by Rock & Roll Ghost
Streaming Audio: Vampire Weekend – “Mansard Roof”
I gotta admit to having had full-on hatred for these internet sensations. Everything about them felt like a put on, especially their merging of world music with alternative/indie-rock. The hype that preceded their debut release (dubbed originally as “Blue CD-R”, now self-titled) was thick and nauseating. The sort of thing that precedes an artist these days only to fall apart when brought to the national spotlight.
But then these songs started grabbing hold of me and I slowly could not deny the band’s worth. “A-Punk” is a brilliant rave-up, the sort of thing that Ted Leo does, but far more invigorating. “Bryn” follows and its guitar spikes over a simplistic bass line and evocative keys. And despite being a third-rate Paul Simon Graceland-era ripoff, “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” is a real pleasant tune, one that I’ve gone from hating to liking after hearing it about 100 times. Album opener “Mansard Roof” is like the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” by way of Fela Kuti and “Oxford Comma” is garage rock with a twist of Steely Dan coolness. While “Walcott” is something that The Walkmen could do in their sleep, but it still retains that special something that VW deliver throughout.
While Vampire Weekend’s debut album comes off as more influenced than influential, the band manages to make something enjoyable to listen to. And, though not quite worthy of the hype, in the end Vampire Weekend aren’t so bad after all.
Choice Cuts: A-Punk, Mansard Roof, Oxford Comma, Bryn
