Vampire Weekend's sophmore album was one of my most anticipated albums of 2010, and I'm happy to see it come so early into the year. Wife, baby and I all love their self-titled debut album, and we were hoping for some tunes that complemented their smart and catchy debut. There's a heaping helping of afro-pop to be found in Contra, and a spoonful of expansion as well; but a retread of their debut this is not.

Contra is an album full of peaks and valleys, and the listener is given a much more full-bodied experience this time around. Opener and lead single "Horchata" almost sounds like it could fit on the Disney Channel, with its marimba-based lead melody and lazy afternoon lyrics. The album peaks on song number two, "White Sky", which is the best representation of both the former and current Vampire Weekend - it's full of electronic backbeats and falsetto oohs and aaahs that simply require head bobbing and singalong. Closers "Diplomat's Son" and "I think UR A Contra" are both ballads that end the album on a bit of a down note. But really, could they have actually made as good of a closing song as they did with "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance"?

In the end, this album doesn't quite have the impact of album #1, but it still showcases a band of guys that make the music they want to, without heeding what actually makes a popular single. For this, I respect them. But when it comes to longevity, I have a feeling that I'll be popping in their debut album six months from now whenever my family and I get a hankering for some V Dub.

Release date: Janurary 12, 2010 no comments