Vampire Weekend have been a fresh contribution to the music scene with their unique classic and african inspired music. The music world was taken by surprise with their self-titled debut in 2008, which gained broad acclaim followed by many festival appearances. Now, they’ve released a second full-length, and it will be interesting to see if this album is a worthy sophomore effort, or just a rashful effort to cave in on fame to finance a posh dame.
The first thing you notice this time around is that there is less of the classical style of the first album. We hear more electronic sounds and effects, and despite this minimal change the African-inspired rhythms and tempo stand out more. The band’s style seems much more refined this time. I’ll try to describe what makes this album a development from the debut and how it manages to stand on its own legs.
The opening track “Horchata” introduces playful African rhythms and quirky styles intertwined. It gives you a good picture of the overall style of the the album album. A strong first track is always a good thing, and this one’s an incredibly catchy and well crafted melody. The electronic sounds and effects are very welcoming and cleverly added. This distinct quality we are witnessing here continues throughout the first half of the album. The songs are diverse and different from another which effectively keeps the music interesting. It is very common for bands to resort to using the same sounds, effects, style and openings in most of their tracks. Luckily, here things are more varied, playful and interesting. The blend of contemporary styles complimented with afro beats and classic touches makes this album fresh.
On the other hand, there are a few setbacks that keeps this album from being a possible highlight of the year. Despite how original the band is with their style, some songs are easily forgettable and rather unimaginative, some overdone when it comes to styles and effects. These songs aren’t terrible, by all means, but very underwhelming and unoriginal in contrast to their incredible counterparts. It’s still a good album though, with some great and memorable songs among some that are more just “filling.”