Album of the Week: Vampire Weekend’s Contra kills
Vampire Weekend: Contra
On Contra, their newly minted No. 1 record in the U.S., Vampire Weekend had a tough act to follow: themselves. Their dud-free, self-titled debut record was my favourite of 2008, and possibly one of the best rookie records of all time. But Contra may be an even more impressive record, if not more enjoyable, as the four Ivy League indie Afro-popsters avoid the usual sophomore-record pitfalls (lack of follow-up material, over-production, excessive experimentation) and deliver a finely honed, equally strong set of tracks as their first disc. Plus, on songs like the auto-tuned “California English” and the groovy, complex Joe Strummer tribute “Diplomat’s Son,” they show a musical maturity that bodes extremely well for what’s to come from VW. If you’ve been on the fence about Vampire Weekend and their un-ironic, preppy, Graceland-soaked pose, get off it now – there’s greatness here. A+
Vampire Weekend: Horchata (from Pitchfork)
from the CD ContraMP3 • 
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