Vampire Weekend - Contra

American indie-rock band Vampire Weekend made the headlines for all the right reasons when they released their self-titled debut album in 2008. A weird mix of rock and African music greeted first time listeners, captivating most. Rolling Stone magazine would go on to declare it as the 56^th best album of the decade, no mean feat for a first time effort! The question was whether their sophomore album would be a worthy successor to the first and the answer is a resounding YES. ‘Contra’ by Vampire Weekend is a fantastic album which grows on the listener with every subsequent listen.

mmm..Horchata

The first thing about Contra that caught my eye was the girl on the album cover. Her blank stare and polo t-shirt, not to mention the pretty face, was alluring to say the least. The first track is the sweet sounding ‘Horchata’ (a Mexican drink) and helps set the tempo for the rest of the album. A unique aspect of Vampire Weekend’s sound is lead singer Ezra Koenig’s voice, which sounds more like a yelp. It infuses a playful vibe to the songs which in themselves are kaleidoscopic and sanguine. When I first gave the album a spin, I must admit I was a little confused. I couldn’t quite exactly put my finger on the exact genre, but Contra has a definite Worldbeat influence; infusing non-traditional folk music (African, in this case) with rock. Songs such as ‘Holiday’ ,‘California’ and ‘Cousins’ have an undeniable charm about them. Then there are the longer, more varied songs like ‘Diplomat’s Son’. But the one song that really sticks out (in a good way of course) is the album closer ‘I Think Ur A Contra’. The lyrics are honest and heartfelt and caps off the album brilliantly.

Conclusion

Vampire Weekend’s ‘Contra’ is a feel-good album and a really good one that too. The band successfully avoids the dreaded sophomore slump that many promising young bands suffer from. One word of advice: Invest some time in the album, give it a few spins, you might be surprised at what you find behind the beauty on the album cover.

“I think you’re Contra
I think that you lie
Don’t call me Contra
Till you’ve tried”