You could call them indie, experimental or even contra. On January 12, Vampire Weekend dropped their second studio album with XL Recordings entitled Contra.  While there’s been a lot of speculation about who is the girl on the album cover, it’s a mere distraction before you really start listening.

Whenever I hear a song, I like to imagine where it would fit in the soundtrack of my life.  Many of these energetic beats would fall in the category of a vibrant college party scene or a smiley montage on a TV teen show. They truly have an extremely lively sound in with their “ballads”, of which there are two that can barely be classified as such, the whole record commands a different kind of aesthetic.

The world music influence is clear, yet not too far from home that many of Vampire Weekend’s already diverse fan base wouldn’t appreciate.

The first single off of Contra is “Cousins.”  Its steady, yet wild, beats instantly propel bodies to move, whether in the ska/punk type of hopping or even hips sensually swinging.

As for their other song, “Horchata,” I’ve had it stuck in my head for days.  Believe it or not, I actually didn’t mind it, although considering how much I’ve listened to this album over the last few days, I can’t seem to learn many of the words.  Lead singer Ezra Koenig sings at a pace just as lively as the instruments, which makes him at times hard to understand.  While listening to the album for the past week and a half, I’ve gotten peanut gallery comments about the lead singer’s voice.  While I enjoy it, apparently some people find his high-pitched voice slightly annoying.

I enjoyed the dance inducing tunes, as well as the slightly slower, pleasant ballad-some that feature a little harpsichord. Don’t let these creative beats pull you from the full truth of Vampire Weekend: their quirky and smart lyrics. With Vampire Weekend, sometimes you may think you’ve figured out the message of the song and, just as quickly, they turn it around on you.  I kind of like that feeling.

I loved “Run”, the opening verse feels particularly relatable to us Michiganders:

“Every dollar counts/And every morning hurts/We mostly work to live/Until we live to work.”

In “I Think Ur a Contra,” you can find a nice way to say that, “I hate that you’re kind of two-faced:”

“Never pick sides/Never choose between two/But I just wanted you.”

Overall, I enjoyed the whole album and I think new and old fans will as well. Contra stays true to the Vampire Weekend aesthetic, while still demonstrating originality and creativity. I give it a strong “A.”  Give it a good listen.

Contra is available on iTunes for $8.99; Zune Marketplace and Amazon.com for about $7.99.

Author: Crissy Zamarron

Photo: Courtesy of XL Recordings