone found “Oxford Comma” a little off-putting, it would garner much more venomous reactions than were called for. Fuckin’ Ivy League pricks with their goddamn sweater vests. What was so strange, it wasn’t like Vampire Weekend was cashing in on anyone else’s gig. They were, and still are, highly original, playing catchy songs that can be immediately recognized.
Coming into the follow-up, Vampire Weekend could have done one of two things. Take cue from the rampant critical praise they were garnering and stay the musical course, or switch gears to appease the angry mob. Apparently, they chose the former, because Contra dives right back into what made them so charming to begin with.
Making its return to the fold is the African percussion, bossanova aesthetic, and Erza Koenig’s distinctively warbled vocals. Contra builds around the percussive work of Chris Tomson and works from there, adding in jangly guitars, strings, synth, and whatever else comes to these guys’ minds. There’s nothing here that would have sounded out of place on the debut, so for returning fans, this is a warm welcome back. If VP wasn’t in your wheelhouse a year and a half ago, well, chance are they won't be now. The great thing about them is the high character in the music, which always feels extremely vibrant and illuminating. Erza doesn’t back off in the face of the flurry of instruments; instead, he harnesses it, and his penchant for off-kilter melodies emits much of the band’s charm. He again makes every song have an undeniable groove, something that is often fun to sing along to.
One point of contention on Contra will probably be “California English,” because Erza uses the Autotune to filter his vocals. Well, too bad it’s a nice touch and makes for a great song. The track is one of the album's highlights. In fact, the songs that follow it, “Taxi Cab” and “Run,” are a great trio to make up the relentlessly catchy center of Contra. The lead single, “Cousins,” is actually the weakest song on the album. “Cousins” doesn’t depart from the general Vampire Weekend formula, but it does rev up the tempo while Erza falls a little bit flat in his normally strong delivery. It isn’t a bad song, certainly not unlistenable, but it does pale in comparison to the other songs which are simply too hook-laden for “Cousins” to compete with.
Another tweak worth noting, “Give Up the Gun” finds Erza smoothing out his melody in a much more conventional fashion, surprisingly with great results. Despite the change-up, the songs still sounds pretty Vampire-y. In the small chance that the song is a hint of things to come, I think a lot of the band’s charm would be eroded over the course of a full album. The song works well in this setting, however. “Diplomat’s Son” sparingly samples M.I.A., and gets back to the Vampire Way, with an extra helping of bossanova pop.
Much like “I Stand Corrected” from the debut, “I Think Ur a Contra” serves as the de facto ballad of the album. I thought “I Stand Corrected” was the best song on the debut, and I’m inclined to think the same thing of “Contra.” If not the best, it’s in the discussion, at the very least. Listen for the way the strings shiver at the start of the song, in a way that is reminiscent of Animal Collective’s “Banshee Beat.” Then those chamber-pop drums kick in, not unlike Grizzly Bear’s “Knife.” And Erza has a similar melodic philosophy to the Dirty Projector's David Longstreth anyway, so that should be easy to hear. That’s a hell of a combination, and pulling in three influences hardly qualifies for ripoff status.
Contra isn’t a step forward or backward for Vampire Weekend, importantly avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump. Contra feels like an extension of Vampire Weekend, like the second half of one giant twenty-one song album. For fans of the debut will be relieved to hear the sustained greatness. For naysayers, this album will haunt your days as Erza carouses around in his Cashmere sweater, confidence ever growing, having scored another crossover hit.
Track List:
1. Horchata (3:26)
2. White Sky (2:58)
3. Holiday (2:18)
4. California English (2:30)
5. Taxi Cab (3:55)
6. Run (3:52)
7. Cousins (2:25)
8. Giving Up The Gun (4:46)
9. Diplomat's Son (6:01)
10. I Think Ur A Contra (4:29)
