Sound: Brainy, clean cut indie pop frequently mixed with African and Caribbean rhythms and instrumentation. Classical chamber elements like strings and harpsichord also show up occasionally and Ezra Koenig soothes with his sophisticated croon that jumps up to a tender falsetto from time to time.
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Oxford Comma”; “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”
Medium Rotation tracks: The rest
Recommended: Fans of The Police’s reggae and ska-driven songs and Paul Simon’s Graceland will find several tracks on here to get excited about. But Vampire Weekend’s globe-trotting tunes are far more than imitations. With great songwriting, performances and a refreshing hybrid sound with limitless range, they deliver what’s surely going to be one of the top indie albums of the year.
Grade: A (Top 20 Albums of 2008 Candidate)
Hear Vampire Weekend in rotation on 3wk.com
Listen to Tracks/Buy Music:
On iTunes
On amazon.com
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